Improvisin’ My Way Through Life

2016. Potentially, the most anticipated year of my life.

Why? Because it is the year I graduated from the best college, ever… The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Here’s my favorite picture from my graduation. Could not have made it through the past four years (or the past 22 years) without this guy. All of his wonderful support allows me to overlook the fact that he gave me his red hair.

Throughout the past couple of months, I have spent countless hours researching companies, company cultures, agencies, firms, start-ups, CEOs, random interesting people on LinkedIn, cities to live in, things to do in those respective cities, etc.

Along the way, I came across GolinHarris. This is “one of the world’s largest and most successful public relations firms, with 50 offices around the globe.” This firm and its CEO (Fred Cook) are very unique.

Upon researching this established firm, its CEO stood out. Becoming a CEO was the farthest thing from Cook’s mind. He never made outstanding grades or attended Ivy League schools; instead, he worked odd jobs, went to three mediocre colleges and earned average grades. However, he explains, “My experiences became my credentials.”

Cook’s confident yet humble approach to life is one of the main things that inspires me about him. His ability to view failures as opportunities is what, I think, has made him the overwhelming success that he is today.