By Kevin Kilroy
Kwame Jackson, runner-up in the first season of NBC's reality television show "The Apprentice," visited the University on Nov. 17 to impart words of wisdom from his own life experiences working for one of the biggest bosses, Donald Trump.
Jackson, who received his Masters in Business Administration from Harvard University in 2000, already has extensive experience in the field of business (most notably his investments in various dot-com startups while still in graduate school and a three-year stint as an investor at the prestigious Goldman Sachs investment firm).
However, Jackson said his start in the business world came long before he ever filled out a college application.
"In the third grade I re-sold extra lunches to my classmates on the school bus," he said. "Although officials soon shut down this 'illegal operation,' Jackson said this and other childhood business endeavors taught him the value of earning his own way at a very young age.
Even though Jackson spent a good portion of his youth mowing lawns and working at McDonald's, he said it taught him how to work hard.
"You never know who is watching," he said. Someone he worked with in McDonald's 15 years earlier remembered his work ethic.
Jackson discussed life after college, an important topic for students at the brink of graduation. His "Lessons from the Board Room" are analogies for lessons in life, which he learned in his first few years after graduation. He took a job at Goldman Sachs directly out of college.
Jackson said working at Goldman Sachs made him extremely unhappy and disillusioned.
When his friend, Dave Smith, e-mailed him about the opportunity to audition for "The Apprentice," Jackson blew it off because he did not view the show as a chance to be a reality TV star.
However, Jackson was unaware that Smith called the casting directors. The directors flew out to New York and met with Jackson and Smith in person.
"This taught me my first lesson: think outside the box and circumvent the situation," Jackson said.
Jackson was flown to Los Angeles for the final audition, where the directors asked to speak with him at the tail end of a long workout in the gym. Forced to meet with the entire crew in a sweaty jumpsuit, "I learned that opportunity comes when you least expect it," he said.
Once offered a spot on the show, Jackson was faced with the decision of whether to accept the TV spot or keep his job at Goldman Sachs.
"Everyone in life is given a pitch. The difference is who knocks it over the fence," Jackson said.
Even though some people thought he was crazy, Jackson accepted the role on "The Apprentice."
After the show he received hundreds of offers, but he turned them all down.
"I decided to bet on myself," he said. In the process he started his own business, Legacy Moldings, clothing line and show on CNN.
Junior Terrence Jennings said Jackson was "informative and inspiring" and it was nice to see he was humble and "worked hard to get where he is."
Jackson offered lessons in leadership such as being team oriented, staying positive and persevering and calculating risks, which he has learned through his experiences growing up and working in the real business world and on "The Apprentice."
Jackson told future graduates to "conduct yourself with polish and class, people will remember you for it and respect you for it."
Kwame Jackson, runner-up in the first season of "The Apprentice," discusses his secrets to success. (courtesy kwamejackson.com)