Bettergrads Unplugged
Happy New Year! 2010 should be a great year for Bettergrads.
I received a facebook message from the Bettergrads co-founder and social-entrepreneurship czar Kevin Adler, informing me that he would be spending the New Year’s weekend in the OC / LA area. Yesterday I met up with him, his brother Chris, and Emerald (Chris’ girlfriend) at Cross Roads Trading Company, a small consignment / thrift store in Santa Monica.
It is always a treat to spend time with Kevin. The last time we were together, we spent the weekend making some hilarious videos for Bettergrads. It was a great bonding experience and a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the organization . Before returning to LA, I made sure to squeeze in a trip to a local Nordstrom’s Rack, as Kevin shared that he needed to update his wardrobe.
Like most guys, Kevin does not like shopping as it is time consuming and somewhat stressful. Couple this with my solid knowledge of men’s wear brands from my Nordstrom days , and you can see why Kevin likes having me by his side when he goes shopping.
At Cross Roads, I helped Kevin pick out two jackets. One was a navy blue cotton blazer and the other, a green corduroy button up shirt-jacket. Indecisive and in need of help, Kevin did the smartest thing possible: he asked other shoppers who were perusing the store’s goods what they thought about each of the jackets. Per the recommendations from the vox populi Kevin purchased the navy blue blazer.
Our shopping excursion was followed by a delicious lunch at Interim Cafe, a small vegan sandwich shop Chris learned of via a friend’s recommendation. In between nibbling at our delicious vegan sandwiches (Kevin was reveling in one called the Spanish Jew, which I would have ordered in a heartbeat, had I realized I could substitute the organic smoked turkey for a soy chicken breast). Alas, as I enjoyed my roasted soy-chicken breast sandwich, the four of us discussed our New Years Eve adventures and any resolutions we had for 2010. One of mine is to improve my project management skills.
When I recall my summer rendezvous with Kevin, I remember how he would spend each night journaling what he did that day. Kevin shared with me that running an organization like Bettergrads requires that he take the time to document what he does each day and reflect on the success of those activities. Of course, journaling his activities also helps Kevin remember exactly what he did that day.
Hanging out with Kevin yesterday reminded me of my goal to improve my project management skills. And what better way to do that than to begin journaling what I do at my job everyday. Because if I want to gauge the progress I’ve made at work, what better way than to read about what I accomplished in the past.
NOTE to high school students: Journaling throughout your 4 years of high school can make writing personal statements much easier, especially when you can use your journal for source material for those oh-so-important essays.
