Make Relationships #1

“The best entrepreneurs understand that people are our greatest asset in any work. The life of my dreams has been constructed with the people of my dreams. There is no way I would be doing what I love and working with such stunning colleagues, peers, neighbors, and community organizers if I had not been purposeful about nurturing my relationships.  

Being intentional about who you surround yourself with—learning from diverse individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and perspectives—is absolutely key to any fulfilling life. Relationships, and the profound common bonds of humanity at the heart of those relationships, are the bedrock of my life and 100% responsible for any “success” I’ve ever been afforded or achieved.”

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“I hear another terrible piece of advice all the time: 'Networking is super important.' At the end of the day, you don’t want to just meet people and have them in your network. The most effective thing to do is go the extra mile and develop relationships with everyone you meet.”

"I’m constantly working to strike a healthy balance between my work and my personal life. I have learned it’s just as important to nurture personal interests and relationships as it is professional ones.”

"I failed a lot when I was a young teacher because I thought rigor, performance, and conformity were the secrets to success in school and in life for my students.

They didn’t respond to my zeal for fixing their test scores or fixing their homework habits or fixing their study patterns. They didn’t respond, as I came to learn, because they didn’t feel a connection to me. They didn’t trust me. They didn’t feel like I understood the meaning and the challenges in their lives. When you don’t feel understood by someone, you don’t listen.

Over time, they convinced me that I needed to understand people before I tried to do anything with or for them. They taught me that relationships come first—a lesson that has continued to shape and change my life.”