| A few business authors and online personalities including Peter Thiel, Grant Cardone, and Gary Vaynerchuk, have challenged the general notion that a college degree is necessary to having a successful career. I also have a few friends in the real estate industry who also believe that college is unnecessary at best and a total waste of time and money at worst. Honestly, there is merit to both sides of the argument. I am particularly skeptical of the wave of for-profit colleges and universities that have emerged in recent years. I’m sure there are some that are good, but most seem a little shady to me. College is expensive, especially private schools, so dedicating four years of your life and a quarter-million-dollars should be something that well thought out. Cardone has been quoted as saying that any degree outside of Harvard and Yale is worthless, and Gary V says 93% of college students are wasting their time. Sorry, but both statements are idiotic. Cardone’s book 10X is great, but he seems to be taking a page out of the Gary V blueprint of “brand building by making outrageous statements” — so who knows what he really believes. The truth is if you are attending college purely to make money, there are probably better ways to invest your time and money. A career in real estate can be extremely lucrative and does not require much in the way of formal education. However, for many people, having a career that is both fulfilling and lucrative is essential to leading a happy, purpose-driven life and different people are fulfilled in different ways. If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, professor, scientist, engineer, accountant, or an executive at a large company, a college education is required. I’m not sure if Cardone and Gary V believe our country would be better off without doctors and other professionals or if they think those professions shouldn’t require any college — but obviously their perspectives don’t align with realities of our society. For me college was definitely worth it. It expanded my way of thinking and introduced me to some of the smartest and most interesting people you’ll find anywhere. It gave me a sense of awareness of the world we live in and provided me with the intellectual fundamentals to pursue a wide variety of professional relationships and career options. College may not be for everyone, but not going to college could limit your options in life, which is something most of us don’t want for ourselves or our kids. Interesting factoid is that the current number Latinos in college have surged in recent years, with Latinas in particular leading the way.
|
When we invited Gary Vaynerchuk to NAHREP at L’ATTITUDE in 2021, I was mostly relying on input from others. Several members loved his content, but the little I saw online left me underwhelmed. However, I thoroughly enjoyed his presentation at our event, particularly his comments about toxic employees, which he says to dump with impunity.
Selling during a downturn required a more strategic approach, but the opportunities for growth and expansion are available to the savviest of companies. Here are some of the best ideas I’ve read about.
A farmer and his son had a beloved stallion who helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away and their neighbors said “Your horse ran away, what terrible luck!”. The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.” A few days later the horse returned home, leading a few wild mares back to the farm as well. The neighbors shouted out “Your horse has returned and brought several horses home with him. What great luck!” and the farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”