It’s graduation season and college students everywhere are obsessing over their next moves. I have just one piece of advice:

Go find a really bad job.

Before you break out in a cold sweat, hang with me. Here’s what you get in return:

A paycheck. A couple years ago a young man graduating from the college group at our church showed me his list of requirements for his first job. I was floored. From salary to location to the type of office, his requirements were way out of line. This is an extreme example of an all too common problem. Don’t expect to “have arrived” at your first job. Think of this as a starting point – a way to pay your dues and build a resume – and a way to stay out of your parents’ extra bedroom.

An opportunity to learn. There is so much to be learned as you enter the workforce. A “bad” job means fast track learning. When I look over my professional experience, the difficult and challenging opportunities were the ones that taught me the most.

Perspective. We’ve hired many students straight from school and there is often a common problem of lack of perspective. You don’t know a good opportunity until you’ve seen the flip side. Once you have a boss that requires you to work sixty hour weeks, you realize that forty hours isn’t all that bad.  When you have a truly unreasonable employer, you’ll realize that someone with high standards is actually fair and challenging. Every student needs to see the real – and sometimes ugly – side of the professional world. You’ll be a much happier person throughout your career when you gain that perspective.

So happy career searching! Find a job. Learn from that job. Learn what you like, what you don’t like, and what motivates you. You’ll never find a “perfect” job, but you’ll come much closer when you have a full perspective.

What bad jobs have you had? And what did they teach you?

Whether you’re running a dog grooming business or giving parenting advice, one size does not fit all. Custom blog development should start with the strategic question, “What do we ultimately want visitors to do?” and then create an online experience that uniquely expresses the individual’s or organization’s personality and drives conversions.

Here are some custom blogs to reference.

Evaluating your organization in today’s rapidly-changing world can be overwhelming. But having a clear picture of what should change and what should stay the same helps you focus your strategy and keeps you from making changes just for the sake of change.

There are two essentials critical to developing a business idea or organization:

“What you do” – the marketplace need that you answer

“How you do it” – the methods that you use to meet the need

The “what” will often remain the same. As long as the need exists in the marketplace, you’re in business.  When the “what” is too often changed, organizations and businesses become diluted and unfocused.

The “how” is what we must relentlessly evaluate and change. The way we meet the need today may not be the most effective or profitable way to meet the need tomorrow. An ongoing analysis of the marketplace and methods is necessary to make sure that the “how” is on the mark.

When we started The A Group nearly ten years ago, we set about to offer effective communication solutions to ministry and non-profit entities. Though we’ve seen a dramatic change in our business, that “what” is still the same.

What has changed is the “how.” In the early days, we used direct mail, brochures, billboard and advertising. Our “how” was often a print piece. As the market changed, we shifted our skill set and strategies to take advantage of a new online world. Today we develop interactive campaigns and online communities that engage today’s consumer.

Organizations that are not flexible with the “how” will die – some slowly and some quickly, but all painfully. Only those that are constantly looking for a better way to meet a need will grow with the changes in their market.

What will The A Group look like in another ten years? I have no idea. I can tell you one thing – we’ll be creating effective communication solutions. The “how” probably doesn’t even exist yet.

Dr. Tim Elmore (President, Growing Leaders) recognized that opportunity.  A published author with 25 books, speaking engagements in prestigious universities and organizations across the country, and a large following of those dedicated to student leadership, Dr. Elmore had two requirements: 1) Publish a new book with a time-sensitive message in 6 months. 2) Retain ownership of his intellectual property – in this case, the book copy, the graphics, the charts and the message as a whole.  For Tim, the ability to get an urgent message to his audience in a short time was paramount. And owning IP would allow him to alter that content as necessary to provide additional resources in multiple formats, to quickly respond to reader feedback.

When we began working with Tim in February, it was obvious that traditional publishing would not meet his needs. It was time to charter a new course. We set to work forming a dream team – publicists, marketers, creatives, techies. With this team, we:

• defined the brand
• reviewed the content and selected delivery networks
• refined the message – graphics, editorial, titling, video promo (above)
• identified and located the audience groups
• developed the distribution and marketing plan
• built an action-oriented resource site
• leveraged existing followers and networks
• and released the book – from concept to release – in 6 months. Unheard of by traditional standards.

This week, Generation iY released and officially marked a milestone.  The sprint to release this book is done. The evolution of delivering content in a new world – with new rules – has just begun.

Who else do you know that has recognized the opportunity to write their own rules?

During a make-up break (for Maurilio) at our photo shoot

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better…

There’s nothing like the reward…and work…of launching new initiatives. Two years ago Maurilio and I had the privilege of launching a literary agency. Our relationships with publishers, mega-church pastors, ministry leaders and authors made it a natural fit. Combine that with our marketing and technology expertise, and we were able to offer what few agents could – investment in the full publishing process, from pitch to retail.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, it did.

Earlier this year, I met Tami Heim. What started as casual introduction soon developed into dreaming about possibilities. The changing world of publishing offered an opportunity to do what we at The A Group do best – adapt, implement and fill the gap. From content delivery to social media strategy, today’s ministry and author brands find a complex landscape with fragmented expertise. Combining Tami’s 360 degree view of retail and publishing with our experience in book marketing and technology brought a comprehensive option to manage and grow brands.

Today we are officially announcing the launch of our Brand Development division at The A Group. Approaching content delivery from the perspective of long-term brand development, we can guide authors to the unique opportunities in today’s publishing environment.

One look at Tami’s resume and you’ll note her extensive experience, from Chief Publishing Officer at Thomas Nelson to President of Borders Books. But even more impressive might be her heart. I recently explained it this way, “I can’t tell you the last time I met someone who truly approaches every situation desiring a win for all involved.” I’m blessed to call her mentor, friend, and now…officially…partner.

What opportunities have you found in an environment of change?

In the past, I’ve had vacations that seem like an escape from life. These were usually followed by a pit in my stomach as I DREADED going back to work. What a difference to have a fulfilling, God-ordained purpose. Since the early days of The A Group, I’ve always known that only God could orchestrate such a strange and wonderful path to start an endeavor that partners with His ministry around the world.

I told someone yesterday that I have the best job in the world. I get to see first hand the way he is working through ministries and ministers who also love what they are called to do and are so devoted to a specific cause. Just to mention a few:

LIFEHOUSE – I spent this past weekend with my friend Becky Turner of LifeHouse of Houston. Becky and her committed team of board members, staff and volunteers literally pour their lives into providing a safe place for pregnant teen girls who choose (often against the advice of everyone in their lives) to give their babies life.

DAVID RING MINISTRIES – For the past couple years, I’ve watched David Ring expand his ministry.  In fact, we have the privilege of helping to launch his new ministry to high school students. After 30 years of ministry, he has such a heart to reach the lost and rather than being satisfied by status quo, he continues to pursue new opportunities.

WOMEN OF FAITH – Mary Graham and her team at Women of Faith are another example of those who are passionate about their calling. As I met Mary and Amy Chandy last fall, it was clear that their deep commitment – which includes long hours and an incredible travel schedule – is driven by a true desire to see women led into a deeper walk with Christ.

FWBIM – I have a great respect for Mark McPeak and his team at Free Will Baptist International Missions. With the daunting task of managing hundreds of missionaries around the world, the FWBIM group never settles for second best. Rather than just getting the job done, they’re committed to strategic thinking and planning which sets them apart and equips the organization for long-term excellence.

Today, my vacation is over and my tan is rapidly fading, but I have a new appreciation for the opportunity to partner with those who are so committed to a calling. I thank God that we each have a specific part to play, and that I can spend my days pursuing my passion and not just a paycheck.