Chris Gardner

Business school professors don't take selling seriously because they don't know how to sell. It's easy to talk about business theory and production time and just-in-time development. Selling is much more difficult. ”

Fortunately, our digital age has created some wonderful tools for finding employers and showing your strengths. But when it comes to discovering or keeping a job, nothing beats good old-fashioned face time and up-to-date skills. ”

One time, I was going to be in L.A. for 10 days for a business conference, and I took eight different pairs of sandals. ”

We can all look to our friends, family, and those we admire for inspiration. ”

I cut grass, I did yard work, I did roofing, I cleaned basements to take care of my family. ”

You can blame outside factors or make excuses about why things didn't work out, but that doesn't change anything. ”

Remember: If you don't schmooze, you lose. Used wisely, a bit of chitchat helps create a personal connection with your boss and colleagues. ”