We did get a very big new client today, and we’re excited about that.
But we’re a family-first company, so we want to congratulate our very own Tony Calabrese for becoming the print supervisor at the Staples store in Clawson, Michigan.
Tony has worked hard and he’s really earned this. He started there in August 2021 and he’s become so knowledgeable in the print department that, for some time now, he’s been the one people call on with questions or issues.
He is excellent at his job.
But there’s also a lesson in this about fundamentals. Today’s workforce is not the best we’ve seen when it comes to basic things like showing up on time, or showing up every day, or practicing basic professional habits. We could get into a long screed about that, but let’s just park it here: A person in today’s workforce who masters these fundamentals has a crucial advantage and is likely to get serious consideration for advancement.
Tony knows this and he’s worked hard to do well in these areas, which is why he didn’t have to do much convincing to attain the supervisor’s position when it became available – in spite of the fact that he’s only 21 and has no college degree.
And about that decision: He made a choice when he was 16 that college was not the path he preferred to achieve his career goals. Even as his goals changed, he maintained the conviction that he didn’t need to give up those four years of his life or the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of dollars college might cost him.
To be where he is today – getting management experience at the age of 21 – is a vindication of that decision. We are not trying to tell every young person in the world not to go to college. For some, it’s the right move. What we are saying is that not going to college is far from a death sentence for your career ambitions. There are many ways to get where you want to go, and the best is to do excellent work at whatever opportunity comes your way.
Good things happen when you do that. Congratulations Tony! We could not be more proud of you! And you should be proud of yourself!
By the way, Tony will continue to be part of our team, helping with video production and various other things. But we know we need to work around his schedule, and that’s as it should be.