Rainmaker's Roadmap

"I feel like I got my graduate education just as real life work and learning from people. It was like trial by fire, you know, getting thrown into work situations internationally and trying to figure it out as I go. That's a lot of what entrepreneurs do."

After spending a year studying abroad in Florence, Italy, Robin Behar knew she wanted to find work that allowed her to keep learning from and experiencing different cultures. Her opportunity came in a company which was pioneering in bringing direct response marketing into overseas markets and it wasn't long before she broke off and started her own company doing just that! Listen to learn more about direct response and direct to consumer marketing, international distribution, and what kinds of things to look for in a first job that will allow you to learn and grow. 

"As we all know for sure, we've got one go at it here. And it's important to take stock of that, it's a huge opportunity. There's a responsibility to do something with your life, and the challenges that we're all working to solve - be it big, audacious ones like climate change or small ones like how does this person that I just crossed at the grocery store feed their family today - they're all so big that you have to do it with other people."

Matt Scott owns Causemic, a Portland-based agency which works with non-profits to help them spread their message and raise funds so that they can have greater impact. Listen in as he shares his story as well as the habits and practices that have helped him along the way.  

"I would say the first thing high school or college students should do is just start writing, that is becoming more and more of a lost art. Write as much as you can, and it doesn't mean tweet, that doesn't mean text, that doesn't mean post on Facebook. I mean long form writing... There's always going to be jobs for effective communicators."

At sixteen years old, Dan Kahn took pictures of his first car and sent them to his favorite car magazines along with an article he wrote. Six months later that car was on the cover of three magazines. In this episode we hear the story of his exciting career and some great lessons from the mentors he met along the way. 

"It is so fun to get to do what I do, which is kind of having my nose in a lot of people's business. I mean, they always know it better than I do. But I mean, I know about waste hauling. I know about organic recycling from customers that we have. I know about wide format printing and lots and lots of things that most people don't know anything about. They don't even know that it matters. And, you know, I know that water trucks are divided up and why they're the shape that they are. It's just fascinating to me to learn all these different things... I consider it sort of my own little secret. It's continued education, it's fun to learn, and kind of get to have and hold these things that other people don't get to learn and get to know."

"Never say no to something because it doesn't fit what you think you're going to do. Experience everything that you can if an offer comes your way. Say yes. Don't say no." - Dianne McKay

In this episode we hear from Dianne McKay, owner of Mustang Marketing. Listen to hear how the high schooler whose mom had to force her to go to college at least eight hours from home found herself travelling the whole world for her career in satellite broadcasting only to then discover a great passion for community service right back in that same hometown. Along with an inspiring story come several nuggets of wisdom that you won't want to miss! 

"The sooner you learn to love work, the happier your life will be. Because there's a lot of work that goes towards achieving the wins. And so if you can't get satisfaction out of the journey, the journey is going to be really hard. So learn to love work and recognize that a failure is an opportunity to learn. It's not the end, it's not where you stop. It's where you learn, and you pivot, and you grow." -Diane Knudsen

In this interview we hear from Diane Knudsen, whose career path took her from commercial lender, to mother of four, to franchise owner of the Alternative Board in Ventura, California. Listen to learn from her years of experience!

Welcome to Rainmaker's Roadmap! In this podcast, you'll have the opportunity to explore a variety of career paths and choices all from the comfort of your headphones!