C.E.O.

I've never thought of myself as a businessman. The only numbers I’ve ever enjoyed examining are batting averages and the dates of historic American legislation.

I’ve never read one book or listened to one lecture on finances. I still can’t tell you the concrete difference between macro- and micro-economics. Nor do I understand the DOW Jones or the Dodd-Frank Act. Despite receiving advice to do so, I have no intentions of investing in Wall Street--the jargon alone intimidates me.

Despite my inexperience, I’m employed by a business--a thriving one actually. It’s arrow hasn’t always pointed upwards, but the company has definitely picked up some momentum in the past few years. Its progress consumes my every waking moment, motivating my every action and lurking behind each decision I make.

Believe it or not, at just 22 years old, I’m already an executive.

That’s right. Vice President, President, and C.E.O. of Troy Farkas Incorporated, an up-and-coming business I believe will change the world.

We are all C.E.O.’s of our own lives. Every action or decision--no matter how big or small--affects our company’s viability in the open market.

We have to build our companies from the ground-up by dragging ourselves through the drudgery of the mailroom and other remedial tasks.We’ll undoubtedly encounter struggles and unforeseen circumstances along the way, but we must remain vigilant and believe our companies’ will earn profits in the long-run.

Like any good business, we must always assess our progress. Forgo the quarterly reconciliations and instead reflect on every day. We must regularly reason through every decision we make.  Lost in this age of second-screening is the time for self-contemplation and daydreaming, often where our best ideas and innovations find their roots. We need to look at the pitfalls of yesterday to pave the way for the beautiful waterfalls of tomorrow.

In addition, we must change our business plans when something isn’t working. We have to cut our losses when we see flatlining in our growth. New technologies, concepts, and ideas must be embraced so that we don’t fall behind in a rapidly-changing economy. Everywhere we turn, a different industry faces a doomsday in the near future. Coffin construction is underway for the newspaper, Xerox machine, and cable television. Don’t let them build one for your product too.

To maximize potential business growth, we must constantly ask ourselves questions like the following:

Our companies’ most important resources are time and money. Do we get the most out of our days? Are we allowing the distractions of television, video games, and social media to limit our time spent striving to reach our companies’ goals?

Treat every purchase as a business transaction. Will that new pair of shoes help build and sustain company morale? Will that pricey iPhone 15 with a screen the size of a book help our companies flourish any more than the iPhone 7 we purchased a year ago?

Let’s look at our friends. They’re C.E.O.’s too. We must ask ourselves if those partnerships are still worth pursuing. If they’re no longer beneficial, then we must cut ties and search for new business allies.

Examine health. How do you treat your body? After all, it’s our companies’ most precious and irreplaceable piece of machinery. Treat it with respect and fill it with nutrients and satiating water. Our companies will operate more efficiently that way, resulting in short-term growth and net gains in any year-over-year analytical measure we wish to use.

Any other example you can think of, apply it to your own life. You get to determine your company’s priorities.

We’ve all heard the story of the guy who infamously sold his Apple share before the tech startup became the behemoth it is today. Ronald Wayne, the company’s little-known third founder, doubted Apple’s long-term stability. So in April 1976, Wayne sold his 10 percent share for $800.00.

According to CNBC, a 10 percent share in Apple today comes out to approximately $80 billion.

Welp, big mistake.

Of the little I know about Wall Street, I know it’s a good thing when an outsider invests in a company. It means they see something there, perhaps something that other people don’t. They see enough that they’re willing to take a chance, hoping it pays off.

It’s your company. It’s your life.

Don’t let people sell their stock in you. But rather, give them a reason to invest in it.

x