Working is something that has always been a part of who I am and my drive to succeed. From the young age of 10, I began my first business endeavor called “BroMadi’s Spa. Bro-Madi stood for Brooke and Madison’s Spa. My sister and I ran the spa for many years out of our home where all my family members and my mother’s friends would come over and get a list of services from nails, pedicures, massages, facials and so much more. We had a separate room with a cash register, online time slots for appointments, and cute gift bags my sister and I would create and give to each customer. As I got older, I opted to work at our local restaurant as soon as I turned 15 years of age.
@TheCorner
I work at The Corner in Litchfield, CT where I serve in several roles. First, I manage all the seating, placements for large parties, the cleaning, clearing, and setting up of tables, serving food, drink and most importantly smiling. I work Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. My schoolwork always comes first but then my work takes priority along with my sports. Again, I love my work and I don’t think I have ever been late in my 3 years of working, and my coworkers depend on my high quality of work and my employer would attest to this.
Connecting with the customers and my coworkers, getting to know them well, and growing a deeper personal connection with them has helped my communication skills as no other public speaking course could ever have provided. My dad said, “Madison when you turn 15 go and apply for restaurant job, this is a job worth so much more than a paycheck”. He was right as my ability to connect, relate, and smile has grown beyond anything I would have anticipated. I admit I did not understand what my dad was trying to teach me, but I was so glad I listened to him. I have worked there for close to three years now. Working there feels like home to me. My “regular” customers are an extension of my friendships and they have become people I have grown deep relationships with. If I am not there on a Saturday or Sunday, they tell me it’s not the same and they prefer to only come when I am working. I must admit it makes me smile even more.
Bearicuda Bins Inc
I started working at the early age of 12 at Bearicuda Bins and stopped at around age 15, the largest provider of bear-proof products in the country. This is my dad’s company but he wanted me to start getting some business experience so he would first have me come to his office for the first month and have me sit at a desk and do nothing but listen to his phone calls. I was like “What am I doing”? But I soon realized I understood how to more effectively communicate, how to sell products, and how to negotiate with vendors that supplied his company with raw materials which led me to develop what he calls better street skills which led to better thinking on my feet. My dad always tells me it's not only about how book smart you are but most importantly “street skills”. After my first month, he would have me on the computer, entering orders, picking up the phones, building bear-proof hardware kits, working in the shipping department, and showing me how to understand a profit and loss statement. He still has me come in once and a while but right now I am so busy with my current job, school work, and community service work, I don’t always have time to work at Bearicuda.
