My First Job: Shane Atchison

April 21, 2007

My First Job: Shane Atchison

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Shane Atchison

Current position: CEO of ZAAZ, an interactive agency serving clients worldwide.

First job: : In fifth grade I rode the bus for 45 minutes each way to get to and from school along with the other children in the rural community where I lived. I saw a market opportunity to make this long ride a little more enjoyable by selling candy to my classmates. I would buy the candy and sell it with enough of a markup to buy more and get some for myself, too.

What I learned: : Early on, I learned the essentials of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur: capital, customers and trusted employees. I had one friend who invested her savings to help the business cash flow, others that sold the candy (without leaking to parents and other adults), and a happy base of customers. Happy, that is, until we got caught with a huge bag of candy waiting to be sold. I also became savvy about top sellers, in this case the Jolly Rancher sticks that were cheap and long-lasting. It was one item I always had available because it consistently sold. Today, these lessons are the foundation of my business: passion, respect, trust, talent, life-balance and fun.

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