My name is McKinsey Alston, and I am a Real Estate Agent and Investor in South Jersey, the Jersey shore, and Philadelphia. Every Thursday, I post a quick video on my Instagram (@mckinseyalston) where I share a thought that I believe will inspire others to think differently about their current situation. Listed below is the story behind Penny Thought Thursday, aka PTT.
Once upon a time in 2010, a rookie HR was teamed up with a veteran leader in Sicklerville, New Jersey. This rookie HR really wanted to get to the top by working hard so he could climb the corporate ladder. He was ambitious, but he didn’t know how to get there. The rookie tried to learn how to be the model leader, based on what he heard from other vets and the vet that he was paired with, came to him one day and said,
“Hey, Rook, you’re acting kind of strange. You seem like a cool person, but this thing you’re doing, isn’t really who you are.” The rookie HR looked at the vet and said, “what do you mean?” The vet replies, “In order for you to climb the corporate ladder, the way you want to, you have to be yourself. Come on, bro! If they don’t like you at the top, then the top isn’t for you.”
As the rookie HR continued to develop his leadership style, he started to share his wisdom and thoughts with the rest of the staff. One day the vet came in and put a penny on the rookie’s desk and said, “here is a penny for your thought today.” Two weeks later, the vet drops two more pennies on his desk and says, “here are two pennies for your thoughts today.” This went on for a full year until the rookie HR had four stacks of pennies on his desk. One day the rookie walks into his office and the vet framed all of the pennies with a message that said, “Penny for Your Thoughts, My Friend.”
This rookie turned HR professional, finally understood the importance of being true to yourself, but it was the vet’s pennies that helped him become the leader he is today. Fast forward, 11 years, and it is 2021 and the rook, known as McKinsey, has built a successful HR career and now turns his attention to building a successful real estate business as a real estate investor and agent. The lessons learned in 2010, helped him, become a curious leader who likes to share what he’s learned to help others. As he builds, his real estate business, he continues to look for vets to have conversations with so he can become a master at his new craft while sharing his Penny Thoughts on Thursdays. His goal is to provide thoughts that will help individuals think differently and grow.
Follow @Mckinseyalston for Penny Thought Thursday’s!
