LeverageBlog Interview: Michael Simmons

As soon as I discovered the young entrepreneur and author Michael Simmons I knew I'd found a source of inspiration.  At 24 this tenacious New Yorker has already started a business and written a book; this guy is clearly just getting started.  I spoke to him recently to learn more about his background, book and keys to success.

In 1999, while still in high school, Michael created a web design company with a friend. (Yes, high school.)  They flew-high during the days of the Internet boom, but unfortunately couldn't keep the doors open after the crash.  He realized his experience as a student embarking on the entrepreneurial journey was a story others wanted to hear and he wrote The Student Success Manifesto, a smart collection of business best-practices tailored to ambitious college students.  He won the endorsement of Stephen Covey of the 7 Habits empire, and the book moved up the Amazon.com best-seller list.

Michael's focus is students, and he's a sought-after speaker at schools across the country.  Moving forward he and his business-partner have plans for an online community for high-achieving college students.  Picture a MySpace that's about personal growth instead of partying, or a LinkedIn for students.

The bottom line:  If you have a daughter, son or nephew that was setting-up a lemonade stand every weekend since they were 6 years old, buy them a copy of The Student Success Manifesto.  Even better, if you work in education contact Michael via his website and bring him to your school.

As an entrepreneur who worked with a startup serving college students Michael's vision is particularly inspiring to me; I'll be keeping a close watch on his career.