Recently I started researching ways teens can get involved in service, not just for volunteer hours but for experiences that connect to who we are and what we care about. I was surprised by how many websites exist to help students find projects that match their interests, schedules, and even

A few days ago, my dad and I were talking about an article he had just read in the Harvard Business Review called “The Hidden Beliefs That Hold Leaders Back.” He asked me, “What do you think are some hidden beliefs that hold teens back?” That question led to one

When I teach college students in my marketing class about starting their first full-time job, I often begin with a question: “How are expectations being set about you in those early days, and how do marketing concepts explain that process?” Students usually talk about their first meeting, what they plan

One of the best tools I’ve come across for managing time and stress is something called the Eisenhower Box (also called the Eisenhower Matrix). I first learned about it in a workshop based on the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. Since then, I’ve noticed

Have you ever started carving a pumpkin only to realize halfway through that you don’t have the right tools, you’re running out of time, or your design just isn’t working? It happens more often than you’d think. The good news is that carving a pumpkin doesn’t have to feel stressful.

Editor’s note: Up to now, Natalya Lucas has authored the blog posts on the Teen Exec website. I’m inviting my dad, Jeff Lucas, to contribute periodically as a guest writer, sharing some of the marketing principles he teaches to college students and showing how they can be applied by teens.

If you’re like me, time can feel flexible, maybe even limitless. I’ve got classes, extracurriculars, friends, other commitments outside of school, and sometimes it feels like I could say yes to all of it. But here’s the truth: even though it doesn’t always feel that way, your time is limited.

Lately I’ve been reading Executive Functioning Workbook for Teens, Ages 13–18 by A. E. Nicholls. One exercise that jumped out at me is the Cognitive Flexibility Challenge: Perspective Shift Puzzle. The idea is simple but powerful: when you hit a stressful situation, don’t lock into the first explanation your brain gives you.