🚨 True story from Detroit — I asked three different twenty-somethings for directions to a restaurant two blocks away!
Google Maps was spinning because of the tall buildings, so I figured I’d ask a human.
Not one could help. Not even close.
It hit me like a brick: we’re facing a crisis of resourcefulness.
And it’s going to cost us—big time.
Problem-solving, critical thinking, follow-through—these aren’t just “nice to haves.” They’re career-defining skills. They’re what fast-track employees have that others don’t.
So, I’ve made it my mission to teach these skills to my kids.
At our house, the rule is simple: each of my kids pays half their college tuition.
Sounds tough? It is. That’s the point
(I’m not as mean as I sound – they had a phenom k-12 and any scholarships go to their half first 😊).
Here’s how my son handled it:
📍 Private college. Full room and board. Max meal plan.
📍 He owed about $5,000 each term (after merit scholarship).
📍 Instead of using his summer job money, he took out a loan—on the last day, with zero research.
📍 The interest rate? 12.65%. 😳 That’s $1,700 in interest before even touching the principal.
I didn’t fix it for him. I sent him back.
He had to:
🔍 Dig deeper
📄 Research the FAFSA
💡 Discover he qualified for a federal loan at half the rate
🏦 Cancel the first loan
✅ Follow through and pay the bill
That’s resourcefulness in action.
And it’s exactly what the workforce—and the world—needs right now.
🛠️ We don’t need more instructions.
We need more people who can figure it out.
And, yes, while the system for paying for college is broken, he needed to work with what is available to him.
Leadership
Some leaders build companies. Others build a community. Shana Cosgrove, CEO of Nyla Technology Solutions, is doing both. She had
