We are living in a time that is sometimes dubbed a “silver spoon generation,” so it is refreshing to come across young adults who defy that image. I had the honor and pleasure of interviewing just a handful of some of Baltimore’s Best self-made young men. They have become quite proficient in juggling work with their pursuit of an education, and took time out of their busy schedules to share their stories and advice with WWW readers.
Making Debt Disappear
Danny Weiser hails from Northeast Philadelphia and has been living in Baltimore for over five years. This 21-year-old physical therapy student at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) plans to apply for a job as a physical therapy assistant, before going on for his bachelor degree. He then plans to cash in on the offered tuition reimbursement, while working, to obtain his doctorate in the field. In the meantime, he is simultaneously working on completing a physical training certificate, while primarily supporting himself through school as a magician/illusionist.
“I’ve loved magic ever since I was six,” recalls Danny. “It was then, after my brother was born, that my parents bought me a “big brother” present, a magic set. I design my own tricks and have performed in over 200 shows. I do my own marketing, as well.” (You can visit Danny’s website, www.theweiserside.com.)
Danny has performed for sleep away camps, corporate events, fundraisers, birthday parties, and religious functions. One of his biggest gigs was performing at the Baltimore Aquarium. Soon he will be featured on a Channel 4 Washington DC news segment. Danny says he owes his success in his magic career, and all his other pursuits in life, to his single-parent mom. She lives in Philadelphia, where she cares for his sister and brother, as well as the 20 doves he uses for his magic acts.
How does it feel to be the primary supporter at such a young age? “It’s a tough ride, but I feel more complete knowing that I am able to do it on my own,” says Danny.
Yehuda Barkai, 23, is originally from Israel but has lived in Baltimore most of his life. “I left the yeshiva system after high school and spent some time in Israel, initially on a kibbutz and then at Kerem B’yavneh,” says Yehuda. “I current attend UMBC, where I am majoring in physics; I have about a year-and-half left to graduate.”
Yehuda lives in Baltimore with two roommates, and is a salesman at The Hat Box, in Pikesville. “Everyone has his own path, but I think that, in general, the ‘yeshiva system,’ besides offering the obvious Torah benefits, is a great thing,” says Yehuda. “It offers a lot of structure and support, which are crucial.”
Pini Zimmerman, 22, went to the Mevaseret yeshiva in Israel, for a year-and-a-half and now attends the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). He is a business major and hopes to transfer to a four-year college upon completion to seek a bachelor’s degree in business. Although Pini was recently laid off when his boss closed shop, he had been working and paying his own bills since he was fourteen. You might have seen him working at Mama Leah’s or for Maxaila Landscaping. He has also worked for Le Chocolate and Catering by Yaffa. “I enjoy working,” Pini concludes, “but I have not found a job that I love to get up and go to in the morning. One day, I would like to run my own company where I call the shots.”
Studying Med While Not in the Red
Ari Lapin is 25 and lives in an apartment with two roommates. The Los Angeles and Mercer Island, Washington, native moved to Baltimore from Manhattan in June, 2009, where he had been working for a consulting firm. He is a first year student at the University of Maryland Medical School.
“My undergraduate degree was actually in physics, and after graduation I worked for two years in finance, consulting, and kiruv in locations ranging from Seattle to Manhattan to Sydney, Australia,” says Ari. “At that point, I underwent a quarter-life crisis and had an epiphany that my calling was in the medical field. I subsequently moved to Baltimore to do the Goucher Post-Baccalaureate Pre-medical Program, which enabled me to take all of my pre-med prerequisites in one year. I then linked to the University of Maryland medical school, where I began this past August. I’m currently interested in surgery and emergency medicine, but I have some time before I need to decide on a specialty.”
In addition to taking a heavy load of courses in med school, Ari runs a small business, Islander SEO Consulting, which performs search engine optimization and management for several small businesses. “I started the business about a year ago,” notes Ari. “Essentially, I create or improve my clients’ web presence and generate customers for them through the internet. In this capacity I provide a variety of services, including hiring and overseeing a website designer, optimizing the site so that it shows up near the top of the search results when searched for, managing online analytics (tracking website activity), setting up and managing online advertising campaigns, and providing advice on all technological aspects of the business. It’s extremely gratifying to help small businesses fulfill their online potential and tap into the tremendous power of the web. One of the great things about my job is being able to very clearly see results and know that I’m being successful in producing business for my clients.”
Ari held many jobs while in school, including tutor, sailing instructor, physics research assistant, construction worker, research analyst in a wealth management firm, ranch hand on a horse ranch, rappelling instructor, counselor at HASC, and volunteer EMT for Magen David Adom.
“As far as I can recall, my first job was when I was about fourteen and started a small business helping to educate non-tech savvy (usually middle-aged) individuals on how to operate their computers,” says Ari. “I built up quite a large customer base, split my time between troubleshooting and tutoring, and grew the business for a few years until I left for college.
“Without a doubt, every job I have held helped me to identify what my particular skill sets are and where my passions lie,” continues Ari. “During my quarter-life crisis, when I started reflecting on my past experiences, it was immensely helpful for me to write down the various aspects of past jobs that I’d enjoyed and those I hadn’t. When I had done that, it became very clear that medicine was the field where my skills and interests intersected.”
Ari heartily recommends working while in school. “Working gives you a certain exposure to the real world, which I think proves incredibly valuable in both school and real life. There were many times in college where I felt that I had a better grasp of a concept in class because of an experience that I’d had in the working world. School can also be very socially limiting. Students only interact with other students, who tend to be the same age and have the same narrow, limited life experience. When working, you get to meet and learn from people of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Working also gives you an appreciation for the value of money, which in turn leads to an appreciation for the education that you’re receiving. When I calculated how much every lecture was costing me and how many hours of work that translated into, it definitely contributed to my determination to make the most of every minute.”
Working Is A+
Leor London, 19, attends CCBC. Upon completion he will have a Network Technology Associate of Applied Science (AAS), and A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications. “My professional goals for now are to obtain a vast amount of knowledge in a few different areas of the technology field,” explains Leor. “I eventually want to become a penetration tester, which is someone who tries to penetrate companies to help them improve their security protocols.”
Leor works part-time for two IT companies and is available on an as-needed basis for two others. “I really enjoy both of them,” he says. “I am responsible for all sorts of issues, from virus removal to hardware upgrades. After the first day of working for an IT company, I came home and decided this was what I wanted to do. Computers have always been a hobby of mine, but I had never once given it thought in terms of a career. It is challenging, fun, and rewarding.”
Leor has worked for the Zemer Orchestra since he was about fourteen. “That was the first ‘real’ job I had, and it did a great job teaching me many important qualities. I learned responsibility, respect, troubleshooting skills, and most importantly, how to deal with people. It played a major role in helping me grow up.”
What advice does Leor have for those who are thinking of working while in school or yeshiva? “Do it,” recommends Leor. “The skills you will learn and develop can never be taught in any school. There is nothing better than on-site experience. If someone can’t get a job, I would recommend finding an internship. I know people who were turned down from jobs and requested an internship instead and are now doing quite well. Once companies get familiar with you and see that you have skills, they will hire you. An internship gets your ‘foot in the door’ and can create endless possibilities. They will expose you to the pros and cons of your intended profession, and you can decide if it is something you like or not.”
How does helping support himself make him feel? “It makes me feel great,” says Leor. “I am still living at home, so I am not fully independent yet, but having a steady income makes me feel somewhat independent, which I like. I like the feeling of not having to rely on anyone; I am in control of my success or failure.”
Last But Not Least
Dovid Pensak (yes, he is my son), is 21 and lives at home. By day, he is a partner in Fifo Media Group, a digital advertising company; by night he attends CCBC, where he is majoring in business management. His love of business was cultivated at the tender age of eight, while working for his big brother Zev in his landscaping business. His subsequent jobs included waiting on tables at simchas for a local catering company and, again, working with Zev and his wife Ayala at The Chocolate Publishing Company in Pikesville.
Dovid has utilized his job experiences as stepping stones, with his eye on owning his own business, one day. “It’s too early in my career to be definitive with regard to what type of business,” explains Dovid. “It all depends on what opportunities come up for me.”
What advice does he have for others who are thinking of scheduling both work and school? “My only advice is: work as much as you can handle and don’t overload yourself. Balance your priorities with what makes most sense. Both work and school can be stressful, so don’t put yourself on overload.
“I recommend trying to support oneself; it feels good,” continues Dovid. “It shows maturity and self-reliance. Being able to live on your own shows you have control, and it teaches you how to spend wisely. When using someone else’s money, you may not be as careful with your spending, especially if you are not seeing the bill. It’s good practice for those looking to get married, in particular, because one should know how to budget before starting a family.”
