Inspiring Mentors

There are just some people in life that motivate you to be a better person. Everyone has a role model- whether it’s a parent, a coach, a professor or even a friend. There is just that one someone who teaches you things you never knew you needed.

For me, this is Michael Pollack- Founder and CEO of Pollack Investments, one of the largest real estate companies in Arizona. Growing up, lots of little girls wanted to be veterinarians or princesses, but I wanted to be a business woman. My parents have owned their own flooring company my whole life, and they always rented offices from Mr. Pollack. They always told me how generous, hardworking and logical he was- and meeting him for the first time was an honor to the weird 12-year-old that I was. What inspires me about this particular business man is how hard he works. He came from no education, but rose to incorporate properties all across Arizona, California and Nevada. I was intrigued about his drive and sense for business, and those values are what have carried me through my studies at GCU’s Honors College.

Michael Pollack is an idea, an abstract template of the kind of person I want to be in my career. He inspires me to go the extra mile because he shows me that hard work and determination can get you farther in life than just a simple title. In reality, I haven’t worked extensively with him. Instead, I look to how he handles his business and how he makes his tenants feel to help guide the way I carry myself in the future. A role model can be anyone you look to for wisdom- either in personal relationships, career advancement or moral values. To me, being successful is beyond how much money you make or the sign that sits on your desk; success is building lasting relationships and making your work worthwhile- in whatever way you measure worthiness.

Who inspires you? Who makes you want to go the extra mile in your field to be the best you can be?

That is who has motivated me to go the extra mile, someone whose values and impression has stuck with me from my awkward junior-high stages until now. I know that as I begin to embark on my journey to my professional career, Mr. Pollack’s generosity and endurance has shaped the ideal Business leader I strive to be.

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