In this Leadership Journey episode of the Teen Exec Podcast, host Natalya Lucas talks with Dr. Jerry Smith—former chair of the Marketing Department in the Carroll School of Management at Boston College—about how classic marketing ideas like positioning, branding, value, and pricing can help teens make smarter choices today. Dr. Smith traces his path from economics and music to Parker Brothers and General Mills, then into academia and consulting. He shares why financial literacy matters, how to think in three money buckets (now, soon, long-term), and why mentors often make the difference between potential and progress.

What You’ll Learn:

• Positioning yourself: how to define what you stand for and communicate your value
• Pricing & value (for life): thinking beyond price to the value you create and receive
• Financial literacy for teens: the “three buckets” approach to saving and spending
• Career paths aren’t linear: lessons from brand management to academia
• Mentors matter: how to find them and why they accelerate growth

Guest:

Dr. Jerry Smith — Former Chair of the Marketing Department of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College; researcher and consultant in pricing strategy; creator of a teen financial literacy course; passionate about helping young people apply business concepts to everyday life.

Try-This-Week (from the episode):

1. Position yourself: write 3 words you want others to use to describe you; do one action that proves each.
2. Think value, not just price: before a purchase, ask, What am I really getting for what I’m giving up?
3. Check opportunity cost: if you say yes to X, what are you saying no to?

Resources & Links:

• Visit TeenExec.com for blog posts, tools, and upcoming workshops
• Join Teen Exec on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

What does your desk have to do with leadership? In this Student Leadership Playbook episode of the Teen Exec Podcast, host Natalya Lucas teams up with her dad, Jeff Lucas, a college marketing instructor, to explore how organizing your study space can boost focus, reduce stress, and strengthen your ability to lead yourself—and others.

Together, they share the “five plus one rules” of organizing your study space for student leaders who want to stay focused:

• Keep it clear, keep it simple
• Create zones for different work
• Control distractions before they control you
• Light it up and make it comfortable
• End with a reset
• +1 Bonus: Organize your digital space too

You’ll learn why a clear space equals a clear mind, how physical and digital organization affect focus, and how small daily resets build long-term discipline—skills that directly translate to leadership. You’ll even hear a few AI prompts you can use to declutter faster and reset smarter.

If your desk tends to pile up—or if you’ve ever felt that a messy space leads to a messy mind—this episode gives you a simple framework to turn order into energy and self-management into leadership.

Many thanks to the Weston Media Center for helping us record and edit this episode.

Resources & Links:

• Getting Things Done for Teens by David Allen, Mike Williams, and Mark Wallace
• How to Be a High School Superstar by Cal Newport
• Visit TeenExec.com for blog posts, tools, and upcoming workshops
• Join Teen Exec on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

How do you get the most out of your relationship with a club advisor? In this Student Leadership Playbook episode of the Teen Exec Podcast, host Natalya Lucas teams up with her dad, Jeff Lucas, a college marketing instructor, to tackle one of the trickiest parts of student leadership: building a strong partnership with your advisor.

Together, they share the “five plus one rules” for working effectively with an advisor:

• Setting clear expectations and roles
• Keeping your advisor in the loop
• Treating them like a partner—not a boss or an obstacle
• Being honest when you’re stuck
• Celebrating wins together
• And the bonus: accepting “no” and adapting

You’ll hear examples from student clubs and sports teams, practical communication tips, and advice on managing up—skills that will serve you well not just in high school, but with professors, mentors, and even future bosses.

If you’ve ever felt micromanaged by an advisor, or struggled to know how much support to expect, this episode gives you a framework to lead with confidence while building trust and collaboration.

Many thanks to the Weston Media Center for helping us record and edit this episode.

Resources & Links:

• Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
• Visit TeenExec.com for blog posts, tools, and upcoming workshops
• Join Teen Exec on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn