In the first video blog interview of #TheGroundFloor, Andrew Exler sits down with David Kaplan, General Assignment Reporter at WTAE in Pittsburgh. David shares a bit of his story growing up & how he got into his career.

David highlights the advice he wish he could go back and tell his younger self, especially noting that everything will work out in the end.

The #COVID19 pandemic has completely altered the landscape of employment around the globe. Many individuals have been laid-off or furloughed from their jobs. At this time, the hiring field is extremely competitive and many people could use some assistance.

#TheGroundFloor is thrilled to welcome guest contributor, Jacob Hollander, a recent graduate from the University of Central Florida Master’s program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, for this week’s edition as he shares his best job-searching tips during a pandemic.

If you’ve been following along to my business endeavors recently, you may think that things are moving a mile a minute for me. That’s because they are. Busy is a good thing.

The last 7 months of my life have been something I have strived for my entire professional career. I always wanted to have the independence to do what I thought was right, especially as it relates to my business & my professional choices. Currently, I am essentially working in three full-time roles with Andrew Exler Consulting, Lost Tribe Esports & My New Summer. The decision to take my career in this direction is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Enjoy this week’s post in #TheGroundFloor to learn how I got here!

#TheGroundFloor is thrilled to welcome guest contributor, Ethen Ostroff, aka “The TikTok Lawyer”, for this week’s edition.

With over 212,000 followers and more than 6 MILLION likes on TikTok, Ethen has built his strong personal brand utilizing social media while continuing his full-time role as an Associate at Ostroff Law.

I am very excited to welcome Ethen to #TheGroundFloor as he shares his story where he discusses what it takes to start a personal brand.

Have you ever wondered who the people are behind your favorite business or brand account on social media? It is essential to have the perfect person running your account. There is so much that goes in to running a social media account (well), that it’s easy to forget the work it takes to be GREAT!

In partnership with Growth10 (G10), I am happy to present my next collaboration with Co-Founder, Tom Healy, where we discuss why it is ESSENTIAL that you are careful in selecting who is running the social media account(s) for your business. Growth10 is the #1 community for entrepreneurs and as their mission states, Growth10 wants to help entrepreneurs grow faster and have a greater impact on the world. As part of your G10 membership, you will be providing a needs-based scholarship for an entrepreneur to be in the G10 Community. I am a proud member & contributor of the Growth10 community and I invite you to test it out with a 7-day free trial! You won’t regret it!

Enjoy this week’s video blog!

Do you want to make a bad day good, and a good day great? Introducing, Rosebud Ice Cream! #TheGroundFloor is thrilled to welcome guest contributor, Sam Rose, for this week’s edition!

Sam is the Founder & “Cream Executive Officer” of Rosebud Ice Cream, based out of Denver, Colorado. In the new world of CBD, Rosebud is innovating with CBD-infused ice cream.

I am very excited to welcome Sam to #TheGroundFloor as he shares his story where he took an idea and turned it into a reality!

Social media doesn’t need to be intimidating. There are a few simple things to focus on to improve your social media RIGHT NOW!

In partnership with Growth10 (G10), I am happy to present my next collaboration with Co-Founder, Tom Healy, discussing 3 things that small businesses can do RIGHT NOW to improve on social media. As their mission states, Growth10 wants to help entrepreneurs grow faster and have a greater impact on the world. Enjoy this week's blog which includes a video conversation with Tom, as well as a link for a FREE 7-day trial with Growth10!

As part of your G10 membership, you will be providing a needs-based scholarship for an entrepreneur to be in the G10 Community. I am a proud member & contributor of the Growth10 community and look forward to providing more excellent content for Tom and the G10 family!

#TheGroundFloor is thrilled to welcome guest contributor, JT Healy, for this week’s edition!

JT was born and raised in Pittsburgh PA and still refers to it as home. Growing up in Fox Chapel area, JT and I knew each other since we were very young (because everyone in Fox Chapel knows each other). The name may sound familiar because JT’s brother, Tom, is not only my mentor, but has been like a brother to me.

After staying close to home attending Washington & Jefferson College, JT made the bold decision to move across the country to Scottsdale, AZ. He has worked in various roles in diverse industries but has always had a passion to create and capture memories. Fast forward 6 years and many youtube tutorials, online training courses and being thrown into the fire he now has started his own side hustle. JT Healy Media has become a passion project where he produces, films and edits videos ranging from wedding celebrations to corporate culture videos.

I am very excited to welcome JT to #TheGroundFloor as he provides our FIRST EVER video blog! Are you into video editing but struggle to make your videos go from “good” to “great”? This blog is for you!

Our society is continuing to face a pandemic that we never imagined we could experience. Sadly, this means that summer camps around North America have started to announce that they are cancelling their summers due to COVID-19. I’ll say this with full confidence - camp counselors will make the best employees.

Introducing “My New Summer: An Alternative Summer Experience for Camp Staff”. Once I heard about the possibility of camps being cancelled this summer, I was heartbroken. I began to think about the thousands of staff members who have had their summer plans abruptly changed. Now, I want to help and I ask you to join me.

Are you one of those staff members currently trying to figure out new plans for summer 2020? Are you looking for a job, internship or a mentor to talk to? Go to www.mynewsummer.com and fill out the information form to be connected to other like-minded individuals who will do their best to help you find your place this summer and beyond. Make sure to join the LinkedIn group!

Are you hiring or looking to help? Whether you are looking to hire for a full-time position or a seasonal job, please join the My New Summer LinkedIn group to connect with thousands of individuals looking for assistance.

Right now, the best thing we can do is help each other. No strings attached. Let’s act quickly to make this work for everyone. Please contact me with questions at andrew@andrewexler.com.

#TheGroundFloor is thrilled to welcome guest contributor, Zach Schwartz, for this week’s edition! Zach is an integral part of our young leadership at Tree of Life Synagogue & all around the community in Pittsburgh. Since the attack on the Jewish community on October 27, 2018, Zach has stepped up to be a key piece in the healing process of our community.

Zach was born and raised in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA. He is a political and government affairs professional who has managed numerous political campaigns at every level and every branch government and has worked for a multitude of diversified organizations. Zach currently lives in his home in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

I am very excited to welcome Zach to #TheGroundFloor where he discusses a very important topic that we should all focus on, compassion.

In partnership with Growth10 (G10), I am happy to present my next collaboration with Co-Founder, Tom Healy, discussing 5 mistakes that small businesses make on social media. You may recall our last piece, “Why Your Business Should Be On Social Media”. Growth10 is the #1 community for entrepreneurs and as their mission states, Growth10 wants to help entrepreneurs grow faster and have a greater impact on the world. Enjoy this week's blog which includes a video conversation with Tom, as well as a link for a FREE 7-day trial with Growth10!

As part of your G10 membership, you will be providing a needs-based scholarship for an entrepreneur to be in the G10 Community. I am a proud member & contributor of the Growth10 community and look forward to providing more excellent content for Tom and the G10 family!

#TheGroundFloor is thrilled to welcome guest contributor, David Green, for this week’s edition! David is a Senior Account Executive with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Join David for this week’s blog post where he discusses, “the beauty in the process”, as he details his journey to growth, both personally & professionally.

In a brand new partnership with Growth10 (G10), I was thrilled to spend a quick 10-minutes with Co-Founder, Tom Healy, discussing why businesses need to be on social media. Growth10 is the #1 community for entrepreneurs and as their mission states, Growth10 wants to help entrepreneurs grow faster and have a greater impact on the world. It’s 2020 and social media is an essential place to be for any business, regardless of size. Enjoy this week's blog which includes a video conversation with Tom, as well as a link for a FREE 7-day trial with Growth10!

As part of your G10 membership, you will be providing a needs-based scholarship for an entrepreneur to be in the G10 Community. I am a proud member & contributor of the Growth10 community and look forward to providing more excellent content for Tom and the G10 family!

#TheGroundFloor is excited to welcome guest contributor, Jordyn Kay! Jordyn is the Director of Staff Engagement at a place that is very close to my heart, Emma Kaufmann Camp.

Join Jordyn in this week’s blog post where she details her approach on what it takes to be a leader, with some helpful tips!

It appears that social distancing is going to continue through at least the month of April & it is important to continue to take care of yourself. Some days fly by while others drag on. Days are molding together and sometimes weeks are flying by. Right now, your best bet is to physically & mentally prepare for another month of isolation.

The ENTIRE world had to adjust their normal routines. WHEN this all passes (not “if”), we are going to find ourselves living in a world that may seem totally different. What has helped you get through this thus far?

Enjoy this week’s post in #TheGroundFloor for some additional tips & insight to help keep you moving forward!

Working from home is not for everyone. You’ve probably heard someone once say that their job would be “impossible to work remotely”, yet you are now seeing just about every business in the working industry put procedures in place to make remote work possible to keep their businesses afloat.

As someone who experienced the trials and tribulations of a remote work environment over the years, I have gotten a grasp on some “best practices” to a remote working lifestyle. Read more in this week’s blog post in #TheGroundFloor!

#TheGroundFloor is excited to welcome guest contributor, Jordan Sherman! Jordan is the Head of Revenue Operations at Gen.G Esports, the leading esports organization connecting the U.S. and Asia.

Join Jordan as he details COVID-19's effect on business while providing examples for how he envisions opportunistic & smart companies can use this time to build a fan base, an audience and long-term growth. Read this week’s blog to learn more!

When starting your own business, it’s easy to make every excuse not to take the time to step-back and review your progress. Thanks to some great advice, I’ve made sure to journal how far I have come in business & life.

Are you ready to start tracking how far you’ve come or have you already started? Whether it be in regard to your business, education, career progress, leadership positions, etc., it is key to track where you are.

Enjoy this weeks blog post of #TheGroundFloor with some my top tips when it comes to knowing where you are!

What does it mean to “burn a bridge”? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Too often in my career I have heard horror stories of professionals burning bridges with their former employers, network connections, potential employers and everything in-between. I ask why? Why do some professionals burn bridges? What is the gain?⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀

Dive-in to this week’s #blog post of #TheGroundFloor to learn more!

Volunteering is a great way to form a stronger sense of place, whether in your own neighborhood or a new part of town. As I have been continuing my journey of starting my own business, I have made a strong effort to build relationships with others who are in similar situations as I am, both locally and nationally.

I have a great friend named Carly Ellis, Founder of Street Lark. Carly & I decided to dive-in to a new opportunity we call, “Learning Through Volunteering”, where we volunteer portions of our time to work with and learn about various non-profit organizations.

We’re excited to kick things off with 412 Food Rescue, which is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit fighting both food waste and food insecurity. Enjoy this week’s #blog post of #TheGroundFloor to hear all about our experience!