Julian Narchet

Julian Narchet is a marketing and mass communications professional, and a Communications Specialist at the University of Miami. He has extensive experience in customer service, market research, academic research, social media, public relations, and event management. He is passionate about making a difference in the lives of others through cooperation with non-profits and healthcare organizations.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

Whether I am heading into the office that day or not, I like to start my day with a morning stretch session to get my body moving and a protein-rich breakfast. I often set goals for myself on the previous day so that I can always hit the ground running. In my office, it may be my sticky notes attached to my monitor or the to-do list on my phone when I am home, but I like having a visual list of goals that I would like to accomplish. I like to wind down in the evening by taking some time to relax, have a nice dinner, and watching something good on TV or reading whatever catches my interest on the internet. The majority of my brainstorming and goal setting happens around this time while my brain feels the most active and inquisitive.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I would say the two key elements in my life when it comes to making my ideas a reality are planning and determination. Whenever I am brainstorming and thinking of new ideas or goals for my life, the next step for me is creating a sequential plan of how I can attain that goal. Having a plan and timeline is crucial for me to feel organize mentally. Lastly, I believe my determination plays a big role as the best things in life are rarely easy. A strong sense of determination can take you pretty far even without the best plans.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The development of technology and the internet continues to excite me. As a millennial, I grew up as computers developed from big unsightly boxes with 64 pixels into the powerful streamlined machines with 8k screens that we have today. 20 years ago, it was a huge accomplishment to start a website and now just about any 10 year old with some time on their hands can do it too. I think the possibilities are endless and I’m excited to see what the future has in store.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would say:

● Try to find ways to gain professional experience before graduation, so you are ready to hit the ground running once you are in the workforce.
● Keep learning and developing yourself and your skills.
● Network and build a support network.
● Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I always find time to connect with my family and friends. Their support means a lot to me. Because of the support of my close circle, I can persevere in the face of challenges. Whenever I start doubting myself I try to focus on how much family and friends mean to me and how much they’ve supported me over the years.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Taking internships and positions in a few different industries after I graduated from school. It helped me to decide in which field I would like to specialize in, which was a huge advantage. It was a challenging time for me as a young professional – both personally and professionally. But I like to look at that time as a time of growth and development of mental strength. I realized what I liked and what I didn’t like, and chose to work in healthcare and higher education in the end.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

It’s not really a failure, but something I am still working on. I tend to over-analyze a lot. I like to do my research before making a decision and sometimes I find myself getting stuck in the loop of informational overload. To overcome this, I’ve been working on becoming more self-aware and looking at the situation from an outside perspective.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

The best $100 I recently spent on a backup hard drive so I don’t lose anything important.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

As an avid gamer, Discord is one of my favorites. Discord is a communication app that allows friends and those with similar interests to talk in group chats as well as voice channels. The primary use of Discord is for gaming but it can be used by all. It’s very easy to use, simple, and incredibly reliable as I have yet to have a single issue through my several years on the app.

Following that, are two web services that I use to help keep my finances in order, Mint, and Robinhood. Mint, from the same company that made TurboTax, is a great tool to help manage one’s finances. With features such as free credit reports and budget tracking, Mint is great for young people or anyone that is learning to manage their finances. Robinhood is a web service and app that allows its users to trade stocks free of commission charges. I think Robinhood is a great service to introduce novice traders to the field while providing safeguards such as not allowing users to trade complex options before gaining a required amount of experience.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

Through all of the reading I’ve done in and outside of school, one of the most impactful books I have read is Theorizing Crisis Communication by my former professor, Dr. Tim Sellnow, and fellow research Dr. Matthew Seeger. This book provides a theoretical and practical approach to education on crisis communication. Complete with real-life case studies, this book bridges the gap between academia and real-world practice in a condensed and easy to understand way. I believe this book is a must-read for public relations professionals, even more so for those representing large organizations.

What is your favorite quote?

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value”- Albert Einstein.

Key Learnings:

• Never stop looking for new opportunities and pursue your goals with all the determination you can muster, it will be worth it.
• Sometimes sacrificing your pride is necessary to attain your goals which will leave you in a much better place.
• Use all the resources around you to create opportunities and achieve your goals.