“Goodbye.” 

That’s the sole contribution I made on conference calls at the beginning of my career.

Here’s why it was smart… 

Working at a startup gave me a rare opportunity — access to high-level calls. I was invited into rooms I never would have been in at a traditional company.

It became quickly apparent that success is about being good at something that matters. I wasn’t good yet, so I stayed quiet and focused on skill acquisition. I absorbed everything. 

Gradually, I understood more and began contributing. As my skill set grew I went from silent observer to active participant.

In a world full of social media, this probably seems crazy, but keeping my mouth shut so I could develop my skills helped me climb from entry-level copywriter to Chief Marketing Officer and part owner. 

Here’s my advice: Relentlessly acquire skills. 

This is a game of doing, not talking. If you don’t know something yet, watch and learn. 

And if the only value you have to offer is saying “goodbye”, then stick to goodbye so you get invited to the next call.