What was your first job?
My first job was unloading trailers in Wal-Mart Warehouse #2 in Bentonville, Arkansas. We worked the freight out to the warehouse floor, and I also got to pick orders for stores. It is hot in those trailers!

How old were you?
17 years old

How much were you paid?
Around $6 an hour

How was your job different than you thought it would be?
I fell in love with Wal-Mart's culture. The associates had a spirit that I didn't expect; an excitement about their work.

What important lessons or skills that you learned in your first job have been instrumental in your success?
Teamwork wins and hard work pays off. We all ultimately serve customers, whatever role we play, and it's fun to keep score and improve at what we do.

Which of those lessons, and how, carried into subsequent jobs after your first? How do you use those skills in your position today?
Teamwork, the pride of accomplishing something, hard work, and a sense of urgency. Teamwork and leadership principles apply in all jobs to varying extents.

Have you seen how lacking those first job skills had negative effects on others?
Sure. If you don't take care of the basics like showing up on time and striving to exceed the expectations of your leadership, your career doesn't move. I've seen others try to fake it, play politics, etc..., and it never works over the longer term.

Is there a specific event in your first job that you learned something you still use today?
On my first day in my job, I rear-ended my supervisor in his car. I was fooling with the radio, looking down and thought he had left the stoplight. He hadn't. I learned the importance of humor and forgiveness on the spot. I thought I was going to be fired on my first day, but my supervisor handled it really well and allowed me to survive.

At that point, did someone give you advice that you carried through your career?
It's not our job to lobby for the next job, it's simply our responsibility to perform (financials, relationships with people, etc...) in a way that gets our name on the list. If you perform, the next job will eventually happen because you've earned it.

What obstacles that you faced had the greatest impact on your career path?
Perseverance - in business you don't win every day or at least every moment of every day. Learning to bring some creativity along to solve current and future business problems provides growth in revenue, but also in your own development.

What people or outside factors affected your work ethic or motivated you the most to succeed?
My parents are both very focused, hard-working people who have great character. I saw my parents face difficult situations with honesty and love. They set a great example for us as kids.

What advice would you give to someone starting his or her first job?
How you approach your first job sets the stage. Learn the basics. Start where you are - don't get ahead of yourself. Nail down your current responsibility and then behave one level up so people know you can do more. If you don't take care of the seemingly small things, you never get responsibility for the bigger things.

In other words, do your job well and try to help your boss succeed by adding value to their challenges. Be able to cover for them when they're out. Show people you can do more by doing more. This isn't practice. It's the real deal and it can be a blast.

What is the most valuable advice you have for young adults who want to pursue their own business plan?
Make sure your business has a right to win. If you don't have originality in your business, it's hard to make a profit.

What is most important for young people to know about the retail industry?
People see retailing in a narrow fashion. It's much more: information systems, logistics, supplier relationships and collaboration, strategy development and implementation, leadership, real estate and construction, legal, public relations are all part of what it takes to get our products to the consumer. And at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club, it's global! It's a great business school.

What do you find most rewarding about your position today?
Seeing others win. Seeing teams win. Watching people overcome challenges and move on to the next one.