Earlier this spring, Lauren, my summer intern from a few summers back phoned me and asked me to join her for coffee. She’s in college now and was in town on a spring break. I was most pleased to hear from her. Back when she was in high school, she volunteered a few hours a week and proved to be an excellent addition to the company.

When I entered the restaurant where we agreed to meet, she looked up, smiled and waved hello. Wow – what had college done to this young girl? She had transformed into a very mature and polished woman.

We sipped our coffee, and Lauren got right down to business. She wanted to come back this summer to work with me. I was most impressed with her approach, and more impressed with her desire to have another go at it.

It’s very casual here, but we do get a lot of work done in any given day or week. It’s never the same as we bounce from project to project depending on the client requests.

Lauren has an amazing ability to jump from one thing to another. She’s offered to take work home when she can’t come to the office. She’s amazing!

This is not a letter of recommendation for Lauren – she’s earned one at the end of summer, but it’s more my personal endorsement to employers out there to give young people an opportunity to shadow you and learn about business. It may take some time to train or teach the inner workings of your business. Sure, she’s here to learn, but the input Lauren has given me, the organizational skills she brings to the office and her great smile and outlook on life makes those days when she’s here better for me, too.

I happen to be one of those people who really likes vanilla ice cream. Most of my family and friends are chocoholics, and that is ok with me. It doesn’t even rattle me when they insinuate that I am swimming upstream in my vanilla world as they ooh and aah drizzling their chocolate syrup on their decadent double chocolate-chocolate chunky ice cream.

I like to be open-minded, and as those long hot steamy summer days get closer, I decided to check out the ice cream aisle in my grocery store to explore the latest flavors. You never know, I may cross to the “other side” and go nutty with maple walnut or butter pecan.

As I glided along the sparkling freezer doors, I spied a man several feet away, and he looked up at me. He then walked toward me holding two cartons of ice cream. One hand held a very attractive container and read “Madagascar Vanilla Bean” and the other “Vanilla” which appeared to be the generic store brand. Ah, I thought, a vanilla comrade – hurray!

I noted to him that he chose my personal favorite, but he broke down and admitted he was in over his head. He said he was shopping for his wife and had been hopelessly studying the assortment of vanilla ice creams. He lamented they all appear the same – except for price and the carton. Would I know the difference?

Of course, I do – it’s marketing, I replied. My new comrade walked away shaking his head in defeat. He probably bought both for his wife. I think he was a chocolate guy, anyway.

My new yellow pages arrived the other day. I scoured the house for the old yellow pages book so I could toss it in the recycle bin. Once located, I realized that I hadn’t even opened last year’s edition.

What’s happening to the yellow pages? I’ve been using Google instead – that’s the answer.

Before internet, it rarely seemed a bother to open the book and scan for the business listing you were trying to find. Often part of the fun was figuring out what category the business was listed under. I’ll bet we all got caught looking for “motels” and were directed to “hotels”. Or, what about looking up “cars” and being directed to “automobile”? How about “store” and “retail”? Gosh, I miss that cat and mouse game.

I’m not implying that Google takes the fun out of finding business listings – in fact, I kind of enjoy being asked “did you mean…?” I find myself talking to my computer revealing intimately that “of course I meant “pizza” and not “peeza”. That Google is so smart!

I looked at my new yellow pages and decided it will remain on my shelf for another year. There are really good pizza deals and coupons in the back pages.

A visit to my local gas station gave me reason to ponder the differences between sales and marketing. A quick fill-up and run inside for a cup of coffee was that defining moment when Jason, my twenty-something “marketing associate” – as his name tag suggested – offered me a list of add-ons to the fuel and coffee which included ordinary donuts priced at a dollar each in a nearby covered display on the counter.

I complimented Jason on his training in suggestive selling as he persisted that I purchase this high profit donut. He barely grinned but told me he didn’t have any training. He was simply told by his manager that he was supposed to “force this stuff” on customers.

I found our exchange somewhat engaging, and he was a nice kid, so I pressed on and asked about his name tag. He looked down, and I pointed out “marketing associate”. ” Don’t you think “sales associate” is more appropriate?” to which Jason replied “oh, yeah maybe, but ma’am, did you want the donut?”

I paid for the coffee and fuel. As I turned away, another customer walked up to Jason, and as I opened the door, I heard him ask the customer if he wanted a donut. I hope the management of the convenience store gives Jason a “marketing commission” for marketing all of those over-priced donuts.