Synopsis

Why does everyone hate their jobs? And why does everyone think that’s okay?

An instruction manual for navigating the road to adulthood, To The Next Step, aims to challenge the notion that everyone must dislike what they do for a living and explore how society ended up here in the first place.

After working in the “real world” for nearly a decade, author Kyle Grappone has seen enough of the same old story. Job after job, industry after industry, he was surrounded by generally miserable adults, disliking their jobs and wishing their lives away as they wait for their two-day escape, the weekend. How did this happen? Why is everyone like this? Why is this okay? Upon further research, Kyle discovered, this alarming trend is due in large part to high school and college students having little to no idea what the next step in their lives actually entails.

From an early age, we begin by asking kids, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. How can we ask this question to kids who have no idea what that means or what their options actually are? Would you ask someone what they were going to order before they got to the restaurant and saw the menu?
We need to change the question. We need to begin asking the youth of America, “What type of person do you want to become?”. When we pose that question, the entire narrative changes. Students need to know that they do not need to limit themselves to one profession. The most important thing they can do is to figure out what type of impact they want to make on the world. Do they want to entertain people? Heal? Help? Protect? Once they figure that out, they can begin making their essential life choices with that person in mind.

However, determining the type of person you want to become is only the beginning. The reason that so many adults are living dissatisfied lives is that they did not take advantage of the opportunities presented to them throughout their education. To be fair, it’s not entirely their fault. They didn’t know they were supposed to take advantage because they didn't see how those opportunities and situations would directly relate to and impact their futures.

To The Next Step aims to serve as a reference guide and companion piece for young adults as they navigate their way through high school and college. Right from the beginning, Kyle lays out what working full-time actually looks like, what comes next after college graduation and why students should start caring now, instead of later. After establishing his reasoning, he takes the reader on a trip through their educational journey, stopping along the way to point out how to handle certain situations, and not only what opportunities to take advantage of but why they should and how it will specifically impact their life down the road.

To The Next Step also serves as an inspirational tool for educators in their ongoing battle to inspire their students to care about their school work and future. When faced with the challenge of dealing with students who have begun to tune them out, teachers and counselors can turn to this guide as living proof, written by someone who is currently living the life there students will soon enter.

This book is also, in many ways a cautionary tale, as Kyle talks candidly about the opportunities he wasted when he was a high school and college student. Life, post-college has not always been easy, and he often wonders how his life would be different if someone had told him then what he is telling students now. Tales of laziness and regret are woven into this journey as he aims to help students prevent the same thing from happening to them.

This guide to navigating being a young adult is filled with funny stories, interesting stats, candid answers from Kyle’s friends, co-workers, professional contacts and more, all wishing to impart valuable wisdom to today’s youth.

Outline

Chapter 1: The Part of Life You Don’t See Coming

The book starts with confronting the problem that drove Kyle to this point. The universally accepted notion that it’s okay to be miserable and hate your job. He examines how we arrived at this point and breaks down the part of life that most students never see coming.

Chapter 2: Start To Give A Damn

After giving readers a reality check regarding the real world, he dives into why students should actually give a damn about what he has to say by showing them what happens when they don’t care about the next step in their lives.

Chapter 3: What Type Of Person Do You Want To Become?

The cornerstone of the message, getting rid of the age-old question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and replacing it with a life-changing query, “What type of person do you want to become?” .This question opens up a whole new world of possibilities and way of thinking for today’s students.

Chapter 4: Where Do I Start?

After explaining the problem and why the reader should care, we begin to understand where students can begin to start thinking differently about their lives and futures. Specifically, actionable tasks are given out here, forcing the reader to stop reading and start thinking and planning.

Chapter 5: The Millennial Problem?

Before we start the journey, Kyle discusses millennials and their reputation in the world. Is there a real problem with millennials? Are they selfish or severely misunderstood? His take will surprise you.

Chapter 6: Surviving High School

Kyle remembers what it was like to attend High School and the challenges that come with it. He talks about how specific moments, while seemingly pointless, end up having a lasting impact on your future. This chapter is designed to be referenced several times throughout the student’s four-year tenure.

Chapter 7: So it’s time to pick a college?

Picking a college is one of the most important things you will ever do. Kyle points out what to actually look for, breaks down student loans, and challenges the notion that everyone must to go to college.

Chapter 8: The College Experience

The traditional college experience is well known and well documented. Again, Kyle challenges tradition and challenges the reader to define this experience for themselves. Here is where Kyle walks the student through their college years, pointing out the important stuff along the way.

Chapter 9: Holy crap, I’m about to graduate

A whole chapter dedicated to college seniors. This chapter paints two pictures. The senior who took Kyle’s advice and is ready for the real world, and the one who didn’t. Kyle’s personal experience and regret are on full display in an attempt to deter the reader from repeating his mistakes.

Chapter 10: This Is Where I Leave You

The end of the road. Kyle goes back to the beginning, explains how to start and wishes the reader well as they continue the journey with this book in hand.

Audience

Kyle wrote To The Next Step for the millions of students, faculty, and parents who currently living the high school and college experience on a daily basis. This book is meant to be a guidebook and companion for students as they navigate their education, explore the world around them, and attempt to make the right choices for the best future possible. This book is a game plan and fresh voice for every teacher trying to convince their students that the time to care about the future is now. Lastly, it’s a tool for every parent who cares deeply about their children's lives and desperately wants to see them succeed, and at times, avoid the mistakes they have made.

In 2018, 20.4 million high school students and 15.7 million college students will attend educational institutions across the country. These students are taught by nearly 5 million high school and college teachers and professors. Every day they will attend classes, making choices, and be marching towards an uncertain future. They are unaware of how simple decisions today will affect their lives tomorrow. They need the guidance of someone who has been where they are, and more importantly, is living in the world they will soon enter.  A guide, mentor, and leader, who has their best intentions at heart but will be brutally honest and transparent. Someone who will challenge them, make them think, and most importantly, force them to act. To The Next Step is the tool that accomplishes that.

High School students often choose college majors based on educated guesses, family influence, salary reports and other incomplete research methods. They are choosing a life path without understanding all the options. Furthermore, they are taking on massive amounts of student loan debt without realizing what they are signing up for. Over 40 million American students own over 1.2 trillion dollars in student loan debt. These students are being taught the Pythagorean theorem but not how interest rates work. The last thing on a high school students mind is becoming an adult. They are often under the impression that they have plenty of time and that high school has nothing to offer them. To The Next Steps lays out the specific topics they should be learning, what opportunities high school does have to offer them, and how it all directly relates to the next steps in their lives.

All college students attend college to graduate, but not all of them attend college to prepare for the type of life they want to live. When a college student picks a major, they are often unaware of what it entails. They are also often unaware of the burden of debt that comes after graduation and that it would be in their best interest to begin saving to pay them off now. College students are still in that high school mode of going to class and studying for the test. They are not thinking about what else they need to be doing such as networking, interning, career prepping and more. They lack a mentor who has come before and can show them the way and what to avoid. To The Next Step acts as an instruction manual for making the most out of your college experience and ensuring you leave with knowledge and opportunity, not regrets and debt.

Parents and educators are always trying to get students to care about their future but are often ignored and not taken seriously. The voice of an educator or parent may become dull or boring. Often, younger students need a fresh voice to educate them on various topics, regardless if they are new or not. This book also provides examples and data for adults to use when talking to students. This book performs the heavy lifting and works to change the mindset of a student before they even start the conversation of thinking about their futures.

Kyle is backed by more than just his own experience. He has conducted research by surveying college graduates, college and high school faculty, parents and more. He has also researched various reports and trends, and that back up his claims. The reader will hear first hand from those who share his ideas and are eager to provide advice to future generations.

High School Student Survey Stats

• 46% of students feel their school has adequately prepared them for what careers match their interests and abilities
• Less than 23% of Juniors and Less than 44% of seniors utilized services that helped with how to pay for college
• 43% of students entering a 2-year school and 23% of students entering a four year school were forced to take remedial courses because they failed a remedial test after being accepted
• 40% of HS students felt that school had done a poor or fair job of helping them understand what knowledge and skills they needed for college success
• 80% of HS students said they would have tried harder if their school had set higher expectations

College Student Survey Stats

• 60% of employers say that recent college graduates lack critical thinking skills and attention to detail
• 55% of students feel they have what it takes to work with people they have little in common with but only 18% of employers think the same
• 74% of college students feel that high school and college failed to prepare them for the working world
• 51% of college graduates would change at least one significant college choice
• 36% of former college students would change their field of study

This book talks about the most crucial time in a person’s life. Providing a roadmap to be referenced at any point along there journey through high school and college. Starting in chapter 1, any student who read this will see the passion and desire Kyle has to guide them to their best possible future. Students who already care about their future will be at ease that someone is helping them along the way. Students who do not care will soon find themselves reevaluating their lives and way of thinking. They will have found a new, caring, yet affirmative voice, ready to help them make the necessary changes to achieve their best future possible.

Promotion

Kyle will be promoting his book in various ways, including his public speaking engagements, social media strategies, personal website, and contacts he has made during the research phases of his speaking and book projects.

Promotion Tactics:

• Public Speaking
  
  • Freshman Keynote Address at Mount Saint Mary College (9/5/18)
    
  • College Senior Keynote Address at New York based college (Fall 2018)
    
  • New Jersey Youth Group Summit Speech (Fall 2018)
    
  • Long Island Church Youth Group Address (Fall 2018)
    
• Social Media
  
  • Facebook and LinkedIn campaigns, using strategies learned from years of working as a marketing professional
    
  • Weekly promotion of blog, focused on high school and college students
    
  • Weekly YouTube Series, highlighting one chapter per week
  • Daily Snapchat Videos, highlighting book chapters or pieces of advice
    
• Website: www.KyleGrappone.com
  
• To The Next Step Blog
  
  • Topics in line with overall theme of the book
    
  • Aimed at the same audience, high school and college students
    
  • Shared on Medium, Vocal, Voices of Youth, Stumble Upon and Reddit
    
  • Shared with high school and college faculty contacts and students
    
• Personal and Professional Contacts
  
  • 550+ Facebook Friends
    
  • 340+ Twitter Followers
    
  • 1,000+ LinkedIn Contacts
    
  • 1,110+ E-Mail Contacts
    
• Campaign Video
  
  • 5 Minute video, highlighting key points
    
  • Explain why I decided to write this book
    
  • Explain my passion and reasoning for writing this book
    
  • Express my desire to inspire students to care about their futures
    
• Pre Order Campaign Bonuses
  
  • Offer 1 Classroom Workshop, free of charge, to any school that orders 20 or more books
    
  • Offer 1 Keynote Address, free of charge, to any school that orders 50 or more books
    
  • Offer 1 Keynote, 3 Classroom Workshops to any school that orders 100 or more books
  • Offer 2 Keynotes and 5 Classroom Workshops to any school that orders 200 or more books
  • Offer 1 intern workshop, free of charge, to any company who orders 10 or more books for their interns
    
  • Offer 1 30-minute marketing strategy session, transferable to any contact, to any person who order 5 or more books
    
  • Offer 1 60-minute marketing strategy session, transferable to any contact, to any person who orders 10 or more books
    
  • Offer 1 complete marketing strategy, transferable to any contact, to any person who orders 50 or more books
    
  • Offer a total of 20 hours of marketing support, transferable to any contact to any person who orders 100 or more books
    
  • Offer to write 1 blog, for every 5 books purchased
    
  • Offer Facebook Strategy for Small Business for anyone who orders 10 or more books
• Podcasts
  • The Anchor Nation Podcast - August 13th
• Newsletters
  • Feature Placement in MyKlovr Newsletter, targeting high school students and parents
• Webinar
  • Webinar in connection with MyKlovr app, targeting high school students and parents
• Additional Research
  
  • Identifying podcasts with audiences who would be interested in my book
    
  • Guest blogging for websites with similar audiences
    

Competition

Competition

The Graduate's Handbook: Your No-Nonsense Guide for What Comes Next
By Clark Gatheir, MD
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing (October 4, 2016)

The most memorable gift you can give to a new graduate is sound advice for a successful life.

In his second book, author Clark Gaither gives his best advice in The Graduate’s Handbook, highlighting the hardest easy lessons he’s ever learned. For a head start on a life of passion and purpose, this gift book imbues graduates with hope, inspiration, motivation, and the truth about living life on life's terms.

The Graduate’s Handbook is more than a thoughtful gift book―it offers insight on careers, procrastination, reality-based living, fear, failure, and relationships. Page after page includes profound quotations from the author himself and dozens of successful authors, philosophers, and historical figures.

“We are glorious creatures of the universe destined to accomplish, to build, to produce, to create, to innovate.”

Graduates can make this book extra special by writing their future goals in the front, which they can look back on years from now to see how far they've come! Each gift book includes an area for inscription to make it a personal gift from you.

Whether you’re buying for a high school or college graduate, this keepsake will guide and teach them for many years to come!

Difference: This book provides profound quotes from famous and successful people. To The Next Step draws its data and advice from everyday working people. Some are successful, but others made mistakes along the way, and are trying to get the audience to learn from their mistake.

The Purpose Driven Life Selected Thoughts and Scriptures for the Graduate
By Rick Warren
Zondervan; Updated ed. edition (March 13, 2013)

Based on the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven® Life, this keepsake book provides a priceless reminder for graduates of the bountiful life God has planned for them through understanding His purpose for their life.  Carefully selected by author Rick Warren, the thoughts and Scriptures inside these pages will help new graduates simplify future decisions, develop a deeper meaning for their life, and most importantly, prepare them for eternity.

Difference: This book is driven mainly by religion and tying every part of a young adult’s life back to God’s plan for them. To The Next Step applies to the reader, regardless of religious beliefs. Its central message is that you have full control over the life you want to build. Therefore, it will reach a wider audience.

Goodnight Dorm Room: All the Advice I Wish I Got Before Going to College
By Samuel Kaplan
Publisher: Ulysses Press (March 29, 2016)
A BITTERSWEET AND HUMOROUS GUIDE TO COLLEGE LIFE FEATURING PRACTICAL TIPS COMBINED WITH FUNNY, FULL-COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS

You're off to college―it's gonna be life-changing! Follow this book's advice to make it amazing!

• What to pack, what to leave behind

• Which classes to pick

• How TAs can save your brain

• Why flip-flops are a must

• How often to change your sheets

• Where to make new friends

• How to balance class and fun

• And more!!!

Difference: To The Next Step covers the part of the college experience that directly affects and relates to life after college. It also includes navigating high school, how to select the correct college, and what to do before graduation.

The High School Graduates Owner's Manual: A Practical Guide to Help You Get Your Adult Life Off to a Successful Start
By Jim Egan
Hsg Media, Inc. (April 19, 2016)

The High School Graduates Owner's Manual is designed to provide direction and insight to young people from the ages of 15 to 25. It is also titled and positioned to be the go-to gift for High School Graduates, although it is also a great gift for Back to School (High School & College), Birthdays and Christmas.

Chapters include guidance on how money works, how consequences work, and how opportunity works, in addition to chapters that address politics, fitness, advice, your 1st job, your reputation, and the importance of giving back.

"If I only knew then what I know now'" are words that countless adults have echoed at some point in their life. The High School Graduates Owner's Manual provides young people a shortcut to success - a shortcut many adults wish they had discovered at a much younger age.

Difference: This book focuses mostly on the different aspects of life in general. Not all students are concerned about topics such as politics and fitness. To The Next Step addresses the issues that younger generations need and do care about.

Stuff Every Graduate Should Know: A Handbook for the Real World (Stuff You Should Know)
By Alyssa Favreau
Quirk Books (March 22, 2016)

This ultimate pocket-sized guide for life after school is filled with information for every step of the road to adulthood. Just because you’ve got a diploma in hand doesn’t mean you know everything—especially if it’s doing laundry, cleaning your house, or acing an interview. Topics include:

·      How to Find Your First Apartment
·      How to Write the Perfect Résumé
·      How to Survive Living with Your Parents
·      How to Make (and Stick to!) a Budget
·      How to Build A Professional Wardrobe

Difference: This book is designed to be referenced in short intervals throughout a young person's life. However, if that young person does not take control of their future beforehand, they may not even be able to follow this advice. For example, you cannot write the perfect resume if you did not pursue various internships. You will not be able even to afford an apartment if you are paying too much in student loans and chose a major with a low starting salary.