The atmosphere was beyond electric: 18,000 cheering teenagers, and it wasn't for a rock star, a pro athlete or even a school cancellation. This remarkable group of students gathered in St. Paul, Minn., for We Day in early October to be recognized for their stellar record of volunteering. And this was only one of more than a dozen such gatherings across North America.

We Day is described as a celebration of the power of young Americans to create positive and lasting change, not only in their communities and around the world, but within themselves.

No one could attend without an invitation. Participants had to earn their spots, and were rewarded with inspirational stories and star-studded performances. To qualify, each attendee had to have engaged in one international and one local cause. And they took home plenty of ideas for new projects.

Madeline Titus, a junior from St. Cloud, Minn., has attended several We Days. Her enthusiasm is evident. She said, "It's hard to describe the day. I've never experienced anything like it. It's like 18,000 teenagers screaming, not for Justin Bieber, but for something that actually matters. It's one of those times you get goosebumps all over your arms." Madeline was featured in a local magazine for her part in the creation of an anti-bullying workshop and her volunteer work at a nursing home.

We Day was started in Canada in 2007 by a non-profit, Free the Children. That organization was founded in 1995 by Craig and Marc Kielburger and 10 fellow seventh-graders who were inspired by the story of a 12-year-old Pakistani child slave. Their mission was to free children overseas from exploitation and poverty.

They were not deterred from achieving their goal, even when the international charities they contacted could offer them no advice on how young people could get involved. They were determined to prove that kids could make a difference. They decided to start by encouraging kids to take action on issues that mattered to them. The movement now includes 2.3 million energetic young people who want to make a difference at home and around the world.

Their newest initiative is a year of action dubbed "We Act," a free program designed to inspire and enhance a school's service learning initiatives. Free the Children offers lesson plans, campaign kits, online resources and mentorship to students and teachers. Participation in these programs may also earn them a ticket into We Day.

"Just as 'Glee' made singing cool in school, the We Act program and its student leaders promise to make philanthropy cool and weave it into the DNA of high school culture," said Dean Phillips, co-chair of We Day Minnesota.

Hutton Phillips, Dean's sister and We Day Minnesota co-chair, added, "With We Day, We Act and programs like it, our generation is so impacted -- we are inspired to volunteer, vote, give -- we are inspired to live 'me' to 'we.'"

A major initiative in helping children transform their lives is a focus on education. Free the Children believes that education allows learners to become leaders, and gain the tools to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty. The goal is to build 200 schools in developing communities around the world. Visit their website, freethechildren.com, to learn more about these programs.

My good friend Marilyn Carlson Nelson, former CEO and chairman of the worldwide conglomerate Carlson Inc., spoke at the event, and hasn't stopped gushing about the enthusiasm and commitment she witnessed. Marilyn was a shining example as a speaker, given her storied record of volunteerism and community and global involvement. She shared these words: "This is my message to both you girls and you guys -- you can make your dreams come true, and I'll give you one secret to making that happen. Write down your goals and work every day to achieve them, and when you meet one goal, check it off and write a new one. Believe in yourself and never stop believing in yourself. We believe in you, and that's why we are all here.

"Our company and our family foundation have a credo and it goes like this:

"Whatever you do, do with integrity.

"Wherever you go, go as a leader.

"Whomever you serve, serve with caring.

"Whenever you dream, dream with your all and never, ever give up!"

Mackay's Moral: These students know how to take care of business "from me to we."

Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I still have trouble spelling the word, but I didn't let that stop me.

I've always believed that entrepreneurs are the unsung heroes of our economy. They're the ones who start the companies that create the majority of new jobs.

The term "entrepreneur" originally meant a person who led a military expedition. It has come to mean an innovative, creative leader who undertakes a risky venture in the hope of creating wealth and capital.

Eric Sevareid, the legendary radio and TV commentator, wrote: "Entrepreneurs are the lead players in the drama (of business). In at least four specific settings, their role is crucial. A new industry ... a new product in an existing industry ... the one who opens up new markets ... when, so to speak, the economic ground shifts ... The category of entrepreneur includes all the people who set out to change the corner of the business world in which they find themselves -- all the people, in a word, who push the system along its restless path."

Entrepreneurs are a distinct group. They often like to lead the pack. Fulfillment often means more to them than money. Entrepreneurs believe in making things happen. They are seldom content. They're constantly looking for new things. They have faith in their ideas and are risk takers.

In short, they aren't satisfied with the status quo. They need to improve, innovate and invent.

Actor Alan Alda, the star of the TV show "M*A*S*H," gave some great advice to his daughter: "Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can't get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you're doing. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself."

Maybe you don't want to start your own company. Maybe you aren't ready to strike out on your own. Maybe the economic climate makes financing tough. Maybe you need a little more time to develop your idea. I understand that. I toiled for a few years at an established company to prepare myself.

But you undoubtedly want to be the master of your own career. You can let your entrepreneurial spirit come through whether you are your own boss or not. You can cut your entrepreneurial teeth at jobs that present opportunities for innovative thinking and management experience. Companies large and small will always find room for employees with attitudes and abilities that will advance their goals. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

Here's some valuable advice that's useful for anyone wanting to get ahead. You can apply these tips to your career and your life, whatever your path might be:

-- Network. The more people you know in your business and outside of it, the more sources of information, advice and support you have to rely on. The more you exercise your networking muscles, the stronger they get -- and the easier networking becomes.

-- Don't listen to naysayers. Some people will always say you can't succeed. Listen to everyone, but don't pay undue attention to "friends" with negative attitudes.

-- Think creatively. Entrepreneurs succeed by finding new solutions to old problems. Don't repeat what everyone else has already accomplished. Instead, look for ways to achieve something different.

-- Learn from mistakes. You're going to make them. Most successful people fail from time to time, but they don't let setbacks stop them. Commit yourself to learning from your mistakes so you don't make them again.

-- Be honest. No matter what you're engaged in, you need associates, friends, employees, investors and other stakeholders to trust your word. Tell the truth at all times to build solid relationships.

-- Be flexible. No matter how good your ideas are, or how committed you are to your goals, remember that things change. Be ready to modify your plans so you can take advantage of opportunities that present themselves.

-- Find a mentor (or two or three). Seek talented people willing to share their expertise and wisdom. You can't know everything, especially when you're starting out, so an experienced mentor can supply guidance that will help you avoid the obvious mistakes.

Mackay's Moral: Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won't, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can't.

In the "Peanuts" comic strip drawn by Charles Schulz, the scene is a classroom on the first day of school. The students have been asked to write an essay about their feelings on returning to school.

In her essay, Lucy wrote: "Vacations are nice, but it's good to get back to school. There is nothing more satisfying or challenging than education, and I look forward to a year of expanding knowledge."

The teacher compliments Lucy on her fine essay.

Leaning over to Charlie Brown, Lucy whispers, "After a while, you learn what sells."

Sales is the lifeblood that drives business. As I always say, there are no jobs unless someone brings the business through the front door. Career success often depends on your ability to sell a product, a service or an idea. No matter what field you're in, you'll sell better by remembering these key pieces of sales wisdom:

-- Satisfy the customer. There's a meat counter in the supermarket in my neighborhood. There are always three or four clerks waiting on customers. But one of the clerks always has customers waiting for him even if one of the other clerks isn't busy.

One day I asked him the reason for his popularity. He said: "The other clerks always put more meat on the scale and then take some away to arrive at what the customer ordered. I always put less on the scale and then add to it. It makes all the difference."

-- Show, don't just tell. A salesperson tells, a good salesperson explains and a great salesperson demonstrates. A company was selling unbreakable mirror glass and had a sales contest. At the awards banquet, they asked the no. 1 sales rep what his secret was. He explained that he had the factory cut him several 4-by-4 squares of the mirror glass. When he went out on calls, he would put one of the squares on the customer's desk and then take out a hammer and try to smash it. It wouldn't break -- and the impressed customer was sold.

-- Sell what's on the truck. Years ago in New York City, an Italian fruit vendor was teaching his son the basics of salesmanship.

"Don't tell people we are out of peaches," the father said patiently. "Ask them to buy some of our very fresh plums. Sell what's on the truck."

Many of today's salespeople could take the same advice. Don't spend a lot of time complaining about the current state of the product line, or describing products you can't deliver right away. Sell what's on the truck, and your customers will be well served with the quality products you can deliver to them right now.

-- Get in front of prospects. Every sale starts with a prospect -- a potential customer with an interest in what you've got to sell. Identify those who need what you're offering. Find out where they are so you can target your sales efforts effectively.

-- Profile your buyers. Your product should fill a defined need. Analyze the kind of people who might benefit from what you've got to offer so you can tailor your pitch to them. Do they already use something similar? Do they need to be educated about what you can do for them?

-- Get into the customer's mind. You have to tailor your approach to match individual buyers. Once you've targeted specific prospects, spend some time getting to know their personal priorities and professional preferences, and what they're looking for when they consider products like yours. You'll do a better job of selling to them if you focus on satisfying their requirements instead of your own.

-- Know when and how to ask for the sale. Author Murray Raphel offers these words of wisdom: "A 'closing' ... defeats your primary goal in selling: the lifetime value of the customer. You don't 'close' the sale. You 'open' relationships. Isn't the end of the first sale really the beginning of the next sale to the same customer?"

-- Ask for the order. I can't believe how many salespeople do everything right, but then they fail to ask for the order. Often that's the most important part of the process.

An insurance agent, a longtime friend of Henry Ford's, once asked automobile pioneer why he never got any of Ford's business.

"You never asked me," Ford replied.

Mackay's Moral: The hardest part of the sale is selling yourself to your customer.