... selling books door-to-door

My response is automatic and completely truthful.

"It was amazing! So awesome."

Which then begs the question:

"Huh. What'd you do?"

I then chuckle to myself. This is the fun part.

"I sold books door-to-door in Houston, Texas."

Beat.

"You did what?!"

At this point, the conversation generally devolves into questions regarding my sanity ... or complete lack thereof. Until, of course, they ask how much money I made.

"Did you even make enough to pay for gas driving home?"

To which I can gaily reply, "Well, I ended up making like $12,000 after all those expenses. So it wasn't that bad."

After they pick their jaws up off the floor, everyone wants to hear more. This summer, I worked as an independent contractor for the privately owned Southwestern Company. Based in Nashville, Tenn., Southwestern uses teachers and experts from around the world to compile study guides for students - everything from the "My First Word"-type books for little ones, to first and second grade school subjects, all the way up through McGraw Hill's "Five Steps to a Five" Advanced Placement prep programs. The company then trains a select group of roughly 3,000 college students about the products, and we scatter off into every corner of the country and sell the books.

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Southwestern is definitely not a "normal" summer job. Unlike your typical summer internship, we don't get paid by the hour. Instead, we get paid a commission whenever we sell the books, just like any business makes money as it becomes increasingly successful. Working as independent contractors means we get complete freedom and the experience of owning and operating our own business as college students. Being independent, though, doesn't necessarily mean being out there all on your own. Because the company is private and was built from the ground up by people who have done the same internship program that I did, my "bosses" at Southwestern are universally amazing. Everyone in the company has done the same job I had, so there are always phenomenal teachers, coaches and examples around me.

Normal or not, Southwestern has been not only the most lucrative thing I've ever done, it has also been by far and away the most rewarding. Without a doubt, $10,000 or $12,000 or $15,000 is a tremendous perk, but the real value I found in the job was in the other kids I met through the program, the people I was able to help and the skills that I gained through the job. As tired as it sounds, the friendships that I formed with the people I worked with this summer are now some of the most important friendships in my life. "Book people," as we like to call ourselves, are a group of the most interesting and motivated college students around. I formed bonds that will last a lifetime, with college kids and recent grads from across the country and even from around the world. Perhaps even better is the knowledge that these books actually help kids - struggling kids, straight-A kids, preschoolers, high schoolers - to save time on homework, do better in school and start actually enjoying it. The books are amazing, and watching any kid get excited about finishing his homework quickly and easily is a great feeling.

Now that the summer is over, I can look back and say with certainty that I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. I'm going back to sell books again next summer because my friends and the skills I learn there are totally invaluable. Not only did I learn a ton about running a business, but I also gained priceless insight into the ways people think. The advanced yet subtle communications skills that you learn from this job are extraordinarily valuable in any field or workplace. More than a summer job, Southwestern is truly an opportunity to meet a fantastic group of college kids from around the country, to help bring education to the table for kids and families who need it, to develop the skills necessary to succeed later in life and to have the most fun you've ever had.