Secrets of Success Club Welcomes NBA Executive

Secrets of Success is a club that hosts inspirational and entertaining live interviews for the Francis W. Parker Upper School with a host of people at the top of their fields. We started this club so that our community at Parker could hear the stories of successful people who started from the bottom and climbed to the top. They tell us how it’s done and share the bumpy road to success, their stories and words of advice. We have had many hosts, including an NFL player, a Hollywood agent, a U.S. Congressman, NBA team presidents and many more. 

On October 24, Secrets of Success had our first interview of the school year with Josh Bartelstein. Josh is the assistant general manager of the Detroit Pistons; before that he attended the University of Michigan, where he was a student-athlete and Academic All-American. He was also the captain of the final-four University of Michigan basketball team. 

Josh shared both advice as well as insight into his life and what it takes to have a successful career in the business of sports. One of the most significant pieces of advice he gave was to enjoy the moment of what you are doing. He said that even with the stress of college and school life, it is most important to be comfortable with where you are and to stay present. 

Josh grew up with a very successful father who is a very important NBA agent in the league. When asked about growing up in the shadow of successful parents and achieving on his own, he described the many misconceptions about his life that come with his last name. He said that not only did it increase the pressure, but it made him want to work harder to make his own name resonate with people, not just because of his father.

Overall, Josh was an outstanding speaker. It was not only obvious that he puts hard work, time and dedication into his job, but he also loves what he does. His motivation and incredible attitude were truly inspirational. Josh could have taken the easy road and worked for his father’s agency, but he took his own path. This meeting was a great addition to understanding the Secrets of Success.