This afternoon I was cruising Amazon.com, and found my name in the acknowledgments of a book. I HAD NO IDEA! It is so touching to be thanked in this way, by someone who is both a business associate and a friend.

Rebecca Ryan, the head of Next Generation Consulting, helps companies attract and retain young talent. Specifically, she’s an expert on Generation X (GenX) and Generation Y (Millenials) and helps management come to terms with the fact that it’s not the same business world as it used to be. Employees value many different things than they did 30 years ago, and the old ways of managing people won’t work anymore.

Rebecca wrote Live First, Work Second, a book with a title that makes clear what the younger generations want. They want to live their lives first, and have work be a part of that. They don’t want work alone to be their lives. A great example that Rebecca gives of this: In years gone by, you’d find a job and move to the city in which the company was located. Now young professionals pick a city or area in which they want to live, and then find a job there. That’s a big shift!

If you’ve never had the opportunity to hear Rebecca speak, she is incredible on stage. She brings tremendous value to the audience, but keeps it lively with her humor.

I was lucky enough to work with Rebecca early in her company’s career, advising them on financial and tax matters. They outgrew me quickly, and that was a milestone that I was thrilled for them to reach. Thanks to Rebecca for recognizing me in her book, but the world needs to know… it was my pleasure.