Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, Smith says, "I didn't know I wanted to go into business, but I knew I wanted a leadership position. That appealed to me."
在田纳西州孟菲斯市长大的史密斯说道,“我自己不清楚到底要不要从商,但我知道我想当上领导。这点极其吸引力。”
At 15, he was operating a crop-duster over the flat fields of the Mississippi Delta.As a student at Yale University, he helped resurrect the Yale flying club; its alumni had populated naval aviation history, including the famous "millionaires' unit" in World War I. Smith took care of the club's business and ran a small air-charter operation in New Haven.
15岁时,他曾在密西西比三角洲的平原上驾驶过农用飞机。作为耶鲁大学的学生,他帮忙重建了耶鲁大学飞行俱乐部;其中不少成员的大名都书写在海军航空史上,包括第一次世界大战中著名的“百万富翁支队”。飞史密斯不仅掌管着俱乐部,还在纽黑文经营了一家小型飞机租赁公司。
With little time to study, his scholastic performance suffered, but Smith never stopped looking for the "big idea."
他没什么时间学习,学业成绩开始下滑,但是史密斯从来没有放弃追求自己的“远大抱负”。
He thought he had found it when he wrote a term paper for an economics class. He outlined an idea for a transportation company that would guarantee overnight delivery of small, time-sensitive goods一 replacement parts and medical supplies-to major U.S. cities. The professor was not impressed.
在写经济学的学期论文时,他觉得自己找到了“远大抱负”。他大致描述了一下自己的想法,他想建立一家运输公司,隔夜运送一些小的、保质期短的物品——备用零件和医疗供给到美国的主要城市。然而教授对此并不感兴趣。
Smith was certain he was onto something, but it would be a while before he could turn his idea into reality.
史密斯确定他将有所行动,但要把想法变成现实还需要一段时间。