It's tough when you don't want to be a founder, but you determine it's your best shot at solving a big problem. Know what I mean?
The bug bit me when I watched Reshma Saujani’s incredible talk, “Brave, Not Perfect.” The words still come straight to my head like I heard them yesterday...
"Boys are taught to master their environment. Girls are taught their bodies are endless projects to perfect."
It had me in an absolute shock because she was so right it literally hurt.
When I first started Mindset & Milestones, I wanted to use entrepreneurship training to push girls out of their boxes. It was about all those “fluffy” but important things—confidence, empowerment, and courage.
Then graduate school happened and I got hit with the facts.
The world was and is changing FAST and education wasn't always great at keeping up:
? The gig economy is skyrocketing.
?? College costs are outpacing salaries.
??? The skills kids actually need to succeed aren't always 1st priority in classrooms.
And the worst part?
Teen had been fully checked out because they couldn't see how their classroom is connected to their future...still fighting that battle.
I had to see that it wasn’t just about helping girls. EVERY kid needed something different.
We started offering our programs in schools and sometimes we still do (shoutout to John Pellman, Ed.D at CCCA—you guys amazing!), but overall we got a lot of pushback with slim class time and test scores.
It took some trial and error to see #afterschool programs were the best fit.
They have the most SPACE to try new things with their teens, especially if it means driving attendance and retention.
And that’s what we gave them: entrepreneurship programs that help teens do real stuff, build real skills, and even make real money ??
We've still got A LOT of work to do.
But this journey is the joy and pain of a lifetime, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Isn't it funny how it's the little moments that change your life? ??