85% Blind Workers Crush Federal Goals - Cat Randon Reveals How at Lighthouse Louisiana

[0:16]  Welcome back to an episode here on the Heart and Hustle podcast. Today's guest, she went from news anchor to nonprofit powerhouse. Now she's helping people with disabilities rewrite the narrative every single day. Kat, I appreciate you being here. I'm going to go straight into that first question. You had a a powerful voice on TV and on radio. When did you actually realize your voice could do more outside the spotlight and and do you decided to get into something now working with kids with disabilities? Like you're doing something completely different.

[0:45]  I am. So, that was kind of um my entree into communications. Um, I loved it, but that fast-paced environment was a little bit too much because I I dig in way too much into that. And um and and the other side of me is just helping people out. It makes me feel good. And so I um I did a stint um a short stint of 30 years in healthcare, marketing, and fundraising. and um and then came to Lighthouse Louisiana and um and even broaden my uh view of of working with people with disabilities.

[1:24]  You say Louisiana, is that home? Did you How did life bring you to Louisiana?

[1:29]  Yeah, I I am born and raised. I'm a New Orleans girl. Um you know, my family all um grew up here, so this is home for me.

[1:38]  Okay. I I want to get back to the conversation we were just having before we even hit record was about plans and and I I kind of stopped the conversation because I think it's there's a lot of leaders that try to find that thing that brings them life, right? And to I told you that's what brings me life just to see how plants can really flourish outside of a different pot, you know, if you put them in a bigger pot. And I'm at the point now where I'm like, if you buy me something for for any, you know, Father's Day, birthdays, get me a big pot because my plants are outgrowing these small and medium pots. So, it is that what gives you just that that relaxation, that break when when you're having a tough day?

[2:16]  Yeah, I um I love my garden. Um I'm much better with my outside garden than my inside garden. This plant is actually really good. Um, but I love to um dig in the dirt and really get down to the basics. I feel like um that's where we all started. We came um just, you know, as as bits and pieces from the ground up and um I like to get back to, no pun intended, my roots and and um

[2:44]  that's it. That's it. I was trying to uh look at my phone. I took a screenshot yesterday and it was something about when as soon as you put your hand in in dirt, it's a dose of I can't remember what the word was. Um, but when I read it, I'm like, "Yeah, that's me." As soon as I get into that dirt, I get so lost into it, right? And and really just being able to take your your brain off of everything that's happening right now. What we're dealing as a nonprofit community, also in those healthc care spaces on what's happening at the government level, and we're all got a little fear in us, right? We're trying to figure out what is truly the next step for us. some of us trying to innovate and stay ahead of the game when it comes to AI because sometimes we have to cut people not because we want to but budget cuts right we don't have the budget anymore but where it's like okay well how do we continue this and people are implementing a lot of these AIs not as a replacement but as a tool to make life a little easier for us where you guys at C when it comes to AI as a leader in this space of innovation and growth and you've been doing it for a long time you've been growing your career but also growing the nonprofit spaces

[3:44]  yeah and and at Lighthouse Louisiana we really because we work with people with disabilities. Technology is key because that's how we teach people to be uh to empower themselves to live independently or to um find that better job. And so we really look for um new and innovative ways with technology to to teach people to do just that. So AI is just uh just a new way for us to to figure out how to be more accessible.

[4:18]  So you being a you know in communications, how does AI like does it excite you? Like you've been in communications a lot. Is this making life a little easier for you? To me, I almost feel like this is great. It makes me more creative. It makes me faster at what I do. Um and sometimes I feel like I have a second assistant to be quite honest with you.

[4:37]  I you know I I have um used it. I've kind of embraced it um like you do with all technology and new things. Um it tends to take some of the um writer's block, if you will. Um it it helps get a start um to something and then um we can add our own flare and our own brand to it. Um so I've definitely used it. My team has used it. I have a a young communications professional and and she has used it a lot and it's just another tool in our toolbox.

[5:12]  That's it. That truly is. I I was mentioning to someone yesterday. I forgot what he told me his was, but I I told you about the journal that I was writing. So, I was doing the last minute edits and I just put a screenshot. Didn't notice anything on the screenshot. I just asked a question. Um it was just about the pages bleeding, right? Like, hey, is this going to be printed XYZ? So, I said, "No, everything looks good. By the way, you have something here and it screenshotted it. I don't know if this belongs here. And it was literally when you add a text box, that gibberish that just comes up.

[5:39]  Oh, yeah.

[5:39]  Was just down like so small

[5:42]  down below. But not small where I couldn't see it. It's just because I was looking at everything else that it actually caught the small little things. And that's what I love about it that you can actually put in a picture and say, "Break this down for me." You know, um especially in the nonprofit space is these Excel spreadsheets. we don't have time to be reading all these Excel spreadsheets, but if you prompt it well enough, it would give you exactly what you're looking for. Um, I I do I do love it. I love that you're at least tapping into it, figuring out what is best, right, for the organization moving forward. I really want to kind of go back though. You've been a storyteller your whole life. That's what you do, a nonprofit. I say that we sell stories. Um, what was the moment you knew that storytelling just wasn't a career for you? It was truly this calling that you have. Um I think when I um well actually just in broadcasting we told stories. Um and then moving into healthc care it really is it's about finding um um finding that story that's going to resonate with um your public. Um and so for me it's our donors and our clients and our you know consumers. What is that story that's going to make them pick up the phone and say, "I need help." Or, um, what is that story that's going to say to a a funer, I would like to support your cause. And that's that's it. I mean, it's just I I think it's a beautiful thing to to find those um those impactful stories that people can can, you know, understand and and relate to. I'm a big believer, Cat, that your life connects the dots at some point. And it looks like from beginning to now, your life is just kind of connecting the dots. Um, some pivots from media to healthcare to nonprofits, people look at you like, does she not know what she wants to do? But it's truly was it was all connecting the dots. If you look back at it, um, do you see these dots connecting? When did you see the dots were actually connecting? um you know I I don't know that I actually um looked at at my career and said oh you know but I do see the um the part of my career where I help people you know when when they say um you know what would you do if uh money wasn't an option uh an object and and for me it's well what can I do to help people you know I do that in my church I do that in my um work life I do it um with friends. And so I don't know, I just think feel like that's what I've been put on this earth to do is to help people and and I always get a multitude of graces in in in return.

[8:25]  Yeah, I I'm with you. I am that individual that always wants to help and sometimes get so upset when I realize people are not taking my help. I've had to actually I've actually had to learn and and you know, it was a long time ago. I remember this gentleman um I was working with a partner in business and I'm like he's just not getting it. I see the good in him but he's just not listening right and we ended up splitting ways. So I go back to this he's a big real estate guy you know millionaire and I go to him and I say hey man like this didn't work out and I was upset he can see it. He said why are you so mad? I'm like he just didn't get it. Like he has the potential. He said but did he ask you for help? And I'm like no but he says well you're the idiot because you should like you can't get mad. He didn't ask you, you know, you just and I'm like from that moment on I'm actually now more cautious and when I when I ask or want to tell someone something, hey, is it okay if I can because I also feel at times I could just say something with ever asking if it's okay, you know, and in the nonprofit world, we realize we got to meet people where they're at at times,

[9:25]  right?

[9:26]  Maybe they don't want to hear that today, you know? Okay, no worries. Have a good day. at least something, you know, because I think it is still those small conversations, them allowing to be seen and heard. You being now part of this organization, can you talk to us about what is a a day-to-day actually look like and the lighthouse of Louisiana?

[9:43]  Yeah. Um, so we really have um four areas of expertise here. So, we have clients that come in who are losing their vision or have lost their vision and they um want services that will help them remain independent, whatever that looks like to them. Um so, we will have clients come in for classes or trainings or things like that. Um we also work with people who are deaf or heart of hearing and they we are able to provide telecommunications equipment and um uh hearing aids and so we work with them on um finding the right fit for them. And then we have employment services. So if somebody has a disability and they want to work, we will help them find a job and keep it. And then we have a manufacturing uh part. So, we hire people with disabilities, specifically people who are blind or visually impaired, and we produce um goods for the federal government.

[10:44]  I remember you telling me that and and and pretty sure anybody that's hearing like how

[10:49]  can you talk to us about how this has been possible? I mean, this is heavy machinery that

[10:54]  yeah,

[10:55]  people may have never thought, you know, back in the days when it comes to with those disabilities, they were just kind of put away. Now they're they're out in our world, you know, because they are one of us, you know, and they're doing things like this. And I I would love to know how did we guys make that happen? Was it something that you implemented that was already in the space? When did it get started?

[11:12]  So, we started 110 years ago and we started as um an organization to employ people who are blind or visually impaired. And that has been our mantra over the years, even though we've grown to do some other things in the disability space. That has been our core. And um so I'll I'll give you a a case in point. We have a gentleman, he's actually one of our uh advocates. It's Horus. And he was a um HVAC uh repair man for years. He had his own business, but he was losing his vision. and he came through the lighthouse to learn the skills he needed to remain independent. And then when he was unable to perform that work anymore, he came and worked for us. So he's a leader in our um deck swab department, you know, mops, deck swabs for the the Navy. And um

[12:07]  if you saw what this crew does in there,

[12:11]  I still I've been here three years. I still could not do it. I I gotta be honest. And there's I mean it is all tactile and and it's amazing and they're using the same machinery that cited people would use.

[12:24]  I love this. You know a lot of nonprofits they become that one slice of life but you guys have really made this full circle space that supports both the work and as you mentioned the independence. Uh and in three years what what brings you to this organization? You've been into the healthc care space. We mentioned you've been in radio. um what brings you to the nonprofit especially one like this? So the healthcare was it was a nonprofit. So this is the the second nonprofit. Um I think is exactly that. It's a nonprofit. That's where I can help. Um and this organization while we do really big things, we are as small as a family. You know, we have about a hundred employees and it is it has become um such a warm environment. I have learned so much from the people here. Um, I have learned so much more respect for people with different disabilities. Um, and respect for people who what they can do. Our COO is blind and um, she's actually in charge of our technology. Um, usually when we have a problem, we go ask Janice. Um she's a professor in she's an occupational therapy therapist by trade and so it it inspires me every day to see what the what this group of individuals do.

[13:49]  Yeah. I sometimes you have to be in those moments to just see things differently to see life differently right. I think that's the beauty of sometimes going volunteering you know for some nonprofit. You get to see things that you normally would not see. um you know some people will travel and see it but sometimes you may not be able to travel and see it and I I do love it. I I remember you actually mentioning that and I was like how cool, right? That's the first company I ever heard, you know, so why not more? Doing a phenomenal job clearly, you know, and you see really um how we've been told for years and I'm pretty sure there's a lot of people that still live like this. We're told people with disabilities need protection. However, at Lighthouse, they're leading teams and they're um crushing product goals, right?

[14:34]  Yeah.

[14:35]  What broke your own assumptions? Was it you actually getting into the space? did like I can only imagine you're like wait a minute this is this is this is happening here.

[14:43]  Yeah. Um it it really is to to walk through our manufacturing department and see the amount of people um we have um 84 85% people in that department who are blind or visually impaired and to see what they are able to accomplish um and do it well. I mean we we provide qu we manufacture quality products for the federal government and and then also in the services side we have two um um teachers who are visually impaired and they are teaching other adults how to um navigate their world and and I am just always amazed. I can't um I I I always say, you know, this is you have to see it to believe it because these people truly are remarkable, but it's the work they do that is remarkable. Hey, real quick. If you enjoyed the podcast, we first want to say thank you. And we also just want to give you a little insight of what we're up to at Francis. Some don't even realize that we're working with organizations to help them use AI to create that real human communication experiences. Whe that's actually supporting your your families, those patients or the entire community. We're actually creating tech that connects. Check it out. Francis.ai. K. Do you remember th those that really poured into you that make you this amazing leader that you are today? I mean, this is a very special place to be in and obviously it takes a special leader like yourself. Who was the ones pouring into you as you're evolving into this now nonprofit leader, big nonprofit leader today? Well, I think uh my parents have been a huge influence on me over the years. They were um they were leaders in their own right. My my mother was an entrepreneur. My dad was um a leader in his field. And then um I have been blessed with the best um mentors over the years. Um and most recently our CEO, our president and CEO has um she joined um about a year before I did and she has um just the the business acumen, but she is able to teach and advise and um and it's it's just been wonderful. um you know we we have a large female um leadership here and and it's it's been really fabulous. I am always learning. I never I never say I I know everything because I don't and um and I'm really blessed to have mentors in my life.

[17:23]  You know, you say learning. So the other day I was working with a designer. I said, "Hey, do you design pan flips?" And she's she just laughed. She's like, "What is a pan flip?" And she's like, "Is that something to do with cooking?" And I'm like and I'm like No, it's like a brochure. And she's like, "Oh, I've never heard that." Right. And I was like, like you said, we learn something new every day. You know, it doesn't matter. Sometime, especially with different generations, you learn something new. I was watching someone explain to someone what a beeper was, right? And and the the kid, he's now 20some. He's like, I mean, I've seen it in movies, but I never really knew what a beeper did. Isn't it crazy, Cat, that we live in a world that people don't know what a beeper is?

[17:59]  I know. I know. But we had them. And guess what? We lived without it. Yeah, we did. You know what's really funny I think about cell phones um right nowadays is that we were once told that uh we'll never have a calculator in our pocket, right?

[18:15]  We have it every day in our pockets.

[18:17]  You know, so when people say that it's never possible, this organization shows the impossible. Yeah.

[18:22]  All right. So, I truly love it. And after 35 years in the storytelling and advocacy, what still surprises you about this line of work? Um I think that you know the the people um and certainly the innovation um you know we um last year we had um there was a a federal grant that came open and um it was for um it was a demonstration grant for people with disabilities and it used by using technology to help them get better jobs and things like that. And um my CEO came to three of us and said, "We need to go for this." And we had um one month to put it together and we worked um day and night and this team was amazing and we were able to get that grant and so we are going to be able to help more people find better employment. And I I am I'm so excited. We I mean everyone could have heard us screaming because we were so excited to get this. It's just going to help us um do more.

[19:35]  Yeah. Yeah. Anytime you can do more, it's we're in a giving space and right now a lot of people are not giving. Okay. So, I hear you. Anything that we can get in to do more. Yeah. Yeah. That's I I've been talking about uh different fundraiser events and like and like I think every probably organization is doing. Uh we'll be doing our first golf tournament, you know, and and I and it it's really cool though because when you think about anytime I speak to someone about golf, you don't have to be in the nonprofit space. They get so excited about golf,

[20:03]  right? So I was talking to this leader today. He's like, "Oh yeah, man. Like I'm a member to the golf and we can do XYZ." I'm like, "Oh, people I don't play golf." So I guess that's where the I don't understand the excitement, but you know what? If it's going to be a great fundraiser, we talked about different things. The water barrel,

[20:18]  don't tell nobody. What what a great thing to actually do because people need them, you know, and if you could do everything for them, like literally I just at Walmart you buy it, I think they were like 90 bucks. So I I save 30 plus is going to a good cause going back to the libraries. I thought that was really cool. And the library that we have here locally um

[20:36]  they're so good. They just do so many great things and I'm happy that we have those type of resources and we have resources like what you're doing, Kat. For the person that's listening who truly wants to help, but they don't know how, what's that one first powerful step they should take?

[20:51]  I think they need to research um and see what they like

[20:56]  and find it out and then just pick up the phone and call and ask.

[21:01]  Everyone's looking for help.

[21:03]  Everyone find something that you love. Google it and I'm pretty sure you'll find a nonprofit that is adjacent to it. For sure. You spent your whole life truly just amplifying others people's voices, but what keeps your voice still grounded and lit up

[21:17]  after 35 years doing this cat?

[21:20]  I think um probably the stories,

[21:25]  you know, I am completely uplifted when I hear another story. I just heard um a story about a little girl that we are treating with occupational therapy. She was born blind um and has some other disabilities and um our occupational therapist started working with her and um she never smiled before this and we have pictures of her smiling and like reaching and um I'm like okay give me more. Give me more.

[21:57]  Yeah. No, I I'm with you. I love stories. I think it wasn't really until 35 now till I was 30 realizing I'm a storyteller. I love to tell stories and and really because I was an advocate to my own story, right? Sexual abuse and adoption and and understanding that we all experiencing something in life. We all at some point may have felt alone. And I think that's what happened for me and until I started to open up a little bit more. I was 20ome years old when I'm talking about adoption on national TV or 22 years old when I finally talked about sexual abuse and just told a group of friends. But I always remember that day of crying and what it made me feel like. But it was also felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders,

[22:38]  right? So when I when I'm able to tell those stories and realize that other people are open to share their stories, that's why I do what I do. Right? Like this right here that we're doing, Cat, someone's going to watch and be like, "Man, I love this." Right? whether I resonate with plants, whether I resonate with stories, autism, like there's disabilities, there's so many things that they can actually relate with by just sharing authentic and real stories. So, yeah, I I truly do love stories. Um, you know, one day I say I write a story. The crazy thing is I don't I not that I don't can't read, but I don't like to read. I like to just tell a story, right? Um, so reading a story is like I don't even movies. Do you watch movies often, Cat?

[23:14]  I do. I do. I'm like I have my favorite actors and I watch those movies. But even when it comes to movies, like I'm just I rather tell the story, you know, figure someone else story, really be the voice for the voiceless. And I think that's exactly what you've been doing for a very long time is becoming the voice for the voiceless. Do do you actually remember or have something that comes to mind when you think um when work feels heavy, you go back to this moment? Is there anything that comes to mind?

[23:37]  Um you know what I do? Um I take a walk. Um, so one thing that does is get me out of myself.

[23:45]  Um, and I take a walk. And when I was in healthcare, I did it. Um, and here I do it. And I take a walk and I look at everyone else because then I'm not looking at myself anymore.

[23:59]  Yeah, that's a good one. I always I always love to hear what other leaders actually doing and how they kind of ease their mind or shut the mind down. I used to try so many different things. Uh, yoga. Yeah.

[24:11]  The thing is with me, I I've never been diagnosed, but I cannot sit still. Even that's that's happens reading. Like I'm reading and my mind just thought about five different things. Yeah.

[24:20]  I'm like, "All right." I get to page 10 and I'm like I I try to think about what I read. I'm like, "Man, my mind's just about creating and and you know, this story or this, you know, this work and going back to plants, that is the only thing that I can think about that I get so lost in." Yeah.

[24:34]  And I don't even know where the time has truly gone, you know. And my wife says the other day, her her mother-in-law, my mother-in-law, she says, um, you know, I think he has an addiction, a good addiction, you know, I could be doing other things. And I'm like, it's not an addiction. I just love life.

[24:50]  Yeah.

[24:51]  I It's just that my 35th, she asked me what did I want to do. I said, I just want to be in the middle of the jungle somewhere. Like, put me around nature

[24:58]  because that's where I can just quiet.

[25:00]  Yeah.

[25:01]  Right. I don't know. So, yours is walking. I love it. And it's just kind of seeing people and realizing one, I'm not alone.

[25:07]  It's not me,

[25:08]  and it's not about And it's not about me.

[25:10]  Yeah. It's not about me, Cat. I've truly, now that I'm a dad even more, I'm like, "Oh, it's not about me."

[25:15]  There's people truly watching my own household.

[25:18]  You know, they're they're watching what you're saying. They're watching what you're doing. Um, so learning about myself, learning, you talk about learning every day. I love this space of learning. And then since you work in this space with those with disabilities, you're learning, you know, how to love people for who they are. Um, and I love it. I I I mentioned that my I got two nephew and a niece, both with autism, right? Learning how to walk, learning how to talk, all these things. And my daughter's four years old. Her cousin's a little older. They're seven, eight years old. So, of course, she asks the question that every young kid's going to ask,

[25:48]  why is she like that? Why is she not walking? Why is she not talking? And my my niece that is 16 years old turns around. She says, "We're all different and we just all got to love each other."

[25:59]  Oh, how beautiful. And I'm like, wow. I I had an answer at that point. I'm like, that was the answer. That was a great answer.

[26:09]  We just got to love every So I I What are some of the things that you guys are working on now? Now, you said you just got this um big grant to do something big.

[26:16]  What is the next couple of years look like for you guys when you guys think about innovation and growing and scaling?

[26:21]  Yeah. So, um, with that grant, we are going to have a, um, a training center and a call center, uh, to employ people to teach them how to, um, do a call center. And we are you we are testing innovative uses of technology to help people perform better at jobs and then get better jobs.

[26:48]  This is cool. I'm so excited, K. So, when are you What what what what is your if you had to put the next five years and think about what where does cat want to be? What does that look like for cat?

[26:59]  So I am riding this this um train of innovation and technology. I love it. I love talking about it. Um I I love sharing our message. I feel like um we are kind of a a little the bestkept secret here in New Orleans and um we have a location in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. And I I am just going to be um shouting from the rooftops all that we can do for people to help them here

[27:26]  until someone kicks you out the seat.

[27:28]  Yeah, I know

[27:30]  you keep saying Louisiana, New Orleans. I know there's great food. We hear it all the time.

[27:35]  It's amazing.

[27:36]  So for the person that is listening right now that think like, "Wait a minute, I just want to know where to go eat.

[27:41]  What is your favorite to go to place?"

[27:42]  Yeah, there's there is so many places here. It is from hole-in-the-wall poboy places to fine dining with white um tablecloths. I don't want to I don't want to get into it because I'm going to upset some of my favorite restaurant tours, but um you really can't go wrong here.

[28:04]  We We don't eat to live, we live to eat here.

[28:07]  Oh man. You know, I go to some places that are Louisiana, you know, New Orleans, and I'm like, I can imagine this ain't it. Yeah. you know. Um, so I gotta go to a good one. So, we got to go to Louisiana. I'm in there. I'm g have to reach out to you so you can actually tell me what where do I go, Cat? Where do I go?

[28:22]  Depending on what you're looking for. I got it.

[28:24]  I love it. So, it's time for the hot seat. I know we got to start wrapping this up. Got to get respect your time. Um, if we had to put you in the hot seat and ask this question from another leader that just like yourself, what's one belief you had about leadership early in your career that's still just as true today? Um I would say to be duplicatable. So what I do I hope that I teach my team that they can do it too.

[28:54]  Truly can.

[28:56]  You know what that's a great leader again because I always say I always ask that question when someone says I want to hire someone but I just can't find someone to just do it as good as me. And I and I always ask the question are you a leader? Mhm.

[29:09]  response is normally yes. Well, if you're a leader, you should be able to lead someone to be even better than you.

[29:15]  It takes time. It's you got to date. It's like dating. You got to find that person that really can, you know, uh even in the nonprofit space, I feel like I'm finding those people that are in aligned with just my vision as well because sometimes that also happens. You get new leaders in spaces and and I always agree with what they got to say. So, I I love that. That was really really good. What is your blind question to the next leader here on the Heart Hustle? Um, I think um my question would be what do you do to let go?

[29:44]  What do you do to let go? That's a good qu. It's so easy but such a good question. Okay, I love it. I love it. Well, Cat, where could people find a little bit more about you? Whether that's linen, Facebook, Instagram, but also about the organization. What is the website? Are you guys on social medias?

[29:58]  Yeah, we sure are. It's lighthouseiana.org. It's a long one. And um we're on Instagram and Facebook and and LinkedIn and um we'd love to hear any stories that anyone has or see if we can help anybody.

[30:15]  I love it. Well, Cat, thank you so much for your time. Guys, if you're still watching, this is Cat from the Louisiana Lighthouse or Lighthouse Louisiana. Did I say wrong here? Lighthouse Louisiana. And we appreciate you guys watching. Always remember, we just got to just show love to people, okay? We all come in different shapes and forms and and you know sizes. We all just got to love one peop love each other. You can see that it's all possible. If you never thought that working with no vision and working in a manufacturing facility wasn't possible, you guys got to make sure that you guys check out the website. Thank you guys for watching. Make sure you guys do like, subscribe, and comment. We'll catch you guys on the next episode. Bye.