Building Confidence in the Next Generation—Lindsay Gramlich’s Bold Leadership Blueprint

[0:00]  I I think where you can get off track is if you don't really care about who you're serving. It's the the numbers game. That's not what we do. So, we are impact over optics. And so, we are constantly evolving as the needs change um in our community. Um there are things where a leadership approach, a leadership track of becoming the seauite is not for some um of our of our girls.

[0:25]  instead we need to do more relationship building and confidence to get to that leadership track. Right? So there's um sometimes we have to pivot and move um to reach um the need um in the current environment. So that takes that whole family um whatever family means to our to our girls um and to ensure that our program is impactful year after year.

[1:05]  Welcome back to another episode here on the Hard and Hustle podcast with another leader in Lindsay. Lindsay, how you doing today? Doing great. I I really want to start off just by asking a very strong question. You've been around leadership your whole life. You had two principles at home. I believe last time that we spoke which is really a lot of structure at a dinner table. Yeah. What kind of pressure or power did that really give you growing up because here you are a leader as well. Yeah. Um you know I think I learned uh responsibility and accountability um from a really young age but then also um that confidence piece um because I was around other leaders um from you know kindergarten all the way till I still am around all the leaders in in my hometown. Um, and it's just education and leadership were foundational to my

[1:53]  family. Um, I saw both of my parents um, killing it in the education world. Um, so it was equal. My mom and my dad were both um, really wonderful principles in their communities and so I got to see um, both um, of being examples in my life. I love it. And what was your career like before you get here CEO of this organization? What were some of the things you were doing prior? Did you always think you were going to be in the nonprofit world? Were you in the for-profit? What does that look like? I did not think I was going to be in the nonprofit world. So, I am um I'm an elder millennial. And so, you know, out in the world right now, there's all these kind of stories of the things that have happened um kind of as we've been growing up. And so, I graduated during the middle of the recession um from a small private school here in Indiana.

[2:39]  And my options were very limited. So, I took an unpaid internship at a place called the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Um, and I ended up staying there for 12 years um in our in the development department. Um, I moved started as an intern, moved all the way up into the um executive levels and um so it was really taught. I learned I I worked my way up um and then started to love nonprofit as I was there. Um I went and got my masters in nonprofit management um in public affairs during that time. So, I really honed in on the nonprofit side um after having that exposure. Wow. What's something that when you were at the museum actually taught you surprisingly and and prepared you for what nonprofit leadership looked like? Uh complete flexibility and being able to adapt on the fly. Um, you know,

[3:30]  it's uh in the museum world, you're always looking out five years because you have to build exhibits and do all of that, but at the same time, there are constant moving parts to everything. And having 400 people working at a museum, you had to navigate your way through um who the best person was to move um a project forward. So, lots of flexibility, but also um the side of hard work um and how um teams come together and can really make something great um by just putting in hard work and also um the knowledge um of what is needed. What a good career. And and here you are, you're at Girls, Inc., what made you say yes to it? Like this this is where I want and I'm meant to be.

[4:15]  What gave you that idea? you know, I um I wanted to because I have my masters um in public affairs, I wanted to um have another side of the nonprofit world that was very missiondriven. Um and I have always been um called to um working with youth, especially girls, um in the the nonprofit space. And so when this job opportunity came up um I I said yes and I actually came over as um the vice president of development and um then moved into my current role um as as president and CEO. So I came over in a different role and loved it so much that I I moved up stayed even longer. Yeah.

[5:02]  And then took the seat then took the seat. And you're a big believer of earning your stripes. What's one moment where you had to do just that? Oh man. lots um you know it's as an entry- level staff member um sometimes you're you know just putting in a ton of hours um and really just showing what you what you're worth right um and I think that we're getting away from that a little bit of that there is kind of you have to start at that ground level um in order to be able to move up into this leadership um track but I you know I've done all the jobs as it relates to um some of those ground level entry level nonprofit jobs. And so I have a I have a deep appreciation um for entry level staff um boots on the ground staff

[5:50]  because I I did that, right? Um and so I try to share that with our our younger team members that like I I know where you are and let's try to work through your goals and how we get you um to where you want to be. So, I'm a really firm believer in both earning your stripes and also um finding good mentors and being a good mentor in the space to help Yeah. folks grow.

[6:15]  I mean, I love that you said both of those. Find you a good one and also be a good one. Um as well, right? Because both of those are really really important on both ends. Let's talk a little bit about Girls Inc. Yes. Let's beyond the program, the summer lunches and and the clothing closet. Why do you think it's critical to go beyond education? I remember last time that first time that we spoke, you you mentioned that. Yeah. So, you know, what we do here in greater Indianapolis is to ensure our girls are reaching their full potential. Um, so we're preparing them for college or career or really whatever path they want to move forward with. One size doesn't fit all. And so our programs aren't just this is the curriculum and this is what we're going to teach. It's more of a unique um pathway and the mentorship piece is

[7:04]  there too. So we are building confidence in girls in a very very complex world. Um it's a complex world for girls. Um it has been for the past 160 years, right? It's just it's a continuous um battle. Um, and so we we bring um a holistic approach to what we do um through ages five all the way up to 24. And so that's programming, but that's also opportunities and experiences um that maybe they weren't um didn't even know about. So a story we like to tell is we work with an organization called Sea Scope um which is um snorkeling and scuba diving, a nonprofit. Cool. Cool.

[7:46]  We got our girls um in the pool to learn how to swim, but also learn how to snorkel. And then 50% of those girls self-elected to move on to learn how to scuba dive. So we opened this new world of marine biology scuba diving to a group of girls that would have never had that before. And so that is that is my job is to make those connections and to ensure that we're continuing to build th the possibilities to unlock the possibilities so that girls can thrive in whatever way they want to.

[8:20]  That's so good. I mean, who would have thought, right? A little snorkeling that leads into that. I mean, that's fun, too. It's something that people are not exposed to. And I think I think that's what's so cool when I think about nonprofits. There's so much exposure to new and different things that we didn't grow up seeing. Um, so when I hear stuff like that, it's like that's cool. I have another organization where she's literally just kind of in the middle of the mountain somewhere and every weekend the kids go there, they put their phones away, they're in a cabin, you know, they're they're learning the outside because let's be honest, we we don't have that nowadays. It's not like what it was back in the days. You see kids riding scooters and bikes. So, it's kind of really cool to see how you guys are thinking different and and outside the box. And another thing you've mentioned is working with families. It's not just for them, right? It So, what's an

[9:08]  example where that shift made really a difference? Because it's working with the families, right? Not not just for them. Yes. Um, so we are we have a relentless commitment to listening and learning from our girls and our families. Um, we also learn from our partners. We have um some school um partners, actually somebody that's on our board. Um, we also have a parent on our board of directors so that we can really understand. We have our our ear to the ground of what we really need to be doing. And so, um, I I think where you can get off track is if you don't really care about who you're serving.

[9:46]  It's the the numbers game. That's not what we do. So, we are impact over optics. And so, we are constantly evolving as the needs change um in our community. Um there are things where a leadership approach a leadership track of becoming the seauite is not for some um of our of our girls. Instead we need to do more relationship building and confidence to get to that leadership track. Right? So there's um sometimes we have to pivot and move um to reach um the need um in the current environment.

[10:19]  So that takes that whole family um whatever family means to our to our girls um and to ensure that our program is impactful year after year. And this leadership decision of putting a parent on the board. Does that come from Lindsay or kind of? Yeah. Yeah. You know, it makes me think now I'm on, you know, as literally I sit here, I also run a board and I think to myself like, man, how can I strategically place something like that where it that voice is always there to keep us on track.

[10:52]  That is so good. Yeah. You know, I um I I believe deeply in a in a diverse board. Um, and I think sometimes in the nonprofit space, uh, you lose track of that because you're constantly thinking about, you know, fundraising and money. Um, there's more to that. There's there's a lot, um, there when it relates to, um, giving time, talent, and treasure. And then also the testimonial piece. Um, and that comes from that educator side, the parent side, um, community side. Um, and not just the the seauite CEO sitting there. Um, we like those too. Um, but we want to have, you know, the full gamut so that we can make the right decisions. I love that. I love that. How many years have you uh been leading this organization now? Um, I

[11:39]  will I'm about in my second year. So, I will hit my second year in May. Okay. I love it. And what what do you what is that one thing that people probably misunderstand about Girls Inc. that uh and what you guys actually do? you know, um I think they don't understand that how we are not just serving um big groups of girls coming in during a lunch period and telling girls to be strong, smart, and bold and then walking away.

[12:07]  So, yeah, um that is we do not that is something we do not do. We do not walk away, right? So, if we're going to be in a school, if we're going to be in a community, we're all about the high impact um and ensuring that the community is ready for us, the school's ready for us, um and that we can really move the needle as it relates to our programs. So, um it is it's not just, hey, they're there. Go up to their booth and and learn more about Girls Inc. It's like Girls Inc. is here. Um we heard last night that the girls are counting down to the days that it's Girls Inc.

[12:40]  day. And like that to me is like we've done our job. They can't wait to be with us. Um and so um that's that's just really cool. There's so many things that kids can choose to do. And so having um girls want to be part of our programs um and trust us to be um a safe space for them to grow and thrive is really important.

[13:02]  And something else you launched was the Girl Dad campaign. What sparked that idea and why was it so important to really highlight the role of fathers? I mean, I understand, but I want to hear from Lindsay. Yeah. You know, you hear um when I first started in this position, there was this disconnect of do you have men in your organization?

[13:21]  Are men on the board? How do they fit in? And yes, the answer is yes, because we need that allyship. We need men and boys to believe in girls and women. Like, that's it has to they have to coexist. And so we um had heard for some girls that some dads like, "I'm a proud girl dad." And so it was like, "Okay, that's it. We've got it." And you know, I think a lot other organizations have done their own spin on girl dad, but ours is really to amplify that that dad voice um in our community and the influence. And I actually um this is just weird timing, but I stumbled across the the uh recent podcast that Michelle Obama did um and she was talking about um if you ask the average man um how they want to raise their daughter um

[14:10]  because you love your daughter um it they really want excellence for them um and opportunities and choice and that is that is what the modern dad is, right? And so that is it completely ties in to what that girl dad campaign is is that dads want to support their daughters and sometimes don't know how to. Um and this is the way to to loudly go out and say my daughter is going to be excellent because I'm giving her AB and C. So yeah, that's what it's all about. Yeah.

[14:40]  And I think I I mentioned that I was a dad myself. So it hits a little harder, right, to a little girl and and and son as well, but how important it is in a girl's life. How can men actually show up better for young women in our lives? You know, I think it's um not clipping their wings. Um and I think that that is um I think that's such a an easy example, but I I I'm not sure that it is um always recognized of, you know, if you my daughter, because she's my daughter, she wants to be the next CEO of Girls Inc. She's six, but I would I keep telling her, "Yep, you got that.

[15:15]  You can do that." And her dad does as well. So, um it it's that not not um um you know the flame keep it going so that um it it doesn't matter if she really ends up being that CEO, but she has the confidence to do what she wants to do um can make the decisions um with both mind and body um and being able to um really fulfill her dreams. And so I think that's it comes from moms a lot because moms you know are go-getters but when it's also coming from the dad um and you know if it's a gender roles being able to have dad be like yep you can do that too. Hey real quick if you enjoying 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

[16:02]  Francis. Some don't even realize that we're working with organizations to help them use AI to create that real human communication experiences. Whether 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. My uh my daughter recently, so I'm a big wrestling fan, so she knows that I, you know, do a lot wrestling. So she says, "Dad," and I wrestle with her, you know, pin her one, two, three, and all these things. She said, "Dad, I want to be a wrestler." And I'm like, "Let's do it." You know, I'm excited. I'm pumped. You want to be a wrestler? Let's do it. So, no, I I get it. It's important. You know what's crazy is that I didn't have a that father figure in my life. And and I always say when you don't There's things you learn, right?

[16:46]  You can learn what what really what you want because now I know as a dad, okay, don't do this. Do the complete opposite, right? And and I'm showing up here and I'm like, I'm winning already just because I'm doing this. But I actually ask you because clearly this is really important to you as well. Yes. Who's that man in your life who truly modeled um what allyship actually looks like? My dad um first and then my husband um yeah a second I um my dad from the very beginning. Um again going back to that you know two principal family um a working mom working dad. Um it was always a celebration of um you know achievements, right? And it never was, oh well, you know, you're gonna end up in X, Y, and Z because that's what girls do. That was

[17:34]  never the conversation. Um you know, he's the first person to celebrate any wins that I have. And you know, wins are different for everybody. Mine just happened to be, you know, kind of in the the the leadership track. Um but maybe I wanted to go a different way and he still would have um celebrated those achievements. Um and then my husband is the same way. Um I couldn't do this job um with three kids without a supportive husband um who is my my number one champion. Um, and I, it means so much to me too that my kids are seeing that um, modeled so that my my two sons and then my daughter, they know what to how to, um, operate in this space when they're older and then how my daughter um, how her spouse or partner should treat her

[18:22]  moving forward. Shout out to the good husbands out there, right? And good fathers, husbands and fathers out there. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I had I had to throw in there for your husband because he's not I'm pretty sure he's gonna be watching. So, kudos to you, man. He's my He's my hype man usually. So, I love it. I love it. Listen, the nonprofit world is truly not easy. Um it it feels like there's like never enough, whether that could be time, money, people. Now, we have these government, you know, cuts going on as well. What's one way you've gotten really creative um with limited resources?

[18:55]  Yeah, I mean, it is it's tough. Um it, you know, I think how we've gotten creative is that we um have a team that um is willing to step into spaces as needed. Um and so it is not um this is your job description, this is what you do. It is more of this is a family, this is a team. Sometimes we have to step in where the gaps are. We're also really lucky to have um some champions in the community that um are supporting us in ways of of multi-year gifts um that help us kind of have a steady stream um of income. And so that doesn't come overnight. Those are relationships that are built over time. Um but it's they believe in us. Um we're able to um meet the metrics that are, you know, required

[19:44]  of us, but at the same time they come and they're volunteers. So, these big corporate partners are doing the volunteer um program um or they're coming to do things like mock interviews with our girls um setting up internship sites. And so, it is all about community. Um you can't do a nonprofit um without the community. And that's your fellow nonprofits, that's schools, that's corporations, that's individuals.

[20:09]  And so, we really lean into that. Um when when things get tight, there's always, you know, wishlist opportunities. um where folks will donate summer school, not summer school, summer camp supplies um with if we need, you know, boxes of crayons and we'll have people donating boxes of crayons. And so, um, we we really are intentional about when we ask for things because, um, we know that there's lots of, um, everybody's navigating a really challenging environment, but the the number one thing is that we don't turn any girls away um or that there is a barrier for our girls to be in our programs. And so, that's my job is to make sure that we constantly have the funds to be able to do that. So, um, that's it. I mean,

[20:59]  that's my hard stance on it is that we just don't turn anybody away. So, we're gota we got to figure it out. You you highlight your team so much and I think that's amazing um from a leader to always kind of go back to that team, my team and what we do. Do you have a moment where your team really had to walk the walk and it really paid off?

[21:16]  Oh, yeah. They walked the walk every single day. There we go. Yeah. I mean, honestly, you know, our um our chief operating officer stopped in my office this morning and was like, "You're never going to believe it. We just closed this huge deal." And it was like we got up and we celebrated and like I didn't I didn't even know that that that was even in the pipeline because I trust her so much and her team to do that. And then I get to celebrate um and applaud that. um you know, our our senior director of advancement stepped in in a gap time when we had a couple open positions that we really needed somebody to be nimble to move in that. Um we have a chief people officer who is just killing it here. We we haven't had um HR in house before um and now we do. And so there is this employee career pathway advancement. We're

[22:06]  celebrating employees because we have somebody dedicated to our to our staff which is really really important. I love that. I want to kind of talk into the space of what you guys are already doing and then what innovation looks like and when we spoke you said you you're really cautious on the take of AI but have you seen it actually help your team do the job better? Do you feel like there's some things that may be able to help with marketing and that communication level between donors and maybe internal external? Yes. And so when we last talked, I was very on I was on the fence of of the whole AI uh thing and I just happened to have spent some time with um some of the other CEOs in the girls inc network a couple weeks ago and they taught me some ways that they're using it and I told them one of my goals.

[22:56]  my goal that I was going to do. And so I I am I um I now write everything and then I put it in for editing or condensing and so I am now in the AI world. There you go. There you go. I like it. I like it. No, I I think there is a lot of ways. And one of the I think I may have spoke to spoken to you about this, but the one surprising way that I learned and this is just kind of having these conversations on the podcast where someone says I use it for grant writing.

[23:25]  Mhm. And I thought to myself like, "Oh, that makes sense. Why?" And I'm a I'm a chat GPT user. Like I create now my own GPTs. I don't even know how I got here, but I'm doing it. So, um, when I sit here and and think about when someone said that, I'm like, I've been using all the time and never thought about it. And I'm in the nonprofit space. Yeah. So, for those that are watching, if you don't know, you can actually use Attach GPT to help you with those grant and find those grants as well because that's the kind of the challenging part is having to go find them, but you could prompt it to whatever you want to go look for and, you know, within seconds.

[23:53]  So, I'm happy. Lindsay, come on now. I hear you. I hear you. Do you think uh do you think nonprofits are ready for this like tech wave? Um or are we still playing catch-up in the nonprofit space? So, I think you know where the the the the dangerous side of it is relying on um AI to do your writing for you, right?

[24:13]  Um, so I think with grant applications, it is super helpful, especially because there's character counts that are just really tough sometimes to they're not word count, they're character count, right? And so being able to put them in to like condense I I tend to write a lot and so we need I massive editing for that. Um, that has that has made my life much easier because I I don't have to spend that much time. So, I think with the nonprofit space, I think it can really be helpful, especially with short staff and um all the the length that some of the grant applications and reports take. Um, but there also has to be that other side that you truly understand how to fund raise. Um, and this isn't just asking AI to write your your mission statement, right? Um,

[25:01]  because it has to come from the heart, too. 100%. I guess I would ask you if you could implement AI in a certain way um whether it's maybe on the website to h help navigate whether it's to help the internal team external donors what would you want that to look like? Oh that's a good question. I don't know. Um you know I think with with AI um you know I it always goes back to um how can we help our girls navigate some of this? And I think that would be a part of it of how can we teach them truly how to use AI in in the right way.

[25:39]  Um I you know I I was telling somebody in graduate school if we had AI like life would have been like so much easier right? Um with with that extra support um you know I I feel like I'm so old saying this but like Wikipedia wasn't allowed to be cited during the time of of undergrad and graduate school. So now it's a whole new world um that we need to help them navigate. So um it's not going away. Social media is not going away. So the answer isn't to avoid it, it's to lean in um and teach how to use it um the best way. So it's I don't know what that looks like, but I know that we have lots of partners um in the community that are helping us figure this out. Um we're even doing some um social media mental health work um with an organization called Half the Story.

[26:27]  And our girls are leading it. They are helping design the program. And it's not taking away social media. It is how do you put your phone down for a couple of minutes, take a break so that you can get back into the mindset of of being able to discern what's real, what's really causing a lot of anxiety, things like that. So, um, the more our girls can be on the front lines of, um, uh, creating these programs, um, helping, um, execute the programs, the better off we're all going to be. I like that. And, and you've only been there, I think you said, um, a little earlier, just about two years, a little over two years. What is that thing that you're most proud of as leaders? I I always believe you have this plugandplay model, right? You just, wherever you plug yourself into, you're going to be great, amazing at it because that's who you are. What are some of the

[27:15]  things you've brought already to the team and that make you really happy and as an accomplishment? Yeah, we um launched a new strategic plan um in January that it it seems very simple on paper, but it is not. Um but it has given us a direction that we desperately needed. Um we have the possibility to expand um our programs to reach even more girls. Um but we like I said earlier, we don't just want to come in and then come right back out. So, um, we did a big feasibility study in our community of where we need to be, um, and 57 schools populated into that and 11,000 girls. And so, now we have a roadmap. I don't we're not going to get to 11,000 girls in three years, but maybe we can in 10, right? Um, and so it's we finally have a direction that

[28:03]  our entire team is working on. And in this space and nonprofit, it can become so overwhelming. there can be so many priorities and it's hard to even focus on one. So now to have a a really clear pathway of the next three years. I'm really proud of of that. Um I'm really proud that we're going to increase our girls by about se 67% this year. So we're going to go from 1,200 to 2,000.

[28:29]  Um we have that projected and so that's what our growth looks like. Um and so going it it just all comes back to the girls for me. Um, if we're able to really show up for them the way that we say, we've done we've done our jobs. I love it. And you're so like you mentioned is about the girls and you could hear the passion when you say that. Where's the passion? Is it because you want to set that tone for your daughter just because as a woman yourself, you want to be that voice for those that may be voiceless. Where's the passion come from? I think it's all the above. um you know growing up so we are the northernmost affiliate in in Indiana and so I grew up right outside of Chicago on the Indiana side. I'm still I'm a not a Chicago um but we didn't have

[29:17]  Girls Inc. Um and I could have really desperately used it. Um I um I I grew to 510 in fifth grade and that is really challenging for um for girls during um during all of that in middle school. um I could have really used the confidence side, the mentorship side um during that time. And so I go back to that Lindsay and I think about her sometimes when we're doing our programs of like this is this is what she would have needed um moving forward. And so there's all kinds of girls that are going through all kinds of different things. Um and so it's important to me that we are showing up for them. Um it just it is deep in my soul. This is what That's good. That's good. And um yeah, so it's all the

[30:04]  above. I also um want to make sure that equity is is something that we're always focused on um because it is it's just so important um that everybody can be on a um a pathway to success, whatever that means. Truly amazing. And for someone's listening who's inspired, um what's one real way they can actually support the mission today? and and some people just think it's, you know, donating dollars, but it's not. Can you kind of different ways maybe you can get some assistance the organization without having to make a donation? Yeah, absolutely. So, um, Girls, Inc. is a actually a national um organization and so there's 75 affiliates in um both the United States and Canada. So, if you are listening and you are not from Indiana, you are from a different state, I encourage you to go

[30:52]  to um the the Girls Inc. um website and look at the different affiliates because my my sister CEOs um are just as passionate as I am about this work. Um we talk almost every day we have these group chats of like are you do are you experiencing that? How are you handling that? I love that. Um, and so we all need um we need volunteers, we need donations, but we also need that testimonial piece of um if you want to be out there helping girls, if you've made an impact, um connect with us or if you want to make an impact. Yes. If you want to make an impact. Yes. Absolutely.

[31:28]  Yeah. Yeah. Some pe some people don't know where to even go and this is the perfect place, you know, uh really that woman leadership. So I definitely love what you guys are doing. You're now one of the women at the head of the table. What do you want the next generation of girls to know about taking the seat?

[31:42]  Because I think that's important as well. Um yeah, I think it is um this job is really hard. Um and um being able to understand um some boundaries as it relates to um moving into leadership roles and ensuring that you're taking there there's a self-care piece of this as well. Um, but because you have to show up, you have to make sure that you're pouring into yourself so that you can show up as your best self towards your team, um, and and the constituents that you're serving. I also, um, will always say, you never know what's around the next corner. Things are not linear. Um, if they are, congratulations. I'm glad you didn't have any of the curves. Um, I'm jealous. No. Um, it's, you know, you never know, um, what pathway is going to

[32:30]  happen, what obstacle is going to be in the way. um you know whether it's a recession or a pandemic or whatever else is going on um there's always going to be some type of barrier that you have to overcome um and that's where those those female um mentors the places like Girls Inc. are become really important because um we can help navigate those barriers.

[32:53]  If we fast forward five years, what's your dream for Girls Inc. of uh greater indie? um that we are on our way to serving those 11,000 girls. I think you are. I mean, that with that increase that you're having this year, that that is major. If you keep that up, you're definitely on on track. Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Know that we're just we're really thriving. Um and we're in all the areas that we need to be in.

[33:16]  Um and that we've really um you know, expanded our our reach. All right. So, we're right into the blind question. I know that we got here so quickly. Um, let's look at the script. If if you had to write a Girls Inc. mission statement based on your life, not the organization, what would that actually say? Oh boy, that's not the blank question I had. Um, yeah. So, what would it say based on my life?

[33:42]  Um, oh boy. I think it's um, put you in the hot seat. Listen, it's a blind question for a reason. I gotta make you think. I get you creative. Yes. Yes. Absolutely. you know, um I I really do um it's not I think it's it's not about luck, it's about hard work, it's about ambition, and it's about um the people you surround yourself with. Um I think is what I would go with. So, you know, I think oftent times people see um successful people on paper um without seeing the the journey um and the the grit that was put behind that. So, that would be my mission statement. I like that. And that's why we created the heart and hustle so people can see the heart and hustle behind what the work's been done. Because I am a believer when

[34:28]  people say, "Oh my, you're so lucky." And I'm like, "If you only knew the nights I I couldn't sleep or the times that I had to really pick myself up and I'm in my head imposter syndrome." We all go through it. We're human. All of it, right? Yeah. And it's how do you you said the just kind of the um the good foundation, your husband, your father, your mother, like that's the people that really continue to pour into you when sometimes we were dry ourselves. So, I love it. What What was your blind question to the next leader, Lindsay?

[34:55]  Um, I would like to ask the next leader of how they show up for their community. How they show up for the community. I love it. All right. This is always so fun to hear some of these things. No, we we'll have to wait and see. We'll have to wait to see who actually the next leader is. You know, from different nonprofits, it's always so cool. I think when I thought nonprofits, they was it was very um just very small. But as I sit here and really get onto this podcast and have these conversations, you start realizing, man, and nonprofits are any and everything. And that's why I believe if someone has a passion for something, find you an organization that needs you. Because organization needs passionate people, you know, passionate volunteers that that just want to make an impact. And that's what I realized in the nonprofit space. And hoping that you guys that are watching are are also kind of getting that from some of these

[35:43]  conversations. like Lindsay. Lindsay is kind of that the one that wasn't a nonprofit world but really started to dive in, even started to educate herself more. So kudos to you, Lindsay. Lindsay, we truly appreciate your time today and taking the time to kind of just tell us a little bit more about Girls, Inc. be quite honest, I didn't know it until you told me about it. So this is why we have these conversations. Awesome. I appreciate you so much. Yes, I really appreciate it, guys. This has been the Heart and Hustle Podcast. We catch We'll catch you on the next episode. Lers.