From Navy Chef to Nonprofit CEO: How Edward Hershey Found His Mission Beyond the Kitchen

[0:00]  There was a very disturbing article. I wrote an op-ed recently about it. There was some stuff that came out from the federal government about autism and that it was a disease from vaccinations and they were going to cure it and um that these poor individuals can't love, can't go out on dates, and can't write poetry. Where they came up with this information, I have no idea because I serve thousands of people with autism and I've been there when they write poetry or draw pictures that we have on the wall. We have a couple that uh I talk to all the time. They got married uh in the '60s when they were told they couldn't. And when hearing Roger talk, they wrote a movie about it uh normal like

[0:45]  us. You can go and read the book or watch the movie, but they were seen as they couldn't love back then. And they, you hear the passion from Roger about how he saw Virginia for the first time across the room and just knew he had to marry her and see wake up to that smile every day. You can't tell me that that's not love. Um, so yeah, uh, that's good, man. I think just just educate and get to know people. It's like anything else.

[1:14]  You got to get to know people. Don't make judgments on what you see on the outside. Welcome back to another episode here on the Heart and Hustle podcast. From severing presidents to the white in the White House kitchen to transforming care for thousands with disabilities. How the hell did that happen? I have no idea. But today I'm talking with Edward Hershey, CEO of the home of Guiding Hands, a man who actually swapped restaurant kitchens for nonprofit boardrooms. All to serve something bigger than business, purpose, legacy, and family. Edward, you've gone from feeding Navy brass to leading one of the

[2:03]  most impactful disability organizations in California. When did you actually first realize your life was actually meant to serve others and not just succeed in in business? Um, you know, that's a very interesting question because I I moved into serving and I don't really know that I realized it for many many years later. So, um, you know, my journey in life has been really interesting. Had a lot of opportunity. Uh, started uh when I was getting ready to finish high school.

[2:37]  Didn't know what I wanted to do after high school. Um, so I joined the Navy. Uh, as at that time it was a a way I knew I wanted to go to college, but I knew I couldn't afford college. And so going to the Navy was a means to an end. Uh, in that uh I I had already had a passion for cooking. I grew up in my grandmother and great-grandmother's kitchen. Uh, just big uh family. Uh, always a great time around the dinner table. My family always got together uh for Sunday dinner regardless of what we were doing. Everyone was together and that that meant a lot to me. That was the time that family connected. That was uh the joy of cooking for everybody. So I continued that into the Navy. Uh I

[3:27]  didn't know what I wanted to do, knew I loved cooking, so I was going to cook. Uh ended up doing that in the Navy. Worked with a squadron. We moved around a lot. um had some great opportunities. Went on some Westpacks uh as you mentioned in my bio. Uh I got to cook at the White House a couple time uh for uh President Reagan and Bush uh senior. Uh some great experiences and from there got out uh and continued that love of cooking. So got a couple restaurants uh kind of fell into my lap. U met my beautiful wife. uh she had a daughter with a disability. I got kind of connected to trying to find services for her, seeing the struggles that families had in that

[4:15]  industry and still even though I was serving in the restaurant and got great joy from, you know, feeding people and talking about that, never really connected the dots. Uh though that was up in Northern California, moved down to both my grandmother and great-grandmother got diagnosed with terminal cancer. So we moved down to spend some time with them. Uh and my wife fell in love with San Diego. Said, "Why are we not living where this weather is beautiful? I'm tired of shoveling snow in the wintertime." Uh so we moved back down to be close to family again.

[4:53]  um she got tired of me not looking for a job. Uh she was able just to transfer down. I was looking for the right opportunity. Uh she decided to try to escalate that process and told me I needed to go find some jobs today and ended up getting offered uh two vastly different jobs. One was executive chef at the Marriott. Uh, and the other was running a soup kitchen for a local nonprofit here in San Diego, which ended up being one of the largest nonprofits uh, under the guidance of Father Joe um, serving thousands of people in both his residential care program and his kitchen. So, I went to work for him uh, and he was the one who really changed my

[5:41]  trajectory. uh brought me in uh really mentored me for many years uh about the servant leadership mindset and giving back uh and using your talents, your god-given talents to to help society and to help people. And that really resonated with me. I worked for father for 12 years before he retired and then uh passed away shortly after that. Uh and then I from there moved to where I'm at now, home of guiding hands. uh and have been here for 10 years. So, what a what a hell of a journey, man.

[6:17]  What a hell of a journey. I actually want to start at um Father Joe, someone that has mentored you and you brought it up uh the first time I spoke to you. What's something that he said that just still resonates and and really guide your decisions today in and the leader that you are? You know, uh one of these days I think I'm going to write a book on the the wisdom of Father Joe. Uh one of the things that so many things but one that really sticks out is um he would all people would ask him how were you so successful? What you know what did you do? Uh and he would not hesitate every time he would say I hire great people and I get out of their way. Um and that's what he did. He went and he found the best of the best. He found diamonds

[7:05]  in the rough. uh he would always call us where, you know, you look at his development team when he first started, they were all young kids right out of college that had no experience and he developed them and then set them loose and now everyone has moved on to other organizations and are leaders within their areas. Uh so his legacy and that's what I really take from father Joe is the importance of legacy. uh he was very involved in the Catholic Order of Boy Scouts uh in the homeless as well as the Catholic Church. And to him it was important to leave a legacy uh and to leave this place or what you touched better than you got it when you had it.

[7:54]  So, uh those are the two things really that I've taken from him. Hire good people, get out of their way. I love it. And leave a legacy. Uh worth talking about. I want to keep on legacy, man. You you you mentioned um Father Joe and really the things that he taught you and and just by the things that you say shows great leadership, right? Find those that are so good. Get out of the way. I do believe it. I believe in in building uh younger leaders in this space, especially in the nonprofit world, giving back. I think that's amazing. But if someone had to mention something about Edward, what do you want someone to say? Because you're telling me what what people are saying about Father Joe and what you had to say about Father Joe. What do you want people to say about Edward and his legacy and his leadership skills five 10 years from now?

[8:37]  Um, you know, I'm still building my legacy. So, that's a real interesting question. What I I want people to to know about Edward or say about Edward when when my time comes is that he made that difference. He made a difference in me or the population we serve. I think we're a reflection as leaders on the people that we have impact on and I want to know that I had impact on people and I made a difference in their lives. I love it. I I I want to talk about the soup kitchen that you mentioned. Um because you decided that I'm going to go to the soup kitchen versus Marriott.

[9:14]  Marriott being a very prestige that we know hotel could imagine that you had some fun there. Um but you decided to go to that kitchen. What did that kitchen teach you about? Maybe that that something the boardroom didn't teach you and then vice versa. What did the boardroom teach you that maybe the kitchen didn't teach you? The kitchen taught me to connect with the people that you serve. Um, we would see in the the open lunch kitchen, we would serve close to 3,000 meals a day in just the lunch kitchen uh to the general public and then people that were in the residential services. And I learned the importance of connecting with people and hearing their stories.

[9:55]  Uh, I think a lot of times, uh, throughout nonprofits that serve people, the voices get, um, muffled or not heard. Um, I was able to talk with families that were generational, uh, on the streets, uh, and hear what had gotten them there and build a trust with them. A lot of times, especially in the homeless sector, um, there's services available, but there's not trust built with it. So, I learned the importance of communication and trust. uh from the people that we serve and hearing their stories. Everyone has a unique story that got them to where they are. Uh and we all need a hand at sometimes. Um Father Joe used to call it not a hand out, but a hand up. And every now and then, we just need someone to help get

[10:43]  us up, dust us off, and point us in the right direction. So good. Where's Father Joe? Is he Is he still around in the nonprofit world? You know, he passed away um a couple years ago. uh even after he retired, him and I stayed very close. Uh we'd have lunch once a week together and I had lunch with him the day before he passed away. Uh and it was it was a great lunch. It was just a regular lunch. Nothing um special about it. He had just finished his book and was very proud of it uh about kind of his life.

[11:16]  uh he felt like at that moment a lot of pieces had come together and you could tell from the conversation that he had completed uh the last of his milestones. Uh and that evening he passed away in his sleep. Um man, I'm I'm I'm so glad that you were one able to have that last moment with him. I'm pretty sure it meant a lot uh for you. But to know that his legacy still lives on by some of the things that you're saying is truly amazing. shows what kind of person he was while he was still with us. Um, and I'm glad that you were able I think it is very important that we meet good mentors and people that as you mentioned give us a hand up. Um, not a hand out, right? Like we just sometimes just may need that at any level, man. It doesn't matter where you at in your life. You talk about business, I can imagine there was someone when it came to business that was giving you that as well. But I want

[12:04]  to talk about some of the great leadership that you've you've taken on and some of the risks you've taken which was you you decided to make the move because for your daughter's sake, right? You moved for your daughter's care which wasn't just a relocation but in reality there was a there was a recommitment a new place. Yeah. Right. You had to get uncomfortable which is why you were on the couch for a little bit. You was trying to figure it all out. You know it wasn't that you were trying to be lazy or anything. You just trying to figure it out. What was the hardest moment though during that transition that you go from different location, different environment, different uh career path?

[12:38]  You know, it's it's the the question of did I make the right choice as you're going through it, right? Cuz sold the restaurants. Um didn't have anything on this end. Didn't have a house. You know, we went and crashed at my parents house. Uh my wife was able to transfer. She worked for Bank of America, so she just transfers. But here I have uh and we weren't actually married at the time. We were just still dating. But here I have this woman that's uh moving for me so I could be close to my family. So I have this sense of responsibility to care for her um and not knowing what was next.

[13:20]  So, I had a mentor early on tell me, and this is one of the things I live my life by, uh, is don't overthink things. Sometimes you just need to jump off the cliff and build the parachute on the way down. Uh, and so that was definitely that moment. I didn't know what the parachute looked like or what I needed to build. I just knew I needed to jump.

[13:44]  My daughter needed better services. Uh there was a definite gap where we were at in services. San Diego had a lot available. Uh and I needed to figure out the rest from there. You've done well thus far, man. You've done well so far. And most people when we talk about nonprofits, they they don't um associate nonprofits with growth such as 26% that you mentioned when I first spoke to you.

[14:10]  What's your mindset when you walk into these office nowadays? Is it the nonprofit leader or is it actually the Navy trained operator? like what what mindset do you go or maybe a little bit of both? You know, I bring a different perspective to nonprofits and I think a lot of it has to do with my history, uh the military and then owning a business.

[14:29]  Um I am one of only a few nonprofits that operate under there's a book called Traction uh and a a business model called EOS, entrepreneur operating system. And that's how I operate uh the nonprofit is like a business. And I don't think we're any different. I think if you look businesses or nonprofits are one of the highest failure uh companies and I think it's because CEOs don't have that mindset. Everyone wants to do good.

[15:02]  They want to, you know, be passionate about doing good. But it is a business at the the bottom line. My profits just don't go back to shareholders. they go back to the individuals that we care for. So we always say around here without a margin there's no mission and we need to make that margin to go back into the mission and care for it. So yeah, and you you did I remember saying no no no margin no mission was your exact words, right? Um has there ever been a time you actually had to make a tough call in order to actually protect the mission?

[15:36]  You know there is and there it's sometimes you're making calls that um are totally missiondriven and not necessarily business. Um we run one of the programs that we run is a transportation. It's been in the red for a number of years. Uh we work to try to get it as close as we can to breaking even, but we understand that that's one of our lost leaders. But it is critical to the mission that our people have transportation of the doctors, uh access to their programs, um access to the community. uh so we see that as more a missiondriven but we need to look at that lens between mission and margin and constantly balance those when I find

[16:24]  myself in those moments though that's where we try to get creative or we try you know we were involved in the advocacy for better rates uh for those transportation so just recently we got an increase uh that now has brought that uh above the line and so it's not a loss leader anymore So advoc instead of stopping programs, it's been advocating for how can we do them differently? Um how can we do them better? How can we do them more efficiently?

[16:55]  I love what you're doing. I love the mindset you went in there with. I do agree that nonprofits are businesses. I am currently in a space where I've taken over a nonprofit and realized that it it it just needs a little bit of change, right? a little bit of rebuild, a little bit of mindset shifting. Um, because there's so much low hanging fruits. I believe leaders and organizations don't even see because they don't have that business side of things, right? Someone that has ran a restaurant, I believe one of the hardest damn things to do is build a restaurant because I've been in your shoes. So, I get it. Um, but you've really excelled. And how do you continue to excel now when we're talking about innovation and AI actually being at the forefront of conversations such as how do we continue to utilize as a resource AI in nonprofits and healthcare spaces?

[17:42]  Uh we're going through so many cuts at a at a legal level, right? So a lot of organizations are are feeling that as well. How are you staying in touch with that, man? Especially when it comes to it trying to engage the community without having to put so much more people behind it. Oh man, you touched on a lot of things right there. Uh, I don't want to miss the AI piece because I think that's really important. I think that's an area that all businesses, especially nonprofits, should be focusing on putting resources in.

[18:13]  Um, one, there's a great book out there. Uh, what what you've done to get here is not what's going to get you to the next level or something to that effect. But AI is the next big leap. Um seeing how you can utilize that. We've embraced that here at home of guiding hands. Uh we've done boot camps of it for our managers doing some targeted training and are seeing some great outcomes from that. Um we're using that to look at all a client's data and come up with uh case plans to better serve them or training for staff to better uh do that. We're looking at AI to be to augment some staffing and look at how can we

[19:02]  um uh run better um services for the people that we served. Uh we're just breaking ground right now on some cutting edge VR therapy uh for individuals with autism uh and to better equip them with uh opportunities to engage in their community. So, I think there's a lot out there and it's moving quick and that takes me to the other point that you mentioned. Um, and it's I think one of the things that separates Home of Guiding Hands or what has excelled us is we're quick and fast um on what we do. So, we are very clear on what we're good at and we move extremely quick in those. you don't get paralyzed with

[19:51]  uh overanalyzing them. Uh in the military I learned move uh adjust move adjust move adjust uh where a lot of times I think nonprofits sit there and overanalyze or want to pilot test or what does this mean and they miss that opportunity. I like I like I like and I think the other part that you mentioned that I want to touch on is you know the legislative climate. Uh that's another thing in nonprofit and business is you never know. It's it's a roller coaster.

[20:22]  We were advocating few years ago for higher rates were successful in that. Uh and now we're being faced with cuts again. Uh very much like the restaurants that have been closed. Uh, so I think all those elements we talked about, hiring a great team, get out of their way, um, move quickly, constantly be moving and adjusting uh, to reach your goals, and then advocating, especially in nonprofits. Um, there's a lot of funding that comes from state and federal government, and you have your representatives there, and they're of the people, for the people. So, make sure you're advocating uh with them. If the Heart and Hustle podcast has ever sparked any idea or made you think differently, do us a favor. Make sure to

[21:10]  guys share this, post it on LinkedIn, or even text that nonprofit friend that you just have. Whatever works. This is what keeps the conversation going and allows us to just grow this community together. Seriously, we appreciate you. I love it. I love that when I asked these questions, you just started to smile like, "Yes, yes. talk more about this and I love that you're so like we don't want to fall behind. Let's start doing it. We pivot. We'll find we'll find the way out, right? Because that's just what it is. Sometimes you got to just throw things at wall and see what sticks. But you you're in a situation where you have that mindset, but now you have a team that may be a little bit kind of falling in love with the old ways. um when you're constantly pushing the next wave.

[21:54]  How do you actually help people kind of let go of the old and in with the new? I can only imagine getting some push back especially with all this new technology innovation happening. Oh yeah, change management. I went back to school just to get some training on that part of it. Uh we're very fortunate here at home of guiding hands. I have uh we have we're up to,200 employees and constantly growing still. Um, I have a large percentage of employees that have been with us for several years. We've been in business for over five decades. Uh, my longestterm employee has been with us for 48 years. Since the beginning of times. Oh my god. Yeah. Yeah. Great. You know, they bring a great historical um view on things um lessons learned over

[22:41]  the years, but sometimes they're resistant to change. Um so as we go through change management the team is very familiar on what got us here is not going to get us there. Uh that mindset we are constantly looking at um like six sigma how can we improve the processes we are doing and we keep that focus on the why. Um for us our mission is to improve the lives of those we serve and we hold that in the forefront. If you go into my uh boardroom or anywhere in our facility, there are client pictures everywhere looking and that's to keep front and center who are we here to serve and how do our decisions impact them. So, we keep that very focused. Uh

[23:29]  we're all driven to our mission and see change as the means of doing that. So, um I love it. I love it, Edward, because this is not just a mission for the people. It's truly a mission that you fight for because it's so close to home. And I know that because when you talk about your daughter, your tone changes, right? I I can see the smile. I can see how you're just so excited to be in a place where you understand you're making a difference for her, but for all those that may also kind of walk that life. Um you don't just lead this work, you truly live it. What's one moment with her that reminded you uh why this mission truly matters? I mean, you talked about all these pictures, but it starts at home as well.

[24:11]  You know, there's so many, but most recently, I was talking about this earlier today. Uh, we had a rally that we helped organize uh to meet with one of our federal legislators here locally and put a rally together. And we had about 300 people show up uh including a large number of self- advocates uh which was very touching. We had um service providers across um uh the the region, even ones that traditionally would be considered competitors, uh showed up all to kind of rally for this cause. And my daughter was one of the speakers. It was her first time speaking as a self- advocate.

[24:54]  Uh so she came over the night before to practice. Uh, and she had written her talking points and um, you know, I've been talking for years. I don't I don't really follow a script. Uh, I might come up with a few bullet points and then try to keep me on track or like I don't forget about this or some dates or numbers I need to remember, but I've gotten pretty good at just kind of winging it. Um, she needed it very structured and did a fantastic job. It was great what she put together. And she said, "Well, Dad, you got any suggestions for me?" And I said, "You know, the only suggestion I have, you're gonna get nervous." Uh, so I did the typical pretend like they're in their underwear and you'll be fine with that.

[25:36]  I said, "But you know, there's there's something about cadence and tone and, you know, the pause at parts of it. You're just running through reading and you have great things." But so we practiced that a little bit and oh my, her speech brought tears to people's eyes. It was well done. Uh she mastered the the cadence uh and the strategic pauses in her communication and it was just it was a really proud dad moment and it was also a great to see her as a strong advocate for her community.

[26:12]  That's cool, man. And all to your leadership, man. I can imagine a happy uh you know dad for sure just sitting on the wing side just smiling ear to ear and hearing her you know probably getting a little emotional yourself. What do you think she's actually taught you about um a leadership? She is the most caring person you'll ever meet.

[26:36]  Um part she has she has William syndrome. I don't know that we covered it. It's very similar to like Down syndrome. One of the things though is a immense connection and compassion for people. She the moment she meets you, she'll thinks you guys are best friends. Uh but she has this uncanny ability to remember years later what your first conversation was about, what you were wearing, and be able to connect to that when she sees you again. So it's it's reinforced for me the importance of connecting with people and some of those remembering you know when you and I talked and some of the communication we had about that you know being able to

[27:23]  remember those parts I think connects you with people at a different level. No that is really good. I love it. I love, you know, I got kids of my own and as you mentioned um that that just really teaches so much, right? And being a happy dad and just seeing everything that you kind of poured into them um come to light at some point and you're you're witnessing that with your daughter being an advocate to people that look like her, that sound like her, um that may feel alone, but here she shows up, you know, smile and all and as you mentioned, give a a powerful speech.

[27:51]  So kudos to you and the family on such a amazing opportunity. And there's just there's so much hustle in this, man. But there's also heart in in what you're doing. How do you actually stay grounded in both the heart and the hustle? You know, it goes back uh to my roots. I love cooking. Uh that is how I re-energize myself. So, I uh I I'm very fortunate. Uh my wife built me a nice outdoor kitchen. Love it. Uh instead of a vacation one year. Um I love entertaining. I still get my family together every Sunday. I make those boys put down their cell phones or quit playing the video games for a while and uh we have family dinner and we talk through and to me that that re-energizes

[28:42]  me as an individual to go out and serve uh the people that I serve or my staff that I lead better um from that. That's funny. One of the questions I was going to ask is, you know, no more restaurants. You're so busy. Are you still cooking? But you're kind of letting me know. No, no, I'm still I'm still doing the cooking around the house. I have a whole kitchen. My wife made sure that I'm still cooking.

[29:03]  Yeah, bless my wife. God did not give her that talent. Um there's a couple dishes she could make really well. Uh but yeah, I still and I think she she steps aside because she knows that it's something that I still really love and enjoy doing. So listen, any man, Edward, that is cooking. I have a best friend, uh, actually two of my best friends are, both females, and they have great husbands that cook, and we just laugh together because they're like, "Listen, we're always going to be on the sideline just testing the food, you know, and figuring out what it tastes like." Um, however, we end up with the dishes. I hate doing dishes, but I realize I'm not a good cook, so I I got to do one or the other. I guess I'm doing dishes. So, me and your wife, that's the part I miss.

[29:44]  That's the part I miss from the restaurant cuz I had people that did the dishes for me. And at home, it's a shared responsibility. My wife doesn't care that I cook. It's a shared responsibility that everybody gets involved in the dishes. I love it. You know, my wife gets involved a little bit as well, but I would say 90% of the time it's it's me doing the dishes. And I'll be there after, you know, we got young kids, so she's she's probably putting, you know, getting the kids ready to sleep, showering them. But every time I'm doing the dishes, man, it takes about an hour and a half, right? It's four different mouths now. And now we also got bottles. I know you don't miss the bottle cleaning. Like, why is there five, six parts in a bottle? It was the worst thing ever. I realized, listen, can we just have one bottle? Because I don't want to clean four bottles times six times. It was just getting crazy.

[30:27]  But I love it, man. I love that you're still in it. And that's that's your language. I have a friend. He loves cooking. And I always tell him like, "Man, you're such a good cook. Why don't you go and open up a restaurant or a food truck?" And he says, "No, cuz then I won't love it anymore." Right? He says, "I just love to cook." Yeah. You know, there's some I saw that sometimes in restaurants where it be it was a passion and then it became a work. I think it's just the mindset of how you go into it. Even here now at the nonprofit, there's hard days, there's hard weeks. Um, but I think it's all about that heart and hustle. Uh, you need to stay focused on why why are you doing it? And if it becomes a business, you know, is that taken away from your why? I was able to keep both in the

[31:14]  restaurants. For me, it was important to cook for people and to serve them and to see the joy in their face when they were eating the food. Um I'm actually interested to know I think just focusing on that why I'm actually interested to know um I was my cafe. We did burgers, wings, we did juices, smoothies, and empanadas. That was like my thing. What were you guys serving at your restaurant? What kind of restaurant was this? Okay. Yeah, we had two. So, one uh Moons was an Italian restaurant just opened for dinner uh classic Italian, but it had a pizza oven. So, we opened up and delivered pizza out the back door. I got a couple college kids on bicycles and it was a small community, so we were able to run that. Um and then just, you know, your classic uh chicken

[32:01]  picatas and lasagna and stuff like that. The other one, the loft was kind of like it's it was open uh lunch and dinner. Lunch was kind of like your cheers atmosphere. Uh you know, we had micro brews were just becoming popular. Sierra Nevada was just born. Uh so we had burgers, fries, you know, sandwiches, and people would get together during lunch for just a good old time. dinner uh kind of upscaled uh that had a kind of fine dining upstairs. Downstairs was kind of uh a little level up from lunch but still kind of casual. And then had an outdoor patio um prime rib on Friday, bands on the weekend. This is no little restaurant,

[32:50]  man. You doing some big stuff right now. It was, you know, meeting the community's need. It was a uh large uh college town uh had a large um uh tree milling uh sawmill service. Uh so it we we fed the need but there was always the hustle and you know you talk a lot about that in your podcast and that's what made me successful. When I saw opportunities we quickly moved on how could we uh take advantage of that opportunity. Uh we were a big logging community. Uh so a lot of forest fires uh and the service workers. So we opened up got a contract with the forest service and we opened up 247 whenever

[33:38]  they needed food. I had staff there ready to go cook them uh food and amazing meet the need. Amazing man. Amazing. I as we start wrapping up I really want to touch on something that I hear a lot in the disability community. 50 years ago, disability care actually looked like institutions and isolation. Now we're talking about AI. We're talking about community integration.

[33:59]  What's the biggest misconception that people still have when it comes to disability in itself and what people are doing for resources? Yeah, I think I think there's a still a huge uh people underestimate the value or what people with disabilities have. I think it just gets lumped in sometimes and they they think of them as, you know, oh, you know, they have that disability, they can't do much, we need to care for them. And that's not what they need. It's not that hand out. It's that hand up or connecting some of the pieces for them that we talked about earlier. Um, we have individuals that we serve that have jobs, that are paying

[34:46]  taxes, that are living independent. You and I talked last time, you know, my daughter moved out during COVID and lives with three roommates and has all the challenges that a young 20-year-old woman would have or um there's no difference. I I really believe that where individuals have disability, God has given them other talents. Uh we talked last time, my daughter can hear a song and then play it on a piano. I was forced to learn growing up two instruments and I don't even think I could ever do that in in my prime of playing music. Uh so I think I would encourage your listeners to really get to know people with disabilities. Uh you will be surprised to understand that they have hopes and dreams. Uh there was

[35:34]  a very disturbing article. I wrote an op-ed recently about it. There was some stuff that came out from the federal government about autism and that it was a disease from vaccinations and they were going to cure it and um that these poor individuals can't love, can't go out on dates and can't write poetry. Where they came up with this information, I have no idea because I serve thousands of people with autism.

[36:03]  And I've been there when they write poetry or draw pictures that we have on the wall. We have a couple that uh I talk to all the time. They got married uh in the 60s when they were told they couldn't. And when hearing Roger talk, they wrote a movie about it uh normal like us. You can go and read the book or watch the movie, but they were seen as they couldn't love back then. And they, you hear the passion from Roger about how he saw Virginia for the first time across the room and just knew he had to marry her and see wake up to that smile every day. You can't tell me that that's not love. Um, so yeah, uh, that's good, man. I think just just educate and get to know people. It's like anything else.

[36:49]  You got to get to know people. Don't make judgments on what you see on the outside. That's the relationship building, right? It's all getting to know people, communicating, get to know who they really are. As you mentioned, stop judging books by its cover. Um, and and I think we're in a time where almost every family may experience this at least once. Uh, whether it's now, whether it's in the future. So, we we have to get with the program now. And you've kind of seen this this field evolve as being a leader in this space.

[37:14]  your daughter as well being um really where you've seen it first probably for the first time where you realize okay I need to do more I want to help this this my young daughter but what's the what's the fight that still needs to be fought you know I think the biggest fight right now is you hear a lot being talked about um Medicaid uh funding and that there's a big waste there and um I think that's the biggest fight we have right now. You mentioned earlier the institutes and and that's a dark time in our days. There's there's a you can go Google Haraldo and Willowbrook and it will take you to some videos on what the institutes were like and it was inhumane what individuals

[38:02]  had. They were put away, silenced, and forgotten about. And through advocacy and awareness, they have fought and gotten that and now are productive members of their communities. Uh, I'm afraid that we're not learning from history as we as the United States looks at how are we going to meet this uh fiscal cuts that we're looking at. Uh I don't know that one I don't know that news is being very transparent about I think depending on which news station you listen to you get you get a a version that of the story that they believe in. I I I think people need to get educated uh build up the information and make a

[38:51]  informed decision based on that. I love it man. Well, I'm about to put you in the hot seat in just a bit, but before we get you in the hot seat, man, ask that blind question. For someone who's listening who wants to do something where they where can they really start? I mean, whether it's donate, whether it's volunteer, um, or adv be an advocate. Where do these individuals start to kind of help and and spread the word?

[39:12]  You know, I think there's there's all kinds of opportunities. Uh, in the nonprofits, we always call it time, talent, and treasure. That's where we're looking from people. uh either their time and their expertise uh their talents come help us do what we do uh or their treasures uh donate uh I think every state every community has programs um we're based home of guiding hands you can go to our website at wwwguidinghands.org or learn more information about us. But as I said, every community has programs. So, uh the ARC uh has uh facilities and just about every community. They're a great organization to connect with to learn about services. Uh each state has a department of developmental services

[39:59]  that helps manage their programs within the intellectual developmental community. Uh, so I think that's another great resource to connect uh within your community. And then just in general, I think um nonprofits uh fill an important need within our community. And I think as individuals, finding finding your why or what connects with you. For me, uh it I kind of fell into homelessness uh early on in my career. That wasn't my passion there, but quickly became one. But it led me to and gave me the tools to be very successful where I'm at now, which is a greater contributor to my why of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, making sure they're in their community, they're

[40:46]  heard, uh, and that they uh, receive the services that they deserve. I love it, man. All right, so let's get into this blind question, man. Are you ready? Yeah. The last leader I I put in the blind se in the in the hot seat, he's like, "Man, you should have prepared me." So he wanted to make sure that he gave me just as good um for you as well.

[41:04]  So what's one This is Sean by the way, another leader here uh in the nonprofit space. Once what's one thing you'd let go and one thing you take up to be more present in your life right now. You can thank Sean for by the way. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks. Um you know it's that's a very interesting question. I think there's a lot of different we could probably talk all day on just that.

[41:34]  Um I think as a leader in any capacity um you know we talked about servant leadership and I I talk I meet with my managers uh all of them uh once a month and we go through training and most recently I've been talking about the sacrifice of a leader and I don't know why anyone would want to be a leader because you have to sacrifice things uh to do that and Simon Sidic has a great book uh eaters eat last. Uh, and that goes back to my military times where as a leader in the military, you made sure your staff uh were fed before you were.

[42:13]  You made sure they had the resources before you do. So, um, I think personally, I've had to sacrifice places. Um, I've not taken raises myself in the past so that my staff can have raises, make sure they're taken care of first. Um, most recently, uh, I had to step down from some leadership, uh, positions within, uh, the Boy Scout community so I could focus on homoging hands. Uh, I enjoyed going on those trips, uh, whitewater rafting with my sons. Uh, but I really needed to spend time as we're navigating some of these rake reforms and, uh, potential cuts. Uh, so had to focus on it. So I think as leaders sacrifice is part of it and you have to

[43:02]  look at again focus back to your why. Why are you doing what you're doing? What's important and those decisions become clear uh and are easy to make. Listen, well that was a very tough question. You answered it so well and I really truly appreciate uh the the answer to that. What is your blind question to the next lead that we have here on the harder podcast?

[43:23]  Oh, I didn't know I get to ask. You also get to ask the question. Wow. Okay. Um, you know, I've always been intrigued with the question, if you could go back and meet anybody in time or history, who would you want to meet and what would you talk to them about? Okay, I haven't had that one. So, that's actually a really good question. As many questions that we asked, that one's never come across. Definitely excited to ask that to the next leader and see what the response is. But Edward, it truly has been an honor to have this conversation with someone that has your background, your career path. U and kudos to you for the work that you've done, for the sacrifices. You talked

[44:10]  about sacrificing leadership. You do that. You've done that actually for the last couple of years from making moves to getting in relationships where you where something's a little bit different, but you still head on took on that challenge and look where you're at today. Um, so thank you and for just being so open and being yourself. Anytime I have these conversations and and leaders always ask me, "How do I prepare?" I say, "Shop as yourself." And you did that since day one. So I definitely appreciate you guys. If you guys are enjoying some of these episodes that we're having here with some of these amazing leaders, make sure you guys are sharing, you guys are commenting, you guys are subscribing as well. We continue to have amazing conversations with leaders. Um, and you never know, maybe we're coming to your city and talking to your leaders. Guys, this has been a hard hustle podcast.

[44:50]  This is Edward Hershey. Make sure that you guys go ahead and follow him as well. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Go to the website. My name is Ephrain Hard and Hustle Podcast. We'll catch you guys in the next one. Lers.