From Rock Bottom to Food Bank Leadership | Shannon Olivier’s Story

[0:00]  Our next guest here on the Hard Hustle podcast says they aren't bad neighborhoods, they're struggling people. Shannon, I appreciate you coming on in. You started as a nail tech, no traditional credentials, and now you're leading communication at one of the largest food banks in the country. Yes. How did that happen? And welcome to the bird as well.

[0:33]  Thank you. You know, my house is a zoo. I'm an empty neester. Um so this is Dalia. So she's hanging out because maybe we can keep her quiet. Um yeah, my my path isn't traditional. I think um I whether it's faith or karma or whatever you believe in um I believe good deeds and good things uh my life is a representation that you're rewarded.

[0:58]  That's how I feel. I um it's always very great to hear a story of I was a nail tech life was lifing and here I am right we think we have a plan God plan is always greater than ours and here you are leading you know a huge organization um what what was what first pulled you into this nonprofit world

[1:19]  you know the funny thing is when I was a nail tech this is a not they this isn't something I admit to everyone so you know

[1:27]  um I got into pageantss I know. I didn't even tell you. No, it was when I was married. I had children. Um I had a client who said, you know, I love the way you do nails. Obviously, you're successful, but I think there's so much more to you and I'd like you to get involved with the pageantss because it builds your confidence. Um, and that was a catalyst for building my confidence that I could stand in a front of a bunch of people and be interviewed. What got me to really notice philanthropy? First of all, my dad um my father um was a uh hospital chaplain. So, I think it was uh I was raised with that kind of mindset. Um, but in the pageant world, a lot of times you go out to nonprofits and that's where we have a children's hospital here and I was part of the committee to help fund raise for them and I just really saw that there are so many people in need in so many different ways. Um, so I think that changed my mindset there, but then that gave me the bravery to leave and jump ship from what I was doing, sell my business. Um, I interviewed and got a job in radio with no experience, um, as a marketing and promotions director. And then I got brought into even more of that nonprofit world. We had a local nonprofit who someone in this world had the audacity to raid and pillage the inside. It was the Children's Cancer Center in Tampa. And back then, you were reading fax machine notes on you were getting faxes on what you're going to put on the morning shows and what you're going to talk about. And I saw that in our local newspaper and I'm like, we got to do something about it. So I went to our on air talent. I told them and as an organization, we worked and leveraged all those listeners and that popularity to help rebuild this charity. So I told the executive director of the charity that if you ever need somebody full-time, I'm your girl. So couple of years later, I get a call from her. Um, at the time I was pre gonna, you know, early pregnant with my third son and I took a pay cut and decided I was retiring to nonprofit which a lot of people feel like. Um, and that was 23 years ago and I've been in nonprofit in some way, shape or form since or I've taken positions that would uh build my knowledge to better serve.

[3:56]  Love it. I would actually um one up you on you talking about pageant. I wouldn't really say oneup but I would match you and saying that I used to do runway modeling.

[4:05]  So I used to be on you know doing the runaway model and posing and all that. And it's always crazy to think what we used to do as as young adults because I'm like but I I kid I actually did a photo shoot earlier and I told my wife I was like babe look I still got it. Look at these photos. Look at this. If I wanted to do it I still do it.

[4:21]  You remind me of my middle son. Very much the same. And I'm telling you right now, your mama was so proud when you were walking those runways and doing your thing there. It's not

[4:33]  I you say that my mom never showed up to any of my shows and I tell and and really was because you know I was adopted. I was sexually abused. So at the age of 18 years old I we kind of got into it and I said you know what I'm leaving. And I packed my bag and at 18 years old I I left and I never looked back. And um when I did leave, there were so many different things. Actually, I would tell you that um when I when I told her I wanted to do modeling, her response to me was like, "That's gay. Why don't you do something else?"

[5:02]  Oh, friend, I am so sorry.

[5:04]  And I'm sitting here like, "Well, this is what I'm going to do, you know?" So, I ended up doing it. So, there was a lot of resentment. And um you know, as I got older, it wasn't really until I was probably 30 years old where I really kind of rekindled our relationship. Now, this is my mom that raised me. She she adopt she had four of her own kids, adopt the three of us. So there was there was already a lot of resentment how I was growing up and feeling um and that was just kind of adding on to it. But you know I realized that she was going through her own situation and now it's so much better. And I would say that we finally had a conversation around 30 years old where she kind of apologized, you know, genuine apology and says, "Hey, I know life wasn't good for you and I tried my hardest. I'm so sorry. you know, I can't go back and and fix anything, but I I do apologize for how I've made you feel and you felt throughout your years. And I thought that was such a genuine apology and some people won't own up to it, right?

[5:54]  You know, so uh anyway, so but I did over time I would bring her like um like a blown up cuz that's who I am, right? A blown up poster and she was excited. I would say she still has it to this day and she always likes to tell me like look at this photo. So there was there was a little bit excitement after when you're doing it. I think sometimes parents just see bigger for you. So for her modeling probably I mean the words that she used was was not good, right? But um they just had a different vision for you, you know, but myself, I grew up always knowing what I wanted to do and I was excited doing it. I tell you though, I really probably felt you talking about confidence, it probably wasn't for me until I became a facilitator and I never knew that I was going to facilitate. I just worked in the airline industry. It happened. And the reason I took on the opportunity was because what you just mentioned, I wanted to be more confident speaking in front of others. Like I was already doing it, but really being more confident. Um, and that's what I gained in the time that I was a facilitator. So I did a little bit of everything, but because you said pageant, I felt like I got to throw in there that, hey, we've all kind of been there as young kids, right? Kind of exploring the world.

[6:54]  And I will tell you, and it's kind of the reason why you do your podcast and why we do ours at Feeding Tampa Bay, you learn a lesson with every conversation that you have. and I just learned a very valuable one from you. Right? Not everybody's life is like my experience and that's why it's so important that we have these conversations because people that are listening to us are learning too, right? And you always have to be open to learn and be curious. And I'm so glad at that 30-year mark, both of you could come to a piece

[7:25]  and uh that your soul is is all right and you're doing good with it. Getting posters. Get her more posters. Oh man. No, she she tells me how how proud she is now. And and I think one of the biggest things for her was um my mom Oie kind of knew me unfortunately from what she seen on social media

[7:43]  because when I left home I just very surface level. It's just a relationship that we had. So very surface level. Um even though she lived 15 minutes down the street, I seen her once a year. I would call her every three to four months. Um or maybe she would have to call me sometimes. And you know, that's just how life almost kind of the relationship was built. And um she she showed up at my wedding and that's the first time she really got to see the people I surrounded myself with. And she's like, "Wow, these are the people that you surround yourself with. I'm just a proud mom, you know, and she got to really see the energy that I I I keep around me and those people that love me and and showed up. up. I mean, there was over 100, like almost 125 people at the wedding that showed up, you know, on a on a Thursday or Friday. That's a lot of people to show up. Um, so she was just excited. She still says it like, "I'm just so happy that you just ended up cuz I also have brothers and sisters that um there's 10 of us. My bological mom had 10 kids. Bological father had eight kids. There's a lot of us. And I don't know about all of them, but I have brothers and sisters that are still living in the past and living with that resentment and and won't let it go and and you know feels like somebody owes them something. And um so yeah, when when I even for myself, someone asked me the other day, what are you most proud of that I forgot what exactly the question was and and really what I'm most proud of is that I get to really understand my value and know my worth. I think that's one of the biggest things that people don't understand at times and and you have Shannon, right? You've you've you've had to sometimes fail to understand it.

[9:15]  Yeah.

[9:15]  And realize it. And that's really life. So many people would give up. You had a you actually had an issue. I come back to you. You had you had an issue where um you mentioned hitting rock bottom when a job collapsed from under you, right? What did that season teach you? Um, you know, that season taught me and and and what I gained from it immediately was I need to stay grateful and I need to temper my confidence and not let it become conceit. You know, I jumped into a job because I was so flattered and and I I really was, but you know, I thought I I left nonprofit and went into for-profit. It was a startup, you know, and um it was familyowned and I went in there and worked for a while and then they replaced me with someone in their family. You know, at the time I was absolutely devastated and angry and all of the things, but the truth is that's the reality of going into a startup that's owned by a family. You know, they have to do what they need to do um and do it in the best way that they can. But at that in that season, I had made a lot of choices that were just not right and kind of lost myself a bit. So I um it was very short. You know, in my role and what I do now, I see folks that have struggled for a lifetime without coming out of the end yet. It's our job to help them.

[10:37]  But for about three or four months, um I got a taste of what not being able to pay the bills is. I got a taste of what making difficult choices is. I stopped, you know, I've been on a medication all my life. I stopped taking it because I couldn't afford it. Um, I would have my son, at the time I was going through a divorce, and I would have my son, when he came to be with me, I would cook him the little filt steak from Walmart, and I was eating ramen after he went to bed so he wouldn't see. Um, I had friends that were putting money in my driveway um to help me make sure I kept my lights on um because they knew I wouldn't take it if they handed it to me,

[11:16]  you know. So, it was hard and scary times and I felt very alone. Um, and I decided to put myself back out there and make a decision to go back into nonprofit. The right opportunity would come my way. And, um, it really did. And it changed my life. I've been in nonprofit like I said for 23 years but this was the first time where I could exhale and understand what was happening in the world around me. So, um, even though brief and difficult and a lot of tears were shed and I was freaked out a lot, hiding a lot of my feelings from my children, um, it was one of the best lessons in my life and I think it has placed me in the position I'm in today.

[12:04]  I'm glad you said that. Like you started with a loss, but you said biggest lesson,

[12:08]  biggest

[12:09]  and a lot of times that loss is exactly that. It's a lesson. And I had to learn that early in my years. I opened up a cafe. I was 21 22 years old. And um when it was time to close the doors, I didn't because I want I look like a failure, right? Like that's just how I felt. I'm 20ome years old. You know, my friends are going to think I'm a failure. Yep.

[12:26]  And I had a mentor that said exactly that. Ephrain, there's people 30, 40 years old that wish they can do what you did. Yep.

[12:32]  He says, "This is not a loss. It's a lesson." And you take that and you continue to move forward and you just don't make the same mistakes again. And clearly Shannon, you didn't make the same mistakes again, right? You you you haven't you But I also feel that when I say life be life and like life led you into a place where the work chose you. You didn't have to choose it.

[12:52]  Yeah.

[12:52]  Right. The life experiences that you've had really led you to this position that you're in now. Um your own sometimes personal food insecurity really kind of changed the way that you lead today.

[13:03]  And you talked about that story and look what you're doing today. Can you tell us about the organization that you're now a part of and what you're doing in the organization?

[13:10]  So, I am now with Feeding Tampa Bay, which is one of the I I believe 20 20th largest food banks in the nation, part of the Feeding America network. Um, my role that I took originally was with Trinity Cafe, which was a really small uh free restaurant. Um, and uh you talk about people who influence you. Jeff Derry was the founder of that. And when I interviewed with him and I told him about my story and why I was led to be there and why I wanted to work in his organization, um he made me a promise that if I trusted him, everything was going to be okay. He is an incredible man of faith and um he really helped be the catalyst for I am today. So, Trinity Cafe merged with Feeding Tampa Bay and back in the day when I was in radio, I was on the back end of a merger. So, my experience was when somebody merges, they wipe everybody out and get people new, right? So, I had my one foot in the door for a very long time because I was afraid it was going to be taken away from me. But that's the important of good leadership. you know, Thomas Mance is our president and CEO, and you know, we'll have to have him come on because his story is incredible with you. But Thomas Mance, JC Peters, uh the there were leadership that was just like, "Come on, you can you got this. You can do this. Nothing's going to happen. You can move forward." Once I gave up that insecurity, um it just became the biggest blessing in my life. And now I'm director of public affairs for one of the largest food banks in the nation. I did not go to college. Um,

[14:52]  yes, I love the story.

[14:53]  I learn from every experience and interaction that I have with a human being and I try to keep myself curious and open uh so I can understand better. Um, and uh I have been blessed and and I continue to be blessed in the work that we do and the lives that we impact.

[15:11]  Shannon, I'm a big believer when you show up authentically, you the blessings just happen.

[15:15]  Yeah.

[15:15]  Right. And and that's exactly why cuz you were authentically you. I love the mentioned of I didn't go to school and not to tell no one that um they shouldn't go to school because myself I probably like two classes away from getting associates and one day I'll finish it. Um but I've also opened up stores, restaurants. I've opened up furniture shops. I've been you know general manager. I've traveled the world on somebody else's dime. Worked for the aviation industry. And as you mentioned there is no college degree. and and and I and I the only reason I want to go to school is to really teach my kids. Dad did both. You have options. But you cannot tell me that you can't do either of them because

[15:55]  I we have to practice what we preach. And that's the only reason I'm going to go ahead and do what it was. And I tell you about practicing what I preach. I kind of go back to my mom, right? When I was 30 years old, my um I always felt like not seen, unheard, all these different things. And um I remember one time my mom forgot my daughter's name. My daughter was probably like one years old, right? And granted, my mom has 15 grandkids, but that still hurt me. Like that's when I really knew that I was really going, you know, there was still some resentment that I kind of swept up. And um I didn't I stopped talking to her. Like I would only text her when she, you know, I wouldn't call like I wouldn't pick up the phone. I would text her and she realized something was off. And she's like, "Okay." And um I said, "Yeah, everything's good." And then one day I said, "I got to practice what I preach. I'm telling my daughter to use her voice and to speak up.

[16:42]  Who the hell am I to not do that, but say tell someone to?

[16:45]  Yeah.

[16:46]  You know, and so those those moments in our lives when we're just in the unknown, those are really learning lessons. So I I love that you talked about loss and lesson. I love that you talked about school. That shows it just show how authentic but also how real it is out there just because school is not for everybody. So if you find your in a situation where you feel like what should I go to school for? I maybe you don't go to school. Maybe you find a nonprofit. I love that you found yourself a nonprofit as well because I think that they're almost underrated. Like you could really utilize all your talent in the nonprofit world versus going to a corporate where you got hired for this and don't come out of your box.

[17:23]  Right.

[17:24]  That's what I love about the nonprofit world that all your talents you get to really use them whenever you want to use them. Um, and and I want to kind of go back to that. Oh, wait, wait, wait. Not. Yes. No, Shannon. It depends.

[17:36]  So, I gotta tell you, it depends on the leadership. That's where you have to be really careful with the choices you make.

[17:42]  Um, and keep your eyes open and listen. You know, obviously I didn't make the choice. The choice was made for me to go to Feeding Tampa Bay. But, you know, nonprofit is that, but it's still a business.

[17:56]  Y,

[17:56]  it's still run as a business. successful nonprofits, profit, you know, uh when I say profitable, I mean impactful nonprofits in the community. They're run tight like a business. Uh you need to take the time and make sure that the leadership um that you are working with and for um has the same goals and ways to communicate that you have. And I have actually learned to be better because of where I'm at. But not every nonprofit is like that.

[18:24]  You're right. You're right. I And you're right, cuz I attest to that. I attest to that. I the nonprofit that I currently lead as president. Um when I was just a a a seat on the board, I wanted to leave so bad. Well, actually I did leave and they called me back and says, "We really need the young blood. We really need you to show up." And I showed up and I was still just feeling the same way. And um that same leader says, "I don't want to do this anymore." Which rightfully he shouldn't have been doing it. Um and no one else wanted to do it. So I kind of stepped into it. when you talk about life be life and and at that moment when I had to take over as president I was also kind of

[19:02]  I had left my corporate job my nineto-5 I was going to do my own thing and then I take this up so I'm building a business as well as building a nonprofit that I don't get paid for it's all volunteer work

[19:11]  and it was hard

[19:13]  and I thought to myself I am way over my head

[19:16]  however when I was 20ome years old and I got the opportunity to do undercover boss um they said hey we'll give you $5,000 to an organiz organization of your choice. I'm originally from Boston, so I knew nothing here local in Orlando. And someone says, "Hey, why would you give for one time when you can give the rest of your life?" And I started a nonprofit. So I I already had nonprofit experience in my early 20s. So it led me to this moment where I'm now 33, 34 years old and taking over a nonprofit. And no one on the board ever knew that. Why? Because they didn't we we didn't really know each other. Like that's one of the biggest things that bothered me is that

[19:52]  people didn't even know my talents because they weren't the leader wasn't trying to really engage us and hey what do you do? What is your talents? What are you good at? Hey, I I think you're you'll be great doing this. So yeah, a leader does truly make a difference because they can see where you're good at. They can, you know, they work with you. They they pour into you.

[20:09]  They do.

[20:10]  Um so

[20:10]  they envision your potential.

[20:13]  Yeah. Yeah.

[20:13]  Right. I I didn't ever see myself in a place where I am now.

[20:17]  Yeah.

[20:18]  And Great leaders can see where they can nudge you into and you rise to the top, right?

[20:25]  Yeah.

[20:26]  So, it's not

[20:28]  leadership isn't about really leading people. It's about understanding where they're at and seeking and asking the questions, right, on where their talents lie to better the organization or the business, you know, or the restaurant, the cafe that um and I'm just so excited for you because you learned this. so young to me. It took me a long time to become in my in my heart and my mind where I am today. I'm very grateful for it. But, you know, I didn't go to school cuz I had my first child at 21 years old. I was working my fingers to the bone, supporting a family. Um, you know, it's just like you said, life be life and it's just the way it is. And either you move take every advantage and move forward with it and you just don't let it crush you. And there are times where it crushes for sure. But you got to rise above it.

[21:21]  Hey, real quick. If you're 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 Francis. Some 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. There there's a moment that you mentioned the first time I spoke to you about a woman and she told you um I don't have anybody right this was at the Trinity Cafe before you guys did the merge.

[21:58]  Um how did that moment also shift your perspective?

[22:02]  So when I got that role I had to volunteer for a week and immerse myself in our guests and our guests were a lot of folks lower income uh veterans um who are struggling with the life that they gave up for us. Let's put that clear and homeless. And I sat at a table. So, the concept of uh Trinity Cafe is that you come in for a free meal, three course meal with a snack, a dessert, everything you could need, no questions asked, and you are served like you're in a real restaurant. So, it's a dignified experience for someone who that might be the only a conversation they have or the only people that treat them with dignity and don't question them because they're living they're unhoused. They're living outside. So, I sat down to this woman uh with this woman and um she clearly hadn't had a space for hygiene or anything like that and we just had a conversation and anybody that had ever been in her life was gone. She didn't know what to do. She didn't have someone, you know, we talk about folks in moments that inspire us. She didn't have any of that that she could grab on to. And that was my first interaction with a guest. And it was like you're I'm I was filled with instant gratitude. You know, my short time with struggling with food insecurity and making terrible choices with was a lifestyle for this woman. She didn't have anybody. And it was like, how can I be somebody even briefly for these? I'm in the right place. This has to be my home. Um I cried with her. I thanked her for telling me her story and she really changed me and through it's been it'll be nine years um since that moment and um I try to learn something from every person that I encounter you know because people don't want to struggle

[23:56]  nobody wants to struggle um nobody wants to ask for help you know people talk about um folks taking advantage of the system you You know, there's always in the cream of it all, you a bowl of cream, huge. There's always one little speck that will ruin it. One little thing that ruins for all. People need to focus on the huge bowl of cream. Take a spoon and get the little speck out because that is what life is truly like in our world, in my world, and other food banks. There's over 200 food banks across the nation. You have your nonprofit. You know, people need people and you can inspire the good in someone. Take the time to do it.

[24:39]  And when you talk when you go down this path, um it happens to anybody, right? Doesn't discriminate. And during pandemic, you were actually able to see that. You mentioned about seeing some Porsches and food lines. Right now, these Porsches,

[24:51]  what $100,000 vehicles?

[24:54]  Yeah.

[24:54]  You know, what what did that reveal about food insecurity and and it touches? Well, for every listener of your you have, we all lived through something together for once in our life history, but not just here globally. And that is the moment that food insecurity and knowing that in a moment your life can be changed, the whole world understood. I think before when uh folks thought of someone who was food insecure, it was someone that was asking them for something on a roadside. It was seeing someone on a tree with all their belongings around them. And that just isn't the facts. You know, right now we're in a time where so many hardworking families, dualincome families cannot meet the needs of their household and have to get a break from somewhere. So where I am and in our food bank, all food banks are different, but in our food bank, we envision thriving communities. We know that it's possible, but the thing is we can't solve it alone with food.

[25:59]  So under our roof, we opened a brand new facility um about six 15 16 months ago and 30% of that facility brings people into our world and instead of just giving them food, asking them what else they need. So currently, and that number is growing, we have 20 nonprofits that address all of those needs and we help facilitate and they have one place where they can solve their problems um or begin to right have the conversation. Uh we have legal help if something's going on. We have a financial counseling that can help you with the budget that you already have. We connect you with utilities because did you know that utilities will actually have a conversation with you and not just shut your stuff off, you know? So, we bring all of these folks under one roof to really try to solve the root cause of what they're going on so they don't need us anymore

[26:53]  and then they come and volunteer.

[26:55]  That's the most beautiful thing about it. Um, when someone can get back into the cycle of where they come from and and a lot of times they grow through it, right? Like today they're volunteering. one day they run the organization. Um, one of the things that I when people ask me how do I feel about my life experiences, that was a really good question and I it was a friend that asked me and I said and he I could only answer in one word and it was grateful like those experiences led us to who we are today and where we are today. And I ask you, what is your one word of all these things? Cuz you're in this space today and I think so into it like into it the way you are because of the experiences you've had and and you've encountered it and you understand what that felt like and you just want to make sure other people can overcome the same way you've been able to overcome. Um what is that one word if you had to kind of paint the picture for what it actually looks like? One word is really hard

[27:50]  and to me it just it's the tip of the iceberg but I feel blessed. It's I feel in the in the moment make no mistake it was anything that's hard. You know I mentioned my father who was a hospital chaplain. um he was in his 80s and he refused to not go into the hospital during CO and he ended up dying from it in 2021 and passed away in his own hospital. Uh that was very hard for me obviously but what I took away from it is his commitment to help other people was not going to stray him from what he needed to do. So I am blessed from even that heartbreaking moment. It had a real purpose for him and I had to let him live into his purpose. So I am I don't know it it sounds crazy but I am blessed but there's so much more than the word bless can give.

[28:47]  I love it and I also love that um I think it was during the pandemic that you started the podcast. Is that correct? Stick a fork in it.

[28:55]  We did. We did. You know stick a fork in it. Um, we all know we need somebody, you know, and that comes from that Lady Mary that I met around in that round table in Trinity Cafe. And our conversations are sticking in a fork in what your life and experience has been, who was there for you. If you haven't, why not recognize them, be thankful for them. Um, and we just interview tons of people throughout the Tampa Bay area and really nationwide. We've had some really great guests on that tell the story to be thankful and look for those folks that help you become who you are because there is not one human being of any age who hasn't gotten to where they are without the influence or help of another.

[29:46]  Correct.

[29:47]  Right.

[29:47]  Correct.

[29:47]  You talk about your life up until you were 30. There were still people you know in your childhood you were let down by what parenthood was for you. Yeah,

[29:58]  but clearly there were people who stepped in that space for you and helped you come to peace with your life. We all have it. We all have that story. It's every single one is unique. And I just love our podcast because it gives us that moment to learn about other people and take lessons from every single conversation we have just like I'm taking lessons from you today.

[30:22]  Oh, stop it, Shannon. What you mentioned though, how we those moments in our lives or those people in our lives. One, I always tell people, it takes one person, one story to change the way that you think,

[30:35]  change the way that you live. Which is why we have to be very mindful of what we tell people. And I've encountered some that come back to me after 10 years. Actually, I just it was one of my first employees when I was in Subway and I after 10 years just we had lunch and one of the things he's like Ephan I remember and I was 20 years old. Okay. And he says I remember when you said everyone has a story and you are right. I have a story and I wanted to make sure that I changed the way that that was and now he's an entrepreneur and he says because I seen you do it I know that it's possible and it's like you don't even know sometimes that you plant these seeds.

[31:09]  Yeah. saying that somebody planted seeds in me yesterday. You talked about that. I called the chief development officer of Subway from Undercover Boss Day. It's like I he's no longer at Subway, but it was still a relationship that was built from that show.

[31:22]  And um I called them because last year as as as I mentioned when I left the corporate world, it was hard. Okay, it was hard. I have my stay-at-home wife. I have two kids. I have a mortgage and I left the being comfortable. I left a consistent paycheck

[31:38]  because I believed in myself, you know, really for the first time. Like I've always kind of had one foot in, one foot out in the nonpr or in the uh corporate and entrepreneurship world.

[31:48]  And um I decided to step away, but it was one of the things that he said to me that I still remember and I and he said so many things to me throughout the years, but last year he says, "Ephra, you know, sometimes people teach best what they need the most. And for years you've told people to know their worth. When do you know yours?"

[32:04]  And it was like that. Damn, you're right. You know, and it was valuing

[32:09]  it. It was so hard. I didn't know how to value my my talents, right? All these tools, just like you, Shane, we have all these tools in our toolboxes,

[32:17]  and we don't know how to piece them together to even give it to somebody. And that's where I was at. It's like, I had all this experience because of what I've been able to do, but I didn't know how to package it. Plus, when you're in a corporate world, they damn near price you and they this is what you you you make, right? And this is how much we're going. So, I didn't know how to go past that. But I'm seeing other people do coaching and and charging hundreds of dollars. I'm like, "Oh my god, I could never do that." But I had to value my time. I Everything that happened in my life is because you it's for this moment. Um and then another one was my wife, you know, great partners. You talk about great partners, right? Your husband's a great partner. my wife to towards the end of it when um money was was tight and I I didn't know where the next paycheck. Talking about knowing my worth, I had to leave a client because when I told him this is what I want, he said, "Well, I can't give you that." So, I didn't have no money coming in. I told that to my client and he says, "Well, we have to finish up what we have and that's it." I'm like, "All right." I was getting people to um I had a job. I do like MC weddings sometimes, right? And he's and the guy called me. Mind you, I had no money coming in. He says, "Well, you MC this wedding." And I'm like, "Yeah, $100 an hour." He said, "I can't pay you that." And I'm like, "Well, I can't do it." But in my mind, I'm like, "Is this stupid of me?"

[33:32]  Yeah. You're like, "Oh, no. What did I just say?

[33:34]  I didn't need money." But it was that faith. It was the knowing my worth. And when I tell you, the the floodgates opened after that. But it was people in my life that poured into me. And at that moment, more than anything, I have to really separate the noise cuz everyone has something to tell you. Mhm.

[33:51]  But it was those that like the Don Fermans, it was my wife, it was those my best friends that my, you know, my my siblings, some of my siblings that were there for me and really poured into me

[34:03]  because sometimes as leaders, we pour into others, but no one teaches us how to pour into ourselves when we're in these moments, you know, and and you doing stick a fork in it 1770 episodes later plus, right? 170 was the last time that we spoke. Um, I can only imagine there was some surprising things that you learned from those conversations. You talked about how we're learning something today. What was the most surprising thing you've learned from those conversations of stick a fork in it?

[34:29]  So, before I answer that, I want to I want to respond to what you just said and that amazing quote that actually I physically got chills over. Um, and you keep mentioning faith. Um, hope is something that you wish for, right? You wish things are going to be better. Faith is something that you do and take action.

[34:49]  And I actually heard that quote for the first time today. And I was like, that is so truthful. And we're having this conversation today and it just hit me in the head like having faith is like jumping off and making it happen

[35:04]  and those folks have inspired you. Um, wow. uh who has in I think I take inspiration from every single person whether it's a better understanding of something that may be in my my thoughts um something that jumps into my brain it's just recent so it's easier for me to pull something recent um we have school pantries in schools food insecurity you know if you think about one in four children are struggling with food insecurity and don't know where their meal next full meal healthy meal will come from if you look at a park when you drive by it or let's say you have little league football players playing on a field. One in four of those children don't have enough to eat. If that doesn't impact you as just a human being, I don't know what will. So, we have all these pantries and we have a particular partner that is helping transform what is a free grocery store inside a school that benefits the school but to be open to bene fit their entire community. and their way of thinking. She was born into a education family like her aunt and her mom was a principal like and she just naturally went into education. But her choices she saw something missing terribly in education and took the steps and grew into a space where she's impacting an entire community. If you open your heart and mind, you are unstoppable. And this woman to me is an unstoppable force in our community and she's part of a huge organization. But I am just so impressed with her way of thinking and her commitment um again being kicked off by being part of a family that this is what they do and making it much bigger and brighter for the community and for those children that are struggling.

[37:00]  That's so good. And one other thing that I love that you do on the podcast is you always ask someone I always ask someone what is the know your worth moment but you ask who is your greatest influence. Why do you ask every guest that

[37:13]  it's teach that's teaching us a lesson every single time because it can be a family member. You know you talked about sitting at a table and it's someone in corporate for you. Um and I think our podcast is important because you got to look recognize and be thankful for those moments because they're all different. They're all different. There is someone that was part of that turning point. I've had obviously from the changes in my life, it went from a pageant queen, right, to a radio station believing I could do something to a faith-based amazing human being who very gently handed me over to a CEO, one of the best in the world, I have to tell you. And all of those people helped my path and believed in me and believed in my potential. We all have them. Look for them. Be grateful because in those moments that are low, no one would have invested in you if you weren't worth it.

[38:11]  No one would would have invested in you if you weren't worth it.

[38:16]  So, there's something or someone around the corner that's going to help you get yourself out of where you're at.

[38:21]  And I firmly believe in that. Life is not easy. It's not.

[38:26]  It's not.

[38:26]  It's the roller coaster, right? There's the ups and the downs. If you're not riding on this roller coaster, are you even living? Is what I like to say.

[38:33]  Find your people.

[38:35]  Find your people or they'll find you. Recognize it.

[38:39]  You've showed so much love to your leader that leads this organization right from day one. And one of the things you mentioned at the beginning of it was his faith. And recently, I met this leader and he said something to me that I would always remember. There's always those things that you will remember from someone. And even though it's like probably our first conversation, one of the things he says, "A faithled business will teach you more than hustle ever will." And I'm like,

[39:02]  "Amen."

[39:04]  Wow. So, I think about your leader, right? Like that's what wins. It's not it, you know, we can hustle all day, but if you don't have that faith,

[39:12]  Yeah.

[39:12]  you know, it you're not winning. So, I love that you surrounded yourself with that as well. And that's what also kind of anchors us is that faith.

[39:19]  Yep. It is the belief that we can do it because we've experienced what it was to be at the bottom and we want others to also experience. Hey, today you're at the bottom. Today you may feel someone's writing your story, but at some point you grab that pencil and you start to tell your own story.

[39:35]  Right? That's how I look at life. And that's what really my exper that's the way I looked at it in my experience is that at some point the adoption, the sexual abuse, the everything that I was dealing with, that was someone writing my story. At some point, I decided I was going to write my own story. Even when we go back to what my mom said to me when I wanted to model,

[39:52]  it wasn't her story to tell anymore. She could no longer narrate that story. You know, it was up to me to go narrate that. And uh I'm glad I did because of me sharing the stories. We get to have these conversations, Shannon. And that's why I love authentic, real conversations. I mean, this whole conversation, you the way you showed up was real, authentic, and real. And when we talk about leaders, there's no better leader than someone that shows up authentically them, right? I love those leaders. Those leaders, I get excited to go work for those leaders because I realize there is no true like there's there's an agenda, but not an agenda to just sit here and and take from people and make themselves feel better. It's how do I pour into these people and lift them up to either be just as good as me or even better.

[40:37]  We talked about great leaders. That's what that leadership

[40:39]  or even better. right?

[40:40]  Or even better.

[40:41]  Um and

[40:42]  yeah,

[40:43]  that mindset some people come about, you've come about um that mindset very young and it which makes my heart happy for you um and really your family because you're raising two children in a different world um and making negatives using them in a more positive way, right? Um sometimes it takes folks a long time. You know, uh, you think about, this is kind of cheesy, but what Kentucky Fried Chicken didn't start until the gentleman was like in his 70 or 80 years old, right?

[41:15]  Yeah.

[41:16]  I don't think I've had the confidence that I needed to be who I need to be. And I still need to grow and add with it till I was 50 years old.

[41:25]  I had more self-doubt than you can imagine. And it's it's letting those people in to let me know I'm all right. that I I can just

[41:34]  I was trying to show you that um must be somewhere in the house. I uh I was trying to show you you said mindset that is truly the number one thing that I had to change was the mindset the way that I was believing seeing. Um so I created this 30-day mindset journal for entrepreneurs and creatives because it was truly what I was

[41:54]  having it and it's really just a journal with um affirmations but also questions. I went to therapy one time in my 30s when I really became a dad at 30. Um because as you mentioned I became a dad. All these things of becoming uh of of a child and being you know my family left me at 2 years old and all these different things start to really kind of rush back up and I'm sitting here like oh my god I just want to be successful. I just want to almost in my mind it's like I just need to pass two years and I'm I'm better than my dad ever was. Right? Like that's just the how I look at like life to me is just a challenge, you know? So those are some of the things I was thinking of. But it also broke me down and I had to see therapy and it was it was the way that it went down. My wife was in postpartum. She was going to therapy. It was her session that day and she says, "Hey, I think you should go instead.

[42:44]  Come with me."

[42:45]  You know, no, no, by myself.

[42:47]  Oh, you go.

[42:49]  You take the appointment.

[42:51]  Yeah, you take the appointment. And I said, "Okay." like shouldn't be that bad, right? And I tell you that was one of the best therapists and best experiences that I've ever had. So with that experience of her just asking questions

[43:05]  and those same questions that I was answering gave me the answers that I needed, it's exactly what I did in the journal is that I wanted to put questions in that that us as leaders don't ask ourselves on the daily but allowed you to really sit here and think like wow

[43:20]  this is really good question. Sometimes we need that cuz that imposter syndrome starts to kick in and it's super loud, right? Uh confidence, we talk about confidence. Yeah, we have it. But some days are better than others.

[43:31]  Sure.

[43:32]  You know, so everything what we have today, some days are just better than others. Not every day do we wake up and we're ready to conquer the world. Some days we're like, "Oh my god,

[43:42]  am I really?"

[43:42]  Well, not every day do you want, you know, sometimes it's about intimidation, right? you go into a a room or an opportunity, it's like intimidation and bravery. You talked about leading folks to go beyond you, right? See more than you ever have. That's that's difficult at times. It's intimidating,

[44:04]  you know, but your mindset needs to be you're supposed to be helping the people in your world be the best that they can be regardless of where you are, your thoughts. They need to grow and thrive. And um I think that's a conscious decision and it's a difficult one at times, but it's what's needed to have things go on and continue and grow and have success.

[44:28]  Shannon, with everything you've been doing over all these years, whether it's in the nonprofit, it was in the music uh sorry, the radio business um pageant, is there a story or moment that still gives you goosebumps that you can recall? Oh, well, it will forever. Um, a lot of my motivation for the things I have three sons and from they're everything. How I walk my life, um, how I respond, all of those things impact them greatly because they're going to go through life just like I did. Um, they are my motivation. Um, they are my greatest joy. uh they are why I work hard. Um and they are why it's really important to me to be authentic. They need to see that um so they can be better than I was, right? And and have a different life ahead of them. And um you know, one of my greatest joys of my ch my three children is they are so very close. Um two of them live together in or right there where you are in Orlando. One has his own family. But the moment I realized is they were becoming adults that they had conversations that had nothing to do with me. They connect they connect regularly without my influence. You know that's what you want because when I'm one day not here they will have each other. And I think unapologetically they are my greatest influence, my greatest achievement and my greatest motivation.

[46:05]  Oh man, one day I I can't wait to I'm still at that one and four year old stage. I can't even imagine getting to that stage.

[46:13]  But it is it is when you do get to the stage that I am. And

[46:18]  you know, you're so far more advanced than I was at your age. Um it is it's difficult when your nest is empty. That's why I have four dogs, four chickens, the parrot, you know. I filled my my

[46:30]  The bird then left. Didn't like the conversation. What happened to the bird? I didn't like the conversation.

[46:34]  She's cruising on the floor like spreading feathers everywhere. But um yeah. Yeah, it's it's it's a it's a journey, but gosh, when you get to this space, it's such a gift. Such a gift.

[46:47]  I had so much fun just talking to you on this podcast. And we have to start wrapping it up, but I really want to talk about just food. That's kind of the space you're in, right? And food is so universal. Everyone can connect to the mission. What's your call to action?

[47:01]  You can help somehow somewhere, right? you have, you talked about being on a board, your talents where you changed the trajectory of that board because you recognize the talents that the people had and what they were good at. You don't want to force somebody into a pigeon hole. So, you know, obviously everything good happens around a table. People understand the need for nutritious food. You know, that's kind of a no-brainer. But, you know, you can volunteer, you can give. you know, in our world, $1 equals five meals because you can imagine the bulk that we deal with. Um, in this year alone, um, you know, if you take July from July, um, 100 million meals have been distributed outside of Feeding Tampa Bay, 100 million.

[47:47]  It still isn't enough.

[47:50]  So, if that's something that's important to you, not just, you know, every county has a food bank. We have 10 counties in our world that we support um and help lift those neighbors. Everyone in the United States of America has a food bank that supports them. Um a seek them out if you need it. There is nothing to be ashamed of. You cannot be successful without access to healthy food. Two, volunteer, right? Give of your time. It is precious. In our world, every hour of every single volunteer is worth $33.75. It saves $7 million a year at Feeding Tampa Bay in cost because we have 8,500 volunteers in our database. We have 4,500 that we need every month and that is going to grow to 8,500 people we need every month to help us. Cannot live life without a volunteer in the nonprofit world. You can give, right? Again, a dollar equals five meals in our region. You know, Orlando area has their own region. Seek them out. But also what you can do is share. Share this podcast. Share your local food bank because not only does that help support the food bank, but most importantly, it takes the stigma away that there's something wrong with needing help. There is nothing wrong. We all need help. We've talked about influence. Whether you know it or need it or not, whether your table is full of food or not, we've all needed someone. find that place for you that soothes your soul to support your community. It's the only way our communities can thrive is us all being a part of it.

[49:30]  Yeah, we all need a little bit of something and and we talked about a little bit of everything that we have had to encounter or use in our own lives.

[49:37]  Yes.

[49:37]  Um what's your vision for the next chapter of of hunger relief in America?

[49:42]  We've already started on that vision, right? um instead of just treating the symptom, finding the ways and having the individual conversations to treat the cause and help someone put their food on their table. It it's the only way it's going to work. It's the only way we can end hunger. You can't throw a 100 million meals at the community and solve the problems that they have. there is a root cause or root causes that other nonprofits, other partners can help lift, right? We do food well. We really do. It's other partners that do all the other things. And it's important for people to understand is we don't compete. We may compete for those dollars out there and that's very true. But we don't compete with the vision of helping the person who needs us. So that's how we put them all under our roof. So, we've already started on that vision of flourishing communities, not just for now, but for generations to come. And at Feeding Tampa Bay, uh we believe it's possible. And we have faith, not hope, that we're going to make it happen.

[50:52]  All right. Now, Shannon, where can people find the organization? Are you guys on socials? What's the website?

[50:57]  Feeding Tampa Bay.org is our website. Uh you can find our podcast there. We're on every social you can imagine. and we have a very robust social team. Um, it gives you all the up-to-date information versus going to our site. You can find food there and on the contact page, I'm right there as uh leading the PR and all the connections that are external. Um, and uh, yeah, feeding tampa Bay.org. But I encourage you because we know in the podcast world, you can be anywhere listening.

[51:27]  That's it.

[51:28]  Find a place

[51:28]  anywhere in the world.

[51:29]  Find a place if you need food. Don't be ashamed. and find that nonprofit that you're making a difference with.

[51:37]  I leave you with this closing question, the blind question. If you can go back to that moment, eating ramen on your on um eating ramen so your son could eat steak, what would you whisper to yourself then about where your story was headed?

[51:52]  Don't give up. Now you're making me tearary.

[51:56]  And it sounds so cliche, right? Don't give up. But that is so true. those moments, you know, I tell you something, Shannon, real quick. I I get so you can get back to, you know,

[52:07]  back to tears at sometimes we feel like we're in this dark tunnel

[52:12]  and and we don't know how far we got to go. And sometimes you see the light at the end of it. And that should give you the faith. We talked about hope, but the faith when you see it and you just know there's there's better on the other side. Because wherever you're at today, and we are living testimonies of that, Shannon, that wherever you're at today, that doesn't mean that's where you're going to be at tomorrow, right?

[52:34]  Your life would change,

[52:36]  at an instant,

[52:37]  in a moment.

[52:38]  Okay? From second to second, your life can change. One call, one person can change your life. And that's why I love these podcasts, cuz it's those stories that we tell authentically as ourselves that inspire someone to say, "Wow, look at her. She's in the same situation that I'm in today." That means I continue to have faith. It's going to happen for me. But once you give up, you've automatically lost that opportunity.

[53:02]  Yeah.

[53:02]  So, as you mentioned, don't give up. Go ahead, Shannon.

[53:06]  Don't give up because I I want to add to that. Uh, one of my very best friends in the world, her name is Lynn Austin. And when I was going through that and she knew it, she is the one who gathered all of our friends to give any money that they could and put in the driveway. That is the moment that I really understood. I didn't understand it when I was eating the ramen. Didn't know how I was going to get out of it. But when that envelope was in my driveway cuz she knew I would never take it. And she had my son go down and pick it up and hand it to me. That was when I felt don't give up. And why? Because I had people.

[53:43]  We have people. I learned a very valuable lesson. Don't be ashamed to dip into your people in the times that you need them the most. Yes. Yes. Let the pride go. That's what happens people. Yeah.

[53:57]  Uh thank you so much. Thank you so much for this conversation. Thank you for the amazing work that you're doing. I can see why you run communications because you communicate very well. Uh and why you were part of the radio and and I just feel that life life be life and but it leads us to purpose. It leads us to passion

[54:17]  and it's not always about a paycheck. And you had to understand that as well, right? And I had to understand that it's not always about the paycheck, but the impact that we can actually make at the level that we're at, it's amazing. And what we do, we love because it's truly doing it out of the kindness of our hearts and knowing that as we're here, God wants us to do his work. And we are. And and we're leaving this place better than what we found it all because we show up authentically ourselves.

[54:44]  Even when things were hard, we've never given up. And and we hope that people that are watching right now that you understand that today may be a tough day, but every single day that you show up and you never give up, it just gets a little bit better and a little bit better until you realize you're at the light at the end of the tunnel.

[55:01]  Yeah.

[55:01]  So, we thank you guys for watching. Shann and I thank you for your time, for being authentically you, for introducing us to the bird at the beginning of the show. Thank you. We didn't see the pigs and the chickens, but we'll see them next time.

[55:12]  Next time I'll have the whole gang in the office,

[55:16]  guys. Guys, my name is E Frane. This is Shannon with the Heart and Hustle. We'll catch you on the next one. Later.

[55:21]  Thank you.