Why Nonprofits Deserve a Seat at the Table—and How Megan Carlson Is Making That Happen

[0:00]  We know acutely that it it is the social support, the social infrastructure that's going to support someone. Um, you know, someone's not going to care about their hypertension if they're hungry, right? And if you can focus on both of those problems and scale a business around those problems, then you know the we can only go up from here. Um, and I'm just so proud to be working with this organization because not only are we supporting leaders internally, um, giving them platforms to share messages like this, but then also continuing to invest back in our communities, continuing to put on community events, where we provide resources where we go to people's homes. That's one of the most coolest things that we're doing right now is someone says, "I'm hungry."

[0:37]  Great. Pair team's going to come and we're going to bring you a grocery bag. Um, because that's what you need today and we're going to provide you with that need. Um, and that's just like the coolest thing. Welcome back to another episode here on the Hard Hustle Podcast. From navigating cancer patients to the system, flipping the script on how we care for underserved communities, Megan Carlson doesn't just talk equity. She builds it and she's doing it inside a tech startup. Let's get into it. Miss Megan, how are you doing this morning? I'm doing fantastic. How about you? I'm doing amazing. So, talk about us. How do you get into going from one place to the

[1:25]  other? Like, I mean, they're both in the giving space, but there's kind of a little change there. How you get there? Yeah, I really focused on my gut where like my passion lies and as you said started initially working um with cancer patients here in North Carolina and then led me to a startup also working with individuals that needed help navigating resources. Um, but at the core of what I do and why I ended up at PAR team was just really recognizing that our most vulnerable communities are the ones that need the most support. And if I had to do anything with my life, it was going to be deserve that purpose and that mission.

[2:00]  Was there ever a time where where you thought um especially when you were kind of in that cancer patient um health space where you thought the system is broken but I still have to show up and how did you handle that situation? Yeah, I mean it's so especially when you're working with individuals that are um in cancer treatment and their families are are supporting them and navigating them through that. You know, the last thing on their minds often is, well, how am I going to get the transportation to my radiology appointments? You know, I live two hours away from the hospital. Who's going to drive me? Oh, and also, I still need to show up at work. So, how am I going to support myself financially? And and it's all of those what now we we know as um social drivers of health.

[2:43]  That's when I really started to recognize there wasn't enough uh attention being paid to that, especially in supporting patients and navigating those resources because it is um there's so many nonprofits in our communities that are providing them, but actually connecting with those organizations, receiving those services um is fragmented and it's difficult to navigate. And so um they they are often the populations that need the most support um from individuals not only uh like myself, but also organizations like pair team.

[3:10]  what what was missing like what what was it that the pair team filled? You know, you you left for a challenge and then you ended up at pair team. What was that missing thing that they were able to fill your cup with? Yeah, I think what I recognized and especially when uh in the startup space or in the health tech space, there's so many uh organizations, for-profit entities that are focused on doing good. Um and that's always at the core of their mission. But what I noticed when I was drawn to with pair team is that even under the covers um they made um they turned words into action and it really was developing a care team that was focused on whole person care and providing the highest touch support to the members that needed the most. And I remember initially seeing their website and being like wow like they are doing really powerful work and I thought I want to go there. I want

[3:57]  to amplify that message. I want to attract more partners in the community uh to supporting that work because especially in California there's so many people um that are in need and there are so many programs that we want them to benefit from uh and the medical program uh and the enhanced care management program is one of them in California.

[4:16]  And so for me, you know, starting the beginning of my career literally developing uh paper resource sheets, updating those every single week. I mean, when I uh left that position, I was on like version 49 of that resource sheet. I remember it's because I was always updating because nonprofits uh really trying to understand their capacity to serve the resources that they have um you know, if they're able to continue to sustain funding. That's always um a moving needle and it's hard to kind of like figure out exactly how to have a resource where people are able to leverage it in a way um that's sustainable and dependable. And so coming from that now working uh with an organization that really builds long lasting and trusted relationships with our community members. That's the key. I think you can have a paper resource, you

[5:03]  can have a technology all day long, but if you're lacking the foundation of working very closely with nonprofits and community- based organizations and listening more than you're talking, understanding what do they need, how can we support them because they're supporting the members that need it the most. That's the fundamental truth that we have to stay true to and that we always have to hold ourselves accountable to. You know what I love is that you didn't just chase a title, you really was chasing impact. Um, where where does that come from? Yeah, I uh my family has always been in acts of service. You know, my mom was an EMT when I was growing up. My stepdad was a firefighter. My dad works at our local hospital. My stepmom is our cancer center uh director. And so just in like in the full gamut, it was I always grew up with this knowledge of like I want to

[5:51]  give back in some way. Um and so yeah, being in service of others is like the best way I know how to do that. I love it. I love that you you come from a family with that background. It definitely shows why you're doing what you're doing. Yeah. if you could kind of just break it down for us. How exactly does pair team fit in this big messy uh healthc care puzzle especially today when we don't know what's really happening with kind of uh you know Democrat Republicans fighting each other all these things getting into place. I can imagine there's a lot of changes happening. There's a lot of changes in like the grander scheme of politics in the world, of course, but at the end of the day, no matter which side of the aisle that you're coming from, there's always going to be people in your community that need support. There's always going to be vulnerable populations that aren't able to access

[6:38]  resources like the rest of us may be able to access. And so really, a pair team positions ourselves not necessarily um you know, picking aside, but but ultimately like picking the people in need. That's what we're centering ourselves. That is how we structure our mission. Uh that is how we structure our our teams and what we're supporting.

[6:55]  That's how we structure and are going to develop products that support our our nonprofit partners because at the end of the day, we need to support them and reaching more community members driving more value to their organization and enhancing their mission. Um when I talk to our community partners, you often hear from nonprofits, um you know, missionoriented work, which is so valuable, but what I always tell them is that, you know, no money, no mission.

[7:19]  And so I want to deliver both. Both can be true. Um we can expand your mission and help you serve more individuals and we can also help your organization stay around, drive sustainable funding to your organization. Um and that's really like the goal of PAR team from our pair impact network which is our community care hub. We are intentional about uh recruiting partners into this network that are providing highquality services.

[7:41]  services like housing navigation, food assistance, food boxes, things like that, transportation, um financial assistance, employment support. Those are the core domains that we really focus on when we're building our network. Um and those organizations are everywhere. Uh and so that's at the crux of our mission is to build a network that is touching uh the individuals where they they need them the most. And I think the critical thing we always have to remember about nonprofits is that they are building trust in their communities. Not because they have a checkbox that says, "Oh, you need to build trust." But like they are just innately built for that. Uh they are meeting these members exactly where they are. Um they are in the communities providing monthly uh grocery bag drop offs. I mean that is like the core of of what they do. And so being able to partner with them, listening to them is

[8:28]  how pair team has been able to build its reputation as an organization that's deeply ingrained in the community in overall improving health outcomes. And it's it's a little different, right? You you have um forprofit working with nonprofits and I can imagine that there's maybe uh individuals, folks that hear it and think to myself, why should they trust that model? What would you say to them? Yeah, I would say I consider pair team and what I how I talk about us is that we are the for-profit that stands up for nonprofits and we really do put our money where our mouth is there, not only by continuing to drive revenue back into community organizations, which is unique. Uh often for profofits will um have community organizations earn their platform or or join their programs, but are they

[9:14]  actually paying them for that work? And we're able to do that uh here at Param. Traditionally, we are hiring a a local care teams. Our care team, whether it's our LCSSWS or our RNs, they are from the communities in which they serve. They have lived experience in similar backgrounds as the patients that they are serving. That is how we're bridging trust and that is how we're being intentional and also culturally competent with the care that we're delivering. Um, for example, our our community outreach team, they are bilingual. they are able to work with individuals that speak Spanish and that makes them more locally and explicitly attuned to serve their needs because they're very familiar with um any of the struggles or any of the um uh hazards that these patients have experienced and navigating a social care system that's extremely fragmented.

[10:01]  Is there a moment where you worked with a local partner and they said you actually get us like you and it just allowed you to know that man this model is actually working. Yeah. So you you know um you think about those moments in your career where you you really realize, oh like I'm in the right place.

[10:18]  And my moment was um when we had the recent federal funding freeze. It was very scary for our nonprofits. There was a period of of about 24 hours where no one knew what was going to happen. Were we going to lose everything from the perspective of community based organizations? And so I immediately picked up the phone and I started just like going down the list calling all of our partners. Uh and that was the moment where when I was reaching out to them, they were surprised. They said, "Oh, like you know, of course on the surface we have our account meetings and we like talk about our KPIs etc." But that can be like very quantitative and and maybe feel a bit out of touch. But the fact that I reached out and I called them and I said, "First of all, how are you doing? How are you feeling? What are you worried about?" Um and ultimately at the end of the day, like how can we support?

[11:02]  And we sent out a survey to our partners. what other programs can we provide to you that's going to drive more revenue into your organization? How can we amplify your voice? And that was the moment that I got the feedback of like, oh, like I'm really happy that you reached out. I can't I didn't expect you to from like a position of a for-profit, but I'm so excited. And that really was like the bridge for all of our organizations ever since that inflection point where we actually showed up for them. The relationships have been stronger. More partners are coming to the table wanting to join. And for me in my career, that's the moment where I was like, I'm in the exact right place that I need to be. Yeah. I think we're in a very, as I speak to those nonprofit CEOs and leaders, I think we're in a space where we are seeing a lot of fear. Um, these smaller organizations trying to

[11:49]  figure out what's next for them, whether it's merging with bigger organizations, uh, whether they're just going away in general. So, something like you, uh, uh, this organization is really helping a lot of these stay afloat. like are are you are you do you get do you remember that call that it's like man we really got to do something especially now during this whole funding freeze and it's it's crazy because I actually just read another article that was especially in Orlando where I'm located um I think like 500 teachers in central Florida are going to be cut due to government funding as well so it's really it's really affecting a lot of different spaces but especially ones that you work with um do you remember that call that was just kind of really hard yeah we've had unfortunately too many of those calls lately Um, we have one of our organizations, their name's Mary's Mercy, very close with their executive director, Dan Flores. They recently

[12:38]  learned, I believe at the beginning of April, that the SAMA funding for one of their um programs, their women and children's shelter was being cut and it was retroactive. And so they had a month to really like scramble and try to find coverage. He was out, you know, looking for additional donors and grant opportunities. And it was an opportunity for us as PAR team where they were already partnered with us on one program and I came to him and I said like what what can we do? Like what can we stand up immediately um to where we're able to, you know, we're not going to be able to bridge the entire cost. And that's like part of the work that we're trying to do, but what we can do is make an impact um and actually show up for that organization. And so that's what we're doing. They're actually going live next week with that program. Um and so I was really happy to be able to do that. But literally as recent as yesterday, I learned one of our other programs in Alama County um building opportunities for self-sufficiency boss who are

[13:26]  working with um the recently incarcerated and justice evolved population. They had a huge grant um that was just cut as like upwards of 640 grand. Um and that's going to impact them. And I have a meeting with them today to say the exact same thing. Um which is that you're already working with us. How can we amplify uh our impact and drive more resources to you and also amplify their voice? I think um you know I I I can't say this uh in more of like a grander statement but I think a lot of uh individuals may assume that they don't benefit somehow from nonprofits. Um well I don't go and get that food box so that organization isn't necessarily like okay if it goes away tomorrow like how does it impact me? But the thing is is like these organizations are the fabric of our entire communities. Uh they are who you know I grew up uh going to a Boys and Girls

[14:13]  Club that shaped who I was. there's so many um children out there that don't have parents that can show up for them because their parents are working multiple jobs. And so you have these organizations that are supporting us all the way from like being a child through adulthood. Um and I think we just cannot discount the impact that they are making in our communities just because we don't perceive ourselves as directly benefiting from them. It is a community approach uh that these organizations are taking. They are serving everyone. Um and that's something that we all benefit from.

[14:44]  It seems like some of your days can be a little bit chaos, right? H how do you work through it? How do you still show up and show up with with hope at that? Yeah. And that is what it is. And it is me seeing these um executive directors and these leaders at these nonprofits who are in the most dire straits for their organizations and they still have hope. At the end of the day, if they are able to figure out ways through this, then who am I to be, you know, to feel discouraged? Um, and I think it is our partners and their um their steadfastness and their passion and their mission for serving others that is just it's it's so inspirational for the rest of us. Um, and that what that's actually like what keeps me coming back to like continuing to support our

[15:31]  nonprofit organizations. um is that there's so much hope and in a time where it feels like there that hope can be lost in different areas of our lives to work with organizations so closely that just believe that this is the right thing to do and that there will be a way through um is the best encouragement that I could ever have. Hey, real quick.

[15:51]  If you enjoying the podcast, we first want to say thank you. And we also just want to give you a little insight of what we're up to at Francis. Some don't even realize that we're working with organizations to help them use AI to create that real human communication experiences. Whether that's actually supporting your your families, those patients, or the entire community, we're actually creating tech that connects.

[16:13]  Check it out. Francis.ai. I um I I see a lot of nonprofits also, especially now with trying to figure out what is what is next is that they're also leaning towards AI, trying to figure out how AI can be that difference maker for us. Um to save us time, uh individuals that may be cutting their grant writers, how do I continue to do this with AI? um and and it's been a buzzword for some time, but how do you guys using it and how do you tell your your your partners to use AI and leverage this to kind of help in the sense of day-to-day admin? Yeah. Yeah.

[16:51]  So, here at Pair Team, we're leveraging AI currently internally for our care team as as a co-pilot to automate some of the more administrative tasks that were taking up a bunch of their time so that they can devote more of their attention and and their care to our patients. um spend more more time with them, serve more patients. That's how AI is is expanding and increasing our efficiency um and our ability to scale for our nonprofit partners. Um there is of course and I think even for for me when I started using like chat GBT for example um I there is a stigma of like okay like what's gonna happen with this information where is it going and but what we're able to see is that it's just allowing us to like serve more individuals like provide better services it's really just allowing us to be more

[17:37]  efficient and scale and so that's what I want to bring to the community network that we're powering is how can we in our products for example How can we leverage AI to pull the closest like and the most applicable grant opportunities for them? How can we leverage that to say like here's the grants you should apply for and also like here's the data since you've been working with us. This is what you should be using to inform those grant opportunities, right? Um because for uh a lot of nonprofits, if it's not federal funding, it is through these grant opportunities that they're able to sustain themselves. And so if we can develop a tool that feeds that information directly to them and allows them to leverage that so that they're able to serve more individuals, able to stay keep their doors open. To me, that's the best use case um for AI right now. H how do you flip the conversation

[18:26]  though when when you have leaders that are still in fear, especially when they hear automation or they hear AI? like how how are you telling them, hey, AI is actually a tool, is not a replacement of a human, but it's allowing you to to do better and think faster and get more creative and see things differently. How are you flipping that conversation? I tend to um with anyone I tend to show and not tell. Um, I think that it's one thing from my experience and my point of view, but the best thing to do with leaders, um, especially in the nonprofit sector, is to literally show them, pull it up and say like, here's what it can do. Look how quick it is for you. Look how like that would have taken you hours. You would have had been working your evenings and you're already doing that um to to come to that conclusion to get get that data point. But let me show you exactly how you can do that. And I

[19:13]  think too like that is how with any organization nonprofit or for-profit change is hard. Um and change especially when there can be stigma around it can be even more difficult. But the thing that I know is that uh these leaders this sector of like services they are capable. We should never underestimate what nonprofits are able to do. And so they are just equally as part of the AI conversation as any other organization.

[19:39]  If you could think about a dream AI uh function that could be used to save organization hours and still feel human, what does that actually look like from from Megan's point of view getting creative here? Yeah. Yeah. Uh like my magic wand moment. Um I think about a tool that not only is allowing organizations to better capture the the patients and clients that they're serving. Um, and that's demographic information, that's the services that have been provided, that's the hours that their team is spending with patients. And you'll be able to to derive opportunities for efficiencies there. Um, when you're able to say like, oh, this case manager has this case load and this one has that, like how can we even that out, right? It just allows you from um um a macro level view to see what's going on with your organization.

[20:26]  And so that's maybe like optimization of current state. What I also envision is how are we optimizing for future state? How are we increasing our capacity to serve more? How are we able to take our data, leverage that data to derive uh health outcomes? How we're able to from a social service perspective decrease uh ED admissions, improve health outcomes, improve someone's um you know A1C score, that's important data. And the better that we can help nonprofits tie their social impact to someone's overall health um is one of the best use cases for AI. And that's true. We know that that's true. We know that 80% of someone's health is determined by their social health outcomes. And so we need to equip our nonprofit partners with being able to say that in a way where it's driving impact for their organization and it's driving value in

[21:14]  terms of dollars back um to their organization. I love that you're really trying you're really building something that didn't exist right before. What's your biggest growth moment thus far being with this organization? Yeah, that's a good question. I really when I came to pair team we were building a lot of our function zero to one uh which means like we are building the you know the quintessential saying of building the ship or plane while you're flying it that was very true uh when I first got here and I but I felt energized by that I felt that I was able to problem solve very quickly um and really leverage an incredible team here at PR team of extremely smart individuals in the backgrounds where they come from and coming into an organization that was so missionoriented

[22:03]  was very powerful for me. I think we can often get um and and it's understandable businesses need to stay afloat as well, but we can often only f focus on the bottom line, only focus on the finances and to be able to marry two of those together of like yes, we have our revenue goals at the end end of the day, but also every single town hall we do here at Pair Team is a patient story.

[22:25]  how we how have we as an organization been able to impact someone's life and you can never lose sight of that. That always has to be why you wake up and do what you do at the at the end of the day. So, um that's been extremely critical for me in my role here. But it's also been, you know, I think you always just have to keep that in mind.

[22:42]  It's scrappy. We're all we're all working really hard uh to continue to build that ship. But as long as I consider myself not only in what my nonprofit partners are experiencing, if they can get up every day and do what they do uh with the teams that they have and they are so you know a lot of these organizations are underresourced and they're doing more with less. So if they can do it, why can't I? I agree. I agree. And what's one piece I mean your leadership skills just talking to you it's it's so on point. But what is the feedbacks that that you hear that really changed how you show up as a leader? I can only imagine there was people that was pouring into you as you're also, you know, scaling. What was that feedback that really just shifted a mindset and allowed you to really think different?

[23:22]  Yeah. You know, when I was told by some of our earliest partners that they had never had a seat at the table before in this way, when they didn't ever feel like they were part of these conversations, not only being able to participate in programs that are able to pay them, being able to participate in programs that genuinely care about the clients that they serve and allowing those clients to access whole person care with pair team. Um, they truly felt heard for the first time in a long time.

[23:50]  they felt like someone was advocating for them. Um, and so continuing to hear that from partners is continuing to keep me like grinding forward and continue to continuing to expand our network because I've built um community based networks in the past. Um, and I've seen just the power of these nonprofits and now specifically to be able to empower them and and continue to give them a platform to amplify their voice, especially now.

[24:15]  It's the perfect um it's the perfect time for me to be where I am uh at the company that I'm at and for pair team in general to be doing what we are doing in these communities. Um it's the best use of our mission right now. You're on a roll right now, man. We talked about a little earlier, you're a mother, which is one of the hardest jobs ever. Yeah.

[24:35]  You have this mission and and you have a seat at the tech table. And then as a woman, I can already imagine there's probably some challenges there, but what what grounds you when things start to get loud, when when things start to feel a little bit overwhelming? Yeah. I think um being a mother and um having small children as as we talked about, it's so it's so important because at the end of the day when you log off that computer or you you know put your phone somewhere so you don't hear your Slack blowing up.

[25:02]  Um you have these kids that do not care about what just happened to you at work. They are like no no like you're mine now. And so you really do have to be able to compartmentalize and ultimately prioritize what what means the most in your life. And at the end of the day, I have to show up for those boys when they want to go play soccer in the backyard for two hours after work. Like you bet that I'm like putting on the tennis shoes and like that's where I am. Um it allows me to be it allows me to be a better leader at work. not only for my teams, um really supporting them, um leading with vulnerability, allowing them to have bad days because we're all going to have them um and not, you know, not making them feel less than for that.

[25:46]  And then that shows up how I present externally, too. Um, it's just this like consistent positivity that I tend to have and not in a way where I'm not acutely aware of everything that's going on, but it is my responsibility to show up for others um because of how they show up for me and how they pour into me. I'm a big believer um especially when I got kids that it's not even about us. Not anymore.

[26:12]  It's so much about and yes, our own kids, but it's also about um those that come after us, right? our youth in general or our our communities that may not be able to live the life to show up to their family, show up to a home, you know, show up to uh food in the kitchen. Like it's not about us, right? The work that we've now do when we're mission driven, but we want to make a difference where we're you're helping nonprofits continue to make the difference in the community. So, you're really playing a huge part. So, yeah, it's not you know, I actually get upset when when my neighbor I go and we work out and I was like, "What were you doing? Sleeping?"

[26:45]  And he's like, "Yeah, I was taking a nap." I'm like, damn, I wish I I knew what a nap was, right? Cuz it's not about us, as much as we would love to take a nap when we get home. It's about making sure that our kids get to see I mean, for me, it's breaking the cycle that our kids get to see what mom and dad can do together. Um what it looks like to spend time with mom and dad, cuz some of us didn't grow up like that, you know. I didn't grow up with mom hanging out with me outside, but I do. I'll see her spend hours and run back up and down the hill and, you know, whatever my daughter wants to do cuz I told her she's in control. So, if she wants to ride scooter and then we come back and say, "Okay, now I just want to take a walk." Yeah, that's what we're gonna do.

[27:16]  I guess we're as tired as you are, you got to show up. Got it. So, I love it for somebody's uh that's for somebody that's listening who maybe someone that has no ties to healthcare, but they care about what you're building. Yeah. How can they get involved? How can they do more? Whether it's what helping you in the organization or you guys in the organization or even helping nonprofits, how do you tell them to get involved without having to donate money? Yeah, I think um your time is one of the most valuable things that you can give. Uh back when I before I even got into like the health tech space, I was volunteering a lot. Um volunteering at food banks, Interfaith Food Shuttle here in North Carolina. Shout out. Um it was so important for me to give my time back. Um not only because of how I grew

[28:04]  up benefiting from programs like the Boys and Girls Club at the YMCA. um I was able to see not only a diversity of people that I was around but also a diversity of thought um and a diversity of lived experience and that for me was the best lesson learned that uh what privilege looks like um and what access to to health care looks like or to the social needs that or a roof over your head. You cannot take those things for granted. Um, and so that was immensely important for me. And I think through volunteering I was able to be continue to improve um not only like my understanding of what these populations are are um experiencing, but also just really help point me on the path of where I need to go in in terms of service. Um, but I think additionally continuing to just be curious with the work that nonprofits are doing in our

[28:52]  communities. um they have their own newsletters, they have their own uh coalitions where they come together and they share this and especially now the better that we can be curious and learning about the work that these organizations are doing that however we can support them if it's not financially if it's through our time if it's through attending some of their events um that's one of the best ways to do it and then use that knowledge to then tell others amplify the voice and amplify the experience that you've had with these organizations because that's one of the best ways that we can continue to to support them. Love it. Love it. I'm a big believer in speaking things to existence. What do you like to see for your organization in the next five years? Yeah. For pair team, pair team is going to um you know change the world.

[29:36]  That's what I believe. Um, I think not only because of how mission centric we are, um, the intentionality that we that we put into every single community that we build, every single person that we hire on our care team, um, we are so intentional that every person really means it when they say that they are here to give back. They are here to serve others. Um, and that is that's the ultimate filter kind of for getting through the door with pair team. But we're gonna, you know, we're going to change um what what care management looks like in communities. We're going to change what it means to actually improve health outcomes because we know acutely that it it is the social support, the social infrastructure that's going to support someone um you know, someone's not going to care about their hypertension if they're hungry, right? And if you can focus on both of those problems and scale a business

[30:24]  around those problems, then you know the we can only go up from here. Um, and I'm just so proud to be working with this organization because not only are we supporting leaders internally, um, giving them platforms to share messages like this, but then also continuing to invest back in our communities, continuing to put on community events where we provide resources where we go to people's homes. That's one of the most coolest things that we're doing right now is someone says, "I'm hungry."

[30:48]  Great. Pair team's going to come and we're going to bring you a grocery bag. Um, because that's what you need today and we're going to provide you with that need. Um, and that's just like the coolest thing. Yeah. Yeah. No, it is cool. I've been in the space. I mean, I used to do a lot of Thanksgiving, Christmas events. So, you really got to spend holidays with some of these people. Um, and just how grateful they are, right? Just for whatever it is that you provide. So, it's pretty cool that you get to do this uh as a job, right?

[31:11]  Like, it doesn't even feel like work. I'm just out here really helping the world. Um, so I love that you get to do this. Some final words for those that someone that's listening who who wants to lead with purpose. Yeah. Um, but just doesn't know what where to start. Like they they want to do good. Yeah. You have anything in mind of where they can kind of get started? Yeah. When I, you know, as I've navigated transitions in my career, I think as long as you are staying true to what you feel like your personal mission is, and for me that is continuing to serve others, continuing to grow myself and always be curious about the best way that I can give back.

[31:47]  I think if you always center yourselves around that, the opportunities I don't know something you said earlier about like you know the good things will come and the things will come to you in the time that they're meant to. Um but you have to really understand like what are you passionate about? Is it giving back into the community? Is it more specifically oh I want to I have lived experience with um cancer or oncology?

[32:07]  Do I want to go to that sector and am I curious in companies that are supporting that? Am I curious about there's so many great mental health companies now um that are providing virtual care uh to individuals in need really. I think like for especially from a for-profit startup perspective, uh there are if you have a passion, it is there is a company out there that is supporting that need. And so what I would say is like really hone your mission, um feel very strongly about what you're doing. And the more that you are able to speak that into existence and be curious and attend webinars and newsletters and read articles. I think I just think like knowledge is the best tool that we have and that will ultimately set you on the right path. 100%. I do agree what you mentioned like if you have a passion there's an organization out there that need you. Yes. Right. That need your skills and as you we mentioned earlier

[32:54]  it's not so much about the money but your skills um the resources that you bring to an organization like all that is so valuable. One of the biggest things I learned because uh I'm part of a nonprofit but I'm not getting paid for it. It's just out of the love of giving. Right. But um one of the biggest things I heard is like no your time is so valuable right? Like how many hours are you giving a month to this organization?

[33:15]  What is your price tag? Like, think about it. That you give hundreds and thousands by just showing up and volunteering. Yeah. By maybe reading a book at an or, you know, to to an organization. Like, there's so many different things that we could really help out. Um, and and people just, as you mentioned, maybe there's not education behind it. And and I see that all the time. When you think about leaders in the nonprofit space, we don't have a lot of young leaders. It's people that have been doing this for the last, you know, 30 years of their lives. And now we're now we need to get the youth involved, right? We need to get all this uh social media talent, this marketing talent that is so easy for them that they do it in their sleep. Like they really do. They they should all the time. Yeah. Come on over to these organizations that because that's what they they really truly need. And you see it, you know, taking over the organization I'm in. It's like it's a 30-year organization, but they're also almost 20 years behind. Yeah. And it's

[34:02]  because they didn't have young blood in there and and and just thinking differently or maybe using AI, right? That's another educational part. If you just do a little research, realize that it's it's really not there should be no fear, but utilize it as a tool in your toolbox. So, definitely love what what you're talking about there. But it's that time for the blind question. Are you ready? Yeah. All right. All right.

[34:20]  This was a little easy. So, let's say that we give you the opportunity to go ahead and put a message on every billboard in your community. What would it actually say? And this is for undeserved communities actually from our last leader. Oh, okay. Okay. Underserved communities. Yep. Okay. Um my message would say um it's a good question honestly because I like believe so strongly in the pair team mission. My my my billboard would say like um need like need support like need resources pair team like that's it. That's like that's the line. Big and bold. Big and bold. Like I think you just got to go go with that message because at the end of the day um yeah getting getting the word

[35:10]  out about those the resources that we're able to provide. The fact that our programs cost nothing to the individuals participating. The fact that all we want to do is help you become enrolled in our program and serve you. The questions that we're asking are saying what do you need? We are going to help you get that. Um and that's the coolest thing. And I think to to your earlier point about um the youth and getting out there, the best thing that we can do, especially as parents, is to continue to set that example. My kids will know exactly what I stand for and exactly what I support because I'm devoting my entire life to that. Um and that's the best way that we I think we can continue to become not calloused by all of the new news in the world and all of the bad things that are happening every day. You cannot let yourself become um not feel that. I

[35:57]  think it's important to feel it because that feeling is what's going to keep you passionate and driving you forward. Love it. So, what is your blind question for the next lead we have here on the hard hustle? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. My my question is um I thought about this and it go kind of goes to something you asked me earlier which was like what was the moment that you realized that you were on the right path? Like what is the thing that happened to you? And for me it was like when that funding freeze hit and I was like oh like and when I called them and they said no one has ever stood up for us in this way that was when I was like this is the right place for me.

[36:32]  I love it. I do love those stories. I always love that light bulb moment because doing this you're like wow how cool when someone finds their purpose and someone realizes like man I wish I would have done this sooner and they move over from that for-profit spaces in a nonprofit especially because nonprofit we need some amazing leaders and we're getting a lot of them that are coming from you know these big corporate Fortune 500s um it's always cool to just see it it just makes me smile to realize someone is is living in their purpose and are happy doing it you know one of the biggest things that one of the leaders says says, he says, "I wake up with happiness all the time. If you're not, if you're not happy, why are you even doing it?" And I'm like, "That is so true. Like, if you're not happy, then why you even doing it?" And that is your moment where when that when maybe that dims for you, that's when you're like, "Okay, something's got to like as long

[37:19]  as you're always in touch with like where your passion is and where your energy is coming from. Um, the moment that you notice that start to wayne is when you're like, "Okay, that's my cue." Either to look at a different career, to look at a different sector, to give back in a different way. Um, % No, that I that that was my experience. I remember um going out to dinner with my wife and just hell venting about about work and I'm like, "Oh my god, I got to go." Like just knowing that that's all I could talk about. I got to go. I got to I got to head out. Even I've already knew that I wasn't happy. Yeah. But found myself I couldn't talk about anything else about how this job was stressing me out. Yeah.

[37:54]  And I just wasn't happy or I didn't feel valued or whatever that may look like. That is true. You know, go find other places that do value. In the nonprofit world, there's so much value there. People truly do value that you show up authentically yourself, that you're willing to um fight for their mission and and fight for others, right, that don't have the same voice that we have.

[38:13]  Like, it's fighting it's fighting for the voiceless at times. Yes. Um and and that's what you you love. Find you an organization that this is what they do. Yeah. There's so many out there that are looking for you. But, uh Megan has been phenomenal. Thank you so much for being a leader to join the Heart and Hustle podcast and really tell us what Pair Team is doing out there for the nonprofit space um and and really just making a difference, you know. So, not a lot of times we have someone from your organization such as Pair Team that is really helping nonprofits the way that you do. So, it's always cool for them as well. They always ask me, "Who's your audience? Like, who's listening?" I'm like, "Nonprofits are listening." And and I'm happy that you came on because all these nonprofit leaders that listen, they realize, "Oh, wait. There's someone out there that is actually fighting for us. So, make sure that that you guys go visit pair.e.e.e.e.e.e.e.e.e.e? Could you give us the socials before we log off? Are you guys on Instagram, Facebook? What's the website? Yeah,

[39:00]  pair.com. We're on LinkedIn. We're building up our our social media platform. But, um, yeah, pair.com would be the pace. And that is p a r team. I love it. Love it. Well, guys, thank you so much for being here. Catch another episode. If you guys enjoy this, if you guys are truly just wanting to make a difference, all we ask is that you guys tag a leader that may not know that they have assistance, that they have somebody in their corner that can coach them to overcome what's happening right now in our government with the lack of funding.

[39:28]  This has been the Heart and Hustle Podcast. My name is E friend. This is the leader, Miss Megan. We'll catch you guys on the next one. Bye. Fighters.