What are the barriers for current students
 2
00:00:02.836 --> 00:00:06.072 that are incarcerated and trying to get into higher education
 3
00:00:06.072 --> 00:00:07.407 like the barriers they face?
 4
00:00:07.407 --> 00:00:10.343 For me, it was financial.
 5
00:00:10.343 --> 00:00:14.447 When I was incarcerated, you had to pay for classes out of pocket.
 6
00:00:14.981 --> 00:00:17.784 Paying $400 for one class.
 7
00:00:17.784 --> 00:00:20.353 It's not sustainable when you're making $0.08 an hour.
 8
00:00:20.353 --> 00:00:24.324 You have to choose between well, do I eat this month or do I take a college
 9
00:00:24.324 --> 00:00:25.258 class?
 10
00:00:25.258 --> 00:00:29.329 What I would say is that education comes in all different forms.
 11
00:00:29.763 --> 00:00:32.866 I used to read everything and anything when I was incarcerated.
 12
00:00:33.633 --> 00:00:37.937 My college education, for the most part, didn't begin until I came home.
 13
00:00:38.271 --> 00:00:42.375 But my education started many, many, many years earlier.
 14
00:00:42.675 --> 00:00:46.079 And so read the paper, read magazines,
 15
00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:49.883 read books, read for leisure, get your reading skills on point.
 16
00:00:50.050 --> 00:00:51.885 And also talk to people when you're in there.
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00:00:51.885 --> 00:00:53.086 Conversation.
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00:00:53.086 --> 00:00:56.523 Simple interpersonal skills will carry you a long way
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00:00:56.656 --> 00:01:00.960 so that when the opportunity for higher education does come up,
 20
00:01:01.127 --> 00:01:05.231 whether it's in the prison, whether it's once you've come home, you're ready to go.
 21
00:01:05.365 --> 00:01:06.733 And I would also say never lose hope.
 22
00:01:06.733 --> 00:01:08.201 And I would also say never lose hope.
 23
00:01:08.201 --> 00:01:11.538 When you find yourself in a situation, when you find yourself in a hole.
 24
00:01:12.105 --> 00:01:15.075 I have a tendency of digging myself deeper and deeper in the hole.
 25
00:01:15.408 --> 00:01:18.411 And when the light bulb finally goes off and you realize,
 26
00:01:19.245 --> 00:01:22.215 rather than dig myself deeper in the hole that I'm in.
 27
00:01:22.515 --> 00:01:25.285 How about trying to figure a way to climb out of this hole?
 28
00:01:25.285 --> 00:01:28.288 That's when I started working on myself.
 29
00:01:28.321 --> 00:01:31.658 That's when I finally said, this is not going to be the end of me.
 30
00:01:31.891 --> 00:01:32.625 I'm going to go home.
 31
00:01:32.625 --> 00:01:34.861 I'm going to make something out of my life.
 32
00:01:34.861 --> 00:01:36.930 When I came home from prison,
 33
00:01:36.930 --> 00:01:39.933 I suffered from what I like to call catch up syndrome.
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00:01:40.066 --> 00:01:42.969 Not like the ketchup that you put on a hot dog, but
 35
00:01:42.969 --> 00:01:45.972 catching up to everybody else around me.
 36
00:01:46.005 --> 00:01:49.576 I remember meeting cousins of mine, same age people that I grew up with,
 37
00:01:49.976 --> 00:01:53.480 and they said, oh yeah, I'm working for such and such corporation.
 38
00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:55.815 I'm married, I've got two kids.
 39
00:01:55.815 --> 00:01:57.383 I own a house.
 40
00:01:57.383 --> 00:01:58.485 I was happy for them.
 41
00:01:58.485 --> 00:02:01.054 I said, wow, this is my little cousin that I grew up with.
 42
00:02:01.054 --> 00:02:05.558 But there was a part of me inside that really hurt because I told myself
 43
00:02:05.758 --> 00:02:08.761 this is what my life would have been like had I never gone to prison.
 44
00:02:08.928 --> 00:02:12.265 You know, the children I never had the wife I never had.
 45
00:02:12.265 --> 00:02:15.001 The husband I never had. The house I never had.
 46
00:02:15.001 --> 00:02:18.004 And so that's what drove me
 47
00:02:18.071 --> 00:02:21.808 to climb out of the hole that I dug myself in.
 48
00:02:22.041 --> 00:02:24.511 I said, I want a house one day.
 49
00:02:24.511 --> 00:02:26.012 I want a college degree one day.
 50
00:02:26.012 --> 00:02:27.080 I want kids one day.
 51
00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:30.049 I want a partner that will love me one day.
 52
00:02:30.049 --> 00:02:33.653 And what ends up happening is that we set our goals,
 53
00:02:33.653 --> 00:02:36.656 and we think once we get there, you'll be satisfied.
 54
00:02:37.056 --> 00:02:38.491 You want to keep going.
 55
00:02:38.491 --> 00:02:39.826 You set your own goals.
 56
00:02:39.826 --> 00:02:41.327 It's what makes you happy.
 57
00:02:41.327 --> 00:02:42.829 You know, it's not necessarily
 58
00:02:42.829 --> 00:02:45.498 how much money you're making, how many degrees are under your belt,
 59
00:02:45.498 --> 00:02:48.535 how big the house is that you have, how nice your car is.
 60
00:02:48.568 --> 00:02:51.104 It's what makes you content.
 61
00:02:51.104 --> 00:02:53.106 What tells you, you know what?
 62
00:02:53.106 --> 00:02:56.109 I am genuinely happy with what I have.
 63
00:02:56.176 --> 00:02:57.877 And to me, that's true happiness.
 

2025 HEPR Roadtrip
Specified ethnicity as Afghan American

Do not force something that is not there. Follow your heart and make sure you are pursuing your passion. Doors will open and opportunities will be presented to you because others will see the passion you exude.

I spent 16 years incarcerated, starting at age 18. After being released and redefining my identity through education, I know support formerly incarcerated students navigate a system that wasn't built for them.

I oversee the day-to-day operations by ensuring that staff meets the needs of our students. Our enrollment coordinator provides advising to current students and meets with potential students coming from community college or who are recently released from incarceration. I also oversee our peer navigator team which is comprised of current students serving as peer mentors for incoming students. My position as program director is to ensure each one of our departments is operating at full capacity.

Program Director, Project Rebound

You’re a gang member. You’re no good. You’re the dregs of society.

Adversity

Trust & Hope

Perseverance

Lean On Self-Education, Connection, And Hope

In everything you're saying, it sort of sounds like it's all about adapting.
 2
00:00:02.902 --> 00:00:06.039 So I'm just wondering how you were able to to find that skill in yourself?
 3
00:00:06.072 --> 00:00:07.774 How are you able to do that?
 4
00:00:07.774 --> 00:00:08.208 Yeah.
 5
00:00:08.208 --> 00:00:08.742 And listen,
 6
00:00:08.742 --> 00:00:12.912 I don't think that the solution is to try to, like, shove it all down and ignore
 7
00:00:12.912 --> 00:00:17.817 any disappointment that you do have to pivot or things didn't go your way.
 8
00:00:17.817 --> 00:00:20.587 I actually think it's really important to acknowledge
 9
00:00:20.587 --> 00:00:24.424 those moments of disappointment, but not let them consume you.
 10
00:00:24.824 --> 00:00:29.195 And I think we as people find a certain pleasure
 11
00:00:29.195 --> 00:00:31.798 in wallowing in that kind of pain.
 12
00:00:31.798 --> 00:00:35.001 And it feels good in the moment, but I promise
 13
00:00:35.001 --> 00:00:38.905 it doesn't feel as good as having that feeling.
 14
00:00:38.905 --> 00:00:42.976 Saying, this sucks, and then moving on and finding
 15
00:00:42.976 --> 00:00:46.980 a solution to the problem or the situation that you might be in.
 16
00:00:47.013 --> 00:00:50.517 And so I think for me, that's what I did when I, when I found myself disappointed
 17
00:00:50.517 --> 00:00:53.019 And so I think for me, that's what I did when I, when I found myself disappointed
 18
00:00:53.019 --> 00:00:57.757 by not being able to enter the career path that I thought was
 19
00:00:58.425 --> 00:01:03.425 what I was going to do with my life and not totally just saying this sucks
 20
00:01:04.931 --> 00:01:09.702 and getting paralyzed by that feeling, but saying, okay, this sucks.
 21
00:01:10.603 --> 00:01:11.805 Now what?
 22
00:01:11.805 --> 00:01:13.873 And always moving forward.
 23
00:01:13.873 --> 00:01:18.873 And there's great strength in being able to prove to yourself that you can adapt.
 24
00:01:20.013 --> 00:01:21.981 As people, we grow and we change.
 25
00:01:21.981 --> 00:01:23.883 And that's normal and good.
 26
00:01:23.883 --> 00:01:26.886 And understanding
 27
00:01:27.253 --> 00:01:30.223 why you are doing anything that you're doing
 28
00:01:30.457 --> 00:01:33.560 helps keep that intrinsic fire burning.
 29
00:01:33.927 --> 00:01:38.927 It is not external motivation from money
 30
00:01:39.332 --> 00:01:42.368 or the notoriety or any of that.
 31
00:01:42.702 --> 00:01:46.439 It is because you know who you are and what motivates you and what's driving you.
 32
00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:49.843 And so know your why.
 33
00:01:50.076 --> 00:01:52.912 Everyone has to make hard choices, right?
 34
00:01:52.912 --> 00:01:55.515 And as leaders, we all have to do that.
 35
00:01:55.515 --> 00:01:59.519 But always coming back to that core reason of why
 36
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:03.256 you're doing this in the first place, that is what keeps you on track,
 37
00:02:03.690 --> 00:02:07.260 feeling purposeful and feeling like you're making a difference.
 

President & CEO

Individuality

Find Your Why And Be Adaptable

You know if you reflect back, you know to your younger self
 2
00:00:02.902 --> 00:00:05.472 and to your future self, what would you tell yourself?
 3
00:00:05.472 --> 00:00:08.208 Like, you know, this is you know, this is how to go through things.
 4
00:00:08.208 --> 00:00:10.844 I don't know if my younger self would have listened, honestly.
 5
00:00:10.844 --> 00:00:14.347 I mean, at this point right now, I think if my younger self could see me,
 6
00:00:15.015 --> 00:00:16.583 they'd be lost for words.
 7
00:00:16.583 --> 00:00:19.953 We were in a pretty dark place, and, you know, it's a long story short, but
 8
00:00:20.487 --> 00:00:24.557 I ended up going straight to, to work after high school because my father
 9
00:00:24.557 --> 00:00:28.728 at the time was disabled, and my mother, had just been incarcerated.
 10
00:00:28.762 --> 00:00:31.731 And you want to talk about depression and not having a direction?
 11
00:00:31.731 --> 00:00:33.500 That's exactly where I was.
 12
00:00:33.500 --> 00:00:34.567 I didn't know what was next.
 13
00:00:34.567 --> 00:00:37.537 And, I was really fearful of what was happening to my family.
 14
00:00:37.537 --> 00:00:39.205 But doors opened.
 15
00:00:39.205 --> 00:00:42.208 The community around me stepped up to support me.
 16
00:00:42.375 --> 00:00:43.576 And I did have a group of people
 17
00:00:43.576 --> 00:00:45.779 who believed in the things that I talked about.
 18
00:00:45.779 --> 00:00:47.580 And I think that's such an important element, right?
 19
00:00:47.580 --> 00:00:48.848 Like your dreams shouldn't
 20
00:00:48.848 --> 00:00:51.851 just be things that people laugh at and change the station on.
 21
00:00:51.851 --> 00:00:53.386 They should they should invest.
 22
00:00:53.386 --> 00:00:56.589 You know, when I said, hey, like, I see myself moving out of Philadelphia
 23
00:00:56.589 --> 00:00:57.924 one day, you know, people
 24
00:00:57.924 --> 00:01:01.261 that ask me, oh, where and what does, your first apartment look like?
 25
00:01:01.728 --> 00:01:05.632 These conversations really help promote the idea that it could happen.
 26
00:01:05.698 --> 00:01:06.533 And so,
 27
00:01:06.533 --> 00:01:10.603 navigating what was going on at home with my family having a big why, right?
 28
00:01:10.603 --> 00:01:14.007 The reason why I was working also helped propel me forward.
 29
00:01:14.174 --> 00:01:15.775 Because again, you got two outcomes, right?
 30
00:01:15.775 --> 00:01:17.977 Things stay the same or they change.
 31
00:01:17.977 --> 00:01:19.712 I needed things to change badly.
 32
00:01:19.712 --> 00:01:21.614 And I needed them to change for my entire family.
 33
00:01:21.614 --> 00:01:25.318 So I told you earlier, you know, you'll go through a bad day and bad days happen.
 34
00:01:25.318 --> 00:01:28.788 But I am a living testament to the idea
 35
00:01:28.788 --> 00:01:31.958 that what's coming is so much better than what's happening right now.
 36
00:01:32.325 --> 00:01:33.860 I can promise you that.
 

In the tech world, you don't necessarily need a college degree. Certifications are a more cost-effective way to build skills and break into tech. However, if you have C-suite aspirations, it may be a good idea to pursue a bachelor's degree and MBA. I recommend taking a moment to map out what exactly it is that you want. Build a vision board. Figure out what you want first and then map the route it takes to get there.

I went into the workforce after high school because my father was disabled and my mother was incarcerated. It was a dark time. I struggled with depression and lacked direction. My faith and the support of my community is what pushed me forward.

Each day, I design learning experiences and partner with Fortune 50–500 companies to help them build equitable, inclusive cultures. I research, develop curricula, and collaborate across teams to ensure our programs open doors for diverse talent.

Associate Director, Learning & Advisory Services

Support & Encouragement

How I Persevered Through Adversity

In your work, are there any
 2
00:00:03.403 --> 00:00:05.638 challenges or things that kind of like,
 3
00:00:05.638 --> 00:00:08.641 makes you like, go back and like, whoa, like this is like,
 4
00:00:08.641 --> 00:00:11.644 should I be here or like, you know, or experiencing anything like that?
 5
00:00:11.911 --> 00:00:16.383 My journey being even at 40, going through as much as I have, it's
 6
00:00:16.383 --> 00:00:21.383 hard for me, honestly, to really look at work challenges as challenges.
 7
00:00:21.421 --> 00:00:23.456 To me it could be an issue, it could be something
 8
00:00:23.456 --> 00:00:25.592 that needs to be solved or something that's going on.
 9
00:00:25.592 --> 00:00:30.463 my brain isn't wired enough for me to not look at the bigger picture and everything
 10
00:00:30.463 --> 00:00:35.035 in those situations and say, how much of this really is a real problem?
 11
00:00:35.035 --> 00:00:38.204 Is something very serious that I need to give so much energy to?
 12
00:00:38.538 --> 00:00:41.941 When I know there's something else that to me, that's way more paramount,
 13
00:00:41.941 --> 00:00:45.045 that really just means a lot more than this IT issue.
 14
00:00:45.145 --> 00:00:46.846 And it's trying to live in that space of just,
 15
00:00:46.846 --> 00:00:48.148 there's always something that's going on.
 16
00:00:48.148 --> 00:00:50.183 It could be worse, it could be catastrophic.
 17
00:00:50.183 --> 00:00:53.286 But the end of the day, I can only control what I can control right?
 18
00:00:53.286 --> 00:00:55.722 I don't control the infrastructure of IT at MIT.
 19
00:00:55.722 --> 00:00:57.857 I don't control the whole networking, I don't.
 20
00:00:57.857 --> 00:00:59.526 So there's only so much that I can do.
 21
00:00:59.526 --> 00:01:01.861 And I'm human. I'm I'm going to make mistakes.
 22
00:01:01.861 --> 00:01:03.029 I'm not going to do everything right.
 23
00:01:03.029 --> 00:01:06.933 So it's just like living in that space of not trying to get overwhelmed,
 24
00:01:07.233 --> 00:01:10.236 over challenges as everybody's going to have them.
 25
00:01:10.437 --> 00:01:11.504 And I don't know if that's just more
 26
00:01:11.504 --> 00:01:13.073 of my experience of being somebody
 27
00:01:13.073 --> 00:01:14.941 who went through a lot of challenges and continues
 28
00:01:14.941 --> 00:01:17.944 to go through a lot of challenges so, I've got a lot of practice
 29
00:01:18.011 --> 00:01:18.878 in dealing with them.
 30
00:01:18.878 --> 00:01:21.081 So it does give me some sense of comfort.
 31
00:01:21.081 --> 00:01:22.749 There's a saying, I remember Tom Hanks said it.
 32
00:01:22.749 --> 00:01:24.517 This too shall pass, right.
 33
00:01:24.584 --> 00:01:27.821 So whatever that challenge is, it shall pass.
 34
00:01:27.887 --> 00:01:30.590 Nothing remains constant, both the highs and the lows.
 35
00:01:30.590 --> 00:01:31.925 So ride the wave.
 36
00:01:31.925 --> 00:01:35.462 You know, it can be a little bumpy sometimes you fall off the surfboard,
 37
00:01:35.462 --> 00:01:36.296 but you know it's all right.
 38
00:01:36.296 --> 00:01:37.864 You know, if you have the opportunity to get back
 39
00:01:37.864 --> 00:01:40.100 up, get back up, and, you know, try again, you know.
 

While I was growing up, my mother battled addiction and I didn’t know my father, so my extended family stepped in to raise me, teaching me resilience and service.

I went to college straight out of high school but I wasn't quite ready for that level of responsibility at that age. I decided to leave college and then reinvest in my education later in life when I was ready.

I made some wrong choices and ended up incarcerated for about a year. It really made me reevaluate my life and focus in on a plan for my future.

I spend my days helping faculty solve their tech issues at MIT. Each day is different. One moment I’m walking an older faculty member through the basics, the next I’m guiding a young professional through complex systems. I love making people feel supported, helping them navigate fast-changing technology, and ensuring they leave our interactions more confident and capable.

IT Support Engineer

Dealing With Challenges At Work

So what are some of the challenges, you know, that some of your students face
 2
00:00:03.403 --> 00:00:06.506 when they're, when they want to get into the employment market?
 3
00:00:06.506 --> 00:00:08.041 And how do you prepare them for that?
 4
00:00:08.041 --> 00:00:11.644 That is difficult because it's one of those things
 5
00:00:11.644 --> 00:00:14.481 where you feel as though you've prepared as much as you can,
 6
00:00:14.481 --> 00:00:17.217 but then you go into a job market that's ever changing.
 7
00:00:17.217 --> 00:00:21.021 You go into a job market where it feels like the goalpost keeps moving, right.
 8
00:00:21.021 --> 00:00:23.757 You get the certification and you're applying for entry level.
 9
00:00:23.757 --> 00:00:26.426 But now they want 5 or 6 years of experience.
 10
00:00:26.426 --> 00:00:28.695 So it's a lot of uncertainty.
 11
00:00:28.695 --> 00:00:32.665 But what I tell my learners all the time is that showing up
 12
00:00:32.665 --> 00:00:34.401 as your authentic self, right?
 13
00:00:34.401 --> 00:00:37.570 Allowing yourself to take time to figure out what your values are
 14
00:00:37.570 --> 00:00:40.874 so you know where you see yourself going and then keep going
 15
00:00:40.874 --> 00:00:42.208 until you get that yes.
 16
00:00:42.208 --> 00:00:44.644 There will be a lot of no's before you get to that yes,
 17
00:00:44.644 --> 00:00:49.315 but the goal is to stay motivated while you are on the job hunt.
 18
00:00:49.315 --> 00:00:51.584 The job market is tough, but you can be tougher,
 19
00:00:51.584 --> 00:00:54.320 and it's about being consistent and being persistent
 20
00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:56.856 and having an end goal in mind, knowing that, you know,
 21
00:00:56.856 --> 00:01:00.060 I see myself in this position eventually and I'm gonna keep going
 22
00:01:00.060 --> 00:01:02.762 until I get there. So it's definitely difficult.
 23
00:01:02.762 --> 00:01:06.833 But offering encouragement as much as I can as a coach
 24
00:01:06.833 --> 00:01:11.833 is how I've been able to assist learners through those very uncertain times.
 

Each day, I coach learners one-on-one to prep for interviews, write and refine resumes, and build confidence. I also lead live trainings and work on engaging content. The classroom is a space where learners feel empowered to pivot careers and show up authentically.

Professional Development Manager

Integrity & Authenticity

Advice For Students Entering The Workforce

Within your business like,
 2
00:00:02.102 --> 00:00:05.839 I know you'd have like rough days, you said like it wasn't always, like, booming.
 3
00:00:06.206 --> 00:00:08.842 How'd you like, push through and actually like,
 4
00:00:08.842 --> 00:00:10.977 motivate yourself to keep going?
 5
00:00:10.977 --> 00:00:13.313 Prayer.
 6
00:00:13.313 --> 00:00:17.017 Prayer and I had this little sign from One Spark,
 7
00:00:17.117 --> 00:00:19.919 it was an event in Jacksonville that, you know, I participated in.
 8
00:00:19.919 --> 00:00:24.090 And this, this one marketing person she was there trying to get money for her
 9
00:00:24.090 --> 00:00:27.927 business just starting a marketing firm, and she had this little plaque
 10
00:00:27.927 --> 00:00:29.229 that she would give out
 11
00:00:29.229 --> 00:00:32.632 to a lot of the other entrepreneurs that were also participating.
 12
00:00:33.033 --> 00:00:37.437 And I kept that in, right near the cash register in my spa.
 13
00:00:37.737 --> 00:00:40.006 And It said, remember why you started.
 14
00:00:40.006 --> 00:00:42.909 So on those most difficult days it was that and
 15
00:00:42.909 --> 00:00:46.379 and to answer your question definitely as a black woman and even today
 16
00:00:46.379 --> 00:00:49.916 as you know I look at market research and just the numbers all the time.
 17
00:00:50.083 --> 00:00:53.253 Still less than 3% of black businesses
 18
00:00:53.253 --> 00:00:57.891 get investors, and make it to, you know, that next level mid level.
 19
00:00:57.891 --> 00:00:59.225 Some don't even make it to the top.
 20
00:00:59.225 --> 00:01:01.895 I just knew that there was a space for me.
 21
00:01:01.895 --> 00:01:04.230 But I also knew, to your point it was going to be difficult.
 22
00:01:04.230 --> 00:01:05.298 It's going to be challenging.
 23
00:01:05.298 --> 00:01:06.966 And it's still is somewhat challenging
 24
00:01:06.966 --> 00:01:09.369 because even when I was doing the Sam's Club roadshows,
 25
00:01:09.369 --> 00:01:12.272 I got into Sam's Club at the time that I did
 26
00:01:12.572 --> 00:01:15.575 because the CEO at the time was Rosalind Brewer.
 27
00:01:15.675 --> 00:01:17.944 So it's a black woman. But the timing was right.
 28
00:01:17.944 --> 00:01:22.115 So everything is about timing, And also creating your own opportunity.
 29
00:01:22.415 --> 00:01:26.252 You know people will say you can't do it but you got to take opposition
 30
00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:28.121 and make it into an opportunity.
 31
00:01:28.121 --> 00:01:31.891 And when people say you can't do you got show them can.
 32
00:01:32.192 --> 00:01:33.059 There you go.
 

I'd recommend first getting an associate degree in nursing. After gaining some work experience as an RN, consider going back to school to obtain certifications or a business degree because these programs will teach you how to run a business, lead a team, and turn your ideas into a real company.

I had a stroke in 2021. I couldn't walk and ended up losing a lot of my hair. I thank my husband, God, and my health that I survived. After recovering, I rebuilt my health and my business to find success again.

As a healthcare entrepreneur and president, I manage business operations, product distribution, and strategic partnerships. My focus is on marketing, customer relations, and product innovation to expand my brand’s impact.

Founder & President

We won't invest in your company unless you change the company's name.

Staying Motivated To Succeed As An Entrepreneur

This sounds like a
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00:00:00.900 --> 00:00:03.436 a potentially very stressful job, and you're literally dealing
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00:00:03.436 --> 00:00:04.471 with life and death.
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00:00:04.471 --> 00:00:07.807 How do you persevere through those failures?
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00:00:07.807 --> 00:00:10.010 Or even just the day to day struggles?
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00:00:10.010 --> 00:00:11.378 Like, how do you cope with that?
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00:00:11.378 --> 00:00:15.115 It's been a long career and there's definitely been times
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00:00:15.382 --> 00:00:18.752 where you're, you feel like
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00:00:18.752 --> 00:00:21.755 you're heading towards burnout or complacency.
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00:00:21.788 --> 00:00:26.788 And to me the best thing for that is to fight to be self-aware.
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00:00:26.993 --> 00:00:31.698 Really understand yourself, your body, your situation.
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00:00:31.698 --> 00:00:34.734 and find things you want to do along the way
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00:00:34.734 --> 00:00:36.936 and don't wait till the end of your career to do things.
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00:00:36.936 --> 00:00:39.005 Whether it's some sporting,
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00:00:39.005 --> 00:00:42.342 painting, anything that you say, well, this is what I can do
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00:00:42.342 --> 00:00:44.811 after my career is over, something that I can continue.
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00:00:44.811 --> 00:00:48.615 Take advantage of every single day your off because another thing you really
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00:00:48.615 --> 00:00:53.019 crystal clear know, from my job is that you're not guaranteed the next day.
 

To be a flight nurse, you'll need your nursing degree and then you'll need to have five years of level one trauma critical care experience.

After coming into work, briefing with on-duty crews, and checking out the aircraft, we are ready for the unknown, as we never know where we're going and who we're going to take care of during our duty day. I do both inter-facility flights, which are typically flights from a rural ER back to a major hospital, and scene flights, which could be things like car accidents, shootings, stabbings, and falls.

Chief Flight Nurse

Interests & Hobbies

Self-Reflection

Persevering In A High Stress Career

How did you scale the project and impact so many people?
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00:00:05.005 --> 00:00:07.674 The startup survival rate is super, super low.
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00:00:07.674 --> 00:00:09.009 Like, what? Less than 1%.
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00:00:09.009 --> 00:00:14.009 I sincerely believe, a lot of entrepreneurs
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00:00:14.347 --> 00:00:18.852 have great ideas and often times it's a mental,
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00:00:18.852 --> 00:00:22.956 you know, stamina issue where you just can no longer
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00:00:23.123 --> 00:00:27.961 sustain the negatives of an entrepreneurial journey
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00:00:27.961 --> 00:00:31.998 and too many failures and too much negativity.
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00:00:32.232 --> 00:00:32.499 Right.
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00:00:32.499 --> 00:00:37.499 But if you persist through all of that consistently trying to find a new angle
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00:00:38.605 --> 00:00:43.209 to solve your problem, and I think that's how our organization scaled, right.
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00:00:43.309 --> 00:00:47.714 When we were starting in the industry, there are so many incumbents and,
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00:00:47.814 --> 00:00:49.182 they're way bigger.
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00:00:49.182 --> 00:00:52.619 No one thought we could make it just because, you know, in
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00:00:52.619 --> 00:00:56.823 education, change management and, it's hard to start something.
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00:00:56.923 --> 00:00:58.391 But, we didn't give up.
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00:00:58.391 --> 00:01:01.494 And I think all good things, don't come easily.
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00:01:01.661 --> 00:01:01.995 Right.
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00:01:01.995 --> 00:01:06.995 And you have to, try your best and try your hardest and be innovative.
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00:01:07.300 --> 00:01:10.870 And that's from execution to the way
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00:01:10.870 --> 00:01:14.607 you think about the problem and not just to live up to a status quo.
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00:01:14.941 --> 00:01:18.078 And how do you see the future of schooling,
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00:01:18.278 --> 00:01:21.414 like with the growth of AI, for instance?
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00:01:21.948 --> 00:01:26.219 How do you plan to implement that and change maybe change I don't know.
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00:01:26.219 --> 00:01:26.619 Yeah.
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00:01:26.619 --> 00:01:29.289 We actually started using AI long time ago.
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00:01:29.289 --> 00:01:33.526 We care about productivity because we believe if we run our organization
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00:01:33.793 --> 00:01:37.564 really, really well, that means we can impact more students
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00:01:37.564 --> 00:01:40.967 and support more of our school counselors
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00:01:40.967 --> 00:01:44.003 and, our teachers and our CTE coordinators.
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00:01:44.003 --> 00:01:46.339 So that's really, really important to us.
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00:01:46.339 --> 00:01:48.108 And then the second thing is,
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00:01:48.108 --> 00:01:51.578 from an application level, like from a platform level,
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00:01:51.845 --> 00:01:56.845 thinking about finding use cases ensuring, can we increase our counselors
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00:01:57.217 --> 00:02:01.421 capacity, our students navigation personalization ability.
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00:02:01.421 --> 00:02:01.588 Right.
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00:02:01.588 --> 00:02:02.755 Those are some of the things
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00:02:02.755 --> 00:02:06.359 that we've been implementing and will continue to invest in.
 

To start a company, you need to have a strong passion for the thing you want to create. You also need to have a clear vision for how you're going to achieve the goal. And finally, you need to possess the skills to accomplish each step along the way.

No two days look the same. I bounce between leading strategy, problem-solving across departments, and advocating for our mission. I work closely with districts and volunteer in schools, helping students see their futures. It’s demanding, but I love tackling big challenges and building tools that empower others.

Perseverance

Lean On Self-Education, Connection, And Hope

Lean On Self-Education, Connection, And Hope

Mirvais "Mir" Aminy

431 videos on Perseverance: