When you decide to become a college athlete people tend to tell you all of the horror stories that come along with it. They tell you about conditioning, the long nights and early mornings, and the responsibility that comes along with it. But what they don’t tell you about becoming a college athlete is that…

You’ll be blessed with a roommate that has been such a blessing in your life. A roommate that started as a walk on but worked hard and did everything it took to earn a full scholarship. You won’t know that the girl that you were too afraid to say hey to outside of Jervey will be your teammate and road roommate. They don’t tell you that your roommate will help you through one of the most difficult times in your life. And they don’t tell you that Vee will become a part of your family and you’ll become a part of hers.

They don’t tell you how competitive and determined your teammate will be. How she’s one of the first in the gym and one of the last to leave. They don’t tell you that she’s so selfless and will go out of her way to do things to help you. That she’s shy and quiet when you first meet, but one of the goofiest people you’ll ever meet. And they don’t tell you that if you ever tell Nelly that she can’t do something, she will prove you wrong.

They don’t tell you that you’ll have a hairdresser on the team that runs House of Beauty. That she is the most girly and prissy person you’ll ever meet, but she’s also wiling to listen and offer helpful advice with whatever you’re going through. They don’t tell you that MK will come to your house whenever you have a rough day and bring Spill the Beans to make everything better.

When you decide to play a sport in college, they don’t tell you that you’ll meet someone who wears Nike all the time. You wont hear that her laugh is contagious and she has the best taste of music. They don’t tell you that she’s competitive at whatever she’s doing. And they definitely don’t tell you that Lex will dance at any moment.

They don’t tell you that you’ll have an Italian teammate that is one of the funniest people you will ever meet. She’ll tell you exactly how she feels no matter the situation and make you laugh while doing it. They don’t tell you that she works so hard in the classroom and is one of the smartest people you’ll ever meet. You won’t know that she can sing almost every song that comes on the radio, but has no idea what they mean. They don’t tell you that Franny has the meanest Euro step in the game.

They won’t tell you that you’ll have a Canadian teammate who knows how to have a good time. You won’t know that she will say whatever is on her mind no matter who is around. They don’t tell you that she’ll try to get everyone to listen to Dancehall and that Sirah is one of the kindest people you’ll meet.

They don’t tell you that you’ll have a teammate that doesn’t talk much, but when she does she has something to say. She can be closed off at times, but you’ll learn more about her as time goes on. They won’t tell you that she’s strong and fast and takes no prisoners on the court. You won’t know that even though she barely spoke her freshman year, you could pick her laugh out of a crowd of millions. They wont tell you that KP is an observer and one of the funniest people you will ever meet.

For some reason they fail to bring up the teammate who seems to never run out of energy. The one that is everywhere on every play and is one of the hardest working people you’ve ever met. You won’t know that she has the funniest facial expressions and always has a clap back for whatever you come at her with. They don’t tell you that Li is full of random facts for every day.

They fail to tell you that you’ll meet a guard that came in ready to make an impact on the team. They don’t tell you that she will always be one of the best-dressed people that I’ve ever met. You wont know that she looks out for the people around her and has a heart of gold. You won’t know that Dani is leaves an impact on someone everywhere she goes.

I wish someone would have told me that I would bond with the freshman in just a few months and they would feel just as much like family as the people that I already spent a year to two years with.

I wonder why no one told me that I would have a teammate from “Bawdimore” who is absolutely hilarious. They didn’t tell me that her dance moves are terrible but she makes up for it by how much she enjoys dancing. You won’t know that she’s scatterbrained and sometimes you have no idea what she’s talking about until you ask more than once. They don’t tell you that Jaia says whatever comes to her mind no matter how it comes out, but she’s one of the best people to be around because of her amazing personality.

They don’t tell you that you’ll meet someone with such a STRONG southern accent that she has to clarify what she’s saying. You won’t be told that she is one of the most down to earth people that you will ever meet. She may not say a lot, but if you listen hard you’ll hear Kobi’s quick and funny comments under everyone else talking.

You won’t hear about the girl who’s completely independent and seems to have everything together. They don’t tell you how hard she works to get what she wants. They tend to leave out that your little sister Kayce is all about the team and brings so much energy to every practice and workout.

People fail to tell you that you’ll meet of one the most random people that you’ve ever met. They don’t tell you that she has a nickname for everyone that matches her bubbly personality. If you watch closely you’ll find her dancing to whatever song is playing. When see her you can pick her out by her love of socks and her curly hair and after you meet her you’ll never forget Chyna.

You’ll never hear about the girl from Cali who is one of the coolest people you’ll ever meet. You won’t hear that she’s so selfless and cares so much about the people around her. They don’t tell you that you’ll love her style and the way she dresses, but most importantly you won’t know that SiSi is a hard worker in everything she does.

What they don’t tell you when you decide to become a college athlete is that you’ll be blessed with not only teammates, but also a family.

I’m laying down in bed right now. I can’t see a light besides what is being displayed on my phone screen. It’s the darkness that has steadily reaped havoc inside me the past 3-4 months. This darkness can be crippling. It’s darkness that is there until you turn the light on, but sometimes the light seems so far away. And when you do turn it on, it only stays for brief moments.

For over the past year and a half, I have pursued Wish Dish head on. Head down, foot on the gas, with small moments of pause and reset along the way. The burnouts have been bad, over-exacerbated at times. They hit you when you least expect them. Jabs, hooks, and knockout punches coming from nowhere. People who once believed in you walking away not paying attention to you anymore. People you look up to telling you the fight may be over.

You step in the ring to begin with because you have something to fight for. If you step in the ring to look tough and be cool, then it’s all for the wrong reasons. It’s not a battle worth to endure without a noble cause to follow. There’s no way I could push each day if I didn’t know Why I started.

I stepped in the ring because I had a problem.

I hit a low point, and I needed a place to share. I needed a place to connect and find a tribe of my own. My problem became a dream, not just for myself, but a dream that could help others around me.

So I created a solution (Wish Dish) that has allowed me to do just that, but I’ve also created a solution that has thrown me in the middle of sea trying to figure out the next best place to swim. Usually, there’s always that person that puts on the tubies before I “drown” and provides reassurance I’m on the right path.

But the past 3 or 4 months, the anchor has been pulling hard on the feet. There has been no reassurance. There hasn’t been that person.

When I say I’ve failed, I’ve failed a lot. When I first started, when the gas was on Full, and I was running at Ferrari speeds of excitement, I could do anything. It was all about the people we were serving. From showing up to Georgia State meeting 300 random students in 4 days, to flying to Mailbu to speak to Pepperdine students, to showing up to UCLA for a day talking to 50 strangers, to building ambassador programs at 5 different colleges in Georgia, we were doing it all.  Anything we wanted at lightning speed.

I learned early on that wasn’t the most efficient way to scale content, so I stumbled upon a woman who had this amazing idea to look at our data. From there, I saw mental health, sports, culture, and faith were our top 4 topics. From there, I developed relationships within those areas and grew our content with the help of many people fighting for the same cause. Within the span of 3 months, we launched a new site (the one we have today), published more than 175 stories, and had an event with almost 200+ people. An event where people flew in from Philadelphia, Tennessee, Virginia, and New York.

The tide was high, we were riding the wave. But all waves come to a crash and this wave seemed to take me through the undercurrent.

I just haven’t fully realized it until now.

In May, I lost an incredible team member Sam Dickinson to a full time job in Indiana. Sam was a backbone to the early foundation. He helped build our content strategy, power points, review our proposals. He was the most reliable person who understood everything we were doing.

When Sam left, I knew it was time to find a cofounder, so I heavily recruited a friend from Philadelphia who has the I can do anything attitude. I thought he’d be perfect for the team. And I still hope he can one day join. After not being able to come to terms, it was another blow to the chest. It seemed early on, anyone and everyone was helping push this vision forward. I never had rejection up to this point from someone I had worked so hard to try and recruit.

Speaking about building the team, for the last 6 months, I’ve pushed relentlessly to find a technical founder who can make product changes and improve the website. In April I had conducted 25 user interviews and learn how important it was to build a product that keeps visitors and contributors coming back to the site. So I began the search for a long-term technical solution. Being extremely short on capital and in an industry where tech developers are swept up by the tech giants of the world for $75K/year — I’ve struggled immensely to find the consistent talent I need. I’ve probably put in 100+ hours of work trying to find the right person interviewing one tech person after another and having introductions made. Heck, I even have a spreadsheet of 80 different names I’ve talked too.

Along with trying to put a team in place, we’ve been working to implement revenue models. I’ve struggled to put In monetary solutions with the rawness of the platform. How do we make money but not ruin an authentic brand. We have begun the foundation for a book called “Showing Up Naked” but that is a process in itself. Sponsors have been tough to come by and there are moments in time when the next best step forward is murky.

At 23, I’ve learned so much. I’ve given everything possible to this platform to make it succeed on extremely little capital.  The gas tank right now is near empty, and I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth a refuel. And if it is, I’m trying to figure out where the gas would be.

In the past year we have helped so many people get jobs from their stories shared, we’ve connected people with suicide stories to one another, and we’ve built meaningful connection for so many people.

It’s been everything I could imagine and more.

As the founder behind it, it’s hard to sometimes see through the fuzziness of the clouds. Day in and day out, I question, am I on the right path? I feel trapped in the college town I went to school in, sharing a room with a friend, driving a beat up 2004 car. It all seems rough from the outside, and on the inside I’m the one who can actually feel it.

As I reflect, we still have accomplished so much. I realize we wouldn’t be here without an amazing team of advisors, group of friends who have supported, and amazing teammates along the way.

So the question is, are we going to continue?

I watched the Olympics this weekend. I saw people who had trained a lifetime of to make their dreams come true. One of the divers who fell short said, “I’ll be back in Toyko.” He didn’t have to think twice about putting in another 4 years of training. The sheer resilience, determination, and effort was inspiring to see.

I recently read a book on Phil Knight, Nike’s Founder called Shoe Dog. Nike wasn’t even called Nike until year 8 of business. There were a million and one reasons why Nike should have failed in their first 25 years of business, but they found a way through.  Nike’s brand speaks for itself, because they have a founder who embodies every characteristic of what they represent.

For us, putting in a year and a half and letting it go because everything isn’t working how I thought by this time would simply be giving up. And I’m simply not ready to let that happen. Onward we go.

Bryan Wish

As we continue to work through connecting people in meaningful ways, we have taken our first step in forming community groups.

Communities to join: Please click and ask to be added as a member. We are looking for Community Managers as well.

Sports (for current Student-Athletes & Former Student-Athletes) to connect through sharing personal stories & professional opportunities

International (to connect people across the world through the sharing of stories)

Health (to connect people dealing with mental health, cancer, and other physical, mental, emotional troubles)

A few more to come in the near future …

This past December, young leaders came together in the legendary land of possibility, New York City. AIESEC’s Youth Action Summit summoned the youth world and the business world to the United Nations Headquarters for a three day summit which aims to discuss and create an agenda which will define youth implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As the first day of the summit came to a close, we wanted to highlight four signs that we noticed which indicate that young people are absolutely ready and able to change our world.

Young people are the present, and the future. Here’s why.

1. THERE’S POWER IN OUR NUMBERS

80 million people classify as what we define as “millennial” (born between 1985-1993). This is the largest generation of any in the world. 50% of the world’s population in 2015 is under the age of 30. Statistically speaking, we make up a disproportionately large portion of the global ecosystem. Young people want their opinions and insights to count for something, and we’ve got the numbers to back us up.

2. WE ARE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATING OUR INFLUENCE

Youth movements are not uncommon. Across the world, young people have shown that they have the ability to make serious changes by using their voices. With the rise of young leaders such as Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan and Joshua Wong in Hong Kong, we have proven that we have the power to make a political difference. Additionally, young people are incredibly active in the digital world, with the rise of YouTube, Instagram, and Vine stars creating a new category of youth leadership: influencer. The digital ecosystem has changed the way youth leaders rise and communicate, leading me to the next point.

3. WE ARE DIGITAL NATIVES

In our increasingly digital age, young people have not only a technological advantage, but a technological lifestyle. We are digital natives – meaning that we have been raised in a world of tweets, Facebook posts, computers, and iPods. Unlike those before us, who are the new “digital immigrants,” tech is unparalleled in our hands, because we are able to easily adapt to and learn new systems. As I mentioned, the power of social platforms is showcased daily by young people. Whether a crowdfunding page for someone’s volunteer project, a tweet which is retweeted by millions, an online petition signed by thousands which leads to political change, or a YouTube video viewed by over 20 million people, young people now have the ability to communicate in mass, globally. And we do.

4. CHANGE AND INNOVATION ARE IN OUR NATURE

As young people, we are often faced with tremendous emotional and social pressure. Whether we are coming of age in a diverse university or college or growing up without the opportunity of higher education, we become incredibly in touch with humanity. We are at the peak of uncomfortable adjustment, and it gives us an incredibly unique perspective. We are not afraid of change. We live change daily. Nothing is certain for us, and that allows us to imagine and ideate things which people who have been settled in routine for years cannot see. We are known for a desire to switch jobs frequently, and for a need to feel that our values connect to our work. For this reason, we are passionate and innovative in a way that no other generation can match.

Do you believe that youth leaders are going to be the ones who shape the world? We do.

I don’t consider myself leader material. I am a “normal” college student that is doing everything in his power to make sure that I along with many “sheep-walkers,” finish college, get a steady job, get married, and retire. This unfortunately, is the easy way out according to many, including myself.

One thing is for sure, I do not want that and don’t really think the reader wants that either. We are a generation that wants to make change, yet when things get tough, we retract into this safe zone we call the easy way out of life, and to be honest, I’m really tired of doing that and want to start making a difference, not only in my life but in others.

I want to thank Jason Belzer and Tribes author Seth Godin for making me despise the word sheep-walker. I along with some students in one class fall semester thought of a decent idea involving Rutgers Athletics and student fans. I want to let you know that in order to really lead, you have to have everyone on board, meaning as author Jim Collins says, “…first get the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) before you figure out where to drive it” (Good to Great 44).

I learned that a level-5 leader is one of the most selfless people anyone can meet. They are to me, one of the most successful people that can run a company, as well as run their lives in the best possible way. They also tend to have a lot of rigor when they need to get from good-to-great. These people may be the most humble, but they need to know when to get the right people and put them in right seats when they make their way toward greatness traveling on the bus. I think that I have yet to fill my bus with the right people when it comes to the idea that I would like to present to the Chief Marketing Officer as well as Athletic Director Patrick Hobbs of Rutgers University.

This idea is in regard to making the athletic program more appealing to the students as we usher in a new era within Rutgers.

The group in my sport marketing class wants to provide students with a valid type of entertainment during their time at Rutgers. This idea is easier said than done. I understand that at first this idea will be shot down over and over until we as a group can come to an agreement and the CMO and Mr. Hobbs find it to be feasible. I hope to make sporting events at the University more welcoming, give an opportunity for students to gain school spirit, and treat themselves to possible prizes in the process as well. I want students to enjoy their time while they are at the university, as well as advocate for the athletic program for a school that is in a constant “doom loop” that seems to be okay with mediocrity.

The school’s athletic success is something that the fans cannot control and is completely understandable, yet the teams must understand that there are brutal facts to endure. This is from someone who wants to lead students in the right direction and help bring some school spirit to a once prominent school. I must say that we do not excel at sports and we do not do enough to provide students with a great experience, due to the lack of talent.

We as a group can help one another at first by finding students willing to attend events by giving them a chance to win some things for a possibly point-reward systems strictly for students and from there in, help them realize that these events are exciting and fun. You also have to understand that with enough generated interest over time and become one of the most spirited University.

It does not take ONE person, but many to help accomplish such a goal.

It also starts with having the right leader, one who is not willing to take all the credit, and one that can realize that without the right people in the right seats on the bus, there is a chance that some ideas are good and can become great with the likes of good people that all agree on a great idea.

Again, I do not consider myself a leader, just someone who thinks they have a great idea along with a great group of kids. Real leaders take action and make sure that they are dedicated and stop at nothing to ensure there is an idea set in motion. It is with this idea that he plans not to forward himself to success, but forward those that he brought along for the ride and make sure that they all reach the top.

UGA Miracle is the biggest philanthropy on campus. There are thousands of members and the goals we set each year are outrageous. This year, we raised over $1 million dollars for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. That is amazing.

Raising that much money is something I never thought I would be a part of, especially as a first year student. I will forever be impressed by what a group of students can achieve when they really want to. All of this is just factual. The thing that gets to me is the dedication and inspiration you can sense in every member of the Executive Board. Everything for Miracle is big.

In UGA Miracle, the goals are huge, the meetings are loud, the reveals are magical.

At the beginning of the year, the goals reveal seemed like such a simple thing. Everyone gathers in a big room and the leaders announce how much money we aim to raise for the year. The reveal is something that gets put on a to-do list – something you go to because you feel obligated. When you get there though, everything changes.

A family comes in to talk to you, to connect you to what you are raising money for. Then the tears come. Some of the kindest people go through the most difficult things and that is tough to handle, even when you are not the one experiencing it. These families are inspirational beyond belief.

After the family shared, one of the Family Relations committee chairs spoke. She detailed her time with the Hopkins family and part of her message was “I am me because you are you”. This got to me. I think we see reflections of this statement in our daily lives and we just let them slip.

We are shaped and molded by those we spend time with.

It is obvious that my best friends throughout the years have made me who I am, but it is easy to forget. We forget that moments and concrete memories would have been completely different with other people.

Other times, we get angry and upset, and then we really forget. In the midst of heartbreak, we would much rather foster on the negative things that came with the pain rather than the light and the joy we had the chance to have for so long. Sometimes you go through a pain that is unlike anything you have experienced before. This is when you learn. You learn how to heal.

Sometimes the hardest things are what make you who you are. Sometimes the people that seem to cause the most damage actually teach you about yourself. I am me because you are you.

My mom’s dad is famous in our family.

He had the bluest eyes, the biggest heart, and the greatest sense of humor. Mom always swore “Oh Lyss, he would’ve just loved you. He loved feisty girls.” To her and his 7 other kids’ dismay, my grandpa lost his life to lung cancer while my mother was a senior in high school. I think about him every single day, which is probably foreign to some people considering the fact that I had never even met him.

While I’ve always struggled watching other people spend time with their grandfathers, this past weekend at church I saw a grandpa holding his little granddaughter and it helped me to finally realize that the relationship I have my grandfather is just as special although it was never concrete.

So, Grandpa DelVecchio, this letter is for you.

This letter is for all the things you’ve done for me, and the great impact you’ve had on my life even though your actual body was never present in it. You taught me that you can love someone regardless.

I always see the quote on Pinterest that says something along the lines of “I’m in love with cities that I’ve never been to and people that I’ve never met.” While this is something that I a.) probably would’ve reblogged on Tumblr circa freshman year of high school and b.) often now cringe at when I see it on Twitter as it’s very cliché and overused, I realize that in a very non-trendy and non-basic way it can be completely true.

I never actually met my grandpa, but I know in every connotation and definition of the word that I love him. I love stories about him. I love pictures of him. I love picturing how life would’ve been if he could’ve been around in my life.

Somehow… someway… I just know that all of these equates to actually loving the person that he was. I feel a connection to him that I know was not just made up in my own head, and I’m thankful that through picturing him I have realized that it is not crazy to know that I love him.

Your imagination does not have an age limit, and anyone who disagrees probably has a lot less fun because sometimes reality sucks. My grandpa allowed me to picture a perfect fantasy and relationship with him, and although none of it can actually happen in the physical world around me, you made me a passionate person.

Cancer sucks.

Plain and simple, cancer is actually the thing that I hate most in this world. I hate that cancer took my grandpa from me, and I hate that it takes away grandpas, aunts, uncles, moms, dads, brothers and sisters every single day.

Through your loss, though, I realize that it’s important for me to try and make a difference so a little girl in the future won’t have to write an open letter like this one. I joined Relay for Life in high school, and now in college I actively try to raise money for cancer research in hopes of letting that little girl someday in the future be able to meet her grandpa instead of writing an open letter like this one.

Grandpa D, you helped me realize that I want to help change the world, and that while I can’t do it alone, I should totally try. You taught me that being who I am is totally okay.

I’m a feisty person. Sometimes to my own detriment. To my mom’s dismay during my teenage years, I’m often way out of line. I say stuff that I shouldn’t. I tell it how it is. I’m unapologetically outspoken, and this probably won’t change throughout my lifetime.

But, because of my grandpa, I know that’s okay. Mom always said that my grandpa would’ve loved me because I was feisty, and didn’t take anyone’s crap. “He loved feisty girls, you two would’ve been peas in a pod.”

Through this, I realized that my bold (and sometimes too-blunt-for-my-own-good) personality was totally okay, because it’s part of me. I only wish that I could’ve met my Grandpa because maybe somebody would finally understand my totally blunt sense of humor and maybe laugh at my jokes.

You taught me that family is the most important thing, and that they’ll never leave you. Grandpa D, I don’t know how you did it. Eight kids is a lot, and our big Italian family is one that definitely must’ve caused you some frustrations. We’re loud. We’re crazy. We eat a lot. We play lots of card games. We laugh a lot.

My family is nothing short of the best, and I would never trade any of them for the entire world.

You raised and created a family that is incredibly strong, and through hardships has banded together.

Thank you for helping me to realize that no matter the circumstance, your family will always be true and constant. You created the most wonderful family, and I count my blessings each and every day that I became a piece of this puzzle.

Lastly, thank you for teaching me about trying to live and the legacy you leave. At the end of your life, all that really matters are the memories you made, and the lives that you touched. You’ll be known by the stories that are told about you, and you can’t personally advocate for yourself about the type of person that you were anymore.

I know that my grandpa, to be blunt (shocker, I know), kicked ass and took names just from stories that I’ve heard. I know all of these things about him, just because that is what has been told to me.

Realizing this, even at an early age I wanted to be remembered fondly when my life does come to an end. Life is so much more than the things you buy, or own, or being the most famous or popular. In the end, your legacy is all you can leave, and my Grandpa helped me to realize that my actions everyday affect exactly how I will be remembered by the people on this Earth one day. Thank you, Grandpa D, for helping me try to be the very best person I can be. …..

For all these things and more, thank you for being who you were, and who you still are. I know for certain you watched every single dance recital from a cloud up in Heaven. Heck, you may be even watching over me right now as I type this blog post in Jittery Joes (and if you are, sorry that I’m procrastinating on this history homework). I love you to Heaven and back, Grandpa D.

You’re the best grandpa I could have ever asked for, and that’s something I’m certain of.

Have you ever felt like people do not understand you; or maybe you feel nervous talking to people?

I use to feel this way especially during a speech; predominantly through high school. I was shy, reserved, and didn’t have many friends. I wondered, “What do I say”? In those situations I would lock up or excuse myself.

But this is a problem of the past for me.

One day after getting out of a meaningless date, if you would call it that, I told myself “I am going to get the hang of interacting with people on a social level, or die trying.” This is about the time I started college. I must have flipped through the college major guide a thousand times banging my head against a desk wondering what college degree would define me for the rest of my life.

On one icy Texas night, I finally came to a decision. I decided I wanted to learn something at which I am not very skilled. I decided to pursue a degree in Communications. For five long years of nocturnal studying, back-breaking labor at my day job, and trying to juggle my spare time with friends or family, I finally completed my goal. I held a bachelor’s degree in Communications.

Since then I have publicly spoken in front of thousands of people, run a high grossing business, but most importantly, I feel comfortable with myself. I have my tenacity and my will to thank for my accomplishments.

So my question for you is do you know what you want to do for the rest of your life?

You do you say? Well, really… Are you sure that even 20 or even 1 year down the line you will still call that your dream job? You see, I am dubious of anyone who says they have their entire life figured out. Not because there aren’t people with genuine passions and skills, but simply because people are dynamic.

People change.

And their goals and dreams change with them. I don’t know about you, but I constantly change my mind and have doubts about whether the route I am currently pursuing is the right one for me. To be honest, I don’t know if I have ever been completely sure of my life path.

Here’s an excerpt from junior year of high school to prove my point: “How is anyone supposed to really know what they want to do? There are literally millions of opportunities out there, thousands of colleges, hundreds of majors, and one of me. Sure, there are the things I’m good at, pretty much just school, and the things I sort of like, chorus and softball, but how are you just supposed to know at what you will succeed?

“What if I put in the hard time to become a doctor and find out I’m squeamish or go through dental school to discover I hate teeth? What if I just haven’t been exposed to my true passion? Lately, people have asked me where I want to go, but is that really the question?”

It’s funny to me a little bit because I’m sure to outsiders it looks like I have my entire life figured out. I’m in college, picked a major, and I even have work experience and research under my belt. From my perspective, though, I feel as if I am blindly trucking on, following a slight inclination for which I am not entirely sure about.

I call it a quarter-life crisis, and if you haven’t had one, I’m sure you will.

It may not even be school-related. Maybe you are with a guy you have been dating for years, but just aren’t sure if he’s the one, or you have the opportunity to take a job or internship in a new city but can’t decide whether to stay or go. These are the times when it really is tough because we are literally making decisions that alter the entirety of our one life we have been given.

Now I haven’t entirely figured out what to do in these situations either, but I will tell you that the only thing that keeps me sane is knowing that I have the power to change my mind. I have the power to quit a job if I want to, to pick up and start anew elsewhere, to even go back to school and change my major or get a new degree if that is something that I need to do.

In the moment you start to see yourself as stagnant or stuck on this pathway of life, things start to get scary. However, there is ALWAYS the opportunity to find a new passion and rediscover yourself.

Having that internal locus of control, that attitude that it is you who makes decisions about where you are going with your life and not just random chance and circumstances, will get you far. Yes, there are limitations like money and time and relationships, and those are definitely factors, but that still doesn’t mean you don’t have the ability to make a change on the pathway of life.

You can backtrack, change directions, or be truly brave and have your own path. I know it sounds a bit cliche, and to be honest, it is. But that is the reality of it as well.

(Written by Kellie Guthrie)

We would like to thank Kellie Guthrie for sharing the story of Re-Invention. They fight the label of poverty and destitution for those in the manufacturing trade. Their aim is to make a healthy, vibrant in environment where employees can take pride in working with their hands, making beautiful accessories. Check out their latest partnership with The Lydia Project. Enjoy the story!

I’m always a bit nervous when asked to write about what I do, because I don’t want it to be about me and so I always hesitate, but as I looked at what the Wish Dish is about and that authenticity is what you’re looking for, I felt more comfortable about sharing my story.

What I’ve been involved with the last 10 years has made me the most authentic self I have ever been, and I’ll be forever grateful that God has allowed me to be the person I’ve become. Someone I never thought I could be, but someone He had planned on all along.

So I apologize that this may be a bit lengthy, but I have a story to tell…

After years in the fashion industry promoting and marketing women’s clothing across the country, I had an overwhelming sense to focus my experience, talents, and gifts on solutions for real change in the world. Let me say this up front: I’m not a statistician; I don’t have a wealth of school or book knowledge, and am certainly no expert on poverty!

I’m just a person who looked around me, “googled” a lot, and had a desire to serve. I was tired of my life being about myself and wanted to do something more.

When I began this journey, “social enterprise” or “social business” weren’t terms heard in the business world. However, when I started thinking about solutions to poverty, I thought employment was at least one of the best solutions and I went on a search for experts who were offering work as a solution to the problem of poverty.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

I turned 40 in 2003 and took on a new career as a sales representative for a mid to high-end women’s clothing line and moved to the northeast. Whether on billboards, the morning news, the Internet, or seeing the upgraded terror alerts flashing on the 495 corridor I was bombarded by the images of what was happening in the world.

It seemed to me that the pleas from charity and all the checks written to several organizations, while sincere, were perpetuating vicious cycles of poverty. The desire to do something about what I was seeing grew and I knew I couldn’t not respond.

I believed it was possible that every mistake I had made in my life could be redeemed and that my experiences could help me play a role to help change the world. The images of the women I saw suffering and the manic days of survival they experienced could not continue on my watch! But what did I see as my part?  Well, I knew what bothered me and that was the everyday fight for survival. And I knew I wanted to see alternatives to their circumstances and a way out of poverty’s vicious cycle.

And the light bulb went off…WORK!  I thought, “Certainly there are those out there on the frontlines who are creating work.”

I knew that somehow I could help create or facilitate work or employment as an alternative to poverty. It seemed that as soon as I accepted the part I could play I began to see this answer everywhere; a jewelry design company in Thailand, a furniture company in India, gorgeous linens made in Egypt, a cashmere and woolens business in Nepal.

All of these were social business ventures…economic opportunities through economic alternatives to the many dire circumstances caused by extreme poverty throughout the world.  “Empowerment through employment” bringing permanent freedom from circumstances, while providing the experts on the frontlines the time to work with these precious lives to bring the dignity, freedom, and hope they’ve never known.

The issues are many: human trafficking, sexual exploitation, prostitution, HIV/AIDS, healthcare or lack of, domestic violence, but the common cause is extreme poverty.

So, if work is provided, then extreme poverty can be eradicated.

And although I was a bit naïve, to say the least, this is where I began my journey.  I began looking at not only a business, but the model and the strength of the model.

The questions were: Are there opportunities for training in design as well as other areas of the business operation such as accounting and management? Are there opportunities for promotion? Are there benefits, savings plans, opportunities for education? Is English being taught?

It would be 2 years; followed by a complete breakdown of my comfy life before deciding it was time I began looking for what I could do to be a part of the change.

BANGKOK – IT ONLY TAKES A LITTLE LIGHT

A vital part of my journey began with my first encounter with a model for change in September of 2007, where I spent one month working with NightLight Design Company. NightLight is an employment alternative ministry established to combat the sexual exploitation of young girls and women around the world through sex-trafficking and prostitution.

After months of anticipation, I stood at the steps to the offices of NightLight Design, and the message was clear I was here to serve and assist with expanding their vision…not my own!

Bangkok is considered an epicenter for sexual exploitation and trafficking where women are essentially gathered from all over the world and fed into the city’s multi-billion dollar sex industry. They’re also sent to other locations believing they’ll be in positions as nannies or hotel and restaurant positions, but end up with passports taken and told of the tremendous debt owed to the traffickers and are thrown into the world of prostitution.

Without a doubt, this was the most extraordinary event of my life. I was forever changed!

I experienced firsthand a model for change that was working, a model where not only were the women making jewelry, but they were also working in accounting, shipping, inventory, quality control, and were learning many different skills. Women were in positions of management and as master designers.

They would teach the new employees how to make jewelry.  NightLight offers these women a salary, benefits, a savings plan, English classes, and many are in school receiving higher education.

The stories and outreaches were heart wrenching and I returned from Bangkok completely transformed, and with this in my heart…a passion to see poverty eradicated and a commitment that sex-trafficking would not continue on my watch!

I was asked over and over if I was overwhelmed. The funny thing is while standing right smack in the middle of a red-light district, I found that I was less overwhelmed than I would be seeing these horrifying images on the news. I felt so helpless to do anything about it when seeing it from a distance, but standing right in the middle of it, I witnessed action being taken, and was able to realize just how little Light it takes to pierce such darkness. “What would have become of me had I not believed I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.”

 PIERCING THE DARKNESS

The women of NightLight confirmed that before “ministry” can work, not just rescue is important, but full removal from circumstances is priority! Their model was working and, at that point, had blown away any statistics regarding the success of a start-up business.

Because of what I had seen in Bangkok, I knew there was no turning back and that I now had been given the responsibility to do something about what I’d seen. I knew I could no longer stand on the perimeter and just throw money and encouraging words at poverty, I had to engage. I was terrified, but also for the first time in my life, I knew this was the beginning of figuring out who I truly am and what I’m here for.

RE-INVENTION – BEGIN WITH THE ONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU

A few months after I returned from Bangkok, the name for my company came like a bolt of lightning. This is more of a call than a company name as it stands as a reflection of my personal journey where I have been completely Re-Invented! I also returned with a big vision and a global dream, but what was in my heart was that if I was going to serve well, I must start with “the one right in front of me”.

On a path that has changed so many times it’s almost embarrassing, Re-Invention is a social business , committed to seeing poverty eliminated from the lives of those who work with us and equipping a manufacturing workforce who takes pride in the work of their hands. I think that when it comes to social innovation, the social business model is one of its most brilliant concepts!

I believe this is something that truly has the potential to “change the world” and not because of economic impact, or how it changes the traditional business model, but because of how it changes us.

How a business model invites us to think not of ourselves and bottom lines, but to think of and reach out to our neighbor first and think of how the business bottom line impacts people and the community. How it allows us to invite others to join us in reaching beyond themselves, and invites investors to rethink what their return will be in terms of monetary shares and shares in humanity.

At its core, Re-Invention is about the collaborative process and living and working in a way that serves, with the hope of “Re-Inventing the American Dream” through businesses that build communities, not empires.

The company’s first collaboration was with the homeless at Friendship Mission in a very at-risk part of Montgomery, Alabama’s West side.  In a re-purposed school bus, women learned to cut, sew, and create with the ultimate goal of arming them with the necessary skills and confidence to work with Re-Invention or seek other employment.

The Lydia Project ( www.re-invention.org) is Re-Invention’s current collaboration with The Nehemiah Center and Community Ministries of First Baptist, both in Montgomery, working to prepare its participants for a sustainable career in the textile industry by providing job readiness training , GED preparation and testing, ESL, and in-depth instruction in textile manufacturing.

Through a year-long apprenticeship, we’re creating our workforce. We train participants in every aspect of how our goods are made. Re-Invention is creating jobs, as well as an environment where people can afford to go to work. Many are on government assistance which is decreased when they start to receive a paycheck.

In order for people to be able to enter/re-enter the workplace, we’re creating a company that will,

1. Provide training.

2. Provide needed infrastructure such as on-site daycare, as well as after-school care and programs. A college scholarship fund will also be a priority.

We believe the foundation to breaking cycles of poverty, and the resulting exploitation, is through work. The most successful non-profit organizations and ministries we’ve seen have a training/work component that runs parallel to their personal and psychological work.

Work provides an alternative, a way out, and begins to eliminate the chaos so that those who are trying to transform mindsets have an opportunity for breakthrough. Through these collaborations, Re-Invention is helping to create opportunities for work that promote the sustainability of our world and the lives of those who live in it.

THE WORK OF OUR HANDS

Re-Invention was specifically created to “Re-Invent” where we live. The making of our gorgeous goods began in my mom’s kitchen. After 2 years and having spread production to her living room and all over her back and front porch, I moved into an old firehouse in Montgomery, where I now live and our goods are made.  www.re-invention.org

With a collection of sustainable home accents, furnishings, and travel/everyday bags, Made in Alabama, Re-Invention products invite anyone to be a part of our dream to create “Gorgeous Goods for Good”. We pair “leftover” designer and vintage fabrics with, burlap, muslin, and leather to create one-of-a-kind pieces of art that tell a story of the old being made new and the beautiful life that results!

AND SO…

Here I am running a social business, designing and making…when I had never sewn anything in my life until August 0f 2010. I’m just as surprised as anyone who knows me at where I’ve landed!

Do I still get scared, yes! Do I still wonder what the heck I’m doing and get completely overwhelmed by Montgomery’s large homelessness population and poverty I see every day, yes!

But when I’m overwhelmed I remember what’s most important and this is “the one who is right in front of me” and what I have to accomplish “TODAY.” If I get caught up in the numbers of people we will serve, and the number of dollars, and investors it will take to serve so many, and then the amount of product that will have to be made to serve such numbers, then Re-Invention becomes just a traditional business!

I no longer realize that the crux of the social business is those we are serving and I lose sight of why I did this in the first place.

I need to remember that if I want to eradicate poverty, then I need only to look right outside my front door. If I serve well those who are right in front of me, then I’ll serve well as my territory expands.

The most important thing to remember is how one person will impact those around her.  She’s the example to others, and I must realize her greatest impact is not realized inside our walls, but when she leaves our place of business.

You know, as I look back on when all of this stared, I see that even though I looked like I had “not a care in the world”, this journey began because of my own poverty. I think one of the most amazing things is how those we serve became a reflection of what we make – the making of goods from leftover and recycled fabrics to create one-of-a-kind pieces found nowhere else.

Every piece is a declaration over the lives of our customers exclaiming the Truth that the pieces and parts of our lives come together to create something beautiful and nothing is ever wasted.