***𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞? 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐈’𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬!***

Read here or 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲

I grew up at the ideal dinner table.

I was encouraged to ask questions, to challenge the status quo and to develop a set of principles by which I would live my life.

Over the years, I realized that the true difference between the “haves” and the “have-nots” is not wealth, but access and exposure.

I asked myself one day: “What happens if you didn’t grow up at my dinner table? Who provides you with that access? With that exposure?”

That’s when it became clear: I wanted to share my dinner table with those who didn’t have the opportunities that I did.

Thirteen years ago today, I founded AMBITION.

AMBITION is a non-profit entrepreneurial program for disadvantaged youth. Its mission is to reframe their potential and to provide students with the support, access and resources necessary to reach their goals.

But what does that really mean?

AMBITION is about building consistent connections between students and the mentors who show up for them EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK.

AMBITION is about empowering students to own their lived experience and embrace #PowerNotPity.

AMBITION is about cultivating solution-driven thinking and the importance of a strong work ethic.

When I started AMBITION in 2010, the “cause-marketing” fad had swept the business world. Or what I called pick a cause, any cause, donate a percentage of your profits, and give yourself a pat on the back.

I did things differently.

From the moment I founded AMBITION, I integrated it with JAMAH to such an extent that one could not survive without the other.

People thought I was crazy. Risk my entire business to try to help some kids? Yes, this mattered to me. So much so, that I wanted  it to become the heart and soul of my brand.

“Wait,” they said. “Once JAMAH is successful, then you can worry about the kids.” I knew one thing: on my worst day, I had it better than these kids. And how does one define success anyway? Four houses, eleven cars, nine boats? When will enough be enough?

I was committed to the integration of cause and commerce, whereby the success of JAMAH would provide the bandwidth to support AMBITION.

AMBITION is about more than trying to help some kids. My work with AMBITION has clarified what matters to me most and has allowed me to make it an integral part of what I do.

Thirteen years later, this decision has surpassed my wildest dreams. Not only do we have the privilege of mentoring our students and witnessing their successes, but we also have the impactful experience of some of our JAMAH clientele taking part in the program.

The magic happens when we face our challenges — overcome the obstacles — and stick to our principles.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬?
𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

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#23YearsOfRamen #ALotOfFckngSodium #ShareYourDinnerTable #YouDontKnowAboutMe #PowerNotPity #BeWhoYouAre #NancyGale #AMBITION #JAMAH