We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Abigail Ellis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Abigail , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?
Years ago I started off as a teacher in a toddler classroom. I had 2 lead teachers as my mentor (Lorraine Diaz and Lorena Rodriguez) they allowed me to make mistakes without feeling ashamed of not knowing. They pushed me to become better and do more. It’s because of them that I learned to embrace new employees and always show them better ways while allowing them to make mistakes. Prior to working with them, supervisors wouldn’t really show you how to move up, the talk was always about being afraid of someone taking their job. These ladies changed the bar for me. As I grew in my career and even changed career paths I took that lesson with me everywhere I went. I always thrived to teach, mentor, and motivate new and old employees. I don’t want them to be like me I want them to be better than me. As I do work in the community it’s this same mindset that I take with me when I’m with families and students. We train, we share and we grow together!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m an ambitious mother with heart for serving the community. In middle school I knew what my purpose was, I knew that I was meant to help students and I knew that I wanted to start my own business to train others. When I graduated high school it took me a little while to put all the pieces together. I started in early childhood education working my way from teacher to Director, I did that for about 8 years. I made connections and loved what I did, however, there was nowhere else to go after director and I knew there was more for me to do. Once I had my son I decided to step away from directing staff and teaching students to stay home and pour into him what I’ve poured into so many others. After two years of being a stay-at-home mom, I decided to go back to school, and push through to my purpose of helping students but I knew there was something missing I just couldn’t place my finger on it. In 2017 I graduated with my Bachelors in Business and Information Management, I also ended with my Project Management Certificate, and Human Resources Certificate. I mentored students and worked at a roofing company full-time while pursuing these degrees. Being in the roofing industry was new for me but I loved learning and I embraced it(I started as a purchasing agent/procurement specialist). The company I worked for was pivotal in my success in school, they answered case study questions, allowed me to try out ideas that I learned at school with the company, and gave me information so I would have successful projects for class. At the same time, my goal was for me and my son to graduate at the same time and we did. He graduated from VPK when I graduated with my bachelor’s, for him it’s such a memorable moment, he still tells everyone how he graduated with his mom and how amazing that was for him. I was still faced with the “what’s next” feeling after graduating because I felt that my purpose was still not aligning with what I was doing.
I spent a year after graduation learning a new role with the company. I moved from purchasing to contract administration. Meanwhile, I fell in love with training and pushing staff to excel. It was then that I understood the missing piece. I was always the person to go to because I listen without judgment, for as long as I can remember people have always come to me with their problems and I’d listen. It’s not always about the advice because not everyone wants it, some people just want to feel heard and validated. I enrolled at Nova Southeastern University in 2018 to pursue a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. In 2019 I started Step’s Foundation, Inc a nonprofit organization that focuses on family engagement, empowerment, student development, and leadership. That same roofing company was a huge part of the startup as they were so super supportive of that next step for me. Just as they did for my bachelor’s program they assisted with assignments, videos, and whatever I needed for school as well as for the nonprofit. In 2020 I got involved with Florida Counseling Association becoming the Region 3 representative. I started an internship in 2020 with a domestic violence center, while still working with the roofing company, running the nonprofit, being a region rep, completing school assignments, and being a full-time mom! Was it hard? YESSSSSSS!! i wouldn’t trade any of it for the world because I learned so much about myself and through it all I did with joy because I was fulfilling my passion and my purpose.
I graduated in 2021 with my MS in Counseling and since then my primary focus has been Step’s Foundation, Inc. I didn’t get this degree to sit behind a desk and diagnose people every day, I got this degree to help my community (it’s a community degree). I did it so that I can have a better understanding of how to help those that I serve, I also did it to become the connector. I partner with other licensed professionals to help our families that may be in need. Step’s Foundation is now my full-time job and brings me so much joy. My purpose is complete! Our community partners, donors, wonderful volunteers, and amazing board members have been nothing but great in the success of the organization. We’re impacting not just student lives but the lives of the family. We are offering a survival program that offers career development, financial literacy, home living, college prep, health, and wellness. We also offer a retain your brain program that focuses on social-emotional wellness, coping skills, character building, and confidence building through peer support groups. Both programs are offered virtually and as well as in person. We were blessed to partner with a local alternative school last year and will be there again this year, and our newest addition this year will be an afterschool program at a local community center.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
Yes, I would do it all again. I can honestly say that through each career change I learned valuable lessons and I met amazing people who became family. Every job I’ve worked at I’m still connected to those who made a difference to me. Every career pushed me to become better, do better and give more. When I say give it’s not about giving money either, it’s about giving to others what someone has given to you. If someone pushes and encourages you, do the same for someone else, and be that person to others. If there was someone who made you feel horrible remember that feeling and make sure that you don’t make others feel that way when they’re around you. I’m a firm believer in things happen when they’re supposed to! So yes this profession and every profession I had before it, I would choose it again because it’s how I got to where I am.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
Make sure your team knows your expectations early on. Processes and procedures is huge, make sure you have them so that your team knows what they’re playing up to or what they’re playing down to. Have open conversations with your team and set goals. Team goals and individual goals! Show your team that you value and appreciate them. Don’t be afraid to ask them what their expectation is of you. Yes, we all know you’re the boss, however, even bosses make mistakes and we all know that there’s something we suck at. Listen with an open heart and open mind and don’t take it personally. There is always room for growth on both sides so grow together as a team.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stepsfoundation.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/stepsfoundationinc
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/stepsfoundationinc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stepsfoundationinc
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Steps_Inc21
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaDiFBNejxgopnl1Ox9s3fg