We were lucky to catch up with Colin Pinkney recently and have shared our conversation below.
Colin, appreciate you joining us today. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?
During training for my first management position in the hospitality industry, our CEO would always say, “if you aren’t taking care of the customer, then you better be taking care of someone who is.” Some times leaders climb the ladder of success and forget the common denominator of any succesful organization is it’s people. This philosophy informs our core value of loving people. Taking care of my staff and volunteers is a top priority for me and it carries throughout our mission.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
The Harvest Center is about empowering people to live up to their full potential. I have been fortunate that during my corporate career in the for profit industry, I worked for leaders who modeled the valued people above profits. In 2004 I had a heart attack while on the job, and while under the care of my heart surgeon, he recommended that I consider a less stressful career path. I was already drawn to community work and serving on the board of directors so a transition to full time non profit work felt natural.
I think because I grew up in a large family with 8 brothers and sisters, I have always found that being with people and helping them was a priority for me.
My parents seperated when I was 8 years old and my mother never remained. As a result, life was hard and my brothers and sisters, and I, suffered many traumas and tragedies throughout our childhood. back then mental health and was not a big thing so I was always thinking about how, to keep similar crisis from over taking other families and children, thus becoming my personal life mission.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
October 3, 2004 at the young age of 39 – I had a full heart attack and there were some who thought I should go the disability route and take it easy the rest of my life. But that’s not who I am. As a child from a very dysfunctional home I learned a level of perserverance to keep fighting through the trials and tribulations of life. My mother was a hard worker and worked for 28 years at the tire factory to provide for our family. She modeled hard work and perservance for me so I always think about her when things get tough on the job or in life. After my heart attack i committed myself to living a healthy and stressless life and I find that when you have a job doing somehting you love, it’s not really work!
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
Coming out of high school, I was encouraged to follow a technical career in electrical engineering because of my math and science acumen. However, I knew 3 years in that wasn’t a fit for me. I found more fulfillment working in service industries, where i could be in direct contact with people. I love working with people and helping them achieve their dreams. If I could do it all over, I would have pursued a career in non profit right out of high school.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theharvestcenter.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHarvestCenter
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mr-colin-pinkney-b8b18b79/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theharvestcenterofcharlott3458