We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gladys. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gladys below.

Gladys, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

Thank you for this question. I am humbled to express with gratitude of what they did. I hope it encourages the reader.

My grandfather developed a motto which was: “together we can”, and my parents continued it as a family legacy. Everything my parents did was purposeful and well thought-through with the intent to benefit the family and community. Our definition of family was not limited to immediate family—it included our extended family and the community.

They were selfless.

In the early years, my dad worked two jobs within his trade so that him and my mother could buy their first home. As a result, he learned two things:

1. The business-side of his trade—later becoming a franchisee and also opening a storefront of his own
2. To use your career as a tool to help others

My parents used their career in business as a tool to be in a position to give and love others. For example, living our family motto “together we can”, they employed members of the younger generation—setting an example of work ethic, determination, excellence, and love. Additionally, they developed unique relationships with the younger generation through working/mentoring. Many from that generation have gone on to have careers within various industries such as medical, education, business, and non-profit development—just to name a few.

But even better—those members of the younger generation are now in position to enrich the lives of others.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi there! I’m Gladys. In my personal life, I am a wife and mother. In my free time, you can find me enjoying the outdoors and volunteering in the community.

As I reflect on this question and look back on my life and the decisions I made—I realize every step of this journey was for a greater purpose. The thing is, I did not know it at the time. Here is a little bit of what I mean…

I went to school to become a Pharmacist. While in school, I took a business elective and loved it. After graduating from pharmacy school, I immediately got married, moved to another state, started my new career in pharmacy, started a family, and began raising children in an unfamiliar place.

In August of 1999, my husband and I rededicated our lives to Christ and our lives has never been the same! Following God’s lead in our lives, we pivoted from me working in clinical pharmacy to staying at home full time, raising our children. We were at peace because we felt like God was leading us in that direction. We did not understand why—yet, we were willing to step into His guidance. Do you want to know a funny thing? We were also led to homeschool our children! I am laughing because it is popular now to choose to homeschool your children, but 20+ years ago, it was not the popular thing to do!

During this time, I volunteered in the community which provided me an opportunity to develop and sharpen leadership skills. Quickly, I found myself in boardrooms of organizations as they were planning events from the initial stage to the “completion” stage. This included multiple organizations in a span of 25 years. There, I was able to observe, learn, and over time I was asked to lead in various capacities! I give God the glory, because He opened up the door for me to receive invitations to be there.

Additionally, I had the opportunity to serve as the Vice President of a home health pediatric therapy company. After serving as Vice President of the company, God gave me a vision. The image He gave me was: me on a computer operating my business. I began to pray and ask God, “What am I to do now? What type of business will it be? When am I to start this business?” Then, there was silence. I heard nothing! NOTHING!

There was silence about the business for 10+ years!

Within that timeline, my children graduated high school/college/grad school, my two family pets passed away, and both my parents went on to be with the Lord (not in that order).

As God began to heal me, declutter me, encourage me, fill me up with His desires, strengthen me, comfort me, lead me, guide me, and more—I began to hear Him again about the business. He began to revive, restore, rejuvenate, and regenerate me with His dreams and His visions that He has for me and the business. I began to feel alive with a purpose again. My eyes and ears were beginning to reopen. God began to speak to me like a flood. He began to hold my hand, guide me, comfort me (again and again), and lead me on what to do and what direction I am to go.

Fast-forward to today, I am a founder! After decades of mentoring leaders in the community within the business, non-profit, and educational space who experienced transformation in their life/organization—I was led by God to become a founder to serve and help people who have become busy and distracted with the “hustle” of day-to-day responsibilities get back on track to truly living a fulfilled life of significance.

As mentioned earlier, looking back on my life’s journey, God has led me step-by-step—even when I did not recognize it. He would also bring me back into alignment with Him. He used every step of this journey for a greater purpose.

So I encourage you friends: keep the faith, be patient, and don’t give up.

Any advice for managing a team?

This is a wonderful and important question.

The principles to lead a team of two versus a team of two-hundred are the same. Additionally, the way you lead if leading a paid team versus leading a volunteer team is still the same. Leading with good character (which includes integrity, honesty, and trust) affects how you manage and maintain high morale.

Let’s start with team selection:

TEAM SELECTION

Selecting a team is one of the most important steps in managing and maintaining high morale. It is the difference between a mediocre team, a average team, and a great team.

It is not about how many degrees or letters a potential team member has behind their name that make them a great team member. It is the heart and passion they have towards the mission. I would rather have a person on the team who is less qualified but understands the mission and is passionate about it. That comes from within.

MANAGING

Now that you have a team selected, as the leader, treat each member on the team as a gift. The way you treat a senior executive should be the same way you treat a lower-level team member. Each person is valuable to the team and all are important to the team. Everyone on the team will bring a different skillset and experiences; yet, together are one team moving towards the same mission.

When a little child receives a gift that they had been asking for: (1) they are excited when they received the gift; (2) they take time to get to know and learn more about the gift; and (3) they then want to share the gift with others.

The same is true for team members. Be excited about the members on the team. Get to know and learn the team. Share the team with others—set an environment where the team can grow, thrive, and lead too. When team members know and feel that they are truly valued as a person and for what they bring to the team, their morale will increase—which will be directly proportionate to the team’s productivity.

BOOSTING MORALE

My advice to boosting morale will be to lead the team as a servant leader.

Society often paints a picture of a leader as someone who is unapproachable, who watches the team with an eagle eye from afar to blame the team for their wrongs, yet receive the accolades for the goodness of the team.

A servant leader, however, uses a different model of leadership. They serve the team as they lead the team.

Jesus sets the example of servant leadership and is the blueprint I follow when serving within the different hats that I wear:

– As they communicate the mission to the team, they are also in the trenches with them
– They are not asking the team to do something they are not willing to do themselves
– They are approachable, and the communication is good
– Each team member is and feels valued
– They equip and encourage team members to use their God-given gifts, talents, and creativity to move the team forward
– They create an environment for each member to thrive and feel heard
– They lead with such confidence with the heart to duplicate—by sharing their God-given wisdom and knowledge with the next generation of leaders

In understanding that each member is on the team and there for a reason, the key is for the leader to invest in serving towards their growth from within. As a leader, get to know each team member as a person and meet them where they are. When a team member knows they are valued, they will value the team and the morale will be high.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Yes, the Bible! Growing up from a very young age, I thought the Bible was a book of rules to live by that would restrict and confine.

Growing up, I went to church in my early childhood, but through my late teens and twenties I was not as committed. Life was good—things were getting accomplished, I started my career, got married, began my family… it was good.

Additionally, I had a great network of family and friends around me who loved me and I loved them—yet, I knew deep down there was something missing. I just did not know what it was. I had a void in my heart, and did not know how to fill it. I filled it with other things such as events, people and things—yet, nothing satisfied me.

It was not until I recommitted my life to Jesus is when my life that was good became satisfying. I picked up my Bible and began to read it again. This time it was different. When I read it, it was speaking to me. I was reminded of who I am and how much God loves me.

God’s love is for everyone who believes. It is for you too! His love never fails. His love is unconditional. His love is forgiving. His love is everlasting. No matter who you are or your past, you are not exempt from receiving His love. Wow! My eyes are welling up right now, and my heart filled with gratitude and thanksgiving as I think of this. Anyone. Yes, anyone can experience this type of love just by opening their heart to Him, praying a simple prayer:

“Dear God, I know that I have sinned and need your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God—who came to earth as God in the flesh, died a sacrificial death to pay the price for mankind’s sins, and then rose from the dead where He continues to reign in heaven. I accept Your invitation of forgiveness of sins and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Thank you for forgiving me and giving me life everlasting. May Your living power operate in my life so that I can truly live the abundant life that You have for me—a life full of joy, a life full of peace, a life full of purpose! In Your Name, Jesus, I pray, Amen.”

All in all, the Bible is my number one resource. It provides wisdom for how to live a life of peace and joy, rooted in God’s love. It also provides specific teachings for every facet in life—including business and servant leadership.