In this episode of Gameplan Leadership, Desi Mayner interviews Olivia Sanders, an educator turned entrepreneur, who shares her journey of transitioning from teaching to founding a coffee company that supports special needs students. They discuss the challenges of leadership, the importance of systems and processes, and the value of developing people over merely managing tasks. Olivia emphasizes the need for a supportive community and the significance of having a clear mission in business. The conversation culminates in a lightning round where Olivia shares her insights on leadership traits, lessons learned from students, and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Takeaways:
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Personal Journey
04:09 The Challenges of Inclusion in Education
07:06 Transitioning from Teaching to Leadership
10:10 Founding a Coffee Company with a Mission
12:53 Building a Program for Transitional Skills
16:06 Navigating Vision to Execution
18:58 Leadership Lessons from Special Needs Education
24:41 Gentle Bluntness in Communication
27:32 Setting Expectations and Pre-Correcting
28:56 Developing People Over Task Management
31:56 Building Relationships and Respect in Leadership
34:36 The Importance of Systems and Processes
39:26 Lightning Round: Insights and Fun Questions
46:07 Introduction to Leadership Strategies
46:32 Engagement and Community Building
47:02 Call to Action for Leadership Development