Today we’d like to introduce you to Chantel Adams.
Chantel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Nearly ten years ago, I attended a conference for social entrepreneurs here in Atlanta. It was called Plywood Presents, and it rocked my world! I was inspired by people using their gifts, influence, and connections to change the world around them. A couple of years later, my friend Ginny Starr and I started our own nonprofit — an organization dedicated to connecting kids with cancer and families that care with dolls and books that represented their unique experience. Parents could request the dolls for their kids, and generous sponsors allowed us to send them to hospitals across the country. We shared their stories, and everybody became a little more generous, a little more kind, a little more empathetic. We firmly believed that our work mattered and made a difference. In sharing our stories, we became a part of each other’s lives. “I hear you”, and “I’m with you” are two very powerful statements. Children facing challenges will always hold a special place in my heart, but as a working mom with four kids at home, I also understand the challenges facing women who want to do ALL THE THINGS. Through Mission Driven Woman, I help women renew their faith, grow their businesses, and lead their families. It IS possible to find meaning and purpose wherever you are and in every stage of life. I love giving voice to the stories that shape our experience and strengthen our relationships.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road is never smooth, but that’s what makes it interesting. If I had known all the setbacks I would encounter on the way to entrepreneurship, I would never have had the courage to begin. Our first manufacturer bailed on us, I lost a huge partnership with well-known cancer organization, and I found that bridging the friendship gap between kids with cancer and their healthy counterparts was harder than I thought. Strict hospital privacy policies and rivalries between organizations vying for fundraising dollars presented challenges that stunned us. Finding a business advisor who believed not just in the mission of the organization, but in ME, is what carried me through these challenging times. I think that sometimes we just need to find someone who is willing to come alongside us and say, “Keep going.” Also, learn all you can. I majored in Biology in college, a far cry from the world of accounting and marketing and sales. I read lots of books, I ask lots of questions. One of the best things I did early on connected with the Kennesaw State University Small Business Development Center. You can meet with an advisor for free, and the center hosts workshops that are reasonably priced throughout the year. Best thing I ever did for my business. My friend Callie calls it the “DIY MBA!” Every challenge provided an opportunity for me to learn something new about myself and the world around me. Despite the setbacks, none of it was wasted. That’s one of life’s great gifts — we get to repurpose everything that has ever happened to us. Even as we live it, we are writing the story we will one day tell.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Mission Driven Woman story. Tell us more about the business.
When I talk to women about what’s important to them, they often tell me they’re trying to manage everything, that they want to be more motivated and less frustrated. They want to be present with their friends and family, but often feel responsible for managing the insecurities of others while trying to instill values like kindness and self-discipline in their kids. They wish they had discovered more about themselves at an earlier age. They say, “I like being me. I just want to be a better me.”
If you’re building your family, starting your business, or launching a season of investment in yourself, you’ve come to the right place.
After spending more than twenty years leading volunteer teams, starting my own nonprofit, and working alongside creative entrepreneurs, I took the best of what I’ve learned and combined it with creative, useful tools that celebrate our experiences and strengthen our relationships.
But as you know, every good story begins with an inciting incident. Mine was the day I had to choose between motherhood and medical school. My life (and yours) are like stories, always filled with complex and emotional choices. Our decisions are never made in a vacuum.
I think I’m most proud of the work I do with 4th and 5th-grade girls. We call it the Forever We Adventure Club (because every story is part of a bigger story and that story is our forever). The club celebrates friendship and equips young leaders to make a difference in their communities. These girls helped us launch the Forever We Cancer doll five years ago and today are helping design a new product that represents the experience of kids facing all kinds of challenges. Our motto is “You before me. Forever we.” No more selfishness. We want to be genuine, curious, and brave in a world that’s crying for authentic community and true friendship.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Women are trying to balance multiple roles, and at times I think those roles can seem disjointed and unrelated. I am a CEO. A Wife. A Mom. A Friend. What makes me feel confident and strong in each of these roles? Is the goal balance? Or is it fullness? I want to be the BEST CEO. The BEST wife. The BEST mom. The BEST friend. We are lucky to live in a period of history when all this is possible, with the right support. I hope this isn’t just a female conversation. I hope my husband would answer the same way, that he wants to be the best CEO, husband, and dad, but I hope he would also say that he couldn’t do it if he didn’t have the right people alongside him, either. We need to congratulate each other, not compete with each other. We need to encourage each other, not ensnare each other. We need to uplift one another, not undermine each other. Let me be your biggest fan and you be mine. Together, we can go further faster.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chanteladams.com
- Phone: 404-324-1833
- Email: chantel@chanteladams.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/missiondrivenwoman
- Facebook: facebook.com/missiondrivenwoman
- Twitter: chanlynnadams
- Other: http://www.foreverwe.org
Image Credit:
Photos: Jessica Andres, Artwork: Amy Phelps
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