In this inspiring episode of Built for This Podcast: Stories of a Maverick, host Jenna Bayuk sits down with Nancy Gale, a designer, entrepreneur, activist, philanthropist and founder of Jamah and Ambition to discuss resilience, reinvention and the drive behind building a successful brand. Nancy opens up about her journey, starting with her childhood and the early lessons she learned from her parents. She shares pivotal moments in her life, including the challenges she faced while caring for her mother during a long illness and the deep personal tragedy of her mother’s murder. Despite these hardships, Nancy has built a thriving luxury handbag brand, Jamah, and a nonprofit, Ambition, that empowers underserved youth.

Through it all, Nancy emphasizes the importance of joy in hard work, the power of resilience, and the need to turn adversity into action. She also discusses her mission with Ambition, which focuses on providing youth access and exposure to opportunities that can change their lives, along with teaching them to embrace challenges and find solutions. Nancy’s story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of overcoming obstacles.

Key Takeaways:

Resilience Through Adversity: Nancy highlights how personal struggles shaped her entrepreneurial mindset.

The Power of Hard Work: Nancy stresses the value of hard work for long-term success.

Building a Luxury Brand: Nancy shares her journey from gifting products to founding Jamah, a luxury handbag brand.

Ambition's Mission: Ambition offers mentorship and opportunities to underserved youth, focusing on leadership and resilience.

Power Not Pity: Nancy’s nonprofit helps youth overcome challenges with a "Power Not Pity" approach.

Noteworthy Quotes:

"We get to decide how we take life on. Do you want your life to happen to you, or do you want it to happen to your life?" – Nancy Gale

"If you love what you do, you will have what it takes to work really hard." – Nancy Gale

"We all have these moments, and if we don’t share them and connect with others, what is the point?" – Jenna Bayuk

"I’m not going to get over it. I’m going to get through it." – Nancy Gale

Key Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Trailer & Episode and Guest Introduction

[00:02:28] Nancy’s Early Life and Childhood Lessons

[00:03:39] The Power of Hard Work and Resilience

[00:07:48] Nancy’s Experience with Adversity and Finding Strength

[00:10:28] Turning Personal Tragedy into Action

[00:21:08] Launching Jamah: From Gifting to Luxury Handbags

[00:22:40] Overcoming Doubts and Building a Luxury Brand

[00:32:51] The Humble Flex and Empowering Others

[00:40:06] Partnering with Boys and Girls Clubs to Scale Ambition

[00:52:54] How to Get Involved with Ambition and Support the Cause

FOLLOW OUR GUEST NANCY GALE JAMAH ON:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygale/

Jamah Website : http://www.jamah.com/

Ambition Website:https://www.ambition.org/

FOLLOW OUR HOST JENNA BAYUK ON:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennabayuk/

Website: https://kinshipkollective.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenna_bayuk/

Email: [email protected]

FOLLOW BUILT FOR THIS - STORIES OF MAVERICK! PODCAST ON:

Website: https://kinshipkollective.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kinshipconsulting/

X: https://x.com/JBayuk

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