Leigh Anne Taylor Knight is a resourceful, future-focused leader who currently serves The DeBruce Foundation in Kansas City as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer. The Foundation’s mission is to expand pathways to economic growth and opportunity. It seeks to help people discover what they want to do and what they’re good at doing, to open more career possibilities for the future of work.
Dr. Taylor Knight is driven to lead the leveraging of resources across sectors for innovative learning, rigorous research, and community collaboration in order to improve economic development and the quality of life. A teacher at heart, Leigh Anne has also served as a K-12 assistant superintendent, advised learning institutions across the nation, and led a bi-state consortium providing powerful tools for data-driven educational research to inform practice and policy.
Bringing together stakeholders to activate synergistic solutions is a favorite expertise. She values identifying talents and strengths in others, coaching them to improve their capabilities, and finding roles in which each can maximize one’s potential to result in optimal team success. Advocating for and executing programs where the voices of young people resonate to make a difference are her true passion.
“Make plans. Just be willing for those plans to actually change”
“We think that people are not accessible. And the reality is, many, many people are much more accessible than you think they are. But you do have to take the initiative.”
Timestamp
1:59 Leigh Anne Taylor journey in gaining interest in teaching
4:16 Her change from architecture to education
6:09 Challenges Leigh Anne Taylor face while following her heart
8:29 Her journey into DeBruce Foundation
13:11 Leigh Anne Taylor shares her experience in promoting changes to people
16:21 The importance of networking with diverse people
18:22 Leigh Anne Taylor’s mindset of juggling with all her different roles
23:25 Sneak peek into her daily routine and shares tips about completing goals
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SUMMARY KEYWORDS
people, patti, foundation, creative genius, life, thought, grew, education, opportunity, kansas city, learn, job, draw, met, day, sit, taylor, love, kinds, fits
SPEAKERS
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight, Patti Dobrowolski
Patti Dobrowolski 00:03
Hello superstars. Welcome to the Up Your Creative Genius podcast where you will gain insight and tips to stomp on the accelerator and blast off to transform your business and your life. I’m your host, Patty Dobrowolski. And if this is your first time tuning in, then strap in because this is serious rocket fuel. Each week, I interview fellow creative geniuses to help you learn how easy it is to up your creative genius in any part of your life. Hey, everybody, welcome to up your creative genius, the podcast. Guess what? We’re doing this live today. It’s so incredible to be with you. I want to tell you first about her before she starts talking. But Hello.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 00:52
Hello, Patti.
Patti Dobrowolski 00:54
Oh, my gosh. So this is Leanne Taylor Knight. She’s the Executive Director and COO of the DeBruce Foundation in Kansas City. Now DeBruce Foundation is doing some amazing things. Oh, thanks, Patti. They are expanding economic pathways for people in this city and beyond, right in the whole state. And I want to just say that, before she started to do this, which is all about research and helping people discover their agilities and providing them with tools so they can get jobs in the city.
Right. And elsewhere. She was the assistant superintendent of schools in K-12. I love that here. And you were an educator forever, weren’t you and you advise and all kinds of national education forums and you sit on like a billion boards. I’m not going to list them here. But that’s who you are. In a nutshell. I’m so glad that you’re here. Thank you,
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 01:48
Oh, a teacher at heart. It is so fun to be here. And it’s so fun to have all of you with us. So thank you so much, Patti, for coming to Kansas City and us being actually able to film here.
Patti Dobrowolski 01:59
I know it’s fantastic now. So um, I know you as a kind, a generous, an amazing Rockstar that is changing your community. I mean, that’s what you’re dedicated to. And you’re fortunate enough to have a career in a path where you actually are that’s enabled. And so that was good job in manifesting that. I would just say, because yeah, you’re in the sweet spot of who you are. But it’s not all of who you are. So tell the audience a little bit about Leigh Anne Taylor Knight. Tell us did you grew up here and anything you want to tell about your past? And bring us up to the present?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 02:38
Yeah, thanks. So I was born and raised in a small town in mid Missouri and Fayette and I grew up to parents, dad was a veterinarian, and mom was busy doing every volunteer job there was. And I think that’s probably one of the first places I learned how to pivot was I had a mother who was whatever was the flavour of the day, my mom was in the middle of it, she was leaving it and she was doing it. And so I probably saw that along the way, I went to college and thought I was actually going to be designing buildings like the one in which we sit.
So I have a degree in Environmental Design picked up a degree in education along the way. And I started teaching kids and they just caught my heart. And so to this day, I’m still a teacher at heart. So even the work that I do now at the foundation is all about improving the quality of life for others in their near and far environments and actually developing them so that they have that capability of doing that themselves.
Right. And so I grew up on a farm, I grew up in a place where it was like, Hey, you got to figure out how to make this work in this situation. And so that was instrumental in my teaching and my education, leadership career. And I did do a little stent with universities, and did some research and those kinds of things, which helped bring me here to the diverse foundation.
Patti Dobrowolski 03:53
And she was just want to say that she was like a major cheerleader here. So if you ever need a cheer squad, Leanne Taylor night is it right here? I’m just saying she’s been mine below and I’ve been down,
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 04:05
But you’re like the pep club leader like we were our two peas in a pod. We were made to go together. We didn’t go to high school together, but we could have we should change. That’s rightm, changed right now.
Patti Dobrowolski 04:16
So you started off going into this architecture field, the design field? Yeah. How did you decide at that point, when you had that, and you had the education? What happened at that? And how did you reconcile that with yourself for what you’d invested already?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 04:34
Yeah. Well, I really kept thinking about like, well, you know, the job I really want to have is I want to be at this university and helping others get excited about what they are doing and then be a dean of students and a chancellor. And so I was kind of looking at that career ladder and realising, well, in order to do that, you actually have to be a teacher in the classroom too. So I was like, Okay, I’ll go get my doctorate in Environmental Design.
I truly was headed to Texas Tech. I was coming when out of Mizzou, and headed there to Texas Tech, and then there was this opportunity that came for me to go ahead and teach in Columbia Public Schools when I was getting there and getting the second degree in education. And I just took it up. And I started working with students who had been at our alternative school. And these were kids who had been basically nothing had worked for them. That’s right.
They were the kids who no middle school, no junior high, no high school, nothing had worked for them. And you know, probably many people thought that those are those kids, I just don’t want to have to deal with those. And I looked at those kids. And I was like, these are amazing kids. They have phenomenal talents. It’s just that nobody’s ever tapped into them. And I was on a staff of like teachers, and a principal who are like, it’s our job to meet them where they are. And so that has continued to just be a theme in my life is like, Okay, folks, it’s not about finding the best blueberries and bringing them into your pie. It’s like meeting that blueberry wherever it is, and, you know, putting the right ingredients in so that you can have the best pie, but it is literally about meeting every single person where they are. And I just have that in my heart. And I just have had so many opportunities to get to do that in my life.
Patti Dobrowolski 06:09
Wow. I love that. Because I think often in the Uber car coming here, today, I was I was talking to the guy who was from Kenya. And he was asking me, I was talking about my father who had been a, you know, concrete guy, right, a civil engineer, because he was studying to be a civil engineer. And so we were talking about how do you get on a career track to become something? And then what do you do when there are expectations of you to be one thing or another? Did you have any of that in your family to deal with that? You know, they had an expectation of what you would do or who you’d become?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 06:48
Yeah, well, I probably did grew up in a family that always said, not, are you going to college? But where are you going to college. So I did grow up in one of those families. However, you know, the mould broke after me, the first child going through because the second child took a different trajectory, and went through the military, and the third child took seven years to get through college.
So really, we all were like, well, we’re not really doing what we’re supposed to be, you know, so there might have been some of that. But definitely, I certainly felt along the way that there was an expectation, I’ve always believed this. I mean, this is at the heart of my faith, which is to those who much is given much as expected. And so I am grateful to God for the gifts and the people with who he has surrounded me with in my lifetime. And so the things though, that goes with that is never miss an opportunity. So if somebody said, Well, I don’t know, would you like to try this? And that’s what happened to me along the way is somebody said, Oh, we have this job in Kansas City, we would love to have you come and think about this job in Kansas City. Well, I’m not really thinking about going to Kansas City, I’m gonna move to North Carolina. Well, no, it’s a great opportunity.
And so I’ve had people along the way who have said, will never miss the opportunity to at least have the conversation. And that’s how I have pivoted into different places is because I’m not afraid to go have the conversation. If somebody says this could be a unique opportunity for you. And I would really encourage those of you who are listening and watching to like, basically have your ears open.
Patti Dobrowolski 08:24
That’s right.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 08:25
Listen for those opportunities.
Patti Dobrowolski 08:27
Yes, yeah. Really, honestly, it’s the mystery. And the joy of life is that if you’re like a detective out there, following the clues, but you have to be aware of the clues that you’re looking for, right, you have to understand what it is that you’re capable of which you did, right. You knew, Okay, I’ve got this educational piece together, I’ve got this other things. And I’m going to go and do something and change the world. You had a good role model for that, too. But one of the things I wondered is, how did you get to the DeBruce Foundation? Like how did you end up in that because I met you right after you started there. That’s when we met. And I had no idea. I thought you’d been there for years. That’s how you were in the room. So how did you pivot into that?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 09:13
Well, you know, this is one of those again, I was running a research consortium covering a by state area, and somebody said to me, they’re like. Hey, have you seen that the DeBruce Foundation needs some researchers in Education and Economics. And I was like, Ah, I have a whole group of researchers in Education and Economics, but I was like, Who is the DeBruce foundations? Oh, like, who are they? Very, very small footprint couldn’t really find anything but I found a phone number and I was like, Ring Ring ring. Hello. And I get you know, press number one. If you want to speak with this person, press number two. If you want to speak with this person, press number three.
If you want to speak with Mr. Bruce. I was like, Oh, Mr. Bruce, his name is on the foundation. Three done, and the next thing I knew I was speaking with with him.
And so that would be my, I always asked the question like, what’s the worst thing that could happen? They don’t answer the phone, they say they won’t speak with you. They say they won’t meet with you, you have an idea to present. They say they don’t like the idea. What is the worst case scenario? And they go, Well, can I live through that? Absolutely.
So you know, I look there, nobody answers the phone, or nobody picks it up. And so literally, that’s how I came to find out about what they were doing. And then it really was key to think about, okay, what are they doing? Hey, there are some strengths and some talents and some experiences that I have that can be value add to that. And then really, it was about Mr. DeBruce and other seeing that, yeah, maybe you’re a good fit. Yeah, just being in the right place at the right time. But definitely.
Patti Dobrowolski 10:47
Well, wait, wait, let’s just roll back, because you picked up the phone, and you made the call, and you press three. And that I think, you know, I think that we are often so afraid to really go out there on the limb and take that risk. But that’s what makes the difference. That’s the call that’s going to the audition, or going and calling the editor or getting on the phone with somebody who you think is going to take over your social media and getting a one on one conversation with them.
Anytime you want to change something, you got to put yourself out there. And you’re like such a great role model for that. Because you put yourself out there all the time. I mean, you’re well put together, no doubt, but you do like walk a fine line of getting people to be real and talk about real things.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 11:32
Yeah, and you also have to celebrate the failures. One of the things we say around here is we’re going to make mistakes, but we need to learn from them. And so kind of if you take that motto with your life. And of course, what we have tried to do here at the Foundation is we also want to help you understand what it is that you do well and what you like to do. I mean, that’s where we started working with you, Patti is around the agilities and your piece about drawing your future.
And for us the intersection of love you know what you like to do? And what you do? Well, we can draw amazing futures together. And I think I would absolutely encourage any of you who have not yet you have to go draw your future with Patti, you know, you have to get online and try that and do that. And be willing to think about what are those steps that I’m going to take today to get to that future that I want to have, and then know that like that future vision out there, it’s just going to continue to change. And as you change and grow, right?
That’s only if the vision stays the same. Actually, I could kind of worry about that. Because that means that maybe you’re kind of standing still in the same place. And that’s not.
Patti Dobrowolski 12:42
Have you ever had that experience yourself felt like you were stuck, and that you were like, I got to get out of this whatever this is.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 12:49
Daily. I mean, you know, it is it’s like healing. Sometimes you’re just like, I’m running into a brick wall issue, you know, so there are those and you have to like, oh, wait, you know, do the infinity sign, make my left brain connect to my right brain and get myself into another point? You’ve taught me a lot?
Patti Dobrowolski 13:11
Well, tell me though, do you get into sticky conversations with people in your city and county and community around change, their willingness to change or not change? I mean, really, we’re in the centre, we’re in the heart of the country here. So I’m curious, you have this mission to expand economic pathways for everybody. But I don’t know that everybody’s on board with that?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 13:36
Well, because change is scary, right? Patti, it’s really scary. And it messes with power structures. Anytime you think about change, then you think about status quo, and you think about certain things changing and some people losing power and other people gaining power. And, you know, that’s where in the space of how much can you think about being in a life of abundance, and not scarcity?
And how can you kind of thought back that scarcity mindset and think about I mean, early on, in college, sometime, someone said to me, you don’t have to step on someone else to get ahead. Yep. And there’s enough out there for everyone. And I can remember being in college, hearing another female leader talk about that. And I thought, You know what, she is exactly right. I don’t have to step on somebody else to get there. And there’s enough out there for everyone. So my job is, is to just help get that word out.
Patti Dobrowolski 14:31
That these days of that state of consciousness, because I don’t think everybody sees it that way. I think people still are holding on to their little parcel and their things and their old ways of thinking. And I see like this huge divide. And what I love about what you’re doing is that you’re trying to bridge that gap. You’re trying to bridge it in education, you’re trying to bridge it in opportunity. You’re trying to bridge it in really what I see as consciousness really the consciousness of a community like it has a consciousness Kansas City? Yeah. And so part of unwrapping that, I think, what’s challenging about that for you what has been challenging? So, you laugh? Like, I’m gonna ask him or I’m gonna ask you a question about challenge. I have a challenging question.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 15:19
I will tell you, I mean, what is challenging is just, basically, there is gravity, I think, for people again, to stay in the space of comfort. So I have to always think about, like, what spins me out of that, what will take me out of that. And youth are very important in my life, anybody who knows me, I spent a lifetime thinking about how to help them even contribute back to what it’s going to be.
And so they are always good about helping you spin out of that gravity helping you think about how do you launch and think in new ways in different ways. But the same applies to other groups to most people recognise that if someone will just sit and listen to them, just like you’re doing now, or just like people are listening now to us. There’s never been a person who will not sit down and tell me their story, or sit down and tell me what their concern is, was something Yeah, yeah. If I will be disciplined enough to listen. Yeah. And so.
Patti Dobrowolski 16:21
I’ll and listen, without having an opinion about what they’re saying or making judgement about it. I think this is the time that we live in, where we have to really suspend judgement. And I think, as we learn and grow more into understanding what trauma that we inflict, unbeknownst to ourselves in small and large ways that we understand what we’ve been through and how that impacts how we engage with other people.
And how can we, I guess, you know, I came from a family like yours, where my mother was, like, on everything, she built a pathway for other people. So if we can continue to focus on that, that’s incredible. And it’s important, who do you surround yourself with in your community, and your life that are in that inner circle that can really be your own pep squad? Yeah, who do you have?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 17:15
So diversity of that network is extremely important? Yes. And so there are people from family, there are people from neighbourhoods, there are people from church, there are people here at work, there are people who have come from similar walks of life as I have, there are people who have come from very different walks of life as I have, than I have. And so I do tend to be a person who has a multitude of networks. It’s not just one network. For me, it is a multitude of networks. And then I have heeded the advice over time with people saying to have a personal board of directors.
And those are the people who you can go to who will be completely honest with you about what you’re feeling and what you’re thinking and what you’re projecting and will really, you know, the existentialist you know, just hold up the mirror and say, just take a look right now, at what you just said to me, and then reflect that back. But I think the key for me has been to not just have a network, but to have a multitude of networks and for people to be from diverse backgrounds and diverse experiences.
Patti Dobrowolski 18:22
because then it expands your capacity to understand I think, right, then you feel like, I think my experiences that I feel like then it’s one story where it’s everybody’s individual story, but we’re in the bigger picture of the story of life. Right, right. And so, you know, how do you manage all the stuff that you do? Like you’re here, right at DeBruce, and you sit in on all these other meetings with these small startups here, too. So say a little bit about that. And were there any challenges in you starting to do that as a leader?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 18:58
Yes, this has been first of all, before being here. I’ve never worked in a foundation. I’ve never worked in philanthropy before. So that’s been an interesting journey, because I had to learn about philanthropy is like, I’ve never been in that space. And then our philanthropy is actually funded by way of a host of companies that the generosity of such as that those profits, so that that’s a profit driven kind of a world and so learning about different companies, the different industries have different sectors in which they are and just learning about how to have that mindset about things has been a very interesting journey for me, and I certainly it’s been about asking questions, right?
So it’s like, I don’t know. So I do a lot of things. I read a lot of things Read, read, read, read, ask a lot of questions. I mean, one day I got sent home with like five books about pricing so that I could you know, crash course in economics, I’m like, I don’t know if we were entering a market we’re gonna price something good. So you know, it was like it was lots of chocolate lots of colour. pencils, and lots of tabs and everything that I use that weekend to crash course on, you know, pricing, just because but for me, that’s exciting.
And the more I learn about something like that, the better I can, you know, help and mentor other people who are having to think about that share resources with them because I resource aware, and also do associative thinking and bring that back into, like, Oh, this is where this fits in might help with this board that I’m serving on this organisation, oh, this is where this fits in might help with our foundation, or oh, this is where it fits, it might help our church do something or my neighbourhood.
Patti Dobrowolski 20:37
Yeah, I love that. I love that. And when you do that, when you bring it back to all those different things, when you sit back, like what do you see as the vision for you for your future? What’s in that picture? Like, what do you want? You’ve already had this amazing legacy of things you’ve done, but what do you still want to do that you feel like if I just do that, that thing is going to really make a difference?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 21:03
Gosh, Patti. That’s the most challenging question you asked me all day, she knows that I have ideation and my top five. And so I can come on line 54, we’ll try.
Patti Dobrowolski 21:15
To come up with one, maybe three would be okay.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 21:17
I would like to do all kinds of things. But you know, you mean that cooking show that we’re all I was gonna say, you know that I do want to be a culinary artist. who, you know, watch for that to happen.
Patti Dobrowolski 21:31
I know that’s gonna happen.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 21:32
Somewhere in that channel, that is absolutely going to happen that is going to be on there. And absolutely, I think the other thing is, is even where I sit today, we as a foundation have a lot of ways to go. And so looking for the right strategic partners and the kinds of things that are going to happen, so that we can expand pathways to economic growth and opportunity. And then you know, the third thing is, is I’m always on the lookout because I am a person who like see what all the other opportunities are, you know, that are going to be out there. I think this current position feeds my soul in that way. Because we do have lots of different opportunities that we can do by way of the foundation by way of the business route.
Patti Dobrowolski 22:11
Oh, and I love it. And you get to put your research mind to work every single day, like you’re always looking at the numbers like what I love about her is that she wanted to have, like so many other they have what was the number that you wanted to take the agilities profiler? How many was it that you want to hit?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 22:27
Yeah, I wanted to get 10,000 plus one this year, and we actually are going to knock down the door at 40,000. So I’m so excited. We’ve had a great, great, great big booth.
Patti Dobrowolski 22:38
Yeah, it’s so great. I love it. So I think that part of it, right? So you’re always like reaching, and you’re always trying to explore, like, what is the new thing? What’s the next thing to step into? And I think that is part of this mindset that you were talking about earlier, where you’re watching for the signs for what’s going to happen next, and how it all fits in the picture. Now you have a big job, like you’re hard to get.
I mean, I was so grateful that you would spend this time I was so happy to be here and do it in person. But what’s your day look like? What does it look like your day from when you get up? Until you know when you go to sleep? I want to know what are your rituals? What do you do every day so that people who are really want to get some routine in place? Yeah, don’t yours.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 23:25
Yeah, for me, it starts with prayer and reading my Bible, because that’s super, super important to me. And it just a homing device and a connecting space for me to do that each day. And then exercise I always have a better day if I get some exercise in early and if I don’t get it in early, I have to try to get it back in you know later in the evening.
And then it’s off I probably like a lot of people you know, you got to download figure out some emails that maybe you missed because people work 24/7 So you missed some things even if you went to bed the night before, and then it’s in the office and then every day is different, like so some days we will have internal meetings you know, this is also living in this timeframe of some things are remote and some things are hybrid and some things are in person and so you know just trying to get back into the next normal that we have right now.
So it can be meetings here in the city sometimes it’s you know, meetings in other parts of the United States because we’re working in places outside of Missouri and Kansas right now in Kansas City. So it can be out in those places. You know, on great days I like to get some again always trying to get some type of time outside so a lot of times that happens after my work day the dog and I do have dog so dog Max goes out I know you have dogs too. We love dogs. So out in the morning out again and that time is a lot of time self reflection time you Patti Yeah, yeah.
Patti Dobrowolski 24:48
Do you do anything like set goals for what you want to accomplish that day or how you’re going to be in that day? Is that part of your morning ritual or your evening ritual where you reflect on it? How does that work?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 24:59
Yeah, well, I do use a lovenger, I do literally have the tasks that I want to try to accomplish that day and the things that, you know, move to the next days. And I also am a person who I will like, think about ideas, like sometimes you just wake up or you’re in the middle of a meeting, you get an idea about something else. I try to draw those Patti, because I think that they’re more apt to come true, because Patty’s taught me this.
And they’re more of just come true if I don’t just write the word about it, but I do a little drawing about it. And so then, you know, at the end of the week, a lot of times I will syphon back through, Hey, what are the things that I did get done each day? What are the things across the weekend that I have to go back and fill in. And also, I just give myself permission, sometimes you just put a big X through it like, Okay, that didn’t get done, it’s not going to get done, it’s going to go to the lower priority list, because other things become more of a priority.
Patti Dobrowolski 25:50
Yeah.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 25:50
And so I do try to give myself permission to be okay, with like a part of the checklist not getting accomplished moving to a different day, or just getting completely taken off. And that helps keep me sane, maybe makes it easier for other people to work with me.
Patti Dobrowolski 26:04
I was gonna say too, the thing that I know about you that you didn’t mention is that you make sure to take time off, like you go away. I do you and that you really rest and recuperate with your family. Yes. Yeah. And that’s important.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 26:19
Yes, that can look like hiking and trail biking, and.
Patti Dobrowolski 26:23
Whatever your husband has his new task, that new thing he’s into? Yes, yes. Kind of the idea of own kind of it.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 26:30
Yes, yes, Patti. And I have partners in life, who are obviously taking us on new and different adventures all the time. And part of that, too, is just like, just say, yes, just learn something new.
Patti Dobrowolski 26:41
My thing is because I used to always say No, first, I would say no, no, I don’t want to do that. No. And then I had to train myself. You’re like a puppy and you’re a puppy in the car, and you’re going to do this, it’s going to happen, you can make it happen, you can go and then I would always have a fantastic time because it would take me out of my comfort zone. Yeah. Well, I love spending this time with you now tell me and tell our listeners to what tips do you have for them about how they can pivot? Or what to do when they’re up against a challenge to get through it and to step into more of themselves or their authentic self or their future? What would you share?
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 27:19
Well, I would say make plans. Just be willing for those plans to actually change, you know, so but I think you should make plans and work hard and be honest, we say here at the DeBruce Foundation, hashtag truth works. So make plans, work hard, be honest, leave the results to the Lord. That’s what I tend to do.
But that make plans and work hard. And be honest, staying in that cycle and being willing for those plans to continue to change. So my plans today could possibly be different plans tomorrow. And I think that you also have to be brave, right? Be brave, believe in yourself, find people who believe in you.
I bet that I really cannot take credit for where I am today, I really have to give that credit back to the people who have believed in me. And I will also you know, and if you have people who don’t believe in you, if you are with people who are you know, sometimes people talk about a toxic culture or place that I like, Get out. Get out.
There are people out there who love you and who want to be supportive of you, and will help you and help you. Yeah, and I think that’s the other thing is, don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and ask somebody for help. I mean, so many people, other people who you’ve interviewed Patti have talked about,
we think that people are not accessible. And the reality is, many, many people are much more accessible than you think they are. But you do have to take the initiative. And so be confident and do that.
Patti Dobrowolski 28:46
Yes, I love that. And I think I tell people that all the time, because I remember reading a really fantastic book. And I thought I wonder if that woman has an AOL account. And I just wrote her an email. And sure enough, she wrote me right back. And that showed me that I could do that with anyone. You know, somebody called me yesterday from Kuwait, in a car. It was the middle of the night, he was driving to his job.
And he wanted to know, how could he showed people how to draw their future. And I was like, oh, man, like, here’s the code for my class, I want you to come and do that. And then, like, let me help you to do that. Because I think this is the thing. If you’re brave enough to reach out to somebody, they will respond, they will respond. And that’s how we met. And I just love that, that somebody connected us. And I drew for DeBruce Foundation, and then the rest is history. I mean, I can’t think of a better collaboration than the one that I have with you and the DeBruce Foundation and everybody that works here. I love them so.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 29:47
Well. For you to and we’re so grateful for the audience. He’s here with us. Yeah, yes. Thank you so much, because you’re investing in yourself with fantastic Exactly.
Patti Dobrowolski 29:57
So thank you again for all your time. And you know, if you liked this, of course, share it with your friends because that’s the way we get the word out about what’s happening in Kansas City because things are going down there. They’re coming up from the base, and we’re going to change right here in this city. So thank you so much, Leigh Anne. You’re awesome and amazing.
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 30:18
Thank you, Patti.
Patti Dobrowolski 30:23
Thanks so much for listening today. Be sure to DM me on Instagram your feedback or takeaways from today’s episode on Up Your Creative Genius. Then join me next week for more rocket fuel. Remember, you are the superstar of your universe and the world needs what you have to bring. So get busy. Get out and up your creative genius. And no matter where you are in the universe, here’s some big love from yours truly, Patti Dobrowolski and the Up Your Creative Genius podcast. That’s a wrap.
