Bring Out Your Best! How to Align Your Passion with Purpose - Amy McLaren

9:39PM Sep 21, 2021

Speakers:

Julie Confer

Becky Endicott

Jonathan McCoy

Amy McLaren

Keywords:

people

passionate

nonprofit

amy

community

travel

story

passion

giving

create

business

book

journey

led

big

building

mclaren

purpose

self doubt

integrated

Hey, I'm john.

And I'm Becky.

And this is the we are for good podcast.

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So let's get started. Hey, Becky, welcome

everybody. We've got a female CEO legend in the house today,

we do have a little legend here in the house. I'm so excited for this conversation. So Amy McLaren is joining us today. And she's somebody that I've kind of followed for a while. Her family especially she and Stu McLaren, you may recognize his name just are such leaders in the entrepreneurial space. They just show up with an incredible servant heart. They love the world. They're taking their family along this journey to to grow empathy and compassion. They've started their own nonprofit village impact that we're going to talk about today, a little bit of the story. And Amy just puts her flag in the ground. I've really challenging people to live like real life and experience real experiences and get involved in turn your passion into purpose. And that's a that's a thread of her life. And it's a thread that has led to a book that she just recently launched. And so we're going to talk with her about that today. But we she's got all the tips, all the hacks, and just the incredible story behind her too. So I am so happy to have Amy on the podcast today. Welcome.

Awesome. Thank you so much for having me. I'm super excited to chat. Well, it

is such an honor, would you kind of give us a little bit of your story. I'd love to hear you know, what has brought you to the place today where you have a nonprofit you serve entrepreneurs, you really are so called I know to serve women specifically. And so would you kind of talk a little bit about your journey and kind of what got you here?

Yeah, so um, if I were to rewind the clock and go back a little ways to when I was little, I really do a credit a lot of who I am today from when growing up as a kid. I grew up in a family in the UK, I moved when I was 10. I know I don't sound like I'm from

a UK accent. Now I know not

only 41 I wish I had my accent, but I don't. But I grew up in the UK and my family was really big on traveling, which is obviously remained a common thread throughout my life, but also giving back I mean, I remember as a kid going to soup kitchens with my mom, we would have strangers over at Christmas time or at special occasions just because you know, these people had nowhere to go. And my mom wanted them to have someone to spend that special time with. So we're constantly as a family, even when I would little doing all of these giving back activities. And that thread of like giving back and travel extended into my teenagers. I mean, I flew by myself back to the UK when I was 11. And planes almost seemed like a second home for me as funny as that. But like my mom did, they put me on the plane and like I flew by myself and landed and they in London and my family picked me up. And I did that a few times. And then like that whole travel piece, kind of like I said, threaded throughout my teenage years into University and University, I kind of went more on the volunteer side of things. So I started to volunteer a lot internationally, I lived in refugee camps for a little bit. I lived with a Thai family, which I absolutely loved and kind of just being with other families and immersed in other cultures, I just it lights me up. And I learned so much not only from them, but about myself. And learn how we can work together with other communities and other cultures. And I just love that. So every summer that I had, I was traveling, teaching English, living with other cultural different families. I was in Taiwan, at one point Indonesia, like I traveled extensively through my university career. And then that kind of led me to do my masters in teaching. But of course, being me I'm like, I don't want to do it in Ontario, like let's go to Australia and like I ended up in Australia, but at the same time like working three jobs getting through as much as I can saving as much money as for travel. And I credit my my parents to that too. And that I've always I've had to always work three or four jobs to get to where I want to be and that kind of how I did Australia, like working nights at a convenience store. or saving money for traveling like and working in a bikini store, like all those things kind of led but I constantly follow what I was passionate about. And that traveling and giving back and you know, then that led to my husband and I getting married. But the funny thing is we've been married for almost 15 years, but this seven years. We dated for seven years before we got married. And out of that seven years. I was only in the country maybe a few of those years because I was constantly traveling. But I write about this in my book of how you know he was so supportive and never said Amy don't go because he knew how much I was passionate about it. And I do think when you're in a relationship, honoring each other's passions and giving space for that creates a healthy relationship. And so I we often joke that I'm like, if you had said, No, don't go, don't leave me, I would have been like, we'll see you later because

you knew what was

right. But he was always supportive was always there when I got back with a big sign and flowers and like, you know, as he was building his business, and kind of that snowballed obviously into getting married, I was teaching for 10 years, I write about this in my book, too. I had to struggle with this identity crisis, because I went into teaching, but it wasn't filling me up. I liked it, but I didn't love it. And then I move on to you know, creating our nonprofit that all kind of started by watching Oprah's big give and wanting to do more, and having an impact that led to really the start of village impact.

Okay, you said it's inspired by Oprah, I need to double click on this, Oprah's on our dream, roll

out all of the questions we had, let's double click right here. Yeah. Oh, right.

I mean, who doesn't want to be Oprah? Right? Like, she's done so many phenomenal things for so many people. And it was, you know, it's what it was a night in December. It was like a, you know, a crazy Friday night, and we were watching Oprah's big gig, and it was that show, right? Where she goes into community, she helps other people. And I said to sue, I'm like, that's what I want to do. Like, I want to do what Oprah is doing. But I want to go back to my roots of like overseas and international travel, because that's always what I've been passionate about. It's always what lights me up. And that's what's different for everybody, right? Like, some people will say, well, that's not my thing. And that's okay, like, but for me, and what truly lights me up is being in a completely different country and a completely different language and a completely different culture, and just learning about people and learning about myself. So I said, I want to do that. But I want to do it at Christmas. And at this point, it was like two weeks before Christmas holidays. And Sue's like, Amy, you do know, like Christmas is in two weeks. And I'm like, Yeah, but I only got time off being a teacher at that point. I only had Christmas off, I couldn't go any other time of the year. And I'm not one to wait around and be like, well, let's table the idea until next year or to the summer right. At that point, we asked seven entrepreneurs to share their wisdom for the upcoming year. It's like a telephone razor that times like a webinar. And those seven people shared their wisdom people paid to hear from them. And then we raised about 14,000. And we took that money down to El Salvador, we helped with a community, we helped in an orphanage. We do all kinds of little things. And then on that plane ride home was like, okay, it's like I get it now. Because there's so much value. And you can write a check every day. But to be immersed in in that moment, and just helping people and learning about them. And learning how we could work together is so important. So we flew back from there, basically said at that point, let's do another fundraiser The following year, it was messy at the start. We were running it for our business. We didn't know how to start a charity. I was googling like charity lawyers, like how do I do this? Right. And it's like, and that's where it really started. And like that moment on the couch now has led to working in Kenya, in partnership with the government and other communities there. And we're building our 15 school that has, you know, in each school has anywhere from 300 to 760 kids that attended and but that's how it started. A messy start on a couch on a Friday night with some wine watching Oprah.

I wonder how many stories could begin like that. sitting on the couch watching Oprah is big give feeling inspired. Okay, Amy, you are an incredibly, just good human. And there's so many places that I want to go with this conversation, I want you to just talk about taking that passion and fusing an entire village impact and talk about these people in this culture and what you've been able to do.

Yeah, so I strongly believe like, you know, we can all use our passions to do more good in the world. And everybody's passionate, and everybody's contribution looks completely different. You know what I mean? There's no right or wrong way. There's no big or small, like, we can all have an impact. And it's part of the reason why I wrote the book is, you know, people think they have to start a charity or start a nonprofit or start a business to have an impact. And it's just not the case. Like we can have an impact starting today with what we love, and just infuse that giving back into what we're passionate about. So yeah, so following that thread of giving back and travel, like it led us over to Kenya, but at the beginning, I think it's important to note it was messy. And we you know, we started in Ghana, and we were helping all these different, we were helping in health, we were helping with food equipment, all these different ways. And I never felt like we're having an impact because we were putting band aids on everything. And then I felt like the connection wasn't very good and the money maybe wasn't going where it should and like we pulled out and then went back to the drawing board and focus back on education. And I think it's so important when you're When you're trying to integrate, like giving back into what you're passionate about is to stick to what brings you the joy to stick to the things that are true to you. And we kind of varied for a little bit. But it was always education. Like, as much as I am not a teacher anymore, I really believe that giving somebody the gift of education is a gift that nobody can take away. It's a gift that has ripple effects beyond the students beyond the community beyond the families. So for us as a nonprofit, it was like we went back and then like, what's your education has always been something we're passionate about, and like, so then we started with building the schools, but you don't get focus or you don't get clarity and still your heart, start taking some action toward whatever it is that you're doing, right. Like the act you've probably heard before action is clarity. And, and that's it, we got off the couch. You can keep things more alive, when you're passionate about it. It's like you said earlier, and I share my book, when you're passionate about it, it lights up, and it brings out the very best of who we are. And if I'm not passionate about what I'm doing, it's not going to go very far. Right? It'll last like a week, it'll last a month, maybe a year. But if you're truly not passionate about what you're doing, and enjoying that, and using that, then it's not it's not going to last the test of time.

It's this moment in time, too. I mean, all the data is starting to flow into that people are leaving their careers. And we we know from just so many conversations this past year, people are looking for purpose. They're looking not to just commute for an hour to go stare at a screen, they want meaning. And I think you said something. And I've heard you say this on other interviews too, that when you step into that purpose like that is your you become your best self. You

totally do. And it's and that's where I think people get lost in trying to find purpose. But your purpose is your passion. Like if you follow your passion, it will lead to your purpose. And everyone's sense of, you know, passion is uniquely their own or purpose is uniquely their own. But I do believe it's, it's connected to our passion. And the more that we focus on what we're passionate about, and focus in that area. That becomes our purpose. Like when I look at my life and like the sense of travel and giving back, I followed that and tried to you know, gone off path a few times, I think with the teaching and stuff, but I've always come back to giving back and travel and creating experiences. And the business that I run now they're all connected to that. Do you know what I mean? They're all interconnected into that. And I, I think people can find purpose. But first, you have to start a following what lights you up and what you're passionate about, then that leads it's the vehicle that leads to your purpose.

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And it's about like some some self reflection. And I love that you can lift it up. So I mean, you have so many tenants, to what you're passionate about you but you can drill down to them. It's education, it's travel, it's service to others, and it's giving back. And it's like, what are the things that you're incredibly passionate about that you can feel? So we want to transition into your book, because I think that this could help people not only to find that passion, but set it kind of on fire. So love Your love the title of your book, its passion, to purpose, a seven step journey to shed self doubt, find inspiration, and change your life in the world. I mean, some people might find that as dreamy optimism, but I'm just telling you, that is like totally what we believe as well. So talk a little bit about how to help what the secret is to get out of your comfort zone. How do people eliminate self doubt? And then how do they just take action to chase what they're really passionate about?

Yeah, you know, it's it's funny, because it's like this journey of creating my nonprofit and creating the other business that I have. Didn't, as we know, didn't just start last year, like this has been a 10 year journey, like it's been well, maybe 12 years. Do you know what I mean? I've got lots of winding roads and learning about myself, learning how to overcome self doubt Get out of my head and like, keep moving forward. Because I mean, it's, it's been an amazing journey. But there have been challenges along the way to get to where it is. And there's a few things that I've done that I talk about in the book, but a few of them that I think would be helpful for people. The first one being, you know, monitor the internal talk that we say to ourselves, because we've got to Watch, we don't go down rabbit holes, and then get, you know, start telling all these stories and like, it's better to rephrase what you're telling in your head and ask yourself, How can I make it happen? like changing that mindset, like when we started our nonprofit? It wasn't like, Oh, I can't do that. It's like, well, how can I raise money? or How can I do it at Christmas? Like, how can I make this happen? So instead of letting your mind go to I can do that? Oh, I don't know, I don't have it or focusing what you don't have. It's like, focus on how can you make it happen? Who can I talk to, to, to help with that? So that's when we started as like, while we were focusing on what we know, we knew the online space fairly well at that time. So we focused on that. And we found seven entrepreneurs that were our friends to share, because that was what was available to us and how we can create it right. And the crazy thing is those seven people that came on, that jumped on that call, we just did the same call this course or this Christmas, 10 years later, and there's still some of our biggest donors to our nonprofit, right. So it's just asking yourself how the other Second thing I would just share quickly is, you know, making sure you're not living someone else's story. Because this has popped up a few times in my life. And it popped up for me first, when I had my daughter, like, before I had my daughter, I was so paranoid, of losing myself of losing this adventurous Amy that, you know, goes to Bangkok and rides around on motorcycles, not knowing where I'm going. All these things, right. Like, that was who I was, like, people knew me for my adventurous spirit. And I was paranoid and like putting off having kids, and I knew I wanted to have children. But I, but sometimes I wondered if I did, and I was I realized that, you know, I was letting everybody else get into my head. Because when I was pregnant, I had so many people tell me that, you know, you won't be able to do the things that you love to do anymore, you'll have to put yourself last like, and you know, you won't be able to travel overseas anymore, you won't be able to do this. And I was letting everyone else's kind of version of what society is placed on them or like their stories come into my head. And then when I had my daughter, I kind of was like, Well, you know, it's my journey, I can make it my own journey. It does not have to be all these other voices or what everyone else is saying. I can do it myself. And this is my journey as a mom as a, you know, a CEO, as an owner of a company. That's who I am. But I was letting those voices of other people kind of almost guide my feelings or guide, whatever my journey was be. And the same thing popped up again, for a friend of mine. Alyssa, she was my trainer for a number of years. And we were training working out and I said, Oh, like you should come with me. This was like three years ago, four years ago. Like you should come with me on this motorcycle trip. I'm doing like, I'm gonna drive across Morocco on a 50 cc motorcycle. Like, we will have hotels planned, but we just have to find places to stay. It's crazy, right? Like I sometimes I wonder what my parents I, you know, I really wanted her to come and I could see like, in her eyes that she wanted to and she's like, Yeah, I don't know, I got to talk to my dad. And and then she she spoke her dad and her dad said no, I don't want you to go. It's too dangerous, which is fair. I mean, it wasn't, you know, it's fair, it was somewhat dangerous. But she really wanted to go and I kind of we talked about it after when I got back because she said, I really wish I came. And the reason she didn't was because her dad said no. But it was also her dad, like has only and not only like he'd like to go to Florida like that was his comfort zone like travel internationally wasn't a big comfort of his right. So he's like, has his stuff and his stories. And now he's telling Alyssa and all these stories. And she's kind of living by what he's saying. But ignoring that joy or what lights her up to do and then if that's not living what she wants to do. So I think sometimes it's so important to make sure we're acknowledging what brings us joy and not pushing it aside and making sure that it's not somebody else's words and thoughts and stories coming into our life and changing our direction about me want to do

your story a few minutes ago, when you said y'all were starting to organize your thoughts. So this was like 12 years ago, y'all. This is before everybody was on zoom, which I think is hilarious, because you had you gathered everybody online. You started with a grassroots, who do you know, that can help you build this movement? You knew what you wanted to do? You started to share that vision. We talked a lot about how clear vision creates magnetism, you know, and I think y'all clearly did that. But I think the people you brought in at the beginning, you said some of them are still with you. Maybe some of them didn't have the full passion that y'all have. But they were probably supportive at some level in the beginning. What has that been like as you've built a grassroots movement of supporters, you know, cutting through the people that believe from the beginning and those that you've brought along as believers Can you kind of talk about that kind of movement building You've done? Yeah. So

we did that first webinar, which at that time was in a webinar, right. Like he said it was, I think, as a teleseminar. So

how this seminar, right, like it was just

audio? Yeah, it's been it's been an incredible journey, because not only have those seven people that were part of that very first one. They've kind of jumped on board. So what's been amazing to watch is, they've come to Kenya with us, like one being Russell Brunson, like we've known him forever. And now he's like, has a huge company and Click Funnels, right. And he's been with us to Kenya, like four times, like, and he's bringing his family with us when we go in March. And it's just fascinating and fun to watch it grow. And, you know, you start off with an idea. And they came on board, you're right, kind of knowing what we're doing, but not really sure, but being supportive friends as people do. But now what's been fascinating, not only has his relationship with the communities grown for Russell, for example, he's also integrated into his business. So every funnel that is created $1 goes to our nonprofit. And so we've, with our other businesses that Stu and his team run, that it's the same thing we've integrated at the very beginning, giving back and I think that's what's so beautiful. And what's so important to note is that, you know, you don't have to have, like I said, this big company, there's importance in integrating giving back right from the start of your business. So to watch like that relationship grow, where you know, he's donating a little bit to now, donating hundreds of 1000s of dollars to us has come over seven or 10 years of like, just the relationship that we've had together, but then his business. So it's been special to see that how they've implemented it all into their business and giving back. But it's been super special seeing him and his kids grow up, but then also coming to Kenya with us. And it's the same with some of our other donors said, on that we're all part of that first one, they've all kind of continued to take part and help and integrated some of it into their business. And that's been my biggest takeaway is just, it's crazy when you think of one idea, and then that thought of giving back and integrating it into your business and the littlest ways, could blossom to something huge, like 710 years later.

Okay, there, there are so many things I want to say about this. But I'm going to give you a super big compliment Amy on a couple things, because they tie back to so many things that we have talked about on this podcast, but also, the theme of season three was about dreaming. And what we have here, and what you've just eliminated is if you can cast a vision that somebody can latch on to if you can listen to your nudge Hannah brancher talks about listening to your nudges, if you did it. This to me is the example john of what we were saying can happen when you do that Amy built a mission and a movement and it's got legacy. And it's not necessarily about Amy, which is so beautiful about your story. I don't feel like you're a common thread of this. It's about uplifting and empowering. And the CSR component of Russell's story is so fascinating that if you can awaken that passion, even in someone in for profit, they can find such creative ways to pour into it not just with their philanthropy, but with their workforce, with the way their employees can get back the way that the company can give back. I'm just geeking out on all of it. And I just think that your story is so inspirational and aspirational.

Thank you. No, it's it's, that has been the thing. It's like you said it's connecting people to it. Because it is like is it's not about me, I just love connecting people to causes and creating an impact together. And when we talk about legacy, like, you know, legacy is such a big word, but it's not. And that, you know, legacy isn't about a one time thing. Like we are building our legacy every single day. Like the way I show up as a mom, the way I show up as a wife, the way I show up in our community is so important. And it's those little little pieces that lead to our legacy to create our impact. And I think oftentimes people just say they can't Oh, I can't because it's not i'm not big enough yet. I don't have a big nonprofit, right? But it's not like it's it's really and truly is all the little things that we do every day, that creates our legacy at the end of the day.

And the way that you were able to partner that with these businesses it gives a soul You know, to not that Click Funnels doesn't have a soul. You know, I think what they do to empower entrepreneurs alone is really impactful. But just that this deeper storyline of what we're doing, like why customers would want to create more funnels that creates more impact, like it's threading that together. And I just think finding those kind of business relationships. Everybody can do that. We all know business owners, having these dreamy conversations inviting them into the story so they can think creatively like a business owner have ways to tie it together. Man, this is just so beautiful.

It's a lot like the we're for good story like start very, very, very small. Start with your complete inner circle of people who know you, people who trust you, people Who believing you let that be the first stone that you cast. And from there, the ripple can be endless.

It totally isn't. It's like, the more you put that out there, the more people you're going to attract that know what you're doing. And when you become clear about your goals and your mission or or where you're going, it's easier for people to jump on board, you know what I mean? It's easy for people to understand what you're doing. So then they can jump on to because there's so many people out there that want to help and do more good, but sometimes they just don't know how, or they're not sure which way to go. And it's like, you can give them that opportunity to help by just sharing more about what you're doing.

Okay, Amy, y'all have got incredible stories. I know, from all of your decade plus of this work, is there a story that philanthropy really that has moved you that stuck with you kind of stands apart in your journey? Yeah,

you know, there's so many, but there's probably one that really kind of hit home for me. And it was the first time I saw our one of our schools. And because like I said, on the show, like, I'm a mom, I have an adopted little guy from South Africa, he's seven now. And I have a daughter who's 10. And when we first started our organization, I was very pregnant, like, I couldn't travel, I couldn't go there, I couldn't see anything. And you know, when you're working behind the computer all the time, I'm not getting a chance to go meet with a mama's and like, enjoy tea in their houses. And like, I was really, really missing that. And of course, then we open up for school, I couldn't go, then we opened our second school. And while Marla was only like a month old, so we're too young to really take her overseas, when we had like all the vaccine, like I know, too young to take her. So I missed it again. So when we open up our next school, I went and that was just so moving for me and so many ways, because I finally could see, you know, all the work that had been going on, on the computer, the relationships, the talk, like actually being there and seeing it. And then it was not only seeing, you know, the school itself, it was seeing the community and seeing, you know, the hundreds of kids that were scattered around and singing and dancing, and the mom singing and dancing and, and then what the school had become, so the school had not only become a school, but it become like this hub for the community, like a hub and a space for them to come. And that's what a lot of our schools have now become, because the communities will gather there, like they become this spot for them to go. And it represents like hope. And we have other organizations using, you know, some of our classrooms for different things. And it's just it's so much more than a school, and not only to the community, but to the kids and to myself and to sue and like some of our stuff like and that was just seeing, seeing what was created. And not from me, but from all of the people that were involved to create the school was my first one. And I mean, I was probably a bit more emotional because my daughter was still pretty young. I mean, you know, like, right, so but it was, but for me I can that was my first one after just not seeing being able to see anything for a couple of years and then getting to see it was super special.

And then the school becomes not just a school. And then the mission is not just a nonprofit, and the story just keeps going. So Amy, our last question that we ask all of our guests is, what is your one good thing? It could be a life hack, it could be a bit of advice. What's your one good thing?

My one good thing is, you know, just to honor what you love, like so many people don't honor it and push it aside and don't make it a priority. And then they wake up 15 years later, and they're like, how did I How did I get here? Because you didn't honor what you love. And you've got to do more of what you love and honor it to create your purpose. So one thing is just to not push it aside and put it on your calendar because it should be up there with your with your health, then working out and eating healthy. You're what you're passionate about should be up there with that as well.

I agree. I think my wife and I always talk about it's like so many people just are like sleeping at the wheel, you know, just like coasting and not chasing the things that are on their heart or their passions. And so I just love that call to action. Okay, Amy, will you tell us all how we can get your book and I want to point out your book, you've already dedicated the proceeds of that back to village impact, which is an incredible thing. So definitely, to get this book. Let's buy a

Let's buy a million books. Great.

Yeah, so um, all our proceeds from the book is going to our 15th school. So it'll help fund a school for girls that will have about 300 I think 350 50 something is the number they're estimating to have at that particular school. But yeah, all the proceeds will go You can find out more at passion to purpose book.com is where we have a lot of cool bonuses and different things there. If I will say if you did order in bulk. We have bookmarks made by our local Kenyan community that are shipping out with the books which I love because again, it goes into touch it like physical, something that you can touch and hold. It's made by some of the people in our community. And then I'm on Instagram more than Facebook, but I'm on Instagram at Amy Jo McLaren.

I just thank you so much for coming on the podcast and we wish you all the joy and luck in the world to you and your family.

I thank you so much for having me. It's

been really great. It's been an honor. Thanks.

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