10 - The Power of Seeing Potential In Others: A Journey from Ohio to the Ocean

In this episode of Purpose Built, Jamie Gorski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiegorski/ shares her journey from a small-town Irish girl to a successful entrepreneur and ocean swimmer. Discover how mentorship, resilience, and purpose have shaped her career and life. Main Topics: - Jamie's early life and the importance of supportive families in overcoming adversity - The transformative power of mentorship in unexpected places - The parallels between swimming and leadership—pushing limits and finding purpose - Navigating career pivots and the significance of self-advocacy - Reimagining industry practices to prioritize people and purpose - The evolving definition of success beyond titles and pay - The impact of purpose-driven businesses and customer-first philosophies - Lessons learned from personal trauma and the importance of relationships - The joy of continuing to work and create in later stages of life Timestamps: 00:35 - Introduction to Jamie Gorski and today's topic 01:10 - Jamie's early life and childhood dreams 01:45 - Growing up in Toledo, Ohio, and the importance of education funding 02:11 - The significance of scholarships and breaking barriers 02:33 - Personal reflections on hometown and aspirations 02:58 - Family support systems and their role in personal growth 03:56 - Navigating college as a first-generation student 04:24 - Family's values around making opportunities happen 05:08 - How mentorship came into Jamie’s life in college 05:40 - Jim Montrello's influence and encouragement in swimming 06:25 - How encouragement led Jamie to become a champion swimmer 07:13 - The profound impact of being seen and supported 08:21 - Connecting swimming principles to leadership and business 09:24 - The challenges and euphoric rewards of ocean swimming 10:19 - Adventures in Croatia and Greece, and lessons from open water swimming 11:21 - The mental toughness gained from ocean swims 11:49 - Applying water navigation principles to business strategies 12:28 - Transitioning into entrepreneurial endeavors and consulting 13:08 - Embracing continuous movement and learning 14:01 - The importance of adapting industry practices around people 14:49 - The industry’s need to re-focus on customer and employee experience 15:19 - Supporting industry professionals through upskilling and reskilling 16:00 - The mistake of layoffs without redeployment or support 16:57 - The importance of valuing talent during organizational change 17:24 - The cyclical nature of industry mistakes and improvements needed 18:11 - The opportunity to lead change with certification and training 19:17 - Customer-first approaches in construction and real estate 20:34 - The value of taking risks and creating new opportunities 21:07 - Insights from moving into new roles and the joys of hands-on work 22:30 - How personal success has evolved beyond titles 23:37 - Lessons from personal loss and family moments 24:46 - The importance of relationships and personal fulfillment 25:28 - Reflections on parenting and legacy 26:03 - Retirement? Not for Jamie, as she finds purpose in ongoing impact 27:23 - Balancing work, hobbies, and creative pursuits 28:37 - Leaving a legacy: Helping others succeed and find happiness 30:07 - Advice for young professionals: advocating for yourself 32:37 - Gratitude and closing remarks 🔔 Click subscribe to @MultifamilyMediaNetwork on YouTube and stay up to date on our growing lineup of multifamily industry leaders and must-hear conversations! 📰 Sign up at https://www.multifamilymedianetwork.com/ to receive our newsletter and explore our library of podcasts and blogs from today’s multifamily experts! #multifamily #entrepreneurship #multifamilyleadership #PurposeBuilt #purposedriven