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Interviews with purpose-driven leaders who are helping others and making a positive impact in the world.

INSPIRED IMPACT is an ongoing blog series that gives voice to purpose-driven brands and passionate business leaders and entrepreneurs who are making an impact in their communities and industries.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica Blackstock is the executive producer of Sum and Substance. Follow Jessica on Instagram and learn more about Sum and Substance at www.sumandsub.com and follow on social @sumandsub.

 

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Sum and Substance shares the stories of individuals who have found purpose through their work. I oversee all of the Sum and Substance live storytelling events, our digital community and partnerships. I also like to give my two cents and creative opinion on our digital content, although the creation and credit for those pieces largely belongs to Jay, our Creative Director.

 

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

I can get on my soapbox for hours and talk about how doing work you care about impacts your family, your friends, your community, your creativity etc. I can go off about how much apathy pisses me off, especially if you have choice about how you spend your time. Clearly, I believe that everyone should pursue work they love. We say this at every Sum and Substance event, you spend the majority of your waking adult life working so what you do with that time matters.

 

WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU MAKING?

We hope we are a stepping stone for people to take the next step or leap towards doing something that they truly love. We also want people to think about creating work environments that allow for others to do their best work.

 

WHAT (OR WHO) INSPIRES YOU TO MAKE THIS IMPACT?

People who get up every day and do good work.

 

WHAT IS (OR HAS BEEN) YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE?

Real talk: dollars. When you launch a new endeavor you are finding your audience, your footing, your space and so finding the right partners and revenue streams takes time. Well it is taking us some time, but I’m excited to see what unfolds and who we get to partner with now that Sum and Substance is not just an idea but a real thing.

 

WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER LEADERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT?

Don’t despise small beginnings. Good things don’t happen over night. We live in a time where everyone wants to be a success in approximately 30 seconds, and sometimes it can seem like everyone has it made. I have to remind myself every day that everything meaningful in my life has required a lot of time to grow and develop.

 

HOW CAN OTHERS SUPPORT YOU OR YOUR CAUSE?

Come to a Sum and Substance event! You should also pick up a copy of Conscious Company Magazine. Those are two great ways to really engage in this conversation about conscious business. Then I would encourage you to either take a step towards a goal related to work that you have been putting off. I would also encourage you to have a conversation with someone in your life who maybe needs to make a change in their work or at least reevaluate how they are spending their time. It can be really hard to take a leap and try something new. Having a friend or colleague support you makes the leap a little less terrifying.