Welcome to REINVENTED with Jen Eckhart! In this episode, Jen speaks with American supermodel and actress turned author, designer, entrepreneur, and CEO Kathy Ireland. They discuss the driving force behind Kathy's ability to constantly reinvent, her journey from the runway to the boardroom, how she started her business empire, the recent launch of her own record label, and her unique approach to receiving criticism and advice.
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REINVENTED With Business Mogul & Supermodel Kathy Ireland
JE: Words cannot even begin to describe how excited and empowered I am to welcome my next guest. You may recognize her from her many appearances on magazine covers, from Sports Illustrated to Cosmopolitan to Vogue Magazine. You will see her at least on the cover of Forbes as CEO of kathy ireland Worldwide. She's a hero of mine. She's one of the richest self-made women in the world. Kathy Ireland, welcome to the show.
KI: Jen, thank you so much. It's an honor to be with you. Thank you.
JE: It's an honor to have you here. I told you this before we started recording but I wanted to invite you to the show. I want my audience to know this because you fit the theme of reinvention to a tee. When I think of reinvention, I think of Kathy Ireland because you've done it all. In fact, when I first started booking people to come on the show, you were at the tippy top of that list because of how many hats you wear and how many rolls you juggle. You are doing a juggling act.
KI: Before I answer that, I must tell you I love the title of your show. Constant reinvention is critical. If we are not able to pivot, not just react to change because change is a constant but initiate change, we stagnate. That is not a good thing because then, we go away. I love your show. I love the concept of it. It's awesome. It's such an important message. I'm so grateful.
JE: For those who aren't familiar with you and your profile, let me give them a brief overview. To my male audience, who are admirers, she was probably the woman you had pinned up on your walls on a poster. To everyone else, people like me, she is what I like to call #Goals. Kathy was a supermodel in the 1980s and the 1990s. She is best known for appearing in thirteen consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues.
It didn't stop there. In 1993, she founded a brand marketing company, kathy ireland Worldwide, which has made her one of the wealthiest former models in the world. You are a supermodel, actress turned author, designer, entrepreneur, and CEO. You also launched your very own record label. Out of all the roles I mentioned, which do you enjoy the most, and why?
KI: Of all the roles and the work that I'm privileged to do, being a mom is the top. I get frustrated sometimes. I will talk to moms who that is their sole career. They will say, “I don't work.” It's like, “Are you kidding me?” In our society, because a paycheck isn't attached, the career of a mom doesn't always get the respect that it so deserves. Nothing is harder or more important.
JE: That's an important message to convey to working moms out there who feel guilty about going to a 9:00 to 5:00 job because they want to work but also want to be a parent. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. You do that juggling act so well and eloquently.
KI: I was 40 before I recognized that no is a complete sentence. No, thank you is better, but no works. Oftentimes, we have to say no to good things to say yes to great things. People have asked me, “How do you have it all?” I don’t. I encourage people to figure out what their values and priorities are. Put boundaries in place to protect them because they will be challenged.
Oftentimes we have to say no to good things in order to say yes to great things.
For me, my priorities are my faith, my family, and then being of service through my work. When those boundaries are not honored, I'm a disaster and not effective at anything. It means that I can't accept every business opportunity. I can't attend every friend's birthday but I'm honoring my priorities. At every season of life, they shift. There are certain priorities that will change, and you will have more time in certain areas. To try to do everything all at once is too much pressure. I can't do it.
JE: You can't please everybody. That's the recipe for failure.
KI: You don't want to.
JE: I've always admired you because you strike me as the kind of woman that doesn't settle. You don't stay in place for very long. I'm wired the same way. From the runway to the boardroom and beyond, I want to know what you attribute as the driving force behind being able to constantly reinvent yourself.
KI: Something that takes away a lot of the fear was the greatest gift of my long ago modeling career. I didn't appreciate it at the time. All the rejection when we started in business and people said, “No,” and laughed in our faces, that didn't stop me. It’s knowing that we are always going to need to pivot, change, and reinvent no matter what people say. Not worrying about other people's opinions has been critical. My faith drives that because if he's with us, who can be against us? That has been critical.
JE: From supermodel to business mogul, your business empire is valued at more than $2 billion. Your personal net worth, you can correct me if I'm wrong, according to Forbes, is approximately around $500 million. What's so interesting to me about this is that it all started with a pair of socks. You started a line of socks that sold at Kmart in 1993 when I was three years old. Your business has since expanded to include furniture, fashion, jewelry, children's books, and more than 17,000 articles. You have everything from home to personal use. How does all of that come from a pair of socks? Were they magic socks? How does that work?
KI: They were awesome socks. John and Marilyn Maretz out of North Carolina are my very first partners. They are still in our business family. We love them. It started with a single pair of socks. I was an aging pregnant model at my kitchen table and was offered to model those pairs of socks. We've grown that. Our partners are Muk Luks.
The socks are amazing. That was our foundation. Knowing that the brand would grow from there, we started kathy ireland Worldwide. The Worldwide was intentional because we didn't want to have limits on this brand. That was important. I was okay as a model but by the time this sock business started, the jobs were not coming. That career was fading. I wanted to start something that was not dependent upon any little smidgen of celebrity I might have had in the last century.
Kathy Ireland: I wanted to start something that was not dependent upon any little smidge of celebrity I might have had in the last century.
JE: Coming out with a pair of socks that's probably the last thing people expected you to do. It's so different, unique, and fun. You are doing okay because your business is worth around $2 billion. There's that. What a story. When I hear a story like that, I think of another brilliant businesswoman and role model of mine.
That is Sara Blakely, who failed the LSAT twice and went door-to-door selling fax machines before inventing Spanx, which I know is every woman's best friend no matter what size you are. Wall Street values Spanx at approximately $1 billion. I feel like there are a lot of similarities between your stories. To any young aspiring entrepreneurs out there with a dream, what advice would you give them?
KI: Figure out what you are passionate about. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid of rejection. When you get criticism, listen to it because it can be a gift, even if it's wrapped in a nasty package, and learn from it. Be able to discern the naysayers and throw that away. Recognize the value that you are going to bring to the market. Know your business. Understand your price-to-value ratio. Know what you are doing.
Kathy Ireland: Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid of rejection. When you get criticism, listen to it because it can be a gift, even if it's wrapped in a nasty package.
I always dive deeply into the hows. When we first started with that single pair of socks, we began by conducting surprise factory inspections because you learn a lot when you show up unexpectedly. That's of critical importance because we know that human trafficking is the fastest-growing illegal business on Earth. Unlike drugs, human beings are sold over and over. When people are no longer profitable in the sex slave trade, they are often sold into forced labor. We need to know how our products are getting to market and how we are bringing value.
JE: Has your manufacturing been affected by COVID at all? I know that you gave a sit-down interview where you said that you were impacted by tariffs in the tariff war that was happening between the US and China. Have you struggled at all with the Coronavirus pandemic and production?
KI: It's impacted some of our work and everyone. We have been diligently diversifying our manufacturing and working with our partners. Our company doesn't do any manufacturing ourselves but we work with partners who do. The ones who have made those moves are doing well. The majority of our products are in the United States. We have products made abroad as well. Something I would caution people about is knowing where your products are made and how. In Jinjiang, China, for example, that's where we have this horrific genocide of the weaker people. We've got to understand what we are doing, the footprint that it's making, and how it's impacting others.
JE: Props to you and your team. I know that so many people have been affected by this and many businesses. Switching gears here. This is exciting news. You've launched a major record label called Encore Endeavor One or EE1 through BMG. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr's new album, Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons, is available. What is it about the music industry that inspired you to get involved?
KI: I love Billy and Marilyn. They are amazing people. We are working with BMG. They are the fourth largest music company in the world and are climbing. They are incredible. A brilliant young man, Nic Mendoza, produced Blackbird. We worked with BMG with Janet Jackson and brought them their first number one with Unbreakable. They were thrilled to continue working with us.
We've got much more ahead of us. For Billy and Marilyn, it's a true labor of love. It’s titled Blackbird: The Lennon-McCartney Icons. Billy and Marilyn's voices are stronger than ever. It's a beautiful tribute to love. There is so much division in the world. There's much that pits people apart. We believe the greatest antidote to hate is love.
The greatest antidote to hate is love. And the world needs hope and love now more than ever, it seems.
JE: The world needs hope and love more than ever, it seems. They are multiplatinum-selling artists. They are big time. I have to know. I don't know if anyone is asked you this before. Maybe you've gotten this before. If somebody called you up to say, “We need you to model such and such on the runway a week from now,” what would be your go-to catwalk song to walk out to? I have to know this.
KI: One that's stuck in my head is Silly Love Songs. I love that. That's on the album.
JE: To all of my audience, you must listen to that after reading this.
KI: Whatever your day is like, it puts a smile on your face.
JE: As a woman who dived into the music industry, I feel like I would be remised not to get your take on this. I have to bring it up because it is the elephant in the room. The Scooter Braun versus Taylor Swift controversy was a big deal. It was front-page headline news when it was going on. Taylor has been at the center of this convoluted feud over the issue of artist rights. She has been very vocal about it. “Label owner, Scooter Braun, shelled out $300 million for Swift's former label, Big Machine, giving him ownership over Swift's first six studio albums.”
The feud has since been put to rest but this ignites a bigger conversation. Meanwhile, you have the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They sold the rights to their entire album catalog for $140 million to $150 million. You have the Beatles. Their music was owned at a point in time by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. What's your take on artists taking ownership of their work? Where do you fall in line with this?
KI: It’s such an individual thing. Ownership and having control of your business and what you are doing are something that I enjoy. Some people don't enjoy that. It hurts my heart, especially for women. I see that most women in business, I’m beyond music but most of them end up selling their company and their name.
JE: It’s their life's work.
KI: You don’t have control over your name. We are a private company. You mentioned Forbes. We love Forbes. We have been building our brand under the radar for a long time. As a private person with a private company, I tend to be a bit shy, so being under the radar was great. Forbes did let us know that they had been watching us and that they were going to do a story with or without our support. There's an opportunity for my voice to be heard. I would rather not be taken out of context.
JE: I get it. I have been in that exact same position. It's one of those tricky games with the media. They are going to run the story with or without your cooperation.
KI: They have the absolute right to, and I respect that. I was grateful for the opportunity to have my voice heard. I recognize also in maturity that we were building the brand under the radar. Having a publication like that out us, while it can be uncomfortable if you are used to doing things more quietly, I'm so grateful for it. What I've come to learn is that when we are blessed to be exposed to needs that are so much bigger than us or an opportunity that is so much bigger than us, any personal comfort is irrelevant.
Kathy Ireland: When we are blessed to be exposed to needs that are so much bigger than us, any personal comfort is irrelevant.
I'm grateful to be able to break through that shy and selfish shell of quietness. I'm grateful you invited me. If there's something that I can share that can encourage or support one of your audience members, it’s to go for it and not give up. I have more failures than we have time to even talk about. When you fail, get up and get back out there. Don't give up.
JE: Get back in the saddle. My dear late Aunt Bev always used to tell me, “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.” She lived in Texas. She always told me that. Whenever I face hardship and experience moments of self-crippling self-doubt, I always have to remind myself to get back on the saddle and get back up.
KI: There's a lot of work to be done, so do it.
JE: You said something interesting when you get out of your comfort zone, that's where the magic happens. It’s when you get out of that comfort zone.
KI: I've come to realize I don't want to be in there. I want to be challenged.
JE: You want to be in the arena. Brené Brown is one of the people I adore. Whenever I'm feeling down, I always go to her and read her words. They give me such comfort. She has a great saying. It's like, “If you are not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I'm not interested in your feedback.” I'm like, “I love that.” Kudos to you for being in the arena. I admire you because you did build a business empire with your own two hands. I know that it was not easy. You experienced financial difficulties. You are very open about the rejection that you faced and the various obstacles you endured on the path to success.
Talk to me about rejection. You were quoted in an interview in which you said, “One of the greatest gifts of my modeling career was rejection.” You said that at the top of this interview. I wanted to circle back to that because that overall message, especially to the female demographic out there, is so important. Are you able to share a specific time when you were rejected that caused you to question yourself and have some serious self-doubt? Were you ready to give up?
KI: There have been a lot of tough days. I've had some hard days but since I was a kid, I have been a fighter. I can't honestly say that I ever felt like giving up. I may be questioned, “Which direction now?” A specific example is my long ago modeling career. The job description was shut up and pose. When I had a rare opportunity to speak, there was a critic who very publicly said I had a voice that could kill small animals.
I love animals, so that made me sad. I have to tell you. I was 25 years old. I could not order a pizza on the phone. I had a high voice, so they thought I was a kid making a prank phone call. I recognized that even though it was said in a not kind way, there was truth to it. If I wanted to be taken seriously and not get those mean comments, I needed to work on my voice a little bit. That's an example.
JE: It’s constructive criticism but wrapped in mean packaging or nasty packaging.
KI: We've got to dig through that. I also would encourage people to surround themselves with people who will support and encourage them. There are a lot of naysayers out there. That will help you get through those tough days.
JE: There are a lot of haters, doubters, and naysayers. You have to surround yourself. I love the saying, “Have a circle around you that claps when you win.” If your circle is not clapping when you win, find a new circle. Get a different group.”
Surround yourself with people who will support you and encourage you. That will help you get through tough days.
KI: I also have to say I love to support and encouragement. I also love when people love me enough to be honest and tell me the tough stuff. I don't want a bunch of yes people around me. I want people who are going to tell me how I can do better and how I can grow. When I was getting ready to give my first business talk, I was nervous and wanted to hide behind the podium.
One of my business partners looked me in the face and said, “You are so selfish. Get over yourself. Those people in the audience, I was peeking out the curtain looking at them. He was like, “They bought their tickets and arranged childcare and transportation. Do you know what that is? You have the information. They need it. It's not about you. Go give it to them.” I mustered up my strength and delivered my talk.
I noticed that halfway through, about three-quarters of the audience, had left. I thought, “They probably have business meetings. It's something.” My team afterward assured me they did not. I was really bad and had a lot of work to do. I appreciate that. We have to grow. We must get out there, do better, and not be afraid of failure.
JE: We are all about being real on the show. We are bringing on people from all walks of life. These are people who scored their first book deal at age 70 to people who are completely changing career directions and constantly reinventing, evolving, and falling on their faces. I love that you shared that you were nervous. When a lot of people look at a powerful, successful woman like you, they are like, “She's never nervous. She poses in bikinis on magazine covers.” That is beautiful and such a vulnerable thing to share. Thank you for that. I appreciate that.
You had to fight prejudice in the business world coming over from the world of modeling. You were a powerful female transitioning to pretty much a male-dominated industry. You had to fight for the integrity of your brand. What kind of prejudice or preconceived notions did you face as a model when transitioning to the world of business?
KI: There are some people who would say, “It was easy for you to start your brand because you have this modeling career.” My response to that person is, “If you have the gift of anonymity, that is a gift because you can start your brand however you want with a clean slate.” There were doors that were opened to me because of that modeling career.
However, they were not the right doors. They were doors of curiosity that ultimately wasted each other's time. My ideas as a CEO were not respected or even listened to. It was a waste. There's that book, Lean In. There is some wonderful information there. However, when I started, there was no boardroom or table to lean into. We had to build our own table.
JE: You did, if you even had a seat at the table or if you were even invited.
KI: We had to build our own seats. That is what it is. There has been a lot. We've come a long way, and I'm grateful for that. I love sales meetings because sales are the lifeblood of every business. Nothing happens without it. I love meeting sales teams because they are on the front lines of work and selling as well. We don't even think of it as selling because we believe in our products and services.
We know that they are going to bring value to people and make their lives better. Otherwise, it doesn't make it into our brand. When I had my first sales meeting in the furniture industry, I looked around the room and noticed it was about 95% men. I asked somebody, “Where are all the women? Is this it?” I was told, “That's it.” I said, “I have a question. What percentage of your customers are women?”
JE: Did you ask that? Was that your question?
KI: Yes. That was my question. They said, “About 95%.” I said, “What do you think about a little balance?” I love the guys. I'm saying balance. It has improved, and that's wonderful. I would encourage women, men, and people of all different backgrounds, colors, and races, don't let someone else's prejudice, ugly, racism or bigotry or don't let anyone put you in a box and tell you that you are not good enough.
Don't let anyone put you in a box and tell you that you're not good enough. Don't let your circumstances define or destroy you. Fight through it.
Don't let your circumstances define or destroy you. You fight through it. I share with people that I'm far too odd-shaped. I don't fit in anyone's box, and I don't intend in getting in one. Be alert, and don't allow that to happen to you. I believe in truth and love. When somebody says something cruel, stupid or whatever it might be, it's an opportunity for teaching.
JE: Women are told not to post photos that show too much skin because it might limit future career options. That drives me nuts, as I'm sure it does the same for you. The world of modeling is filled with a number of biases, double standards, and dangerous predators. I'm curious. What advice would Kathy Ireland now tell Kathy when she was in her twenties?
KI: Be alert and know your value. Recognize your value and don't compromise. Don't be afraid. Stand firm. Know what you believe and have a conviction for it. Know what you would walk away from. Know what you would be fired over. Be open to learning and growing. Don't be afraid to walk away from anything that doesn't feel right.
Kathy Ireland: Know what you believe and have conviction for it. Know what you would walk away from. Be open to learn and grow. And don't be afraid to walk away from anything that doesn't feel right.
JE: In addition to all the roles you juggle, I thought this was interesting. I had to ask you about this. You are also in the CBD business. For people who don't know this, you used recycled hemp from your very own sock brand that you launched. What do you make of the growing presence of marijuana and CBD?
KI: That very first pair of socks that we designed in the market was made from hemp. It’s also on our rugs. It's a product that we have been using for a very long time. We work with a wonderful company, Vertical Wellness. They are out of Kentucky. They support our veterans and our military families. They are an amazing company. They are in the health and wellness arena. For our company, we don't use THC. I don't understand the controversy because we give our children grapes. We don't feed them wine. It's a wonderful product. It's got a lot of great benefits to it.
JE: I agree with you there. You have been fortunate enough to receive firsthand advice from billionaire investor Warren Buffett. You attend the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting every year. I've covered Buffett shareholder meetings for years on the Fox Business Network. Both Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger often refer to Bitcoin as rat poison. I'm not sure if you've read that but it always makes me giggle. They are adorable. In 2020, Buffett vowed never to own cryptocurrency. I need to know because we talked about CBD and marijuana. Have you at least consider investing in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Dogecoin?
KI: I'm always looking at different opportunities carefully. I have great respect for Mr. Buffett and Mr. Munger. I met Warren Buffett through Irv Blumkin of the Nebraska Furniture Mart. They are incredible people. We have a newspaper tossing competition. As far as investments, it’s diversification. I like good solid investments. That's the way I go, and smaller amounts for the riskier. I also like those slow and steady.
Kathy Ireland: Be yourself. Don't compromise. Don't try to hide and be someone else.
JE: Diversification is the name of the game. That is a pretty solid answer. Our audience knows where Kathy Ireland stands on Bitcoin. Who knows? Maybe we will see. You were quoted in an interview saying something that knocked my socks off. This is a direct quote. You said, “I'm unapologetically Christian. Many on our team are not, and that's fine because faith is personal. I must say, for me, personally, my first and last meeting of each day is with the Lord.” As a fellow Christian woman, that knocked me off my feet mostly because women out there, especially public figures and celebrities, are a little hush-hush when it comes to discussing their faith. Why is being a Christian a non-negotiable for you?
KI: Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He is my everything. Without Him, I would not be here. I have no doubt about that. I don't seek to impose my faith on anyone. Our team is wonderfully diverse. You can't impose your faith on another person. It is a personal relationship. God doesn't have grandchildren. It's for each person. That's the foundation of my life. I can never deny it.
At the same time, I'm very careful. Here's where I'm careful. I never want to cause another person to stumble. There's a scripture in the gospels that says, “If anyone causes any of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better that a heavy millstone be hung around their neck and they be thrown to the depths of the sea.” Whether intentionally or unintentionally, we have to be so careful.
We have a for-profit business. We sell things. There is this awful prosperity gospel out there. I would never want to get anywhere near that to have somebody who might be vulnerable in their faith and think, “If I buy her products, that's somehow as if I can get a brownie point.” Our faith is grace from God. It can't be earned or bought. It's that gift of what Jesus did on the cross for us. It's my foundation. It's everything. Without it, I would be lost.
JE: I love that you shed some light on the hypocrisy thought of Christianity.
KI: People can claim Christianity and, in the name of God, do horrific things. I believe Hitler said that he was a Christian. He was not.
JE: You have to walk the walk, not just talk it.
KI: It’s devastating when that happens. That's why it's so important. I'm such a slow learner. I was 44 years old before I read the Bible in its entirety. It is so easy to be taken out of context and twisted. It was in the 1700s and the 1800s, after centuries of the church spiritualizing the word of God, that people started reading it. That's where we had this strong movement of abolitionists recognizing that racism and bigotry are an abomination against God.
The throne of God is made up of every tongue, tribe, and nation. It is an absolute abomination against His word as well as antisemitism. That's when we had people reaching out to the Jewish people to give them their homeland when the persecution was so extreme and devastating. Reading it for yourself, not trusting what somebody else might be telling you, is of critical importance.
JE: That's crazy to me that you started reading the Bible when you were 44 years old.
KI: I came to know the Lord when I was eighteen because my mom stuck a Bible in my suitcase and read it. I was this rebellious teenager. We grew up with no faith at all. My mom came to know the Lord. As I read, I knew that what I was holding was the truth. Especially as a young woman out in a world that felt dominated by a lot of sketchy guys at that time, I was like, “I want to follow Him.” That was amazing.
JE: That kept you grounded.
KI: It did when something wasn't right. Yet, the very thing that led me to him, I would start to pick and choose. I would read things that I didn't like and say, “That's a typo or that's a different translation.” I was trying to mold God into what I wanted him to be rather than allowing him to mold me into the person he made me to be. I'm a slow learner. I made a lot of mistakes. I'm so grateful for his grace.
JE: That is a beautiful sentiment. We are all flawed. We are all sinners. Thank goodness for his grace. They say never to discuss politics or religion on a first date with somebody. I'm sure you've heard that. I always do the exact opposite because it's important to me to be with someone who shares the same values and same beliefs as me. I've often had guys tell me that they feel intimidated by me. I have also been told by some that I’m “too much,” which I'm sure you can relate to as a successful woman.
I've always said, “Everyone wants to date a powerful woman until you realize you must step up your own game. You have to step up your own life.” What advice would you extend to any young woman out there dating who is told by men and/or vice versa by somebody that they are too much? What would you say to that?
KI: They probably are too much for that person. They need to find the right person who can step it up and be an equal. I have a wonderful opportunity. I'm so grateful for the work that we get to do. I serve on the board of the NFLPI, the licensing arm of the NFL, as well as an advisory board member to the women of the WNBA. It’s incredible to get to work with young people, athletes, and people who are in such interesting stages of life.
They are powerful people and strong people, both men and women. Be yourself. Whatever you are doing in your life, whether you are an athlete, in business or whatever it might be, be yourself. Don't compromise. Don't try to hide and be someone else. You won't be wasting each other's time. You will find out if they can handle you or not.
JE: Let's not sugarcoat it. You were a big deal. You still are a big deal. Did you ever have any experiences or difficulties? Were men a little intimidated by you when you started out dating?
KI: Honestly, I didn't date that much. I met my husband when I was 23. If men were intimidated by me, I was oblivious to it if they were. I wouldn't have been interested in such a weak man anyway. It would have been an issue. It would have been, “We are not a good fit then.”
JE: As we wrap up, some people out there say, “People like to throw bricks at shiny things. Don't throw them back. Collect them and build an empire.” That's exactly what you've done. A lot of people don't know this but Elizabeth Taylor is a great mentor of yours. What's the most influential piece of advice you ever received from her, and why?
KI: Elizabeth is amazing. Elizabeth became family. Her courage in the fight against AIDS when nobody would do anything the fight through it no matter what. People hung up on her. She received death threats when she tried to fight against the HIV-AIDS battle. She didn't let any of it stop her. She fought right through. It's a privilege to serve as an ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation as well as to serve as the International Youth Chair for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Every single day, 43 precious children are diagnosed with cancer. I encourage everybody to support these wonderful organizations that are doing great and meaningful work. That was a lesson that I learned from Elizabeth. Fight through it.
You mentioned building an empire and thinking about what it is that people need. For me, what keeps it exciting is knowing that we can make a difference. For example, Ireland Pay is our credit card processing business. Fifty-one percent goes to nonprofits. With our company, something that we launched since the time of COVID is the Kathy Ireland Small Business Network. This is in an effort to help small businesses not only survive but thrive and scale.
Everyone who joins our company and works with us goes through our list. We've got ten initiatives for nonprofits. That’s everything from fighting poverty, disease and to supporting education, our military veterans and their families, as well as a fight against human trafficking. Everyone chooses one of these causes that they will support if we work together. That inspires us to get up every day and get out of bed.
People say, “Why do you bother after all of this?” We get to work with great people doing great things. UBS is a wonderful company we work with in support of our small business network. With American Family Insurance, Telisa Yancy is an incredible leader along with Jack Salzwedel. They are great people. Dream fearlessly is their motto. Being able to work in the area of FinTech is a passion. There are people saying, “You can't work in FinTech. You are a woman.” That's one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. That makes no sense.
JE: I will never forget the first time I went down to the New York Stock Exchange as a woman. I have been down there working for many years. The guys turn and act as if they've never seen a female before. That's very funny that you get told that about working in FinTech. It happens across more industries than we think. You are certainly a trailblazer and a philanthropy queen.
There are many important causes that are near and dear to your heart. I'm grateful to you and for your time. I thank you for coming to the show because you live this theme to a tee. It is your life. You are constantly growing and evolving. You are always diving into something new and something different like the news of your record label, which is so exciting.
I'm one of your biggest cheerleaders. Thank you for coming to the show. To all my readers, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to this show. That's available wherever you tune in to shows, whether it is Spotify, Apple, Google Play or YouTube. You name it. It’s there. That was Kathy Ireland. Thank you for tuning in to Reinvented.
