On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Susan Leger Ferraro, a social entrepreneur and the founder of a family of transformational organizations with global impact.
Susan started her first business at age 17, when she boldly went against her parents' wishes and started her own company instead of attending college. For years, Susan had known that her life's purpose was to develop human capacity and share love, particularly for children and families in at-risk communities. Fresh out of high school, she started Susan's Playpen and became the youngest licensed daycare provider in Massachusetts. That humble daycare she started as a teenager grew to become Susan's first multi-million dollar company, inspiring her to forge ahead and start more companies built to do well and do good. Today, Susan oversees a family of organizations that impacts the lives of countless humans and changes the landscape of organizations around the globe.
In this episode, hear how Susan embeds humanity and a shared vision across multiple organizations and the tools they use to grow with purpose. Tune in to Susan's story below:
[4:44] Doing Well and Doing Good
[7:16] You Haven't Seen What It's Like Over There
[12:18] Moving the Business Back Home
[17:51] The Right (And Wrong) Way to Bring in Outside Capital
[28:25] The Art of Practicing Culture
[33:40] Psychological Safety in the Workplace
[37:28] The Most Courageous Decision in Leadership
Book that Influenced Susan's Leadership:
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran