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Behind The Spotlight Podcast
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Behind The Spotlight Podcast
[At The Core Series] Juliet Abdel, President, Greater Topeka Chamber
Juliet Abdel’s influence extends nationally, serving as a director on the governing body of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and contributing to the Advisory Council for the Leadership Program of the Rockies.
Juliet is a charter member of the Rocky Mountain Alumni Chapter of Sigma Lambda Gamma Multi-Cultural Sorority and has been a dedicated spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s Go Red program since 2021 and Women Heart since 2022.
Juliet has served on the U.S. Chamber Board of Directors as an Institute Regent, the United Nations Association in Oklahoma City Chapter, and various other boards dedicated to inclusivity and community development.
Armed with a master’s degree in international studies, specializing in development, society, and education from Oklahoma State University, Juliet has authored publications on female empowerment and entrepreneurship.
This episode is sponsored by: TK Business Magazine.
Read more here: https://tkmagazine.com/blog/2024/3/7/at-the-core-with-danielle-j-martin
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And really Chamber feeds that as an economic development agent, right, we're helping those businesses, we're helping people become more economically mobile and we know that business is the way to do that.
Speaker 2:Hello everyone and welcome into At the Core series with Danielle J Martin. This series is sponsored by TK Business Magazine. We're so excited to have you join us today. Now, at the Core. It's a series where I get to sit down with local leaders across Kansas and you get to hear about their leadership journey. But not only that you get to learn who they are at the core. So on this month's episode we get to sit down with the president of the Greater Topeka Chamber, juliet Abt-Del.
Speaker 1:How are you? I'm feeling fantastic, Danielle.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me. I'm super excited to have you because, first of all, congratulations on your new position. This is a very historical prominent moment for you. You have become the first woman moment for you. You have become the first woman to take president right since, I would say, 1933.
Speaker 1:It's actually a little bit even before that.
Speaker 1:Before that it was in the 1800s that the chamber was founded, so it is a historic moment. It's a historic moment because I am a woman and I would say a minority woman, that's even in this role but I followed the chamber industry and path underneath a CEO that also broke that ceiling and she was that first female to lead that chamber of commerce. So it's one of those moments that I feel very proud to be the first woman, but even more so that I also kind of followed suit with what my mentor had done, but even more so that I also kind of followed suit with what my mentor had done.
Speaker 2:I love that you are kind of making that staple for many women behind you. They're seeking who you are, just as a leader, as a person. How does that make you feel that you are creating?
Speaker 1:history. You know, it makes me feel fabulous because we are all a part of this universe together and we have a personal purpose that we're here to do and to serve in a particular way. And so, along the way whether it's filling my own cup but helping another person, see that they can achieve the same thing. That's inspiring to know that I'm leaving that legacy for others.
Speaker 2:Now, this role is not new to you. For many people that don't know, you have been in this type of role multiple times, coming from Oklahoma. We're going to take a turn down that road. You come from Oklahoma City, right, and so you've been there for a majority of your life and leadership kind of started there.
Speaker 1:Take me down that road. Yes, so I'm going to take you even a little bit further back. I am a half Okie, half Yankee is what I like to say I was born in the Big Apple and I have to clarify it because we're in Kansas.
Speaker 2:But I was born in New York, manhattan.
Speaker 1:I grew up in Queens and then upstate before we moved down to Oklahoma. So I always say you know, a little under half my life was in New York. The other half was in Oklahoma. That's why you don't get an accent unless I'm around certain people, right? But really I pursued a master's degree in international studies with a focus on development and education, out in Oklahoma.
Speaker 1:I'd received my undergrad, my graduate degree, from Oklahoma State University, and I had started working at the state capitol in Oklahoma. I'd done that for four different members and had been a part of that legislative process, from research to filing to really seeing how a bill became a law, day in, day out, and interacting with professionals that were in the role that I'm in today. So when I left that particular time in my life, I moved into chamber work and it was because I'd finished grad school and I knew I wanted to pursue, you know, another path in my career, and chamber was that route for me. So that was nearly 12, a little over 12 years ago that I started down that path and, as I shared with you, my mentor now was the first CEO that I worked for at a Chamber and Economic Development Organization.
Speaker 2:I love that. So the Chamber work, it's not like foreign to you. There's something about this work that you're passionate about. Kind of take me down the road of why you decided to stay in this type of work, right, you came from Oklahoma. Now you came to Topeka, out of all places. We love this place? We do, but kind of tell me why.
Speaker 1:Yeah, why stay in the industry? I always tell people there's not really a chamber degree. You don't go to higher ed and say I want to be in the chamber industry.
Speaker 1:It kind of selects the person that's for it and, depending on your background, that's really what you can continue to contribute.
Speaker 1:So my background I shared with you a little bit of the policy and the development piece microcrediting and lending and really chamber feeds that as an economic development agent. Right, we're helping those businesses, we're helping people become more economically mobile and we know that business is the way to do that. So my mom and I also co-owned a grocery store and when we did, we did not work with our chamber. Our local chamber was around but, like so many other business owners, they really didn't understand. We didn't understand what a chamber of commerce is and does. And so I've been in the lens of how we support those businesses and now on this side, I can say there's so much value in having those resources to support a business but, past that, it's supporting a person who is a member of a family and who connects other families in that business and that's just a beautiful thing. Back to that personal cup that I have I'm truly filling my purpose when I know I'm helping someone else.
Speaker 2:That's so good. And when I looked more into your background, I kept seeing that economic development. I'm like, ooh, like, what is it about economic development that you said? This is something that I want to stay in. This is something that I want to kind of push to the forefront. So people know many small business know that we support them, which is very a big, prominent deal when it comes to small business. In small business communities and small towns like Topeka, kansas, a lot of the mom and pops shops. They don't get that you know, exclusive attention or anything. They don't get the exclusive attention or anything. They don't get the support that they need. But there's something about this department that you said I want to continue pushing this forward.
Speaker 1:Well and a big part of it is usually you have an idea, you have a passion, you want to start a business, but you don't have a playbook. For once you've opened your business, how are you supposed to get the word out X, y and Z? And often you either figure that out, you have mentors or you have organizations that come alongside you, and so for me, it was. You know these are passionate people. Just how do you communicate the ways that they can continue to grow and thrive? And I've seen that in economic development. I see it in public policy work that we do today, and it is the full scope of what really can support them and ultimately helps them and breaks any barriers that they've had to better themselves in their lives.
Speaker 2:Now tell me about the diversity, equity and inclusion piece. People may look to you and say you know you're a woman looking at your race. They may say that you might want to pour more into that space. Is that something that you want to dive in a little bit more? Topeka, do you see a gap here at all?
Speaker 1:You know. I'm so very glad that you asked that, because one of the things that I did before coming out to Topeka and seeing this partnership was seeing what they stood for right, what is this entity made up of? And earlier we had some time to sidebar that Greater Topeka Partnership is an umbrella, and we've got all of these entities that make us up or go Topeka for economic development, visit Topeka for tourists that come through downtown Topeka, and the Riverfront Advisory, which helps with the development of our downtown continual development and revitalization efforts, and then the chamber. But one thing that stood out couple of things, actually one was that we have this core value piece. It really is more than a statement, but one of those value pieces is equity in everything that we do. Follow that up as a partnership.
Speaker 1:We also have these social factors that play in and affect businesses.
Speaker 1:We know that businesses are not immune to the surrounding community and vice versa.
Speaker 1:What we do in commerce affects our residents and our residents affect our businesses, and so the partnership has embodied a lot of the equity, diversity, inclusion, values and all of the priorities that we have in Momentum 2027. And I tell people about I feel like I've talked about Momentum all the time. But it really is. It's these strategic aspirational goals and it has those functions in there of our chief equity officer, who also was at the forefront and helm. She has since retired but we still have an equity advisory diversity board and then we also have filled her role in part with another employee at our organization, so it's not restricted to one department, it's felt all over and that's how it should be right. And in everything I always say when I look at diversity and equity, I really want to play in the inclusion piece because it's not about let's get everyone together, that's the same. And then you know, the only way that we succeed is when we are truly involved and have a seat at those tables.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that you brought that up like that inclusion piece, because, coming from a big city, you know right that it's easy to come outside, right, it's easy to explore and go out and do all the events. But when you come to a smaller city, there's something that's a little bit different here. But what I love about Topeka is that there's so much support and there's so much to do if you decide to come outside. So much support and there's so much to do if you decide to come outside. And so what I love is that this Momentum 2027 that's coming down the pipe kind of explained why people, right now is the right time to come outside and get involved.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, you're spot on. It's the right timing, it's the right people, and then it's this right vision that we've all come alongside. So I just found a community that was already looking at these amazing things to tackle and I went ahead and hitched my wagon and said I can go ahead and give them my two cents on this along the way. So I mean, that was truly why Topeka, after Oklahoma, I went into Colorado and that was a chamber that was only three years old at the time completely grew that and ensured that our presence was felt at city, county and state level. And then I looked at okay, now that I've made this organization better, what's the next chapter? And honestly, this Greater Topeka Chamber was right there as a calling for here's what's next for you to do.
Speaker 2:Now I don't want to like sit here and go through all of your accolades. I told you I'm like I really want people to know who Juliet is because, honestly, they can just go read about you, right. But one of the things that I do that I did love that I read about you is that you've been recognized as one of the top number one percent of chamber executives nationwide. Like, you have done this work. This is something that's like immersed inside of you and so a lot of communities. They don't get that one-on-one connection. Like sitting here is an honor to talk to the Greater Topeka Chamber presidents, right. But you have made a strong effort to come forward in front of the community, kind of explain why people should kind of take this time, get to know you and trust that the work that you're doing is for them Absolutely.
Speaker 1:I think you said it so well.
Speaker 1:It's almost like you looked at my goals for the year.
Speaker 1:You know, we all within the partnership even set goals for things that we want to make happen, and one of my top goals is to be out there visibly in the community sharing and speaking to them, because I can't know the differences in our thoughts, the different needs and wants without connecting to people.
Speaker 1:And the other side of it is often business owners, professionals, don't even know where to go to or how to access someone, and so I truly do. I want to be that person that walks into your business and has that one-on-one for you. You know, you mentioned one of the accolades and I would even push back and say the better of my accolades were the ones that I got for the organizations that I worked for, whether it was our Public Policy of the Year Award for the Stillwater Chamber or the, you know, champions in Industry out in Colorado. Those spoke volumes because it was connecting and impacting thousands because of that network, you know, and the work in progress I always focus on is my professional development, because I can't serve and continue to grow if I'm not continuing to learn. And there's no one. You know I don't know for how long you might be working or living or breathing that you can't still continue to learn from your peers, from the community that you're in, from those residents.
Speaker 2:Let's dive into that a little bit deeper. Why professional development? Because obviously it's a part of your role and it's a part of like being a leader, but like, what's something about that specific professional development piece that sometimes people get to that top of the line position and say you know what? I'm good, I made it, I'm done right, but like, you're still here and you're like, no, there's a lot to learn.
Speaker 1:Yes, I don't know what, I don't know right Like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a fact.
Speaker 1:Now, professional development to me was something, again, I was pushed into by my mentor, so it was within a couple of months of being at that chamber that she went to talk about how you're working around membership and how you're doing the work around policy, and it wasn't a choice for me, but it was the best thing. Again, it was connecting with peers, it was seeing other communities, what they're all about, what are their pitfalls, what are things that they've done that we don't have to do. You don't have to go and make a mistake if you see someone that's already tried it and it hasn't worked out. The other side of it, if someone has been successful in a community, like we've been here with the partnership, we get calls from all over the US asking how did you make this work, how did you get this partnership created? And so I would say, as the condition of the world continues to change, you also have to continue to adapt, and the only way that you do that is by growing your network and growing your mindset and your space.
Speaker 2:That's so good, let's get into that. As far as the challenges that you have come across already, I know you've been here for well like 2.5 seconds, but like. I'm sure that you've already came across some challenges. Kind of take me down that road. What have you learned so far? What challenges do you see coming ahead that you feel like you know what we need to tackle this right now?
Speaker 1:Sure, so I've been here for a little over 60 days, which did go by as though I blinked my eye and it was gone.
Speaker 1:Holidays came in and you know it robbed me, I think, of a couple of weeks there. But you know, one of the things that I first heard about in our state of the community by, actually, our CEO was this was toxic. Negativity was the phrase that he used. And as he was sharing this from you know, from the stage he was talking about this, this mindset that's out here in our in Topeka, shawnee County, area of there's not very much good things about our community. There hasn't been anything that's been really good.
Speaker 1:And then I started meeting with people over 200 visits until now and I'm really starting to lose track of how many visits but not the people, because all of them, their perspectives and opinions, have been amazing. There have been some that I've met and some that I even meet in the community that truly are slightly negative. And I'll tell you an example. This was not in Topeka, it was actually over by the Casey area. I'd gone to an event and I was being introduced and one of the people said oh well, aren't you in Topeka? Often they were talking to their peer and they're like, oh gosh, well not if I don't have to be. That was the comment and I said well, what does that mean? You know, this is literally week three on the job and I'm like tell me what this is right so then he's like well, it's actually gotten better over the last, you know, eight years or so.
Speaker 1:There've been a lot more projects in progress in the community and I said, well, when someone mentions to Pikachu, that's what you lead with, what has happened in the last few years and where is that vision going in the future? You can't be stuck to the past. You know when they're are things that are happening. So I think the biggest challenge continues to be that some people and this is the case everywhere when you live somewhere, it's hard for you to go see those different new attractions, right, or the things that you already know, like when I lived in New York, I can't tell you when I went to the Empire State Building, right. Or when I was in Oklahoma I mean, it's just Colorado, I can count on my hand how many times I went to the mountains. So sometimes you get in this habit of not really knowing what's happening in your community because you're conditioned to live and just work and go with the process and not pay attention to those changes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, you sparked a thought in my head, because I remember us talking about this behind the scenes of just like how both of us are the generational breakers in our family right.
Speaker 2:And so I remember I sat across from you and I said honestly I was super inspired by your bio. But I was more excited to meet you in person and I was like, oh my gosh, like you know, you come across some people where you look at their bios and then you meet them. You're like, oh, you're nothing like that, right. But you kind of exceeded my expectations and so I was more admired by, like, your mindset and how you think. And I'm like, okay, girl, like how do you do all of this? Right? And so I'm sure many people can look at you and be inspired and be admired by all the positions. But kind of take me to the thought of when you are constantly trying to work hard for your family. You're constantly trying to show your family like, hey, this is what's possible. And I know we briefly talked about that, but kind of take me down that road of why this work is important to you. Yes, it's about the community, but it's also about your family.
Speaker 1:It is so. You know, I have core values of myself and my very first one is my or actually my second one is my family. My first is my faith, my second one's my family, and it's, you know, it is for my parents. It really is for them to continue to be proud of everything that they've put their heart and soul into, because I am a first generation American, so for them it was coming to another country. Now they came a different. You know everyone has their story of of how they came to the? U, but when they were here, you know it was a completely different landscape for them to raise six kids I mean, I'm the youngest in six and so really what drives me is when I call my dad, the very first call, you know, first thing that he says on that call is have you started running for Congress?
Speaker 1:yet I kid you not, I might have just talked to him yesterday.
Speaker 1:That's what he talks to me about, and so it is this constant. You want to make them proud, but you also want to set the tone for everyone and your siblings and your extended family to know okay, like you, or run into those challenges themselves. It is a personal purpose that I have and it's that I'm more intentional on what I seek. Because of it, my favorite question when someone asks me is what's the worst job that you've had? And my answer is none. And it's not because I haven't worked. I've been working since I was 12. But it's because every job that I've picked was for a reason and it was for something that I wanted to gain out of it. And I've learned and you grow from it and you move to the next Right.
Speaker 2:How do you encourage someone to pick a job or just anything that they do, do it with purpose? Like I love that, right, yes, like I feel the same way, where everything I do is with intention, and so if there's no intention, if I don't see any purpose behind it, it's not for me, right, or it may be for someone else. But like, how do you encourage someone to say that, like, try to choose a position or volunteer, do something with purpose.
Speaker 1:You know that's an interesting question because often where I am right now in my head space, I'm a two-time aneurysm survivor. So I view life very differently than someone who's probably my age or even younger, because I look at it as I am not guaranteed tomorrow. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. But having gone through that cycle of not once but twice having that health scare, it really has pushed me to continue to have that sense of urgency to do something and to be lit up.
Speaker 1:It goes back to you know, what are the reasons that you are here? And I think that's a core question that everyone asks at some point in their life. Right, and however you want to answer that, that should fuel the things that you get involved in and plug yourself into. Right, If you know that you're here to be with family and that's what your purpose is, right Then your schedule probably should reflect that you should have a family, you should be around your family, you should give your time to them and be there to support them. So it's almost like you have to follow what your thoughts are right, Like you have to talk the talk but also walk it as well.
Speaker 2:Now, when you told me about this experience, very briefly, about your aneurysm, I was kind of shocked. I was like I can't even tell you went through that, you're like you came out. I can't even tell you went through anything. But I'm sure, and I know that experience was very difficult Take me back to that space where I don't know how it unraveled. Did you go to the doctor? Was something wrong? What was that experience like?
Speaker 1:Yeah. So my aneurysms were probably my biggest blessing. They were not because of them I changed my life. You know, before we came on here I said I haven't. It's been four and a half years since I've engaged in activity that I don't engage in until today, you know. So it's for me they were actually positive things, but it went back to 2019.
Speaker 1:And I had come off of receiving this award at a conference, went straight to work and, like most of us professionals, you continue to work even when you're not feeling well. And that's pretty much what I did for a solid two weeks when I had migraines that were pretty debilitating and felt whiplash between kind of my brain and in my neck, in the backside of my right neck, and so I was actually misdiagnosed a few times as just having migraines and my concerns pushed off to the side. But you know, I'm a big proponent of being an advocate for yourself, especially in the medical industry, as a patient, as a caregiver. I've kind of owned that, and so I continued to push back, and thankfully I did, because after about the third doctor's visit and shots throughout the backside of my neck, after about the third doctor's visit and shots throughout the backside of my neck. Then I rushed over to the emergency room because of it progressively getting worse.
Speaker 2:So, from migraines to just now, you're in the hospital like were you kind of like shocked in that moment, Like how did I? Get here. What's happening?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I couldn't open my eyes anymore, at the point that my friend actually had just finished taking me to the doctor's visit. I told them I couldn't even open my eyes. They called and then they were told you know, you do not have any time, just take her to the hospital. And that was when I got there. Now, when I got there, it was super unique and I have to share this, because we spoke about diversity, equity and inclusion. But one of the things that was really asked during my time in the hospital was whether I traveled overseas in the last few weeks and months, and I thought that was a super strange question to ask someone who's feeling you know.
Speaker 2:But again I pushed back and eventually had a doctor that did scans and everything and they admitted me in and basically told me I'd suffered an aneurysm which was triggered by the stress that I'd had myself around and I love that, after not love that that happened to you, rather, but after you've kind of taken that situation and made it your passion to go speak about it, that situation and made it your passion to go speak about it, and you've kind of taken it to stages and events and has led you, possibly to this women's movement to say you know what, like this is what is going on.
Speaker 2:We need to be talking more about this Kind of take me down that road. What is that looking like and why is it so important for you to talk about?
Speaker 1:So female empowerment, women specifically you know that group has been a group that I've been passionate about since I was younger. I mean I was, I grew up under my mom, who's a very strong and independent woman, and so for me it was something that I wanted to embody in anything that I did. It was why my thesis focused on female empowerment through microcrediting right, and so everything I've done being a part of a multicultural sorority, again focused around females and empowering them that were minority, has been that, and so I've taken that as a way to go out there and see how are we more similar than we are different? And generally for women, we take on so much more than we go of, and we have a strong percentage of us that feel guilty for taking care of ourselves. I mean there's studies that are out there that tell you it's close to 50% that do feel guilty for stopping and checking up on their health and their wellness and doing all those things. So I basically go out there and I say I survive so I can share. That was why I had survived both of those to go out there and help other women and really help anyone that isn't prioritizing their health and wellness.
Speaker 1:It's powerful too, because in a way, you know when I started in the industry that I did and this is full circle. You know I would hear stories all the time of these chamber executives or CEOs that passed away at their deaths. And what did they pass away from? Heart attacks, I mean, they were not.
Speaker 2:They were not taking care of themselves. And now we're in the hospital like what's happening.
Speaker 1:So it is. It's one of those things where you shouldn't put off your health. And you know you're here to live, not to. You're not living so you can work Right, you know, and sometimes our personal and professional lives, the boundaries that are there, get blurred.
Speaker 2:Wow. Well, the president of the Greater Speaker Chamber is going to continue this conversation right after this no-transcript. Are you ready to dive into the vibrant world of business in Topeka? Well, look no further than TK Business Magazine. In the magazine, you'll discover the stories behind the passionate entrepreneurs, innovative leaders and the real journey behind their success. In the TK Business Magazine, it's where inspiration meets reality. So you can grab a copy today by heading to wwwtkmagazinecom. So you can grab a copy today by heading to wwwtkmagazinecom. Welcome back into the show at At the Core with Danielle J Martin, sponsored by TK Business Magazine. We're sitting down with the president of the Greater Topeka Chamber, juliet Abdel. We're talking about all the things. I feel like you've taken us down so much. I feel like I've known you forever at this point, but super inspired by all of your accolades, all the things you're doing. But I want to pick up back up on the female empowerment. Why that's?
Speaker 2:so important to you we talked about. I love that you said that we're more similar than we are not, and I feel like that's something that I strive to speak on about, like this is why we have to bring more people like you to the table to say, hey, yes that she's in a very powerful, prominent position, but she's gone through a lot of things that I'm sure a lot of us can relate to. So, kind of take me down that core piece and why that's so important to you.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, that's actually. That was a great point that you just shared, and it's something that I always lead with as a strength of mine. There's not one thing that you probably have been through in your life that I can't relate to, and you know, it's a good thing in some capacity. Sometimes it's a, you know, bitter memory for us to kind of confine in one another and share, but it's those similarities that truly can drive how we work together and how we understand one another. You know, you can read someone's bio and resume, but it doesn't really tell you their life and who they are and what they do. And so, you know, as women especially, it's really important for us to continue to set the stage for others that might walk a similar path, have questions, maybe not have a role model like I did in my life. Right, we all come from different backgrounds, different challenges that we face, and so the more that we can speak to those differences that we have, we can find how similar we are in the process.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I know we talked about this too behind the scenes, about how significant it is to have a mentor, and I remember asking you I said, juliet, are you at all intimidated being in this position? And you're like no, I know I was born to be here and so I would love for you to even speak to other women as well, being the president, being a female as well in this role that many people see men in, and so kind of speak on that a little bit, and then just a little bit about how the chamber works under the partnership, sure.
Speaker 1:So I've always had mentors, by the way, in anything in my life, whether it's personal or professionally. I turn to someone as kind of the outside voice of reason, because internally sometimes you're a little bit more harsh on yourself. Sometimes you can't think outside of the situation that you're in, or sometimes you just need someone's other perspective to come into play. So I've got a great executive coach until this day that I leverage when I need to and I send a quick note. Till this day, the mentor that I started out with in the industry is still on my speed dial. I still speak to consistently, but past that I also make myself as a resource to others, particularly for other young women that are coming up.
Speaker 1:You know the chamber as you shared, for often when you find a woman that's in a CEO role for the chamber, it's not very common in larger organizations. You're going to find that in some smaller chambers, perhaps not in the larger metro areas. Although we've come a long way, we do have women in surrounding states that are in that capacity, and even in other regions as well. But one of the things that a chamber does, or our chamber does here in the Greater Topeka Partnership, is focus on business advocacy. We are truly the voice of business and what that means is representing business at the state capitol. It means being present and again echoing that need in city, county and even at the federal level as well.
Speaker 1:So our Chamber of Commerce is very privileged here, I would say you know and I use that in a really intentionally, in a really great way, because not very often do you have this resource sharing method that we have here. We've got a staff of nearly 40 that's at the partnership, and so we can devote that time to advocacy and public policy.
Speaker 2:That's true, that's really good. I like how you said that the chamber is the voice of small businesses because, as I mentioned earlier, in becoming a small business owner myself, sometimes you do kind of feel just overwhelmed, intimidated. You're like where do I go? How do I know which resources are for me? And so if you can spend a little bit more time, too, for those who are small businesses, they don't know where to go. Where are the resources? If they need funding, if they need any type of marketing, what's the best place to go?
Speaker 1:So internally, we have a small business council within the partnership. Our GoToPeak also assists on incentives and available resources in terms of funding opportunities, angel investors that they work with innovation is another area, or a niche, and even the diversity piece falls in underneath some of those resources that they offer. And then, in terms of membership, you know we look at it as all of these are the benefits that you're receiving, the support in your workforce development needs and going through the process of. Okay, I've opened. And now what right? So, from small one-on-one professional development trainings that we do to them to even honoring them for their successes, award ceremonies that we have to leveraging their voice for their individual needs, there's something for everyone and there's a saying that's out there it's not everything we do is going to be for you, but there's something for you that's within that partnership.
Speaker 2:I love that. Okay, coming more into who Juliet is, kind of tell me what's something that I feel like you've achieved so much. I'm like I don't even know if you have another accomplishment, do you? Do you have something like do you have another milestone that you're like, okay, this is just the beginning, like is it becoming, you know? I don't know, not president, obviously, but like what's next for you?
Speaker 1:You know, I just got here about 60 days ago.
Speaker 2:I haven't thought about that yet.
Speaker 1:Well, and it's one of those things that I do is commit to the community that I'm in Right. So when I say like the next thing for me, it truly isn't like within a week I'm gonna be elsewhere. I stayed seven years in Colorado and I had no family or anyone really out there, but I was there with a particular goal and I gave them a minimum of five years, a maximum of 10 years, and I was right at seven years and achieved everything that I wanted for that organization and figured it was my next step to go and stretch myself even more. I hadn't worked for a partnership before that had the chamber that just really and truly focused on that public policy. So I knew that was the next natural step. So you know, I've got the next three years planned out here in terms of what are some of those goals that I want to achieve for the chamber here in Topeka.
Speaker 1:And then, past that, I can look at, okay, what's the next level up that we can do for the chamber here in Topeka? And then, past that, I can look at, okay, what's the next level up that we can do for the organization before? I personally can level up as well, because you do throughout the entire process, right? I mean, as a chamber professional, for 12 years or so I did go through our institute program that was over 96 hours of training, right, I have gone through four state conferences that are out there, and then I'm currently looking at other certificate programs that are there, and so, and you just have to continue to grow yourself, right? It's not looking at what's the next shiny and going off to it, but what is the next thing that can help me in the present space that I'm in right now?
Speaker 2:That's so good. I know this work is not easy, so what sets your soul on fire, what keeps you motivated throughout this whole process? Is it coffee Like? How do you keep yourself alive throughout this whole?
Speaker 1:thing. That is funny. I actually don't drink coffee either for the last four and a half years.
Speaker 2:I'm like I didn't have my coffee today and I went crazy. I was like I need to go. I was a coffee drinker.
Speaker 1:Before that, a diet Coke drinker.
Speaker 1:Right and so you just quickly you move from one to the next and from you know, when I had my aneurysm, I created the boundaries around myself. I started physical, just focusing on my physical well-being and strength training and my mental state. You know, infusing a lot of those affirmative practices that I have, those mantras that I do on a daily. You know, going out and walking, I drink a lot of water and you know I generally I don't meal prep, but everything that's in my home is something that I know you eat to fuel yourself. It's just not. It's not, as I don't use eating as a crutch. Yeah, so so that's generally how I refuel is by focusing on my self-care, my mental, emotional, spiritual well-being and even physical.
Speaker 2:Now I know you mentioned every time I see you you're like I had so many meetings today. So even like throughout the whole week and throughout your whole day, like how do you keep that sharp mindset?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I completely disconnect after my last thing for the day. So generally if I check my emails it really is just to monitor them, but I don't even touch those until that.
Speaker 2:So you're like hardcore eight to five, and then after that, well, hardcore eight to something, or seven to something.
Speaker 1:It just kind of depends the day, but if, for example, my last appointment ended at 630 or 7, right, I won't check my email in the evening. If you need me and there's an emergency, you can text me.
Speaker 2:if the place is on fire you know, for me to do something, I need to work on that, but I don't.
Speaker 1:Weekends the same thing. I will monitor things on the weekend, but I won't act on them on the weekend because I know the second that I do. I'll continue to be in that mind space and not recharge. You know, so often we wait until you're burned out and then you take that vacation while you're not doing yourself any good in the process. You're supposed to weave that in throughout your days in your life so that way you can stay refueled and on top of it, you know. But past that, it's just having the boundaries and knowing what are the things that continue to inspire you daily.
Speaker 2:I love that I have so many friends that remind me constantly they're like Danielle. No is a complete sentence.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I'm like I'm starting to understand more and more. I'm not available, sorry, but I love that. So, as we wrap up, kind of tell me what's something about you that many people don't know, or what's something about you that many people don't know, or what's something about you that you would want the community to know about you, that many people still don't know.
Speaker 1:That's an interesting question. I don't think we spoke on the language piece right, but I think languages are beautiful, cultures are beautiful. You know, I studied Spanish when I was younger. I self-taught myself a lot of the Turkish that I know now.
Speaker 2:Can you?
Speaker 1:speak some I can. I can speak better Arabic, though.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, and so you know all of those.
Speaker 1:Again, allow me to relate to other communities that are here. And then I also am big foodie, so I don't look it.
Speaker 2:not because I don't eat.
Speaker 1:I eat a lot of food.
Speaker 2:I eat more than most men probably in a given day.
Speaker 1:Guarantee you hands on.
Speaker 2:Well, before we got on, you were talking to me about how, like you're about to go eat this nice, like what was it? Hummus. I was a hummus stew dish.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know, but I usually I'll start my mornings. I practically buy eggs every two, three days at most.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's how much I go through that. Geez.
Speaker 2:Well, I do love that, because what you speak about three to four different languages, or how many?
Speaker 1:Well English, obviously, arabic super well. I'm proficient in Turkish and then I studied Spanish, so I know it enough to understand some of the things, but I don't.
Speaker 2:I can't claim it, you know but it's.
Speaker 1:It comes in handy that I just look racially ambiguous and for the most part people don't know me, which is inviting in itself, and you know I welcome anyone that tunes in. I really I do mean it when I say I'm here to lend an ear and be there as support.
Speaker 2:You know we're only as strong as everyone in our community is, so if anyone would want to get in connection with you or just have a conversation. What's the best way.
Speaker 1:So I'm on all things social media, but I also have on our website the Greater Topeka Partnership page. You're going to find our staff GTP staff page and you'll find my information. That's on there. My email is very simple. It's my first dot, last name at Topeka partnershipcom. Um, and yeah, anytime shoot me an email, find me, you know, in the street or online, and I promise you will respond and speak. I love it.
Speaker 2:So, juliet, thank you so much for taking time out of your day, your busy day, to just spend some time with me and honestly give the community an opportunity to get to know you on a whole different level. So you've actually heard Juliet Abdel from her first interview here, so I hope that you enjoyed this interview today at At the Core Series with Danielle J Martin. Now, remember, we will be featuring a new leader every other month inside the TK Business Magazine, so you want to stay tuned. That's all for now. Have a great day.