I’m grateful for so many people: my husband, parents, grandkids, friends, co-workers, and clients. I could keep going. But I want to take a minute to express my thankfulness to one Georgia teenager named Olivia Braswell, who gives me such hope.  

Before I tell you about Olivia, let me first say that I don’t like generational naysaying because every generation has its challenges, and circumstances are constantly changing. If smartphones were around in the 1920s, 40s, 60s, or 80s, I expect it would be hard to pull those generations away from screens, too.   

But youth today face the challenge of screen addiction. They face a job market that’s changing as rapidly as the technology. They face a college debt structure that is flat predatory.  

In my home state of Georgia, the average outstanding federal student loan debt is $41,652. Nationally, there are $1.6 trillion in total outstanding federal student loans, with 43.2 million borrowers.  

This makes my blood boil. It doesn’t have to be this way. Thankfully, more young people like Olivia are seeing that they don’t need to load up on debt to have a promising career. There are other options.  

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For instance, Olivia loves cows. She also loves entrepreneurship. So she’s melded her passion and her dreams. A family friend taught her how to make homemade soap from cow’s milk. She quickly became good at it. It smells wonderful, and we use it at our house. She created her own business, Proverbs 31 Farmstead, and she sells her milk products, including the delicious milk itself.  

Olivia, who was featured in HireSmart’s 2024 newsletter, also recognizes a need in our community for bovine breeding services. She decided to learn the other AI, “artificial insemination,” in a 65-hour course in Mississippi. She aims to have her own jersey creamery and be self-sufficient as an ag entrepreneur. My husband Mark and I are impressed with her do-it-yourself ambitions.  

That’s why we’ve gladly covered the cost of a milk machine and paid for her AI training in Mississippi through our nonprofit HireSmart Cares. We know how important it is for young entrepreneurs to get a little boost. Every business can use some outside investment in the vision.  

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HireSmart Cares is our expression of gratitude for the bounty we’ve received and for the efforts of young people like Olivia to make it in this world. (See Mark talk about the vision for HireSmart Cares here.)  

We want kids’ vision of their successful future to become a reality. Our nonprofit serves as seed money for young people to make it in the ag industry and hands-on trades. Neither route requires burdensome college debt.  

We’re so very grateful when others buy into this vision, too. When you invest in HireSmart Cares, you put quality work boots on the feet of high school graduates heading directly into the trades. You cover registration, travel, and hotel costs for teens who want to participate in agriculture and trade competitions and sharpen their skills. You even pay for button-down dress shirts for teens struggling with finances so they can go to job interviews in nice attire. HireSmart has a big-picture vision with a granular focus: how can we directly help kids and teens in the most practical way? 

HireSmart also provides the children of our Filipino virtual employees with private school scholarships so they can have the best education possible.  

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We would love for you to join us in these efforts. You can donate by going here. Beyond that, think about everything that fills you with gratitude and who has helped you in your journey. Think about all the ways you can genuinely express Thanksgiving that doesn’t involve turkey and gravy and the need to buy a bigger belt. 

There are needs all around you, and it can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. What’s one small win you can make happen for another person? When I focus like that, I look for one specific victory for someone else and then “just do it.” The reward splits into two: serving the recipient and me. I feel sure you know exactly the feeling I’m talking about. I’m not claiming to be anything special in that regard. I’m simply pointing out that there’s a circular pattern to give, and I’m thankful for the energy it holds. It lifts my spirits. Ultimately, we lift each other up when we recognize another person’s value and act to enhance it. 

If you’re interested in chatting with me about HireSmart Cares or how HireSmart Virtual Employees can help you address your staffing challenges, I would love to hear from you. You can click here to set up a meeting at your convenience.  

Happy Thanksgiving! 

And thank you, Olivia, for giving me a hopeful vision for the future.