What happens when the job you build to solve a problem turns into your calling? On this episode of The Pivot Effect, Teri Zipper and Susan Richards talk with Denise Melton, pastoral counselor and Executive Director of Cumberland Children's House of Hope and the Threads of Hope Thrift Store.
Denise started out managing medical, dental, and legal offices. Then she turned her basement into a childcare center so she'd have care she could trust for her own son. That small fix became one of the most respected preschools in town. Through it, she got to know local law enforcement and the Department of Children's Services, and she saw firsthand what children in crisis go through. Those relationships led her to volunteer at House of Hope, one of Tennessee's first transitional homes for children removed from unsafe homes. Within two years, she became its first paid director.
Denise talks about the leaps that only looked sudden, the hard seasons that tested her faith, and the moment she almost walked away. She also shares why House of Hope takes no government funding, how she hires people who may outgrow the organization, and why asking for help is a leadership strength. If you're thinking about your next pivot, she has a simple reminder: it doesn't cost anything to be kind.
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