Member Monday: Bailey Van Tassel of Abel Impact
Who are you?
Bailey Van Tassel
What’s the name of your company/organization?
The best movie of all time is clearly….
Pretty Woman (although when I was in college I thought that was too chick-ish, so I would say Pulp Fiction)
What’s your favorite local restaurant?
Breakfast: A Market Lunch: 17th Street Deli Dinner: Bluewater Grill
How would you spend your ideal day off?
I would wake up while my husband is still sleeping and spend some time with coffee, my journal, and some meditation. I would go for a run, and then wake the hubby to go do yoga at sunrise on the beach. We would then walk/bike to breakfast somewhere with an insane brekkie sandwich. We would then fill up coolers and drive up to Lake Arrowhead with the dogs. We would set up for the day at a cabin there, layout on the dock and read, take a dip, eat pasta salad and salami and rip chunks of bread off the baguette we are supposed to save for dinner and basically laze around for a few hours. I’d then prep dinner for company, with music on and an apron over my bathing suit. We’d have a few friends over for some feasting and story telling and then all walk over to a park with live music where we would dance and drink and laugh. We’d end the night stargazing and walking home for puppy cuddles.
If you could go anywhere in the world you haven’t been, where would you go and why?
I would go to Finland and stay in one of the glass-topped igloos so that I could see the Northern Lights.
What do you do for work? Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today.
I help businesses do charitable work. I help them decide what to do, who to partner with and how to do it, then help them make magic happen. I got to where I am by taking calculated risks, asking for advice from people I respect, being unafraid to approach a stranger, and by betting on myself even when I knew I’d fall short.
How do you stay inspired? Productive?
I stay inspired by surrounding myself with people who “get it” and by recognizing when a feeling is fear and then ignoring it - I also totally love any quote that Rumi is accredited for. Super loud music in the car on a bad day helps too! I stay productive by reminding myself of something my grandpa used to say, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” That always allows me to pause, breath, and dive back in.
What’s your favorite part of your work?
Seeing the sparkle in someone’s eyes when they are dreaming about how they can make a difference and why they love what they do. This is of course tied with being able to actually show someone how they can tangibly impact someone’s life for the better.
What are some of the biggest challenges of your work and what advice would you give to someone experiencing similar challenges?
One of the biggest challenge I face as an entrepreneur is myself. I create more barriers for my own success than anyone or anything ever could. My advice: know that about yourself and have people challenge you when you’re not being gritty.
Another challenge is having to educate people on what I do, since it’s a bit of a new field. Getting people up to speed on what “social impact” is is half the battle. My advice on that is: be an evangelist. If you have to educate, be sure to inspire.
Why did you decide to work out of FLDWRK?
I LOVED how the other businesses had a social good component and people understood me so easily. I also just really liked the vibe - it was an instinct thing. The way the leadership there cultivates people is also something I am inspired by. You can clearly see that anyone sitting somewhere within the FLDWRK walls wants success for everyone around them. From an institutional level, they are very organized and make things easy (this is so key!) and while it feels like you’re surrounded by family, they also let you do yo’ work thang.
What are some ways (if any) we can support you and get involved with your work?
If you know of anyone who just wants to give back somehow, I’m happy to chat with them - that is the purpose: to help people give back better. I also love collaborating, so feel free to approach me on that level!