July 6, 2023 • 31 mins
What if you found your life's purpose from a young girl who had never heard of pajamas? That's the compelling journey of Genevieve Piturro, the founder of The Pajama Program. Discover how a simple garment ignited a global nonprofit distributing over 7 million pairs of pajamas to children worldwide, and even inspired the establishment of two reading centers! Prepare to be moved by Genevieve's story of finding joy amid the challenges and how her purpose-driven leadership has created a harmonious and inclusive workspace.
"One woman came up with her own idea to honor her calling, and her name is Genevieve Piturro." -Oprah Winfrey
Best Selling & 5X Award-winning Author, Inspirational Speaker & Founder of Pajama Program Genevieve Piturro left her job as a successful TV marketing executive, picked up a pair of pajamas, and built a nationally known 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and named it Pajama Program. Two decades later, Gen educates audiences on how to
change their own course.
Genevieve Piturro is all about Purpose and The Human Connection. She was a successful television marketing executive until a sudden inner voice challenged her direction and she dramatically altered the path of her life. She found her true purpose when a simple question from a six-year-old girl in an emergency shelter changed everything. In 2001, she jumped off the corporate ladder and founded the hugely successful national non-profit, Pajama Program. This year, the Program celebrates its 21st anniversary, having delivered more than 7 MILLION magical gifts of new pajamas and new books to children through its 42 chapters across the U.S.
Genevieve is now an inspirational speaker and purpose consultant inspiring individuals, groups, and companies to find their purpose & embrace the human connection for success. She created the Purpose ACER business training program to help leaders create a shared culture by aligning the goals of the company and management with the goals of its employees.
Her first book, sharing life and leadership lessons she learned through her Pajama Program journey, is an Amazon best seller and the winner of five (5) awards. The book, Purpose, Passion and Pajamas: How to Transform Your Life, Embrace the Human Connection and Lead with Meaning, debuted during the Covid shutdown to rave reviews. The book’s message and Heart of the Matter life and leadership lessons after every chapter, dovetail perfectly with our Nation’s growing interest in finding purpose and rekindling our human connection. Her TEDx talk: “1 Idea + The Human Connection = 7 Million Pajamas” debuted with her book.
Genevieve has been interviewed on and in many local and national media including OPRAH, Hallmark’s Home & Family, The Huckabee Show, TODAY, GMA, The Early Show, CNN, Fox & Friends, O Magazine, Forbes,
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For more leadership tools, check out the free workbooks at KylaCofer.com/freestuff.
Book Kyla to speak at your event here, or to connect further, reach out to Kyla on LinkedIn and Instagram.
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Kyla Cofer (00:06):
Welcome to the Leadership School podcast.
I'm your host leadership andself-care coach, Kyla Cofer.
Here at the Leadership School,you'll hear leaders from around
the world sharing their storiesand expertise on how to lead
with balance and integrity.
Our goal Teach you how to be anextraordinary leader.
Welcome back, leaders.
(00:33):
I'm really excited to introduceto you today Genevieve Piturro.
26 years ago, Genevieve foundedThe Pajama Program.
She tells us today about howshe was inspired to start this
nonprofit and what it lookedlike for her to be on the
journey of being a founder of anonprofit.
In the pajama program, theyhave given out in the last 26
years over 7 million pairs ofpajamas to children all around
(00:57):
the world.
They now have 42 chapters oftheir program and two reading
centers.
She is a very inspiring personwho really wants to inspire you
to live on purpose.
What does it look like toreally step fully into your
purpose in your career and inyour life?
How can you, as a leader, workwith other people to be
(01:19):
purposeful in their careers,even if you might have what you
think is a boring job?
So thanks so much, Genevieve,for joining me.
I'm really excited about ourconversation today.
Please welcome GenevievePiturro.
Well, seriously, thank you forjoining me.
I'm really excited to get toknow you better and to hear more
of your story.
I'm just really, reallyfascinated by it.
I admire anybody who startedanything, but especially
(01:42):
nonprofits, because there's somuch purpose that goes into
nonprofits and so much of yourlife passion that goes into it.
There's meaning attached to it,so I'm really excited to hear
all about that.
Thanks so much for joining me.
Of course, Kyla, I'm lookingforward to it.
So maybe you can start off byjust telling us your story and
telling us how you got here.
Genevieve Piturro (02:00):
Sure, I always wanted to be a corporate
woman in the corner office in aman's world, like Mary Tyler
Moore.
She was my idol in her MaryRichard role growing up and she
had everything I wanted She wasin the city, she was independent
, she had a great job.
That was challenging at timesbut she really made a difference
(02:21):
in the office atmosphere and Iwanted to do all those things
and I wanted all the fun stuffto her friends and her fun life
and her fun clothes and prettyapartment.
And I was doing that for 12years.
I was being as close to Mary asI could until a voice, an inner
voice, asked me if this is thenext 30 years of your life, is
this enough?
And Kyla, that stopped me.
(02:42):
It stopped me.
I thought I loved my job and Idid.
I had a great, exciting job inTV in Manhattan.
But the words my parents woulduse when I was growing up and my
dad came from Italy My mom wasalso Italian What about family,
what about having children?
And I never thought that wasfor me.
You know, I was the oldest offour, my sister, my brother,
(03:03):
they did that.
But I wanted Mary.
And until that voice came to me, I didn't give it a second
thought.
But when it came to me Ithought there is a hole in here
and I think that might be it,because I loved kids.
I had nephews and nieces Godchildren and I loved them and I
wanted to find a way to bringthem into my life in a way that
(03:26):
I thought could be part-time or,you know, fit into my busy
schedule.
But I went to emergency sheltersand I read to children at night
and it changed me totally And Iwanted more of them and I
wanted to help more because Isaw the condition they were in
when they were supposed to bewith loving people to care of
them.
It was the opposite.
And when I saw them sleeping intheir clothes at night, bedtime
(03:49):
, afraid, alone, waiting for acaregiver to tell them what the
next step would be for them, itwas just all wrong.
And I felt and saw memories ofmy mom at my bedside, my sister,
my brother's bedside, and howdifferent that was what that
love meant.
And I started to bring thempajamas, not just read to them
at night, and a little girl wasso afraid to take the pajamas.
(04:10):
She just looked at me and sheasked me what are pajamas?
And that was it.
That was it And she just tookmy heart 100% and everything
changed.
And I had to grow and you know alot of ups and downs into how
the organization started andwhat I did, but it changed me as
(04:32):
a woman.
It changed me as a leader.
I had to learn that I couldtrust my heart and my instincts
when I was trying to spread theword and attract people to help,
and I loved the leader I wascompared to the bosses I had.
So I feel strongly that that'sa big part of what we're doing
now.
We're looking for leaders whocan lead with their heart, who
(04:55):
want to lead with their heart,and so that's what I'm doing now
at Brand Pajama Program, day today for 20-some years, and now
I speak to others who want tofind their purpose and change
leadership as we've known it forso long.
Kyla Cofer (05:10):
Wow.
So this girl just reallyinspired you and you started
bringing pajamas and createdthis whole pajama program and
started giving pajamas tochildren, And now you have
reading centers and you have afull-time nonprofit that you've
been running for 26 years.
Genevieve Piturro (05:27):
you said Well , I ran it for the first 20.
And then, over those 20 years,growing pajama program and
running it as well.
Founder and executive director.
So many people wanted toexplore doing their own,
following their own heart, notnecessarily nonprofit.
Finding your purpose can beanything.
It does not mean exactly youhave to have an nonprofit.
It just means you have tofollow your heart and believe
(05:48):
that you were given a talentthat you need to express and
share, and so I thought I'd liketo inspire more adults to do
that, because there's a hole inour world and I think it's some
of its heart missing.
Kyla Cofer (05:59):
Yeah, you've mentioned purpose several times,
so tell me what that means toyou, like finding your purpose,
and then how you've seen andhelped other people find theirs.
Genevieve Piturro (06:07):
Sure.
Kyla Cofer (06:08):
And why that matters .
Genevieve Piturro (06:09):
I never thought I had a purpose.
It was never part of myupbringing, Home, or teachers or
counselors or friends ormentors.
Nobody ever said big part ofyour success is gonna be are you
on purpose?
So do you know what yourpurpose is?
And so that was never part.
It was always get a good job,Make good money, like what you
(06:31):
do, be really good at it andthen work really hard.
And there was no mention ofthat word.
So if you had asked me, I wouldhave thought it was for special
people you know, like Einsteinand Deepak Chopra and Oprah and
Alexander Graham Bell, all kindsof people that did magnificent
the Wright brothers, crazy,world changing things And the
(06:52):
rest of us were lucky if we hada job we liked.
So it turns out we all have apurpose.
I know that because I was thelast person to ever think I had
a purpose.
So I know that and I've metenough people now in these 26
years, as you say, to know thatmost people are afraid because
they've discovered it late orthey never thought that they
could make money at it and theythought it was silly, and that
(07:14):
people in their world thoughtthey were crazy.
For a million reasons they haveput it on the back burner And I
am saying you're never gonna behappy, You've gotta slide it
into the front.
Even if I teach a slide or ajump, even if you slide it into
your life, it's gonna make aworld of difference.
Kyla Cofer (07:31):
Well, it doesn't just change your life, it
changes the other lives too,right?
So when you're more fullystepping into who you're
supposed to be, you're making abigger contribution.
You really are, because you aremore passionate, you want to be
there, there's more joy, you'refulfilled and just like this
love kind of just overflows andgoes to everywhere.
Yeah it's energy.
People feel it.
Yeah, so tell me about when youwere leading at and I mean,
(07:54):
you're still the founder, butyou have an executive director
now, but in the 20 years 26years of leading this
organization, what does it looklike to bring in staff and lead
them and finding their purposecause you I mean non-profits are
really good at purpose beingpurpose driven because they're
focused on something veryspecific.
Yeah, so it's kind of thatnatural thing.
(08:16):
But how did you bring otherpeople into your purpose to help
lead for that but allow them tostill have their own individual
purpose for what they weredoing?
Right, right?
Genevieve Piturro (08:28):
it's simple Whenever I interviewed someone
or met someone, I wanted to knowwhat lit them up, and it
doesn't have to be the exactsame thing.
They just have to havesomething that lights them up
and find a way to incorporate itand let them bring it to the
organization So it can be for us.
It could be reading, it couldbe children, but children with
(08:49):
certain disabilities, and wecould incorporate and I wanted
to incorporate everyone's love,even animals.
It didn't even have to be inour space, but they could talk
about it.
They could bring what they loveto the table.
It wasn't something that theyleft at home and they couldn't
bring whatever golf or swimmingor whatever they wanted to do.
(09:10):
They could bring it in and talkabout it and we would always
have open discussions abouteveryone's passion and what they
love to do and also contributeand participate.
When the invitations came tojoin them and see them in action
when they weren't working atPajama Program And I think that
that's missing in the corporateworld.
So I think that made adifference.
(09:32):
I didn't know it then.
It was just natural to mebecause I wanted a very
harmonious atmosphere.
I wanted everyone to be seenand know that, because most
people want to bring their heartto work, but they're afraid
that's not welcome.
Kyla Cofer (09:48):
Well, you really understood that.
We're not people who break upwho we are.
I mean, we're not just likelittle pieces of us that we
bring to work, we're all of us.
So we bring all of our passions, interests, desires, things
that make us happy, things thatmake us sad.
That shows up to everythingthat we do.
We don't just work in thislittle tiny corner of our lives.
It all comes.
So having that interest in thepeople who worked for you and
(10:11):
allowing them to be whole peopleat work allowed you to really
grow and thrive and to do somereally great, amazing things
with the pajama program.
Genevieve Piturro (10:20):
Yes, I think, because I was emotional about
it and for other jobs it reallywasn't emotional.
It was exciting to have a greatcampaign work well or something
that was great for the companywas exciting, but it wasn't the
same.
It didn't go as deep as theeffect that little girl had on
me.
So I think it just came out ofme and attracted others who have
(10:45):
that emotional side of themthat's been dormant or that
they've been afraid to express.
I cried when certain thingshappened with the kids.
The team cried.
We rallied together to findways to make something work that
wasn't working.
It was more heartfelt than anyother collaboration and any
other office that I had everbeen part of.
Kyla Cofer (11:08):
Well, it also shows the power of story, too, right?
You started and you let offwith the story of this young
girl that you met, and it's herstory that inspired you and it's
your story of being presentthat day that inspired all of
these people and all of thismovement.
So you've taken all of thisexperience the story of Pajama
(11:28):
Program and now you're doingmore coaching.
Tell me more about the coachingthat you're doing.
Genevieve Piturro (11:32):
Yes, the pandemic brought all of us to a
new place in the evaluation ofour lives to this point right.
So a lot of people realizedeither they were working too
hard and weren't loving it, orthey were getting nudged by
whatever they put on the backburner to maybe bring it up a
little sooner than they expected, rather than waiting for the
(11:53):
kids to go to college, waitingfor retirement, waiting for the
money, waiting, waiting.
So people wanted to explorethat and I wanted to make sure
that the younger generationslearned about purpose before
they got stuck in a job for 12years or more And nobody ever
taught me about purpose.
And I wanted to tell them thisis your North Star, your guiding
(12:13):
star.
You've got to respect it andyou've got to find it or let it
find you and be open to it andbelieve that you do have a
purpose.
And I think that a lot of peoplejust don't think that they have
a purpose.
And then when they hear mystory or I look at them and I
ask them why do they want totalk to me?
And it'll come out that they'vealways.
They might be a CPA and they'vealways wanted to dance, or
(12:36):
they've always wanted to cook.
They love to cook, but now, at40, it's too late for me to be a
chef.
Well, why It's not too late?
And I think that they feel alittle hope, and I think that
that's important.
And then, when I do get to workwith them, they make changes
that are real and that changehow they feel about themselves.
(12:56):
And that's the start.
Kyla Cofer (12:57):
Wow, so leading with purpose, so really thinking
about purpose.
You did that through thenonprofit and it can be really
easy to think that it's easierto have purpose when you're
doing something meaningful likenonprofit work.
How does this apply in thecorporate world?
Because I think it still does,I know it still does And I know
that you did too, but I'd loveto hear, like, how does that
(13:19):
play out also in a corporateenvironment?
Genevieve Piturro (13:22):
Well, it starts with an inspiring leader.
So you sort of can't teach howto be an inspiring leader, but
you can bring it out in mostpeople, because in the past
leaders I've had haven't sharedpersonal lives.
And I'm not saying bring yourchildren to work every day, I'm
just saying why are you here?
(13:43):
What excites you about thisposition being a leader?
What do you wanna see?
Who's it touching?
Okay, make boxes, but okay,what can the box do for somebody
who's gonna buy your product?
Share stories.
Share that with the people thatyou're hiring and let that out.
Don't just be about numbers andthe being, about what everybody
(14:03):
has to do and everybody's partand being the only one who
speaks in the meetings, talkabout it from the part of you
that wants why you wanna do thisjob, why you're loving being
the president or the CEO, andthen encourage everyone to talk
about why they picked this job.
What do they want?
What do they see that's missingin their position day to day?
(14:24):
What can they do to bringthemselves a little more to the
table?
What do they love to do?
What can we do together toshare what you love to do?
And then maybe this person willsay, oh, i love to play
basketball.
I love if anybody wants to playbasketball with me.
It just brings a camaraderiethat is missing in the go to
(14:46):
work at nine, leave at five, goon Zoom, get to this meeting,
get to that meeting, maybe workovertime because you have to
reach a deadline or a money goal.
It's all about goals that havenothing to do with the human
connection, and the humanconnection is something I talk
about a lot.
Because and I know, becausepeople used to always say, and
they still say, oh, the power ofone, look at an idea, one
(15:06):
person?
No, it's not.
You know, I've learned and wehave to learn more.
It's not the power of one thatchanges things, it's the power
of one another that movesmountains and moves people, and
that's what a business wants todo, wants to move a mountain.
That's that would be amazing ifthey could do something major,
and they can.
And the secret is the power ofone another.
Kyla Cofer (15:27):
Wow And you're really pointing into, like, how
integral role a leader plays init, in really helping people
find their passions, because alot of us do just get jobs
because we need a job.
I mean, especially there havebeen so many layoffs now in the
last few months And we are alloften, if you've been laid off
and you're needing work, youjust need a job, right, so you
(15:48):
just need something to pay yourbills and you'll take whatever
is offered to you.
And I have been in that spot somany times and I've taken jobs
that I was miserable in becauseI just needed a paycheck.
But what I'm hearing and what Ireally do believe and agree
with you in, that is no matterthe place, if you are leading
well or if you are working witha good leader, that you can find
(16:09):
purpose and you can findpassion and joy and that day to
day job, whatever it is, as longas you're bringing your whole
self to it and you can find whatlights you up within that role
regardless.
And if it gets to a point whereyou can't, then you have to
start making decisions on how doI get out of this and how do I
move into something that doesbring me passion and joy, which
(16:30):
can be really scary because weneed to pay our bills, so
sometimes we're trying to juggle.
So I started this podcastbecause I wanted to learn and
grow in my leadership journeyand I have been so incredibly
inspired by the guests and theconversations.
So once the interview ends, iactually keep the conversation
going because I have found thatsometimes the richest part of
(16:52):
the conversation is when we feellike the interview is over and
we can just kind of have arelaxed, more casual
conversation.
Also, if you've noticed, ifyou've been following this
podcast for some time, i used toask every guest two questions
What does integrity mean to themand what does balance look like
to them?
Well, i haven't stopped askingthose questions.
We're just putting those overon our Patreon page.
(17:15):
So go check it out atpatreoncom slash leadership
school and for $6.50 a month,you can support this podcast.
It takes a lot to produce everysingle episode and honestly, i
could use a little bit ofsupport.
So anything that you're able tocontribute would really mean a
lot to me and would able to helpme to continue to bring these
(17:36):
high caliber guests in to haveconversations on what does it
look like to be an extraordinaryleader and how do we
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So those conversations arecontinuing over at patreoncom
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So be sure to go check it out.
(17:56):
Thanks so much for your supportand thanks so much for
subscribing, listening andsharing this podcast.
It really does mean a lot andI'm so honored to show up here
in your podcast feed.
Tell me about what that lookslike when you're, when you're
approached with, "I cannot dothis in this toxic place for me
anymore, but I don't know how togo out and pay that bill.
How do we have that courage tomake that leap Right?
Genevieve Piturro (18:19):
Well, everybody's different.
So if I'm talking to anindividual, I want to know their
life, their life, circumstance,because we all have
responsibilities.
Some have more than others.
And it's often a slide that Irecommend because, say, they say
they want to sing.
Okay, it may be true thatthey'll never be Cher or that
(18:40):
they'll never be Celine Dion, itcould be, but that doesn't mean
that's not going to light themup, right?
So they have that in the backburner and they're working as
somebody's assistant.
So if they go to work and theyfeel like they're just their
boss is telling what to do andthey're doing that, then we talk
about how to bring what's onthe back burner into their
(19:01):
personal lives, because itchanges everything.
Take a singing lesson once amonth, depending on the
financial.
Join a choir, join your church,sing somewhere, get lessons,
talk to people who are in thatworld, go and learn about that
world.
There are so many things theycan do and so many people that
we don't realize we're connectedto.
(19:21):
That can have a conversationabout what we love and what
we're curious about And younever know, even if you met
somebody who needed help, whowould mentor you or teach you
how to play piano and then youcan sing to your own, to your
own you know little keyboardthat you might be able to afford
.
It changes everything when yousort of have that outlet.
(19:45):
Too many of us are clogged upwith all the excuses why we
don't have an hour a week forwhat we love to do And it
suffocates us.
It's just like locking up joyin us And that first almost
permission to let it out changeseverything.
You can see on their face, yousee, the next time if they've
(20:06):
had that hour of a lesson or metwith somebody, went to an opera
, someone's guest, anything theywant to do, they sort of like
let the kid in them has come outAnd it just goes from there,
you know, and then, depending ontheir life, it can be bigger,
it can become a jump, orsometimes it's enough just to
find the freedom to make acommitment to do something like
(20:28):
this for yourself for an hour aweek.
Kyla Cofer (20:31):
Absolutely.
I talk about this a lot withburnout prevention.
If we're wanting to preventburnout, one of the main key
pieces is connection, and thatmeans connection with other
people, but also connection withyourself.
And when you're building thoseconnections with yourself,
you're getting back to reallywho you are your joys, your
wants, desires, your wants,needs, desires like to be a
happy, whole, healthy person.
(20:52):
Like, what are those thingsthat really reset you, to remind
you who you are?
And you have to implement thoseregularly into your life, and a
lot of those are hobbies.
So, like, what are the thingsthat, just like, make you feel
at peace?
What is that moment that makesyou feel like you are you and
you're being you, and you haveto put that in your life and in
(21:14):
a way that you can do.
I challenge someone to do itevery single day.
So when we talk a lot about selfcare, I don't think self care
is, like you know, traveling 20hours to go to the beach or
whatever it is for you.
You know, having to go spend$700 at a spa once a week That's
those things can be self care,but self care is really those
(21:37):
things that you do to take careof yourself every day And those
connections with yourself iswhat is what's doing that?
It's that reconnecting to whoyou really are.
And when you can do that, evenat work, when you can just even
bring those little pieces in,you're bringing that light.
Like, bring the candle to adark room and then you add more
(21:57):
candles and it just getsbrighter.
Genevieve Piturro (21:59):
Yes, and you'd be surprised at how many
people find a lucrative positionfrom that kind of a start.
You can make money if you lovewhat you do.
It's no joke.
You can make money.
You will be led to the rightpeople, if you're open, who
might need your help and arewilling to pay for it And you
might find a job.
I mean, it's just.
It's incredible.
The universe is our partner andnot enough of us know that and
(22:22):
believe that.
But when you're on purpose andyou're giving your gift to
others by what you said, givingit to yourself first miracles do
happen.
You meet people, things thatyou never thought would happen
Synchronistic works out.
It's just.
You know it's hard to tellpeople.
A lot of entrepreneurs know it.
We talk about it.
(22:42):
You know, we know it.
A lot of us, because of ourbacks, been against the wall.
We've chosen things to do andyou know people would think we
were crazy, but we've learnedthat there's a force out there
and trying to teach somebody isnot always easy, but if they are
open to it and they startexperiencing it, then they see
it.
Kyla Cofer (22:58):
Well, it's really interesting too, because what we
get really passionate aboutdoesn't necessarily mean we're
doing that one thing forever.
Sometimes that one thing, bypursuing that joy and that
purpose, leads you down a pathto somewhere you never expected
and imagined.
Just like you were saying withthe Pajama program, you started
out by giving pajamas, but nowyou have reading centers.
Imagining that was not in youroriginal plan, did you?
Genevieve Piturro (23:22):
ever think for a second that I thought I
could make a living, that Ithought I could quit my job and
make money.
And I quit my job before I knewthere was a way to make money.
I didn't even know what a 501c3was, I knew no rules, I knew
nothing.
And it turns out you can make aliving, as you know, working in
(23:42):
non-profit work, and it's just.
I never thought, and givingpajamas to kids wasn't like I
was teaching them or doingsomething that I might have
thought was more significant,but it's about contributing to
their lives in a way that otherswant to join you in that, and
(24:02):
then they're becoming this needthat everyone sees as a part of
what's missing in their lives,and there's a way to not have to
stress and to think you can'tlive and eat yourself while
you're helping others.
It's just a beautiful thing howit comes together.
Kyla Cofer (24:24):
So what you say to someone who says, okay, that's
great and all, I love it.
You know, that sounds all niceand fluffy, but I really have no
idea what my passions are.
I really have no idea what I'mpurposeful about.
Like I don't even know where tobegin because I've just been
surviving, Yeah.
Genevieve Piturro (24:36):
So I do things that can either go to my
website and look at the exerciseI put up there about how to
find your purpose in 90 minutesis exercise for 90 minutes, or,
if they want to talk about it, Ialways offer a free, you know
hour, 90 minute call to talkabout it.
But you have one, you have oneWe all do.
Kyla Cofer (24:53):
Every single person was created with that.
Yes, it's just incredible,right?
Let's just take a moment to beso amazed by humanity.
How incredible is it that welook different, we talk
different, we speak differently,we think differently I mean,
even twins have differences.
And we all have something thatmakes us unique, that drives us.
Honestly, that's just amazing.
(25:14):
I think this world is sobeautiful and we can get so lost
in the bad news every day thatwe just forget how incredible it
is that we're so unique and wedo have that within us.
Genevieve Piturro (25:25):
No, I think people are taught to conform.
I think if you're anentrepreneur and you have kids,
you are more accepting and maybeeven suggest that they start
something, that they think abouttheir passion.
But if you come from a longline of people who've had jobs,
they're afraid.
They're afraid to take a chance.
Security is number one.
Kyla Cofer (25:43):
Oh yeah, for me to launch my own business was very
scary because of that reason.
I came from a long line ofpeople who worked with strict
rules, like you don't negotiateyour job because you just take
what they give you and you justaccept that and you be grateful
for it.
And then entrepreneurs in ourfamily history had failed, so
they were laughing stocks And sobecause they had dozens of
(26:05):
businesses and they all failedand this person just wasn't
never showed up for anything andjust saw them as a really
really negative light, so had tokind of work through all those
And I think it's worth it evento work through all that.
You learn a lot about yourselfand you learn what you're
capable of.
Yeah And no, unless youactually get out there and try
and do it Right.
So you've got your book upthere behind you, "purpose,
(26:26):
passion and Pajamas.
Is that telling about what wewere going to be talking about
today?
Yes, yes.
Genevieve Piturro (26:33):
It's the journey ups and downs lots of
downs too.
I always tell people everything, and life lessons are part of
the matter lessons at the end ofevery chapter of what I learned
about life and leadership alongthe way.
Kyla Cofer (26:43):
Awesome.
So let's check out your bookand that will be in the show
notes for us to check out, andthen you're coaching.
So tell me, or walk me through,what it looks like to coach
with you.
Genevieve Piturro (26:54):
It depends on where you are, but there's
always a consultation at firstbecause everything is tailored.
So I couldn't tell you there'sa one fits all.
So it depends on where you areand what your goal is and what
your timeline is, and if youdon't know that, we'll figure it
out together.
So it's usually a couple ofmonths.
Some people are six months,some people are two months.
It depends on your personalsituation.
Kyla Cofer (27:16):
Awesome, all right.
So Genevieve, where can we findyou?
Tell me your website, sure,genevievepiturrocom.
Is there anything else youwould like to say?
to make sure that we haven'tleft anything unsaid.
It's never too late.
Genevieve Piturro (27:28):
It is never, ever too late.
Change your path, get off theroad if you want to Do it.
Thank, you.
Kyla Cofer (27:34):
I really appreciate it.
I've seen how it can be scary,especially when you get into
adulthood and you're gettinginto habits and rhythms and
patterns that it does feel likeit's too late.
It feels like or I don't knowwhere to start.
It can feel intimidating andscary.
But I really appreciate havingpeople who've been there and
done it to speak up and say thatit's possible and be vulnerable
(27:56):
with your own successes andfailures, and showing up and
saying, oh, I had no idea what Iwas doing.
I quit my job and didn't evenknow what a 501c3 was.
That, I mean.
That just surprises me.
Like how do?
and yet here you are,successful with 26 years of this
program.
It's amazing.
Genevieve Piturro (28:13):
I didn't know what it was, and it's just
never too late.
I know people are afraid andsometimes you have to do it
afraid.
I still do things and I say tomyself I'm really afraid, I'm
doing this afraid and I am, I'mnot going to tell you, it's all
about feel the fear and do itanyway.
Yeah, I do it anyway, but I'mafraid, I feel afraid as I'm
doing it and that's okay.
It's almost ridiculous to thinkany words can make you not be
(28:37):
afraid.
It's more comforting to me tosay, okay, I'm really afraid,
but I'm doing it anyway and I'lldo it afraid.
Kyla Cofer (28:44):
Yeah, how have you worked through that sometimes
when you've been feeling scared,and how do you push yourself to
do it when it feels like I?
Genevieve Piturro (28:51):
think of the rocking chair test When I'm 85,
my mom's 88.
So when I'm 88, I don't want tolook back and say, why didn't I
do that?
What was the worst thing thatwas going to happen?
It wasn't going to work, I wasgoing to fail.
Okay, then I get back up, Ifigure it out and fears conquer
your fears part of it.
So I just don't want to everthink I wasn't brave enough, I
(29:16):
guess to at least try.
Kyla Cofer (29:17):
Does that come from experience of regret at all of
having not done things?
Good question, probably whenyou were really younger.
I mean, I'm just saying thatbecause my own experience is
when I was really younger.
there are a lot of things thatI'm like why didn't I just try?
Genevieve Piturro (29:32):
Yeah, yeah, i broke some barriers, like I
said, with my upbringing andwhat I decided to do in the path
that I was following was my own, but it was the wrong one.
I wanted to be somebody I didn'teven know.
I wanted to be Mary JohnLomor's Mary Richers.
I didn't even know her.
It wasn't like I wanted to bemy aunt, who was really cool.
I didn't even know this womanJust on TV.
(29:54):
She had so many things thatwere success in my eye and in
the public's eye, so that's whatI thought would make me happy
and my family proud and all that.
But I want to be brave.
I want to be brave.
I want to feel good about thefact that I tried.
I care that I fail, of course,but I don't want to stop because
(30:17):
I failed at something.
I just don't.
I don't want it to end that way.
Kyla Cofer (30:22):
Yeah, Yeah, that's awesome.
Well, Genevieve, thank you somuch for joining me.
I'm just really grateful foryour time and sharing your story
and hearing about your successthrough the Pajama program and
through your coaching.
I'm always just so inspired bypeople who have done it anyways
and who have really pursuedtheir purpose and passion and
done that to a way where theycan look back and say I was
(30:43):
successful.
So thank you for inspiring usand for kind of mentoring us
along the way.
Thank you.
Thank you for this invitation.
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
Hey.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you've liked what you heardand you want some more tools and
resources to help you on yourjourney, go check out kylacofer.
com/ free stuff.
Welcome to the Leadership School podcast.
I'm your host leadership andself-care coach, Kyla Cofer.
Here at the Leadership School,you'll hear leaders from around
the world sharing their storiesand expertise on how to lead
with balance and integrity.
Our goal Teach you how to be anextraordinary leader.
Welcome back, leaders.
(00:33):
I'm really excited to introduceto you today Genevieve Piturro.
26 years ago, Genevieve foundedThe Pajama Program.
She tells us today about howshe was inspired to start this
nonprofit and what it lookedlike for her to be on the
journey of being a founder of anonprofit.
In the pajama program, theyhave given out in the last 26
years over 7 million pairs ofpajamas to children all around
(00:57):
the world.
They now have 42 chapters oftheir program and two reading
centers.
She is a very inspiring personwho really wants to inspire you
to live on purpose.
What does it look like toreally step fully into your
purpose in your career and inyour life?
How can you, as a leader, workwith other people to be
(01:19):
purposeful in their careers,even if you might have what you
think is a boring job?
So thanks so much, Genevieve,for joining me.
I'm really excited about ourconversation today.
Please welcome GenevievePiturro.
Well, seriously, thank you forjoining me.
I'm really excited to get toknow you better and to hear more
of your story.
I'm just really, reallyfascinated by it.
I admire anybody who startedanything, but especially
(01:42):
nonprofits, because there's somuch purpose that goes into
nonprofits and so much of yourlife passion that goes into it.
There's meaning attached to it,so I'm really excited to hear
all about that.
Thanks so much for joining me.
Of course, Kyla, I'm lookingforward to it.
So maybe you can start off byjust telling us your story and
telling us how you got here.
Genevieve Piturro (02:00):
Sure, I always wanted to be a corporate
woman in the corner office in aman's world, like Mary Tyler
Moore.
She was my idol in her MaryRichard role growing up and she
had everything I wanted She wasin the city, she was independent
, she had a great job.
That was challenging at timesbut she really made a difference
(02:21):
in the office atmosphere and Iwanted to do all those things
and I wanted all the fun stuffto her friends and her fun life
and her fun clothes and prettyapartment.
And I was doing that for 12years.
I was being as close to Mary asI could until a voice, an inner
voice, asked me if this is thenext 30 years of your life, is
this enough?
And Kyla, that stopped me.
(02:42):
It stopped me.
I thought I loved my job and Idid.
I had a great, exciting job inTV in Manhattan.
But the words my parents woulduse when I was growing up and my
dad came from Italy My mom wasalso Italian What about family,
what about having children?
And I never thought that wasfor me.
You know, I was the oldest offour, my sister, my brother,
(03:03):
they did that.
But I wanted Mary.
And until that voice came to me, I didn't give it a second
thought.
But when it came to me Ithought there is a hole in here
and I think that might be it,because I loved kids.
I had nephews and nieces Godchildren and I loved them and I
wanted to find a way to bringthem into my life in a way that
(03:26):
I thought could be part-time or,you know, fit into my busy
schedule.
But I went to emergency sheltersand I read to children at night
and it changed me totally And Iwanted more of them and I
wanted to help more because Isaw the condition they were in
when they were supposed to bewith loving people to care of
them.
It was the opposite.
And when I saw them sleeping intheir clothes at night, bedtime
(03:49):
, afraid, alone, waiting for acaregiver to tell them what the
next step would be for them, itwas just all wrong.
And I felt and saw memories ofmy mom at my bedside, my sister,
my brother's bedside, and howdifferent that was what that
love meant.
And I started to bring thempajamas, not just read to them
at night, and a little girl wasso afraid to take the pajamas.
(04:10):
She just looked at me and sheasked me what are pajamas?
And that was it.
That was it And she just tookmy heart 100% and everything
changed.
And I had to grow and you know alot of ups and downs into how
the organization started andwhat I did, but it changed me as
(04:32):
a woman.
It changed me as a leader.
I had to learn that I couldtrust my heart and my instincts
when I was trying to spread theword and attract people to help,
and I loved the leader I wascompared to the bosses I had.
So I feel strongly that that'sa big part of what we're doing
now.
We're looking for leaders whocan lead with their heart, who
(04:55):
want to lead with their heart,and so that's what I'm doing now
at Brand Pajama Program, day today for 20-some years, and now
I speak to others who want tofind their purpose and change
leadership as we've known it forso long.
Kyla Cofer (05:10):
Wow.
So this girl just reallyinspired you and you started
bringing pajamas and createdthis whole pajama program and
started giving pajamas tochildren, And now you have
reading centers and you have afull-time nonprofit that you've
been running for 26 years.
Genevieve Piturro (05:27):
you said Well , I ran it for the first 20.
And then, over those 20 years,growing pajama program and
running it as well.
Founder and executive director.
So many people wanted toexplore doing their own,
following their own heart, notnecessarily nonprofit.
Finding your purpose can beanything.
It does not mean exactly youhave to have an nonprofit.
It just means you have tofollow your heart and believe
(05:48):
that you were given a talentthat you need to express and
share, and so I thought I'd liketo inspire more adults to do
that, because there's a hole inour world and I think it's some
of its heart missing.
Kyla Cofer (05:59):
Yeah, you've mentioned purpose several times,
so tell me what that means toyou, like finding your purpose,
and then how you've seen andhelped other people find theirs.
Genevieve Piturro (06:07):
Sure.
Kyla Cofer (06:08):
And why that matters .
Genevieve Piturro (06:09):
I never thought I had a purpose.
It was never part of myupbringing, Home, or teachers or
counselors or friends ormentors.
Nobody ever said big part ofyour success is gonna be are you
on purpose?
So do you know what yourpurpose is?
And so that was never part.
It was always get a good job,Make good money, like what you
(06:31):
do, be really good at it andthen work really hard.
And there was no mention ofthat word.
So if you had asked me, I wouldhave thought it was for special
people you know, like Einsteinand Deepak Chopra and Oprah and
Alexander Graham Bell, all kindsof people that did magnificent
the Wright brothers, crazy,world changing things And the
(06:52):
rest of us were lucky if we hada job we liked.
So it turns out we all have apurpose.
I know that because I was thelast person to ever think I had
a purpose.
So I know that and I've metenough people now in these 26
years, as you say, to know thatmost people are afraid because
they've discovered it late orthey never thought that they
could make money at it and theythought it was silly, and that
(07:14):
people in their world thoughtthey were crazy.
For a million reasons they haveput it on the back burner And I
am saying you're never gonna behappy, You've gotta slide it
into the front.
Even if I teach a slide or ajump, even if you slide it into
your life, it's gonna make aworld of difference.
Kyla Cofer (07:31):
Well, it doesn't just change your life, it
changes the other lives too,right?
So when you're more fullystepping into who you're
supposed to be, you're making abigger contribution.
You really are, because you aremore passionate, you want to be
there, there's more joy, you'refulfilled and just like this
love kind of just overflows andgoes to everywhere.
Yeah it's energy.
People feel it.
Yeah, so tell me about when youwere leading at and I mean,
(07:54):
you're still the founder, butyou have an executive director
now, but in the 20 years 26years of leading this
organization, what does it looklike to bring in staff and lead
them and finding their purposecause you I mean non-profits are
really good at purpose beingpurpose driven because they're
focused on something veryspecific.
Yeah, so it's kind of thatnatural thing.
(08:16):
But how did you bring otherpeople into your purpose to help
lead for that but allow them tostill have their own individual
purpose for what they weredoing?
Right, right?
Genevieve Piturro (08:28):
it's simple Whenever I interviewed someone
or met someone, I wanted to knowwhat lit them up, and it
doesn't have to be the exactsame thing.
They just have to havesomething that lights them up
and find a way to incorporate itand let them bring it to the
organization So it can be for us.
It could be reading, it couldbe children, but children with
(08:49):
certain disabilities, and wecould incorporate and I wanted
to incorporate everyone's love,even animals.
It didn't even have to be inour space, but they could talk
about it.
They could bring what they loveto the table.
It wasn't something that theyleft at home and they couldn't
bring whatever golf or swimmingor whatever they wanted to do.
(09:10):
They could bring it in and talkabout it and we would always
have open discussions abouteveryone's passion and what they
love to do and also contributeand participate.
When the invitations came tojoin them and see them in action
when they weren't working atPajama Program And I think that
that's missing in the corporateworld.
So I think that made adifference.
(09:32):
I didn't know it then.
It was just natural to mebecause I wanted a very
harmonious atmosphere.
I wanted everyone to be seenand know that, because most
people want to bring their heartto work, but they're afraid
that's not welcome.
Kyla Cofer (09:48):
Well, you really understood that.
We're not people who break upwho we are.
I mean, we're not just likelittle pieces of us that we
bring to work, we're all of us.
So we bring all of our passions, interests, desires, things
that make us happy, things thatmake us sad.
That shows up to everythingthat we do.
We don't just work in thislittle tiny corner of our lives.
It all comes.
So having that interest in thepeople who worked for you and
(10:11):
allowing them to be whole peopleat work allowed you to really
grow and thrive and to do somereally great, amazing things
with the pajama program.
Genevieve Piturro (10:20):
Yes, I think, because I was emotional about
it and for other jobs it reallywasn't emotional.
It was exciting to have a greatcampaign work well or something
that was great for the companywas exciting, but it wasn't the
same.
It didn't go as deep as theeffect that little girl had on
me.
So I think it just came out ofme and attracted others who have
(10:45):
that emotional side of themthat's been dormant or that
they've been afraid to express.
I cried when certain thingshappened with the kids.
The team cried.
We rallied together to findways to make something work that
wasn't working.
It was more heartfelt than anyother collaboration and any
other office that I had everbeen part of.
Kyla Cofer (11:08):
Well, it also shows the power of story, too, right?
You started and you let offwith the story of this young
girl that you met, and it's herstory that inspired you and it's
your story of being presentthat day that inspired all of
these people and all of thismovement.
So you've taken all of thisexperience the story of Pajama
(11:28):
Program and now you're doingmore coaching.
Tell me more about the coachingthat you're doing.
Genevieve Piturro (11:32):
Yes, the pandemic brought all of us to a
new place in the evaluation ofour lives to this point right.
So a lot of people realizedeither they were working too
hard and weren't loving it, orthey were getting nudged by
whatever they put on the backburner to maybe bring it up a
little sooner than they expected, rather than waiting for the
(11:53):
kids to go to college, waitingfor retirement, waiting for the
money, waiting, waiting.
So people wanted to explorethat and I wanted to make sure
that the younger generationslearned about purpose before
they got stuck in a job for 12years or more And nobody ever
taught me about purpose.
And I wanted to tell them thisis your North Star, your guiding
(12:13):
star.
You've got to respect it andyou've got to find it or let it
find you and be open to it andbelieve that you do have a
purpose.
And I think that a lot of peoplejust don't think that they have
a purpose.
And then when they hear mystory or I look at them and I
ask them why do they want totalk to me?
And it'll come out that they'vealways.
They might be a CPA and they'vealways wanted to dance, or
(12:36):
they've always wanted to cook.
They love to cook, but now, at40, it's too late for me to be a
chef.
Well, why It's not too late?
And I think that they feel alittle hope, and I think that
that's important.
And then, when I do get to workwith them, they make changes
that are real and that changehow they feel about themselves.
(12:56):
And that's the start.
Kyla Cofer (12:57):
Wow, so leading with purpose, so really thinking
about purpose.
You did that through thenonprofit and it can be really
easy to think that it's easierto have purpose when you're
doing something meaningful likenonprofit work.
How does this apply in thecorporate world?
Because I think it still does,I know it still does And I know
that you did too, but I'd loveto hear, like, how does that
(13:19):
play out also in a corporateenvironment?
Genevieve Piturro (13:22):
Well, it starts with an inspiring leader.
So you sort of can't teach howto be an inspiring leader, but
you can bring it out in mostpeople, because in the past
leaders I've had haven't sharedpersonal lives.
And I'm not saying bring yourchildren to work every day, I'm
just saying why are you here?
(13:43):
What excites you about thisposition being a leader?
What do you wanna see?
Who's it touching?
Okay, make boxes, but okay,what can the box do for somebody
who's gonna buy your product?
Share stories.
Share that with the people thatyou're hiring and let that out.
Don't just be about numbers andthe being, about what everybody
(14:03):
has to do and everybody's partand being the only one who
speaks in the meetings, talkabout it from the part of you
that wants why you wanna do thisjob, why you're loving being
the president or the CEO, andthen encourage everyone to talk
about why they picked this job.
What do they want?
What do they see that's missingin their position day to day?
(14:24):
What can they do to bringthemselves a little more to the
table?
What do they love to do?
What can we do together toshare what you love to do?
And then maybe this person willsay, oh, i love to play
basketball.
I love if anybody wants to playbasketball with me.
It just brings a camaraderiethat is missing in the go to
(14:46):
work at nine, leave at five, goon Zoom, get to this meeting,
get to that meeting, maybe workovertime because you have to
reach a deadline or a money goal.
It's all about goals that havenothing to do with the human
connection, and the humanconnection is something I talk
about a lot.
Because and I know, becausepeople used to always say, and
they still say, oh, the power ofone, look at an idea, one
(15:06):
person?
No, it's not.
You know, I've learned and wehave to learn more.
It's not the power of one thatchanges things, it's the power
of one another that movesmountains and moves people, and
that's what a business wants todo, wants to move a mountain.
That's that would be amazing ifthey could do something major,
and they can.
And the secret is the power ofone another.
Kyla Cofer (15:27):
Wow And you're really pointing into, like, how
integral role a leader plays init, in really helping people
find their passions, because alot of us do just get jobs
because we need a job.
I mean, especially there havebeen so many layoffs now in the
last few months And we are alloften, if you've been laid off
and you're needing work, youjust need a job, right, so you
(15:48):
just need something to pay yourbills and you'll take whatever
is offered to you.
And I have been in that spot somany times and I've taken jobs
that I was miserable in becauseI just needed a paycheck.
But what I'm hearing and what Ireally do believe and agree
with you in, that is no matterthe place, if you are leading
well or if you are working witha good leader, that you can find
(16:09):
purpose and you can findpassion and joy and that day to
day job, whatever it is, as longas you're bringing your whole
self to it and you can find whatlights you up within that role
regardless.
And if it gets to a point whereyou can't, then you have to
start making decisions on how doI get out of this and how do I
move into something that doesbring me passion and joy, which
(16:30):
can be really scary because weneed to pay our bills, so
sometimes we're trying to juggle.
So I started this podcastbecause I wanted to learn and
grow in my leadership journeyand I have been so incredibly
inspired by the guests and theconversations.
So once the interview ends, iactually keep the conversation
going because I have found thatsometimes the richest part of
(16:52):
the conversation is when we feellike the interview is over and
we can just kind of have arelaxed, more casual
conversation.
Also, if you've noticed, ifyou've been following this
podcast for some time, i used toask every guest two questions
What does integrity mean to themand what does balance look like
to them?
Well, i haven't stopped askingthose questions.
We're just putting those overon our Patreon page.
(17:15):
So go check it out atpatreoncom slash leadership
school and for $6.50 a month,you can support this podcast.
It takes a lot to produce everysingle episode and honestly, i
could use a little bit ofsupport.
So anything that you're able tocontribute would really mean a
lot to me and would able to helpme to continue to bring these
(17:36):
high caliber guests in to haveconversations on what does it
look like to be an extraordinaryleader and how do we
practically do that?
So those conversations arecontinuing over at patreoncom
slash leadership school, whereI'm asking guests some extra
questions, some bonus questions,and you'll get some bonus
content over there.
So be sure to go check it out.
(17:56):
Thanks so much for your supportand thanks so much for
subscribing, listening andsharing this podcast.
It really does mean a lot andI'm so honored to show up here
in your podcast feed.
Tell me about what that lookslike when you're, when you're
approached with, "I cannot dothis in this toxic place for me
anymore, but I don't know how togo out and pay that bill.
How do we have that courage tomake that leap Right?
Genevieve Piturro (18:19):
Well, everybody's different.
So if I'm talking to anindividual, I want to know their
life, their life, circumstance,because we all have
responsibilities.
Some have more than others.
And it's often a slide that Irecommend because, say, they say
they want to sing.
Okay, it may be true thatthey'll never be Cher or that
(18:40):
they'll never be Celine Dion, itcould be, but that doesn't mean
that's not going to light themup, right?
So they have that in the backburner and they're working as
somebody's assistant.
So if they go to work and theyfeel like they're just their
boss is telling what to do andthey're doing that, then we talk
about how to bring what's onthe back burner into their
(19:01):
personal lives, because itchanges everything.
Take a singing lesson once amonth, depending on the
financial.
Join a choir, join your church,sing somewhere, get lessons,
talk to people who are in thatworld, go and learn about that
world.
There are so many things theycan do and so many people that
we don't realize we're connectedto.
(19:21):
That can have a conversationabout what we love and what
we're curious about And younever know, even if you met
somebody who needed help, whowould mentor you or teach you
how to play piano and then youcan sing to your own, to your
own you know little keyboardthat you might be able to afford
.
It changes everything when yousort of have that outlet.
(19:45):
Too many of us are clogged upwith all the excuses why we
don't have an hour a week forwhat we love to do And it
suffocates us.
It's just like locking up joyin us And that first almost
permission to let it out changeseverything.
You can see on their face, yousee, the next time if they've
(20:06):
had that hour of a lesson or metwith somebody, went to an opera
, someone's guest, anything theywant to do, they sort of like
let the kid in them has come outAnd it just goes from there,
you know, and then, depending ontheir life, it can be bigger,
it can become a jump, orsometimes it's enough just to
find the freedom to make acommitment to do something like
(20:28):
this for yourself for an hour aweek.
Kyla Cofer (20:31):
Absolutely.
I talk about this a lot withburnout prevention.
If we're wanting to preventburnout, one of the main key
pieces is connection, and thatmeans connection with other
people, but also connection withyourself.
And when you're building thoseconnections with yourself,
you're getting back to reallywho you are your joys, your
wants, desires, your wants,needs, desires like to be a
happy, whole, healthy person.
(20:52):
Like, what are those thingsthat really reset you, to remind
you who you are?
And you have to implement thoseregularly into your life, and a
lot of those are hobbies.
So, like, what are the thingsthat, just like, make you feel
at peace?
What is that moment that makesyou feel like you are you and
you're being you, and you haveto put that in your life and in
(21:14):
a way that you can do.
I challenge someone to do itevery single day.
So when we talk a lot about selfcare, I don't think self care
is, like you know, traveling 20hours to go to the beach or
whatever it is for you.
You know, having to go spend$700 at a spa once a week That's
those things can be self care,but self care is really those
(21:37):
things that you do to take careof yourself every day And those
connections with yourself iswhat is what's doing that?
It's that reconnecting to whoyou really are.
And when you can do that, evenat work, when you can just even
bring those little pieces in,you're bringing that light.
Like, bring the candle to adark room and then you add more
(21:57):
candles and it just getsbrighter.
Genevieve Piturro (21:59):
Yes, and you'd be surprised at how many
people find a lucrative positionfrom that kind of a start.
You can make money if you lovewhat you do.
It's no joke.
You can make money.
You will be led to the rightpeople, if you're open, who
might need your help and arewilling to pay for it And you
might find a job.
I mean, it's just.
It's incredible.
The universe is our partner andnot enough of us know that and
(22:22):
believe that.
But when you're on purpose andyou're giving your gift to
others by what you said, givingit to yourself first miracles do
happen.
You meet people, things thatyou never thought would happen
Synchronistic works out.
It's just.
You know it's hard to tellpeople.
A lot of entrepreneurs know it.
We talk about it.
(22:42):
You know, we know it.
A lot of us, because of ourbacks, been against the wall.
We've chosen things to do andyou know people would think we
were crazy, but we've learnedthat there's a force out there
and trying to teach somebody isnot always easy, but if they are
open to it and they startexperiencing it, then they see
it.
Kyla Cofer (22:58):
Well, it's really interesting too, because what we
get really passionate aboutdoesn't necessarily mean we're
doing that one thing forever.
Sometimes that one thing, bypursuing that joy and that
purpose, leads you down a pathto somewhere you never expected
and imagined.
Just like you were saying withthe Pajama program, you started
out by giving pajamas, but nowyou have reading centers.
Imagining that was not in youroriginal plan, did you?
Genevieve Piturro (23:22):
ever think for a second that I thought I
could make a living, that Ithought I could quit my job and
make money.
And I quit my job before I knewthere was a way to make money.
I didn't even know what a 501c3was, I knew no rules, I knew
nothing.
And it turns out you can make aliving, as you know, working in
(23:42):
non-profit work, and it's just.
I never thought, and givingpajamas to kids wasn't like I
was teaching them or doingsomething that I might have
thought was more significant,but it's about contributing to
their lives in a way that otherswant to join you in that, and
(24:02):
then they're becoming this needthat everyone sees as a part of
what's missing in their lives,and there's a way to not have to
stress and to think you can'tlive and eat yourself while
you're helping others.
It's just a beautiful thing howit comes together.
Kyla Cofer (24:24):
So what you say to someone who says, okay, that's
great and all, I love it.
You know, that sounds all niceand fluffy, but I really have no
idea what my passions are.
I really have no idea what I'mpurposeful about.
Like I don't even know where tobegin because I've just been
surviving, Yeah.
Genevieve Piturro (24:36):
So I do things that can either go to my
website and look at the exerciseI put up there about how to
find your purpose in 90 minutesis exercise for 90 minutes, or,
if they want to talk about it, Ialways offer a free, you know
hour, 90 minute call to talkabout it.
But you have one, you have oneWe all do.
Kyla Cofer (24:53):
Every single person was created with that.
Yes, it's just incredible,right?
Let's just take a moment to beso amazed by humanity.
How incredible is it that welook different, we talk
different, we speak differently,we think differently I mean,
even twins have differences.
And we all have something thatmakes us unique, that drives us.
Honestly, that's just amazing.
(25:14):
I think this world is sobeautiful and we can get so lost
in the bad news every day thatwe just forget how incredible it
is that we're so unique and wedo have that within us.
Genevieve Piturro (25:25):
No, I think people are taught to conform.
I think if you're anentrepreneur and you have kids,
you are more accepting and maybeeven suggest that they start
something, that they think abouttheir passion.
But if you come from a longline of people who've had jobs,
they're afraid.
They're afraid to take a chance.
Security is number one.
Kyla Cofer (25:43):
Oh yeah, for me to launch my own business was very
scary because of that reason.
I came from a long line ofpeople who worked with strict
rules, like you don't negotiateyour job because you just take
what they give you and you justaccept that and you be grateful
for it.
And then entrepreneurs in ourfamily history had failed, so
they were laughing stocks And sobecause they had dozens of
(26:05):
businesses and they all failedand this person just wasn't
never showed up for anything andjust saw them as a really
really negative light, so had tokind of work through all those
And I think it's worth it evento work through all that.
You learn a lot about yourselfand you learn what you're
capable of.
Yeah And no, unless youactually get out there and try
and do it Right.
So you've got your book upthere behind you, "purpose,
(26:26):
passion and Pajamas.
Is that telling about what wewere going to be talking about
today?
Yes, yes.
Genevieve Piturro (26:33):
It's the journey ups and downs lots of
downs too.
I always tell people everything, and life lessons are part of
the matter lessons at the end ofevery chapter of what I learned
about life and leadership alongthe way.
Kyla Cofer (26:43):
Awesome.
So let's check out your bookand that will be in the show
notes for us to check out, andthen you're coaching.
So tell me, or walk me through,what it looks like to coach
with you.
Genevieve Piturro (26:54):
It depends on where you are, but there's
always a consultation at firstbecause everything is tailored.
So I couldn't tell you there'sa one fits all.
So it depends on where you areand what your goal is and what
your timeline is, and if youdon't know that, we'll figure it
out together.
So it's usually a couple ofmonths.
Some people are six months,some people are two months.
It depends on your personalsituation.
Kyla Cofer (27:16):
Awesome, all right.
So Genevieve, where can we findyou?
Tell me your website, sure,genevievepiturrocom.
Is there anything else youwould like to say?
to make sure that we haven'tleft anything unsaid.
It's never too late.
Genevieve Piturro (27:28):
It is never, ever too late.
Change your path, get off theroad if you want to Do it.
Thank, you.
Kyla Cofer (27:34):
I really appreciate it.
I've seen how it can be scary,especially when you get into
adulthood and you're gettinginto habits and rhythms and
patterns that it does feel likeit's too late.
It feels like or I don't knowwhere to start.
It can feel intimidating andscary.
But I really appreciate havingpeople who've been there and
done it to speak up and say thatit's possible and be vulnerable
(27:56):
with your own successes andfailures, and showing up and
saying, oh, I had no idea what Iwas doing.
I quit my job and didn't evenknow what a 501c3 was.
That, I mean.
That just surprises me.
Like how do?
and yet here you are,successful with 26 years of this
program.
It's amazing.
Genevieve Piturro (28:13):
I didn't know what it was, and it's just
never too late.
I know people are afraid andsometimes you have to do it
afraid.
I still do things and I say tomyself I'm really afraid, I'm
doing this afraid and I am, I'mnot going to tell you, it's all
about feel the fear and do itanyway.
Yeah, I do it anyway, but I'mafraid, I feel afraid as I'm
doing it and that's okay.
It's almost ridiculous to thinkany words can make you not be
(28:37):
afraid.
It's more comforting to me tosay, okay, I'm really afraid,
but I'm doing it anyway and I'lldo it afraid.
Kyla Cofer (28:44):
Yeah, how have you worked through that sometimes
when you've been feeling scared,and how do you push yourself to
do it when it feels like I?
Genevieve Piturro (28:51):
think of the rocking chair test When I'm 85,
my mom's 88.
So when I'm 88, I don't want tolook back and say, why didn't I
do that?
What was the worst thing thatwas going to happen?
It wasn't going to work, I wasgoing to fail.
Okay, then I get back up, Ifigure it out and fears conquer
your fears part of it.
So I just don't want to everthink I wasn't brave enough, I
(29:16):
guess to at least try.
Kyla Cofer (29:17):
Does that come from experience of regret at all of
having not done things?
Good question, probably whenyou were really younger.
I mean, I'm just saying thatbecause my own experience is
when I was really younger.
there are a lot of things thatI'm like why didn't I just try?
Genevieve Piturro (29:32):
Yeah, yeah, i broke some barriers, like I
said, with my upbringing andwhat I decided to do in the path
that I was following was my own, but it was the wrong one.
I wanted to be somebody I didn'teven know.
I wanted to be Mary JohnLomor's Mary Richers.
I didn't even know her.
It wasn't like I wanted to bemy aunt, who was really cool.
I didn't even know this womanJust on TV.
(29:54):
She had so many things thatwere success in my eye and in
the public's eye, so that's whatI thought would make me happy
and my family proud and all that.
But I want to be brave.
I want to be brave.
I want to feel good about thefact that I tried.
I care that I fail, of course,but I don't want to stop because
(30:17):
I failed at something.
I just don't.
I don't want it to end that way.
Kyla Cofer (30:22):
Yeah, Yeah, that's awesome.
Well, Genevieve, thank you somuch for joining me.
I'm just really grateful foryour time and sharing your story
and hearing about your successthrough the Pajama program and
through your coaching.
I'm always just so inspired bypeople who have done it anyways
and who have really pursuedtheir purpose and passion and
done that to a way where theycan look back and say I was
(30:43):
successful.
So thank you for inspiring usand for kind of mentoring us
along the way.
Thank you.
Thank you for this invitation.
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
Hey.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you've liked what you heardand you want some more tools and
resources to help you on yourjourney, go check out kylacofer.
com/ free stuff.
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