100 WOMEN TO KNOW IN 2023: PHYL MACOMBER

SPEAKER. AUTHOR. EDUCATION SPECIALIST

was adopted when she was 7 weeks old from St Joseph's Orphanage into a wonderful Italian family and was raised with an abundance of love and strong sense of belonging It did not take her very long, at quite a young age, to realize that not every child was as lucky as me

Phyl is now President of Make A Difference, Inc , is an award-winning speaker, bestselling author, podcast host, and international education specialist who has trained thousands of educators around the globe, advocating for children of all abilities to reach their potential in an inclusive environment Phyl’s Amazon #1 bestseller, “Every Child Can Learn: Your Roadmap to Inclusive Education” is being referred to as “common sense education” around the world

Her life's work in educational leadership centers on ensuring that every child has a true sense of belonging in their classroom and school community - to not only BE valued, but also to ADD value while reaching their true, unique potential

OMB

Phyl

R: How would you describe your journey of becoming the woman and CEO you are today?

P: When I was four years old, I asked my parents why they adopted me I was sitting on my my Mommy's lap, facing her and giving her kisses She took my face in both of her hands and lovingly said, "The real reason that Daddy and I adopted you, Petunia, was because we wanted to make a difference And, when you grow up, you will find your own unique way to do so " It was a dining moment in my life I have never forgotten it and it serves as my moral compass I have named one of my two companies Make A Difference, Inc to honor my parents

R: What would you say is most rewarding in what you do?

R: What advice would you give someone who wants to transition from being an employee to entrepreneur?

-Maya Angelou

Interview

R: How do you persist in the face of challenges within your business?

P: I never lose sight of the prize: the children. One of my closest mentors shared with me that "Responsibility is a gift, Phyl It is your gift to the world " When I was a child, my dear father said that I could come to him with ANY problem But we were only going to talk about that problem for about 5-10 minutes the rest of the time we were going to focus on SOLUTIONS My Daddy told me that this is how I was going to grow up to be a strong woman I think of this every time I am faced with challenges or roadblocks

R: Why do you what you do?

P: In addition to advocating for children of all abilities to have a great sense of belonging in their classroom, I strongly believe that education has become way too complicated Education is in crisis One of the biggest problems we face with students is disengagement - they are not interested or motivated in class The second biggest problem is that our teachers are burned out and feel extremely under-appreciated The solution is simple: We must SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY

R: What are three traits you feel an entrepreneur must have?

P: (1) a clear vision of their contribution and how they will make a difference; (2) responsible decision-making; and (3) flexible thinking

R: 100 years from now when people learn about you, what do you want to be known for?

P: Simplifying education in an inclusive environment so that EVERY CHILD CAN LEARN and be included

R: Give three tips to new business owners, and leaders

P:: Be your authentic self and adopt the habit of selfreflection I complete a daily self-reflection exercise, both personally and professionally, called my 3-3 I examine the three things I did to make a difference and then identify the three things I need to do to make a better difference next time.