The Tree House We Built
You're probably asking yourself what does a tree house have to do with a toy company? There are a number of firsts here so let me explain.
It never crossed my mind that I’d create a product, start and manage a business or become a father of three, let alone actually build a tree house. All of my friends would corroborate that I’m not a carpenter. But, all of these things came to fruition.
My professional background is in Children's mental health, specializing in behavior management, crisis management but most importantly, doing my best to help kids have the best childhood possible. As a result of my life experiences, I developed drive and hustle towards positively impacting kids’ livelihood. In school, I found myself always rooting for and supporting the underdog. In college, I found my first calling working with inner-city kids at a summer camp showing them that the world was bigger than their block.
My work continued with children as my skillset at managing challenging situations improved. I began working at Hillsides Home for Children, a group home in Pasadena, California. Like a new parent, my first goal at Hillsides was to keep these children alive on my watch. I was not only able to relate to the kids because of my own upbringing but also recognized the need for both structure and fun. The feeling of knowing someone believes in you despite where you came from can be life-changing. From those experiences, I was able to hone my skills and help parents bring out the best in their kids.
What is universal is kids need to feel safe, supported and believed in; to have opportunities to try new things, have successes, setbacks and encouraged to try again. This is what builds self-esteem, resiliency and future leaders.
What kid doesn’t want a tree house growing up? I did. I grew up initially in South Central Los Angeles, then moved to a little suburb named Eagle Rock. From my vantage point, I saw both the unforgiving aspects of a community with limited resources, hit hard by drugs and gangs, and a community with resources that positively impacted kids like me.
I ask that you join us on this journey as we document our work to build SoapSox into a brand leader who sets out to do more for kids. Our long term goal is to better serve the disadvantaged youth, the long shots who weren’t dealt the best hand and the kids that need support to reach their full potential.
So, to build a tree house, first you gotta pick a tree. SoapSox is our tree and we’re well on our way to building the house.
