“My name is a Kate Bryan and I’m the founder and CEO of 1 Girl Revolution. 1 Girl Revolution (1GR) is a social platform that uses Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and a podcast to highlight the stories of everyday women who are changing the world through their lives. After living away from my city — Detroit — I moved back last summer and was inspired by two phrases on Detroit’s flag – “there is always hope” and “it will rise from the ashes” – to start 1GR to highlight the stories of these incredible women and to remind every woman that there is always hope, we will rise from the ashes, and we have the power to change the world through our lives. My background is in public relations and media, so I love telling stories and using different mediums to tell a story. “
“1 Girl Revolution was founded as a social enterprise meaning that any profit that 1GR attains, a percentage will be used to support the women and causes that we highlight. I didn’t know much about social enterprises prior to starting 1 Girl Revolution, but have come to find out that there are many other businesses out there that do similar things, even companies like Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Rebel Nell jewelry, The Shop Forward, and so many others. A purposeful business, to me, means way more than providing a service – it’s being creative about how you can change the world in more ways than one. Imagine if every single business gave back as much as they earned – imagine the impact! That’s what the ideal purposeful business is to me. “
” There are so many things that each and every one of us can do to make a difference in the world. To me, it all starts with “one” – the power of one. “ 1) Look at your own life and what can you, as an individual, do in your own community, in your own family, through your own life to make a difference. Maybe it’s paying it forward and buying someone’s coffee at your local coffeeshop or writing a note to someone you haven’t talked to in a while or just smiling at a passerby. These moments matter and have the power to change the world for another person. 2) Ask yourself, “What can my business or organization be doing to make a bigger impact?” Maybe it’s donating a percentage of your proceeds to feed the poor or help with disaster relief, or maybe it’s organizing a monthly volunteer effort with your staff members, or maybe it’s something completely different. Imagine if every business took a moment to answer this question, and then revisit it again every month or every year, and continually tried to do more and do better. Imagine the impact. We have that power! 3) Be present and love one another. Be present to your colleagues, your friends, your family – and love them. We all have moments where life is difficult and we need people who are present… not just standing there, but really present — someone who sees us, who listens to us, and who loves us. In this day and age, it’s easy to get lost in the busy-ness of life and Instagram, that we often don’t pay attention to the people around us who need us. Take time everyday to see the people around you, be present to them and their needs, and love them. You will be blown away by the result.
“You don’t need a lot of money to make a difference and you don’t need money to chase your dreams. I will always remember the advice I got last year when I first started talking about 1 Girl Revolution. Almost every single person said – run it as a non-profit, raise a bunch of money, and then you can start it. After some research, thinking about it, and planning – I decided that I wanted to run it as a social enterprise (a for-profit that gives back, not a non-profit) and that I was just going to jump in, work really hard and try to figure it out by myself — without a bunch of money or support. And it was the best decision I ever made. The people that gave me that advice had my best interests in mind, for sure — but I think our world gets too stuck in the “right way” to do things and we miss out on opportunities for creativity, possibility, hard work, and real innovation. Don’t be afraid to take chances and chase your dreams, and be innovative, creative, and work hard. All of your dreams are waiting – and you, as a 1 Girl Revolution, can do anything you put your mind to! “
” 1 Girl Revolution is built on the belief that every woman has a story, every woman has a voice, and every woman has the power to change the world through her life. You are a 1 Girl Revolution and you truly have the power to change the world through your life. So, get it girl! And if you know of a 1 Girl Revolution story that we should cover, please send it my way. We’re always looking for stories of women who are making a difference around the country to highlight through the podcast and on social media. “
