Tilly Levine Of Tilly’s Life Center: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times
An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Know that not everyone on your staff will be able to handle every situation with the emotional tools they currently possess. It’s important for you to help them understand different positive tools they can use to handle challenging situations.
Tilly Levine co-founded Tillys, a leading specialty retailer in the action sports industry, selling clothing, shoes, and accessories. She currently serves as the company’s President. After several successful philanthropic endeavors throughout the company’s history, Tilly founded Tilly’s Life Center (TLC) in 2012. TLC is a nonprofit educational program that helps teens overcome the serious obstacles they are met with on a daily basis.
With a proactive approach using experiential learning, journal writing, open discussion, and other activities, TLC helps to guide teens in effectively coping with crisis, adopting healthy habits, and reaching their full potential. The program is available as a high school elective course via virtual or in-person, an after-school program, or a series of workshops. Topics reflect what teens experience in their lives, such as stress management, bullying, body-image, coping mechanisms, and more.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
I was 23 years old when I moved to the United States with my ex-husband. Everything we owned was in one suitcase, and we had absolutely no family here. Basically all we had was a strong work ethic, a tiny bit of English, and a lot of positivity. We both shared a little studio apartment, working odd jobs and selling children’s toys and clothes at a local swap meet. Eventually, we saved up enough money to open our first Tillys, in 1982. Today I’m proud to say there are over 200 Tillys around the country. With my incredible success, I’ve always felt a powerful sense of gratitude, and a need to give back to my community. After a couple different approaches to philanthropy, supporting the Boys and Girls Town, Boys & Girls Club, Casa Youth Shelter, and Big Brothers Big Sisters, I decided to focus my efforts on the struggles today’s teens face, and Tilly’s Life Center was born.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?
When we first started the company, long before we had Tillys stores, my husband and I would just sell different products in our local swap meet. One day, while my husband was taking a test at his university, I had to set up, on my own, our products that happened to be decorated mirrors. Now, I’ve never been a very technical person, but I did the best I could setting up the booth. About 30 minutes later, a huge gust of wind came and blew every one of the mirrors off — and they all shattered! I learned very quickly that I needed to focus on solutions, not problems. Needless to say, next week we started selling clothing instead.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
I have to say that, by far, the one person who’s been there through everything has been my ex-husband, Hezy. Family has always been the most important thing in my life, and when my husband and I went through a divorce, I was afraid that it would destroy us. But with Hezy’s love and support, we managed to keep the family together, stay friends and even continue to be business partners together! Nowadays, we even vacation together and spend time with each other during holidays. And I have his strength to thank for that.
Extensive research suggests that “purpose driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your company started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?
Since the tender age of 12 years old, I have learned that the power of positivity is endless. It’s been the cornerstone of all of my philosophies and goals, both in life and business. I’ve always put into practice the idea that positive thoughts become positive feelings, which in turn becomes positive action. It’s this belief that is at the root of everything we do at TLC.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?
In our very first TLC lesson we have the teens create a “group agreement” this is where they outline what they would like their boundaries to be as a group. Because we teach social emotional skills, it is imperative for our team to practice them. However sometimes as humans we fall short. A few years ago we had some inner fighting between team members. It had become very toxic and was starting to interfere with not only our daily operations, but the well-being of our employees.
How I’ve always lived my life, is that if there is a problem, I like to deal with it quickly and directly. So I gathered our entire staff together in one room, and similar to the exercise we have the teens do, I put a large poster board up on the wall, and asked everyone to write down the boundaries they felt were being crossed and any complaints they had pertaining to our work environment. Afterwards we took that down, and put up another large poster board, with a big heart in the middle of it, and asked everyone to write in the standards they wanted to see from TLC in the future. Once we were all in agreement, we asked everyone to not make assumptions and believe that each person is working toward a common goal. If there is an unpleasant situation, it should be addressed immediately with love and respect and willingness to find creative solutions. This created a truly trusting environment that has made us, as an organization, so much better.
Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?
When my relationship with my first husband fell apart, after 12 years, I had a very hard time letting go of the past and accepting a new identity as a divorcee and single mother. I was confused. I felt disillusioned and angry. Then I realized that I had a choice. I could hang on to those feelings, or move on. Once I accepted my situation, and reached deep down to find a well-spring of positivity inside of myself, it all took a turn for the better. I found profound inspiration to keep moving forward, and becoming better than ever.
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?
I would say that the most critical role of being a leader is to be the endless source of inspiration, energy and encouragement in your organization. It is essential that you are a good listener and show compassion for everyone you interact with. It is very important that as a leader you get the best out of your employees — each person has their own strengths and you have to determine how to utilize them. Each person needs to feel good about themselves and their environment.
When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?
I’ve always believed that the best way to help yourself, is to help someone else. So for me, I suggest taking some time out in your week, maybe just 10 to 15 minutes, and setting it aside for people in your office to give. Giving could be anything, giving time, a smile, some advice, even something as small as putting a flower on someone’s table is enough to make their day special. It’s magical how a small act of giving can also brighten your whole day.
What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?
You always want to be as straightforward and honest as possible. You cannot beat around the bush and speak indirectly, you need to say the truth even if it is a hard truth. However, not in a blaming way but in a way that highlights each person’s unique strength.
Don’t put the other person down but approach the situation with compassion and in a forgiving, constructive way — always leaving the door open for improved solutions in the future.
How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?
Our society is a fast moving one, whether it be with trends or the current crisis at hand, it is important to remain flexible especially when aligning with the mental health needs of our youth. One example is, during the pandemic we had to pivot from in person learning to virtual learning. We have adapted to a changing world and are grateful we could provide this outlet to teens during a time when they so desperately needed it. All the reasons that make our future so unpredictable are the very challenges we address in TLC. I also believe it is essential to remain aligned with your mission and vision, and not lose sight of your primary purpose or your principles. We feel the foundational practices we teach like positive thinking, compassion and forgiveness, stress reduction, and effective communication will always be relevant.
Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?
You always have to focus on the outcomes you want to achieve. Every choice should have the end result in mind.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
- First, I’d say that becoming a victim of your circumstances is a huge mistake. Tough times happen to all of us, but if you focus on the problem, you’ll tend to look for people to blame, instead of letting those things go and focusing on solutions.
- Next, I’d say that you have to stick to your morals. No matter what, you cannot sacrifice your values that make you who you are. If you do fall into negative habits, like lying, cheating, and not being transparent, it will eventually backfire on you. Stay committed to what is truly important, and success will come.
- Finally, I’d say that you cannot be a prisoner of your own ego. Remember that none of your success is due to just one person alone. Teams and building healthy relationships are what make companies successful, not individuals.
Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?
I think that, when times get tough, you have to follow a couple tips: do not be greedy with the money you make, invest it back into your employees; never get into debts — they are killers; and keep an open mind to new possibilities, you always have to be ready to think outside of the box and shift to what the market demands.
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.
- Healthy communication: You need to keep every communication channel open, to hear what is really going on amongst your staff without making assumptions.
- Be compassionate: You cannot possibly know what is going on inside of everyone in your company. Do not judge and give them space when times get difficult.
- Help when you can: As a leader, you need to be the shining example to all of your employees, showing up and trying your best every day. Even if you cannot fix every problem, showing that you are trying will demonstrate a positive attitude and deep commitment that will reflect in your team.
- Teach emotional tools: Know that not everyone on your staff will be able to handle every situation with the emotional tools they currently possess. It’s important for you to help them understand different positive tools they can use to handle challenging situations.
- Focus on the positive: This more than anything else. I’ve always believed that when you focus on positivity, the world responds in kind. Eliminate negative thoughts from your mind, and good things will come.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I’d say that “Our thoughts create our realities” is one quote I live by. I’ve always believed that if you manifest positive feelings, thoughts and emotions, positive outcomes will arrive soon after. Through all of the years, both in my business and in my personal life, this philosophy has guided me, and helped me every step of the way.
How can our readers further follow your work?
You can see everything our wonderful organization does at our website, https://tillyslifecenter.org/
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Tilly Levine Of Tilly’s Life Center: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
