Her Story
About Ginny
My career has been driven by a love for working with people and helping them grow in different ways. I started as a teacher and moved into administration, working with children, parents, and teachers. I was very involved in creating a conversion charter school within the public school system, where we were able to write a charter that had to be approved by the State Board of Education. We were the second school to be approved, and I went before the state board to get that approval. When I retired, my husband was very ill, and I became his caregiver for 9 years as he fought his illness. During that time, I knew I needed to do something for myself, so I took courses to become a Kaizen-Muse creativity coach and then became a master coach. I volunteered my time to clients because I had reached that point in life where I was able to give back, working with people who were writing books or doing art shows. After my husband passed, I found myself looking at a single life after 47 years of being married. I got involved in politics and at 70 ran for state legislature. I didn't win, but it was an incredible experience where I reached a lot of people and gave them a choice in an area where often people only have one choice on the ballot. I was chair for the Cherokee County Democrats for a year, completing somebody else's term, and I'm still participating in politics, currently working with a campaign for somebody running for the seat I ran for. I also do a lot of speaking on ageism, having studied how ageism starts within ourselves and how we think about aging. I've found that co-generational groups actually succeed more than groups of all the same age because we bring different perspectives to the table, and working with people of all ages is very important to me.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ginny
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think I was very lucky. I had parents who believed in me. My father thought I could walk on the moon. My mother was more down to earth, but I had that support from the time I was little, and I really did have had at least one or two people who believed in me throughout my life. I think that helps tremendously. If you're not lucky enough to have that, finding that group and finding that support is important. No one goes through life without having to face challenges, some are more difficult than others, but facing them and realizing that you did it and moving forward is important.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
When I was opening a charter school, I wasn't used to the public speaking, and the person who was working with me told me to always come out from behind the desk and stand in front of it, and be face-to-face with the people you're talking to. I think that's really important in everything I go through. If I want to get behind whatever the desk is, the metaphor for it, I stand out in front and let people know who you are. You really have to let people know who you are. Especially if you're introverted and shy, you may do a lot in life and never let people know. I've watched people progress who are able to talk about their own accomplishments in a way that others notice, and they may not have accomplished as much as the person sitting next to them who doesn't talk about themselves. So let people know what you have done.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You make your own opportunities in life, so I think you get out there and promote yourself. You have to. Believing in ourselves as women is really important, surrounding ourselves with other people who believe in us. We have to take that step. It's not an easy world. When I used to walk into a room, I was very quiet. After campaigning, I walk into a room with a purpose, I put my hand out, I shake hands and say hi, I'm Jenny Lennox, I'm running for House District 20. You just take that first step, and then it becomes easy. It becomes easier and easier to meet any challenge once we take that first small step. We need support of other women, other people. We need people who believe in us, and the first thing is believing in ourselves and our own dreams.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Trust, loyalty, and honesty are very important to me. Once you break that trust, it's really hard to regain it with me. Honesty is very important.
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