Episode 192: Jordan Ollech - Founder & Owner of Unseen Abilities

0:06

Hello and welcome to the Kosh, the People's Podcast.

I'm your host, Timber Smith, and the Kosh is a The Kosh is a podcast that spotlights people who've had an association with the Kosh and the surrounding Fox Cities region.

0:25

Kosh listeners, how are you doing?

Yes, I already came out stumbling, but we're going to power through.

I think it's been a minute.

I I've been not recording as consistently as normal, but I think we're about to get back on track here.

0:42

I'm super excited about today's episode, but before we jump in there, let me give you my normal update today.

We have EAA going on here in the Kosh.

So if you hear any crazy jet engine sounds going on, you know what's happening here.

1:00

We have EAA happening and can't do anything about those things.

It's going to go down.

Also, it's gorgeous outside.

Not as sunny as I like, but the temperature is like perfect.

So just just giving you a little time frame.

1:16

The other thing that I also want to do is make sure that y'all remember that this episode of the Kosh is sponsored by Timber Ties.

That's right, Timber Ties.

Timber has a business of wooden bow ties.

It is fantastic.

You can check this out at timber-ties.com.

1:36

Once again, that's timber-ties.com and check out our cool wooden bow tie selection.

You know what I like to think this particular time is wedding season and if you do not know how you want to get stylish for that wedding this summer, I suggest you think about throwing on a timber tie.

1:54

They are fly all right now on to the real business at hand.

I have somebody super cool in the space today.

I'm excited to see where this conversation goes.

They do amazing things for our community, which like most people that get to sit in the cost chair, I like they're special and you know, I like to bring those people in because we don't really know who's out here always.

2:22

We don't know our neighbors.

You know, that's my thing.

And we don't know all the special work that these people are doing in our community to help make our community a better place.

Y'all are about to find out this time, that's for sure.

So if out, Oh well, let me do what I do.

2:39

Gosh listeners, you already know what's coming.

I don't know how we continue to get these amazing, amazing guests and this week's not going to be any different.

So without any further ado, this week's guest is Jordan Olek.

2:59

Hey, Jordan, what's good?

3:00

Hello, how are you?

I'm so happy to be here.

3:03

Hey, I'm happy that you came to make a little time for the Kash and the Kash listeners.

Yes.

All right.

You ready to jump in?

3:10

I sure am.

I'm excited.

3:12

OK, well, I'm excited too.

Let me let me just start here.

So, Jordan, can you please share a little something about yourself and your relationship with the Kash in the surrounding Fox Cities region?

3:25

Yeah, I would be happy to.

So I am actually the founder and owner of Unseen Abilities.

Unseen Abilities is a therapy program for children with neurodivergences in well.

My facility is in Little Shoe but I service children in Outagamie, Brown, and Winnebago County.

3:41

I started Unseen Abilities after seeing how neuro divergent children and their families needed support that focuses on understanding connection and real life skills rather than simply changing behaviors.

3:54

All right, Jordan, you gave us the pitch.

You came out the gate with the pitch.

3:58

Yeah, all.

3:59

Right.

Let me ask these because we want to, before we jump into there, we want to know you.

Yeah.

So how long have you lived in the region?

What part of Wisconsin are you from?

Are you from Wisconsin?

Do you guys siblings?

4:11

So I moved to Appleton, WI in 2020, right in the middle of COVID.

I was graduating high school, so it was kind of quite the time to move to Appleton.

Things were quiet, as many people know, but I also did live in Milwaukee growing up.

I was born and raised in Milwaukee, moved to Florida, moved to Illinois, came back to Appleton.

4:31

When Appleton was, you know, coming up, like when I was little, Appleton was kind of like not the place to be.

Now it is kind of the place to be.

There's a lot to do in the area.

I do have a sister, she's a teacher actually at Oshkosh West High School.

She's a math teacher.

And then I have my mom and dad who also live in Appleton and are associated with a lot of different organizations in Appleton as well.

4:53

OK.

So Jordan, what do we like to do when we're when we're not running a business?

What is it that what makes Jordan Jordan?

5:02

I feel like I have a lot of things I like to do, so I'm very passionate about my business.

So I kind of always say my business is kind of my hobby.

I do a lot of working, but I love a good coffee shop, especially a good coffee shop to just sit and work or talk to people.

I feel like that's something that Appleton has that like they didn't have in Illinois when I was growing up.

5:22

Like it was like Starbucks in Dunkin and that was pretty much it.

So that's something I feel like I really like to do.

I also love nature.

I love being active.

Shopping is kind of my downfall for sure.

Did you?

5:34

Say shopping.

5:35

Yeah, I love to shop and especially I feel like in Appleton and the Fox Cities, like there's so many small businesses.

So I love to like get out in the community and support the small businesses as well.

5:48

What made you find your way to this business of yours?

5:53

So I kind of have quite the story.

I went to school for counseling, actually thought I was going to be an addictions counselor, worked in that field for quite a while.

And then when I graduated college, I kind of wanted to pivot.

So I worked with children with autism and ABA, which was something I was passionate about since I was very, very young.

6:12

But kind of just like in my teen years, went a different direction and kind of came back to it and realized like that was where my heart was.

And then I was out of work for about a year with like major health issues and had a major surgery that changed my life forever.

6:27

And when it was time to come back to work, I was like, I'm going to come back to work and I'm going to start something new in the community.

And I opened Unseen Abilities probably about a month after one of the biggest surgeries I've ever had in my life.

6:40

Oh, OK.

Yeah.

So I feel the first thing that popped in my head was I don't know if you know this song.

LO cool J Mama said knock you out.

So don't call it a comeback.

That's what it felt like.

Don't call it a comeback.

6:54

Yeah, it was quite the experience.

Like I remember I wanted to get back into work.

I at the time I had a job that I like, wasn't working at because I had a major surgery, obviously, and I worked in CPS and, you know, I liked what I did.

I was making an impact, yeah, but I wasn't doing what I was truly passionate about.

7:13

And I feel like that's kind of my passion for working with children with autism and other neurodivergences.

That's where like my passion is and that's where I can shine and really make the impact I want to make in the world.

7:26

OK, so you found it.

7:28

Oh yeah, 100% and I love what I do.

7:31

That I know from the from the multiple times I've had interactions with you.

You're no joke.

Like you were serious, serious about this.

Well, if you weren't doing what you're doing right now, what would you like to be doing?

7:47

So I saw that question when you sent me over some questions you might ask, and I was like, how am I even supposed to answer this?

I love what I do, like I think about what I do.

If I could like make a shirt that like I would have to wear every day, it would be like the Texas Roadhouse.

I love my job shirt.

8:04

That's the shirt I feel like I should wear because I truly do love my job.

But if I had to pick something different, it would definitely still involve helping people.

I truly have been fascinated by the human body and the brain, especially after everything I have experienced with my own health too.

8:20

At the end of the day, no matter what job title that I would have, my goal would remain the same.

I really want to make a meaningful impact in people's lives.

So honestly I don't know if I could tell you an exact thing I would do.

But especially my last like 2 years battling my own health stuff, I feel like if I had to pick something else, maybe like a nurse and maybe a nurse that specialized in kind of the stuff that I deal with.

8:44

Just because I know what it feels like to have a provider that like truly understands what you're going through versus someone that just understands what it says in the textbook.

8:54

Oh yeah, I think it's makes such an impactful difference when you have like a good doctor and a good nurse.

9:03

100%.

9:04

And like how how you're able to process the information, how they make you feel, how you don't feel overwhelmed or lost because that's what I don't like.

I don't like it when you have a provider who talks at you versus talk to you.

9:22

A.

9:22

100%.

9:23

And I've had that and, and like, I can't even process what they're saying to me because I'm busy thinking, can you stop that?

Like can can you talk to me?

And don't talk at me?

9:39

Yeah, or when they throw in all the jargon and you're like, I don't even know what that is.

And then it's like you, you leave confused and you're just like, you know, Googling it or ChatGPT ING it.

And then you get the worst of the worst, even though that's not what they meant.

So Right.

9:54

Yeah, I think that that's huge.

Like I have one provider who like actually lives with a lot of the struggles that I have.

And I feel like when I go to her office, I'm like, she actually understands what it feels like to walk my walk versus like when you go and they kind of don't really get it.

10:10

And it's like feels very textbooky.

So I think that that's probably what I would be doing if I, you know, wasn't doing what I do.

10:18

OK, see we got there.

10:20

Yeah, we did.

10:22

But all right, well, you know what time it is.

Well, I'm going to tell you what time it is, Jordan.

10:38

That sound means it is time for the topic of the week.

And the topic of the week is chosen by our guests 9 and 9.9% of the time.

And guess what?

This time's not going to be any different.

10:49

So, Jordan, what is our topic of the week?

10:54

So when you send me this that I could maybe choose, I thought, oh, I could talk about my business, but I didn't really want to do that.

I wanted to talk about holding life with open hands.

11:05

I love that.

OK, what does that mean?

11:09

So if there's one lesson that has shaped my life and my career, it's learning to hold life with open hands.

We all have a picture of how life is supposed to go.

A timeline, a plan, a vision we can see clearly in our minds.

I'm totally a type A person.

11:24

I love control.

So when I felt called to start unseen Abilities, I poured everything into that vision with a plan that for exactly how it was going to unfold.

Then life had different plans.

In the middle of building a business, I went through multiple emergency surgeries.

11:40

Not one set back I could schedule around or move past, but repeated ones, each one pulling me away right when I finally had momentum.

For someone who runs on control, that was one of the hardest things I have ever had to live through.

I had to pivot again and again and hands off things to people when I didn't really want to.

12:01

For a while, I wondered if it was time to give up on my dream.

What I learned instead is that I was being asked to give up how I thought it was going to happen.

So the gift in that season was really people.

My family showed up without hesitation.

12:16

Matt, my boyfriend, was there through every surgery and every recovery, doing the work no one sees.

So the business kept moving even though I couldn't do it.

That is a huge part of why we are standing here today.

Here is what I want anyone to take from this.

12:34

It might be a career, a relationship, a dream that is taking far longer than you hoped for.

All of us hit moments where life refuses to follow the script we wrote.

In that moment, we get to choose, force life back into our plan, or trust that something is being built that we could have never built on our own.

12:51

For me, that trust is rooted in my faith.

I believe God was writing a bigger story that the one I had planned.

Even in the middle of my surgeries and setbacks, I never would have chosen.

Maybe for you that looks different.

Maybe it's faith.

Maybe it's trusting the universe or fate, or simply believing that struggle and care can carry meaning even when we can't see it.

13:15

Whatever you call it, I think we all have to reach for something bigger than ourselves in those moments because we cannot white knuckle on our way through it.

I still dream big.

I just hold my dreams differently now.

I do my part with everything I have and then I open my hands and realize and release the outcome.

13:36

If you are walking through a season that does not make sense, hear this.

A change in your plans is not a change in your purpose.

What feels like it is being ripped away from you might actually be making room for something much bigger.

13:53

OK, Jordan, so why you we're sharing my number one thing that I thought right away was, so how do others find what you found?

14:08

So I think it's really hard.

I've been through a lot of changes in my life where I had to pivot.

So when I was like 20 years old, I lost my boyfriend at the time to a drug overdose and I had to pivot.

Like my life kind of ripped away in a sense of what I thought was my plan couldn't really be my plan anymore.

14:28

So I think my biggest advice to people, because I've definitely lived through pivots and struggled a lot more than I feel like I maybe did with this one, even though it was still very hard, is to just put your trust in something bigger than yourself.

I think when we try to have control over everything, we get defeated really easily because at the end of the day, like we can only do so much.

14:50

So do the work.

Do you know, reach out to the resources, go to therapy if you need to and believe in that.

But at the end of the day, like there is a plan bigger than your own and just kind of buckle in and like go with the waves.

15:05

Like let the waves take you.

15:08

So my type A friend and I love that.

Do you think that the fact that you had to kind of let go as, as you're kind of stating and and let others come in and be helpful and provide assistance, did that make you want to do that for others also?

15:31

Is that part of Yeah, I think everything that you you're building?

15:34

Yeah, I think that's like huge.

Like I think it's, I always like to say like I don't like asking for help.

Like I even get uncomfortable like, you know, if I'm like bedridden, like asking my mom to make me dinner where it's like my mom would obviously do that.

15:50

But I think the biggest thing for me is like, I was raised and you'll probably hear me talk about this multiple times throughout this episode of like serving others, but I never really was like open to getting service from others.

16:06

And I think that that's been like the biggest thing I've learned in the last two years, especially I feel like living in the Fox Cities because I feel like community is so huge here and I feel like I wasn't raised in an area that was like that.

So I think like, really like, since becoming a business owner, I've seen the value of community.

16:23

I've seen the value of people, you know, standing behind others and supporting them.

And I think that that just makes my passion for what I do for the children and the families that I work with so much stronger as well, because it's OK to ask for help.

16:36

It is totally OK to ask for help.

16:39

Well, I want to pit, pit.

I want to take this moment and let's pivot into your business a little bit.

Can we talk about it?

16:46

Of course, let's do.

16:47

It Yeah, Let's go into exactly what's the name of your business?

What is it exactly that you do?

I mean, because it's super interesting.

I know the story because we've had a time, we've had an opportunity to sit down.

But guess who doesn't know The Kosh listeners.

17:03

Let's get into it.

17:04

Yeah, so Unseen Abilities is located.

I have a facility in Little Shoot, but I do a lot of home based and virtual care as well with children.

My specialty is definitely children with autism, but I mark it as like working with children with neuro divergencies.

So I have some children with, you know, not an autism diagnosis, but like an ADHD diagnosis and OCD diagnosis.

17:26

So it's kind of these children who have neuro divergencies, which is their brain works in just a different way and unseen abilities.

The name behind it is that we all have abilities that often go unseen.

So kind of exactly what the name says.

There's a lot of depth that came into that name.

17:45

It wasn't just, you know, an easy name to come up with.

I mean, I knew it was going to be my baby.

So it had to be a great name, of course.

And growing up, I always just, you know, in my experience working with children with disabilities, seeing people kind of put them into a box of like, this is where they're going to go or this is the potential that they have.

18:05

But I always saw they have more, you know, like, let's pull from their strengths, let's pull from who they really are and let's let that drive their potential rather than like what you think they can do.

Because oftentimes what we think we can do or what we think other people can do, they can do way more.

18:22

So I think I created unseen abilities, like I said, almost two years ago, and the name was there.

It was, you know, people have more potential and everything like that.

I think in the last two years of having unseen abilities, I'm even more passionate about the name from like the experiences I've had, seeing the children I work with grow, seeing the parents grow, and also honestly seeing myself grow.

18:47

I would have never thought that I would have had the business I have today if you would have asked me two years ago what it would look like in two years.

18:54

Yeah.

I mean, you've already got a building.

Yeah, that's that's huge.

18:59

Yeah, it's pretty crazy to think about.

Like, I, you know, I was just talking to someone yesterday and I was like, I wake up sometimes and I'm like, whoa, like, what have I done?

Like, because honestly, it was passion that drove it.

Like, it wasn't some secret recipe.

19:14

It definitely was not knowing what it's like to own a business because I still feel like I'm still trying to figure that out.

19:20

Well, you know, in one of our conversations that we previously had, you kind of explained that what you did was you found this space in between services like that services either end up on this side or this side, and you found this lane in the middle to provide services that others either were missing because they it's where they ended or it was before they started.

19:43

Yep.

Can we talk about that?

19:45

Yeah.

So the, I guess you could say, kind of tagline to Unseen abilities is it's all about bridging the gaps.

So a lot of the children that I work with are either children who have tried other services and there was kind of this like, you know, we got them to 90%, but what about that 10% to get them all the way there or it's children who were, you know.

20:07

Diagnosed with something and then when you go to the traditional methods in the, you know, Western ways of doing things and what the doctors tell you to do, go here, go there.

When they went there, they weren't seen, they weren't heard and they were kind of just like, Oh well, they're too far, but they still weren't there.

20:27

So it's kind of that like my services, I like to say, are kind of like a lifelong thing.

You're always going to need daily living skills, You're always going to need emotional regulation.

So it's kind of a lifelong thing from the standpoint of like most children could benefit from it, especially children with neurodivergences.

20:44

But it's doing it in a way that empowers the parents also to be able to continue doing that.

So you don't have to see me all the time.

I was just talking to someone yesterday and I was like, my favorite thing is when I can confidently say to a family, like, you don't need me anymore.

21:03

Like your child is doing great.

Like that's the goal behind all of it.

Like it's not about having a lifelong client.

21:10

What's the age range of your clients?

21:12

So I work with kids ranging from age 3 to age 17.

21:19

That's a span.

21:20

Yeah.

I don't have anybody that's 17 right now, but that is the age that I do work with.

So typically your early intervention is going to be like up until 3:00 and then usually by then some children are diagnosed and then, yeah.

21:37

How do people find your services?

I mean, do you get referrals?

I mean, how do people connect?

21:42

So I am a CLTS provider, so that's child long term support.

It's kind of like like a Medicaid type of insurance for children with disabilities.

So a lot of my clients come from referrals from like the counties, the county, caseworkers.

21:59

Otherwise, because of what I've built, I have a lot of word of mouth as well because there are a lot of services in the area.

Who do you reach out to?

Who's the best you know, you don't know?

So some of my clients do come from other families, talking to other families because there's a lot of good resources.

22:16

Shout out to the Autism Society in the Fox Valley area where parents can get to know other parents talk about resources.

So it kind of depends, but I feel like a lot comes from the county.

22:29

OK, what is a myth or a misunderstanding that you think people have about those who need those services?

22:41

That they need to fix their behavior.

22:44

Oh, say more.

Don't just leave us there.

22:47

So I have a history in behavior therapy with children.

And oftentimes when you've got a child with autism, you know, they might have these maladaptive behaviors and it's like an instant like, how do I get Johnny to stop hitting?

23:02

Or how do I get, you know, this person to stop doing this or whatever it might be, But I don't look at it like that.

I mean, obviously you don't want your kid hitting like that's, I understand that and that's valid and that's part of what I do.

But a big part of what I do is like, why is Johnny hitting?

23:18

Like there's something that's not being met as to why somebody's doing that.

So it's really digging into the why.

I think I love, you know, the why of everything.

Like I'm always like why, why, why.

And it's annoying, but it's true.

23:34

Like when you start asking why, you can really figure out what's going on from a whole person perspective.

And that's what I practice under a whole child approach that looks at the child as a whole person.

It doesn't look at it as, oh, you're going to send Johnny here because he's hitting.

23:50

It's like, OK, like let's send him here so we can like, really work on the skills to reduce those behaviors such as hitting or kicking or whatever.

23:59

OK, that makes a lot of sense.

Yeah, and I love that.

Why, why, why?

You can't get to the how until you figure out the why.

24:08

Exactly.

And I think that that's like, I mean, even like talking about like growing as a business of like, you know, you got all these people coming at you with Ohio to grow a business, you got to do this, you got to do that.

And like lately I've just been thinking like, what is my why?

And that's what I'm going to do with unseen abilities.

24:24

And at the end of the day, it's not about being a multimillion dollar company.

That is never what my goal will be.

That's not my why.

So why try to do that?

24:34

That's that's real.

That's real right there.

OK, Jordan, I think we're going to get ready to start wrapping up this segment.

So I'm going to ask you this.

What, Ari, is there anything additional you would like to share with the Kosh listeners that maybe I didn't ask a question about to help people understand about your topic of the week or unseen abilities?

25:00

So I think the biggest thing is, like I said, go into life with open hands.

So I would obviously not have chosen the pivots that have came my way or the surgeries that I've had or anything like that.

Think most of us can agree we wouldn't choose hardship, but I would not trade what they've taught me.

25:16

That is why I hold life with open hands, because I've lived what it costs to hold it any other way.

25:21

All right, Jordan, and now I'm gonna go on and give you a chance.

Do you want to give them the info to reach out to you and your business?

What do we got going on websites, phone numbers?

How do we get in touch?

Are you on social media?

25:32

Yeah.

So if you know anybody who would benefit from my services, if you yourself or your family would benefit from unseen abilities, you can feel free to check out my website, which is www.unseenabilities.org.

I also am very active on Facebook providing resources for individuals, whether you're a professional, whether you're a parent, even a child yourself, maybe, which is unseen abilities on Facebook.

25:58

And then you can also feel free if you ever need to send an e-mail.

Send an e-mail straight to me at jordan@unseenabilities.org.

26:06

All right, love that.

And I just want to say that I've actually got to see Jordan in action just a little bit.

She came to City Hall and let me just say that she she's the consummate professional and the parents had so much trust and that says everything.

26:27

Yeah, for.

26:28

Sure, you can just tell.

26:29

That was a really cool experience too.

So thank you to the city of Appleton.

I'm one of my clients got recognized as part of the proclamation for the Autism Awareness Month, which was really cool and he was super proud of it.

He talked about it in Group.

26:44

He was super excited, so it was really cool.

So thank you.

26:47

Hey, no problem.

OK, we are ready for the next segment.

Are you ready for the next segment?

26:54

I am ready.

Let's get it going.

26:55

OK, the next segment is called The Soapbox.

In the soapbox is an opportunity for you, Jordan, to jump on your soapbox and talk about anything that's on your soul that you're passionate about right now.

So what's your soapbox?

27:09

My soapbox is definitely kindness costs nothing but changes everything.

So I think a lot of times it's really easy in a world where we can complain but we can judge, where we can do all that kind of stuff because we have freedom.

That kindness has become incredibly underrated.

27:27

We live in a world where everyone is busy, everyone has an opinion, and it's easy to make assumptions about people based on what we see for a few seconds.

But the truth is we have no idea what somebody is carrying carrying.

27:40

Facts.

Yeah.

OK.

Well, I do agree with you on kindness and it doesn't cost anything and the world is a much better place when we are kind to each other.

27:51

Exactly.

27:52

It actually stinks when we're not kind to each other.

Yeah.

But I also think a huge part of kindness, even though I hope people can find their way to kindness, I also, I'm a firm believer in a thing that helps to promote kindness is familiarity, getting to know each other.

28:08

Like we as people need to do a better job just getting to know each other.

28:14

Yeah.

And I think that's what's awesome about the Cash to the Cash podcast, getting to know your neighbors.

And I think that another thing so kind of to tie into my business, but also as a person to one of my core values is authenticity.

Like just be yourself, because when you're yourself and you tell your story, people will understand you more.

28:34

And like you were saying, when we understand people more, we can be kinder and we can be nicer and we can understand and we can, you know, be compassion and everything like that.

So I think that that's a big thing I carry as a professional, but also as a person too.

I'm definitely not like a stuffy business person at all.

28:50

Like, I'm just very like, it's me and I'll tell you how it is.

28:55

I love that it's me.

28:57

Yeah, it is me.

Like, I'm not going to act like I'm perfect or anything like that.

Like we're all people.

And I think that that's something I was actually just talking to someone this week about how, like, when you go to school to be a counselor, a therapist, you know, something in the helping profession, it's always like, give, give, give.

29:14

It's never like you can be a person too.

And like, we all have struggles, like, you know, you know, use the city of Appleton as example, you meet the mayor and you think, oh, he's got it all together.

Like maybe if you really knew him, Like, he actually has struggles himself, too.

And I feel like when we can be authentic in like we are all human and we all go through things, it's much easier, like I said, to be kind because everybody is carrying something, big or small.

29:40

Oh, facts.

Like we all have something sitting on our soul.

Nobody.

Nobody's truly living a perfect life, no matter how it looks on the outside.

But I do think there's opportunities within that to still find peace.

29:56

Exactly.

29:57

Which I think is the primary goal, at least is my primary goal, yeah, is to just find peace.

OK, love that soapbox.

Next segment.

The next segment is called 21 questions and 21 questions is where I'm going to ask you questions, a bunch of questions, not 21 questions, but the questions are so good they might solicit 21 answers.

30:27

So you ready to jump in?

30:29

Yep.

30:30

First question, what motivates you?

30:34

Where do I begin?

I mean, what motivates me is watching someone realize they're capable of more than they gave themselves credit for.

That happens every week with unseen abilities.

Watching a kid do something nobody, including their family, thought they could do.

It also comes from my own journey.

30:49

After everything my health has put me through, I've had to prove to myself over and over again what I'm capable of, despite times when I felt that I wasn't capable of what I was going to have to deal with, but continuing to push through and give it a shot.

31:05

What does success look like to you?

31:07

So for a long time, I definitely would have measured success purely by growth.

This makes me think about recently somebody had told me that if your business isn't growing, it's dying.

And that saying eats my soul.

I understand it, of course, but I don't truly believe it because growth isn't the only thing that keeps something alive.

31:30

Sometimes it's the people inside the business that are actually thriving.

And that's what success is to me.

I can't being just me because at the end of the day, unseen abilities is me.

I'm the janitor, the social media manager, the marketer, the therapist, the scheduler, all the things.

31:49

That's all me.

So at the end of the day, I can't help everyone.

But that doesn't mean that like, the people in IT that are thriving isn't success, that me being a business owner isn't success.

And also like having success in just having the name out there, getting education out there, that's something I use my Facebook for so strongly of like getting education out there.

32:13

Because at the end of the day, I can't help everyone.

But if you can benefit from education that I can provide through my website, through social media, hoping to start a podcast soon, things like that, to just provide education, I think that's huge.

32:29

So success is a lot of things, but I don't think it always means growth.

32:35

Oh, you might have heard it here first.

You thinking about starting a podcast?

Yeah.

32:39

Maybe that's a little snippet of an idea and.

32:42

We should talk.

Yeah.

All right.

What irritates you?

32:47

I feel like not a lot of things, but also if you really know me, probably a lot of things.

32:53

What does that mean?

32:55

I think there's like little thing.

I think it depends on my mood.

If something irritates me, I definitely don't do good with like a bad tone of voice.

I read body language very well I think.

But that can also hurt me sometimes because I feel like I overthink like oh this person looks upset like they look bored.

33:14

They don't like me but I feel like I don't know what truly irritates me.

And actually, I was just talking to my boyfriend Matt about this like a couple weeks ago.

Is the lack of customer service these days?

33:27

Are you going to go more into that?

33:29

I don't know, I mean like just there's so many things that I feel like this could go on for a long time, but I feel like being people oriented and like just genuinely wanting to get to know someone, even if it's for 5 minutes is such a task people feel these days.

33:48

So like when you go out to eat or when you go out, you know, to a store.

Like even like my mom and I, we were at Walmart and like we asked the employee like if they knew where something was and they just like literally looked at us and we're like, I have no idea and I don't know how to help you.

And like, I just feel like growing up, like if you asked somebody that and they didn't know, they would go and find it for you.

34:09

But like that's just like lacking now.

So I don't know if it's like, you know, the robots and the AI's of the world of people don't want to work as hard.

But like, it really just eats at me.

Like it really bugs me.

And I think that's part of the reason as to why I am the way that I am as a business owner of like, I want to talk to you, I want to help you and I'm not going to charge you for every little thing.

34:34

Gosh, listeners, I want you to know that when Jordan first walked in, she told me I don't have any pet peeves with Jordan.

Guess what?

We found it.

But.

34:44

You did that is a definitely a pet peeve.

I feel like people not being nice to people bugs me and like not willing to help people I like.

I think, again, this goes back to like growing up, it was always service, like my parents are the president of the board of Welcoming Willows.

35:00

Like my dad is the CFO of Network Health, but volunteers and goes out of his way to help people and things like that.

That's how I was raised.

So when people don't help people, I'm just like, what are you doing?

But I have to remind myself that not everybody was raised in that kind of mindset.

35:15

Yeah, What worries or scares you?

35:19

If I'm being honest, part of me worries about another set back hitting right when things are finally somewhat steady, but truthfully, I have lived that cycle before.

So what really scares me is the idea of the kids I work with not living up to the potential I see in them every day because of the standards that society puts on them.

35:39

What are you grateful for?

35:41

I am grateful for community.

I've said that quite a bit in this episode, But I don't think any of us are meant to do hard things alone, and I've had that proven to me over and over again.

Matt has been there through every surgery and every hard recovery, doing the work nobody sees so that the business keeps going.

35:59

The families who trust me with their kids have built something with me.

Not just not just come to me for a service, but they come to me because they trust me.

Even the wider Fox Valley community around unseen abilities has shown up in ways I never expected.

36:16

I used to think success meant doing it all on your own.

Now I know that it means being surrounded by people who hold you up when you can't do it yourself.

And that's what I'm most grateful for.

36:27

What do you want to be remembered for?

36:29

I want to be remembered for building a new standard of care for children with neuro divergences.

Not a standard built around fixing kids or making them fit into a mold, but one that's neuro affirming and strength based from the ground up.

That is the whole heart behind unseen abilities.

36:46

How do you define love?

36:48

I define love as showing up in the parts that nobody sees.

Not the big visible gestures, but the quiet, consistent ones.

I've experienced this first hand through my boyfriend Matt.

He's shown up with love through his support of the business, doing the behind the scenes work nobody sees when they walk through the doors.

37:08

That man has spent hours until 1:00 in the morning setting up a ball pit for the kids that I work with, but he doesn't get recognized for it.

And he showed me love through sticking with me, through health stuff, through every surgery and every hard recovery when there was truly nothing glamorous about any of it.

37:24

That's what love looks like to me.

It's not about being seen.

It's about staying essentially in the especially in the moments that nobody is watching.

37:33

What is the most memorable life laughing lesson you've learned from a parent, a guardian, or a mentor?

37:42

So my parents taught me to be quick to help, kind of like I said, if a need in the community was there, my parents were one of the first to be there.

They showed me from the beginning that life isn't about getting, it's about giving.

I remember growing up, a simple life lesson was like Christmas is about giving gifts, not receiving gifts.

38:02

But that hasn't changed for them ever in anything that they do today.

They still volunteer with several organizations, and they sit on the board of Welcoming Willows, a nonprofit that services adults with disabilities in Little Shoot.

Actually, they're my neighbors, too, to Unseen Abilities.

38:18

But watching them live out this has shaped what I do in my work with Unseen Abilities.

Service isn't about something you do when it's convenient.

It's part of who you truly are.

38:28

OK, let me paint the scenario.

You have been asked to keynote a conference amongst you and all of your peers and fellow colleagues.

All right, so the whole point is we got to get the room right before you get out here and start talking to folks, right?

38:45

You're about to get.

So before we do that, we need to set up some cool walk out music for you.

Jordan, what is your walk out song?

38:57

My Walk Out song is definitely made for more by Josh Baldwin.

It's a Christian song, and it fits everything I've walked through, from building unseen abilities to the surgeries and the setbacks along the way and everything I've gone through since being a little girl.

39:13

It's a reminder that whatever season I'm in, there's something bigger that I'm being shaped for, even when it doesn't feel like it in the moment, it felt like the right note to walk out on.

39:23

OK, All right.

Love, love, love this and you have completed 21 questions.

All right, next segment.

Next segment is called word association works like this.

39:40

I'm going to say some words, you're going to tell me what comes to your mind, what's on your soul and then we're going to keep talking about it.

Now we have a long standing tradition here on the cash and that is this.

We have traditionally started with the same word because that word is the word of love, the word of family, the word of community, the word of joy.

40:04

That word is food.

40:06

I think of health.

40:09

Oh, say more.

40:11

So I have a lot of digestive issues.

That is all of my surgeries are of my abdominal area.

So food has helped me survive.

But food has also been my worst enemy at times.

It's made me very sick.

It's caused surgeries, it's done all of it.

But at the end of the day, food is health.

40:27

Food is wealth.

Food is what keeps your body going.

So that's how I look at food.

40:33

OK, we got any favorites?

40:36

I have a sweet tooth that is out of this world.

I love a good sweet.

40:45

You can tell too, like this big smile just came out.

Just thinking about sweets apparently makes you happy.

40:51

Oh yeah, I actually was just working with a kid yesterday and that was one of our questions.

We were doing the question wheel and asking each other questions back and forth, and I had to ask him what his favorite food was.

And he said I think it was like a sandwich or something.

And I was like, I can't be the therapist to say, like, cake, but like, yeah.

41:11

Well, you could be on the caution and say cake, yeah.

41:14

Right.

41:16

All right, Cod Taylor beer.

41:18

Nothing.

41:19

Nothing.

41:20

No, I'm from Wisconsin and I don't drink.

41:23

All right, that's fair.

Then what do you drink?

Is it one of those?

Because I find that people then have something else like is it Diet Coke?

Is it a mountain Dews?

Is it coffee?

It's it's everybody has their thing.

41:38

Yeah, mine is definitely coffee.

I am a coffee drinker through and through.

But if I am like, like I think it was Thursday, I was at a networking thing and you know, everybody's drinking.

So it's like you want to hold a drink in hand because everybody else has 1.

So I will get like a Diet Coke with a lemon to spice it up a little.

41:55

There you go.

Yeah.

OK, well, this could seem it.

This felt like one of those full circle moments because you did tell us you like a good coffee shop.

42:03

Oh yeah.

42:05

Oh yeah, OK, shop local.

42:09

Small businesses.

42:10

Tell us more, Do you got favorites?

42:13

Yeah, I mean, I have a ton.

I feel like I like to shop as local as I can.

The free market in Appleton is like a small organic, natural grocery store.

Love it.

They have a lot of stuff that I can eat, so it's really nice because I can go there and get a lot of stuff that I can have, especially like treats that are gluten free and dairy free.

42:34

They've wanted that.

But then I love a good boutique Uptown boutique in Kukana, Wisconsin.

Definitely my favorite.

And Taylor is awesome.

She's the owner.

And then shopping local.

I feel like I shop local a lot with like the coffee shops that have the little like bow tiki jewelry, artsy things you can get to.

42:56

So yeah.

42:57

Music.

42:58

Worship.

43:00

Tell me more.

43:01

I love going to church because I love worshipping with people and the music that like is played at church.

And I'm definitely somebody who like in the car.

That's what's always playing worship music.

43:14

I think you're my first guest that ever said that, so you're a first.

43:18

I'm a first.

43:19

Yeah, that's awesome streaming community.

Break it down.

43:26

I feel like with streaming services and streaming, you know, podcasts, YouTube videos, social media, all that kind of stuff, you can really reach your community.

43:38

That's true.

Do we have anything right now that's on that?

Like your favorite streaming thing?

43:45

Not really, I actually have AV Box, which like allows me to watch a lot of movies and shows but I don't really.

I mean my boyfriend and I are kind of on a kick with the Fosters right now, which is an old TV show.

But I do love the Fosters.

I've seen it multiple times and I really like it, so OK.

44:03

Last Word community.

44:06

Love.

44:08

Wow.

And I don't need you to say more on that.

That was powerful.

Actually, I don't know if I've ever had anybody just one word, one word answer something for a community like that, that is fantastic.

44:26

OK, you have completed word association.

Next segment.

Next segment is called the Kosh Hidden Gems.

That doesn't mean that the hidden gem has to be in the cosh, but we are looking for your hidden gems.

44:42

A hidden gem can be something that you think a lot of people don't necessarily know about, or it could be something everybody knows about, but maybe they don't know some of the special or cool details about it.

So Jordan, what's your special hidden gem?

44:57

I feel like this is tricky.

I feel like there's a lot of good places that people don't know about.

45:01

Well, you ain't limited to 1 you, it's your episode.

You can give us 12.

Hey, what do you got?

45:08

To kind of piggyback and get on theme with my business, Walmart has sensory friendly hours in the morning.

So anybody looking for sensory friendly grocery stores that you can take your kids to that the lights are dimmer, the music is off, it's more calm, Walmart is your place to go 8 to 10 AM.

45:31

Wow, I didn't know that for real.

That's the thing.

45:33

That's a hidden gem.

45:34

That is a hidden gem.

That's a first.

OK.

Did you have another one or is that the one?

45:43

I think that's the one.

45:44

That's the one.

All right, fair enough.

Next segment and my favorite segment is called story time.

And story time is an opportunity for the guest here to share a story with the cash listeners.

46:00

So when I mentioned when me and Jordan were talking about this earlier, Jordan's face lit up like I got stories Timber, I got stories for you.

So, Jordan, what's your story?

46:14

So I also told Timber when I came in that I probably wasn't going to use the story I was thinking of when I walked through the door because I do have a lot of stories.

And right now I am just thinking of my dad.

And my dad is a pretty cool guy.

46:31

A lot of people know him in the community.

He's pretty cool.

And I told my dad that I was going to open unseen abilities.

And I will never forget my dad being like, Are you sure?

And if somebody questioned me more, it was nobody but my dad.

46:49

He asked so many questions.

And I've never asked him, but I feel like he kind of doubted me.

But if you ask him, he'll say he never doubted me.

But facts.

But I think the biggest thing I will never forget is my dad telling me it was going to take three years for unseen abilities to be successful.

47:07

And I was never trying to prove him wrong.

But when I was able to be like, hey, look at what I've done it, it feels pretty cool because my dad is very well known.

My dad is very successful.

And I never thought that I could build something that my dad would be proud of.

47:25

And I feel like I've done that.

So that's kind of a story.

I mean more so just a relationship with my dad that has always kind of been he believes in me and my dad is my #1 supporter.

He has nothing but good things to say about me.

47:40

But I don't know if I ever thought my dad believed in me, which I don't know if that's just like my competitive mindset, but that's a cool thing as a daughter to be like I've done this and like I can tell my dad who like people view as like a very powerful leader.

47:58

So that was really cool.

Another story is I was given the privilege to receive a grant from the Heart of the Valley Chamber in October of 2025, and that was a moment when I really realized the community seen the need for neurodivergent children, and that was really cool.

48:17

But yeah, there's a lot of stories.

We could be here all day.

48:22

Yeah, we could, and I'm just going to speak on the behalf of the coalition of fellow dads.

At the end of the day, it didn't matter.

He's proud.

48:33

Yeah, I definitely know that he's.

48:35

Just super proud and and since I do know your dad, he's he's an awesome gentleman.

Yeah, he.

48:42

Definitely was always proud, I just never thought that I could make him proud in the business world.

48:48

Well, and there you have it.

You won.

You won that one.

48:52

Yes.

48:55

And dad, if you're out there listening, you also can come sit in the chair on the Kosh, even though I have done an episode with your dad for Appleton Engaged.

49:05

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

49:05

Yeah, which was it was really awesome.

OK, well, I'll tell you what, Jordan.

What we are about to start doing is we are going to start wrapping up this episode.

49:21

All right, Kosh listeners, you already know what that means.

When you hear that, and you know what I'm going to say, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you for spending time with us.

Thank you for giving us your minds and ears.

Thank you for caring about another amazing community member out here making our community a better place.

49:42

There is nothing more special than those who decide to take care of those in our community who need some taking care of.

That's not the easy work, that's the hard work.

And if I was you, that's a neighbor that I would want to know.

49:57

So make sure that you get out here and if you get an opportunity, have a conversation with Jordan.

You'll be blown away by how real and how authentic she is.

She carries an energy with her and she's doing the work.

50:14

Very, very important work.

All right, Kyle solutions.

You also know that we are trying to become the number one podcast in all of Wisconsin, but I can't do it without your help.

What does that look like?

Looks like while you're listening to these episodes and you're thinking, hey, timber, you need some new segments or Timber, I wish you would have asked a question about this.

50:36

You should probably let me know.

Just let us know.

I also, if you're listening right now and you're thinking Timber, I'm a really cool neighbor and I think the Kosh listeners would want to know me, well, come sit in a chair and let me know.

50:52

And you can let me know by emailing me at askthekosh@gmail.com. onceagainthatisaskthekosh@gmail.com.

Also, I'm a firm believer that our community is a better community when we know each other and we get to know our neighbors and the amazing things that we're out here doing as people that are part of this thing we call community.

51:16

And I think a great way we can help that is by more people learning about this really cool podcast known as the Kosh the People's Podcast.

So if you would, while you are listening, if you see the opportunity to press that button that says subscribe or if you see stars, give us 5 or if you're really motivated, just go ahead and write us a review.

51:41

These are all things that improve the thing we called analytics.

And the better our analytics are, the more people get to learn about this really cool community based podcast known as the Cash that I think helps make stronger community.

51:58

OK, now onto the really cool, cool stuff here ahead.

You know that means it is shout out time.

So Jordan, what are your shout outs?

52:12

So I would like to start by shouting out my family.

They've been there for everything from the beginning.

A lot of who I am as a business owner comes directly from them.

Boyfriend Matt, he's been there through everything as well.

He has done a lot for my business, he's done a lot for me as a person, and he keeps my head strong.

52:30

To the families that I work with, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you for trusting me with your children.

I know that's hard, and you've made this so much more than a business to me.

Watching your children grow and thrive is honestly the best part of what I get to do.

52:45

And finally, the Heart of the Valley and the Fox City's Chamber of Commerce.

From ribbon cutting to the Small Business Grant, you've shown up for unseen abilities in ways I didn't expect when I first opened.

So thank you for believing in me and what we are building here at Unseen Abilities.

53:06

Facts all right, right consolationers.

I have some really cool shout outs this week was what they call the point in time count or the pit count and that is where nationwide and communities we go out and we actually try to count our own housed our homeless who are out there.

53:26

I've done it for a number of years and I've done it multiple times.

It's done twice a year.

But this year by far was the most compelling, the hardest one.

My group, my little team of four, we found 20 plus individuals unhoused.

53:43

We walked into at least three encampments.

It's real out here.

Please keep that in mind.

And here's the amazing thing that I want to share is like when I think we have often been fed different narratives that are maybe not that accurate or false.

54:01

And I'm just going to speak from my own personal experiences like I've never walked into this as long as I've been doing this and anyone was alleviated under any type of influence.

You, we have to interview these individuals when we run up on them and a lot of them have jobs, they're just on hard times and it's Hard Out Here.

54:25

Housing is unaffordable.

It is tough.

And so I just say this to keep in mind like to make sure that we know that when you see unhoused people, it may not be what you think.

Let's not be quick to judge.

54:42

And if we are in a place to, to help be helpful.

Let's be helpful, all right, because it's a that whole thing really sat on my soul pretty heavy and then but that's part of doing the work.

OK now I also want to send a really big shout out to my man Ivor out here doing amazing things with his business.

55:04

He has he has this really cool clothing brand and I just want to as a person who's got his bow tie business and, and, and the person who does my website, I just want to make sure he knows.

I see you out here shining.

Keep shining, my man.

55:19

I want to send a special shout out to the poet laureate committee.

We are in the process of picking the second poet laureate for the city of Appleton and a lot of work has been done.

We've had really great submissions and, you know, we're in the process, but I just want you to know, like, there's this really cool group of people who care greatly about the community but also cares about poetry.

55:42

And we're going to find a fabulous poet laureate and make sure I send a special shout out to Oshkosh's poet laureate, Tom Cannon.

My man, I hope you out there still doing what you do.

All right.

And finally.

And yeah, I'll know I end all shout outs, the last shout out, but definitely not the least shout out always goes to the wife for continuing to let me record this podcast in the house.

56:10

Baby, I love you.

All right, so, Jordan, we got one last thing to do before we wrap it up.

Are you ready?

56:19

I'm ready.

56:20

OK and it goes like this.

It is multiple choice.

So option A Option A is share some parting words of wisdom with the Kosh listeners.

Option B tell the Kosh listeners, what would yourself today tell your 13 year old self?

56:40

Option C All of the above.

Because you know what?

That's a real multiple choice.

I got to give you the opportunity.

All of the above.

So what is?

What are we picking?

56:52

So I think the two can tie in together for what I want to say.

So what I would say is take a leap of faith.

I think that goes to my 13 year old self.

I think that's parting words of wisdom for everyone listening.

Take a leap of faith.

You never know what it's going to like.

57:08

Hand you and have open hands like I was talking about earlier things will, you know, there's never going to be a straight line to owning a business.

There's never going to be a straight line to a relationship.

There's never going to be a straight line to a career, anything like that.

So go in with open hands, but take that leap of faith.

57:26

Facts.

All right, Jordan, what do you think?

57:29

I thought it was awesome.

Thank you so much for having me and thank you guys for listening.

I really appreciate it and I hope to connect with some of you guys soon.

57:37

Lakash.