#101: Linda Church on life

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Linda Church is a human rights’ activist, business woman, philanthropist and mother. Her career began as co-founder and president of operations at one of the first cellular telecommunication installation companies, VCI Communications.

She has spent the last 18 years assisting numerous nonprofits by raising over ten million dollars through various projects, to build schools, daycare centers, health clinics and educational programs to help alleviate poverty and elevate humanity. Additionally, Linda was a producer on the documentary, "KIDS Chasing Paradise." While Linda appreciates being a successful business woman, and human rights activist, she considers her greatest achievement to be raising four kind and loving children who make the world a better place.  ”

We talked all about life! We dug into her backstory of growing up in Morocco and immigrating to the US at age 9 without speaking a word of English. She shared her American Dream – from working as a maid to building and selling a software company with her brother. We talked about her relationship with faith and religion, and how marrying a guy with the last name Church actually helped raise her kids even more Jewish!

If you liked this podcast, go check out #015 with my dad Jeff Church, and #006 with my sister, Nina Barber

Timestamps:

3:35 - Takeaways on turning 60 and becoming a grandmother in the same month

7:10 - Marrying a guy with the last name Church

9:34 - How faith and Judaism saved Linda’s life growing up with an abusive, bipolar father in Morocco

15:17 - What it was like moving to America at age 9 without speaking English working as a maid 

23:35 - How Linda manifested her dream home 

25:52 - Lessons from Linda’s first marriage at 19

31:30 - How her and her brother started their company

42:59 - How Linda and her husband navigated interfaith marriage and raising their kids consciously

48:04 - How saying “yes” to hosting an event ended up saving her mother’s life

56:46 - The advice Linda has to young people building their lives