David Flink: Building A Movement To Empower Students With Learning Differences

This week Andrew talks with David Flink. David is the Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer of Eye to Eye, a national nonprofit on a mission to help students with learning differences. At a young age, David was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD.  In 1998, while a student at Brown University, David set out to build a support network to help young people just like him. He organized a group of Brown University students with learning differences and the group volunteered their time at a local elementary school. Since then, David and his team have built Eye to Eye into a national movement of college students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities mentoring similar identifying elementary and middle-school students. David’s story is a powerful reminder that anyone committed to making a difference can change the world. His story is inspiring and filled with lessons for us all. Show Highlights:3:14 - Launching Eye to Eye while a student at Brown University4:22 - From humble beginnings to a national movement5:19 - Connecting through similar experiences6:38 - Finding a network of supporters10:12 - Organizing community events12:05 - Learning from mistakes13:00 - Bringing your full self to a cause13:08 - Running the first fundraiser from David's apartment14:40 - "Build no statues" leadership17:25 - Keys to successful hiring and scaling a team21:23 - Bringing together young people for good25:16 - Changing a common narrative26:02 - David's missionCONNECT WITH ANDREW ON SOCIALTwitter: @andrewhmosesInstagram: @AndrewMoses123NEWSLETTERSign up for e-mails to keep up with the podcast at everybodypullsthetarp.com/newsletter!