What it takes Podcast Ep 2: The $150K Powerhouse ft. Esther Miller

The $150K Powerhouse | Single Mom of 8 & Nonprofit Leader ft. Esther MillerA single mom of eight who's also a high-powered executive and a total powerhouse! In this episode of the What It Takes podcast, host Tuli Kraus sits down with Esther Miller, a force of nature who earns over $150,000 a year as a “polymath” at J Companies and the Executive Director of the nonprofit Aim Higher.Esther takes us on her incredible journey from running a luxury baby clothing business out of her basement to building a career-support nonprofit from the ground up.This conversation is packed with the real talk about balancing a massive family with a demanding career, the hidden struggles of unemployed men over 40, and why giving back became a non-negotiable part of her success.💡 In This Episode, We Discuss:◼️ How Esther Miller manages her time as a single mom of eight while working two demanding jobs (her day starts at 4:40 AM!)◼️ Her unexpected path from law school dreams to becoming the “inspector whisperer” for a Yeshiva's lunch program◼️ The genius marketing move that launched her high-end baby clothing business, which she ran for nearly a decade and sold for a profit◼️ The story of how a $150,000 grant and a five-page document led her to start a nonprofit for single mothers, kicking off her career in the non-profit world◼️ The stark differences she's observed between the “sharing” culture of the corporate world and the more guarded non-profit space◼️ The hidden emotional toll of job loss, especially on men over 40, and why many suffer in silence, afraid to even tell their own families◼️ Her experience being the only woman in a male-dominated office and the hilarious culture shock of her first day (where did all the guys go at 3 PM?)◼️ Why she's a firm believer that full-time remote work can hinder collaboration and why she insists on in-person meetings for Aim Higher candidates◼️ The very real problem of ageism in hiring and the immense value that experienced professionals over 40 bring to a company◼️ A powerful story about community support and the man who started helping single mothers after a life-changing visit to a family living in poverty⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Meet Esther Miller: The $150K/yr Single Mom of 82:04 From Law School Dreams to Yiddishkeit Reality5:27 Breaking Stigmas: Women Making Six Figures7:04 The $2,000 Baby Layette: Building a Business in a Basement11:39 The Pivot: Selling a Business & A Pandemic Startup13:25 The $150K Grant That Started It All18:47 The Hidden Crisis: Men, Ego, and Unemployment23:47 The Non-Profit World vs. Corporate: A Culture Clash28:40 The Day All My Coworkers Vanished at 3 PM34:07 Why I Left Corporate for My Soul39:15 The Final Pitch: Fighting Ageism & Saving Families🔗 Connect with Esther Miller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-miller-705341190/🔗 Connect with Tuli KrausX (Twitter): https://x.com/TuliKraus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbird.recruiting/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuli-kraus/