What It Takes to Lead With Purpose for Decades with Glenn Permuy

In this episode of Fractured But Fearless, Dr. S. Irfan Ali sits down with Glenn Permuy, former national COO of Boys & Girls Clubs, for a powerful conversation about purpose, service, mentorship, and the life-changing impact of creating safe spaces for young people.Glenn shares how the Boys Club became a safe place for him as a child, how he began leading others at just 12 years old, and why his life’s work became centered on helping young people find direction, confidence, and hope.The conversation explores what it means to truly listen, how mentorship can change the course of a young person’s life, and why success often comes from patience, trust, discipline, and showing up when people need you most.Glenn also reflects on the lessons he learned from failure, the young people who shaped his own growth, and the importance of building systems that support kids long after one conversation ends.This episode is for anyone who believes leadership is about impact, service, and helping others see a future they may not yet see for themselves.What You’ll LearnHow Glenn Permuy found his purpose through the Boys & Girls ClubsWhy safe spaces can change the direction of a young person’s lifeHow listening can be more powerful than giving adviceWhy mentorship requires patience, trust, and consistencyHow setbacks, grief, and disappointment can deepen resilienceChapters00:00 Welcome to Fractured But Fearless01:20 Glenn Permuy on finding his purpose02:21 Why the Boys Club became a safe place04:10 Starting at the club as a young child05:08 Learning leadership at 12 years old06:40 How coaching became a path to impact08:18 Why young people trusted Glenn with their struggles10:00 The power of patience and listening11:37 Listening versus hearing12:57 Why mentorship can’t be cookie cutter13:20 Working with young people through the court system15:44 Building systems that create lasting change18:26 How Glenn handled disappointment and failure19:59 The lesson Carmen taught him about helping others23:05 Leroy’s story and the power of belief28:37 How to keep going through burnout and setbacks32:21 Why giving back becomes the turning point34:16 The people who shaped Glenn’s values37:51 Discipline, adaptability, and service41:00 Choosing impact over recognitionMentioned in this episode:Fractured But Fearless - Cold Open