Q: Tell us about you, your journey, and the organization you work for.

My name is Colin McKearnan and I work in Missoula, Montana, at Missoula Works.

On the programmatic side of Missoula Works, we have a family housing center that houses 35 to 40 families every night and feeds them. We have a network of 80 volunteers in our network that advocate with people at risk of homelessness to find them housing. And on the social enterprise side, we have a landscaping and junk removal business, very crew based, called the ‘Get It Done Crew.’ And we have a cut and sew operation textile manufacturing where we make messenger bags and backpacks.

Before Missoula Works, I led big box retail in the private sector. I spent 13 years with Costco, Target, supply chain jobs. And at 57, I decided that I wanted to look back on my career and feel like I had an impact outside of stocking shelves and driving commerce… I needed to make a change in order to look back with pride on my career.

Q: What’s one been one recent moment in your work that’s brought you great joy?

One of our participants in our cut and sew operation, Elizabeth, is 80 years old. She came through our housing advocate network. She was at risk of homelessness, sleeping in her car at 80 years old — and had a ton of sewing background.

An early epiphany happened when one of our volunteers encouraged her to reach out on a community social network and explain her situation, and that she was looking for a roommate. That simple gesture allowed her to find housing within 24 hours. Somebody in our community was looking to rent a room, right? Imagination and creativity play a huge role in what we do.

Q: What’s one piece of advice that you would give to other leaders in this space?

Understand your audience. I come from the private sector. In many ways they have simpler business models than there are in ESEs. And being an outward direct communicator is not always the solution. You need to check yourself. You need to understand your environment, the other stakeholders that you’re talking to.

As a white man, if I’m talking to people of color, I need to be respectful of that and understand their backgrounds… Understand your environment, and understand that you that you are working with stakeholders, with a host of needs that you need to consider before you consider your own.

Q: What are your hopes for the future?

My hope for the future is that I can inspire people in my community, in Montana, to understand that the disenfranchised people that live on the margins, are deserving of our love as people, and deserving of our support financially. Because without it, it tears at the fabric of our community. 

More on Missoula Works.

Missoula Works is an Accelerator alum and Growth Portfolio member that works to provide employment opportunities for marginalized populations within the Missoula community.