EP 107: Beyond Titles and Uniforms: The Layers of Leadership with Chris Thorne

In honor of Veterans Month, this episode celebrates service, transition, and purpose-driven leadership through a conversation that transcends military, corporate, and nonprofit spaces.

Dr. Lola Adeyemo sits down with Chris Thorne, a U.S. Navy veteran turned business and community leader, to explore what leadership looks like beyond the uniform. Chris shares powerful lessons from his 30-year military career and his journey into executive leadership as CEO of the North San Diego Business Chamber.

Together, they unpack the layers of identity, resilience, and community that shape purposeful leadership today. This conversation reminds us that every leader carries more than a title—they carry stories, intersections, and lived experiences that inform how they serve others.

In This Episode, You'll Hear:

✅ How military service shapes purpose and leadership in civilian life
Chris reveals why he joined at 17, what kept him serving for three decades, and how those experiences translate into building thriving business communities.

✅ The power of community in building connection and legacy
Hear Chris's profound perspective: "Life is a terminal disease. Immortality is having a positive impact on others that grows long after you're gone—whether anyone remembers your name or not."

✅ Why intersectionality matters in leadership and belonging
From growing up in Arizona to becoming a Navy Corpsman running with Marines, Chris breaks down how we're all "blankets made of different fibers"—and why understanding that depth in others changes everything.

✅ Chris's transition from service to civic and business impact
The real story of transition—from stepping out of the Navy to leading HR consulting, standing up the Gary Sinise Foundation's San Diego presence, and becoming a chamber CEO.

✅ Advice for emerging professionals on self-belief and finding their place at the table
"I am so incredibly impressed with this next generation. You deserve to be in that room. You deserve your seat at that table. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

✅ The Chili Philosophy
Why Chris's signature slow-cooked, blazing-hot chili is the perfect metaphor for patient, intentional leadership.

About the Guest

Chris Thorne is the CEO of the North San Diego Business Chamber and a retired U.S. Navy veteran. Named 2024 CEO of the Year for Business Nonprofit and recognized among San Diego's 500 Most Influential People for four consecutive years, Chris leads with a deep commitment to service, strategy, and community impact.

🔗 [North San Diego Business Chamber]
🔗 [Connect with Chris on LinkedIn]

About the Host

Dr. Lola Adeyemo is a workplace inclusion strategist, speaker, and CEO of EQImindset, where she helps organizations build communities of belonging through strategy, storytelling, and systems change.

🌍 Learn more: www.lolaspeaker.com
💬 Connect with Lola on LinkedIn: [Dr. Lola Adeyemo]

Want to Go Deeper?

Follow Dr. Lola on Substack, where she explores key concepts from each episode and invites reflections and community engagement!

Join the Conversation

For HR & DEI Leaders: Need employee resource group(ERG) or business resource group support? Connect with Dr. Lola on LinkedIn for strategy, storytelling, and inclusive workplace community building.

For Immigrants & First-Gen Professionals: Join our free community at www.immigrantsincorporate.org for career support, networking, and resources with peers who understand your journey.

Your story matters. Keep thriving in your intersections.

Dr. Lola Adeyemo.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Hello and welcome to the Thriving in Intersectionality Podcast. A podcast that explores the real experiences of professionals navigating the workplace with layered lead identities. I'm your host, Dr. Lola Ateemo, the CEO of EQI Mindset and founder of the nonprofit Immigrants Incorporate, Inc. I'm also an author, speaker, and a workplace inclusion strategist. I work with organizations to build communities of belonging through strategy, storytelling, and systems change. This podcast amplifies the voices of professionals from intersectional backgrounds, immigrants, ethnic minorities, first-gen professionals, veterans, working parents, individuals with disabilities, and so many more. Through solo reflections and guest conversations, we'll uncover the eating challenges, celebrate the wins, and offer insights to help you thrive, not just survive in the corporate world. Because in today's global workforce, belonging isn't just a bonus, it's the catalyst for real growth and impact. Let's dive in. Welcome back to another episode of the Driving and Intersectionality Podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Lola DeMo, and taking a few minutes to introduce my guest for today before I bring him in. Today I'm honored to speak with a leader whose life bridges service, strategy, and community impact. Chris Tan was named in 2024 as the CEO of the Year for Business Nonprofit, and he's been listed four years in a row among San Diego Business Journal's 500 most influential people. He leads with purpose that transforms both business and lives. After serving more than 30 years in the US Navy, rising to the distinguished rank of Master Chief Petty Officer, he transitioned into executive leadership, now serving as the CEO of the North San Diego Business Chamber, the only five-star accredited chamber in the region. He's also the founder of Kristen Consulting, has spent a lot of time post-transition, leading in that space of HR advancement for compliance, workforce development, and military talent engagement. And his three decades of leadership crosses military, nonprofit, and corporate spaces, and he continues to dedicate his life to creating opportunities for people, communities, and companies. Join me in welcoming Kristen, a true example of purpose-driven leadership. Thank you for listening. All right, welcome back to another episode of the Thriving in Intersectionality Podcast. Today I'm here with Chris. Hi, Chris.

SPEAKER_02 3:11

Hi, how are you doing, Lola? Great seeing you.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

I am doing great. Nice to be here with you. All right. Um, you just listened to Chris's bio, which I read a little while ago. But before I bring him in and ask a couple of questions, I like to set the tone of this podcast uh called Thriving in Intersectionality. Um, because it is a big word. And if people are coming into the podcast through this episode, they might not be familiar with it. So, what is intersectionality? Intersectionality is a mouthful, uh, but it is a framework that recognizes how multiple aspects of identity, such as gender, race, ethnicity, even immigration status, social class, amongst so many others, how some of these things overlap and interact and creates very unique experiences of privilege or discrimination that cannot be understood by examining a single factor in isolation. And so when you think about these lands, we are all multi-layered people. That's who we are. And a lot of times we only see one aspect of someone. If you take a minute to listen to people's stories, to listen to where people are coming from, I think we're all gonna have much more grace and empathy for each other and and maybe learning in a different way. So that's really what the podcast is about, and and why I love to open the conversation with having my guests introduce themselves beyond the bio. So um uh Chris, I'll bring you in right now. So when you think of that word intersectionality, can you please highlight the intersections that are relevant to you for people to get to know you better?

SPEAKER_02 5:00

You know, uh honestly, I I love that you start by saying it's such a big word. And I think people get intimidated by it, right? I mean, they do. It's it gets thrown around in some different ways and different circles and gets punted sometimes, maybe even politically, and people get intimidated by the word. But at the at the core of it, right, it's like like you said, we all have all of these fibers that make us up, right? Like each one of us is like a blanket, and and you don't make a blanket just with one sheet of fabric, it's a whole bunch of fibers that make it up, and you you pull all those fibers from different places, and then when you put them together, then you get the whole thing, right? And so each one of us has those, right? You you take my background, you know. Hey, uh, you know, I'm I'm born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. There's an element to that. Um, you know, it made me a uh a sports fan of teams that don't like to win, and it it taught me that uh, you know, that a dry heat in 115 degrees is wonderful and comfortable, right? That like that's a part of my being. Yeah. Matter of fact, they often don't understand it, right? Um, but it's it's it's a part of my being. It's you know, it's a you know, it's a truth of the matter that you know, when I have hair, it's brown, right? That that is just a part of who I am. When was that? You know, here's the thing. I have a full head of hair, I'm just very selfish with it, so I shave it off every day so nobody else gets to share in it.

SPEAKER_00 6:30

So uh it's a uh that's so kind of you, Chris.

SPEAKER_02 6:36

But it you know, but I mean, you know, that's the thing, is right, like it we all come and there's this whole mixing bag that comes from our family backgrounds and heritage, our cultural backgrounds and heritage, from the things that we're exposed to from early in life all the way through development of life, right? And so um, you know, each one of them contributes a little bit. So yeah, I'm from Phoenix, right? Like that does. It makes me love the heat and love sports teams that can't seem to win a game. Um, I, you know, I look, I grew up in a in a split family, right? Like, you know, it's a people today, and you know, we don't talk about this much, but you know, somebody said, Oh, well, you're the CEO of a chamber of commerce, and obviously, you know, you live in, you know, coastal Southern California, you, you know, you you you've got a you know, you've got a privileged background life that that is bro, right? And you know, I mean, if I were to share with people, uh, you know, I came from a divorced set of parents in uh, you know, in a household where, you know, we absolutely did not have privilege. And, you know, if anyone knows about the uh the big white uh white box of cheddar cheese that comes from going and picking it up at the uh at the food assistance, that was, you know, that was part of my life uh growing up there, right? And and uh all kinds of things to that that that contribute some to who I am, but they also help inform me so that I can be better as I go. And you know, and then obviously I joined the military, and that's you know, it's really easy to say, okay, well, he's a veteran. That's that's a line of this intersectionality or this thread, right? But you know, the thing about that is even that, um, you know, you think about 18 million veterans in the United States, and that's not a uniblock of people, right? Like that's not just everyone in that 18 million group has a standard identity, culture, background, and experience through even that just that veteran experience, right? I mean, whether you want to break it down within that military culture, I was Navy, well, you know, much different than army, much better than army. So, all you army listeners, sorry, that's just the reality, right? But you know, within each one of the services, there's there, and then you know, within the Navy, um, you know, I was in the Navy for 30 years, and well, I don't know if you know this, but I am not a good sailor. I I I did not do the ship thing. No, I I was 30 years in the navy. I was I didn't even know I didn't even know you had a choice to not be a good sailor. Well, well, choice is a choice is a bold word to use here, but my pathway ended up as what's called a hospital corman. That's the medical, right? And and surprise, surprise, I didn't know this until all of a sudden, you know, one day, like so. You say choice, that's a bold word. I didn't have choice. I got a set of orders one day as I was graduating school saying you need to go to this place up north called Camp Pendleton. And the next thing I know, I spent the next, you know, 20 years of my career running around on the ground with the Marines. You know, that was my first thought was don't remember joining the Marine Corps, but suddenly here I am, right? So um, so you know, they're very different from a lot of other people in the Navy and their experience. So, so just I mean, I could go on on and on and on about that, but point being, even in that veteran community, um there's 18 million individual pathways and threads, and it's not this omniblock uh of individuals, right? And yeah, and so you know, you take that then, and and then you come, you know, retirement after 30 years of that and all the experiences that that brought with it, and then you know, different pathways that people go. I I pursued a pathway and a professional career um that was focused on human resources and compliance and labor law and a lot of those things that uh that trust me, there's very few people who want that thread of life. Uh, but it's uh, but it's uh it was something I loved and I enjoyed it. And I found, you know, that there were things that I could do to help and be be out there. So we all, you know, some of those are cultural, some of those are familial, some of those are genetic, right? Like uh, you know, I'm I could dye my eyebrows, but when the dye goes away, they're still gonna be the same color, right? So some of those are are are there, some of those are choices that we make, right? I I happen to drive, you know, a small little beat-up old uh convertible Volvo that I love, right? That well, that's that's a choice that I make that is something that's unique about me because I love that thing. It's not a it's not a cultural, it's not a genetic, it's not anything that was, it's just something about me, but it's very unique about me and that I I actually like it and it's important to me, right? So that's a long way of rambling on about this point that when we say intersectionality, I I definitely think people get too wrapped up in what the term is used to try and and and pull people into buckets, and instead of looking at really that idea that we all are made up of all of these unique things, and I think you mentioned it, right? When we understand that, I don't have to know everything about you, but right but when I know that there's so much more depth to you than what I know, then that allows me to take a step back and not make assumptions, presumptions, not make you know that assessment where I let bias come in and tell me I know who you are because there's so much more to you.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

Yeah, absolutely. And you just summarized it all. You summarized that the the reason why um I started this podcast is is exactly that. It's not a way for us to, it's a way for us to acknowledge um it's a framework, and and the way the word was coined by Krimber Kimberly Crensure, it's a way, and and she stresses that I mean she used it in research, experiences of black gen again, gender and race. So it was experiences of black women, um, but there's been other researchers that have explored different intersections through the lens of social categories. Um, but the the way we use it even in this space is that we all come in contact with each other just through one lens. Like I met you as a chamber president. That's the lens, that's the single lens that I have. If I had not spent time with you, I wouldn't know you had a military background, I wouldn't know what harm of the the what arm you served in, and and so again, this is something that every single person we interact with um has layers that we don't know about, and it's shaped who we are and the way we show up in the workplace. So thank you so much for sharing that. Um, I will go to the next part because we've sort of kind of started talking about your career journey a little bit as well. So um, but if you want to share anything else about how did you get in there? How did you even choose to get in the military and then what has your career journey been like after that?

SPEAKER_02 13:45

Uh yeah, you know, it's uh it everyone, you know, comes with different reasons. I was uh a child of the 70s who was heavily influenced by uh, you know, just uh a strong calling. I don't I couldn't say where, you know, my grandparents uh were World War II era, you know, generation uh and served. And and as as much as that, you know, that was wonderful, that was never a you know, was never a family forward thing, right? Like I was aware uh that they that they served. Actually, if there's anything now, I wish when I was young I'd spent more time listening and hearing about their their time and that uh and learning so much more. But I was familiar with it, but it was never a you know, we are a military family. That wasn't it. Uh but um but there was a sense uh when I was young that there was a connection to the military. I was in um, you know, I was that kid in high school who was in the JROTC unit out there, right? And and uh and had had fun doing that. And I was in uh an organization called the Sea Cadets, which is kind of like a a not it's yeah, it's like JROTC for Navy, but it's not part of school, and and you know, so I just sort of it was there. I enjoyed it. It was it was something I really loved. And then of course, you know, hey, the 80s came around, Top Gun came out, and I mean that's it. How could you not, right? It's a must at that point. Uh so uh by the time I by the time I joined, um, it was not even a question for me. I I knew that was the pathway that I was going to be going down. Um, you know, and it is kind of interesting because like I said, I you know, my my parents were were separate or we were divorced, and and you know, we we did not have a great childhood, nothing against my parents and and what that was. It simply was it was a challenging, you know, childhood at the time. And so a lot of people, because I joined it at 17 years old. Um, and so a lot of people made that assumption, right, that it was an escape, a getaway, right? Like that uh this is this is his way of getting out of that, right? Because that's just you know, when we talk about making, you know, having those biases, making those assumptions. You see uh, you know, a poor kid coming from an inner city area who you know doesn't have other opportunities, doesn't have a lot of things happening, he's not not heading to college. He's he must be joining the military to get away from that, right? And uh which is fine. I didn't begrudge anyone assuming that, but the truth is that wasn't why I joined. I joined because I just knew that was something I really wanted in my life for a very long time, uh, even as a child.

SPEAKER_00 16:38

Yeah, I mean, you stayed in for 30 years, you must have one thing.

SPEAKER_02 16:44

Okay, now in fairness, I will I will tell you, in fairness, when I joined, uh my presumption, my assumption, everything inside me said I'm gonna do this for four years and then I'm gonna carry on to what comes next. Um, so if you if you had asked me, you know, uh in that first six months, one year, two years even, uh, you know, what are you gonna do this for a long time? I I would have given an emphatic no way. Um, and it just uh, you know, it's one of those where I don't know, what you know, you finished the first four years and they said, Do you want to sign up for another four? And I said, Yeah, sure, why not? And then they said, Do you want to sign up for another four? And I said, Yeah, sure, why not? And then, you know, eventually it just was uh, you know, something that I just kept doing and and uh you know found out I was kind of good at it, and uh so it was it was really, you know, I can't say I planned it to be that way, but it worked out really well, I think.

unknown 17:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

Well, I haven't said it yet, uh, but thank you for your service. Uh that that's um, you know, the timing four years, ten years, thirty years, it is important time of your life that you chose to serve. So thank you for that.

SPEAKER_02 18:03

I appreciate that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 18:05

All right. So what happened after you left? How did we get here?

SPEAKER_02 18:09

After I left the military? After you left the military. Oh wow, you know, uh so here, you know, the truth of the matter is uh I when I left the military, I I was very, very genuinely fully intending on like a straight up retirement. Lil that this was this was going to be, you know, the retiree. Uh I'm not such a good golfer, so I'm I really wasn't thinking that much of golfing. Uh, but I really did uh plan on pulling the airstream RV around, you know, finding all kinds of national parks, state parks going around the country. I also happen to admit I like beer, so you know, like maybe find a good brewery close to the state park and then spend a few days in that area and then go to the next one, whatever. Right.

SPEAKER_00 18:55

Like just uh how long how long did you how long did that work out for?

SPEAKER_02 18:59

Yeah, it didn't work out for very long. I uh it was uh, you know, I I joke about it, but it's probably only half joking. I think the uh neighbors got tired of seeing me shuffle up and down the street in my robe and uh you know, and and started giving uh you know my wife a little bit of grief and saying, do something about him. And uh yeah, so uh I began uh actually doing some uh exploring. Now for me, again, this is where you know we say you not a unibundle, 18 million veterans when we talk about veterans, not all the same. And when we talk about the the transition from military life to post-military life, it's very unique for everyone individually in different pathways. Many of them are very challenging. Um, I was lucky enough that through um, you know, different areas of choice and fortune through my career, um, that I had been put in a position where uh, you know, I had a established household in an established community with an established, you know, group uh of friends and community around me that weren't just the military. It was I was I was embedded and ingrained in the society already. And and so that leaving the military wasn't finding a new life, a new culture, a new me, a new why. I I I had actually had the opportunity uh to integrate into a community long before I was out of the military. And so that, yeah, that so that was an you know, I'd love to say that was a design and good planning on my part. A lot of it had to do with fortune, luck, uh, good grace, uh, and and people looking out for and helping me along the way. But yeah, I did I did have the privilege, if you will, even it may have been an earned privilege, but it was a privilege um that is different from what many experience, that I had the opportunity to take time, sit back, evaluate, um, and really consider my next actions and what was important to me. Um, yeah, and then uh turned out that some unique background skills, experiences, education, things that I had done across many years in time, military, non-military, um uh it turned out I had some fairly unique skills and knowledge sets uh that as I came to find out were actually fairly valuable, uh, fairly valuable in the sense of uh not only needed uh in industry and business to be to be able to do things, um, but also, you know, the thing if you that was really great is that you know they also were valuable in a monetary sense, that they were needed to the point where uh where there was a really reasonable amount of compensation available by doing it. And so uh went down that pathway, which was in the human resources side and labor law compliance and California labor law compliance and doing. Things um in the military and veteran community on on veteran employment pathways with industry helping uh things there. And so it all just sort of came together, it worked out really nice. And I was uh I was having a great time. I had my consulting company, which um by the way, I was a very it was an adamant part of me that if I was going to be in business, um, then I needed to be part of the community of business. And so uh when I had when I had started my consulting company, one of the first things I did was uh decided that to integrate or be part of the community of business, I wanted to be part of the chamber of commerce. So I reached out uh and and started looking around and joined the chamber of commerce and built some great relationships and networks and connections and engagement with that. And as the business grew and did its thing, um, I ended up finding uh that there was now an opportunity to once again sort of let that do its thing while I took a little bit more of an investment in time for things that were just important to me, not necessarily from a work function, but from a focal function. And uh so I started leaning in a little bit with the uh spending time in the nonprofit community, volunteering on boards, volunteering to do activities, volunteering to be there part. Because of my background, there was a large portion of that that was very focused on the veterans community and the nonprofit side. Um, so uh, you know, even on the you know, on the chamber side, uh I I became part of the Military Affairs Advisory Council on the Chamber side, which was important to me. Uh, I became engaged in a few other nonprofits in the area that that were had some focus and doing some good work. Um, and so that really started to build an interest. And then over a period of time uh was able to gain a little bit of um, I guess, uh, reputation maybe is the word, networks. Um, people knew that there was this guy hanging around doing these things in the nonprofit community and and doing uh doing so for hopefully the right reasons. And uh that actually turned into a uh a phone call, or actually more exactly, a LinkedIn note one day uh from a gentleman uh reaching out uh saying that he'd like to have a conversation on behalf of an amazing organization uh that that I I had immense and tremendous respect for. Uh and that organization is called the Gary Sneese Foundation. Uh and uh and they were uh they want to have a chat. And so we had a chat, and uh basically the gist of it was that the foundation run by a gentleman named Gary Sneese, if people don't know who he is, uh we just think of Lieutenant Dan from Forest Gump, an amazing human being that I would give my life for to this day. Um, and he has an amazing organization that does wonderful things, and it's a nationwide uh foundation doing spectacular work around the nation, around the world. Um, but they wanted to have some focus right here in the San Diego, the Southern California San Diego area, as a consistent. So they were looking to create a permanent footprint in the area and wondered if I would uh be willing to maybe look at helping to make that happen uh by uh by standing up uh the a um a chapter of the foundation. And it's hard to say because they really they didn't, it's not an organization that has chapters, but that that they wanted to have a specific footprint in in this area, and so um you know asked if I would lead out uh that process to do that, and I was privileged and honored to do that, and of course, um was was you know was really having just the most amazing time working with the most incredible human beings through the foundation, being able to serve in the local community here, uh doing great things uh on a truly uh wonderful mission uh and and be part of the community around here. Um, I might add, uh, you know, my my business was part of the chamber. I wanted that nonprofit foundation to be integrated to our community of business engagement. And so uh I had the the foundation chapter as a joiner to the chamber as well. Um, and so did that. Uh and over a number of years, really, really honored uh to to do that and work with that team and and and um and hopefully do some some good along the way. Uh and uh it when it came time uh to really be looking, look at stepping away from that, uh it was uh really interesting because it was opportune that through those many years, growing the business, being a part of the chamber, uh doing some other volunteering, being part of the chamber, uh taking and building out that that nonprofit uh local presence and being a part of the chamber with that. Um I was fairly well known within the chamber at that point. Uh and it turned out that it my predecessor here had decided her time to retire uh was was upon her, and uh there they were seeking uh you know a new person. And I was asked to throw my name in the hat for it at that time. Uh, I was honestly not expecting that at all. Um, but uh but it I thought, well, this is a very, very interesting opportunity. And so I threw my name in the hat, and uh next thing you know, here we are talking.

SPEAKER_00 27:45

Yep, yep, yep. I I love it. That's that's how you got here because I I was also thinking as you were sharing your story and experiences, I mean, you were made for this role because you know, thinking of the North County Chambers and the demographic of um San Diego, this community overall, I I you know think of career path and the career path that chooses us that we don't necessarily plan for. You know, you talked about your military years and I wonder four years and then I remained for another four years, and then you spent all these decades in there, and then coming out, and and as you think of what you currently do, um and seeing how it all fits together, all of your experiences, all of the background, um, have only known you in in the context of the chambers, and I was like, Yeah, you were made for this role. Exactly the the kind of uh passion for community, the connection, strong connection to the military space, um uh strong presence here in Southern uh California, of course. Um, what what do you see as when when you think of your career journey so far? I know, and when you have people that do things, they're always doing things. I don't know if this is your you know, there's gonna be a phase after this and then another phase after this, but when you think of this phase, you know, it's it's interesting on that.

SPEAKER_02 29:14

I uh you know, I I tell people if you had asked me, I it scares me to say, you know, oh over 40 years ago now, um, if you had asked me um to draw out a map of my career progress uh through through my lifetime, tell you know, show me what that looks like and where you're gonna get to. Um, there is no version of anything I ever could have or would have drawn out that would lead to where we are now, right? And that's to me, I love that part because you know it's a reality. We can all we can all plan, we can all look forward, we can strategize, we can have goals, but we also have to be open to accepting that the world takes us in directions that we don't know yet what those are going to be, right? And you have to be willing to to be open to opportunities, to look at new things, to hear new people, voices, and experiences, and then follow, right? And go go places that make sense. And so, you know, I look at, yeah, with this job, sure, the military background, you know, obviously we're here in San Diego, the defense is such a large part of the community and part of uh part of the business community, um, part of the economic activity of the region. So, sure, that's important. But um, you know, a lot of experience that was drawn from that time about relationship building, about being able uh to lead and and and thrive in uncertainty and and you know, areas where uh there is no playbook, no game plan, but being able to really uh coalesce a team around a mission to move forward and find a way to do that. So there were a lot of things that came from that um and some good background experience in the functional things that I did across there. I spent a lot of time in healthcare. So I became amazingly uh, you know, not something I'm using now, but I spent many years doing healthcare administration in your running large healthcare facilities, right? And so, you know, I I I actually have uh some insights on you know on healthcare operations, hospital and clinic functions, and what our healthcare industry in the region is doing uh in in ways that are that are very unique. I spent time in in the human resources that gave me an entire exposure to you know the the value of our uh our human capital, right? But not just that, but how we manage them, how we work with them, whether that's from our labors and unions, whether that's from uh you know employment standpoint and how to make sure that it that employees are well taken care of and and properly trained. And you know, so all those things that came together from uh you know the getting into my own business side of it and small business and and and growing business and emerging business, um, ownership and leadership is its own lesson bucket on uh you know, on risks and challenges and opportunities and and that, you know, that ability to to keep on striving and reaching for that next thing out there and and finding success. Um, and then you know, taking that and moving toward then the nonprofit management side out there. And while, yes, that was very focused in, you know, probably the you know, the military community in what I was functioning, I was proud to be part of one of the best-run nonprofit organizations that I think exist in the world today. And really, you know, the way that was structured around governance, around making sure uh that the organization was set up for success in how it functioned as a nonprofit organization and learning from some of the people that I think are are the best in the business of doing that. Um and so that you know, bringing in that nonprofit management side to to that one. Um, and so you know, by the time I came here to the chamber, so many of those things came together to be the right puzzle pieces that really do work.

SPEAKER_00 33:15

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 33:16

And I never could have planned to pull all those things together.

SPEAKER_00 33:19

No, I mean, at the time you were focused on the the lens you're working on, and the lane you're working in, and then uh just taking that opportunity when the time came. And there's something you've touched on a couple of times that I actually wanted to ask about. Um I I mean, as I'm listening to you, I'm hearing the communities you got plugged into, you were already plugged into before you even thought about leaving the military. The communities that you decided to intentionally engage with once you started your own business. And the community you're building for young professionals, even through the chambers, for nonprofits, uh, for corporations. So I I'm passionate about building inclusive workplaces, but I'm always like a proponent of communities are important, our communities. And so um I think that that would be something that I hear in your story a lot. If you want to share a little bit about that, like why are you so you know, where do you see the role of community and and why are you um always about that?

SPEAKER_02 34:24

Well, I uh it's I I always like to hope, but I recognize that it's not always true that as human beings, community is our number one priority, right? Uh like the the fastest way for a human being to really diminish and demise and and wither away is lack of community. That is how we as creatures are created around a community of being. And you know, community is a much different thing to many different people. Um, yeah, I think maybe uh, you know, again, different experiences through my life going around the world, different nations, different areas, different cultures and backgrounds, and having the opportunity to see how community came to play in their individual uh, you know, lives and how that uh how that became. Um but to me, uh, if if all I am doing is sitting at home and stacking up stacks of cash and counting my money and looking in the bank account balance and going out and buying a new car and really just you know not caring about what else is out there around me, as long as I've got the new car, the Rolex watch, and the stack of cash and the bigger bank account. If that's all I am, some people may consider that success in life, but I consider that to be about the most empty existence that you can possibly have in life, right? It's uh I I think to me uh life is how large of a community of others you can build that you can positively impact and influence, help, support, sustain. And you know, that that idea that uh, you know, look, we're all gonna kick the bucket one day. We haven't found uh we haven't found the the solution uh yet. Uh life is a terminal disease, right? So so that that notion that one day I'm gonna kick the bucket, somebody's gonna put me in a box, they're gonna put me down on the ground, and for a few years, maybe you know, there'll be a little bit of, you know, oh hey, remember him, he was right. But for the most part, right, the the world will carry on right our opportunity to really think about, you know, I mean, I I hate to say this, but what is to me immortality? Immortality is having an impact positive, hopefully, on other people and letting that grow out from there so that they can have a positive impact on others and a positive impact on others. And so that long after I am gone, whether anyone remembers Chris Thorne was part of it or not, hopefully some little part of what I have given or done has contributed to something that grows and becomes bigger over many, many, many years after I am gone. So to me, that's what community is building that, contributing to that, not from a selfish, I want you to know my name way, but in that I'm gonna be gone one day, and I want this world to continue to be better, and I want to be part of trying to make it better while I'm here.

SPEAKER_00 37:37

Yep. Oh, mic drop, right? It's a perfect way to close us out. I I I enjoyed um listening to you talk about your journey, Chris. Thank you so much for taking it. I know you don't do this a lot. Thank you for saying yes after I found you and I asked you multiple times. Um uh you you are an inspiration. Um uh loved getting to know you through the chambers over the last couple of years and and seeing you work and seeing the genuine authenticity that you bring to the work that you do. And there's always the story that gives us more insight into the person. So this this piece of it, I'm glad I got to capture it. Um and um for the work they're doing. Any final third words of advice for professionals that maybe see themselves in you? And um, I I I love what you're doing because I also see a lot of the emerging professionals programs focus with the chambers right now. So I know you are still very much in tune with the world of work, and and you have kids that are also professionals. So as you think about the world of work we are in now, I mean, a lot of things have changed from decades ago, a lot of things are new. Um, what advice will you give for young professionals who are thinking of their career?

SPEAKER_02 38:49

Uh you know if anything, the first thing I I would say is I I do have the privilege and advantage of continuing to get to work with young emerging professionals and seeing what they do. Uh, and so starting out by saying, uh, I am so incredibly impressed with this next generation of young professionals coming up. And you know, I I remind myself all the time when I hear people, oh, we're in trouble, this next generation. No, I've seen them in action, I see what they do, and I'm so impressed. Uh and so, you know, that to me is my first thing is don't let a narrative, don't let uh a media line, don't let anything push you into believing that you as a young new professional are anything less than what the old people are. As a matter of fact, I would tell you very, very likely you are already so much more than what we were, and it's awesome. So believe in that. Believe in that. Don't let people tear that down. And I think the second part of that is when you believe in that, believe in yourself. You deserve to be in that room. You deserve to be at that table, you deserve to have your voice heard in that conversation and to have it respected for the value that you bring, the knowledge that you have, the experience that you've gained, and for really the thoughtful insights that you're going to provide. So respect yourself, believe in yourself. Don't let anyone tell you that you don't deserve that seat at the table because you absolutely do. And so make sure that you first respect yourself and believe in yourself and let that turn into how others will respect and believe in you as well.

SPEAKER_00 40:37

Thank you. Thank you so much. Uh, that was good, that was good, Chris. All right, I have a question. I slide this in before I wrap up. And I always am uh looking forward to how my guests answer this. So if if you were to share a dish with your co-workers, what would you share and why? So it could be a meal, it could be a snack. If you were to bring something to share at work, uh, what would you bring and why did you pick that?

SPEAKER_02 41:09

Wow, you know, that's an interesting question. And you know, that I I'm gonna tell you, and then none of them are gonna eat it, but it would be chili. I love a good chili, right? But to me, my chili actually it's a uh it's a representation almost of me, if you will, because one, it's blazing hot, right?

SPEAKER_00 41:32

So bring back wait, you're gonna make it, you're gonna make it yourself.

SPEAKER_02 41:36

Oh, I might make some for you here. I'll let you know. But it's what I'm oh yeah, what if I'm bringing it, it's because I'm making it, right? Oh, and uh okay, and when I bring it, it it is blazing hot, right? And and I I I absolutely I have a thing for hot stuff, spicy stuff. I love it. So so that's you know, it's that's a thing, my personality. But it's also when I make my chili, um, I you know, I do everything by hand on there. I pull it down, I put it together, I cook that for a good 24 hours or more for that chili to come together. So that slow patience to take the time to let it develop, let it really build itself. That's another part of me, right? Like I that just slow down, take your time, don't be in a rush, let things take their time. And uh, and then you know, the other fun part of it is it's just a dang good meal, honestly.

SPEAKER_00 42:31

And so yeah, I love it, and I love tying back how people respond to this question with the conversations we've had so far, talking about the patience and allowing things to like sit, yeah, and and and just really cook and then sharing it. I'm sure even people that have never had chili or that don't like chili when to have you bring chili to the workplace, they will try it.

SPEAKER_02 42:57

Maybe we'll have to uh organize a chamber chili cook-off sometime.

SPEAKER_00 43:02

Yes, I know I'll just go straight for your chili um because I know he's well prepared, I know he's not stubborn, I know you made it, and I'm like, yes.

SPEAKER_02 43:14

Uh we'll we'll have to give that one some thought. I like it. All right.

SPEAKER_00 43:18

Thank you so much, Chris. It's been lovely getting to chat with you um and getting to see you outside of the blazer dress up for the most part. And I need to take a shot for my audience so we can use this, but um I'm looking forward to sharing this episode, and I'm looking forward to your feedback if you're listening and uh show notes to get connected with Chris uh will be on the episode details. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you for joining us.

SPEAKER_02 43:50

Thanks, Lola.

SPEAKER_00 43:54

Thank you for being part of today's conversation on thriving in intersectionality. If you're an HR or DEI leader and you need employee resource group or business resource group resources, let's connect and LinkedIn and help organizations build inclusive cultures through inclusive workplace communities, strategy, and storytelling. Immigrants and first-gen professionals, join our free community at www.immigrantsincorporate.org for career support, networking, and resources in community with peers who understand your journey. Tag our podcast page on LinkedIn or connect with me directly to continue the conversation. Please don't forget to rate and review to help others discover these discussions. Keep thriving in your intersections. Your story matters. I'm Dr. Lola Adeemo, and this has been Thriving in Intersectionality Podcast.