Meet Lindsay Dawson | Founder & CEO, uThrive Academy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lindsay Dawson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsay, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
If you’re not taking risks, you’re remaining stagnant. Getting out of your comfort zone is the only way you’re going to grow and change the status quo.

I’ve grown quite accustomed to taking risks from a young age, and even failing, which is necessary for healthy development. From taking one of the biggest risks of my life — accepting a position at the CIA out of college — to starting 2 different businesses (photography and personal finance consulting) to now running for public office, risk taking is a big part of who I am.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way! My faith in God calms my fears knowing that He goes before me and behind me and has good plans for my life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career has taken a series of twists and turns over the years, but one of my first professional roles at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was the most pivotal and life changing for me. It was one of the most daunting things I’ve ever done moving from my comfort zone in Oklahoma to Washington D.C. as a 22-year old and hardly knowing a soul as a single female. I felt like a small fish in a big pond, and then I found out a few months after moving that my Mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer back in Oklahoma. There were times I felt like quitting due to seemingly unsurmountable challenges both at home and at work as the new girl, but I had a few colleagues encourage me to stick it out.

Taking their advice, I eventually found my cadence as an Economic Analyst and was producing intelligence assessments for the President of the United States and other senior U.S. policymakers. I was able to brief senior officials at the White House compound, and learned how to work well under pressure from the highest levels of government. I found my confidence, boldness, and courage, which led me to eventually become a diplomat and represent the U.S. Government abroad in the UAE as an Economic Officer. Once you get used to working with that caliber of folks, you realize you can do just about anything. It’s since enabled me to take bold risks and eventually starting my own companies after I became a Mom. Flexibility and autonomy is a currency that speaks most to me now as I balance being present with them, something my Mom couldn’t do, and pursuing my career passions of helping young people succeed financially.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Houston is one of the most eclectic and diverse cities in the United States. The food and entertainment scene is out of this world, although I could do without all the traffic! 🙂 I spend most of my time in the suburbs of North Houston in an area called The Woodlands. It’s more quiet, peaceful, and serene as you’re surrounded by trees at every corner and families taxing their kids around the city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, I have to thank God for pulling me out of the mire, saving me, and calling me to a better life. I would be nowhere without Him. I want to thank my Mom for encouraging me to dream and for doing the best she could to raise me as a single mom who dealt with cancer for a good portion of my life. My Dad has always supported me and I’m thankful for that. I have 2 mentors that have been like guardian angels to me. Joe stepped into my life during a very difficult season as a teenager and saw a potential in me that no one else did. He was and is like a grandfather to me, which I never knew growing up, and would always say things like, “God has a huge investment in you, Lindsay.” Karen over the last few years has stepped in to fill a mother’s role, which has been missing since my Mom passed in 2015 from cancer, and I’m incredibly grateful to her. Lastly and most importantly, my husband Michael is my rock and best friend. He is my biggest cheerleader and has taught me what unconditional love looks like.

Website: www.uthrive.academy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uthrive_academy/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-dawson-55a515142/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uThrive.Academy/

Image Credits
Holly Young Photography
Ruth & Rene Photography
Malae Talley Photography