Maureen Leisure: "I truly believe I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and it is richly satisfying."
Maureen Leisure grew up as one of 9 siblings in a very large Irish family. Small town life in Rushville, Indiana was an experience and an education to which few urbanites can relate. Maureen and her siblings were taught the value of academics and a strong work ethic, the importance of creativity, and above all, compassion for others. After 16 years as a stay-at-home mom raising 3 children, Maureen re-entered the work force with Copeland Corporation in Rushville, now known as Emerson Climate Technologies. Her career with Emerson would span 24 years and include positions in Finance, Marketing, Customer Service, and Materials Management. In 2005, Maureen was struck with the idea of creating Changing Footprints, a nonprofit shoe bank that serves as a shoe resource for nonprofits and mission work both at home and abroad. After sharing her idea with co-worker, Bob Broughton, the mission came to life, was nurtured and began to thrive at the hands of Maureen and Bob. Changing Footprints soon became a second job for everyone involved, since they all had day jobs to maintain, while volunteering for Changing Footprints. Maureen has recently retired from Emerson and is now turning her full attention to Changing Footprints. No longer a grassroots organization, Changing Footprints has grown and evolved beyond Maureen’s wildest dreams. In five years, the organization has already distributed over 40,000 pairs of shoes.
Retirement from her “day job” has allowed Maureen to spend more time with the families of her three children, which include 6 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. For relaxation, Maureen enjoys reading, working crossword puzzles, and painting furniture. Maureen is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rushville, Tri Kappa Sorority, and the Patient & Family Advisory Council at Rush Memorial Hospital.
Tell us a little about the work you are doing with Changing Footprints.ML: Changing Footprints collects new and gently-used shoes for wherever they are needed, for whatever reason: homelessness, poverty, disaster, etc. In the 5 years of our existence, we have distributed over 40,000 pairs of shoes throughout Indiana, the US, and 14 foreign countries.
Where did you get the idea for Changing Footprints?ML: I was at a point in my life when the idea of “giving back” was on my mind a lot. Then one night, Paula Zahn on CNN was doing a segment on US Army doctors treating Afghan people in tent cities in the mountains. The doctors explained that the most frequent wounds are foot wounds, often resulting in infection and sometimes amputation because many people have no shoes, even in the freezing mountains. We are such a disposable society; countless shoes in good condition choke our landfills. It seemed like a simple idea...collect them, clean them, and get them to the feet that need them.
Did you have any hesitation about starting your own business? ML: Initially, I think so, but the message was coming to me everywhere I looked…an article in the newspaper, an image on TV, shoes lying at the side of the road. I expected a smack in the back of the head if I did not take action and get things moving. I’d never done anything like this before, but I didn’t doubt for a minute that I had enough experience to pull this off. With the passion and energy of Bob Broughton joining me, we were great inspiration and motivation for each other.
What were some of the challenges you faced when starting a new business and how did you overcome them?ML: We began collecting shoes in late June of 2005 and we operated out of my home. We had shoes stacked to the ceiling in the dining room. Bob came to me one day and was excited because he had made connections that resulted in an invitation to Changing Footprints to conduct a shoe drive during the America One Indianapolis 500 Mini-Marathon Registration. Now, this was huge, and we had no idea what we were facing. We knew we were going to need of boxes, skids, truck transportation, and a lot of volunteers. We visited a local trucking company (PKG Express in Rushville) and explained our plight. They graciously offered to truck our shoes back from the Indy Convention Center. I banged on a lot of doors for boxes, and finally reached someone at Federal Express, who had just received in a huge lot of boxes with a misprint on them. They couldn’t use them and offered us all 5,000 of them. They even trucked them to Rushville and unloaded them at the PKG terminal. We had a load of skids that had been committed to us. They were supposed to be picked up on the way to the Convention Center to set up. We had a lot of volunteers signed up to work with us and a generous donor had t-shirts printed for all of us. Things were coming together nicely. The big day arrived and we were on our way to the Convention Center when I got a call that there had been some misunderstanding about the skids and they couldn’t let us have any. Coming around I-465, we were trying to figure out what to do, when my son unexpectedly took an exit right at the Mayflower Warehouse. After hearing about our mission, Mayflower loaded one of their vans with new skids and brought them over to the Convention Center. We had not been in existence for a year, and we got all the boxes, skids, t-shirts and transportation to carry off this event because of many generous, kind hearted people who want to help our mission succeed. This was a great challenge and we have had a great many more since then.
At what point did you know you had made the right decision to start Changing Footprints?
ML: I believe it was when we received the first feedback from Hurricane Katrina and pictures from the missionaries returning from Haiti. Their stories and pictures were so heart-warming. After seeing them, I think that I probably emitted a glow that made people wonder what was going on with me. It was then that Bob and I knew we were making a difference and we needed to get busy. There are many more little feet (and big feet) out there waiting for some relief and comfort. They often travel barefoot over dirt roads and through rocky mountain terrain, sometimes in freezing temperatures. A lot of people find it hard to relate to something like this, as they make their way across their warm carpeted living rooms and watch it snow outside. Now I truly believe I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and it is richly satisfying.
What is the best part of your job?ML: I love working with the volunteers because they become so passionate while we are working and talking about where the shoes are going. When we were packing for one of the missions for Haiti, one of our older volunteers (she is 83) held up a darling little pair of Nike shoes, and commented on how cute they were. I said to her, “You realize that what you are holding in your hands will be on a little child in Haiti at this time next week.” She hugged the shoes to her and tears trickled down her face. Actually putting our hands on the shoes that will soon be on little feet gives us a sense of connection and it is very gratifying. The pictures that are returned confirm the blessings that we are giving, and the blessings that we are receiving, by carrying out such a mission.
What advice do you have for women who are looking to start their own business?ML: When you make that final decision to start your own business, you should act upon it as soon as possible. An innovative idea brings excitement and motivation. If you put it on the back burner, it’s possible that the urgency will diminish and threaten the start of this new project. Don’t take the chance of having to look back and wonder what would have happened if you had made the jump. Find friends or co-workers who feel the same excitement about your idea that you do. Choose people you know are intelligent and capable. Do your homework and see what others in your field are doing – there is no need to re-invent the wheel. Then brainstorm with your friends regularly to decide how to put your own unique spin on the business. Share your thoughts only with people that you know will be supportive; you’ll need to draw on their encouragement. Avoid naysayers, they will do nothing but chip away at your dream. Believe in yourself; when you take on a project that is like nothing you have ever done before, it is easy to doubt your own capabilities. If doubt starts to set in, you (and your friends) need to recount all of the wonderful skills, talent, creativity, and innovation that you have gathered in order to bring this dream to life.
What are some best practices for starting a new business or enterprise? ML: With what we are doing, I don’t know that there are really any standardized best practices. We have had many brainstorming sessions to maximize operational efficiency in our warehouse, methods that are easy for the volunteers who are helping. We have sought ways to differentiate ourselves from other shoe missions. Because we accept new AND gently-used shoes, we are a green organization, keeping many thousands of shoes out of landfills. (Many shoe organizations only accept new shoes) We accept all kinds of shoes (except heels). Many sports programs have students who do not have proper sports shoes and we are able to supply them what they need. We have received tap and ballet shoes; they go to the local dance studio to help out little dancers who need new shoes. Slippers and soft soled shoes are in great demand in nursing homes. The homeless shelters are in need of heavy warm shoes for their clients. We have everything.
Because we had no budget, we had to be very creative in how we distributed our shoes without cost to us. In our five years of existence, we have only paid for two shipments ourselves. Other shoe missions are amazed by this statistic.
The other part of our business that we are most proud of is our youth program. We take our presentations out to students of all ages and stress the importance of humanitarian aid and community service. Then we help them start their own shoe drive. High school organizations are a big part of our operation. Students put on shoe drives, collect donations, and work in the warehouse. It is our hope that by instilling in these young people the idea of “giving back” we will help nurture a new generation of philanthropic citizens.
What do you value about your work?ML: Aside from the incredible satisfaction of our mission, the greatest thing I value is the relationships that we have developed. There is something very special about people who are so passionate about humanitarian service. I think that passion and dedication to our mission is what creates the strong bond that exists among human needs organizations. When we deliver to the homeless shelters, we are always greeted with big, tight hugs and profuse “thank yous". When we provide back-to-school shoes for many of the community centers, we are greeted like long lost relatives. I can’t tell you how many times people have said “you are such a blessing”. Well, the reality of it is that the blessing is ours. The warmth and the enormous satisfaction of knowing the difference you are making is what makes it all worthwhile.
What do you value outside of your work?
ML: Since leaving the for-profit workforce, I have had the time to rekindle many old friendships that were neglected over the years. Friends are the icing on the cake. Of course, I absolutely love having more time for family, being able to bake, and being available to help them out sometimes. Good friends, loving family, and a meaningful mission in your life are what really feed the spirit.
Are there any resources you would recommend for entrepreneurship?ML: United Way has been a wonderful resource for us. They conduct many different workshops to benefit small businesses and nonprofits. They can provide a wealth of information. There are many free seminars and workshops available if you watch the newspaper, newsletters, and postings. Every time you take part in a class or workshop, you should be able to come away with at least 20 business cards, and many of them are from people who have experience that you are critically seeking. This is how we found our webmaster, someone to cater special affairs, people who alert us to what new seminars are coming up and which websites are most helpful. The internet is the ultimate resource. You can find sites that will walk you through any phase of your project, giving you templates for your budget, how to put together a board and anything else you can imagine. I have become an excellent surfer and researcher over the past few years.
How can readers get involved with Changing Footprints? ML: We welcome involvement and we have something for everyone. We need volunteer co-coordinators for both the Indianapolis warehouse and the new Rushville warehouse, once we are moved in. There may be readers who want to conduct a shoe drive, or who would like a presentation for their organization or club. There may be people out there who want to donate to our new warehouse project, or may know of funding sources that would be helpful. Ideas for “in-kind” gifts would be very much appreciated as we look for building materials. We would love for readers to get in touch with us. We have a website at
www.changingfootprints.com. There is a “Contact Us” tab and we will get right back to the sender. There is also a “Donate” tab to make a contribution online.