Why You Matter

Names: Laura Kennedy + Savannah McCord

Locations: High Point, NC + Phoenix, AZ  
Vocations: Entrepreneur + Sales Director 

Business entities: Small Business + Fortune 500

Industries: Legal Tech + Insurance/Finance

Experience: Collective 38 years 

Education levels: Masters + dual Bachelors 

Mutual interests: Wisdom, golf, growth, & travel

Waking up from surgery right before the start of the 2020 pandemic, Laura felt inspired by signs posted along the school bus routes in her North Carolina community that read, ”You Matter,” in an effort to raise awareness around suicide and support for adolescents struggling with self-worth. 

In reality, adolescents are not all that different from adults in the self-worth struggle. The hit entertainment shows, Shark Tank, American Idol and The Voice symbolize the overarching theme that all of us face on a daily basis: we are constantly competing to be seen and to have our voices heard. Whether it’s in our homes, on a stage, in a political protest, or in a business setting, we are continually placed in positions where we audition in front of judges to assess the worth of our voices and ideas. Add in social media to the self-worth firing ring, and many of us find ourselves lost in the sea of 240-character tweets and Instagram captions that categorize what’s “meaningful” and “relevant” by “likes” and “shares.” Apparently, the world defines “what” and “who” matters. 

Who becomes the next sensation? Who will become the next “American Idol” or the next “Voice” winner? What idea becomes the next “Shark Tank” winner? As the times change and evolve, where and how do old-ways of talent and new ways of talent come together, coexist, and harmonize?

The truth is, regardless of your age, regardless of your industry, regardless of your role, regardless of your socioeconomic status, regardless of your pursuit, whether you’re in the crowd of people screaming to be the loudest one in the room, you’re the person on the sidelines, or you’re somewhere in the middle watching it all unfold, your voice and your purpose matter - and always will, even as times change. 

For 10+ years, Savannah has immersed herself in the fight of de-stigmatizing mental health in her personal engagements and in her studies to help answer these plaguing questions about self-worth, personal growth, and finding her own voice in this world. Becoming a student of her own mental health and self-worth in her teens, she has attended multiple personal growth retreats through Camp Weloki for Girls in St. Louis, MO, which inspired her to continue working with adolescents and young adults find their voices even into today. Studying leadership theories alongside her business and psychology degree courses, she published her senior thesis on empowerment and leadership principles as the cornerstone and focus for innovating communities, organizations, & businesses. Now, she’s using her corporate business-savvy experiences and foundational leadership/psychology theories to pursue her Master’s in Counseling to help people of all varieties and backgrounds find their voices and self-worth. 

Knowledge + acceptance of one’s worth and voice serve as the first step to recognizing as individuals, communities, and organizations, that we matter. We stay alive, we stay relevant, we stay attuned, and we stay connected when we recognize that we are all worthy of being heard. 

It’s why we believe in you, and why we feel you matter from a professional and personal standpoint. 

From raising kids to running her own successful business, Laura knows how to put the “fun” in “dysfunctional,” and for 20+ years Savannah has added a whole lot of her own twist on it, as well. As a mother/daughter duo, we firmly believe in the idea that “if you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything.” In the muddied waters the pandemic has brought, we sat down and brainstormed the ways in which we are grateful for our talents and what we bring to the table in our respective personal and professional lives. This impromptu conversation bore the idea of this series, because we thoroughly believe in all that you have to bring to the table, too. 

Businesses and communities are asking themselves tough questions on how to stay relevant and innovative. We are here to serve as a lifeline and thought leaders as we all navigate through the uncharted waters of 2020 and beyond. 

Time for your voice to be heard.