Name: Simone Goss
Occupation: Founder /CEO of Don’t 4Get Me -The Frances Canty Foundation Inc.
City: Brooklyn
Superpower: I’m a Wife, Mom, and Businesswoman all at the same time!
I love my job because… I’ve always loved helping people. Doing what I do allows me to transform teen moms from the statistic society projects them to be into the success that I know they can be. It’s such a rewarding feeling.
My dream is to…Go beyond the NYC area and help teen mothers on a more global scale.
I made it this far in my career because… I’m true to the work that I do and I have an amazing team.
My honest thoughts on balancing a love life and career are… Organization is key. You can do it all, but not at the same time. Today I’m just mom where I focus on mom things like homework, family time etc., and tomorrow I’m in wife mode where it’s all about my husband, and the next day I’m CEO of Don’t 4get me and it’s all about my girls. Then there’s time where I have to incorporate them all. I’ve even made my husband my Vice President and when I have an event my family is there serving, cleaning etc.
The last time I felt like giving up on my dreams was… I never feel like giving up. I do have times when I’m like “What in the world did I sign up for’”(Laughs), but then I think about the what the 15 year old me overcame and that brings me back every time.
The last time I cried was… When we had a community baby shower for pregnant homeless teen mothers this past June. Usually I’m running around making sure everything is perfect, so I never get to sit back and just take it all in. However, this day I did and when I stepped back into the room and saw the girls and how appreciative they were and all of the gifts we collected (car seats, strollers, bouncers pampers etc.), I broke down crying. You see when I was 15 and pregnant I didn’t have a baby shower, so there were so many nights I’d lay in the bed praying to God for all of the things I needed because I had no idea how I was going to get them. These girls were probably doing the same thing I did years ago. So the fact that I was able to give these young ladies some of the things they needed was such an amazing feeling.
I get through my darkest moments by… Praying. It’s that simple.
The last time I looked in the mirror for self reflection & self evaluation was… Everyday. I am constantly working on becoming a better person, adjusting, and reflecting. I’m my biggest critic.
Self-love is important because… If you don’t love you and I mean really love yourself, flaws and all, it is impossible to love anyone else.
Three things no one knows about me… I’m super shy, I’m an over thinker, and I can’t dance even though in my mind I dance like Beyoncé.
My three most memorable career moments were… The launch of Don’t 4Get Me, my very first event, and my children telling me how they are proud and inspired by me.
I feel (terrible) about the pressure women feel nowadays to look “perfect” on social media… It creates false hope and expectations from life and it does a number on self-esteem and relationships.
The best advice I ever received came from (My Husband) and it was… Stay in your lane. Don’t watch what the next person is doing. Keep doing what you’re doing and stay focused and you’ll win every time.
My future goals are… Opentransitional homes across the world for homeless teen moms to give them abeautiful, safe family style place to live. This way they are in a place wherethey’re able to provide for themselves, their children, and to embark on acareer journey of their choice.
People with good vibes can find me at @Dont4getmefcf. Our website is www.Dont4getme.org and email [email protected]
