Relationships are all around us. No matter our goals, job, or life season; interacting with people will always be a part of our day-to-day lives. How we steward that opportunity matters.
On this episode Luke Pruett, Foundation Director of Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, and co-hosts Shea and Mary Helen discuss the importance and power of Cultivating Community. Luke co-hosts his own podcast called The Social Brokers, giving others the platform to share their story.
"At the core of the human experience is connectivity. And that connectivity at its best comes through relationships," Luke says. "We see this when you have a really healthy family life or really deep friendships that you feel more alive because of your connection to other people."
Social connecting allows us to better understand people. We shouldn't wait to be kind; we should be intentional and aggressive with it.
If you need help on your financial journey, Leaders Credit Union is here for you! Leaders offers checking accounts, home loans, a robust mobile app with built in budgeting tools, and financial wellness resources to move you forward.
Shea:
Hey, this is Shea.
Mary Helen:
This is Mary Helen.
Shea:
Welcome to the Pocket Change podcast.
Mary Helen:
Well, you'll learn better ways to spend, save and invest and take control of your financial journey.
Shea:
We're excited for the next episode of the podcast today. We've got a good lineup of some really talented and connected guests that will help us talk more about building relationships and community.
Mary Helen:
That's right, Cultivating Community: the Art of Social Brokers.
Shea:
Social brokering? What in the world is that?
Mary Helen:
Well we're going to learn about it.
Shea:
The only broker I know is like a financial broker. Which is probably good for this podcast, but I guess we'll dive into something different today.
Mary Helen:
That's right. And I also think something super cool about the podcast is that we have different guests, special guests, special topics. Every episode is different. You're not going to get anything that's exactly the same.
Shea:
We’re taking your whole wellbeing: financial, emotional, mental, and we're going to dive into different things.
Mary Helen:
So we're excited to have the Foundation Director of Le Bonheur Hospital, Luke Pruett, with us today.
Luke Pruett:
Pocket Change family. Hey, so excited to be with y’all!
Shea:
Thanks for joining us.
Luke Pruett:
Yeah, absolutely.
Mary Helen:
So, Luke, walk us through the timeline of your life. How you got involved in Our Jackson Home, Choose901, law school. All the different things.
Shea:
That's a lot of things.
Luke Pruett:
That's a lot of things! We’ll be quick. Born in Blytheville, Arkansas. Little Mississippi County, most farmable acres of anywhere in the United States.
Luke Pruett:
Home to Nucor Steel Mill. When I was real little, there was an Air Force base there. And when it came time to choose colleges, there's no four year college at the time in 2002 and in Blytheville, Arkansas. And so I flipped a coin - pocket change, cha-ching! Literally flipped a coin. I couldn't decide between the University of Arkansas, tails, and Union, heads, and it landed on heads.
Shea:
So no Razorbacks huh?
Luke Pruett:
Love the Razorbacks and will ride for them forever, but came to Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and spent a decade there, four years in school, and then six years working in admissions and student services.
Shea:
I was going to say, you spent ten years getting your degree?
Luke Pruett:
It was a slow journey. So, yes, no pretty quick with a degree. And then during that time, I just fell in love with West Tennessee and Jackson and came together with some friends Jim Wilhelm, Anthony Kirk, Kevin Adelsberger, Katie Howerton, and Courtney Searcy. And we started this thing called Our Jackson Home, which tells the stories of this region.
Luke Pruett:
And it was such a blast. It continues to this day. If you go to Our Jackson Home.com or follow any of the socials, you'll know the best places to eat, the best events to go to, including Porch Fest which is every July. That's a festival of house concerts all over Jackson in West Tennessee. Was so honored to be a part of that.
Luke Pruett:
And then that led to working at a nonprofit consulting firm in Memphis called City Leadership, which runs the Choose901, Teach901, and Serve901 campaign and now work at Le Bonheur Children's, working with partner organizations.
Shea:
So hopefully that keeps you young. Working with the kids.
Luke Pruett:
Man. I hope so. We'll see. The days are a’ ticking.
Shea:
So recording a podcast is nothing new to you. You've actually been a part of a podcast or a few in your time and most recently The Social Brokers. So that's what we wanted to ask you, how did that come about? What is that all about? And, you know, enlightening me about what that means.
Luke Pruett:
Yeah. So one of the reasons I love what Pocket Change is doing is I think at the core of the human experience is connectivity. And that connectivity at its best comes through relationships. We see this when you have a really healthy family life or really deep friendships that you feel more alive because of your connection to other people.
Luke Pruett:
My best friend from law school, Jana Mitchell, and I, she's an attorney, practices with a firm out of Boulder, Colorado, really believe...she continues to work in Memphis, where her family runs Royal Records. Most number one hits in American history between 1964 and 1974. Al Green! We really believe that that's how business should operate as well, and that at its heights it does.
Luke Pruett:
You see areas like Silicon Valley that change the world related to technology because of a certain group of thinkers and developers coming together with ideas about doing something different. And we think to go back to Our Jackson Home and Choose901 - “901” being the area code for Shelby County - that a lot of my place based work is a belief in a particular place and that it matters and we see this happening.
Luke Pruett:
I know Kyle Spurgeon was just on talking about Blue Oval City. We think that a golden era is coming to West Tennessee, to Memphis, to Jackson, to East Arkansas, where I'm from, and that the best way for that golden era to not only transform the lives of individual families and organizations and people within the region, but the entire world for good is through social connecting
Luke Pruett:
that's intentional. And so we're telling a podcast where we kind of introduce the world to people that we think are fascinating, whether that's Memphis’ leading DJ or guy who right here in the Delta has started one of the most successful speaker companies in the entire world. We want people to begin to learn about each other in really intentional ways so that that social capital can begin to weave together.
Shea:
I think that speaks to credit unions too, as starting out with maybe just a group of people that were connected some way by association or a common bond and how they're member owned credit unions are member owned by their members. And so that gives us a greater purpose of serving each other. And, you know, that cooperative style banking.
Shea:
So I think it goes hand in hand of having those connections and building those relationships.
Luke Pruett:
Yeah, yeah. Leaders is crucial because of the way that it has brought organizations together. From its founding with Jackson Madison County Schools to West Tennessee Healthcare, to all the organizations that y’all bring together and for individuals as well. And so the exact concept that the social brokers is speaking to is exactly what leaders is doing.
Luke Pruett:
And so it's one of the reasons why as a Le Bonheur employee working foundation, I so believe in what y'all are doing as a credit union throughout the region. It's because you are weaving that social fabric together to make healthier families and institutions.
Mary Helen:
A couple of things that I want to point out. The first thing is something that I firmly believe is you can learn to love anyone if you just hear their story and give them the space to really say where they came from, say where they've come from and what they've experienced. And I think that's really cool that you're giving people an opportunity to just kind of speak into that and impact people beyond just their circle.
Luke Pruett:
I think it's the cornerstone of love is to understand and we'll never understand anybody if we don't ask intentional questions. I think the other cornerstone of America's diversity, that this is a melting pot of society from people from all over the world, from Eastern Europe to West Africa to all over. And so the best ways that we're going to form the best possible culture together is through asking questions and listening.
Luke Pruett:
And so the fact that Pocket Change is doing that related to finance, but even going beyond is a huge stepping stone. And something I think we're called to do as humans. To be encouragers. To not wait. To go after it.
Mary Helen:
And then the second thing, you've mentioned law school, but you work at Le Bonheur and don't do law. Speak into that a little bit.
Luke Pruett:
Yeah, you hear people malign lawyers often. I'm not one of them. What I know is that lawyers have an impossible job. They are addressing society's unsolvable problems. The only reason you go to a lawyer is because you can't figure it out on your own. And so I have so much respect for my attorney friends, like my Social Broker podcast partner Jana and so many other friends that I have and have such deep respect for the law.
Luke Pruett:
But for me, my primary ability in life is social connecting, and a part of that has come through having some knowledge of the law. So we're building at Laban or what's called My child. So it's a community health program. So something that sets Le Bonheur apart is we're a world class Children's Hospital, U.S. News and World ranked.
Luke Pruett:
But we go to where families and kids are. So many of those families and kids come from low income backgrounds. And so we provide legal services for free to them as they navigate crises in their lives. And so there's been ways that I've been able to use my legal background to be able to be a part of things or bring things together.
Luke Pruett:
But when it comes to work related to taxes or housing or anything like that, there's people better than me. But I'm thankful I went to went to law school. It was an incredible launching pad.
Mary Helen:
Sure. So what do you think is something people might see as a missed opportunity, but you see as a blessing?
Luke Pruett:
How long is the podcast? I think and we've all talked about this. Mary Helen, Shea, but money is a missed opportunity, I think. And the main reason it's a missed opportunity is because we silo ourselves in that relationship. So it's like it's just us thinking about our money or it's us and our spouse just thinking about money.
Luke Pruett:
Or my kids spent too much at camp and so now we're thinking too much about money. And I just think it's really dangerous that we take something that's inherently social. So money is not an actual thing. It's agreed upon social construct, right, brokering. We as a society have decided something and I think when we don't think about it with other people and don't talk about it with other people, then we really miss the opportunity to do what John Wesley said that we should do with money, which is make all we can, spend all we can, save all we can, give all we can, and invest all we can.
Luke Pruett:
That money is not this zero sum game. It's a plus sum game that there's plenty for everyone. And if we deny that, we're kind of saying that we don't believe God will provide. And God says that he provides for the sparrow and he will provide for us. And so I think that a core to all the good that is in the world is a plus sum belief related to money and that zero sum ideas this fear based idea around money, whether that's from a position of extreme wealth or extreme poverty or somewhere in the middle where the majority of us live, is a really dangerous thing and where a lot of the evil things in society come from and that so many of the good things in society come from partnering with the right people about money. And so, when y’all reached out about the podcast, I was like, no brainer. I love everything y'all are doing because it's more than practical. I think it is deeply and inherently personal, social, spiritual. And so I love that y'all are walking into that space.
Luke Pruett:
So may we not be private about our money. May we be public with decorum about our money, and I think our lives will be better.
Shea:
Well, we hope this podcast can help open up those conversations and start those conversations if they're not happening to talk about it and, you know, be open about it because it can bring about change, like you're saying, and positive interactions and conversations and hopefully help our community and our families and, you know, everyone we come in contact with.
Luke Pruett:
One example is Leaders has helped us buy two homes. We don't own two homes, but buy a home, sell a home, buy a home. Right. And that was life changing for April and our family. It gave us so much stability. And talking to Leaders all the way through that process made me move from someone who knew very little about how to navigate that and kept renting out of fear of not understanding into someone whose bank accounts are much better off and whose family situation is much better off because I did talk to somebody about it.
Shea:
That's powerful. How that can just change a mindset and shift, you know, a family. I think that's huge. When it comes to, you know, building community and forming these relationships. What is the greatest advice you've been given about building community?
Luke Pruett:
Yeah, I have been so shaped by this area of the world, you know, a triangle of sorts for me and Jackson, Memphis, and Blytheville. And I think that we live among some of the friendliest people in the world. And so I am a deep believer in that every single day we wake up, overwhelmed and we have texts coming in and social media notifications and budgets to deal with and work goals to achieve and school assignments to get in.
Luke Pruett:
But in the midst of that, if we can be kind to one another, I think that it can propel us so significantly and so a guy named Steve Tilleros who used to run Jackson Young Life. He once told me that we shouldn't wait to be kind, we should be intentional and aggressive with it. And that was life transforming to me when I heard that as a college student.
Luke Pruett:
And so that's kind of the best thing I've heard, is like, if there's something you respect about someone or something you think is interesting about someone, you should go and tell them. And it's probably going to lead to y'all having a much more significant relationship, and maybe they'll buy you a cup of coffee and life will be better.
Mary Helen:
So for someone that's starting a new season in their life, what financial advice would you give them?
Luke Pruett:
Oh, I've been in the profession of new seasons, right? Working with college students...don't do anything rash is what I would tell college students. Take your time. Life is long. I think the average lifespan is like 86 in the United States now. And so don't try and achieve all the goals and buy all the things all at once is what I would tell college students to take your time, pace yourselves, keep your debt and your bills as low as possible.
Luke Pruett:
For people moving, which is another major season, it’s just to have kindness for yourself. It is so hard to move. And my wife and I have moved a lot of people across the country to work for all kinds of companies and it takes about eighteen months. And so being patient with yourself, the biggest thing I think that is true for me as I navigate being middle age with kids now - twelve, ten, and six - is you have to have financial partners.
Luke Pruett:
And so who you bank with, who your lenders are, like all that stuff just really deeply matters, right? If you're buying and selling businesses or you're buying and selling homes or you're just trying to figure out where to direct deposit your paycheck, having folks to work with to be able to do that is it.
Shea:
And I think that speaks to the goal of this podcast and this episode. You know, we're talking about that connection, building relationships to reach out to those financial partners like Leaders Credit Union. We want to be that financial champion for our members - champion their finances and their financial journey. And so I think that's a super important tip that you shared.
Shea:
So you work for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital through their foundation. Tell us a little bit about what you do there and your involvement.
Luke Pruett:
Le Bonheur cares for half a million kids a year. We're core partners with UT Health Science Center, so we're a training hospital for them with St Jude, we do every form of pediatric care, but where Le Bonheur best lives and best serves the community is in high need situations so related to cardiac care, neurology, Le Bonheur is one of the best children's hospitals in the entire world.
Luke Pruett:
People come here from all over the world, but the majority of what we do is serve kids in West Tennessee, North Mississippi and east Arkansas with joy, right? We believe in art. We're the largest public art place in the entire region in Memphis. But we're also expanding to be where kids are. We don't want kids to have to travel and move if they can avoid it right?
Luke Pruett:
We want them to be cared for. And so we've got outpatient centers in Jackson, Tennessee, Tupelo, Mississippi, Jonesboro, Arkansas. And so I get to work on a regional level. And then we're in counties like Madison and Haywood, Chester in schools caring for kids, as well as a mobile unit that goes all over. And so it's my job to partner with businesses and individuals to make sure that more than the lights are on.
Luke Pruett:
That when your kid needs a surgery, the very best surgeon in the world is available to them. That when your kid is struggling with something that we can't find the solution to, that you have access to research. That when you need an overnight stay because you were flown in from Jackson General to Lebanon Children's, that there's a toothbrush, a change of clothes and a really great Hilton level stay available to you at the FedEx family house.
Luke Pruett:
And so we want to do that, whether it's partnering and collaborating with West Tennessee Healthcare in West Tennessee, running our outpatient facilities, or our main children's hospital in downtown Memphis, we want to be the best for kids because they're our future, right? Like a 12 year old today will be a 52 year old in just a few decades.
Luke Pruett:
And we need them to be healthy and thriving as a society. And so come alongside businesses and say, here's how you can partner to ensure that your employees, your partners aren't stressed and that their kids are cared for.
Shea:
And we want to do the same. I mean, Leaders may open up those same spots Le Bonheur is one day as we try to give people access to financial services all throughout West Tennessee.
Luke Pruett:
Well another reason to partner with Leaders is they care for so many nonprofits. That's what you know, I've bought a vehicle through leaders. I have a, you know, a banking account where my money gets direct deposit in. I've bought a couple of homes with leaders partnership, but where I'm in the deepest relationship on a daily basis is through the work y'all are doing to care for nonprofits in the city.
Luke Pruett:
And so Leaders is a place that deeply cares for children and families. And we're so thankful for that at Le Bonheur, at Choose901, at Our Jackson Home, and all these organizations I've been a part of, we're so thankful for Leaders caring about the community.
Mary Helen:
The thing about impact is that you don't know you're making one when you are, and that's the best part is just being consistent in our work. And no matter what your work looks like, whatever your day to day is, but being consistent to the best of your ability in that because you don't know who is being impacted.
Luke Pruett:
That's right. Yeah. I think about my wife, April, who's brilliant and talented, and when she was homeschooling kids a few years ago, she was literally changing the world. They can read, they can do math. They're great at talking to adults because she was present every single day. And now that she's recruiting tons of teachers into urban education, she's making a massive impact.
Luke Pruett:
And so learning how to not only love where you are geographically, but like where you are in your life, whether that's working at a credit union or a children's hospital or trying to get breakfast out for the kids by 7 a.m.. Yeah, we've got to love our station. And that interacts with money in deep ways because so often I want to look at my, you know, bills and be like, gosh I hate where I am, but my life that I love has put me in that position.
Luke Pruett:
And so trying to figure out how to partner with my spouse, with myself, in such a way that I love my station in life and that spills over into how I deal with my pocket change.
Mary Helen:
Absolutely. So we have one final question for you. And if you had any spare pocket change, what would you do with it?
Luke Pruett:
I love it. Baseball cards. Without a doubt. Great investment opportunity, one, two, they're extremely cheap.
Shea:
Double your pocket change.
Luke Pruett:
That's right. So you can actually buy it with pocket change and just the nostalgia, like I do not feel more like a kid than when I'm looking at cards. And so I love them. I love the collector item related to it. And in 2023, you cannot afford food anymore with pocket change. And so that would be my other answer.
Luke Pruett:
But you know, I'm too boujee in my taste for food. So my trading cards, my baseball cards are still accessible. So go cards.
Shea:
Thank you for being on the podcast. I appreciate it.
Luke Pruett:
It's been so fun. Thanks for everything y'all are building Mary Helen and Shea. And I hope folks come and talk to you all about partnering in a myriad of ways with Leaders.
Mary Helen:
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Pocket Change podcast. We hope you enjoyed it. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe and share it with a friend.
Shea:
The Pocket Change podcast has been brought to you by Leaders Credit Union.
Mary Helen:
Where we power your passion and make lives better.
Shea:
Leaders is federally insured by the NCUA Equal Housing lender.
Mary Helen:
Learn more at leaderscu.com