Story & Lesson Highlights with Amy Lisek

We recently had the chance to connect with Amy Lisek and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amy, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Right now I work full-time as a remote scheduling coordinator for a children’s hospital but the hours are flexible in that I might work three 12 hour shifts each week, for example, and then have the rest of the week off to focus on our family. I sometimes also work overnight shifts or I may start very early such as at 4am which allows me to work while the kids are asleep. I am very grateful for this type of work/life balance so that we can continue to put our family as the priority since we have 3 small children. This flexibility also lets me squeeze in time to focus on the nonprofit that I founded (graceinlove.org) which is 100% volunteer-run. Life has been very exciting lately as I’ve also been traveling to Miami for a new project that I’m working on with the Inside Success team. Next week for example, I’ll fly to Miami Friday, fly back to Chicago Saturday, host my side of the family for Christmas, then head to Five Below Sunday for our nonprofit’s 3rd annual fundraiser there.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Amy Lisek and I’m a wife, mom of 3, Author, and Founder of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Grace in Love, inc. I have 14 years of professional experience in the field of human services in various capacities. The primary focus in my professional roles has been helping to provide quality supports for individuals with intellectual disabilities. I took on several leadership roles within the nonprofit sector during my professional career. In 2020, I felt called to found a nonprofit of my own in response to the growing mental health crisis which was a direct result of the covid pandemic. My hope with graceinlove.org was to create a safe, positive online platform where people could find uplifting content, mental health resources, faith resources, and reach out for further support if needed. As a registered charity in Illinois, we also started providing free, encouraging care packages to people that reached out to request one on our website. My own personal story is that I experienced a mental health crisis of my own in 2015 which led to an inpatient hospitalization. As a result, I am very empathetic for what that feels like. I want to inspire hope in anyone that may be going through that because I want to show others that it is possible to rebuild your life from the ground-up and that there is always hope- no matter what it may look like at the time. I am passionate about mental health advocacy and also the importance of being an encouragement to people that may be struggling. Since Growth Mindset and personal development has been key in my own personal recovery journey, I enjoy motivational speaking , doing podcasts and blogs, creating and posting encouraging content on social media, and recently attended a Mastermind event in Miami.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I like this question because I believe it can be an inspiration to anyone else that may be on a journey to follow their dreams or fulfill a purpose. All you really need is one person who says, “You got this, I believe in you.” When you first start out on a journey to pursue a passion or whatever it is you feel called to do- don’t take it personal if not everyone claps for you. To be honest, most people just have their own stuff going on. They truly might not have even seen your social media post or your email, etc. Also in the beginning stages, you might not have the full vision yet and it may be confusing. Keep on praying for clarity and guidance. I also prayed for those “cheerleader” type of people that could encourage me on the tough days to keep going. God connected me with the most kind, encouraging people that encouraged me in the early stages. Brei Carter is one of those people. She is a country music artist living in Nashville. We connected on social media and she is now a blogger on our website and also just joined our nonprofit’s Board this year. When we first met years ago, she showed such love and support. She said, “I see you girl!” She believed in the mission of the nonprofit even back then in the early stages. It’s been quite the journey (almost 6 years now) of growing the nonprofit from the ground-up. Filled with highs and lows- “hills and valleys” as they say. One of my favorite quotes is – “I’ll never forget the people that saw the winner in me before I started winning”.

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
In February this year, our website went “viral”. We started receiving hundreds of requests in 1 day for free, encouraging care packages. Within hours, we had received over 500 requests from people all across the country. This would have been a very exciting thing to have happen except for one thing- it was not possible for us to cover the shipping costs for all of those packages with our nonprofit’s current budget. You see, as a small volunteer-run nonprofit, we still haven’t received a single grant for funding as many of the grants are going to larger, more well-known agencies. Our nonprofit has earned a Platinum Transparency rating from GuideStar for two consecutive years along with a 2025 Chicago Innovation Award nomination. However, we are still hoping to receive our first grant some day. As a result, we had to hit “pause” on accepting any new requests for free, encouraging care packages. At the time, this felt like a failure. But what I learned is that I needed to reframe the feeling of failure by thinking of it as the need to “pivot” instead. So instead, we shipped rounds of free care packages out to people on our Waitlist as possible within the budget. Also, since we were blessed with a generous amount of in-kind donations (especially thanks to the generosity of Ulta Beauty in particular)- we were able to continue providing local donations of packages since there were no shipping costs associated. In all things, I try to reframe it in a positive light and focus on, “what can I learn from this situation going forward?”

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire Mother Teresa because she embodied unconditional love and compassion in a way that few people ever do. Her willingness to serve the poorest, sickest, and most forgotten members of society—without expecting anything in return—shows a level of humility and selflessness that deeply inspires me. She taught the world that even the smallest acts of kindness can hold immeasurable value, and that true greatness is found in serving others. Her life reminds me to lead with empathy, to look for those in need, and to choose love even when it’s difficult.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that my life was a reminder that grace can transform anyone, no matter where they start. That I was someone who turned my own brokenness into a source of hope for others, and that I used my story not to spotlight myself, but to encourage people who felt unseen, discouraged, or alone. I hope they remember that I showed up for people with compassion, that I believed in second chances, and that I dedicated my life to lifting others through faith, encouragement, and love. If the legacy I leave behind is one where someone says, “Because of her, I believed change was possible for me,” then that would mean everything.

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