Social Entrepreneurship for Youth with FulPhil Founder Tiffany Yau

Welcome to RxChill Pill, the podcast that strengthens your resilient mind every time you listen to the extraordinary stories, expert tips, and meditations to elicit your relaxation response, the antidote to your stress response. I'm Dr. Juna Bobby MD. I'm a physician and mom specializing in mind-body and lifestyle medicine. Find out more about me, my personalized online courses on procrastination and mindset coaching for kids, teens, and adults, at mindbodyspace.com. Hi there, I'm so excited today to interview Tiffany Yao, who just finished her first TEDx Youth Talk. She is the founder of Fulfill. It's a nonprofit and profit organization that she founded to help youth realize their entrepreneurship dreams. Her organization guides and educates their students on social entrepreneurship to impact their community all the way from idea or even before idea to launch. Some of her student success stories include an entrepreneur as young as 12 years old and others who are actually able to help support their own families financially with the businesses that they launched through Fulfill. Tiffany is no doubt an overachiever, and today we talk about never giving up and seeing things through to the end. So grab your kids, if you're a mom or if you're a teen or college student, this is a perfect episode for you to get your motivation and start moving and taking action.

Hi, Tiffany.

Hi, how are you?

So great to see you here. Thank you so much for your time today.

Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited.

So I want to introduce you. Tiffany Yao is a social entrepreneur.

She's just 2 years out of University of Pennsylvania where you studied sociology and nonprofit leadership. Yeah.

So, um, but you have done so many things in your short period of time that since you graduated. Can you tell us a little bit about the latest projects that you've been working on? Sure.

There's so much to catch up on.

So I guess, um, let's start from the beginning. Let's start from what you're doing like next week that you want to tell us about.

About your pitch. Sure, yeah, so I guess next week I am pitching my company Fulfill, which is a nonprofit organization that teaches high school students social entrepreneurship. And also social entrepreneurship is basically, think of it as social impact businesses. So creating businesses that make some kind of social impact on your local community. So I'm pitching my startup next week at the Milk and Pen GSE. Business plan competition. And, um, basically it's one of the most well-funded prestigious edtech competitions, uh, internationally. Um, edtech, edtech, yeah, education technology, exactly. It's tech-enabled, like we have some technology, but it's— they both kind of mesh together.

Yeah, awesome. And Fulfill is spelled F-U-L-P-H-I-L. Yeah, because you're in Philadelphia. And I know that you were motivated by the idea of giving back to Philadelphia. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

So Fulfill is something that I started when I was a senior in college, which was about 3 years ago at this point. And basically the intention of Fulfill was initially to give back to Philadelphia, but we named it Fulfill with P-H-I-L also because it means it can be philanthropy and like fill has its own root meaning.

Nice.

And basically, yeah.

So layered.

It is.

It is. No, I like being really punny and thoughtful with stuff.

Yeah, I love puns.

Thank you.

How long did it take you to come up with that name? Was it hard? Was it tough?

It wasn't even called Fulfill initially before. I mean, we were just like an idea at first, but when we actually filed all the paperwork and everything, that was kind of what we thought of it. Just because it was more catchy. And there's also other things out there that were named what we wanted it to be called initially, but we're definitely very, very happy with Fulfill. I think it's probably the best move. I love it. Thank you.

But you grew up in California. You're from California.

I am, yeah.

You're from California, but you wanted to stay in Philly and make a difference. Is that something that's been a part of your life for your whole when you were growing up, like giving back to a community? Because I know you're very community-centric.

Yeah, honestly, we are. We really are. One of the biggest goals for Fulfill, like what success looks like to us, is to empower youth to really get more civically engaged, really increase that overall involvement and be more aware. Honestly, I felt like growing up I didn't really know too much what was going on in my community, and I kind of look back on that now feeling a little regretful about it. Yeah, and I, but I really do value giving back.

I don't know what regret is, 'cause I'm like much older than you, so I don't think you have much to regret. You're so young still.

I appreciate it. No, you don't, you don't look old at all, honestly.

Thank you. So the civic work, you weren't involved in that in high school then?

Only through studying sociology at Penn that I really got interested in this kind of civic engagement. I feel like in sociology you're really learning a lot about the social issues of the world. Sociology also is, for anyone who doesn't know, also it's like the study of society and how, and how people interact with it and are influenced by it and vice versa. I think just really understanding how things work the way that they did was really something I found really fascinating and wanted to really get more into. So I guess really wanted to find ways to inspire youth to get more civically engaged after studying it and after also learning what social entrepreneurship was too, because now it's like you're not just learning about these social issues, you're actually doing something about them. And I think that's something that's really empowering. And if you're able to get someone to see the impact that they're able to make, that's— I think that's honestly life-changing. So yeah, I'm just really exposing young people to know their options and what's available to them to pursue.

And you're giving them an opportunity to pitch their entrepreneurial ideas, right? Is that— that's what Fulfill does? Do you want to talk a little bit about what you're doing for these youths in Philadelphia?

Sure. Fulfill is something that actually has scaled nationally, so we actually have programs in California, in the East Bay area too. Thank you.

Yeah, so who can participate? Can like any schools call you up?

Yeah, any school can participate in Fulfill. Uh, basically, uh, what we specialize in is really creating easy-to-use train-the-trainer curriculum. So any teacher can take this curriculum and use it for their classroom to teach their students social entrepreneurship and really how to solve the real-world problems of their local communities. Um, and so we really just want to make this an easy to easy to take, easy to implement kind of thing. Because oftentimes we've learned that, you know, there's so many students out there who actually are very entrepreneurial, want to start something, but they don't know how to, often because there's no course being implemented. And the reason behind that, we found out, is actually because teachers oftentimes don't have the tools or resources or expertise to have the confidence in to be able to teach the curriculum. And so that's where we really want to come in and be of help.

So is this like for what age group is this for?

So more often than not, it's for high schools. Also middle school students can participate in it. College students can also, but mostly we have majority in high school.

And then do they apply or they get in touch with you?

We actually are doing things with homeschool students and also schools themselves. So if you're a homeschool parent, feel free to check out our website if you're someone who's working at a school or want to recommend a school, definitely, you can definitely check it, check it out and see if it's something that's a good match.

What is the website again? Do you want to say it?

Sure. It's fulphil.org. That's F-U-L-P-H-I-L dot org.

Okay. And is it like sort of an out-of-the-box solution where they can just implement it? And do you come in and kind of coach them through it?

Uh, yeah, so basically, um, how it works is when students, um, take on the Fulfilled Curriculum, they don't actually have to have an idea yet. Um, they can, it doesn't hurt not to. Um, and basically we're there to, I guess, first really help them guide their perspective of their values, um, their motivations, and then, um, taking that and aligning it with a problem that is present in their local communities that they might really care about. So we really want to help them not only with wayfinding, but also with really identifying the problems that are closest to them and figuring out ways for them to become closest to the solutions.

Amazing. So do they go online with you and have like online, online courses with you, or do they have the leadership from, you know, the school that they're in or the homeschool pod they're in?

Sure. So, uh, our— basically our curriculum is given, uh, through an online platform that we've created. Um, it's available basically to anyone who, uh, purchases a curriculum. Uh, but on top of that, uh, we also have an online community with hundreds of, uh, young aspiring changemakers. And within this online community, teachers can engage with the students, teachers can engage with other teachers. We also have mentors who can provide office hours for classes or for students as well. So yeah.

Wow. And then when you take them through this process, do most of them actually end up doing a project in their town?

Yeah, they do. So So while I mentioned that we're new to the East Bay area, having our roots in Philadelphia, we've had some students who have successfully implemented their solutions. In my TED Talk, I mentioned one student who is actually 13, but she started when she was 12. And basically, she created this simple 5-ingredient dog treat company as a solution for trying to find something to feed her dog who is diagnosed with cancer with. And unfortunately— Yeah, it's really sweet. And actually the profits of it basically go to a local dog shelter too. So it's just really neat to see what students are implementing. Another student has created a haircare product that empowers women of color to embrace their natural curls and beauty too. So there's lots of different solutions that our students have made from that to apps and all these other things.

Amazing. And do they pay for this program then?

It depends. Usually we have schools pay for it. Usually if it's something that their school wants to pay for. This is something that we sell directly to schools or directly to parents. Alternatively, for Title I schools, and I guess schools that are under-resourced neighborhoods as well, this is where I think the real impact also happens too. We donate curriculum as well too. So you can think of it as like for every school school that we sell our curriculum to, we donate to another school in need. And this can vary also too, from like Title I schools to juvenile detention centers to even foster care programs. So yeah.

Okay, so that sounds great. So if they go on your website, they'll find a way to get in contact with you and possibly sign up for the course. And, um, and how long is the program?

Yeah, you can go on our website and sign up for the course and also find ways to get in contact with us too. We're always happy to be of mentorship in any way and internally within our own team. And in terms of the length of the course, it can honestly last from anywhere from 5 to 40 weeks. We really want to make it implementable at any stage. Some schools and homeschool parents like using this as like the core curriculum, which will make it last a little longer. And some schools or parents like using it as more of a complementary curriculum that could complement other materials that they might have access to. So we really just want to be flexible and versatile. To match whatever needs that people need us for. But yeah.

You've done a lot of other things. I mean, you've brought the Holt Prize over to the United States. Can you talk to me about that?

Yeah. So actually, the Holt Prize is something that's definitely very near and dear to my heart. I think it's something that's definitely really, really just changed my trajectory and how I thought about impact and just what it really meant to make an impact. I always wanted to go into medicine, like growing up and everything, but I think, I don't know, I guess over time I realized that I really wanted to make a difference at the end of the day. And, you know, after going to Penn and the classes were really challenging, I realized I probably was not meant to go save lives in that sense, but I realized that there's more ways to make a difference outside of just medicine. And it takes so many different people and different efforts to really make that impact.

Yeah.

So basically, uh, yeah, so I guess when I discovered social entrepreneurship through the Holt Prize Foundation, I was like, wow, this is, um, something I never heard about and something that I really, really want to get into. So yeah.

So can you tell the people out there who don't know much about the Holt Prize what it is and why did you go to England for it and How did you bring it over here? Because it wasn't here in the United States before, right?

The Hult Prize has a really interesting journey. So basically, um, they started off initially in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but the thing is that Hult International Business School has many different locations around the world, and its founder, Ahmad Ashkar, he went to Hult International Business School, and he basically started I think it was called the Global Case Competition at first, and then basically formed a partnership with Holt and branded it after them. So it's now the Holt Prize. And now basically there's many different chapters around the world. And how I got involved with it initially was initially my sophomore year, I was actually just making designs for the campus organization that was like Kult Prize at Penn. It was just neat exposure. I liked coming up with things and being artsy and just being creative. And the next year I actually ended up applying to be a campus director. I don't really know what motivated it, but it just felt like one of those good gut decisions to make. And it was something that I— it is definitely something that has been truly transformative for me. It was the first time I really felt like I could really take a leadership position and just bring together a team and just create a really big impact. We basically ramped up campus engagement for the Holt Prize on our campus that year, and it actually got recognized as one of the top, one of the top 20 events or organizations among the Holt Prize campus community.

Wow, congratulations!

Thank you, I really appreciate it. I was more of the community builder for it, so I was getting other people within Penn to apply for the opportunity to compete in the Holt Prize. It was something that was really interesting for me because I was getting so much exposure to all these different amazing ambitious people with these incredible ideas.

So who are some of the winners? Like, what were they pitching?

Yeah, for the global winners, safe transportation, uh, like empowering refugees, to, uh, anything in Europe revolving around like early childhood education solutions. These are really solutions targeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. So every year there's a different goal, and the year that I got involved was actually, um, it was like 2016, um, and the theme that year was the refugee crisis. And that was the time— was very huge, still is very huge. Um, I felt very overwhelmed because it was like, this is something that's so big at this moment. And but also very overwhelmed in a good way, in the motivating sense too, because I really felt this drive to want to make an impact and really want to make this a really great opportunity for people at Penn too. So I ended up having the opportunity to meet him officially at some of the Holt Prize events at the regional and global scale.

And, um, and by him we're talking about, uh, Amad.

Yeah, the founder.

Okay.

Yeah, uh, that was one actually— there is an event where in the beginning of that event he actually mentioned, hey, if anyone has any ideas or wants to talk, this is your time to do so. Like, please feel free to like reach out, talk to me, like, you know. And so I'm pretty much a quiet person. And I don't know, just being in a new context, I really was like, okay, maybe this is like a time to try to speak up or something. And I actually noticed that Holt Prize is something that was not as present in the US. As it is globally. And, um, it's, it's just so interesting because we see all these amazing solutions on the global scale, from like Africa to China, uh, Korea, like all these different places. And for some reason, I haven't seen as many, uh, amplified things in the US. And it was something that I thought could be a really neat opportunity. Uh, so when I, when I noticed that there is this trend that there are a lot of initiatives going on internationally, but there should be more in the US. And I realized that, um, surprisingly, Penn was actually the only Ivy League involved with the Holt Prize. And, um, that was actually just really shocking to me at the time because this is like a huge prize. A million dollars are given out. You get to know Bill Clinton. There's a partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative. It takes place at the UN. Um, there's just so many things about that just really shocked me for when I realized that this is only at Penn. And so when I actually ended up seeing him in person, I was like, hey, is this something that— I don't know, is there an initiative that you're trying to put out to kind of scale this? Something that I really cared about was actually trying to get some of the top schools to participate in the Holt Prize to kind of be an influencer model to get more schools around them and just kind of be a ripple effect to get more schools to participate. So that was kind of how Holt Prize Ivy started, which was an initiative that I pitched. And funny and fortunately enough, I actually asked them if this is something that I could do an internship with for them over the summer. He said yes, which was one of those moments where, honestly, at the time I was a junior, I didn't really have anything lined up for me. It was just one of those moments when someone gives you an opportunity, lets you do it, and actually trusts you to do it. Like, that really changes how you think about things. And I was just really grateful for the opportunity because I never felt like anyone really gave me that kind of similar empowering opportunity to let me just run with it. I guess since since then I've really just cared about finding ways to empower others. By empowerment, I really just define it as the act of giving people the opportunity to make something more out of it. I think that's just like a core value of mine that I think I've been trying to live and breathe since then with everything else that I've been up to.

And it was just like that moment because you made a job for yourself.

For sure, yeah.

You were just kind of like, "Can I be an intern?" Yeah, yeah.

Myself. Yeah, exactly.

So I think, I think the lesson there is to ask, right?

Absolutely. I think most definitely. It's like the worst people can say is no. So, um, that was kind of the mentality I went in with. So I'm glad he said yes, and I'm very grateful to date. So yeah, it really just begins with just a small question, and like sometimes you just never know where it can Thank you. So yeah, just really grateful.

Yeah. I know you said you're an introvert and now you're speaking and doing TED Talks and pitching for competitions. So you're an introvert. So how do you pull all of this kind of extroverted pitching and speaking in public and how is that going for you? Is it taxing for you? Does it make you tired or?

A little bit. I feel like if I had to kind of put myself on a spectrum, I'd be more of like an introverted extrovert. But I think growing up, I was definitely a very shy kid. I remember it's a funny story, but when I was in preschool, it was like my first year of preschool, my mom dropped me off and I was crying basically the whole day. And so the next day, she basically parked her car outside of this classroom so I could see it to know that she was there. And I was good since then.

You sound like my son. He cried too.

Oh my gosh, it's hard.

But so let me say, like, so you— and this is so interesting to me because you were a magician and you were on America's Got Talent when you were a little kid, right?

Uh, so I actually got invited to it, but unfortunately I could not end up going through with it because, um, not because I was shy or anything, um, but it was really because, um, I guess another fun fact, um, uh, I was playing competitive golf at the time, competitive junior golf. Coming back to Magic in a bit, but I actually ended up getting recruited to play at the University of Pennsylvania and actually became team captain my senior year.

So wait, so that was not your first leadership role then because you were team captain of the golf team?

I guess, yeah. But I think it was— it's like in such a different way. But yeah, as a captain, it's like you are a leader, but you're also like a liaison too, to really kind of just be a friend and like a reliable person that's there for the team too. Honestly, I still view being a leader as that, just being that supportive role needed.

But yeah, so amazing. So you're a real underachiever.

Sounds like.

So you were on the national circuit for junior golfing?

Well, I haven't thought of these numbers in a while, but basically I was ranked one of the top 40 people in my class internationally. Basically, class of 2014 for high school golfers. Definitely worked really hard on that and very grateful to like my, my family for just being really supportive and like helping me shuttle me in and out to competitions and everything.

Are you still golfing now?

Actually not so much, but now with the pandemic there's like a little bit more incentive to do so. So I've been trying to get out here and there while I can, but it's also really challenging, uh, with like just having a lot of different hats to wear.

How did you balance all of that?

I don't really know. I feel like there's no real good answer for it, but I think I really just— I really feel like I'm just someone who wants to put my best foot forward for anything that I do. Those are things that I just really care about. I love learning also. I feel like I'm constantly learning still, just reading whatever I can get my hands on. So I think just being in school really was something that I enjoyed, but I think golfing was something I also really enjoyed. And I think knowing that I had the potential opportunity to actually compete in golf and potentially get a scholarship was like, wait, I can do these two things at once. And like, they might be able to help each other out. So having that frame of thought was really motivating for me. And so that was something that I was just really working hard towards.

So does golf feel like a performance? It's pretty quiet and all eyes are on you, right?

It is really quiet, so definitely a great game for introverts. But I guess, yeah, it is really different. It's definitely a more individual sport. I think it's definitely one of those, I guess, underrated sports because I feel like there's definitely so much emotional, mental strength that you need to have because, well, it's all about technique. You can be like a be a small person and have good technique and be able to perform better than someone who is maybe more physically capable. I'm also not that big of a person too, so it was definitely a really good sport for me to take up too. Overall, I think there's also something really empowering in that. It's like if you work hard, anyone can really do well if you really put in the work.

How did you find that motivation to do that practice over and over again and find the little nuances that that make the techniques different?

It's hard. I really love challenges. I think golf is a game of seeking perfection. I think that there's something really fascinating, even addicting about it too, to just really fine-tune your skill and just really do your best in that. And I think that mentality of just wanting to work hard, and I feel like golf is really a game about like taking it one step at a time. And even if you're not put in the right position to like do well, you try your best to make the next shot better and get a good score and everything. So I feel like life is a lot like that, and I think entrepreneurship as well.

So yeah, yeah, you were saying that you do things more than once, right, before you get somewhere with it, or you pitch something more than once. Like you've had a lot of failures, it sounds like, and setbacks. Um, you just keep trying though, right?

Yeah, I think, yeah, I think it's just really, you just keep trying.

Like, um, as funny as I think you said, for the TED Talk you pitched 5 times before you got it?

I did. I submitted 5 other applications before actually getting a TED Talk. Even for the pitch competition I mentioned, like, I applied last year. We were eliminated in the first round, but we actually made it to the final round this year. So it's really exciting.

So what do you think in that initial cut? Like, do you say, "Ugh, this is awful," or do you say, "Okay, I'll just try again next time. I'm gonna keep sending it"?

I think it's just one of those one of those things where it's just really important to just keep going at it. I think something that I really learned growing up was, I think also from my family too, is just the idea of never give up, just keep going, keep moving forward. I think also with golf too, if you don't have a good hole or you don't have a good shot, that could be the first hole. You might have like 17 more to go before you finish. And it's like, you can't give up there and like walk off. You gotta keep going and finish the round. It's really about finishing the race for me. So yeah.

So your family, like they had a huge impact on you. Are you first generation or second generation? Where are your parents from?

Uh, so my parents were actually both born, uh, internationally, but they both grew up in the US.

So what do they do that they instill this sort of like never give up and keep, keep going at it? And it sounds like they were very supportive of you, right?

Yeah. So I guess It's something that's, I guess, really personal, and I'm not sure how much of it is my story to tell, but like when, when they were going through school, they both went to medical school.

Oh, they're both doctors.

So not quite. Um, so that's kind of where things happened. Um, but it's something that I feel like has really shaped me to be the way that I am too. When they were both in medical school, um, that was actually when they had me. Basically, my mom had to leave. My dad also had to leave too to be able to support the family. My mom, she's been basically pursuing a career in finance since then, really hustling her way through it despite like her academic career too. And on top of that, my dad, after I'm not sure how many years it was, but it was basically during my teenage years, he went basically went back to medical school. School. So it was like, it was, it's a lot. And it's a lot.

So he's like, he's gonna finish.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And I think it was just, it's like, I think through seeing their example, it's just, it's always been about finishing what you started. Anything is possible if you keep going and you keep trying. So I think that gives me a little excuse to not try also too.

So, um, it sounds like you found something that you really feel passionate about with the social entrepreneurship.

I do, yeah.

And then meanwhile, it sounds like you had that sort of Steve Jobs program where he kind of took classes in whatever interested him and he didn't really have a major. So you said you were kind of bouncing around in different areas of studies until you found sociology. What would you say to people who don't exactly know what they want to do?

I think one, it is totally okay to not know what you want to do. Second though, Feel free to explore. I think it's something that we don't do enough sometimes. And sometimes just the process of exploring can be a bit scary too. I think oftentimes the biggest thing that can be most powerful to know is our options. Like knowing our options is everything. And especially with my work with Fulfill also, um, that's something that I really want to put forward.

Good luck with everything. I know you're pitching next week. I have all of the links below where you can go and watch Tiffany's pitch next Tuesday, and you can vote for her.

Thank you so much.

So she could continue her work with young people and guiding them through what's important to them and finding their own passions. What do you think is ahead for you? Are you going to continue with the, um, social entrepreneurship, you think?

Yeah, absolutely. I think, uh, honestly, Fulfill is something that is very near and dear to my heart. Um, I think it's something that has really helped me grow in so many ways. And I know it's helped so many other youths out there grow and really empower themselves. Like some of them, this is actually something that they mention on their college applications a lot, or some of them actually created startups that are actually providing for their families too. So it's something that definitely I feel like I can't stop either. So definitely a big priority.

So this is a for-profit, but you're also nonprofit, right?

So we're both for-profit and nonprofit. Um, so basically for schools who, um, can purchase curriculum, basically, uh, that goes through our for-profit arm. For anything that's donated, goes through our nonprofit arm.

Awesome. So you're giving back to Philly that way.

Yeah.

And if a high school student wanted to bring you into their school, what could they do?

All they need to do is reach out to us. Uh, they can go on our website and find our contact form. Submit something through there or reach out to us at hello@ful-phil.org. For students who complete the curriculum, we actually have them come on board sometimes to intern with our team to recreate and iterate the curriculum to make it more tangible for students of the upcoming school year. So it's something that we definitely— we love high school students. We really want to work with you and find ways that we can empower you in your own journeys.

So can you be an intern without having done the program?

Uh, no, not really.

Okay, so the internship is online too, right? Yeah, because everything is remote now.

Yeah.

All right, well, congratulations. You're doing so much for the young people in Philadelphia, now all across the country. Such an inspiration.

Thank you, I really appreciate it. And thank you for all the good work that you do.

Bye, Tiffany.

Stay safe.

Thank you so much for listening and strengthening those neuronal resilience connections in your brain. I know it's a mouthful. That's my inner science geek just telling you that you're changing your brain and boosting your resilience just by listening, reflecting, and learning. Email us at info@mindbodyspace.com if you have questions you'd like answered on the podcast or you have guests that you'd like to suggest. Most importantly, please share share this podcast with your friends, family, and community. We can all use our brain's chemistry to boost our immune systems and resilience right now. Also email me at info@mindbodyspace.com to sign up for my SMART Programs, Stress Management and Resiliency Training, for the first time given completely online. The SMART Program was developed at the Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School. 40 years of robust research-backed program. Again, that's info, info@mindbodyspace.com. Looking forward to seeing you. This is Dr. Juna signing off, wishing you and your loved ones wellness.