In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Casey Baugh speaks with Emily McCormick, founder of the Policy Project, about how personal adversity and unwavering purpose shaped her journey. Emily opens up about growing up caring for her sick mother, losing her at 19, building and exiting a successful company, and finding her calling in policy and community work. Together they discuss identity, faith, motherhood, leadership, and what it takes to transform hardship into lasting impact. This conversation is a powerful reminder to live authentically, embrace discomfort, and pursue what you’re truly called to do. Chapters: 00:00 | Introduction and Friendship 00:50 | The Power of Supportive Communities 01:49 | Raw and Real Conversations 04:02 | What Emily is Doing Today: The Policy Project 04:56 | How Childhood Shaped Her Mission 06:33 | Living with a Chronically Ill Mother 08:45 | Her Father’s Example of Love and Loyalty 13:07 | Hardship as a Gift and a Teacher 14:33 | The Role of Community in Her Life 16:10 | Her Siblings and How They Coped 19:16 | The Foundation That Saved Her Family 20:10 | College Years and Finding Independence 22:43 | Choosing Journalism and Study Abroad 25:32 | The Last Moments with Her Mother in France 27:17 | Processing Loss and Feeling Alone 32:09 | Redefining Herself After Her Mother’s Death 34:05 | Identity and Core Beliefs 36:34 | Discovering Her Strengths and Values 39:08 | Embracing the Role of a Matriarch 42:15 | Leadership, Learning, and Following Good 44:02 | Authenticity and Vulnerability in Leadership 45:26 | Meeting Adam and Building a Life Together 46:54 | Graduate School and Expanding Her Perspective 49:51 | Entrepreneurship and Shabby Apple 52:36 | A Health Crisis That Changed Everything 54:46 | Financial Comfort, Identity Shifts, and New Challenges 59:43 | From Survival Mode to Answering Her Calling 01:00:02 | Restlessness and the Search for Purpose 01:03:02 | The Birth of the Policy Project 01:05:56 | Why Policy is the Most Scalable Tool for Change 01:07:03 | What Emily is Most Grateful For Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
