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Monica Gray Logothetis and her DreamWakers’ team have a big mission: to harness the power of free technology to bridge the gap between classroom learning and careers. Serving high-need schools—defined as having at least 50% of the student body on free or reduced lunch—DreamWakers links students to exceptional role models from the public and private sectors to expose them to career opportunities and inspiring professionals at a young age. As Logothetis explains, DreamWakers is "founded on the credo that students can’t be what they can’t see." 84% of the classrooms DreamWakers serves have never hosted a speaker from outside their city limits, but DreamWakers uses free video chat software to erase borders and span distances, enabling them to bring speakers from across the country and even the world in front of students in real time. Each video conference, called a “Flashchat,” lasts 45 minutes and is designed to shed light on the real world relevance of course lessons while empowering students to prepare for future personal and professional opportunities. Under Logothetis’ leadership, DreamWakers has served thousands of students across 30 states in just two years. DreamWakers' speakers work in a variety of industries and include companies such as Apple, CNN, JetBlue Airways, Makerbot 3D Printing, The State Department and The White House. The name DreamWakers is based on Aristotle’s famous quote: “Hope is a waking dream.” As Logothetis explains, “By shining a light on the depth and breadth of career choices available in the real world, we want to awaken hopes and dreams within students across the country — particularly those in low-income urban and rural areas — about the opportunities that lie ahead after graduation.”
(Photo courtesy of Margarita Corporan and Monica Gray Logothetis)
Elana Lyn Gross: What is DreamWakers' mission?
Monica Gray Logothetis: DreamWakers is a nonprofit guided by this simple credo: Students can’t be what they can’t see.
We leverage technology to break down barriers between the real world and our nation’s classrooms. Half of all employers don’t believe that students are prepared for work: Yet two-thirds of employers have little to no interaction with schools. What’s more, 65% of students will one day be employed in jobs that don’t yet exist. Little improvement to our education system can be expected if we don’t close the gap between the classroom and the workplace.
DreamWakers helps to narrow that opportunity gap by leveraging free video chat technology to deliver insights from diverse and dynamic professionals to public school students — right in their classrooms. Our focus is on elementary through high school classrooms in underserved schools in which at least 50% of students are enrolled in free or reduced lunch programs. Each Flashchat instantly connects these classrooms with professional role models from the public and private sectors, exposing students to real world perspectives on what they are learning in the classroom. The goal is to ignite career curiosity and inspire all students to dream big.
Gross: What has been the biggest challenge of running DreamWakers?
Logothetis: Every worthy endeavor has its challenges, but I never thought ours would have to do with something I admittedly take for granted: Wi-Fi. A surprising number of schools we work with across the country have unpredictable and spotty Wi-Fi, making it nearly impossible to stream video. We usually find ways to navigate around the issue, but it was not what we anticipated. Securing a high-profile congressman to speak? No problem. Locking in time with a busy CEO? No problem. Finding a reliable Wi-Fi connection? That can sometimes be the most daunting challenge on our plate from day to day.
Gross: What is the most rewarding thing you have accomplished?
Logothetis: The biggest reward is seeing the positive ripple effect of putting on a single Flashchat. For example, last fall, a fifth grade teacher in Newark, New Jersey, Mr. Ojeikere (known to his students as Mr. O), submitted a request on our website for a speaker to give his kids some personal and professional encouragement. “My students are from a Latin American and African American community,” Mr. O said. “They love to learn and they love opportunities, but at the same time I feel like they are missing some inspiration that I am not able to currently give.” School budgets were tight, he explained, and bringing guest speakers into the classroom — mentors the children would actually relate to and "click with” — was a challenge.
DreamWakers immediately set to work. We connected Mr. O’s students with African American leaders at the U.S. Department of State and with White House Political Director David Simas. A son of Portuguese immigrant factory workers, Simas described his experience in speaking to those students as “one of the best things” he’s done during his time at the White House. He even invited the entire class to visit 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!
This past summer, Mr. O’s students, fellow teachers and our NYC-based DreamWakers team took Simas up on the offer—loading into a bus in Newark at 6 a.m. and driving through rain and traffic to our nation’s capital. It was a trip unlike any other. As Mr. O put it, “When someone tells these kids that they get to speak with someone who looks like them, and has had similar experiences as them, these kids light up. They get inspired. They start to say, ‘I am going to work hard despite the challenges because David Simas was able to do it.’ Students often hear a lot about athletes or actors. But when new, real world professionals sit down and tell them their story—and provide a window into the other opportunities that are available them—these students are inspired to go and do more. They learn what it means to invest in their own academic journey.”
Joyce McCree, a Newark teacher who accompanied the students, added, “The rich engagement that occurs when students participate in virtual conversations becomes a springboard for further learning and a motivating factor as students move forward.”
Gross: What advice do you have for other women who hope to start their own businesses?
Logothetis: Find a great cofounder! I am not joking. I am incredibly fortunate to work with Annie Medaglia, a former graduate school classmate and friend. She is more left-brained and analytical, whereas I’m more right-brained and subjective. Our strengths complement each other and fuel our passion to grow DreamWakers and serve more students.
I would also tell women: Do not be afraid to delegate, and do not wait to do it! I made the mistake of waiting too long before seeking help because I didn’t have the funds to hire employees. This time last year, I was DreamWakers’ only full-time employee. My head was in the weeds all the time, and I was burning out. We now have three full-time employees, fantastic student interns and fabulous volunteers, and this has given me the time and headspace to think more strategically. Outsourcing is a game changer; don’t wait to empower others. As we say at DreamWakers, teamwork makes the dream work!
Finally, surround yourself with smart advisors who bring a diverse set of views to the table. This year, we launched the DreamWakers' Advisory Council, a 70% female and 60% minority council comprised of exceptional professional leaders who lend their expertise to advance DreamWakers' strategic direction. This group has already proven itself to be fundamental in helping DreamWakers scale and improve across the board.
Gross: What are your responsibilities as CEO and founder of DreamWakers?
Logothetis: Every day is different, and my to-do list shifts and changes. As DreamWakers grows, I’m focusing on pursuing new partnerships to make DreamWakers a self-sustaining organization through a Corporate Partnership Program that works with outstanding private sector leaders to bring their passion and purpose directly into classrooms across the country. By joining forces with DreamWakers, employees can give back to high-need classrooms without even leaving the office. Our Flashchats are recorded, so they can also serve as an excellent and low-cost recruiting tool for companies. This is especially attractive for millennials, who place a priority on working for companies that give back.
Gross: What exciting partnerships are you currently working on?
Logothetis: We’re kicking off two exciting partnerships in October and November. We’ve recently teamed up with the White House Historical Association to host a virtual series called “History in the Making: Election 2016.” We are connecting civics classrooms across the country with policy professionals who either currently or formerly served in the White House, top presidential historians and White House correspondents.
We’ve also teamed up with KIPP New Jersey to put on a virtual series called the 17 X 17 Classroom 2 Career Series, we’ll host 17 Flashchats in 17 KIPP New Jersey classrooms by 2017. These are just two examples of the type of partnerships that create pipelines of exceptional teachers and speakers, which are key to helping DreamWakers scale to serve more students.
Gross: What are characteristics you look for when you’re hiring a new team member?
Logothetis: I’m looking for hyper-organized people who are hungry to succeed and willing to jump into new projects. Like most people, I also love working with happy and hopeful individuals. New team members must be upbeat and generally a pleasure to be around, as well as optimistic about our team’s ability to bring real and lasting change to the world.
Gross: What is the best advice you've ever received?
Logothetis:
- Leave your cell phone in another room when you go to sleep at night. (Courtesy of my husband, Nick.)
- Be a hedgehog. (Courtesy of Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great.)
- Act the way you want to feel. (Courtesy of Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Happiness Project.)
Gross: What is your favorite productivity tip? How does it help you get more done?
Logothetis: I was fortunate to hear Randy Pausch speak when I was a student at the University of Virginia. He talked about the "Four Quadrants of Time Management," and I've been hooked on his to-do list system ever since. I create a new chart every Sunday, noting tasks left undone from the week prior as well as deadlines for the upcoming week. It's a simple and calming organizational ritual that helps me hone in on priorities.
Gross: What is your business advice for other young professional women?
Logothetis: My advice is somewhat ironic in light of this question. Don’t ask someone for advice until you have noodled on the problem yourself. You have an inner compass, and it’s meant to be followed. Looking around for validation or direction will never work as well as looking inside at what makes you tick and provides you with meaning. When I was first building DreamWakers, the idea of subletting my apartment to a stranger on Craigslist, packing up a rental car and moving from Washington, DC to a basement in Charlottesville, Virginia, to work at University of Virginia’s startup incubator, iLab, seemed nuts to a lot of people. It meant I had to take side jobs. I waited tables and babysat, for example, to pay off loans and pay my rent. Was I nervous about how it would all play out? Of course. Honestly, the experience was a lot harder and lonelier than I expected. But I knew deep down that it was up to me to chart my own course. So I went for it, and I have to tell you, it’s been among the best decisions I've ever made. So my advice is to be true to yourself, trust your gut and don’t give up. Have the courage to look inside yourself to create your vision, then go out into the world and pursue your dream.
