Judy Caplan, a registered dietician and founder of Nutrition Ammunition, in Oakton. VA, is a perfect example of passion put on hold, then reinvigorated stronger than before.

“I see nutrition as an entrée into myself,” says Judy. “I grew up in a pretty dysfunctional family and I think I saw nutrition, from a very early age, as a way to nourish myself on the most concrete level. From there, I was able to learn how to nourish myself on many other levels.”

A graduate of the University of Arizona, in Tucson, Judy learned what she calls “Wonder Bread Nutrition,” something she was able to outgrow by reading progressive literature during the late 1960s and early 1970s. She returned to Arizona to get her masters in human nutrition, foods and dietetics, but however benignly, her passion was interrupted.

Wanting to raise a family, Judy put her professional dreams on hold while raising two children, with her husband Dean. As her oldest entered college, a friend asked Judy to speak at her daughter’s boarding school, where the girls had been practicing some atrocious eating habits. The talk went so well that Judy was inspired to write a book. From there, more speaking engagements came, then referrals from doctors and home visits, to patients, and also
accompanying trips to the grocery store, to help teach people how to shop.

Judy exudes energy and love for what she does, and her confidence is encouraging. “There’s nothing you can’t do,” she says simply. “And everything you do do is part of something bigger, later. Everything, the good, the bad and the ugly. It all adds up to something greater.”

Judy’s Nutrition Ammunition can be found at: http://www.gobefull.com/

“I have been passionate about everything in my life. I have to be passionate or I just don’t do well.”

If you had told Barbara Russell when she was graduating from Lesley College that she would one day retire after selling her company for millions of dollars she would have laughed. Barbara was representative of the generation that helped to break the glass ceiling, where, as she said, women were teachers, nurses, secretaries, or mothers.

Growing up in Massachusetts, Barbara knew that she loved learning and wanted to share her passion for education with others. She majored in education at Lesley University and became a teacher.

Several years later, Barbara was approached, after giving a presentation, by the Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Wellesley, Massachusetts, about joining a small educational publisher just starting up. Beginning as the only full-time employee ascending to the role of Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Barbara twice helped build and rebuild the company (after the sale of half of their product line to another publisher) to $20 million. After nineteen years, she realized that there was no opportunity to become more than a vice president; the current President and owner vowed he would die at his desk.

Taking the lessons she had learned, Barbara pursued a new direction, using grit and determination. She wanted to build a company equally as successful in the education publishing world, using what she had learned from her 19 years at another publisher. With her husband’s support and $500,000 in initial capital which she raised from peers who knew her in the educational publishing world, Barbara formed Options Publishing in January of 1993.

When she started the company she knew it was time “to either put up or shut up.” Forming a new company from the ground up can be extremely difficult and there are many tales of failed ventures. But Barbara’s enthusiasm for Options’ product, sales and marketing, and her ability to surround herself with dedicated people with strengths in areas that supported her own, resulted in a team and company that claimed great success.

Three years ago, Options Publishing was acquired by Haights Cross Communications for $50 million. Barbara, although officially retired, stays deeply connected to her passion for education. She sits on the Board of Trustees at Lesley University and the Crittendon Women’s Union in Boston. She and her husband formed the Russell Foundation whose mission is to preserve land in their local watershed. Barbara consults for other entrepreneurial owners as they build their own companies.

While Barbara remains true to her passion for education, her career took several twists and turns along the path to success. She offered this piece of advice to those who are traveling their own paths. “There will be doors that open – opportunities. Don’t be so afraid that you might make the wrong decision, that you don’t take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Every experience is a good one if you learn from it.”

In the end, it all comes to back to learning.

Scott Hatley, founder of the non-profit Incight, is wheelchair-bound due to muscular dystrophy. That did not stop him, however, from graduating from the University of Portland, in 2001, and immediately starting his company, which offers employment and educational opportunities to people with disabilities. Scott was inspired by his summers spent at the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s summer camps. Scott realized that camp was the best part of the year for many of his friends, who did not otherwise envision themselves as normal people, with normal opportunities.

Scott’s success is incredible. Incight is currently supporting 70 disabled scholars, in their college career track program. These students receive not only financial support, but also the support of mentors, and internship programs; all of this is intended to help people overcome, what Scott calls, their “handicrap.” This is the term coined to describe all of the excuses and self-imposed barriers and limitations many disabled people must confront, if they are to find their way in the world. Really, it is applicable to every person, who must overcome insecurity and fear, and just go after what they love.

It’s funny how we can become so blinded by responsibility that we don’t realize how out of wack our priorities have become. Katie had her epiphany when she realized that she was rushing her daughter back to bed so that she could return to her open e-mail account. She realized then and there that she was putting Corporate America ahead of her own family. She needed a change.

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Justin Bua has been a graffiti artist, a professional break dancer and was even ranked the #2 ping-pong player in the nation at 12 years old!

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Tim Katzman is the Director of Corporate Communications for the San Diego Padres, and has been with the organization for 11 years. He started off as a professor in American Studies on the East Coast and ended up being in the right place at the right time. He created a position for himself with the Padres where he reached out to fans that were disengaged with the sport as a result of the 1994 baseball strike. He is now the self-proclaimed “editorial free safety” for the ball club and claims to, “work in the toy department of life.” Given that description, he is no doubt passionate about what he does for a living.

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Joyce Richards is the President of the Phoenix Junior Achievement office, and was a very interesting individual. She did not attend college, and out of high school worked in the private industry before finding a personal satisfaction in education. She has been at Junior Achievement for ten years, and is very passionate for making a difference in students lives.

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