Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Sotiropoulos
Hi Taylor , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in the Chicago area, and my background is in exercise science. My original goal was to either work in physical or occupational therapy, as I always gravitated towards that need to help people feel better and live a more fulfilled life. I paired that passion with my love for exercising and human anatomy. It is funny where life takes you because I then found myself operating a gym and getting involved with more of the operational side of the industry and business development. I was still able to help people feel better through personal training, conducting group classes, and helping people reach their goals. I then also found myself loving the bigger picture of a business and looking at different avenues of how we could improve and grow. I continued my journey in the fitness industry and eventually moved out to San Diego in 2021. At the time it was post-covid and I was working at an organization that focused on virtual fitness, so I was able to move and follow my husband’s career while working virtually. In my career, I felt that I was in a funk. I was still somewhat doing what my passion was, but something was missing. I was on my job search and came across an organization, Adjoin, that provided services for individuals with intellectual and developmental (IDD) disabilities and at-risk of homelessness Veterans. They were launching a new program called Path-Now and the purpose was to help individuals and families in the disability community throughout California find and access services through their platform. There was no statewide database or platform that California residents seeking services within the disability community could utilize that would help them find custom-matched services more quickly and easily. I had never worked at a non-profit or within the disability community before, but I wanted to work with this organization and this position because it brought me back to my passion of being able to help people and assist them in living a more fulfilled life. In January 2023, I joined the Adjoin team as a Business Development Manager to run their Path-Now program. I dove into learning the California community, the disability community, and really see where I can help ensure that Path-Now was an impactful resource. We started by running a beta-testing program that included parents, individuals with a disability, professionals within the industry, and service providers. After completing this beta-testing stage, we launched the Path-Now platform in May 2023. Since launching last year we have made continuous improvements with digital accessibility, translation, and numerous features to make sure individuals and families were finding providers that truly matched their unique needs. We are currently have around 150 users on the platform, along with 10,000 providers for individuals to match with. There are 400,000 individuals within the state of California that are eligible for California DDS services, along with 30,000+ providers to service them. So we do have a lot of growth in our future, along with the ability to truly make a difference in thousands of individual’s lives. Since joining this position, I have had the opportunity to see how inspiring the individuals, families, staff, and organizations are within the disability community. I am surrounded by professionals that share the same passion as me, and also are out there doing the work and advocating for the people we serve and support. I hope that I can use my position to empower individuals and families to not feel at a lost when it comes to finding resources and services, and also uplift the providers and assisting them meet their mission.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think anyone ever has a smooth road, but that is what makes us wiser in our professional journey. I was actually unemployed when I was looking for a new career and came across Adjoin’s job posting for the Business Development Manager position for Path-Now. That was an uneasy time because it was right around the holidays and I wasn’t sure what my next step was going to be. I think that is why I am tremendously thankful that I came across this position because I would say now more than ever I feel that I am right where I want to be in my career. Regarding my journey with Path-Now, it has been difficult to share what we are doing because the community is so large and there are so many different areas that we can support. Which isn’t a bad problem to have, but I want to make sure that we are also making an impact and helping the community and that can become difficult when there is such a wide net to cast.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I feel like my previous responses have been all about my work. I do feel that I want my life to have some sort of purpose, and I truly find that in the work that I do. I have always been a helper. So while I was working my various jobs, I would also dog-sit on the side because I loved dogs and wanted the extra cash, but also enjoyed being able to help other people in the process. I previously volunteered with a Pitbull Rescue in the Chicagoland area with their social media and adoption applications, volunteered with a non-profit that raised funds for families when their dogs had cancer, and currently work a part-time job with an organization called Steamy Lit that helps uplift diverse and underrepresented authors in the publishing industry. I took my love for dogs and reading and tried to use the skills I have gained from my professional career to help these organizations more forward too. I think my specialization now is finding the gap on where organizations could be working more efficiently and helping them do so. I think everyone has that thought of wanting to “make a difference”, but I think that makes me different is that I really want to dive into that community and connect with them. I make an effort to listen but also make sure that people feel heard. I then take that information and give them business development practices that are going to help them accomplish their goals and truly help the population that they serve. I think that is something that I am most proud of. Simple, but I know that just at 29, I feel like I have made a difference in a variety of small ways.
How do you think about happiness?
Balance. And that may be a very Libra thing of me to say, but the feeling of peace and balance is happiness for me! I also know that when I feel like I have an equal balance of fun and work in my life, I am the happiest. Oh and also my two puppies!
Pricing:
- Path-Now is a free resource for individuals and families in the disability community in California to utilize.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://path-now.com
