Meet Ginhee Rancourt | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ginhee Rancourt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ginhee, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Our team at Young Art is committed to inspiring the next generation of young inventors, artists and entrepreneurs to be bold innovators by providing enriching experiences through virtual learning. We believe they the most powerful discoveries which will one day change the world begin with a simple idea. When a child’s imagination is ignited to envision limitless possibilities they are purposefully encouraged to be bold thinkers, experiment without fear, solve problems with originality and bring their inventive ideas to life through art, they embark on a journey exploring how their creations can deliver joy or help others. We are passionate about cultivating thinkers with a problem-solving mindset through the power of education. Our team is honored to provide equitable educational experiences for schools along with scholarships for low-income learners within our immediate community and beyond. It has been truly heart-warming to witness the impact creativity can deliver. We are eager to do more!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Seven years ago, Young Art began out of the need to care for my six younger brothers and sisters of whom I had recently become legal guardian. Over the years that followed, the Young Art concept grew into a well-loved and vibrant outlet for creativity as a children’s drop-off studio, activating experiential spaces in shopping centers. This spring, when the pandemic caused shopping malls to close abruptly all our brick and mortar locations were forced to temporarily halt in-person lessons. Our team was fortunate to mobilize quickly in bringing the classes online, utilizing virtual platforms to deliver lessons for the communities we served and then broaden the reach beyond. There was no playbook to prepare us for all the new learning ahead and we are still learning daily. If I may be so bold as to speak directly to fellow small business owners, founders, entrepreneurs and creatives whose operating models have been challenged drastically this year, or are facing some very material concerns on how to sustain ones team while keeping their business afloat, I hope to share what helped for us as we also faced unforeseen changes. Realized earlier this year that fear is usually derived from the unknown and that it is fully natural, part of being human. However I think it is what we do with that fear that determines our outcome. For years I had read articles exhorting entrepreneurs to be resilient, fail fast, and iterate daily. This year when the rubber met the road, it happened quickly and felt as if a big spotlight was being turned upon innovators to beg the question, “ Will you step up today so that when we look back at 2020, we could say without a doubt that we came together to try our best?” Three key points which were valuable for my team and I to remember as we experimented with new formats of delivery were: 1. The Mission: why you began your business and why you will continue on 2. Creativity and Courage: try something new – don’t be afraid to do things differently – you don’t know until you try 3. Be good to others. No matter how dire the situation may appear never stop being kind, generous, and caring for others. The golden rule is real. To my fellow entrepreneurs, founders and friends, please know you are not alone. I believe that in challenging times good people come together to create meaningful impact. May we all reflect on the wise words of this poem and persevere! “Good timber does not grow with ease: The stronger wind, the stronger trees; The further sky, the greater length; The more the storm, the more the strength.” Douglas Malloch

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the most fascinating elements of the area which I appreciate is its diversity. Would take a best friend to admire stunning artwork and architecture, impressive ocean views, along with gorgeous nature sites. I have often been amazed that just minutes away from opulence there is also intense need. A highlight of our week would be visiting under-served communities in hopes to meet the people and listen to their stories, should they be willing to share. It would be an unforgettable part of the visit to speak with these fellow humans who have developed resilience in the face of adversity, to begin to understand at a deeper level the challenges they have and still face, as well as engage in dialogue over their ideas for how problems could be solved moving forward. If my friend and I were able to bring even a small sample of joy to the neighbors who live beside us it would make the visit one neither of us would forget.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A beautiful quote by Mother Teresa reads, “ None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.” Throughout this incredible journey since Young Art’s inception, our dedicated team has demonstrated admirable courage and unwavering commitment to purpose. They have often chosen to sacrifice self interest in order to champion a mission greater than themselves. Today I am honored to give credit to our Servant-leaders whose boldness, agility, willingness to take risks, along with ability to deliver candor with grace has created a beautiful culture of empathy and collaboration. Team, if you happen to read this, know you are the heroes of this story and the goodness being delivered to children everywhere is because of you.

Website: www.youngartlessons.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youngartlessonsusa/?hl=en
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=282NLZutRic&feature=emb_logo

Image Credits
Courtesy of Young Art