Meet Jill Stowell | Author; Speaker; Founder, Stowell Learning Centers

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

Hi Jill, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I knew nothing about “Unique Selling Proposition” when I started my business, but I did believe that there had to be answers – real and permanent solutions – for bright students who struggled in school. I didn’t realize that this was such a radical idea, it just made sense. Why should bright capable kids spend their lives accepting less and struggling through with accommodations and work-arounds? I just needed to find the answers.

As it turns out, there are answers, but the idea of correcting dyslexia and learning disabilities is still so uncommon, that we ended up with a Unique Selling Proposition that parents – moms in particular – desire and know in their heart of hearts is true.

I think the key factor behind our success is that we have always believed and focused passionately on our 2-part mission: to help children and adults eliminate the struggles associated with dyslexia, learning, and attention challenges and, to make Stowell Learning Center a great place for humans to be!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
A twelve-year-old gang kid going nowhere fast is at the beginning of my story and has unknowingly impacted the lives of thousands of struggling students. Frankie was my student when I was a Resource Specialist at his school. He was profoundly dyslexic and I made a promise to him that I couldn’t keep, though not for lack of trying. I promised him I’d teach him to read, but at the end of the year, he went on to 7th grade as a near non-reader, and I left the public schools in search of answers. It just simply couldn’t be right that bright kids like Frankie had to spend their lives finding ways (often negative) to cover up or get around their learning challenges.

Frankie started me on a journey that continues today. I searched for and studied with experts around the world doing the research on the brain, learning, and attention and opened a private practice to permanently resolve learning disabilities and dyslexia. There is an incredible need for this and so my little private practice has grown to four Southern California learning centers serving students from all around the world.

In the movie “Moneyball” the Boston Red Sox manager makes a statement that “the first one through the wall always ends up bloodied and bruised.” Our claim of being able to permanently eliminate struggles associated with learning disabilities and dyslexia is very bold and not commonly believed or understood. It’s true and there are at least 4 decades of neuroscience research and clinical evidence to back this up, but the world is skeptical and sometimes we feel “bloodied and bruised.” Comprehensive and real solutions for learning challenges is what sets Stowell Learning Centers apart and the changed future that kids and families get to experience is what keeps us going everyday.

I want the world to know – I want those heartbroken parents and those kids beaten down by their learning struggles to know – that these challenges do not have to be permanent. It’s certainly not a quick and easy fix, but the brain is amazing and with targeted and intensive training, learning and attention challenges can change.

Justin was shutdown and determined never to let anyone in because of his embarrassment and anger over not being able to read. Eighteen months later, he was reading at his grade level – 7th- and asking if he could work at the learning center. His mom got her kid back and Justin got to find out that school and life could actually be pretty good outside his self-imposed “wall.”

Small business owners are changing the world with their vision and passion, and I am so grateful to be a part of that!

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 things I love to do is ride bikes along the beach. If you start in Malibu, you can ride through Venice Beach and Marina Del Rey. There are fun lunch spots along the way. Starting in El Segundo, it’s fun to ride to Redondo, stopping in Hermosa Beach to eat at Good Stuff.

While int LA, it’s always nice to check what shows or sports events are at Staples Center and have dinner around the center before the even.

Pasadena, Montrose, and Glendale have fun downtown spots to walk around!

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?
There are actually 3 groups of people who have been incredibly impactful in my journey:

My maverick mentors, in particular Dr. Joan Smith (www.edu-therapeutics.com) who also believed that there had to be more for struggling students and each of whom provided a significant piece of the puzzle through their clinical research that has allowed us to develop our comprehensive approach to correcting learning challenges;

My students, who have always been my best teachers; and

My family, David, Christy, and Kevin, who listened, supported, cheered me on, and worked in the business in various capacities all along the way.

I am so grateful for all of these amazing people who have brought insights to provide direction and who have allowed me to dedicate a huge amount of time and energy to something I love.

Website: https://stowellcenter.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stowellcenter/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stowellcenter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stowellcenter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/learningdisability

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/stowell-learning-center-pasadena

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LDExpert

Image Credits
These images were taken in-house. David Stowell Sierra Alford – Jill’s headshot