Ep. 7 - From Wall Street Dreams to Changing Lives

What if your dream job at 18 isn’t your purpose at 38? We sit with Jim Clark, CEO and President of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, to chart how a finance-minded kid became a leader devoted to expanding opportunity for millions of young people. The story moves from lecture halls to club halls, showing how the right team, mission, and mindset can turn ambition into impact.

We dig into leadership the honest way, by naming mistakes. Jim shares why waiting too long on a poor fit slows everyone down, and how hiring slow, acting fast, and keeping dignity at the center protects culture. You’ll hear practical takeaways on feedback, transitions, and building teams that match values with performance. Then we lighten things up with a teen slang showdown that proves curiosity is a bridge: “bussin,” “no cap,” “sus,” “slay,” “mid,” “bet,” “cooked,” “low-key,” “fire,” “bro,” and “drippy” all make an appearance and spark genuine connection.

Away from the office, Jim finds balance on golf courses, water skis, and snowy mountains, reminding us that play fuels better decisions. The conversation widens with stories from the Oval Office, where Jim met Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden to advocate for after-school programs, youth safety, STEM access, and mentorship. The through line is simple and strong: try the Club before you judge it. Whether you want a creative outlet, a place to study, a path to a first job, or just friends who push you forward, there’s a lane for you.

If this resonated, follow Youth Unmuted, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review to help more teens find a space that feels like theirs. Your voice matters, join the conversation and tell us what you want to hear next.

Transcript

Welcome Back And Setup

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back everyone. My name is Holden and I am your host for the Youth Unmuted Podcast. This is a team-led podcast with the Boys and Girls Club of Benton County where we share unique stories that relate to today's youth. Let's get started. Welcome back, everyone, to part two of Youth Unmuted. Um, we are joined by our guest, um CEO and President Jim Clark, and we get to hear a little bit more about his story and his journey at the Boys and Girls Club. So let's get started. Perfect. Great to be here, Holden. Thanks. Yeah, absolutely. And it's great to have you. And so, what was your dream job growing up? Let's get right into it. What did you want to do when you were a kid?

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Yeah, I always thought I'd be in the financial industry somewhere, stockbroker, investment banker, kind of in the investment field, if you will. And uh don't ask me why. Uh, at one point I thought maybe I should be a lawyer or an attorney. I'm not sure why. Um, I'm not really necessarily attracted to those things, but it just sounded cool or sounded like something I wanted to do. Uh at one point I thought maybe I should go into politics. I'm glad I didn't. I would not be happy in that today, that's for sure. Uh so uh those are kind of the areas I had at different times, different phases, you know, thought about uh doing. In fact, really, even in college, I was still on that track of going into some kind of investment field and uh thought that's what I would do. I'm a finance major uh in college, and uh I actually double majored finance and marketing. Um, so I kind of ended up doing more of the marketing side of things, sales, than I did the finance side of things.

SPEAKER_00 1:41

Yeah. Uh we talked about in part one, you said having a job and like making a team that is fun. I'm definitely gonna say your job now does sound a little bit more fun than what you had planned on. So good for you. You know, you definitely can just see that you're you're true to your word. You know, you wanted to do something and you're like, I don't think that's the route for me. And now you get to do something you love and it has an impact that is greater than, I believe, a financial broker stock. You and I are alike in that one.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

I agree with that too.

Leadership Mistakes And Hiring Lessons

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Yes, sir. Um, so talking about your role as like a CEO, you've been in a lot of leadership roles. What do you think is a leadership mistake that you've made and what did you learn from it?

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Yeah, you know, you make a lot of mistakes along the way. And I think first and foremost, whatever the mistake is, I can give you an example. But whatever the mistake is, you said it. You gotta learn from it. Don't do it again. Don't make the same mistake twice. And if you do, you didn't learn, right? So I think first and foremost for me, I really tried to focus when something didn't go right, I really tried to make sure I learned from it and didn't do it again. So that's really important. And I think one of the lessons along the way was really about hiring people and knowing when it's time to make a transition. Uh, the adage that it's an old adage and uh took me a while to figure it out, but you know, it's hire fast or higher slow, fire fast, meaning if someone's not working out, you know, move them out. Don't wait. And inevitably, at least early on in my career, I would wait way too long and and try to keep working with somebody and keep trying to get them to the right place, or if they weren't performing to get them to perform, or you know, all of this. And as you started out, sometimes it's just not a good fit. And um a person is, you know, they're gonna be happier doing something else, and the role they're in isn't a good fit for them. And look, it that doesn't have to be a negative or a bad thing. I think if you truly uh work with someone and have them be honest, and you're honest, and you figure it out, and you you part company, you go your own ways, and everybody ends up getting into a situation they like and they're happy with. So, you know, this isn't necessarily always just an adversarial type of thing, or people don't like talking about that. In the end, it's most of the time it's good, you know, that you get someone that can go do something that they really want to do. So I think that, you know, is something, you know, that a mistake I made early on was just way too long, you know, working with some people that just wasn't a good fit.

Hobbies: Golf, Skiing, Wisconsin Summers

SPEAKER_00 4:31

Yeah, absolutely. Not all jobs that you believe are gonna work out are gonna be the ones, and there's always gonna be other jobs you can always apply, and it's important to really find one that you believe you're giving your best impact towards. And so, yeah, I agree. Uh, I do want to change directions just a little bit. And I want to know outside of work, uh, what is something that you like to do for fun, maybe a hobby or just something that you enjoy?

SPEAKER_01 4:55

Yeah, great question. So I like to do a couple different things. Uh I like to play golf uh when the weather's nice. And uh that's you know, some people don't think that's relaxing. I do, you know, you get four or five hours, you know, to really interact with a small group of people. It's fun. You know, you get to get outside, uh you know, kind of exercise or whatever you want to call it. Uh, I still water ski in the summer a lot. Um, I really enjoy that and still do it quite a bit. And then um in the winter, I still do some snow skiing, downhill skiing. In fact, uh my older son and I are going to Jackson Hole in February skiing for uh long weekends, so that'll be fun.

SPEAKER_00 5:36

Yeah, that's you're very active. I myself cannot do some of that. Um me and my friends, we like to golf. When it's warmer, of course, we're not very good. Um, we've gotten uh warnings for pace of play because it takes us so many, so many swings or attempts just to get it, and you know, we lose at least like 10 balls every time. But we're we're getting better, all right. We're learning now, that way we'll be good in the future. Um yeah, yeah, that's exactly right. And it sounds like you had a lot of fun. I've got to water ski. Um, my friend, uh, he lives uh he's his parents are from Wisconsin, and so we got to go up there uh in the summer, and we got to water ski on Eagle River. Yeah, so that was really cool. And so, yeah, it sounds like you you definitely make fun. You like to get that adrenaline going is what it sounds like.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Well, that's we have a house up in Wisconsin as well, and that's where we go in the summer and water ski and do all that stuff. So it's the same thing.

SPEAKER_00 6:30

Yeah, that's awesome. And so I want to change it up too, and I want to play a game, if you don't mind. Sure. Yeah, this game is called um teen slang. And so what it is is um there are some words that I have, and you also have them. And I just want you to go down the list, um, try to pronounce each word, whatever, however you think it's supposed to be said, and then also like what you think it means. And I will after each word and your um your definition of it, I'll tell you, you know, if you got it spot on, close, or if not, like what it means. And I'll give my best. I'm not an expert either, but we'll see how it gets.

Teen Slang Game And Generational Language

SPEAKER_01 7:04

We'll see. You know, some some of them I think I got, um, some of them I probably don't. But uh so the first one was busing. And um I think what I thought it meant is like traveling, going somewhere, like, you know, let's all go here, let's all go there, uh, was my uh guess at what it meant. I don't I really don't know, but that's what I thought.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Well, not quite. Uh bussing and like my what I've heard of use is like it kind of like refers to like food. It's like good. Like you'd say, like, that ice cream of busting, you know. Like it for me, it's kind of just like a positive, it's like a good or something like that. That's my interpretation of it. I've never really heard it your way, but hey, we can start a trend right now, busting, you know. We're gonna bust it over to Jackson Holt. Right. That's right. I like it.

SPEAKER_01 7:57

I like it too. Let's get it going. All right. The next one, yeah. The next one is no cap. So I've heard my son say this, and uh, so that's like, you know, kind of in my day, it was like for real. Um, you know, uh, is that what you're really thinking? You know, kind of that type of thing. And um, but I have heard that one before, so I I may not be exactly right, but uh, I think that's what it is.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

No, yeah, I think that one's pretty spot on. I think people will say like cap now, like stop the cap. It's like lying, you know, stop lying. So no cap is like, for real, I'm telling the truth, you know. So yeah, I think you know that one.

SPEAKER_01 8:33

All right, good. Got one right. One out of two 50% uh so far. Okay, sus is the next one. I have no idea what that means. Um, I can't even take a guess um what it is. I I I like family member or something. I don't know. I have no idea.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

No, yeah, you're gonna get this one. I heard it. Have you heard of Among Us? Yeah, so when Among Us was big is when I heard like this one start to really take off. And sus is just suspicious. It's just like part of suspicious. So like in Among Us, uh, there's imposters who go around and like try to murder people, I guess, in the game. And so everyone would be like, everyone is a different color. So they'd be like red is sus, like red is suspicious. Um, and so like that kind of like adapted to like you'd say, like in real life, like if you think people are lying, you think they're capping, then you say you're sus, so like that's sus.

SPEAKER_01 9:31

Cool. All right. Well, I like that one. Um, so the next one is Slay. So this one, my younger son uses a lot. So I I do have an idea of what it is. I'm not sure if I'm exactly right, but you know, he he's in, he's going into retail management, so he's all about looking good or looking right. And so he uses it like sometimes he'll say, like, oh man, you're Slay. Like he'll say I am, right? Like I'm looking the part that day, or I'm, you know, feeling confident, or I'm I'm acting the role and I'm dressing the part. And, you know, I think it's something, you know, I may not have it exactly right, but um, you know, it's kind of like this gravitas thing, like swagger, you know, and uh, and I guess that's what I think it is.

SPEAKER_00 10:17

No, yeah, I like that. Like that swagger, I'd say it's like it's kind of like a good job. You'd say like sleigh or period, you know, if someone does something that you're just like, nice, like that's good. So definitely you can definitely say like your outfit is sleigh or stuff like that. So I think you you nailed that one.

SPEAKER_01 10:32

All right, good. Uh the next one is mid. So I'm not exactly sure, but if I was guessing, it would be like middle, like you're in the middle, you're not great, you're not bad, um, but you're in the middle. Um, or it's it is the middle, you know, like um, hey, you know, what are you doing over there? That's pretty average, you know, why don't you get better? Um, so I I don't know. That's my guess. I I'm not exactly sure. I've never really kind of heard it used like that.

SPEAKER_00 11:00

No, yeah, that's pretty, that's pretty much it. I'd say it's definitely like the middle, like mid. It's not good, it's not great. Um, I feel like these days though, people it's more of like a negative. Like you don't want you don't want it to be mid. You could say like this food is like mid. It's not it's not really something you enjoy. Or like you're it's not a compliment, that's for sure. So it's definitely like a negative, I'd have to say. It is you say it is a negative.

SPEAKER_01 11:23

Yeah. No, okay. Well, I I wouldn't have called it negative, but you know, kind of middle average, whatever. Um now you know maybe don't call anyone mid. The next one's bat. So I have heard this. Um, and uh, like I said, my kids both use um this one. So it's like um someone says, hey, let's go do this, bet. You know, I mean that's like okay, like yes, like good idea, you know, that kind of thing. So I I think that's what it means.

SPEAKER_00 11:55

Yeah, that was your best one so far. I mean, you gave examples. My people ask me in hangout, bet. Good idea. I use that one all the time. So yeah, I think you know that one. This kiss, like, okay, yep, let's do it. I'm down, bet, let's go. Good. All right, got a couple good ones here.

SPEAKER_01 12:12

All right, next one is cooked. Um so this was a word that was also popular when I was a teen. Now, I'm guessing it means something a little different. Um, but when I was young, if someone was cooked, um, you know, in the kind of way of saying it is, you know, they were uh uh somehow influenced. They were um, you know, not like with words, but like with drugs or with marijuana or something, and um they were kind of spaced out. They were, you know, they were definitely cooked. And and uh so that that's what it kind of meant when I was growing up.

SPEAKER_00 12:57

No, yeah. Um that's definitely a way to use it. It I wouldn't say it's like what it in this scenario, when you say you're cooked, it's kind of like you've been caught, like you're in trouble. Like you get caught to the principal's office, you're cooked. Your parents are on you, like you're cooked. You just let's say like I just took a test and I knew I failed it, I'd say I'm cooked. Like, I just failed this test. I just bombed it. So yeah, cooked is kind of like it's another negative, but you just say it as like, uh oh, that's not good. Like, if you're cooked, that's not a good thing. I've heard it the way that you use it, like someone's cooked, but yeah, that's definitely I'd say this way is like you're cooked is definitely a way of saying, like, not good, you're in trouble.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

Okay, well, kind of a variation of it.

SPEAKER_00 13:44

Yeah, now you know.

SPEAKER_01 13:45

All right, low key. Well, I think that is what it is, right? That you're you know, kind of on the DL, the down low, play this down, you know, it's not you know, all animated and excited and jumping around, you know, you're low-key, you're you know, kind of uh you know, mellow, whatever the words may be. That that's what I think it means.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Yeah. So I'm gonna say, not exactly. Uh in this one, like low-key, I'd be like, I'm low-key hungry, or low-key, I think we should do this. It just means like I am. It's kind of like people use literally, like I'm literally, literally this. Low-key is just it's kind of like another literally, like I I low-key, am enjoying this podcast. I guess it's like another way to say, like, you are. Alright, good.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

See different meaning, but uh again, similar, right? There's a deviation in there.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

You haven't been too far off.

SPEAKER_01 14:45

You haven't been too far off. Adjacency. All right, fire. Well, uh, my kids use this too, so you know, um, you know, hot, right? You are so in my video, actually it'd be cooking, right? You know, you are you are really rocking, you are, you know, moving, you are playing, you are gaming, you are making it happen on fire. You know, it is rocket ship.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

No, for sure. I think that's right. Like in sports, you know, someone could be like on fire, you know, they're hot, they're making all their threes, they're scoring touchdowns. Um, but it can also be like you're fire, like you're looking fire, like your quarter zip. Quarter zips are in right now. So I could say your fit is fire because a lot of people are wearing quarter zips and you're rocking it, so you're you got a fire quarter zip on.

SPEAKER_01 15:31

Uh well, the next one is bro. So, you know, hey bro, come on over here, or hey, bro, let's go do this. Or, you know, in my day that was dude, you know, um, you know, like look at that dude over there, look at that bro over there, you know. I mean, so I think it's you know, sort of friend, sort of person, you know, a way of describing somebody, you know, in just a slang way, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Yeah, that's absolutely right. Um, I definitely say there was a point where I used too much, I'd call my mom, bro, and she did not like it. Yeah, I would. So I'm like, bro, I'm your mom. So yeah, that's definitely it. Right on the head, just like an informal way, talking to your friends.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

So the last one is drippy, and I have heard my son use this too. And this goes back to kind of this style thing, or you know, I don't know that this is drippy, but you know, if you're like high fashion, right? You are, you know, the latest and greatest. You know, that to me would be what that describes.

SPEAKER_00 16:30

Pretty much that's it. Drippy usually refers to like what you're wearing, you know, your accessories, watches, even just your clothes, you know, you're looking drippy. Uh, yeah. So you pretty much know that one, you're looking good, slay, stuff like that. Yeah, there you go. See, use them both. Perfect. Well, out of all those, you got most of them, and even the ones you didn't get, I still think you were like you were close enough, you know. So I'd I'd say great job. Round of applause. I'll give you like a seven out of ten. I like it. Cool. Yeah, absolutely. So thank you for playing that with me. Uh, we're gonna jump right back in, just like a few more questions, and then we'll get you out of here. Um, the next thing I want to know is who is the most famous person you've met and where was it?

Meeting Three U.S. Presidents

SPEAKER_01 17:13

Yeah, I mean, everybody's got a different definition of famous, right? And honestly, in this job, I've met so many people, famous people, prominent people, uh you know, celebrities, sports heroes, you know, there's just so many. Um I I think you know, meeting um, you know, with and and talking with you know several presidents of the United States has been probably you know the most um you know, again, I don't know about famous, but um special, you know, people that you just a lot of people don't get to do that. And it's and again, not just meeting them, but being able to talk to them, you know, have a conversation and and especially talk about our work, right? What we do at boys and girls clubs. So, you know, I've got to meet in the Oval Office three different presidents of the United States, and um some of them multiple times, and that's been really kind of cool.

SPEAKER_00 18:13

Yeah, that's definitely special. I don't know how it gets more special than that. Can you tell us who they were? So um the last three Barack Obama, uh President Trump, and President uh Biden. Cool. That's amazing that you've had that opportunity. I've seen, I didn't know that you were able to speak to them, but I've seen that usually the people that make it to National Youth of the Year, they get the opportunity to speak to those presidents as well. Absolutely. Yeah, so that's super awesome. Now now you know you got to meet last three presidents. That's that's amazing. Um yeah, next thing I have uh actually the last question I have for you is what is one thing or what is one piece of advice you would have for teens or just youth who are considering joining the boys and girls club? Give it a try.

Advice For Teens Considering The Club

SPEAKER_01 18:57

Um you know, I think too many teens, kids, whatever, uh pass judgment or form an opinion uh on anything really. Uh, but certainly thinking about a boys and girls club, they they don't try, right? They don't even go, they don't even find out. They're just like, I don't want to do that. So I would say to anyone thinking about it, give it a try, go experience it, see what you think, and then make your decision. Um, that's what I would tell anyone. And I would also say that it's different for different people. So even if you have somebody you know that said, hey, you know, that's uh you only do your homework there or something like that, maybe that's their impression, but others, as you know, there are far more many things to get involved with and do. So I think uh even if someone gives you an impression or perception, I would say it's different for different people. So go try it.

Gratitude, Closing, And Subscribe

SPEAKER_00 19:53

Absolutely. And that is everything that I have for you. But I just I wanted to give you the biggest shout out. Uh as You know, like the Boys and Girls Club has millions of club kids. Like you guys represent and serve so many youth, so many children, so many teens. Um, and just that you're able as a CEO to take time out and come join our podcast, Youth Unmuted, it means a lot. It shows how much you really care uh about like the students and the youth that you're able to uh meet with and be a part of. And I'm honored to have you. I know you said it's an honor that you're in the position as CEO, but we're honored to have you as a CEO and even just as like a human being, you know. I feel like we had some great conversations, and I'm really looking forward to allowing everyone to hear it and just thank you again for taking time out to be here. And I can't wait to be able to meet with you again.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

Well, absolutely. Anytime, happy to do it and happy to help out. And it's good to see you and hope to see you again soon, too.

SPEAKER_00 20:47

Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you guys for listening. That is all I have. And join us next time on Youth Unmuted. Thank you all for tuning in again. I am Holden, your host. Please like this video and subscribe to Youth Unmuted wherever you get your podcast. Until next time, peace.