On Wednesday, July 22, Kip Hollister, founder and CEO of Boston-based staffing agency Hollister, shared her entrepreneurial story at a reception for college students and recent graduates who are a part of The Posse Foundation, a college access and youth leadership development program.
“I am very proud to be a Posse mentor and am thrilled to be able to share my experiences and perspective with Posse Scholars who are so highly motivated and have enormous potential,” said Hollister. “The Posse Foundation’s mission is very much aligned with Hollister’s commitment to community outreach, the focus of which is improving education and professional development through mentorship.”
Posse identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who are often overlooked by traditional college selection processes. The Foundation extends to these students the opportunity to pursue personal and academic excellence by placing them in supportive, multicultural teams of 10 students (Posses) at leading colleges and universities. The Foundation’s partner colleges and universities award Posse Scholars four-year, full-tuition scholarships.
Hollister spoke with Posse Scholars about how she founded Hollister at the age of 26 based on her own personal values of open communication, integrity, and passion, which she learned as a child participating in discussions with her parents and four siblings around the dinner table. She credited her values as helping her to effectively manage and grow Hollister, and steer the company safely through two previous recessions. Today, she continues to rely on her same personal values to help her successfully guide her business though the challenging economy.
“We are so appreciative of Kip for collaborating with Posse and sharing her entrepreneurial story,” said Susan E. Dalelio, director of Posse Boston. “Kip’s energy, perseverance, and passion certainly resonated with our Scholars. Her belief that one’s pursuit of success does not mean that one needs to compromise on values is a conviction that Posse Scholars share and was particularly inspiring to hear from someone as accomplished as Kip.”
After telling her story of personal and professional growth, Hollister answered questions from Posse program participants concerning her motivators, strategies for managing setbacks and negativity, tools for achieving work-life balance, and the challenges she faces as a woman business leader.
About The Posse Foundation:
The Posse Foundation began in 1989 because of one student who said, “I never would have dropped out of college if I had my posse with me.” Today, Posse is recognized as one of the most comprehensive college access and youth leadership programs in the country. The Posse Program’s cohort model helps to ensure that Scholars graduate from college. Posse Scholars are shattering local and national college retention statistics by persisting and graduating at a rate of 90 percent. For more information on The Posse Foundation, please visit www.possefoundation.org.
About Hollister
Founded in 1988, Hollister is a Boston-based, woman-owned, full-service recruiting firm, passionate about connecting talented professionals with jobs in Massachusetts and companies with the best employees. Hollister, Inc. has been recognized as one of Boston’s Fastest Growing Private Companies, Largest Temporary Placement Agencies, and Top 100 Woman-Led Businesses. The company was also recently inducted into the Boston Business Hall of Fame for its consistent commitment to community service and social responsibility. For more information about Hollister, please visit www.hollisterstaff.com
