2024 Fellow Focus: Chandra Sledge Mathias + Sledge Institute
Charter School founder, believer in leadership for equity and innovation, coach, and educator.
2024 Fellow Chandra Sledge Mathias, Founder of Sledge Institute shares more about her journey as a social impact entrepreneur.
What life experiences propelled you into the entrepreneurial space and made you decide to be your own boss?
Education has opened so many doors for me and has taken me around the world. I've learned so much from innovative schools and school leaders around the globe, and as I witness innovative practices in the schools I encounter, I've always wondered, wouldn't it be cool if a school like this existed in the region where I grew up. Since 2009, I've been asked to start a school, but I knew back then that I wasn't ready, but over the years as I've learned more, and had experiences that really honed my leadership skills and clarified my purpose, I knew that I was ready to move into the entrepreneurial space as a charter school founder. I began seriously working on my venture in 2020 when the world forced me to sit still, and now my charter school, Sledge Institute, has been approved to open in the fall of 2025 in the Kerr Tar region of North Carolina.
What do you enjoy most about being a founder?
I get bored easily, but being a founder has kept my attention! I enjoy working on my passion. Founding Sledge Institute has drawn every emotion out of me. It's been an experience that pushes me and allows me to continuously learn new things, and fortify the skills I already had. Even in the challenging moments, I love this experience of growing my school from an idea to reality.
What do you wish someone had told you before you started your entrepreneurial journey?
I come from a family of entrepreneurs, so i've seen the ups and downs of entrepreneurship up close and personal. Still watching others do it and going through it yourself is not the same! I wish someone had told me that as the life of a founder can be all consuming, I need to also prioritize rest. Rest can bring fresh perspective, but there are times when it's difficult for me to pull myself away from the work.
Tell us about an experience you had as an entrepreneur or in starting your company that exemplified one of Camelback's core values: "Belief in Mission + Vision"; "Unafraid of Failure"; "Constant Learner"; "Humble + Hungry"; and "Give First."
As an entrepreneur I am often living the "constant learner" and "unafraid of failure" spaces. I think those are healthy spaces in which to dwell. As a school founder, I am an expert educator, but a novice business woman. I value feedback (even when it's tough to hear), because I know that the individuals and organizations that I'm partnering with are only helping me grow and helping me improve upon my venture. My typical approach is to try to complete tasks first and even if I fail, i'm "failing forward". My failures are opportunities to learn. There have been many of these instances in my journey, mostly related to the business and operations side of my venture, but one area that I excel in is building an exemplary team. The folks on my team have expertise in areas where I need to grow and because of that, i'm setting myself up to learn from them as we work together.
Let's talk about your legacy. What is your vision for the kind of world you hope to create through your venture?
As a school founder I hope that my school, Sledge Institute, lives on long after I am gone. I hope that the learning environment that we cultivate will allow students to explore the possibilities linked to their passions, and that they learn how to care for themselves and their communities. I hope that through our school model and our partnerships with families and organizations that we can shift perspectives about what rural communities are capable of, what rural schools are capable of, and disrupt the idea that one has to leave the community in order to thrive in life. I also hope that our school will be proof that we can provide high quality education and exceed desired learning outcomes and at the same time create and maintain school cultures that are safe for all students, honors students learning styles, individuality, identities, and experiences.
My vision is that our students experience safety and belongingness. I want my students to have voice and to be able to use what they are learning to influence their community while they are in school, not after they graduate. I also hope that Sledge Institute is a center for professional learning. I love to have fun and enjoy myself while at work. I want the educators and partners in my school as well as the family members to also feel like they are getting something out of the school. They are learning alongside the students, and they are also able to connect their passions to their professional learning. I don't want anyone, students or adults, to feel that they have to "endure" their time at Sledge Institute. I want them to see our school as a place of education, purpose-aligned work, and joy..
What's your favorite book or podcast that you draw entrepreneurial inspiration from?
Lately, I have been listening to Luvvie Ajayi Jones' podcast "Professional Troublemaker". I enjoy hearing about the entrepreneurial journeys of others and the lessons learned along the way. These stories and lessons are helpful to me as I reflect on my own journey.
We know balancing the demands of entrepreneurship and life can be challenging. What are some of your favorite ways to prioritize your self-care?
I am more aware of how I schedule my time, so that I am able to protect time for self-care. I love the word "no". It's so freeing to use it! I love a good spa day and love pausing to rest, whether that's taking a nap, taking a voyage to disconnect, or TURNING OFF MY DEVICE (which I struggle with sometimes).
I'm currently working on increasing the number of hours that I sleep at night (having a busy mind and being a light sleeper is a rough combination). I also notice that I generally feel better when I work out and eat healthy, so that's always a goal of mine. Protecting time for that has been more challenging though as my entrepreneurship journey is unfolding, so pausing to recalibrate is also self-care for me. I lean on my community as well: my husband/homie is a great sounding board and reminds me to step away from the work. He's great for a "Hey, Let's go take a walk and get some fresh air." My mom and sisters always keep me laughing, and my fur-child Kravitz Lenny always brings me joy.
Camelback Fellowship love…
I'm excited to be a Camelback Fellow and I can't wait to see how I will grow through this opportunity. I'm grateful for the opportunity to connect with the other Fellows and the coaches!
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