Jessica Styles

Founder & Executive Director

Athens

My Role

As Founder and Executive Director of Safe Steps Alabama Community Connections, I lead the organization’s overall vision, community outreach, partnerships, education, and advocacy efforts. I work to bring nonprofits, businesses, community organizations, and individuals together rather than duplicating services that already exist. I also oversee our resource navigation and community initiatives while identifying gaps in systems and services that can make it harder for people to access support. At the heart of my role is building connections and creating opportunities for communities to work together around our core belief that safety is a human right.

What I love most about my role

What I love most is watching something that began with my own experiences grow into something that belongs to an entire community. I love making connections between people and organizations that may never have found one another otherwise and seeing those relationships turn into real opportunities to help others. I also love that my role is constantly evolving. I get to learn from people with completely different backgrounds and expertise while finding ways to bring those strengths together. The most rewarding part is realizing that Safe Steps is becoming bigger than the idea I originally had for it, and I get to watch other people help shape what it becomes.

How I define success

I define success by impact, not titles, money, or recognition. If something I build makes it easier for someone to find support, creates a meaningful connection between organizations, or encourages someone else to get involved in their community, that is success to me. I also think success means continuing to grow personally. Safe Steps looks very different today than what I originally envisioned, and I consider that a good thing. Success is being willing to learn, adapt, and allow something to become bigger than yourself.

The best piece of business advice I ever received was

Do not be afraid of hearing no. A no does not always mean the idea is wrong. Sometimes it means you asked the wrong person, approached it the wrong way, or the timing simply was not right. I have learned to take what I can from rejection, adjust my approach, and try another door. Some of the best opportunities I have found came after something else did not work out.

What would I tell my younger self

I would tell her that one day the things she thought had broken her would become some of the very things she used to build a life with purpose. I would tell her to stop measuring herself by other people's opinions and timelines. She does not have to have her entire life figured out by a certain age, and starting over is not the same thing as starting from nothing. Everything she learns along the way will eventually have a place. Most importantly, I would tell her to keep going. She has no idea yet what she is capable of.

What 2B Bolder mean to me

To me, being bolder means being willing to take up space before you feel completely ready. It means speaking up when something needs to change, reaching out even when you might hear no, and being willing to build something that does not come with a roadmap. It also means helping other women recognize that leadership does not have to look one particular way. We can lead through collaboration, lived experience, education, community involvement, and simply having the courage to start.

Years of Experience

I recommend you focus on developing these 3 skills to succeed in a role like mine

Community Partnership Development
Systems Advocacy & Resource Navigation
Public Speaking & Education