60 seconds with courtnie coble: “at mile 18, i remember who i am.”

In some ways, I like to say that Courtnie Coble and I have grown up together. We met at a coworking space shortly after we each started our businesses in 2015, and over the last decade, we've had the chance to watch each other – and our work – grow. When you own a business, ten years holds a lot of life. You become different versions of yourself as a leader, a friend, and a human. Courtnie and I have had the privilege of witnessing that evolution in each other.

I've known Courtnie since The Academy of Goal Achievers (TAOGA) was a very busy side hustle, and today, I have the honor of serving on its board. I've had a front-row seat to watch her grow as a founder, a leader, and an unwavering advocate for young people. This year alone, TAOGA served 1,976 young people. That's 1,976 students (and their families) whose lives were touched, but it's also thousands of moments of encouragement, mentorship, confidence, and possibility. 

If that’s not Courtnie, I don’t know what is.

What has always impressed me most, though, isn't the growth or the numbers. It's that Courtnie built the very organization she once needed herself. There's something incredibly powerful about someone choosing to become for others what they didn't always have. In honor of Black Philanthropy Giving Day on August 28th, I'm grateful to introduce you to one of my favorite humans. Courtnie and the entire TAOGA team are doing deeply important work, and I hope you'll enjoy getting to know her as much as I have.

– meg

toth shop (ts): Black Philanthropy Giving Day (August 28th) is a massive moment for celebrating and mobilizing funding for Black-led organizations. As a Black female CEO who has scaled a nonprofit from serving a small cohort of 15 students to impacting thousands annually, what does this specific day mean to you personally and for the future of TAOGA?

Courtnie Coble (CC): This is the day that, for every investment and level of support into TAOGA's mission, the community becomes the "we" who keeps it moving. That's important. As a Black female CEO, leading and sustaining this work at a high level for over 10 years alongside a great team is a GIFT. This is the day we should not only be seen, but empowered to continue and thrive through financial investments.

ts: TAOGA champions a "multi-entry, low-barrier" model that embraces the idea that All Pathways Matter. Why is it so important to dismantle the traditional "college-only or bust" narrative for modern youth and families?

CC: It’s important we create a space where students understand they belong first. With that, we must value them as people alongside the pathways THEY choose. It’s our job to make access to opportunity as easy as possible. TAOGA is a place where students don’t have to earn access with a GPA requirement, but a place that reaffirms they were born worthy of access—and we take it from there. We have students with everything from a 4.8 GPA down to a 2.3 GPA. What matters is grit over academics.

ts: In 10 words or less, how would you define your leadership style / approach?

CC: Relational, strategic, empathetic, and deeply rooted in lived experience.

ts: Your LinkedIn bio concludes with a deeply personal and powerful line: "I created what I needed but didn't receive." When you look back at your journey, what was the moment or hurdle that made you say, "I have to build a system to change this for others"?

CC: When a family member handed me $5 and said, “You're the one who chose to go to college. Don't act like you don’t need it.” That semester, I received a 4.0 straight out of resentment and got two on-campus jobs. It was in that moment I decided not to be a victim, but to take full ownership of my life and begin to overcome and thrive. I truly believe every family I’m supposed to impact was assigned to me right then. I remember thinking, “This isn't right, and it's not fair; I must make sure no one else goes through this.”

ts: Every person we interview answers this same question last – Mile 18 is generally considered to be one of the hardest miles in a marathon. You’re hitting a wall. You’re forced to dig deep. What’s mile 18 in your line of work, or at a point in your career, and what do you tell yourself when you find yourself in the middle of a mile 18?

CC: I remember who I am. I am a “Goal Achiever” no matter how it feels or looks, and I remember what it takes to navigate this life—especially as a Black woman in leadership helping to change the trajectories of generations of Black families. I also remind myself to move forward; I lean in and remember, “All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord."