Your Voice. Your Legacy. Leading the World Forward with Love
- Sep 17
- 3 min read
By Genevieve Piturro
Creating a legacy was never my intention. My dream was to climb the corporate ladder as high as I could in the TV business. And 12 years in, I was exactly where I wanted to be - caught in a whirlwind of ambition - thrilling, relentless, and impressive to my family and friends. I was on track, ready for the next promotion, even as I ran on empty. As I approached the coveted VP Marketing title, a sudden inner voice challenged my path – and my choices. I heard, “If this is the next 30 years of your life is this enough?” Weeks later a simple question from a six-year-old girl in an emergency shelter changed everything. I soon jumped off the corporate ladder and founded, Pajama Program.
This year, the Program celebrates its 24th anniversary, having delivered more than eight (8) million pajamas and books to date through its 40 chapters around the U.S.
Now that was a whirlwind move. Listening to my heart-voice changed everything. Little did I know that creating a legacy started with embracing and sharing that voice and the vision it sparked. Leaving corporate life to start a nonprofit wasn’t easy - but I found my moxie and powered my purpose, and the chain of events set in motion by that little girl is creating a legacy we can only attribute to the magic of the human connection.
Today we say goodbye to "bosses" and welcome "leaders," who are spearheading a major change in philosophy in our business world. So many of us are now following their example and focusing on what it means to live - and lead, with integrity that goes beyond self-interest. As we’re drawn toward purpose-driven lives and leadership, we find ourselves admiring those who honor their legacy and lead by following their own North Star - inviting us to do the same. By following our hearts and speaking from them, we begin to see that our unique purpose holds the power to create lasting impact. We're finally learning that it's not the power of one that changes the world - it's the power of one another that moves mountains and people.
Leading with Love is my way of honoring those who taught me to follow my heart to the beauty, dignity, and grace that emerge when we align our impact with the legacy we aspire to leave. I’m honored to pass along some of the simple, yet powerful wisdom shared with me by the people who showed, through their lives and actions, what true leadership really looks like.
Spend quiet time re-examining your choices and paths, evaluating the possibility of making changes, weighing the costs and benefits of a different life, and deciding how you want to contribute to our world consciously and passionately.
Listen to the inner messages that make your heart sing. When your heart’s voice is speaking up, summon the courage to follow its lead and take action. This is why you’re here. This voice is your legacy emerging.
So, the crucial questions to ask ourselves now are, how can I live my life with passion and purpose? What do I want to contribute? How can I inspire my family, my community, my colleagues? Are my actions supporting the best person I can be? And yes, finally, how do I want to be remembered?
By deciding right now how we want to live our lives and how we choose to express ourselves, we’re making our mark on the world.
Connect With Genevieve
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