I view leadership much like motherhood — you should always be preparing to work yourself out of the job. My goal is to empower those around me, teaching them the fundamentals while giving them the freedom to develop their own approaches. I believe that a leader guides the path, but everyone contributes to building the road together.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Grace Cowan.
Grace Cowan is a dynamic leader with a career spanning concert production, community advocacy, and South Carolina politics. She is the founder of Birthday Buds, an organization that teaches children about giving by pairing them with under-resourced peers who share the same birthday month. Grace also founded Frogmore Stew, a nonpartisan podcast focused on South Carolina politics, featuring key issues and interviews with candidates from all political parties.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Politics was the last field I ever expected to pursue. In 2012, I had two young children, had just wrapped up a rewarding career in the music industry, and was volunteering with child-focused nonprofits. That same year, I founded Birthday Buds, which introduced me to a variety of families facing unique challenges. Through these connections, I grew increasingly interested in social services, especially the policies that impacted the families we served and how politically driven decisions shape our communities.
After moving back home to South Carolina in 2018, following a decade in New York City, I became intrigued by that year’s election, particularly by Senate candidate Jaime Harrison. His focus on healthcare, especially the issue of hospital closures in South Carolina, led me to research more about state policies. I was struck by how few people understood the decisions being made at our State Capitol and how those policies affect our daily lives. Over the next several years, I immersed myself in voter data, the workings of the state legislature, and the organizations influencing local policies. I examined how party dynamics and legislative structures allowed for district manipulation.
To bridge this gap in awareness, I launched a podcast called Pop-Politics, where I blend South Carolina’s pop culture with key political insights to make policy discussions accessible and engaging. It’s been an exciting journey connecting my background with my drive to foster informed communities.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
I was reading a book called How to Make Your Kid a Money Genius (Even if You’re Not) by Beth Kobliner. I was still a young parent and was trying to cover all my bases! I got to the chapter on “giving” and it mentioned Birthday Buds! I was shocked. We didn’t know Beth, and we didn’t know she was going to put us in her book!
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
One of our first big interviews was with a man named Dr. Alan Lichtman. He wrote a book called Predicting the Next President that discusses a data-driven concept of 13 keys to predicting the next President, rather than following the polls. He’s often on the major networks, and it was a big deal to have him on my brand-new podcast! I was so diligent in doing research and in choosing the questions I asked him.
The very first question I asked him, he responded with, “That’s not accurate, where did you find that?” My notes were so jumbled I couldn’t find the source and had to move on with another question…but I was rattled for the rest of the interview. Thank God for TJ, my editor and producer — he cleaned up my “um’s”!
From that moment on, my notes are typed out, very organized, and have sources next to every single question!
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
Every day, we receive heartfelt notes, videos, and photos from families involved with Birthday Buds — both from those giving and those receiving. While we can track the number of gifts we send, the families we support, and other statistics, the most meaningful impact we create is in the joy! Joy isn’t something you can measure; it’s felt. And we see so much joy shared in the act of giving, mirrored equally in the experience of receiving.
We designed Birthday Buds to avoid the typical feel of charity; our goal is to empower families rather than make them feel as though they’re simply recipients. Families tell us exactly what their child needs or wants, ensuring each gift reflects their child’s individuality. This way, it’s truly a lift up from the community — not just a handout. Ultimately, we want families to feel connected, supported, and celebrated by their community, and that’s what makes our work so rewarding.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
Many of our families face challenging financial situations, and some have endured significant hardships — everything from fires and hurricanes to incidents of violence. Because our program supports children through their twelfth birthday and includes siblings, we form long-term relationships with the families we serve, often connecting with them multiple times each year. When a crisis strikes, we’re often one of the first calls families make. Our team may be small, but we’re incredibly agile and responsive, which allows us to act quickly and with compassion — no red tape, just direct support.
On a happier note, I met a little boy who’s been a Birthday Bud since he was a baby. When I was introduced to him, his mom called me “The Birthday Lady,” and his eyes lit up. He rattled off every single thing he’d received for his last birthday and went into detail about each item. His next birthday was only a month away, and he launched into what he’d asked for. I got to feel like a distant cousin of Santa or the Tooth Fairy in that moment… and it was pretty awesome.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
There sure are! South Carolina is very imbalanced in representation.
- The districts are partisan gerrymandered, meaning the politicians in power essentially pick their voters. We need an independent redistricting committee to ensure that when the 2030 census happens, the districts can be drawn with communities and regions represented over partisanship.
- Pay our legislative representatives a working salary. Currently, if you are a member of the State House or State Senate, your pay is just over $10,000/year. You are required to be in Columbia most days of the week from January through May. Think about who can take that job? To be in Columbia for five months and only make $10,000? Only a small portion of the people in our state have the flexibility and financial status to have the privilege to serve in our legislature.
- We need fewer elections. There is a joke in South Carolina that “if it’s a Tuesday, there’s an election.” Having so many elections creates voter apathy. It sets up elected officials that are only elected by a very small portion of the population they are representing.
How do you define leadership? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
I view leadership much like motherhood — you should always be preparing to work yourself out of the job. My goal is to empower those around me, teaching them the fundamentals while giving them the freedom to develop their own approaches. I believe that a leader guides the path, but everyone contributes to building the road together.
I’m a strong believer in asking questions; people often share more than expected when asked specific, thoughtful questions, which leads to more holistic and inclusive decision-making. I also think it’s essential for leaders to show vulnerability. By being open about my own growth and the lessons life continues to offer, I try to encourage a culture of learning and authenticity.
Building connections is another core value for me. I strive to ensure that our network is always expanding, as our relationships fuel new opportunities and insights. Finally, I genuinely appreciate feedback. You can’t know what’s working — and what isn’t — without an open, honest dialogue where everyone feels encouraged to share their perspective.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
1. Read something every single day. Stay current on news and pop culture. I read for a minimum of 2 hours every single day. I switch up what I’m reading between newspapers, magazine articles, and Substack writers. And I always have a book in my bag. The knowledge helps you in so many ways, but also helps in having something to converse about with just about anyone. It makes meeting new people much easier and helps your conversation skills!
2. Learn the basics of accounting. I am not a fan of this, but it is imperative for all aspects of life and business. As you’re coming up in business, knowing how to write and read a budget is vital.
3. Say yes to everything, and it will help you realize what you want to edit. If you want to keep evolving, you have to know what you don’t want to do before you can narrow down what you do want to do. I have done so many absurd things, but they’ve always led me to the things I love doing.
4. Stay in touch with everyone you love. Even if it means a quick text when you’re thinking about them. They will keep you grounded and feeling loved.
5. Do something competitive at least once a week outside of work! I play tennis, and it allows me to be competitive on the court and not in the office.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Smiling and saying hello! I smile at everyone. Even in the car. I find that when you smile at someone, their posture changes and most of the time, they smile back! Receiving a smile reminds you that the world is a kind place.
What’s the most important “life lesson” that you have learned? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Every summer, my dad’s side of the family — my uncles, aunts, cousins, second cousins, etc. — rent one house at a lake in Georgia. We all pile into a house for a week. We do one big grocery trip and cook all meals in the house. Board games, fishing, swimming, kayaking, jigsaw puzzles, and lots of cooking. There are usually about 26 of us in a 5 or 6-bedroom house. It is chaotic. You sleep where you fall! It is a week to remind all of us who we are, where we started, and where we’re going as a family. My kids know all about their great-great-grandparents and distant relatives through stories they’ve heard on that trip. They know recipes and funny quirks, and every story that plays on repeat about funny family history. If you are grounded by where you came from, you can go anywhere.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Beyoncé, of course. I think we would be best friends!
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Birthdaybuds.org
@birthdaybud (Instagram)
Frogmorestewsc.com
@frogmorestewsc (Instagram)
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Grace Cowan Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.