From Burns Steakhouse to City Hall: The Unconventional Path of Tampa’s Youngest Mayoral Hopeful - Alan Henderson
Transforming Lives Panel Podcast
**Transforming Lives – Episode #?**
*Podcast: “Transforming Lives”*
*Guest: Alan Henderson – 24‑year‑old entrepreneur, community advocate, and mayoral candidate for Tampa*
## 📋 Show Notes
| Time (approx.) | Segment | Key Takeaways |
|----------------|---------|---------------|
| 0:00 – 2:00 | **Intro + Breath Work** | Hosts guide listeners through a calming breathing exercise to set the tone for a focused conversation. |
| 2:00 – 4:30 | **Guest Introduction** | Alan’s background: 24‑year‑old entrepreneur, caregiver, and mayoral candidate. Emphasis on resilience and service. |
| 4:30 – 7:30 | **Early Entrepreneurship** | • Founded first company at 16 while working at **Burns Steakhouse**.<br/>• Learned high standards, compartmentalization, and the value of passion‑driven work. |
| 7:30 – 10:30 | **The “Why” Behind the Startup** | Parents’ belief in him, early venture selling photos for his brother’s football team, and the launch of **Dream Jump**. |
| 10:30 – 13:40 | **From Business to Public Service** | Personal experience caring for his mother exposed the limits of existing systems and sparked a desire to fix them. |
| 13:40 – 16:50 | **A Defining Caregiver Moment** | Confronting an exploitative funeral home bill, Alan insisted on researching alternatives, saving his family money and demonstrating advocacy. |
| 16:50 – 20:00 | **Active Listening as a Super‑Power** | • How acting with Disney, caregiving, and leading teams honed his listening skills.<br/>• Belief that 99 % of politicians lack this skill. |
| 20:00 – 22:30 | **Youth in Politics** | Initially highlighted as the “youngest candidate,” the narrative quickly shifted to his solutions for Tampa’s challenges. |
| 22:30 – 26:00 | **Startup Mindset Meets City Hall** | • Pilot‑first, scale‑later approach.<br/>• Direct collaboration with attorneys, accountants, and planners to break down red‑tape. |
| 26:00 – 28:30 | **Affordable Housing Vision** | • Modular housing, retrofitting hotels, and outcome‑oriented procurement.<br/>• Goal: intergenerational right to housing. |
| 28:30 – 30:30 | **Inspiration & Titan Award** | Influences: Harvard Kennedy professor, President Obama, MLK, Rosa Parks, Toni Morrison.<br/>• “Titan” means unapologetic advocacy and path‑forging for others. |
| 30:30 – 32:00 | **Get Involved** | Website: **hendersonforTampa.org** and social‑media handles. Call for volunteers and supporters. |
| 32:00 – 33:30 | **Rapid‑Fire Wrap‑Up** | • Best lesson from Burns Steakhouse: work hard.<br/>• Mom’s word for him: *empathetic*.<br/>• Go‑to drink: café con leche.<br/>• Superpower: truly seeing people.<br/>• Outdated tech at City Hall: fragmented data processes. |
| 33:30 – End | **Final Message** | “Tampa’s greatest asset is its people.” – Alan’s rallying call to unlock the city’s potential. |
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## 🔑 Highlights & Quotable Quotes
- **On active listening:** “It’s a skill I can’t even imagine facing life without.”
- **On confronting the status quo:** “If it’s broken, the ‘we’ve always done it’ answer isn’t enough.”
- **On youth as an advantage:** “No political baggage… I can focus on making change happen.”
- **On affordable housing:** “Modularism and creative retrofitting—turn empty hotels into homes.”
- **On the Titan award:** “A Titan is someone unapologetically willing to stand up for what they value.”
- **Final tagline:** “Tampa’s greatest asset is its people. Let’s unlock the Tampa of tomorrow, today.”
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## 📚 Resources Mentioned
| Resource | Description / Link |
|----------|--------------------|
| **Campaign Website** | **hendersonforTampa.org** – platform, policy details, volunteer sign‑up. |
| **Social Media** | Search “Henderson for Tampa” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok. |
| **Burns Steakhouse** | Local Tampa institution known for high standards; Alan’s early work experience. |
| **Harvard Kennedy School Professor** | Mentioned as a mentor on imposter syndrome and continuous learning. |
| **Titan Awards** | Recognizes community leaders who exhibit bold, values‑driven leadership. |
| **Modular Housing Models** | Examples can be found through *Modular Housing Institute* and case studies of hotel‑to‑housing conversions. |
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## 🎯 Who Should Listen?
- **Tampa residents** curious about the upcoming mayoral race and new ideas for affordable housing, transportation, and community empowerment.
- **Young entrepreneurs** seeking inspiration on how to translate startup skills into public service.
- **Caregivers & activists** looking for real‑world stories of turning personal challenges into civic action.
- **Policy‑makers & city officials** interested in pilot‑based, data‑driven approaches to cutting bureaucracy.
---
## 📅 Call to Action
1. **Visit the website** – explore Alan’s platform and sign up to volunteer or donate.
2. **Share the episode** – help spread the message that “people are Tampa’s greatest asset.”
3. **Join the conversation** – follow @HendersonForTampa on social media and use #TampaTomorrow to discuss ideas for the city’s future.
Host: Sharmin Prince
Transformational Coach, Entrepreneur, Consultant, Trainer, Content Creator.
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Host: Mitzy Dadoun
Travel, Insurance, Seniors, Teens, Spirituality, Manifestation, Gratitude, Business, Real Estate, author of 6 books
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Podcast Connect:## 🎧 How to Listen
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*Disclaimer:*
- The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast.