In this inspiring episode of The Neil Haley Show, host Neil Haley and co-host Eric Couch sit down with supermodel-turned-business mogul Kathy Ireland, whose Kathy Ireland Worldwide generates over a billion dollars annually across furniture, fashion, diamonds, real estate, and FinTech. Ireland passionately opens the conversation by discussing her role as International Youth Chair for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, urging listeners to join Team 43—a movement recognizing that 43 children are diagnosed with cancer daily while receiving less than 5% of cancer research funding. She shares how cancer has personally impacted her family, including their pastor's daughter Daisy, and emphasizes the organization's transparency with a 100% Charity Navigator score. Ireland's entrepreneurial journey began humbly at her kitchen table as an "aging pregnant model" in 1993, starting with a single pair of socks after taking out a loan. She and her creative director would load up backpacks, hit the road, and face countless rejections before eventually selling their 100 millionth pair of socks—a milestone she celebrates with genuine gratitude.
Ireland credits her success to lessons learned from modeling's constant rejection, her mother's example of pivoting through various entrepreneurial ventures, and mentors including Elizabeth Taylor, Warren Buffett, and Irv Blumkin of Nebraska Furniture Mart. She reveals her unwavering commitment to ethical business practices, conducting surprise factory inspections to combat human trafficking, which she identifies as the fastest-growing illegal business globally. Her faith provides the foundation for everything she does—she found Christ at 18 after her mother secretly placed a Bible in her suitcase, though she admits to neglecting scripture for years before reading it cover to cover and recognizing where she had gone astray. Ireland's business philosophy centers on "J-O-Y" (Jesus, Others, You), a reminder she would post throughout her home when her children were young to maintain proper priorities. When asked about legacy, she quotes Casting Crowns: "I don't want to leave a legacy. I don't care if they remember me, only Jesus." She emphasizes that putting God first at 44 years old—starting with just 15 minutes of prayer and Bible reading each morning—transformed her life, giving her more and better time with her children while building a business empire that funds humanitarian work addressing hunger, poverty, education, veteran care, and human trafficking prevention.