About Laddering Your Success
Laddering Your Success (LYS) is a Houston, Texas based social profit organization that is focused on partnering with schools, educational institutions and community organizations to help students turn today’s dreams in a future of unlimited possibilities. Our purpose is centered on creating a future where first-generation, minority, underserved and non-traditional students can easily access knowledge, tools, resources and life-skills to create, select and live a productive and healthy life – from high school, to college and beyond.
Our Mission Statement
Welcome to Laddering Your Success (LYS)! Our organization’s mission and focus is centered on providing all students a pathway for success that is proven and purpose-driven. We provide simple and easy to use strategies to remove roadblocks in their career pursuits and turn today’s dreams into a future path of unlimited possibilities. In pursuit of this goal, we are using a sound game-changing process, developing innovative technological solutions, and most importantly leveraging a team of professionals encompassing decades of professional and educational experience.
The lys process
BEING, KNOWING, and DOING operate or are expressed in seven key domains: Education, cultural, health, financial, spiritual, vocational, and social. These domains are immutable as they provide individual and societal structure.
Meet Our LYS Team
Making an Impact Together
Festus Amoye
Founder / CEO
Olay Shorunke
COO
Wesley Okeke
Business Developer
Festus Amoye
LYS CEO / Founder
Festus is a faithful man, a successful small business owner, a family man, military veteran, and author whose personal success was not a given. He faced massive roadblocks to success such as poverty and the loss of his immigrant parents at a young age.
Despite losing both of his parents at a very young age and battling challenges of poverty, Festus was able to become the first of his family to graduate college with multiple scholarships.
Festus owes not only his success but his very survival to his faith.
On his journey, he has helped over 15 students alone to enroll in college and develop the necessary skills needed to create a successful life.
Despite losing both of his parents at a very young age and battling challenges of poverty, Festus was able to become the first of his family to graduate college with multiple scholarships.
Festus owes not only his success but his very survival to his faith.
On his journey, he has helped over 15 students alone to enroll in college and develop the necessary skills needed to create a successful life.
Olay Shorunke
LYS COO / Instructional Design Specialist
Olay is a Houstonian native who became a teacher with a strong passion for helping young adults reach their potential while learning about who they truly are. Being the first in his family to graduate from college, Olay earned his Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Finance from Midwestern State University.
He has worked in multiple industries such as Sports and Entertainment with the Houston Texans, commercial property management as well as the oil and gas industry.
He has worked in multiple industries such as Sports and Entertainment with the Houston Texans, commercial property management as well as the oil and gas industry.
Wesley Okeke
LYS Business Developer / CEO of Fruition Innovation Tech Labs
Wes’ genesis is a proud Nigerian native whose personal mission has been to ensure that each entrepreneur or engineer’s journey is never a lonely one. He began Fruition Tech Labs after an 18+ year career in Business Development, Marketing and Sales within technology companies based in Boston and Silicon Valley.
He believes in the vital importance of having a simple and clear process in order to successfully take an idea from its raw concept to its complete fruition. He is the creator of the “5 Steps to Fruition” process steps (the fingerprints to your perfect business model). To quote Wes’ “I am big on three valuable keys to success: Collaboration, Sustainability and Personal Growth!”
He believes in the vital importance of having a simple and clear process in order to successfully take an idea from its raw concept to its complete fruition. He is the creator of the “5 Steps to Fruition” process steps (the fingerprints to your perfect business model). To quote Wes’ “I am big on three valuable keys to success: Collaboration, Sustainability and Personal Growth!”
Cleo Franklin
CMO / Adviser
Dr. Heston Young
Compass Program Creator
Jamiee Carter
Director of Business Development
Cleo Franklin
LYS CMO & Adviser / CEO of Franklin Strategic Solutions
Cleo Franklin was raised in Chicago, IL, by a family of small farmers and educators dating back 5 generations. He received his Bachelor’s in Social Work at Morningside College and also earned his Master’s in Business at the University of Houston. His profound connection to agriculture led him to having spent over 30 years as a global senior executive in Mahindra, Case-New Holland and John Deere. Cleo developed new products, businesses and created innovative disruptive platforms that took Mahindra from #6 to #3 in the North American market share.
At LYS, Cleo is responsible for the overall strategy, tactical execution, communications and drivers of revenue for our new disruptive, innovative and dynamic education engagement technology platform. Cleo is also the founder and CEO of Franklin Strategic Solutions that specializes in global leadership development and executive coaching across all industries.
Dr. Heston Young
Co-Founder / Compass Program Creator / Customer Experience Officer
Dr. Young is a former United States Army veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Following his service in the military, he went on to pursue his Bachelors in Science and Biology at the University of Houston. Shortly after, he then completed his Doctoral Degree in Dentistry at Howard University.
Throughout his life, he has remained passionate about giving back and helping guide young adults in need of direction as he once was.
Following his service in the military, he went on to pursue his Bachelors in Science and Biology at the University of Houston. Shortly after, he then completed his Doctoral Degree in Dentistry at Howard University.
Throughout his life, he has remained passionate about giving back and helping guide young adults in need of direction as he once was.
Jamiee Carter
Director of Business Development
Jamiee is the youngest of four children who was born and raised in Southern California. She went on to become the first of four generations to go to college.
Jamiee received her Bachelor’s in Communications and Media at Texas Southern University and later went on to pursue her Master’s in International Business at the University of Houston.
In her early years of living in Houston, she discovered her love for the industry business while working in banking as a Business Development Specialist. After developing skills in business, she went on to start her career in Logistics. Her passion for education is marked by the reality of her being the only senior from her graduating class at a small charter school to pursue higher education immediately upon graduation.
Jamiee received her Bachelor’s in Communications and Media at Texas Southern University and later went on to pursue her Master’s in International Business at the University of Houston.
In her early years of living in Houston, she discovered her love for the industry business while working in banking as a Business Development Specialist. After developing skills in business, she went on to start her career in Logistics. Her passion for education is marked by the reality of her being the only senior from her graduating class at a small charter school to pursue higher education immediately upon graduation.
C.J. Charles
Product Strategist
C.J. Charles
Product Strategist
Mr. Charles grew up in East Texas. He went on to East Texas Baptist University where he competed on a basketball scholarship.
He began his career in education with tutoring and has grown to become a teacher, principal, and certified superintendent.
He is now completing his Doctorate in Education. He joined the LYS team as first as a advisor and now in the capacity of Product Strategist.
How LYS Can Help You
The LYS program consists of customized workshops, products and services focused on the integration of mentoring, character building, and essential skills within the daily classroom curriculum to help students assess, find and build on their strengths, passion and purpose with CTE, STEM, as well as other post-secondary choices.
We Invite You To Take A Step With Laddering Your Success To Help Students Begin The Climb And Build Their Future Today!
At LYS, we live by our values, and encourage others to do the same. We create a foundation for lifelong success through the LYS process of BEING, KNOWING, DOING.
