The Art of Making a Place Matter

In this episode of IgniteCast, Judd Wilson and Taylor Tutor sit down with Molly Nolan, Executive Director of the GumTree Museum of Art, to discuss leadership, confidence, community impact, and the power of stepping into opportunities before you feel fully ready.

Molly shares her journey from graphic designer and startup employee to leading one of Tupelo’s most treasured cultural institutions. She reflects on the importance of understanding the people you lead, finding purpose in your work, and learning to embrace uncomfortable opportunities that foster growth.

The conversation explores how Molly is helping reshape the perception of the GumTree Museum by creating a more welcoming, community-centered space that engages both longtime supporters and a new generation of artists and art lovers. As a wife, mother, nonprofit leader, and advocate for the arts, Molly offers valuable insight on balancing responsibilities while staying true to your values.

Whether you're navigating a career change, stepping into a leadership role, or looking for ways to make a difference in your community, this episode is a reminder that leadership often begins with simply saying "yes" when the opportunity arises.

🎧 Tune in for a conversation about confidence, purpose, service, and helping others see new possibilities through art and community.

Big thanks to iHeartMedia—our Presenting Sponsor for the entire IgniteCast podcast and the powerhouse fueling this season’s episodes! 🔊🔥 

🎧 New episodes drop every other Thursday, packed with insight, inspiration, and actionable ideas to help you grow as a leader—right where you are.

Want to learn more about the Ignite Leadership Conference?
 Visit 👉 www.igniteleadership.com

Transcript

# IgniteCast S8 E3: Molly Nolan

**Taylor Tutor:**
Welcome to *IgniteCast*, where ideas spark action. Brought to you by the Community Development Foundation, your Chamber of Commerce and economic development engine for Tupelo and Lee County. Thank you to our presenting sponsor, iHeartMedia, for powering this season of *IgniteCast*. I’m Taylor.

**Judd Wilson:**
I’m Judd.

**Taylor Tutor:**
And welcome to *IgniteCast*.

**Judd Wilson:**
We’re here, Taylor, at *IgniteCast*. You know what I love?

**Taylor Tutor:**
Tell me, Judd.

**Judd Wilson:**
It’s the official podcast of the Ignite Leadership Conference. I love saying that because I’m hoping people are searching for the unofficial one.

**Taylor Tutor:**
Do you feel very official?

**Judd Wilson:**
I do. I do when I say that. But you know what I get excited about? It’s right there in front of us, if you think about it.

**Taylor Tutor:**
Ignite?

**Judd Wilson:**
Ignite. It’s going to be the 10th year.

**Taylor Tutor:**
The 10th year. And I am so excited about our speaker.

**Judd Wilson:**
Speaker or speakers?

**Taylor Tutor:**
Speakers.

**Judd Wilson:**
Wow. Tell us who they are. Here we go.

**Taylor Tutor:**
On our 10th year of Ignite, our key speaker will be...

**Judd Wilson:**
Taylor, did you just cuss?

**Taylor Tutor:**
You’ll never know.

**Judd Wilson:**
Why can’t you tell us?

**Taylor Tutor:**
It’s a secret.

**Judd Wilson:**
Now she’s got me using bad language.

**Taylor Tutor:**
No.

**Judd Wilson:**
We’re having a little bit of fun, but it is our 10th year, and we’ve got some great speakers. We can’t release them yet, but we will soon.

**Taylor Tutor:**
Yes.

**Judd Wilson:**
So guess what that means? You just have to stay tuned.

**Taylor Tutor:**
You have to stay tuned. You have to follow us on social media. You have to listen to every episode. Who knows who it’ll be?

**Judd Wilson:**
Exactly. Hopefully we won’t have to use the bleep button anymore.

**Taylor Tutor:**
But let’s get started with today’s episode. I’m so excited to have our guest today, Molly Nolan, director of the Gum Tree Museum of Art, mother of two, and wife of an elected official. Molly, you do it all.

**Molly Nolan:**
Oh, it’s fun. It’s fun.

**Judd Wilson:**
I know her family well, so I get to see her in action.

**Molly Nolan:**
That’s right.

**Judd Wilson:**
You do a great job.

**Taylor Tutor:**
You do, Molly. We start every episode with this question, and I want to start today’s with it as well: What is the best leadership tip you’ve ever been given?

**Molly Nolan:**
Oh, my gosh. You know, it’s funny to think of myself as a leader. I’ve never been in this type of position as executive director, which sounds a lot more official than I feel like it really is.

I guess most of the leadership I’ve learned came from when I worked in a startup role for a candle company, of all things. I’ve had many jobs, but I think really learning to relate to the people who work for you and with you is one of the biggest leadership lessons.

Being able to understand what their jobs are and lead them in a way where you understand exactly what they’re doing is so important. I’ve gone into leadership positions kind of blind, and that doesn’t really work. When you don’t know where the people who work with you and for you have been, what they’ve done before, and what their work actually looks like, just knowing the end goal usually doesn’t work.

It’s usually best to understand exactly what their job has been and what it needs to be so you can walk them through what they need to do and be a better leader, if that makes sense.

**Judd Wilson:**
It does. I like that. It kind of feeds into mentorship, not really mentorship exactly, but sort of that idea of knowing what a person is doing. Did you rely on mentors when you were doing that? How did you plan that?

**Molly Nolan:**
I may have had a few mentors. I never had someone where I said, “This is my mentor,” but I think I’ve seen other women in different industries I’ve been in grow with businesses and step up to the plate, usually at times when you don’t really want to.

You kind of feel like you have to. I don’t think I was the only choice for executive director at the Gum Tree Museum, but I like to tell people that sometimes I feel like I was in the right place at the wrong time. And sometimes it feels like the wrong place at the wrong time.

I was on the board at the museum, and we knew the previous director was going to be moving. She had written that into her plan, and I was there. It was kind of like, “Well, if nobody else is going to do it, I guess I’m going to do it.” And I’m glad I did. It’s been a lot of fun.

I think being in that spot and saying, “I guess I’m going to have to step up and do it,” is just kind of what happens.

**Judd Wilson:**
That’s kind of neat because you served on the board, and a lot has changed down there. You’re doing a lot more events. I see a lot more activity happening there, and a little bit of a different age group of people coming in. Not that it was just older people before, but sometimes when I pass by and you’re having an event, it seems like there are a lot more younger people. Was that part of your vision?

**Molly Nolan:**
Yeah. It’s so important to have a huge range of supporters, especially for a nonprofit. We value and love all of our members. We have a wonderful group of men and women who have been involved in the museum since the ’80s, when we were established as a museum. I believe it was 1985.

A lot of those members are still involved. I still talk with them. I love to hear their stories. But when I started at the museum, I thought, “We’ve got to get some newer, younger people involved.” I know there are so many younger people in Tupelo who love art and would love to support it. It’s really just reaching out and finding those people.

Of course, social media is super helpful, so establishing that and really using it as a platform has been important. I know some younger artists, and getting them involved and introducing them to our older patrons has been really fun to watch.

Seeing some of these younger artists come in and meet older people, and seeing the things we can all learn from each other, has been great. That has really been my whole vision for the museum: for it to be this community that Tupelo thrives on, needs, and wants. It’s been fun.

**Judd Wilson:**
I love that.

**Taylor Tutor:**
I do too. I think the perception of the museum has changed since there has been more youth involved. It seems like there is a lot more variety of events and art there. I think you’ve done a great job with that.

I’d like to play a clip from Ignite 2021. We had a speaker who I think is very relatable to you, so let’s listen to that clip.

**Jess Ekstrom:**
The tasks that are in your job description are probably your answer when someone asks, “Hey, what do you do?” But meaningful work is powered by a deeper connection to purpose.

The people who truly were fulfilled and satisfied in their jobs chose not to look at their job as a job, but as a service to humanity. So often we think in order to do something good, we have to leave what we’re doing. There is so much good that can be done right where we are, in the role that we have, because meaningful work is not something that is assigned to you or found elsewhere. It is created by you, not by anyone else.

And the people who are truly fulfilled and satisfied in their jobs could answer this question: Who do you serve?

**Taylor Tutor:**
That clip talks a lot about motivation, confidence, and purpose. Jess was also a mother, just like you, and a working mom. I think one thing we can all relate to, not just as women, is having confidence in uncertain areas.

Maybe you were at the right place at the right time, or the wrong place at the right time.

**Molly Nolan:**
I don’t tell everybody that, but I guess I do now.

**Judd Wilson:**
Because this is the official podcast.

**Molly Nolan:**
That’s right. This is official.

**Taylor Tutor:**
But I think it kind of goes into even me asking you to do this. You said, “I don’t know. That’s going to make me kind of nervous.” But putting ourselves in uncomfortable positions also helps us grow and helps us find our confidence.

Talk a little bit about how you found your confidence, and what you would tell women who think they’re not qualified for the job they’re actually in.

**Molly Nolan:**
I love that question. I also loved what Jess said: “The people who truly were fulfilled and satisfied in their jobs chose not to look at their job as a job, but as a service to humanity.” I love that.

I have a degree from Mississippi State in graphic design, and I graduated in 2010. That was right after 2008, so it was really hard to find a job. I remember people thinking, “You are crazy for trying to be any type of artist in this economy.”

Coming from that and starting in product development, I really had no idea what I was doing. I had to learn what I wanted to do, and not only what I wanted to do, but what I needed to do. What was fulfilling to me?

It wasn’t going into work at 7:00 and leaving at 7:00 every day and just being miserable. Where I am now, working in a nonprofit and working with artists and community members, I get to connect people. Someone may be looking for a certain type of mentor, and I can say, “Oh, I know the perfect person. She was in yesterday. She’s new to Tupelo.”

Being that kind of connection has been so fulfilling to me.

**Taylor Tutor:**
What would you tell a young leader about feeling confident in the role they’re in, or feeling like they have a seat at the table?

**Molly Nolan:**
That’s so important, feeling like there is always a spot. You’re probably not going to find it on your first try, but don’t give up.

It may take several different jobs and positions to figure out, “Okay, that’s not really where I want to put myself. I don’t like the outcome of what my job is there.” I wanted to be somewhere where I could feel my best and feel truly comfortable with my core values and who I am in my job.

So I would say patience and not settling. And I’m not talking about grind culture. I’m talking about really thinking about what you’re doing, who you’re serving, and making sure that aligns with what you believe in.

I’m 37, about to be 38, and I started this job almost two years ago. So it was a little bit later when I really found something I truly enjoy. And I really, truly enjoy working where I work now.

**Taylor Tutor:**
I used to work with college students, and if they didn’t know their major or what they wanted to do, I would think, “Who really does at 18?” I would always tell them, “Maybe don’t focus on figuring out exactly what you want to do. Maybe figure out what you don’t like.”

The only way you’re going to do that is by exploring different things. Work this part-time job. Do this internship. Shadow this person.

**Molly Nolan:**
Put yourself out there.

**Taylor Tutor:**
Exactly. And I think you can do that at any age. You don’t have to limit it to being 18 or being in college.

**Judd Wilson:**
I love how you talked about it not just being a job, but your passion. Taylor mentioned that you’re a mother of two and married to a public official. It’s Bentley. We all know Bentley.

**Molly Nolan:**
We all know that.

**Judd Wilson:**
He’s also a local business owner, and he’s new to the City Council. When he ran for that, he didn’t just say, “Hey, I’m running.” That was sort of a family decision.

**Molly Nolan:**
It was. And listen, I had my heels dug in. I was like, “I am not your girl for that.” But after we talked about it and prayed about it, as a family we said, “Okay.”

Again, it kind of turned into, and I’m speaking for him, sorry Bentley, but it was like, “If not you, who else?” That’s kind of the way I feel in my personal life too. If I’m not going to do it, who else is going to do it?

I think I might be good for that job. And that’s kind of how he felt about his position too. We’ve learned that together over the past couple of years.

**Judd Wilson:**
But it’s giving back. That’s what you do at the museum. That’s what he does. It can be a thankless job sometimes.

**Molly Nolan:**
It can be. But it’s like, who are you really doing it for? If you’re doing it for the people who don’t thank you, then it’s not really them. It’s the people who appreciate and value your work.

**Judd Wilson:**
I love that.

**Taylor Tutor:**
Molly, thank you so much. It’s been so good to sit down and talk to you. I’m excited for all the things coming up at the Gum Tree Museum.

**Molly Nolan:**
Lots of fun stuff. A fun summer.

**Taylor Tutor:**
If someone wants to know about events there, where can they go?

**Molly Nolan:**
We have Instagram and Facebook, of course. It’s Gum Tree Museum. It’s pretty easy to find. We don’t have a lot of other people trying to be us, which is really nice. Not yet.

We also have a website, gumtreemuseum.com. Come by the museum Tuesday through Friday, 11:00 to 4:00. We’re open every day except Saturday and Monday. That’s another thing I’m trying to let people know: we’re open.

Except Sundays and Mondays, but come by and see us. We have lots of fun stuff happening in the near future.

**Taylor Tutor:**
That’s great. I’m so excited for you. Thanks so much for being here today and sitting down and chatting with us.

**Molly Nolan:**
Thank you.

**Judd Wilson:**
Always a pleasure.

**Taylor Tutor:**
Thanks for tuning in to another episode of *IgniteCast*, presented by iHeartMedia. For more leadership insights and engaging conversations, be sure to hit subscribe. And if you enjoyed today’s episode, we’d love for you to leave a review. And remember, go forth and do good things.

**All:**
Go forth and do good things.