In this episode of Boss Files, from living on food stamps to becoming CEO, Brian Gallagher knows the reality of struggling to get by all too well. His childhood was tough. One of six children, he and his family relied on food stamps and welfare checks. Today, he's the president and CEO of United Way worldwide, the largest private

nonprofit in the world, in charge of 1,800 United Way's across 40 countries. His candid take on

if America gives enough, the budget cuts they're facing, and his one-on-one meeting with President Trump.

Brian Gallagher, thank you for joining us.

Good to be here, Poppy.

It's nice to have you on.

You get to be CEO of an organization United Way that does so much good all over the world.

It is, no doubt, humbling, and it is a privilege.

14 years you've led United Way. The largest private nonprofit in the world, you guys have 1,800 United Way's across 40

countries. When you wake up every morning and get out of bed, what do you think? What is

mission number one? Most days. Most days it's mission. It's about impacting people's lives

and what am I doing today that's moving me and us in that direction because there's so many

distractions. Business-like distractions, it's a big

organization, you know, it's like running any business and so it's easy to get pulled

away from why you exist. And especially when you're in a national or the worldwide job,

you're not in communities anymore. And so... It's a lot of times for you guys it becomes about raising money.

No doubt. I think about raising money a lot. I think about, again, on my good days,

I think about how you connect need with resource. So that's our job.

130 years old now, or so. What is the need today as you see it?

The need is always the same.

It's education, income, and health.

It's people need, at the end of the day, need to be able to be independent.

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