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The podcast for high-level leaders carrying the invisible weight of the world.
If you’re a founder, executive, or high-ranking leader, you already know this truth: the higher you rise, the fewer people you can safely talk to.
Lonely at the Top is a sanctuary in the storm—a space where the emotional cost of leadership is named, and where relief, clarity, and grounded support are always on the table.
Hosted by Soul Medic and former psychotherapist Rachel Alexandria, this podcast dives into the unspoken realities of high-level decision-making: the pressure, the isolation, the doubt, and the fatigue. Each episode offers insight, emotional tools, and conversations with seasoned leaders who’ve learned to navigate the weight of responsibility without losing themselves.
[00:00:00] Ginger Hitzke: I leave money on the table, when I feel like that's the right thing to do. And I feel like that's being a good leader, being a good leader in society, being civically active and, participating in, the good fight.
[00:00:13]
[00:00:14] Rachel Alexandria: Welcome to Lonely At the Top, a podcast for high level leaders carrying the invisible weight of the world. Because you know the higher you rise, the fewer people you have to safely talk to. Here we welcome founders, executives, and decision makers who feel the isolation and pressure that comes with power.
[00:00:33] Lonely at the top is your sanctuary in the storm, and I'm your host Soul Medic and former psychotherapist, Rachel Alexandria. Today we have Ginger Hitzke. I'm so excited for this interview. I've been looking forward to it. She, she is the president of Hitzke Development Corporation, a first generation real estate developer with 30 years of experience in the field of affordable housing development.[00:01:00]
[00:01:00] Ginger specializes in the construction of new apartments. She's built 500 apartments for her personal portfolio and has developed more than 2000 apartments total that is homing a lot of people who need it Ginger.
[00:01:13] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah.
[00:01:14] Rachel Alexandria: she has, by her own words, been on a lot of boards, including just to name a few, a founding board member for Inclusive Action for the City based in Los Angeles, Boys and Girls Club of San Marcos, and she's currently on the board of Honor Pack. We are so lucky to have you on the podcast today, Ginger. Thanks for coming.
[00:01:37] Ginger Hitzke: Thank you for asking me. I'm excited to be here.
[00:01:41] Rachel Alexandria: So we've known each other for, I wanna say, is it four years, five years
[00:01:47] Ginger Hitzke: Five years since early in the pandemic.
[00:01:50] Rachel Alexandria: in the pandemic. That's the only, only time I've heard that referred to cutely. Early in the pandemic. And we met because of [00:02:00] hair Hub.
[00:02:01] Ginger Hitzke: Mm-hmm.
[00:02:02] Rachel Alexandria: Which is, for folks who don't know, it's started in San Diego. It's a coworking and networking space for, predominantly for female, business founders. And we met on a Zoom call for an accountability group.
[00:02:17] I was running.
[00:02:18] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah. Yeah. And I didn't know, I mistook what the group was, and I thought it was one of those days when we were supposed to like work together. And I was sitting there listening to you, this other woman talk, and I'm like, God, when are they gonna shut up? Like, when do we start working?
[00:02:34] And,
[00:02:34] Rachel Alexandria: You never
[00:02:35] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah. Yeah. And then, the way that you introduced what you did is you said, I help high performers with the secret messes in their life. And I was like, your job is to help me specifically. Like, that's, that's it. And I signed up, boom, boom, boom. And we, just like went, went at it, went to it.
[00:02:57] It was good.
[00:02:58] Rachel Alexandria: We went to it. [00:03:00] Yeah. Ginger became, don't tell any of my other clients that Ginger's been my favorite client
[00:03:05] Ginger Hitzke: Always, always tell me that. Even if it's just lie to me. I, I
[00:03:09] Rachel Alexandria: always and forever. I
[00:03:12] think I sent you an award,
[00:03:14] Ginger Hitzke: Oh,
[00:03:14] Rachel Alexandria: didn't I? Yeah,
[00:03:15] Ginger Hitzke: Yes. Yes you did.
[00:03:17] Rachel Alexandria: Yes. We've known each other a little while, so the conversation may get, I don't know.
[00:03:25] Ginger Hitzke: This should be a good, uh, yes. It's okay to go there.
[00:03:29] Rachel Alexandria: Ginger is not that private of a person, which is one of the things I love about you. 'cause I think I'm similar. When you feel or think things, you just out and say it. We are both Enneagram eights. We haven't really talked about the Enneagram at all on this show, but, uh, for folks who know the Enneagram, we are the same Enneagram type, which is,
[00:03:52] Ginger Hitzke: the eights are the best. I think I heard Amy Poer say she's an eight, and I was like, mm-hmm.
[00:03:58] Rachel Alexandria: yeah, that makes sense. [00:04:00] Yeah, the type eight is the, the boss, the dominator, the master is some of the ways that that can be, regarded. So it's a type that likes power and likes being in control, and you, you know, can do really good things with it, like Ginger does and has some struggle with vulnerability and surrender.
[00:04:22] So
[00:04:23] Ginger Hitzke: Boop right there. Right on the nose.
[00:04:25] Rachel Alexandria: she's like, I don't even wanna say the word
[00:04:27] Ginger Hitzke: Yep.
[00:04:28] Rachel Alexandria: Well, you've known me for a while when you heard that I was launching this podcast and I wanted you to be on it. Lonely at the top. What did that bring up for you?
[00:04:36] Ginger Hitzke: Well, it made perfect sense. Given the type of people that you work with, who, I mean, I'm guessing I, I don't know any of your other clients actually, but I'm
[00:04:46] Rachel Alexandria: Maybe you do, but you would never know.
[00:04:49] Ginger Hitzke: would never know. Yeah. So I mean, I had to imagine everyone that you work with is pretty driven and pretty straightforward and is interested in being honest with themselves.
[00:04:58] 'cause that's the [00:05:00] only way that could be working with you. So there's no BS going on here. Um,
[00:05:06] Rachel Alexandria: Nope.
[00:05:07] Ginger Hitzke: but that are like, that are sensitive and that are kind of a mess in some way. So very accomplished, accomplished messes probably, guessing I'm just
[00:05:18] Rachel Alexandria: But when you think about being lonely at the top, is that something that resonates for you?
[00:05:24] Ginger Hitzke: yeah, for sure. I mean, it, never ends. It never ends within your own organization. I mean, the nice thing is, is there's lots of people who are the heads of their own organizations, and so you can commiserate with them pretty easily. It's a pretty easy way to bond
[00:05:39] Rachel Alexandria: hmm.
[00:05:40] Ginger Hitzke: people who are being honest with themselves , and an honest with others, can talk about what a challenge it is.
[00:05:47] Just what a personal , challenge it is. Yeah.
[00:05:50] Rachel Alexandria: So you find, 'cause this isn't always the case. I think it depends on industry, but it may also be, you openness and who you attract. [00:06:00] You find that you can easily commiserate with other people who run organizations. You think that's a nonprofit thing more or,
[00:06:08] Ginger Hitzke: no. 'cause I'm not a nonprofit. That is
[00:06:10] Rachel Alexandria: oh, okay.
[00:06:11] Ginger Hitzke: think people mistake a lot.
[00:06:13] Rachel Alexandria: Okay.
[00:06:13] Ginger Hitzke: what I do for a living, because the type of housing that I build is affordable. the reality is that's just the type of money that I know how to use. That's my capital stack that I understand. But some of my, my two of my closest friends, actually, all of my friends own their own businesses. I don't even know who I hang out with that doesn't, at this point in my life. Um, I would say my two male friends who I started in business with around the same time, was at the time my architect and then, and business partner, and then my civil engineer.
[00:06:46] And, um, you know, it's just hard. It's hard. , You know, payroll is an issue when you're like starting and it's so challenging and it's exhausting. And then it's employee issues [00:07:00] like other human beings and them having free will, like what's up with that? And um, you know, and then being really concerned about sort of like slowing down, uh, it a little more easy as you are, older and more established in your company. I've had my company for 17 or 18 years, and
[00:07:20] Rachel Alexandria: Hmm.
[00:07:21] Ginger Hitzke: I don't have to work as hard anymore.
[00:07:23] And that's a struggle, right? Because, because then , I'm worried, I always have this fear, like end up in the gutter, which is ridiculous. That makes no sense. But,
[00:07:34] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah,
[00:07:35] Ginger Hitzke: yeah.
[00:07:36] Rachel Alexandria: I think it tracks for everyone who came from poverty, and interestingly, a lot of my clients have that story where they're in the, in a CEO suite, but they came from food stamps.
[00:07:48] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah.
[00:07:49] Rachel Alexandria: So that's, a trauma based fear, poverty is a trauma, so it's always a back of mind driver that everyone [00:08:00] that I know who has that story has to continue to work on.
[00:08:04] Ginger Hitzke: give some context to that. 'cause I don't think that was introduced, that was in bio, but that's one of those things that's, it's at the very end of the bio, if anybody ever bothers to go all the way down to the end of the
[00:08:15] Rachel Alexandria: Ginger had a very long bio for context. Ginger had a, had a two page bio and she's like, don't read this. And I'm like, don't worry, I'm not, everyone would turn off the podcast. So we constructed a short bio. Do you, is that okay that I share that?
[00:08:30] Ginger Hitzke: totally.
[00:08:30] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah. Okay.
[00:08:31] Ginger Hitzke: I think it's actually perfect segue to talk about makes being a CEO type person, which I don't have that title. My title is President. I really just am starting to think I wanna change it to boss lady, but because I deal with the government a lot, I think it'll upset certain people that need to be very tidy. Um, but, but, uh, yeah, so I grew up, single mom and, she had me and my sister and, we grew up in apartments [00:09:00] all the time, in the Midwest, in the suburbs of Chicago. we moved out to California a little bit later, uh, when I was a teenager. But just housing, oh my God. Housing affordability.
[00:09:11] Housing. consistency, you know,
[00:09:14] like
[00:09:14] Rachel Alexandria: Reliability.
[00:09:15] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah. Insecurity, that's the word.
[00:09:17] Rachel Alexandria: Oh, okay.
[00:09:17] Ginger Hitzke: housing insecurity uh, always an issue. We, we were always moving, I was always gonna different schools. I knew that it was really stressful for my mom to pay rent
[00:09:27] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:09:27] Ginger Hitzke: It was just something that I can remember probably since I was in junior high. I really understood it. So that makes my job really interesting. like I said, I, I do affordable housing 'cause it's the thing that I know how to do. I started working as a receptionist for a developer, as a temp when I was 19.
[00:09:46] And then I actually went to go work for him when I was like 21, I think. Full-time. And so I've just been in this the the company that I worked for, uh, was an affordable [00:10:00] housing development company. And, just did that until I started my own company. And so it's, it's what I know how to do.
[00:10:09] And when I first started my company, I started just purely out of survival. Just, need to not lose my house and I need to
[00:10:16] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:10:17] Ginger Hitzke: my car and I need to not be homeless and I need to,
[00:10:20] Rachel Alexandria: Mm.
[00:10:20] Ginger Hitzke: you know, just really just basic survival mode. But as I have been in this business more, I really remember, um, how much I didn't like moving and having to start over. so I remember that as a child. So that's one thing that's really important to me is that people can have that consistency in, in where they live. then I also remember, when I started renting my own apartment, that getting, a $20, $25 rent increase was like a nightmare. I mean, you're already living, paycheck to paycheck is barely even, you know, describing it.[00:11:00]
[00:11:00] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:11:01] Ginger Hitzke: and so, you know, having 20, $25 more was really challenging. So that's another thing that I really, struggle with. It's a real struggle with going through that and having to, at the end of the day, be the person, the buck totally stops here because I'm the, I'm the individual person that decides what the rent increases are gonna be for every single one of my residents. I do it every year
[00:11:22] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah.
[00:11:23] Ginger Hitzke: and it's
[00:11:24] Rachel Alexandria: And you And you know, yeah. Yeah. And they don't know the emotional turmoil that puts you through,
[00:11:32] Ginger Hitzke: No.
[00:11:32] Rachel Alexandria: it wouldn't really help if they did, probably because it doesn't matter to their budget
[00:11:37] Ginger Hitzke: Mm-hmm.
[00:11:38] Rachel Alexandria: you feel bad about it.
[00:11:40] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah. No, I, so I'll say recently we had a little bit of a, so I'm a renter advocate, right? So I go and speak on behalf of, renters and rented increases. So landlords and apartment association tend to really hate me in California, . [00:12:00] 'Cause I come out as a for-profit property owner with a significant portfolio and I'm like, we need to stop this. We have to have some kind of controls. We need some kind of a a level playing field,
[00:12:09] Rachel Alexandria: When you say, stop this, can you spec specify when you say we need to stop?
[00:12:14] Ginger Hitzke: Sure. Just having no, no rent caps in California.
[00:12:19] Rachel Alexandria: Got it.
[00:12:20] Ginger Hitzke: was a big problem in
[00:12:22] Rachel Alexandria: Hmm.
[00:12:22] Ginger Hitzke: It's, it's still an issue, but it's much better than it was before. So I'm a renter advocate and, support individuals and support organizations that work on this, and do my part.
[00:12:34] And, and then I have my own struggle that I go through with my own apartments and sort of trying to deal with, taking people's income into consideration when going through and doing rent increases every year, contemplating whether or not there will be one. Right. And a group of people, uh, got together with an attorney that specializes in helping renters to come and, and have an issue with me and it. [00:13:00] Yeah. And that was like, wow. Okay. No good deed goes unpunished, does it? And that was really tough because I was pissed.
[00:13:11] Rachel Alexandria: Mm
[00:13:11] Ginger Hitzke: was like, is this a swearing podcast? Are we
[00:13:14] Rachel Alexandria: Oh. Do whatever you want.
[00:13:15] Ginger Hitzke: okay. I was like, do you know who the fuck I'm like, are you fucking kidding me? You wanna come after me? Someone who toils over whether or not a $10 increase is something that's appropriate. Like, are you're seriously telling me there aren't bigger fish out there?
[00:13:36] Rachel Alexandria: Mm
[00:13:37] Ginger Hitzke: um, but at the same time, as much as it pissed me off in the moment, I totally get it.
[00:13:41] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:13:42] Ginger Hitzke: I get it.
[00:13:42] 'cause know, the folks that I rent to, they really are on the lowest income scale
[00:13:48] Rachel Alexandria: Their, their money doesn't go up just because costs go up. Right.
[00:13:52] Ginger Hitzke: Exactly. But also can you imagine what insurance rates are in California for housing?
[00:13:57] These days
[00:13:57] Rachel Alexandria: I have absolutely no idea.
[00:13:59] Ginger Hitzke: We do
[00:13:59] Rachel Alexandria: [00:14:00] Yes.
[00:14:00] Ginger Hitzke: good in California and they tend to devastate homes. And so, you
[00:14:05] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:05] Ginger Hitzke: prices are like triple. We deal with a lot
[00:14:08] Rachel Alexandria: And you can only eat so many costs. You have to, at the end of the day, not be losing money all the time.
[00:14:15] Ginger Hitzke: yeah. Well, I mean, I also have to have money when, for when things go wrong,
[00:14:20] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah.
[00:14:20] Ginger Hitzke: an elevator breaks and it costs me $25,000, I gotta have $25,000
[00:14:25] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
[00:14:28] Ginger Hitzke: it really isn't just operating costs and profit. It's also like we gotta be ready.
[00:14:32] Rachel Alexandria: Emergency money. Yeah.
[00:14:34] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah. So it's a lot, it's a lot to deal with. There's so many times I wish I could be insensitive and not care. It'd be very convenient.
[00:14:42] Rachel Alexandria: How do you deal with that? You are somebody who has to make decisions,
[00:14:47] Ginger Hitzke: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:48] Rachel Alexandria: Regularly that affect hundreds of people where they live.
[00:14:52] Ginger Hitzke: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:54] Rachel Alexandria: you might feel, uh, internal conflict about it. There's what you have to do for the [00:15:00] dollars and cents and there's what you wish you could do from the heart.
[00:15:04] And sometimes I'm sure one wins and sometimes the other wins. How do you deal with that stress? Where do you take that? Because you can't talk to them.
[00:15:13] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah. No kidding. Nobody, I dunno. They just, I don't, yeah. I mean, not,
[00:15:20] Rachel Alexandria: You just, you just sit on it. It just sits within you and you just go, it is what it is.
[00:15:24] Ginger Hitzke: is, it is what it is. And , it's just, it comes and goes. Right? So it's a thing I have to go through once a year.
[00:15:30] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:15:30] Ginger Hitzke: up. That's why it's very top of mind for me.
[00:15:32] Rachel Alexandria: Mm
[00:15:33] Ginger Hitzke: I mean, somebody's gotta do it. I, I will say, I do take comfort in the fact that I know I'm doing my best. know that I'm doing my best. I know that, um,
[00:15:44] being responsible, I'm being compassionate, but I'm being responsible. And, the reality is whether or not somebody was renting in my building or not, place that people live, a building is alive and buildings age [00:16:00] components, age things break. People are still much better off living under, my roof. I'm gonna take care of it the best that I can. I'm probably gonna take care of it better than they would. Um, so it's,
[00:16:14] Rachel Alexandria: I get that. I get that. My housemate used to joke with me because whenever I would rail against the injustice in the world or something going wrong, she'd say, well, you know, obviously Rachey should do it. I'd be like, yes, I would be good at
[00:16:31] Ginger Hitzke: in charge of all of the things. I would be a very good benevolent overlord. I really would. If anybody ever needs it, I'm here.
[00:16:40] Rachel Alexandria: this is the type eight mindset on some level. Yeah. Internally, I, I totally understand what you're saying and I don't know if all leaders will resonate with it, but probably some will we'll say, you know, sure it is an emotional burden, but better I do it than anyone else. You know, there's people who, if there's a scary road to [00:17:00] drive, they'd rather someone else did it and there's people who would rather be behind the wheel.
[00:17:03] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah. Yeah. Literally. I'm good. I'm a good off-road driver too.
[00:17:08] Rachel Alexandria: So, it feels like we kind of talked about what a leadership season was that tested you in that, this is a regularly occurring thing and then this thing with the, some of your renters getting a lawyer. Is there anything more you wanna share about that experience, how you dealt with it?
[00:17:27] Ginger Hitzke: Let's see, I threw a fit. Um., and then we held a resident meeting about it. And, 'cause I feel like a lot of times, it's easy to be angry at someone if you don't know them. You know, like, ah, the man. I'm the Man. And so, we did that and then we just, went through and wrapped it up.
[00:17:47] Some things got done, some people got what they wanted and some people didn't, and it. We'll see what happens.
[00:17:54] Rachel Alexandria: What I remember about you is that every time [00:18:00] there is something that tests you, because I think that's a thing I've seen you experience regularly. Every year there's something business-wise that tests you,
[00:18:11] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah.
[00:18:12] Rachel Alexandria: you throw yourself into solving the problem.
[00:18:15] Like it, maybe it's a boundaries issue with someone rentings one of your spaces, or maybe it's your employees, creating more team cohesiveness. Whenever something comes up where there's an issue, how do you think about it?
[00:18:35] How do you go about working the problem?
[00:18:38] Ginger Hitzke: Mm. Well. I, I'm really starting to feel like this is an infomercial for you, Rachel, because I would say because No, I know, I just, it's the truth though. That's what's, that's what's so funny. I would say, nowadays, I call you, I schedule a magic session and we'll talk through, kinda what the issue is, whether it's [00:19:00] personal or, or business.
[00:19:01] And I, I actually find that to be very, very helpful. I do talk to friends who are in business and who have their own companies, depending on what the situation is and whether or not it's applicable to where they are in their business journey. Certainly some friends will have more feedback for me on employee related issues, you know,
[00:19:23] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:19:24] Ginger Hitzke: uh, issues or. Cashflow issues are the biggest thing that I've dealt with, uh, in business over time. and that's, mean, it really just weighs on me, has I'm good now.
[00:19:37] I'm great now. Um, but yeah, like, thank God, right? We never want that to end.
[00:19:44] Rachel Alexandria: Mm
[00:19:44] Ginger Hitzke: but, it takes a long time, takes like 10, 12
[00:19:47] Rachel Alexandria: mm
[00:19:48] Ginger Hitzke: to
[00:19:48] Rachel Alexandria: mm.
[00:19:49] Ginger Hitzke: to get into a really good groove and where you understand, how to generate your revenue, how to keep it stable, how to keep expenses stable and all of that stuff.
[00:19:57] But,
[00:19:58] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:19:59] Ginger Hitzke: you know, that [00:20:00] is something that's definitely taken me there, and has weighed on me. And it's also one of the very first things that I talk to people about who are newer business owners, is to be like, oh, cash flow. Huh? And because it's like, you're really not supposed to talk about that. You're not supposed to talk about how business is hard
[00:20:14] Rachel Alexandria: Hmm.
[00:20:15] Ginger Hitzke: Because some, somehow, like kind of repulses people. You gotta really walk a fine line when you talk about your
[00:20:23] Rachel Alexandria: You know, I try to dissuade people anymore from starting a business because if you don't have grit,
[00:20:31] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah.
[00:20:31] Rachel Alexandria: not gonna work it out. You're just not. So when people say, oh, I'm thinking about starting a business and blah, I'm like, okay, here's the things you're gonna need. And it don't quit your side hustle.
[00:20:43] It's gonna take you three to five years before you're making any kind of sustainable money. Unless you have a bunch of money you're investing from somewhere,
[00:20:51] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah,
[00:20:52] Rachel Alexandria: famous connections or something that gets you past initial hurdles.
[00:20:56] Ginger Hitzke: yeah,
[00:20:57] Rachel Alexandria: So I hear you like,
[00:20:59] Ginger Hitzke: Oh, that's [00:21:00] interesting. 'cause I think it just depends on the person that I'm talking to.
[00:21:04] Rachel Alexandria: mm-hmm.
[00:21:05] Ginger Hitzke: It's sort of funny if I do talk to somebody who wants to stay comfortable.
[00:21:09] Rachel Alexandria: Mm,
[00:21:10] Ginger Hitzke: And a lot of times they do this where they're in my industry already and they have a senior project manager or vice president type job, and they wanna take the leap. I'm definitely like, go for broke. Be ready to lose everything. That's, that's the only way that you could do it. And if they're like, oh, I was thinking of doing this on the side, and I'm like, then no, then don't, then you don't, no.
[00:21:30] Rachel Alexandria: no.
[00:21:31] Ginger Hitzke: cannot do brain surgery on the side.
[00:21:34] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:21:34] Ginger Hitzke: this business is tough.
[00:21:36] It is, it is so difficult. It's so much more complicated than people realize. People think, oh, anybody can do it. You know, I hear from people all the time, oh, I wanna do that. Oh, do you, you know, good for you. Do you wanna be a cardiologist too? You wanna do that same time? It's super easy, super easy line of work. But if [00:22:00] they're, if they do really seem like they can do it, I will totally encourage,
[00:22:06] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:22:06] Ginger Hitzke: you will not fail yourself. You, you won't, if you're trying to go in and you're too cushy, I definitely discourage immediately. But if someone does like, feel, I guess that is what you said.
[00:22:16] 'cause you said if they have the grit, like if they're scrappy,
[00:22:19] Rachel Alexandria: If you're scrappy. Mm-hmm.
[00:22:21] Ginger Hitzke: fail yourself. Put, put yourself in that situation of where you are about to lose everything and you won't fail yourself. You will figure out a way to, to scrap your way out of it. Yeah.
[00:22:33] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah. Yeah. I, I totally agree. I think there's, there's just a certain quality and I'm not sure it can be taught. It's just a, it's just a person's nature. If you're scrappy, then yeah, it's actually been a theme that's come up in a couple other interviews, um, that you just, when failure's not an option, you have to figure out a way to do it.
[00:22:54] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah.
[00:22:55] Rachel Alexandria: And that may be why a lot of the founders I've talked to and [00:23:00] that I've worked with, that, that their background is that they came from nothing because they know the pain of nothing
[00:23:06] Ginger Hitzke: Mm-hmm.
[00:23:07] Rachel Alexandria: and they will do anything they possibly can within their ethical ability to not go back there. To make it work.
[00:23:17] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah. Yeah. I, I will
[00:23:19] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah.
[00:23:19] Ginger Hitzke: It does bogle my mind sometimes people who don't from a challenging background, like a low income background or something like that. I don't understand how they do it. I, I don't,
[00:23:32] Rachel Alexandria: You don't understand why they're scrappy.
[00:23:34] Ginger Hitzke: no, they're, 'cause they're not.
[00:23:36] Rachel Alexandria: Oh,
[00:23:37] Ginger Hitzke: not, I don't understand how they, how they can be in charge of things and be any good at it. I really don't.
[00:23:43] Rachel Alexandria: some people may have been shown management from an early age because it ran in the family. Right? And some people have the benefit of relationships that will float them with money
[00:23:57] Ginger Hitzke: yeah.
[00:23:58] Rachel Alexandria: doesn't work out, you know?
[00:23:59] Ginger Hitzke: [00:24:00] That, see, that scares me even more that, because I think that makes you soft. It does. It'll make you
[00:24:07] Rachel Alexandria: So something that I heard when you said a moment ago when you were saying, what you do when you're faced with one of these big challenges is, you get pissed, you throw a fit
[00:24:18] Ginger Hitzke: I, I
[00:24:18] Rachel Alexandria: and then,
[00:24:19] Ginger Hitzke: Very
[00:24:19] Rachel Alexandria: then you, yeah. Not usually at the person, I would assume usually kind of on your, maybe sometimes, but sometimes no.
[00:24:26] Ginger Hitzke: little bit of both. Yeah. Uh. Yeah.
[00:24:29] Rachel Alexandria: Then you talk to someone like me, but you also mentioned your friends quite an a lot, and I think that is something that makes you stand out, that you have really invested in your relationships while still building a family. You have two grown kids and a spouse, and
[00:24:50] Ginger Hitzke: a grand
[00:24:51] Rachel Alexandria: you. And Grand baby.
[00:24:53] Yes. And you've supported extended family, you've run this business, [00:25:00] and you still maintain really strong friendships. I, I think some people are gonna be like, how do you do that? How do you do all three of those things?
[00:25:10] Ginger Hitzke: Oh. And, and have been extremely, civically actively involved. So I
[00:25:14] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah. How are you, how are you doing that?
[00:25:17] Ginger Hitzke: Oh, I think I do everything somewhat poorly. I think that's, I, I mean, I will say I do look back, I'm 50 now and I do think of when I was in my thirties and starting this business and being everywhere.
[00:25:29] 'cause let's see, I started in oh seven, so the iPhone was still pretty new. We didn't have wifi everywhere, right? You couldn't do your whole entire company on this thing right here.
[00:25:40] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:25:41] Ginger Hitzke: And I had to physically be places I was all over the place in Southern California. And for anybody who listens, like knows, I'm based in Temecula, most of my work is in San Diego, but I was doing things in Los Angeles and was just everywhere.
[00:25:55] And I don't, I truly do not know anymore how I did it. 'cause when I have one [00:26:00] meeting in a day now when I have to leave somewhere, I'm like, oh, that's it. That's, that's all that's getting done this entire day. But yeah, um, I do,
[00:26:07] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah.
[00:26:07] Ginger Hitzke: think that I think I just did things pretty sloppy, you know, just kind
[00:26:11] Rachel Alexandria: Hmm.
[00:26:11] Ginger Hitzke: just as like, just as good as it could be.
[00:26:14] That's all I could do because yeah, I have, I have definitely maintained some really, very quality friendships
[00:26:22] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:26:22] Ginger Hitzke: that are very deep and meaningful. Yeah.
[00:26:26] Rachel Alexandria: I think that's good advice, really. You know, perfect is the enemy of done. Whenever. Right. I mean, I didn't come up with that, but, whenever people are overly focused on their next blog post and polishing and polishing and polishing, it's just like, man, just publish.
[00:26:44] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah.
[00:26:45] Rachel Alexandria: more, publish faster.
[00:26:46] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah,
[00:26:47] Rachel Alexandria: stuff out. Reach out, make those connections.
[00:26:50] Ginger Hitzke: yeah.
[00:26:51] Rachel Alexandria: I think I,
[00:26:52] Ginger Hitzke: are people gonna remember,
[00:26:54] Rachel Alexandria: yeah, no.
[00:26:55] Ginger Hitzke: and, and like whatever they remember like they were meant to. It was gonna
[00:26:58] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:26:59] Ginger Hitzke: no [00:27:00] matter how much polish you put on it.
[00:27:02] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah. Well, let's talk about your balance sheet of burdens since we're kind of talking about how do you fit this all in? How do you do it? We open the private ledger here on the podcast, so I would love to hear one cost that you've paid for being in leadership.
[00:27:20] Ginger Hitzke: Well, I think actual costs, 'cause balance sheet, I'm like, that is a real thing in my life, right? I borrow
[00:27:26] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
[00:27:27] Ginger Hitzke: A big part of what I have to do is borrow private money and it's very challenging, right?
[00:27:32] Like my last project that I finished, I think the total development cost was $32 million
[00:27:38] Rachel Alexandria: Oof.
[00:27:38] Ginger Hitzke: for Yeah. A 43 unit
[00:27:40] Rachel Alexandria: Ugh.
[00:27:41] Ginger Hitzke: complex.
[00:27:42] Rachel Alexandria: Wow.
[00:27:42] Ginger Hitzke: So yeah, it's pretty big. And my construction loan was $28 million, which is massive, which is crazy.
[00:27:49] Rachel Alexandria: Mm,
[00:27:49] Ginger Hitzke: and so talking about balance sheet, is a real topic for me.
[00:27:56] Rachel Alexandria: mm-hmm.
[00:27:56] Ginger Hitzke: and because I have really [00:28:00] always, like, I strive to have money. I have money. I wanna live a nice life. I wanna have experiences, are good and luxurious. I wanna make sure that we're very safe financially, but I have definitely traded money for all kinds of things that I, I am passionate about or that I care about or, that I feel is the right thing to do. I give away a lot of money.
[00:28:31] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:28:32] Ginger Hitzke: I leave money on the table, when I feel like that's the right thing to do. And I feel like that's being a good leader, being a good leader in society, being civically active and, participating in, the good fight. so I think my life could be easier if I was more selfish, hoarded money and had a fatter balance sheet. I think that would make me more [00:29:00] open to being able to do even more work and make even more money. But it's like, that's not, it's not my jam. I'm
[00:29:07] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:29:08] Ginger Hitzke: I got enough money.
[00:29:09] Rachel Alexandria: What I hear you saying, and I, I think you said it well, but just to recap, is that the cost that you feel like you pay for being in leadership is actually making less money in a way because you believe in doing it ethically and being of service.
[00:29:27] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah.
[00:29:27] Rachel Alexandria: Whereas if you just had a job job where you weren't in charge, you would just collect whatever money they paid you and, and roll in it like a dragon.
[00:29:37] Ginger Hitzke: yeah. It's, it's very Lord of the rings of you. It's very The hobbit.
[00:29:42] Rachel Alexandria: Whenever I think about people just making more money for the sake of more money, and it just becomes more and more and more, I think about dragons. It's the metaphor, you know, hoarding wealth instead of using wealth to be of good service.
[00:29:56] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:29:58] Rachel Alexandria: Okay. So tell us [00:30:00] one invisible asset that you didn't used to know that you had.
[00:30:04] Ginger Hitzke: My unearned self-confidence.
[00:30:07] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah.
[00:30:08] Ginger Hitzke: Great. 'cause you've got your earned confidence, the things that you do. I get, you know, I'm very sassy when it comes to what I do for a living.
[00:30:17] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:30:18] Ginger Hitzke: and uh, and I'm very proud of it and I know how good I am at it, but it's very earned, right?
[00:30:23] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm.
[00:30:24] Ginger Hitzke: whatever this, this level of unearned self-confidence that I have. And it's really only something that I've started to be in touch with in the last couple of years. When I named it, um, it's a huge asset. I'm so grateful for it. 'cause there's nothing I can do about it.
[00:30:40] Rachel Alexandria: Mm-hmm. I get it.
[00:30:42] Ginger Hitzke: yeah. Yeah. I like it. It's,
[00:30:46] Rachel Alexandria: Hashtag type eight.
[00:30:47] Ginger Hitzke: Is that it?
[00:30:48] Rachel Alexandria: It's, yeah, absolutely. I had to learn as a type eight people would ask me something or I'd say something, even when I didn't know, they'd be like, oh, what's [00:31:00] happening over there? And I'd be like, oh, I think it's blah, blah, blah. And then I'd hear them repeat it somewhere. I'm like, no, actually, I don't know.
[00:31:05] Why do you, why?
[00:31:06] Ginger Hitzke: to me.
[00:31:07] Rachel Alexandria: I've had to learn to be very explicit when I do know something versus when I don't know, because the confidence energy that I just innately have will communicate that it is fact. I have a picture of myself as a baby in a, rocking chair. And the way I'm sitting there like, like all like, yeah, like,
[00:31:28] Ginger Hitzke: That's so funny.
[00:31:30] Rachel Alexandria: I'm like, that's so type eight.
[00:31:32] Ginger Hitzke: Oh my
[00:31:32] Rachel Alexandria: There's just. There's just a way that we come into this world like this. You know, we're like, I, I can go do a thing. I just know I can make it work.
[00:31:42] Ginger Hitzke: yes. I do think that I can basically do anything. If I don't, it's just because I'm just not caring to try. Yeah.
[00:31:49] Rachel Alexandria: And sometimes physically I try to do things and I'm like, oh, I actually can't do that. Whoops.
[00:31:54] Yeah. I absolutely agree it is an asset and I can understand how it used to be [00:32:00] invisible to you.
[00:32:01] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah.
[00:32:01] Rachel Alexandria: So tell us one investment you're making now for your mental wellbeing or your soul.
[00:32:09] Ginger Hitzke: Well, I'm actively doing Soft Girl Summer, I'm just really trying to like do the bare minimum right now. so I've been doing this since the beginning of July.
[00:32:17] I am going through the end of August. We're almost here.
[00:32:20] Rachel Alexandria: Mm.
[00:32:21] Ginger Hitzke: and, it's been helpful because I, I'm realizing emails and people connecting with me is way out of control
[00:32:29] Rachel Alexandria: Mm
[00:32:29] Ginger Hitzke: uh, that's a big issue with me right now. And I guess that's one of those sort of things that, um, you know, being accessible has felt a very good deed and a good service to people.
[00:32:40] But I think that season is over
[00:32:43] Rachel Alexandria: mm
[00:32:43] Ginger Hitzke: be less accessible, even, even to people who have had, who have enjoyed, access to me.
[00:32:50] Rachel Alexandria: mm.
[00:32:51] Ginger Hitzke: Uh, it's like, oh boy, you're gonna, you're gonna have a surprise. 'Cause I'm gonna become less accessible. And I just think [00:33:00] that's very important, for me to be able to do that in order to grow. Because I do want to move into, doing some new things.
[00:33:09] And it's gone well, and I would say for anybody who, holds on tightly to things that have served them in the past, and being accessible to people, being very, very well known and very well liked, it's served me well and, but it's time to change that and to be a
[00:33:29] Rachel Alexandria: Mm.
[00:33:30] Ginger Hitzke: accessible,
[00:33:31] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah. Good for you.
[00:33:33] Ginger Hitzke: do.
[00:33:33] Yeah.
[00:33:34] Rachel Alexandria: I love that. It's a great answer and probably good advice for folks listening. So what do you wish more leaders felt permission to say out loud?
[00:33:45] Ginger Hitzke: Um, I don't know what I'm doing. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know right now. I
[00:33:50] Rachel Alexandria: Hmm
[00:33:50] Ginger Hitzke: know.
[00:33:51] Rachel Alexandria: mm-hmm.
[00:33:52] Ginger Hitzke: that's, that is the, like, I, I just don't know.
[00:33:56] Rachel Alexandria: You wish me.
[00:33:57] Ginger Hitzke: I wish people would just be like, I don't [00:34:00] know. I think it's okay. I wish it was said more in like, uh. In a political context. You know, feel like people who are in leadership positions, who are in all areas of government, whether they are elected or, not elected, they're employed by a government agency. I wish people would just say, I don't know, more often more that's more real
[00:34:28] Rachel Alexandria: Mm.
[00:34:28] Ginger Hitzke: what we have going on right now.
[00:34:30] And I think it's, it's creating a real problem in our society. Everybody just has to be right. Um,
[00:34:36] Rachel Alexandria: mm.
[00:34:36] Ginger Hitzke: like know what they're talking about. It's like, we, we don't, what, what, how could we possibly know? I think that's the first thing that comes to mind. And I think it's totally fine to say when you're a leader. Are you, oh, I'm really gonna be taken down by one
[00:34:50] I don't know? No. I think that's okay.
[00:34:54] Rachel Alexandria: Nice. Yeah. I, I like when people say, I don't know, but let's [00:35:00] figure it out together. Right. We don't want, I don't know, to be the end of the sentence.
[00:35:04] Ginger Hitzke: Correct. Yes. But I can, you can have a pause. You could pause.
[00:35:09] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah.
[00:35:10] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah.
[00:35:11] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah. Yeah. Good one. Well, before I get to the last question, is there anything you wanna tell people about?
[00:35:17] There anything that you want to shed, uh, spotlight on or that, or direct attention to that you think is important?
[00:35:25] You are currently on the board for
[00:35:29] Ginger Hitzke: Honor PAC something.
[00:35:30] Yeah.
[00:35:31] I mean, if you are interested in supporting L-G-B-T-Q Latino elected officials in California, check out Honor PAC. I believe we are honorpac.org.
[00:35:44] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah, great. We will put it in the show notes. I love that.
[00:35:46] Ginger Hitzke: Okay. Okay.
[00:35:47] Rachel Alexandria: Yeah, I mean that's, that's the nice thing about leadership, right? It doesn't have to be all about us. It's like where do I want to direct the attention that's currently focused on me?
[00:35:55] Ginger Hitzke: Yeah, yeah,
[00:35:57] Rachel Alexandria: Okay. Nice. [00:36:00] Alright, last question. We're about to open the time machine
[00:36:05] Ginger Hitzke: Okay.
[00:36:06] Rachel Alexandria: and you get to, step back in time, what would you say to an earlier version of yourself in your career?
[00:36:15] Ginger Hitzke: Okay. This is when I was really feeling myself, right? I, had just had some big, accomplishments. So like I said, I had started as a receptionist and then I was a project coordinator, project manager, senior project manager, then vice president of development. And then I started my own company. So back when I was a project manager, I was like 26 years old and I was, oh my God. I really thought it was something. And I definitely would have sat myself down and said, um, look, you are very smart you are very, very good at this. But we need to, we need you to learn diplomacy here.
[00:36:55] I think that would've, helped a lot with a lot of things, early [00:37:00] on. And I don't know that it would've necessarily advanced my career more. 'cause I was pretty good about pushing through no matter what. But, I would like to talk to that, young lady. And let her know how important that is, with people. 'Cause I, fell in my face a bunch of times. Uh, got my ass handed to me, which I guess was the universe's way, uh, of doing that. And then when I started my company, oh man, that was rough. I definitely think that I would have shown her who I am now, right now been like, you're gonna go through whatever you're gonna go through, but this is where you're gonna get, you're gonna get here.
[00:37:41] And it's, it's gonna be good. Yeah.
[00:37:45] Rachel Alexandria: I love that. Thank you so much for coming and sharing your wisdom and your stories and your laughter. It's been a pleasure to have you, Ginger,
[00:37:55] Ginger Hitzke: Thank you so much. I can't wait to listen. I'm so excited.
[00:37:58] Rachel Alexandria: Thanks for listening to [00:38:00] Lonely At the Top. If today's conversation resonated, I hope you'll give yourself permission to pause even for a moment and check in with what you might be carrying.
[00:38:10] You don't have to hold it all alone. You don't have to keep doing this without real support. As we talked about on the podcast, I work with leaders who wanna clean up their secret messes, and you can find out more about me@rachelalexandria.com. If you know another leader who needs to hear this podcast, please send it their way because yeah, it's lonely at the top, but it doesn't have to stay that way.
[00:38:35]
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