Ep. 305 Tilly Levine
The Power of Positive: Tilly Levine on Mindset, Teens, and Tillys
On this episode, we sit down with the incredible Tilly Levine, the co-founder of the successful retail chain, Tilly's. We dive into her inspiring personal history, from her early life as an immigrant with very little, to the years of hard work and her experience co-founding the retail giant with her ex-husband, Hezy Shaked. Tilly opens up about the challenges of her divorce and the hard lessons she learned about letting go of the past and embracing change with love and abundance.
Tilly’s story is not just one of business success; it's a testament to the power of a positive mindset, which she credits for all of her achievements. This core belief led her to her ultimate dream job: founding Tilly’s Life Center (TLC). She shares the pivotal moment she realized that beyond material needs, what young people truly needed were life skills to navigate adversity, make positive choices, and build confidence.
Tilly Levine is an amazing example of resilience, purpose, and the power of a positive mindset. Tilly immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 23 with her then-husband, Hezy Shaked, with nothing but a single suitcase and a lot of positivity. Together, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit, they began selling clothes and toys at a local swap meet before saving enough to open the first Tilly’s retail store in Orange County in 1982. This single shop would eventually grow into a nationally recognized NYSE retail chain with over 200 locations.
Her personal journey continued to evolve after her divorce. Instead of allowing this to be a source of strife, she and her ex-husband focused on a positive, solution-oriented approach, successfully keeping their family and business partnership together. This experience reinforced her core philosophy of positivity, a belief that positive thoughts lead to positive feelings, which in turn lead to positive action. This same philosophy, which she credits for her success in business and in life, would become the foundation for her next, and most important, chapter.
Tilly's "aha" moment came after years of philanthropic work. While donating money to provide food and shelter for teens, she noticed that many of them would unfortunately return to negative lifestyles. She realized what they truly needed were tools to build confidence, find purpose, and cope with life's challenges. In 2012, this realization led her to found Tilly's Life Center (TLC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth with social-emotional learning. Tilly believes that TLC is her true purpose on this planet, as the center's "I Am Me" curriculum helps young people learn how to regulate their emotions and make better decisions, providing them with hope and the skills to create a happy, healthy, and productive future. TLC’s provides teens with the tools they need to cope with the complex challenges of today. Tilly's journey is a powerful reminder that our personal struggles can be transformed into a force for good, creating a lasting legacy that helps others find their way.
Jeanne Pepper and Tilly Levine September 2025
Episode 305
Hosted by: Jeanne Pepper
Guest: Tilly Levine of Tilly’s Life Center
Social Media: Facebook
Executive Producer: Jeanne Pepper
Producer: Eli Moskowitz
Original Theme: Jay Bernstein
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DISCLAIMER Jeanne Pepper is providing this podcast as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Jeanne Pepper unless so stated. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Ms. Pepper’s guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ms. Pepper. If you have any questions about this disclaimer or the content herein, please contact us at Producers@PepptalkswithJeanne.com #PeppTalkswithJeanne #JeannePepper #BlazeitForward
