Second Heart Homes

October 9, 2025

Megan Howell, 36 | Business Observer

40 Under 40 Class of 2025
Megan Howell, 36

By Mark Gordon
 | 5:00 p.m. October 9, 2025
 | 2 Free Articles Remaining!
Class of 2025

 
 

Megan Howell was a decade into her career as a server and manager at Patrick’s 1481 in downtown Sarasota in 2019 when her life, and purpose, took a big shift.
A friendship with a mentally ill homeless man outside the restaurant grew into a cause to help him, and then soon help others living on the streets. That grew into a self-funded business for a brief time, and now that organization, Second Heart Homes, is a nonprofit with $3.1 million in total assets and $1.89 million in revenue in its most recent fiscal year, according to public tax filings. The mission of Second Heart Homes, according to its website, is “to provide housing and critical support services to homeless adults with mental illnesses in Sarasota and Manatee counties.”

Megan Howell with her mentor David Welle.
Photo by Mark Wemple
Second Heart has been busy since Howell dropped the LLC and obtained a 501(c) (3) license in 2019. The organization has since assisted 68 men and women in getting off the streets through 12 homes it has purchased.
The organization, Howell adds, is different from many other social services nonprofits in that it has a high-touch, tailored service model, and it notably doesn’t take government funding or sign mortgages. Second Heart has raised about $7 million from private donors over the past six years, Howell says, and received other funding and support from a variety of foundations.
In addition to housing, Second Heart, says Howell, works with people who make a commitment to address their mental health, remain sober and achieve personal goals toward self-sufficiency. Howell is motivated, she says, to see Second Heart’s residents “learn to trust others and be part of a community.” 
Howell says her mentor, Second Heart board member and past chair David Welle, has been an integral part of her success. He has helped her develop processes and systems, and has pushed her to take calculated risks and chances.
That goes as far back as even starting Second Homes, when Howell says she was unsure how to sustain her passion. Howell took that risk, which included foregoing a salary her first two years at Second Homes. “I was terrified I was going to become homeless,” Howell quips. 
But she preserved and has also grown as a leader with Welle, who co-founded a management consulting firm and was a partner at accounting giant Coopers and Lybrand, guiding her. Howell says she’s currently working on her workaholic tendencies, and learning to delegate more effectively. “He’s helping me become the best version of myself,” Howell says. 
Survey says
 Birthplace: North Carolina
Years in the area: 20+
Marital Status/Children: Single and no children
Alma Mater/Degree: Master’s in Psychology
What community group or organization are you most involved with? Second Heart Homes
Are you working from the company office, home office or hybrid? Office and in the community
How many unread emails do you have right now? 15
What’s the weirdest job you’ve ever had? Or the weirdest task you’ve ever been assigned? I used to clean hoarder homes. Most recently, I went to volunteer at a benefit in Cleveland and was assigned to chauffeur Armenian Opera singers around in a giant red hummer.
What’s your top tip for being productive? My top tip for being productive is to surround yourself with interesting people and experiences that enrich your life.
If you could have a side hustle, what would it be? I would sell fine art.
What’s your favorite off-hours activity? Painting in my art studio.
What’s the most significant item on your life bucket list — and what’s keeping you from completing it? I would like to write at least one book. It’s still on the bucket list because I believe the journey has just begun. One day I’d like a sabbatical to travel Asia and work on the book(s). 
What’s your favorite podcast? Philosophize This with Stephen West.
At what percentage on your phone do you start to get Low Battery Anxiety? 65%
What books are you reading now? “Surrounded by Idiots” by Thomas Erikson, “1984” by George Orwell, “If You Want to Write” Brenda Ueland 
What’s your go-to music genre, band or act to be inspired? Radiohead, Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz
Who would play you in the movie of your life? Helen Hunt.
Where is your happy place? Japan
Describe yourself in three words: Compassionate, Curious and Driven
Who is your mentor for your career and why? David Welle is my mentor and a board member. We met through a mutual friend, and he took interest in what I was doing to help the homeless and then he took a chance. He has invested countless hours to help me grow professionally and help SHH thrive.
What are the biggest lessons you have learned from your mentor? The biggest lessons I’ve learned from my mentor are how to keep pushing yourself, not settling for less, what not to stress about, and that the bigger picture is a choice.
 



author
Mark Gordon
Mark Gordon is the managing editor of the Business Observer. He has worked for the Business Observer since 2005. He previously worked for newspapers and magazines in upstate New York, suburban Philadelphia and Jacksonville.