Eliminating Poverty and Other Social Problems, Join the Impact Cherub Club and Rising From the Slums of Kampala

Business Done Right Is Key to Eliminating Poverty and Other Social Problems - s11 ep21

Photo by David Boni

AI Episode Summary

• The guest on the show is Melanie van de Velde, CEO and founder of Big Tree Global and author of Lead Like a Genius.

• Melanie's background is in business, but she has always been passionate about addressing poverty in the world.

• She ran an impact enterprise in the Kibera slum in Nairobi, which taught her about the challenges of balancing commercial sense and making a difference.

• Melanie spent years researching projects and companies that make a difference and wanted to share everything she learned, leading to her book, Lead Like a Genius.

• Businesses have a role to play in solving the world's problems by addressing the root causes rather than dealing with symptoms.

• Examples include the TOMS buy one give one model, which alleviates poverty-related issues but doesn't fix the root cause, and SoleRebels, an African footwear brand that provides jobs and addresses poverty structurally.

• Business models that have a strong commercial sense while pursuing an impact mission are more successful in driving change.

• An example is the Brigade Bar and Bistro in London, which provides an excellent dining experience while training and empowering apprentices facing homelessness or mental health challenges.

• Melanie's superpower is her belief in the inherent goodness of people and their ability to make a positive impact on the world.

• To learn more about Melanie and her work, her book Lead Like a Genius is available on Lulu.com and Amazon, and she can be reached on LinkedIn or through the website Big Tree Global.

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Join the Impact Cherub Club for October

As we gear up for the 1:00 PM Eastern, October 17, 2023, meeting of the Impact Cherub Club, we invite you to join us. The club is an informal gathering of friends who meet up to review impact investments everyone is eligible to make and virtually anyone can afford. We share responsibility for completing basic due diligence before making investments. No one is required to invest.

There are no dues or fees to participate, and I don’t touch the money. When members invest, they do so directly for their own accounts. We benefit from new members only by the fresh perspectives they bring. Please join us! Everyone is welcome.

Continue reading…

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Rising From the Slums of Kampala, Uganda, This Young Social Entrepreneur Employs 1,800 People - s11 ep22

AI Episode Summary

• Emmanuel Trinity is the founder of era92 Creative, a social enterprise providing affordable graphic design services.

• The company employs young people from slums in Uganda, giving them training in design and web development.

• Era92 Creative serves clients in the United States, particularly small and medium-sized businesses and non-profits.

• The company offers a suite of web development and design services at a flat rate price.

• Emmanuel's inspiration came from his personal experience of being rescued from the streets and a desire to address youth unemployment in his community.

• Through era92 Creative, Emmanuel has created 1,800 skilled jobs for young people.

• The work of era92 Creative has transformed the lives of many individuals, including Megan, who went from being on the verge of selling her body to leading a department of designers.

• Emmanuel's superpower is his ability to say yes to opportunities and act on his inner voice.

• He believes that everyone has the potential to make positive changes in their communities and should act upon their inner calling.

• Anyone interested in working with era92 Creative can visit their website (era92creative.com) to learn more about services and engagement options.

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