Being forced to slow down over the last three months has opened up quite a bit of space to explore some of the bigger and more philosophical topics in the world of social impact and entrepreneurship.

I finally picked up a copy of Start with Why by Simon Sinek (only nine years late, I know!) and once I started thinking and writing about purpose, the topic showed up everywhere! If you have not read the book yet, I recommend it wholeheartedly! As so often when I come across a good idea (which happens with astonishing frequency with Simon Sinek), my pen took on a life of its own and I poured onto paper a blog series about the power of purpose.

Purpose led us here (part 1) gives you an introduction to Sinek’s work around purpose, in our case in the context of our work as changemakers. Rooted in Why (part 2) reintroduces a number of Social Venturers from the last nine months, but this time through their Why. Part 2 sheds light on how their Why’s have remained the anchor of their work as they transitioned through different roles and how it helps set you apart in a competitive job market. In Purpose, Success and Happiness (part 3), we take a close look at how our purpose translates (or doesn’t) into everyone’s idea about success and what that might mean for the level of happiness you experience in leading a purpose-driven career and life. 

This series leaves a number of questions unanswered (e.g. How do we communicate our Why clearly?). I hope to explore them with this community over the coming weeks and I would absolutely love to hear from you! Scroll to the What’s Next Section below to learn more! 

As if the universe knew that the topic of purpose was top of mind, I had a fascinating conversation with Evgeni Kouris about #NewMittelstand and how to embed the philosophy of Zebras Unite in traditional German businesses with a long history of being family-run (Mittelstand). Head over to his feature to learn more!

And as if that wasn’t enough, powerhouse of a changemaker Kaat Peeters invited me to moderate her book launch on June 18th! The topic of the book? Leaving a Legacy. Grow your social impact. I couldn’t have thought of a more appropriate topic following on the heels of my own purpose exploration! I had the opportunity to read the book prior to publication and have taken copious amounts of notes! The best part? You are all invited to join this virtual event on June 18 and even snag a little discount on your pre-order of the book!

All this discovery and writing led to other interviews moving to the backburner for the time being. If you were interviewed for Social Venturers in March or later and still haven’t heard from me – I have not forgotten about you! I am just terribly behind. And don’t even get me started on the matter of emails…

What’s next?

I want to hear how your purpose shows up for you! Do you know what your purpose is? Have you ever written it down? Have you ever wondered what kind of world you want to live in, even – and especially – a version that is so vastly different that it doesn’t exist yet and never may? How did you figure out what your purpose is? When and how does it show up for you? How much of your work is truly an extension of your Why? Hit “reply” to this email and let me know, and chime in on Instagram!

As I mentioned, I am embarrassed that I have no fewer than eight interviews that are waiting to be edited and shared with you and the world! Bear with me! Over the last three months I had the pleasure to talk to social entrepreneurs, founders of impact-driven accelerators, foundation experts and impact investors – you will not be disappointed!

How you can help

If you know someone who works in the field of social impact and ecosystem building who you think would benefit from being part of this community, please invite them in! Share our social media posts, forward this newsletter, make an introduction!