Written by: Payman Lorenzo Sarwari, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
In my previous piece, I talked about the importance of building a business with a heart, a cause, and a mission. I covered the incredible benefits of having a business that’s cause-oriented vs. just being a profit-driven business. In this piece, I’d like to showcase a few Enlightened Entrepreneurs that I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with on my podcast, Leaders With A Heart, where I talk with entrepreneurs who are building impactful businesses to share their message as well as inspiring other entrepreneurs to do good with their businesses.
Over the past 6 months, I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with 32 people from all walks of life, from all over the world, building meaningful businesses. Every single one of them would be worthy of being showcased here, but I’ll showcase a few here. Starting small, each and every one of these individuals have built big businesses in their respective fields. But most importantly, they’ve been having a very positive impact around them and towards those less fortunate ones.
“Make More, Give More.” Akbar Sheikh
The first person that I want to showcase is a man that is a true inspiration and one that I consider a mentor, Akbar Sheikh. Akbar is the founder of the Coaches Secret, a coaching programme that helps and inspires entrepreneurs and coaches to build successful and impactful businesses around ethical principles. As a member of his programme myself, while the content and training inside his course are top-notch, what truly sets him apart and impressed me the most is the community and the calibre of people there. Not just from a business perspective but most importantly as human beings with big hearts. Akbar’s motto of “Make More, Give More” is clearly reflected among his program's people.
Akbar’s core belief is that “entrepreneurs are inherently good people that want to make more so that they can give to their families, communities and favourite charities, hence making the world a better place.” He’s on a mission to inspire entrepreneurs and coaches to build impactful businesses. As a philanthropist, he’s done a lot of good with his business: sponsoring orphans, giving the gift of vision to blind children, and providing clean water to the less fortunate ones around the world. Even though I haven’t had the pleasure of having Akbar on my podcast yet, he thoroughly deserves to be on that list!
Meghla Bhardwaj, The Queen Of Sourcing From India.
The next person I want to talk about is an incredible lady with a heart of gold, my good friend Meghla Bhardwaj from Singapore. Meghla is one of the most respected and influential ladies in the world of E-Commerce, Sourcing, and Manufacturing. She’s the host and organizer of one of the biggest E-Commerce conferences in the world, the Global Sources Summit, held twice per year in Hong Kong. She’s also the founder of the India Sourcing Trips, where she takes groups of E-Commerce business owners to India to explore the incredible opportunities that India represents for sourcing truly unique products.
“Do Business and Do Good” is her motto: she strongly believes in giving back to society. For each person that attends her India Sourcing Trips with her, she sponsors a year of schooling for an underprivileged child in New Delhi, India. She also hosted and organized on May 22nd, an 8 hour Charity Singathon fundraiser to help underprivileged children and families affected by Covid in India. During that event, she and her co-hosts were able to invite some outstanding singers, including one of India’s rising talent to perform, raising a healthy amount to help those most affected by the pandemic in India.
Damon McDonald, Inspiring One Billion Kids To Believe In Themselves.
Of all the incredible people I’ve had the pleasure of having on my podcast so far, Damon’s story is the most remarkable and the most touching. Damon is an incredible human being, a true Enlightened Soul in the purest form! He's got a journey like a few out there marked by a chronic lack of self-belief that took him through very painful experiences: a divorce and two suicide attempts culminating in a heart attack.
Ironically, It was the heart attack that has been his greatest gift that has allowed him to finally pursue his passion, which is to inspire kids to believe in themselves. What has been his greatest challenge all his life, this chronic lack of self-belief, he's now turned that around and made it his greatest gift and skill. Now he's on a mission to inspire ONE BILLION kids around the world to believe in themselves from an early age.
With the Universe as his business partner, he truly feels unstoppable as he believes the Universe is inspiring him to do that and write that book, given that he had never written a book prior to that!
Oliver Percovich, Founder Of Skateistan.
Oliver, the founder of Skateistan, is an absolute LEGEND! He has been empowering children through skateboarding and education in Afghanistan, Cambodia, and South Africa. In 2007, fate took him to Kabul, Afghanistan, with 3 skateboards in his suitcase, and before long, he started skateboarding on the streets of Kabul. Long story short, he has been able to use skateboarding as an outlet to provide hope and entertainment for kids and give them a chance at attending a proper school for the first time in their lives. In the process, he's opened 3 schools in Afghanistan as well as in South Africa and Cambodia, with plans to open in Jordan in the near future. This is one of THE most inspiring, fascinating, and humbling talks I've had with an incredible human being - EVER!
Phil McGilvray, Inspiring Entrepreneurs To Build Meaningful Businesses.
Phil McGilvray, aka Mr. Money Skills, is a very successful gentleman from Canberra, Australia. After building a very successful financial services business, felt the call for a more meaningful path. Since then, he quit his 7 figure corporate career and has been helping entrepreneurs take control of their finances so that they can have more to build meaningful businesses. Businesses that bring the best out of them while contributing to noble causes that are dear to their hearts. Phil has been actively involved in various causes around the world, notably building wells in Cambodia.
As mentioned at the start of this piece, I could have selected and showcased any of the 32 Enlightened Entrepreneurs I have had the pleasure of talking to on my podcast. But then it would have been an actual book. The point is that no matter what field of business you are in, there’s always a way to do good with and through your business. I hope that these examples may have inspired you to do the same with your business.
And if you are a Leader With A Heart and are already doing good with your business, congratulations! I’d LOVE to connect with you and have you as a guest for an upcoming episode of my podcast.
Payman Lorenzo Sarwari, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Payman is a serial entrepreneur, having lived in 10 countries on 4 continents and speaking 6 languages. He is a strong advocate of building businesses with a heart, a mission, and a purpose. He is the founder of the Leaders With A Heart movement and the podcast of the same name. He is on a mission to build a community of Enlightened Entrepreneurs who have a heart of gold so that together we can both create impactful and meaningful businesses and inspire others to do the same.
Payman fully believes that Capitalism can do and be good. And that doing good is not only the right thing to do as a human being but that it also is good for business!
Payman’s area of expertise is E-Commerce. He is launching a Brand of physical products made from sustainable and animal cruelty-free leather. For each unit sold, he will donate a pair of eyeglasses to people who need them but can’t afford them so that they can see clearly again.
