Your Mark On The World

Read the full GoodCrowdinfo article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1TFaY8k. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. The always cheerful Dr. Robert Selliah, founder of American MedChem, is deadly serious about finding cures that could save up to 200 million children around the world. He explains, “About 7,000 rare diseases are known and nearly 20 million children in the US and 200 million children worldwide have some form of rare disease. But for 95 percent of these rare diseases there are no effective targeted medicines. 30 percent children with rare diseases will not live to see their 5th birthday. Lack of medicines is primarily because it is not profitable for pharmaceutical companies to create medicines for these children – no market-based drivers.” Robert explains how far reaching the problem is. “In the same way, lack of profitability for pharmaceutical companies is the reason for the la

Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1QWk0yl. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Austin Meyer, a young journalist who recently graduated with a masters degree from Stanford, got his Warholian fifteen minutes of fame this year. You see, Austin won the New York Times “win-a-trip” with Nicholas Kristof competition. A host of college students apply for the coveted opportunity to travel with the famed columnist to a destination in the developing world to cover, as only Nick does, the painful stories of the developing world. Austin Meyer and Nicholas Kristof in Nepal, courtesy of Austin Meyer Austin Meyer and Nicholas Kristof in Nepal, courtesy of Austin Meyer Austin shared some of his history with me in preparation for this piece and live interview. He confessed that he didn’t always plan to become a journalist. When I arrived at Stanford, I had no clue

Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1OJ4T6U. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. “My life plan was completely altered on July 17, 1997. While at work as a customer support manager for a software company, I started having an excruciating headache. It was like a volcano erupted in my head. Actually it was an eruption–of large and small veins in my brain. A massive hemorrhage ensued that resulted in a paralyzing stroke,” explained Julia Fox Garrison, the bestselling author and motivational speaker. The stroke was debilitating. Julia says, “Aside from the obvious physical impairments of left-sided hemiparesis with attendant numbness, tone and spasticity; I also have a condition called “Left Neglect.” My brain doesn’t recognize that I have a left side. It is a basic unawareness that the left side exists. It’s a condition that has gotten me into some unus

Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1TfQVNw. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Here’s the harsh reality: Female refugees are more oppressed, the victims of greater violence, and less supported than any other refugee group. When they arrive in Utah, their conservative cultures require them to maintain the home and raise children, their family’s poverty requires that they go into the workforce, often without adequate English or skills to do so. Female refugees suffer PTSD, domestic violence, social ostracism but have few social safety nets to fall into when they are overwhelmed. This, according to Samira Harnish, an accomplished, retired engineer who has devoted herself to serving refugee women. Samira’s organization, Women of the World, is here to help. She says, “Women of the World serves and advocates on behalf of female refugees independent of t

Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1TfOwCx. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Last month, social enterprise startup Imperative, in partnership with NYU, released a report called the “Workforce Purpose Index” that author and Imperative CEO Aaron Hurst hopes will be a positive disruptive force. Hurst says, “ It is the first study of purpose in the U.S. workforce and the findings are shifting the way the field is thinking about recruiting, culture and leadership.” Hurst hopes the report isn’t just filed away, but is used to drive change and improve recruiting. He says, “The goal is to have leaders across sectors understand the science of purpose in the workforce and begin to use it to help boost the performance and well being of their teams. It is the most disruptive and potentially positively game changing research about work in over a decade.” The introductio

Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1QGmimM. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Michael Durham, an attorney at our sponsor Kirton McConkie, works on cross-border philanthropy; he helped me to understand more about the challenges faced by international nonprofits fundraising in the U.S. Specifically, he shared three tips for helping nonprofits set up a U.S. nonprofit affiliate to help with fundraising. Here are the three tips for setting up a U.S. nonprofit arm for fundraising for an international nonprofit: Ensure that the U.S. nonprofit controls where the money goes. Build a record of decision-making in the U.S. entity. Consider alternatives to setting up your own entity. Let’s take each of these in order. First, Michael says, “Make sure it is properly structured to vest real discretion and control over how the funds are used in the U.S. entity.”

Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1ZcOFKv. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Omidyar Network, an impact investing pioneer, recently published a new report entitled “Frontier Capital” on impact investing. Given the attention that has been paid to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which parallels the structure of the Omidyar Network in some respects–critically allowing for both impact investing and traditional philanthropy–I’ve taken time with Paula Goldman, a report author and Senior Director, Global Lead for Impact Investing at Omidyar Network to get her take on the report. Goldman makes three key observations about impact investing for 2016: 1. We’re at a tipping point for impact investing 2. The next generation is more socially minded and will push for change 3. Capital and technology will drive innovation in emerging markets Read the full Forbes article an

Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1YiB5rW. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Don’t you love it when you find someone who is out to change the world and is actually doing it–at scale! Young social entrepreneur Grace Garey noted that there are too many people in the world without access to healthcare so she decided to do something about it. In just a few years of operation, Watsi, a crowdfunding site designed to fund medical care for impoverished people in the developing world one at a time, has helped 5,000 patients in 20 countries. Not a bad start! Garey was motivated by a sobering statistic, she says. “1 billion people don’t have to access to healthcare, and million more are pushed into poverty each year trying to pay for it.” “Our goal is to make healthcare a reality for every person on the planet. I really believe there are no missing resources in the wo

Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1YilBUX. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Tim Ballard’s career with the CIA and Homeland Security may not be what you’d expect. With years of leading rescue efforts to free victims of human trafficking, especially those used as prostitutes, he founded Operation Underground Railroad to liberate captive slaves. Ballard explains the need for his work. “The scope of the problem is vast; there are an estimated 27 million enslaved human beings in the world: more slaves than ever existed during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Many are sex slaves, as sex trafficking represents the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world. Many reputable organizations exist to disseminate information about this problem, and others function as aftercare organizations for victims. Very few, if any, dedicate themselves to the pro-active rescue a

Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1I9Fne7. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Tony Robbins, The New York Times number one bestselling author, is working to feed 100 million meals to America’s hungry this year through a partnership with Feeding America –and they’re almost there. (You can donate here.) Robbins explains the tragedy of hunger in America, saying, “It’s a tragedy that in the United States, the richest country in the world, 49 million people, including 16 million children, may go to bed unsure if they will have a meal tomorrow. These are some of the hardest working people on the planet, often people that we interact with each day, and are scraping by from paycheck to paycheck, just one unexpected expense away from not being able to put food on the table.” It struck me as being almost out of character that the author of Awaken the Giant Within, a bo

Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1IDJSh6. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Entrepreneurs and corporations alike spend tremendous time and money to get good publicity. I’ve reached out to Forbes Contributor Cheryl Snapp Conner, who also serves as the CEO and Founder of SnappConner PR, to find out out social entrepreneurs should leverage the publicity they work so hard to get. Cheryl offers three key tips: 1. Share and extend your great press coverage. This is a big part of the mileage you receive in today’s press environment. Via social media, your own blog, and other re-postings this is easy and fruitful to do. 2. You are the best author of your own story. As opposed to relying on the press to tell your story, you should hone your abilities to also tell and publish your story on your own. 3. Communications is power! Are you “on the record” f

Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1M1JO5r. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. One of my role models is a young social entrepreneur, Nidhi Singh, in India who has created a platform not unlike the Your Mark on the World Center to cover corporate social responsibility (CSR), social entrepreneurship, impact investing and philanthropy in India. Nidhi reached out to me about six months ago to explore a collaboration between the Your Mark on the World Center and her platform, CSRlive.in. We are excited to be doing so, cross sharing content to give her audience direct access to our stories and our audience direct access to hers. India recently passed a law requiring all corporations to do some CSR. Nidhi explains, “The new mandatory CSR law has opened up a world of possibilities for Corporate India to do good and contribute strategically to equitable, s

Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1IbmUIy. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Overstock’s founder and CEO, Patrick Byrne, is himself an accomplished social entrepreneur. Overstock’s lesser known affiliate Worldstock was an early entrant in the social enterprise space. Worldstock sources artisinal products from around the world, largely from underprivileged women, and makes them available to people in the U.S. and elsewhere in the developed world at prices that provides fair earnings to the artisans. All Worldstock orders ship “carbon neutral” to the customer. Byrne offers three key observations to help social entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is key: “The key to elevating the standard of living in developing countries is not through foreign aid, but through encouraging entrepreneurship. Part of that calls for engaging in fair trade with the actual producers in

Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1IbPn0P. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. HSNi’s efforts to support needy children around the world through its partnership with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF provide lessons for social entrepreneurs seeking to have impact at scale. [Jump to page 2 to watch the live interview 11/24/15 at 5:00 Eastern.] HSNi CEO Mindy Grossman provides some background for its partnership, saying, “HSNi Cares was established in 2010 with a mission to empower women and support children and families in need locally, nationally and globally. All children, regardless of their income, ethnicity or geography have the right to be protected and be given the opportunity to reach their full potential which is why our global HSNi Cares partner is the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. UNICEF does whatever it takes to save and protect the world’s most vulnerable children.

Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1kQq8N0. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Brent Andrewsen, an attorney with Your Mark on the World-sponsor Kirton McConkie, explains the simple steps required to form a nonprofit charity. There are two basic steps required. First, you need to create a legal entity and second, you must obtain tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the entity. Most “nonprofits” are either a charitable trust or a nonprofit corporation. Brent recommends a nonprofit corporation for organizations looking to operate a traditional nonprofit. The formation requires articles of incorporation, bylaws, a board of directors (at least 3 in number), naming of officers, etc. The articles must be registered with the state, and the state also requires the names and addresses of board members and officers. These steps are a

November 24, 2015 - Read the full Your Mark on the World article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1kQSAOK. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Rahel Getachew, founder and Managing Director of Afrolehar, is working to change perceptions of Africa by building business bridges between the U.S. and Africa. Rahel explains the problem, “The African continent has been seen as the dark and hopeless continent. There is a lack of linkages between US investment and African SMEs, a growing youthful continent that needs jobs to keep peace and security in the region and are missing platforms designed to solve these problems.” She is working to address the lack of platforms focused on these problems. She says, “I started this business to strategically transform the image of Africa and contribute in strengthening North America- Africa relations. We provide integrated communications solutions through our ad

November 19, 2015 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1NDWcdA. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Late last month, the SEC kept its word from late 2014 when it said it would issue final rules for Regulation Crowdfunding under the JOBS Act by October 2015. [Jump to page 2 to watch the live interview 11/19/15 at 3:00 Eastern.] Todd Crosland, CEO and Founder of Seed Equity Ventures, a broker dealer already operating and doing crowdfunding type equity raises under the SEC’s Regulation D 506(c) rules for general solicitations, says, “ I believe the SEC passing Title III will be a watershed event for both startups and investors. Startups and the general investing public will be forever changed.” Crosland explains the import of the new rules, “The purpose is to allow non accredited investors the ability to invest in startups, which was once only reserved for the el

November 19, 2015 - Read the full GoodCrowdinfo article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/1MkU78h. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. “Autism is the fastest growing developmental diagnosis in the world today more than diabetes, HIV or cancer combined,” notes Dr. Julian Maha, founder of KultureCity, a nonprofit serving those with autism, including Julian’s son. “Only 20% of these children go on to have jobs yet very little attention is being paid to this issue.” Julian created KultureCity to answer the questions, “How do you create a future without limits and job opportunities for children with disabilities specifically autism?” Julian explains, “We are doing this by engaging the community and helping them realize not only the social good benefits of inclusion and job creation for individuals with autism but also the monetary and PR benefits.” “If we are right about KultureCIty, in 10 years

November 19, 2015 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1HUKRsK. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Virgin Unite describes itself as the “entrepreneurial foundation” of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. It is a registered nonprofit and the part of Virgin focused on social impact. Branson, not typically labeled a social entrepreneur, sure seems to be one. [Jump to page two to watch the live interview 11/19/15 at 2:00 PM Eastern.] Recently, I’ve connected with Virgin Unite President Jean Oelwang to learn more about the organization and about its work. A quick perusal of the website will tell you that Branson is concerned about a wide range of social issues from the oceans, to youth unemployment and homelessness, and from AIDS and TB to rural transportation for health workers (motorbikes). Oelwang is championing a new initiative that addresses broad, global issues

November 19, 2015 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1QuFYtd. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Jane Chen’s Embrace, a laureate of the 2012 Tech Awards and winner of the 2015 Laureate Impact Award, is working to save 1 million babies over the next five years. Chen, who co-founded the nonprofit in 2008, explains why so many babies are at risk, “Each year, 15,000,000 babies are born preterm; 3,000,000 babies die in the first 28 days of their life. This is largely due to poor healthcare available in developing countries. Many of these deaths are preventable. Unfortunately, a prevalent number of hospitals simply cannot afford the high cost of current incubators and are in dire need of a low cost alternative. In addition, many of these births occur in rural areas, where electricity may not even be an option so a sustainable solution is needed.” Enter Embrace and