Social Entrepreneurs Need to Shake Things Up! | vLog, Episode 007

I have spent a SIGNIFICANT time recently looking at the work I am doing, and that of other "social entrepreneurs", and have come to the conclusion that we have become too safe.

We have become too guarded with our ideas, with our business plans, and with how we communicate the work.

Too few of us are swinging for the fences in an attempt to SOLVE a big problem, and it's time to shake it up.

It's time we bold actions to solve the growing challenges we face in our communities, economies, and environments, and through this video I hope to inspire to look at the work you are doing in a different way.

To take steps that you feel might be uncomfortable, but may lead you (and your organization)  closer to achieving something big.



About Me:
Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, I’ve spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to understand their power to leverage innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership to solve “the big” challenges cities face.

Currently, as the Managing Director of Collective Responsibility, Executive Director of HandsOn China, and a former Adjunct Professor of Sustainability at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), I’m focused on building platforms that promote long term organizational capacity to address the economic, environmental, and social hurdles that China faces as the country’s economic growth accelerates.

Follow Me:
Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Me:
[email protected]

#Richbrubaker #socialentrepreneur #socialinnovation

 


Jeet Singh

Edtech Entrepreneurship in India | Jeet Singh, Selfstudy

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with Jeet Singh, Founder of Selfstudy, to speak about the work he has been doing over the last few years to provide a better future to the next generation of Indian students.

It is a great conversation, and one where, as a consultant who quit to build a "better" way, I really found myself identifying with very easily, and I hope that you will find inspiration in his work.



About #EntrepreneursForGood Series:
Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action.

To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market.

About Jeet:
Persainjit Singh (Jeet) is a seasoned management consultant with more than 12 years of consulting, industry and ed-tech experience. He has envisioned and created a digital learning platform which is used by more than 1 lac students in India.

Follow Jeet:
Website: http://www.selfstudy.co.in
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/persainjit/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/persainjit
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/persainjit

About Rich:
Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich
Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich
[email protected]


Work Life Balance

Productivity and Work Life Balance | Behind the Grind, Episode 006

In this episode of Behind the Grind, Brian and I speak through the difference between hustle and productivity, which leads into a deeper conversation about work life balance.

It is an episode that I thought aligned well with current conversations about hustle, and how that term has changed into something negative when it is in fact something positive when it is productive.

As always, would love your thoughts on the conversation!

 


About the Behind The Grind Series:

Through this podcast series, Brian and I will speak about the realities (as we know them) of entrepreneurship.

Videos will be available every Saturday, and audience participation is HIGHLY encouraged!

About Rich

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, I've spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to understand their power to leverage innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership to solve "the big" challenges cities face.

Currently, as the Managing Director of Collective Responsibility, Executive Director of HandsOn China, and a Visiting Professor of Sustainability at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), I'm focused on building platforms that promote long term organizational capacity to address the economic, environmental, and social hurdles that China faces as the country’s economic growth accelerates.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

About Brian:

Brian Tam leads corporate teams through FIRST TIME EVER challenges. From new business models to fresh brands, as CEO of Let's Make Great! he guides multinational companies in China to systematically create the future and explore uncertainties.

He's the mind behind PROTO Innovation Cards and the author of Awrignawl Creativity.

Born in New York, and proudly raised in New Jersey - he has been in China since 2007, working to drive the fantastic change that is happening in China & the world. Let's Make Great!

Follow Brian:

Website: http://www.letsmakegreat.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.tam.56211
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamonline/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/letsmakegreat/


Weekly News: Shanghai's Bold Waste Regulations, Circular Economies, and Awesome Ag Entrepreneur

With so much going on in the realm of sustainability, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and only a limited amount of bandwidth for professionals in this space, I have created this post to highlight articles that I feel are (1) important, (2) relevant, and (3) interesting in the areas of social innovation and entrepreneurship.

If you have an article, or event, that you feel needs to be mentioned, please do so in the comments section.


Shanghai rubbish rules: New law sends Chinese city into frenzy -  This regulation has been the talk of Asia, and for good reason... Shanghai went BOLD with their new waste separation program.  Only a week in, a lot of articles are focused more on the fines than on the efficiency, but I have a plan for that!

Reduce, reuse, and recycle: can we achieve a global circular economy? - Once we collect the waste, we need to do something with it.  Something, through my consulting work, is something MUCH easier said than done.

Urban farming company seeking to help the poor one bayong at a time - Sometimes it's the simple ideas.

America’s first urban ‘agrihood’ feeds 2,000 households for free - Delivering safe, affordable, and accessible food in 2050 is going to require we look at urban farming.  Over the last few years, that concept has largely been dominated by the vertical movement, but in many (more) parts of the world the model may be more "agrihood"

Engineer Quits US Job, Builds Sustainable Homes From Agri-Waste In Villages!   Tying the themes of waste and food together, this article highlights the work of an amazing entrepreneur who is using agri waste as a way to build homes.


Interface Flooring

Interface Flooring (China) Factory Visit | Rich Brubaker, vlog Episode 006

In this episode, I go to the Interface Flooring factory in Taicang, China to learn more about what makes them one of the most sustainable companies in the world.

It's founder Ray Anderson was not only a pioneer in proving the business case for sustainability, but over the last 20 years has shown that through the lens of sustainability, Interface was able to achieve the full potential of a firms people, product, and processes can be achieved.

I have had a number of opportunities to work with them, and every time I do am inspired by the people, the culture, and the commitment of the organization to creating a truly circular economy where no waste is created and no virgin materials are required for the production of their products.

There are so many lessons to be learned through studying Interface, and I hope through this video you will be inspired to take the time to learn more about their work and find ways to apply what they have done so that you too can summit your own "Mount Sustainability".


About Me:
Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, I've spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to understand their power to leverage innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership to solve "the big" challenges cities face.

Currently, as the Managing Director of Collective Responsibility, Executive Director of HandsOn China, and a former Adjunct Professor of Sustainability at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), I'm focused on building platforms that promote long term organizational capacity to address the economic, environmental, and social hurdles that China faces as the country’s economic growth accelerates.

Follow Me:
Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Me:
[email protected]

#Richbrubaker #socialentrepreneur #socialinnovation

 


Chris Oestereich

Teaching Social Entrepreneurship in Thailand | Chris Oestereich, Circular Design Lab

In this episode of Entrepreneurs For Good, I speak with Chris Oestereich about his work in Bangkok teaching social entrepreneurship at  Thammasat University while standing up his own social enterprises, Full Circle Filament and Circular Design Lab.

Lot's of lessons in here about how to engage students on topics, and why we should be optimistic about the future!

 


About #EntrepreneursForGood Series:
Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action.

To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market.

About Chris:
Chris helps communities and organizations shift towards the circular economy. He’s also a writer, publisher, and the director of the ASEAN Social Innovation Review, the publishing unit at Thammasat University’s School of Global Studies where he lectures on topics related to sustainability, social innovation, social enterprise, and advocacy.

Follow Chris:
Website: https://chrisoestereich.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisoestereich/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.oestereich

About Rich:
Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich
Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich
[email protected]


Burnout

Managing Burnout & The Delusions of Entrepreneurship | Behind The Grind 005

In this episode of Behind the Grind, I speak with Brian Tam about managing burnout.

It is a topic that when discussed is largely done in passing, and through this episode, I hope to change that through speaking about my own experiences with burnout & anxiety... and how I have come to recognize, and pay attention to, the signs (earlier).


About the Behind The Grind Series:

Through this podcast series, Brian and I will speak about the realities (as we know them) of entrepreneurship.

Videos will be available every Saturday, and audience participation is HIGHLY encouraged!

About Rich

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, I've spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to understand their power to leverage innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership to solve "the big" challenges cities face.

Currently, as the Managing Director of Collective Responsibility, Executive Director of HandsOn China, and a Visiting Professor of Sustainability at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), I'm focused on building platforms that promote long term organizational capacity to address the economic, environmental, and social hurdles that China faces as the country’s economic growth accelerates.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

About Brian:

Brian Tam leads corporate teams through FIRST TIME EVER challenges. From new business models to fresh brands, as CEO of Let's Make Great! he guides multinational companies in China to systematically create the future and explore uncertainties.

He's the mind behind PROTO Innovation Cards and the author of Awrignawl Creativity.

Born in New York, and proudly raised in New Jersey - he has been in China since 2007, working to drive the fantastic change that is happening in China & the world. Let's Make Great!

Follow Brian:

Website: http://www.letsmakegreat.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.tam.56211
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamonline/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/letsmakegreat/| Behind The Grind 004


Entrepreneurs Ending Alzheimers, India is TOO hot, and Passion Leading to Burnout | Weekly News

With so much going on in the realm of sustainability, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and only a limited amount of bandwidth for professionals in this space, I have created this post to highlight articles that I feel are (1) important, (2) relevant, and (3) interesting in the areas of social innovation and entrepreneurship.

If you have an article, or event, that you feel needs to be mentioned, please do so in the comments section.


A vaccine for Alzheimer's is on the verge of becoming a reality - This is by far and away my pick of the week. first, becuase we are apparently very close to having an answer to Alzeimers, and second, because this article is a story about a family business where the entrepreneur was driven by a pass

Are parts of India becoming too hot for humans? - As if Chennai running out of water wasn't bad enough, temperatures across many areas of India are reaching the upper 40s, resulting in hundreds of deaths.
A Nasty Swine Virus in China Means Big Trouble for US Farmers - China is losing the battle against African swine flu, and it is costing farmers billions. This article provides a nuce summery of the size, scale and scope of the problem.

With Love From An Oregon Prison: How Eric Lundgren Is Going To Help You Recycle All Your Electronics - While the world is searching for answers to waste, in Oregon an entrepreneur was sentenced to 13 months in prison for buying scrap computers, installing their original Microsoft OS, and then putting them back into the economy.

US investors hunt for the Beyond Meat of China - On the other side of the world, investors are looking for their entry point into Asia's plant based movement.

Engineer Quits US Job, Builds Sustainable Homes From Agri-Waste In Villages! - Another phenonminal article about Shriti Pandey's path as a social entrepreneurto launch a green construction firm.

When Passion Leads to Burnout - As discused, briefly, in my recent interview with Tom Stader, this is an important topic, and I fully intend to keep a light on it.


Dhrav Khanna

Hydroponics and Agtech Entrepreneurship in India | Dhrav Khanna, Triton Foodworks

For the last 10 years, I have spent the majority of my time looking at sustainability as a function of urbanization, and the resource footprints of urban residents, in Asia.

Particularly how will Asia' urban systems be challenges by the movement of the next two billion Asians moving into cities (by 2030), and what the role of entrepreneurs and innovators will be as THE force to deliver the solutions required for sustainability in local environments, economies, and communities.

So, while the news surrounding Chennai's water shortage is now top of mind, and in keeping in mind there are dozens of other cities in India that are under similar threat, earlier this year I met with an amazing entrepreneur named Dhrav Khanna of Delhi based Triton Foodworks and interviewed him about his work for the Entrepreneurs For Good series.

It was an amazing discussion, similar to those I have had in Bangkok, Singapore, and Hong Kong, and while I was impressed by his systems, and saw similar challenges in business model, the one thing I really appreciated was in his approach to measuring how much water his systems saved against traditional farming.


About the Entrepreneurs For Good Series:
Through this series, we speak with Asia based entrepreneurs whose mission it is to bring solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that are faced within the region to learn more about their vision, the opportunities they see, and challenges that they have had to overcome.

It is a series that we hope will not only engage and inspire you, but catalyze you and your organizations into action.

To identify a challenge that is tangible, and build a business model (profit or non) that brings a solution to the market.

About Triton Foodworks:
In 2014 Ullas Samrat, Dhruv Khanna and two close friends cofounded Triton Foodworks, a hydroponic agriculture startup. They initially were interested in urban rooftop farming, but in order to attain volume they set up full-scale commercial farms on the outskirts of major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. Triton Foodworks is now a leader in the hydroponics industry in India, producing more than 700 tons of residue-free fruits and vegetables every year.

Follow Dhrav:
Website: http://www.tritonfoodworks.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khannadhruv
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dhruv_khanna

About Rich:
Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, Richard Brubaker has spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to take their first step.

Acting as a catalyst to driving sustainability, Brubaker works with government, corporate, academic and non-profit stakeholders to bring together knowledge, teams, and tools that develop and execute their business case for sustainability.

Follow Rich
Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

Contact Rich
[email protected]


Overcoming Negative Thoughts

Confidence, Success, & Overcoming Negative Thoughts | Behind the Grind, Episode 004

In this episode of Behind the Grind, Brian and I answer some questions from our followers about what gives us confidence, how we define success, and overcoming negative thoughts distracting us from taking the next steps in our mission.

A mission that we accepted from the first step, but as the hills grow steeper and as exhaustion sets in, the challenge becomes a mental one for the entrepreneur to push through.

For both Brian and myself, this is where some of the most important battles need to be won, and through this episode we speak through our process for reminding ourselves of the mission, orienting ourselves in difficult times, and learning to trust our instincts when the path isn't clearly visible.

It isn't a process that is easy, but to make process, overcoming negative thoughts it is requirement for progress to be made.

 


About the Behind The Grind Series:

Through this podcast series, Brian and I will speak about the realities (as we know them) of entrepreneurship.

Videos will be available every Saturday, and audience participation is HIGHLY encouraged!

About Rich

Driven by the belief that change begins with a single step, I've spent the last 15 years in Asia working to engage, inspire, and equip those around him to understand their power to leverage innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership to solve "the big" challenges cities face.

Currently, as the Managing Director of Collective Responsibility, Executive Director of HandsOn China, and a Visiting Professor of Sustainability at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), I'm focused on building platforms that promote long term organizational capacity to address the economic, environmental, and social hurdles that China faces as the country’s economic growth accelerates.

Follow Rich:

Website: http://www.richbrubaker.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.brubaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker
Instagram: https://instagram.com/richbrubaker
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richbrubaker

About Brian:

Brian Tam leads corporate teams through FIRST TIME EVER challenges. From new business models to fresh brands, as CEO of Let's Make Great! he guides multinational companies in China to systematically create the future and explore uncertainties.

He's the mind behind PROTO Innovation Cards and the author of Awrignawl Creativity.

Born in New York, and proudly raised in New Jersey - he has been in China since 2007, working to drive the fantastic change that is happening in China & the world. Let's Make Great!

Follow Brian:

Website: http://www.letsmakegreat.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.tam.56211
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamonline/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/letsmakegreat/