The BizDev Boost Podcast Series was developed to help those of you making business connections for your own business or someone else’s to secure a commission. As a reminder, I’ve been conducting business development introductions through my own business for about 15-16 years now. My focus is impact spaces — like health, technology, education, entrepreneurship, diplomacy, and econ dev. And, there’s …
What I’ve Learned from Frontrunners by Mary Kurek
It’s amazing when I look back on how many people I’ve interviewed over the last eight years. I’ve begun keeping count of the countries in which I’ve established a rapport with a “Frontrunner.” My definition of a Frontrunner, by the way, is a person who is out front with their ideas, innovation, activism, diplomatic service, programs, devices, and so on. …
A Soul – Christmas Poem by Chaitali Sinha
A beautiful sentiment this Christmas Day (2021) from one of our young Frontrunners. Chaitali is an 18-year-old aspiring design student from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. At the age of 12 years, she was inspired by nature and started writing poems as a hobby. She blogs under the title “Life View Through Poems with Chaitali.” This is where she shares her …
Holiday Poem 2021 – The Eve of Meaning by Mary Kurek
This poem is my Christmas gift to you, along with the performance of the song that created the experience. The song is actually a poem set into music and is a long-beloved Christmas carol – one that I never really “heard” before last Christmas Eve. I voiced the poem as a podcast episode for those who would rather listen. See …
Ebere Odika Fights Gender Violence in Africa Through IBreathe Initiative
Ebere Odika is a Mandela Washington Fellow and has been working under that umbrella and several others, including her own, IBreathe Initiative, to combat gender violence and promote gender equality in Africa. IBreathe stands for “Initiative for Building a Resourceful and Ethical Africa” and is an activating organization for school clubs designed to educate, counsel, and provide a safe place …
Abdellah Aouf Creates Job Opportunities for Unskilled Youth Through the Unique GO Platform
Abdellah Aouf is an Algerian entrepreneur based in the United States solving the issue of unskilled candidates in the job market through a platform that provides hand-picked matching and training solutions that benefit candidates and employers. GO Platform is a creative solution to a problem Abdellah realized in Algeria where tech-jobs weren’t being filled by the available workforce. They are …
Honorary Consul of Malawi Nir Gess Gives Safe Haven to Trafficking Victims
The Honorable Nir Gess has a lot on his business plate. He runs a large farming enterprise in Malawi and handles the diplomatic tasks of his office as Honorary Consul of Malawi to Israel, but, the most passionate work he does is helping victims of human trafficking. Nir was heading out on a trip one day when he saw a …
Arafat Lesheve Proves Youth Are Making a Difference in Tanzania
Arafat Lesheve is one of the most accomplished young people you’ll meet. In his early 20s, Arafat has created more opportunities for youth in Tanzania than anyone would believe. This 25-year-old, already an independent consultant, is serving a title under the Prime Minister’s Office, is a nonprofit founder, and an awarded young visionary. Oh, and he’s already on the path …
Onochie Lawrence is Helping to Bank the UN SDGs
Onochie Lawrence, through The Bank of Africa, is moving toward providing sustainable solutions to energy and water needs within the African continent and then moving outward to other areas and into other impact spaces. From his headquarters in The Gambia, Onochie, who serves as Secretary-General of the bank, considers solutions for all of the UN SDGs, but, energy and water …
Akwasi Opong-Fosu is Launching Innovation and Entrepreneurship Projects in Ghana
Akwasi Opong-Fosu is a former Minister of State and Public Policy Analyst, Office of the President of Ghana. He’s taken everything he’s known in the political and governance arenas and moved them into a consultancy called Africa Growth Solutions. His solutions involve inspiring youth to become job creators as opposed to job seekers and moving that level of entrepreneurship into …