We’re so blessed with a magazine full of interesting people and loads of rich interviews that provide us all with a nice big dose of inspiration to fulfill our own mission toward impact. The year 2020 provided me, as the Publisher, with plenty of “aha” and “you’re kidding me” moments. I’ll list some of them here with links to the interviews, but, check out my video intro to understand why these moments were not only fascinating for me, but, how they might translate for you…and what it all means for an impactful 2021.
Sara Wimmercranz, Founder & CEO, Backing Minds
Can’t Get Funded? Create Your Own Source
Sara Wimmercranz of BackingMinds is a female innovator and a woman who, a few years ago, was looking for funds to grow her enterprise. Finding that equitable funding was not common, she decided to change the narrative. Today, innovator Sara is investor Sara who seeks interesting new projects in Sweden (recently expanded to Europe) to help expand. Click here for interview.
Atif Zafar, Entrepreneur and Investor
What Investors Really Want to Know From Your Pitch Isn’t What You Think
Atif Zafar was the first investor I interviewed for the Investor Series and within the first few minutes, he blew me away with what he looks for in a pitch. Over the years, I’ve seen lots of pitch decks and executive summaries, and even helped to edit some. Atif’s surprising information put a different frame on the process – one every fund-seeker should know. Click here for interview.
Stephen Shaw, Veteran Music Producer
Sometimes the Most Important Impact You Can Make is The Simplest Thing To Do
Stephen Shaw is an avid NPR (National Public Radio) fan. One day while listening, he heard about a program called Vocalid. Enthralled, he applied, was accepted, and spent some time recording phrases. He did this so that someone with only a computerized voice would have the ability to use tone, emotion, and a real voice to express himself. His voice has been selected over fifty times. What a personal, life-long, life-changing gift to give someone you don’t even know. And, as for Vocalid – how inspiring to make this platform available. Click here for interview.
Using ALL of Your Talents and Assets Gives You an Unexpected Win
Dissan and his vegetable garden
Uganda native, Mubiru Dissan, is a mentee from our World Hope Youth Mentors pilot program we conducted in the fall of 2019. We’ve stayed in touch since his participation, and during the early days of the pandemic, we asked him how he was doing. He had lost his job and his 7-person household was at risk. Undaunted, this young man used every scrap of material, seeds, space, natural gifts, and creativity he had to create not just one, but several income streams. He’s like the poster child for how to champion enterprise during the darkest times. How could he have known that the pandemic that threatened his family’s livelihood could push him into his own social enterprise and make such a big difference in his community? Maybe…faith? Click here for his story.
Penny Heyes , CEO, The Trust Bridge
When You See a Need, Take the Lead
Penny Heyes of The Trust Bridge is a data privacy expert and consultant based in the UK. Her specialty in focusing on GDPR and other global regulatory efforts aimed at data privacy has caused her business to be in touch with corporate employees who have been tasked to manage this critical part of their business. The details and fast-moving information in this space causes a gap in learning and keeping up with tasks. Penny saw the need for a professional association whereby the managers could network and learn the news that keeps them updated in this complicated space. Her company birthed an entire professional association. Who does that? A smart, forward-thinking pro. A Frontrunner! Click here for interview.
Fixing a Human-Being Problem Has the Potential to Fix Bigger Ones
Her Majesty, Princess Kunda
Her Majesty, Princess Kunda of Zambia is an attorney with experience in the judicial system in her country. That experience put her in the position of seeing people coming before the courts who really didn’t belong. Her compassionate viewpoint was that they were suffering from mental stress (depression or some form of mental illness) that was the underlying cause of their presence in the courts. She wanted to fix the problem, and her answer was to assemble therapists, counselors, and every kind of support into a physical site and online platform to help those who suffer. In so doing, Her Majesty will not only be helping the individuals, but also the local economy and the corrections system which is likely overburdened. Click here for interview.
Turning Your Life-Ending Story Into a Mental Wellness Story for Others
Craig Fearn, CEO, Business Mental Wellbeing
Craig Fearn tried to commit suicide a couple of times in his past. Failed attempts only brought him to the offices of therapists who really weren’t able to provide the right type of support, so he ended up over a period of time creating his own way of managing depression. In so doing, he managed his way toward a business – one that helps companies create a charter for how they are going to manage mental wellness in the workplace. It’s called Business Mental Wellbeing and its based out of the UK but works globally. Additionally, Craig has become an on-call counselor with first-responders who encounter someone wanting to end their life. Click here for interview.
Marc Jarrett, Founder/CEO, Virtual Power Networking
When You Find Success With Something, Replicate it to the Point of Influence
Marc Jarrett of UK-based Virtual Power Networking, has been a long-time League member. A charismatic networker, Marc hopped on the Whatsapp bandwagon almost as soon as it showed up. Then, his own brand of magic started happening. He set up some Whatsapp groups, (including one for our Frontrunners League) monitoring and growing each. He replicated this over 100x using his smarts to theme the groups by trends in conversations he sees occurring. He connects people like a mad man and has developed a “go-to” status for himself reaping the benefits of relationships he’s built by just being the facilitator. And, of course, he provides training for people wanting to learn the platform. Click here for info on Marc.
Mary Kurek, CEO, Frontrunners League & Publisher, Frontrunners Innovate
When I started putting together this list, it got pretty long. There’s more I could share, but, maybe another time. For now, I hope you get that when we interview people for the magazine, we, of course, are looking to spotlight their innovative nature and impactful work, but, we’re also getting their “why” and what lesson they provide for us all as we seek to carve out our own place in this world…our own Frontrunner spot.
The fact that you are reading this or that you subscribe and check in regularly makes you a member of the Frontrunner Community. We’d like to know about you and what you are doing to bring hope, solve a problem, or right a wrong no matter where it is or how big or small. The first step is to subscribe if you haven’t already. You can do that while you are on this page. Just check the column to the right for “Join the Mailing List.”
Second step is to reach out to us. Contact here. You’ll find our social links there, too.
Lastly, we at Frontrunners Innovate and Frontrunners League wish you and your family a safe, healthy, and happy 2021. We look forward to helping you to create some great solutions and inspirations this year.