hello everybody and welcome to another
YouTube hang out super excited to have
my friends and special guest Steven can
lead back for another episode he is our
favorite CEO here in believe nation CEO
of sage the county software company that
I use to help run my businesses and we
do this monthly session to give back
help you guys out ancien some questions
and ready to get into the chat Steven
welcome back great to be back ever
really good to see you you’re back in
your London offices yeah I’m details in
Atlanta I was just last week and back
here actually I’m way I run a clean
Atlanta we did an amazing thing called a
philanthropic which is charity basically
pitching for philanthropy and what
obviously we’d saved we’ve got a massive
social conscience so we’ll get on to
that in a minute but it was just
overwhelming crying in the audience we
have colleagues their customers and you
know it is moving when you see these
people to ambala at work for vulnerable
people well that’s awesome so today’s
topic is how to do good with your
business people in the chat have already
been warming up and asking me is Steven
gonna start with his quotes because last
time you had these amazing quotes to
start the day so I don’t wanna put you
on the spot but I hope you’ve got some
quotes because they’re they’re excited
for you yeah we love it we got some cry
7 i’m gonna give you this free okay i’ll
quote from me is um customers absolutely
love companies with a half and a half of
me so second quote from well we did save
some it Richard Branson was on the stage
and I love this so change begins with a
small group of people who simply refuse
to accept the unacceptable now I love
that and I love love us guys
entrepreneurs defying the cynics and I
think you can do it all you can build a
great company a great business the
awesome for customers be the best place
to work colleagues and do the right
thing by giving back and making a
difference community from the last one
again Richard Branson I love it more
than
doing good good very true I love it this
is this is it has to be a thing now
you’ve set expectations we need quotes
every time so we already have a bunch of
questions coming in but before get into
that your thoughts on how to do good
with business importance of it how I
mean obviously you guys are doing have a
big big scale big company doing it but
how you know an entrepreneur who may be
a solo person even a part time
entrepreneur how they can also do good
and give back or what are your thoughts
yeah I think and I think the key message
really evidence is not mutually
exclusive and ironically I think the new
generation of entrepreneurs are totally
connected over themselves in their
community and we did a message survey
about 7,000 loads across 16 countries
millennial entrepreneurs and it’s
incredible sixty-nine percent of those
said it’s more important in terms of
their mission for their company to do
good in their communities and generate
profit so now the good news is I think
you do both grow revenues you can be you
know rock star company you can be the
best place to work and really important
leg of a to connect your colleagues to a
mission than matters is you can do good
in your communities and give back and
make a massive difference and just think
about the talentless you know on this
sound lab today you guys rock your
building great businesses why don’t we
share the love with the communities we
serve and just connect even if it’s on
our locality to make a little different
you know I won’t down the street here I
guarantee LC homeless people us and and
there but for the grace of God go on so
I think I do generally believe the
companies with a heart are absolutely a
pivotal element for you as entrepreneurs
to build into and even as you know they
start up a company I think it’s really
important to connect your passion around
business with your passion around making
a difference whatever is important to
you whether it’s are they are hospitals
whether its youth whether it’s going to
people whether they’re supporting
prisoners whether it’s supporting
veterans whatever it may be that really
is the thing that unlocks your passion
that’s what we’re always talking about
believe and am pursuing your passion and
the this is a perfect world where they
can come together very holistic Lee in
an integrated manner through the wealth
and prosperity you pray you can share
that view community it’s very noble
court I love it will you get no ton of
love in the comments people hashtagging
a skilly CEO so much heart so it’s great
it is there is irre so i guess an
entrepreneur who’s starting up there’s
so many things that they have to do you
know so many problems they have to
tackle is there a point in time we say
now I’ve made it and now can start doing
good is there time is it too early to
start doing good what do you think I
kind of think Evan you build because
this is a key part of a culture you
build in the company to your colleagues
so even the first person and the other
things people want to work for people
you guys but they’re inspired by and I
think just the humanity and everybody
says that we want to work for people who
have really strong moral compasses have
really good values and I think you have
to build those values cultures and
behaviors and and design this from the
get-go again I would argue when you’re
recruiting colleagues even if you’re a
10-person company that you’ll get
greater productivity out your colleagues
if you connect them to things that
really matter to them through and I will
talk about sage for just a second is
basically the sage foundation we created
which has got sort of a catchy tagline
of two plus two plus two so two percent
of all our colleagues time so we give
them five days a year two percent where
they paid to go and do volunteering and
actually put through a highly grid
pressure on them to use their five days
of volunteering um notnot undue pressure
but we really encourage and I do my
volunteering so I think it’s important
to turn the top says this is really
important to be the culture and the DNA
of this company then we give two percent
of our free cash flow through the grant
foundation and that’s what we’re doing
with a film
for pitch down in the land we have three
amazing charities the mission for the
grants is around three things that we
think are noble causes and don’t get
enough attention so one is obviously
around women and we had an amazing
charity around domestic violence
generally we were crime when we goats on
the case studies particularly about a
woman called Susan in atlanta and and
it’s the sort of thing it’s an elephant
in the room or in canada to moose on the
table people don’t talk about this stuff
but there’s a lot of people who are
suffering out there well we gotta shine
a spotlight and give them the support
they need so when it was one issue which
is really critical to us veterans again
you know sad we’re doing this 20 to push
up challenge why because in the USA 22
veterans who serve their country mixed
suicide every go and i think these guys
valiant soldiers in canada in the USA of
God to keep us secure and safe I think
this the countries we live in owes them
something back when they return and make
sure that they’ve ideally got a roof
over the head a job and support if
they’ve got any issues around traumas
that they’ve dealt with were laying in a
world is Afghanistan where they come
from so so the end the third big areas
youth so again are amazing in the
greatest economy in the world a data
point that showed me his teachers in
Georgia give up and then well paid in
the are in the public school sector in
Georgia but they give up four hundred US
dollars a year buying books buying
pencils crayons pens for their school
kids so wow you know again surely if the
state system doesn’t provide for them
these are the most fun people across USA
and i know you know i love the USA is
the American dream but if they can be
supplemented to help teachers to have
the core resources to allow you know
again mella great quote Nelson Mandela
the best road to freedom future
education and he’s absolutely right the
only way out of poverty is through
education and I think these are missions
so so we
do two percent of free cash flow for the
grant foundation and then the other
thing for nonprofits and charities we
provide our own technology so they run
their back office and movement of money
and collection of funds way more
efficiently so that allows them to
actually direct the funds to the cause
of that they serve rather than having a
fancy back office will cost a lot of
money so let’s I think it’s important so
back to the question of them I do think
it’s important to be starting this in
from and you don’t have to over engineer
it it doesn’t have to be a big overhead
and there’s loads of things that you
will do and some of the data we got is
our amazing ninety percent of
entrepreneurs donate money to charities
so why don’t you integrate that into a
business and celebrating with your
colleagues so if you had donating your
own money to charities bring the charity
into an all-hands meeting and share with
them you know the valiant work that
these charity do so i think it’s
incredible again I think seventy-six
percent of entrepreneurs actually donate
their time to charity so it’s happening
so my I guess my challenge all of us is
why do we bring that in the room and
share it with our colleagues and build
our company’s culture so that we do
develop generally not only an awesome
business and you’re rock stars I know
you do that but it’s actually building
the company with a half the people want
to know where are you spending your five
days a year volunteering hey I love it
so I’ve been down and I’m really lucky I
tell you this ever every time cars so
blessed I’ve got the best job in the
world I deal with the people I love
bitchez entrepreneurs so pulling them on
their noble cause being their champion
but then also I I get blown away I was
at the Invictus games we’re against
service people men and women who have
lost legs one guy been in a coma for two
years and you think I’m not only the
trauma for that individual but their
family visiting the hospital every day
so I’m very lucky to be invictus games
we provided 50 volunteers who wanted to
give up their time from the Atlanta
office to do that I’ve been down to
we know where our colleagues build a
school down in where the Freedom Charter
was sound down in South Africa and
actually sadly you know there’s really
shocking over to there you know these
guys live in a shack there’s no running
water there’s no kind of electricity
there’s excrement on their kind of
rhythm and it’s not even need not even
broke so so effectively again education
is the key to unlock their property i
I’ve been down and worked with a good I
tell you heaven this is some kind of off
piece when we started this sage
foundation one of the byproducts and I
worked in the 80s becomes as I call when
I went off all over these team-building
exercise and you have these fancy
management consultants into a play fair
hundreds of dollars a day and we’ll walk
it across the mountains and given silly
exercise is about crossing bridges that
didn’t exist stupid up the best team
building I’ve ever been on was going
down and working in the food bank in
southeast London with 20 my colleagues
from the receptionist to you know admin
folks and the team building and the
camaraderie that I I got out of there
yeah it’s really humbling and I think we
learn more about and it comes back to
building a great culture in your
companies and then I’ve done I’m junior
achievers stuff down in places like
Atlanta which is invested in the next
generation of entrepreneurs and kids and
then the other personal thing I’ve got
is and this kind of makes me sad as well
is young people who go in and get
convicted for crimes and then go into
prison and the reality is there’s
typically a ratio of tubulin someone
likes it in most countries seventy
percent reoffending ratio so they go to
prisons and you know a prison fight if
you watch colleges to do black or
something like that that depicts from
the glamorous version of it it’s just a
world of drugs gangs violence it’s a bad
bear place it should be called the
University of criminalization and these
kids going on seventeen eighteen
nineteen going into that world I think
you should be given another chance so I
actually are in a very deprived part of
the UK going to work in a mentoring you
young offenders in a prison because I
think we just gotta get and actually
have a batch here and I’m very
sentimental about this I got inspired
I’m just a kind of ordinary guy I got
inspired and through all of
entrepreneurship through my family and
our roots of being sort of small
business owners but also through a
couple of teachers I met you said you
may live your dreams do we love and and
when these guys 16 17 18 when they’ve
dealt with a world of gangs and stuff
like that whether it’s not a lot of hope
and it’s pretty depressing if they meet
someone I’m not suggesting that’s me but
any of us on this blab where they get
inspired and they they just say there’s
a spark I want to educate myself for
what I learned my I want to learn the
skill they’ve got a chance and then
obviously you know they could actually
be one of the one of those things that
really move the doll and I always say
ever nothing you said this on a previous
lab in these sort of things I’m not
suggesting with anything special but
even if we just open the door to save in
one luck wow what a privilege what an
honor and if we can do that through the
prosperity we building our companies and
entrepreneurs then in are generally
thing that’s a huge privilege very cool
i love it while you’re getting a lot of
love in the comments a rest day steven
is so great love em Tamara superb utiful
moisture feel the love so guys I want to
transition from just us talking to get
into your questions we got you know you
got at me and Steven for 45 minutes
let’s get to some questions so we can
help you figure out how you can do good
with your business too first up is
Giovanni Giovanni I’m shooting a film
about happiness and how everyone can
improve the world following the United
Nations 2017 global goals for
sustainable development I want to use my
skills to help people around the world
the solution I found is to have an
online for-profit business is this a
good strategy yeah I think catch the
other it’s a pretty cool question the
other thing I sort of haven’t touched on
but I think if you can have a business
particular sustainable development where
your business mission
is around supporting that that you’ve
lived in over cause and is your passion
then obviously it’s really congruent and
connected so I think you can do that as
well and then actually business
performance is enhance so I’ve got tons
of data this and I will publish this
good you guys who put on your website
but we’ve got a study where that says
companies that actually have a heart and
do a lot of whatever you call it
corporate philanthropy or omissions
connected with supporting causes are
twenty percent more profitable and grow
our revenues revenue increasing by
revenues by twenty percent so so there’s
a lot of data to say that productivity
improves revenues improved and they tend
to be better companies and also
obviously it’s kind of a a naively to
say but it is so obvious you will
recruit better people because I think
the best people want to make a
difference as well and I think that’s
very honorable thing to do as well yeah
and Giovanni I love the idea of mixing
them I think too many people think we’ll
to do good I have to start a charity I
have to go into the nonprofit sector and
that’s a noble pursuit and it works for
a lot of people but you can be
profitable and do good at the same time
and if you can make your business
extremely profitable and build up a team
than the amount of good you can do
amplifies right like the amount that
sage can do because they’re profitable
business and they have a CEO of the
heart is insane compared to what you
know one person can do not that that one
person can’t give back and still
contribute in their own way but I love
the idea of starting a business to do
good and to give back and not only
having to think about going to nonprofit
route-thanks give ani next one and ever
this ghost next one here we go J reyez
you can only two can always expect an
interesting one from junior eyes ah he’s
asking is it doing good a simple basic
natural thing for humans to do do you
have an idea why a how-to is needed
yeah I think it is I think actually you
guys get it you know we’re sort of
probably preaching to convert it on this
black but but the practical thing is we
need to bring it to life and I just
think if you’re building successful
businesses and entrepreneurs and
covering all the other stuff like
getting both capital and stuff we’ve
covered a lot of labs then wouldn’t be
amazing to share that engine for
prosperity in a wider community and do
good I think everybody’s got humanity of
their art and we’ve got a strong moral
compass and particularly nerves and the
day is suggested a really the case so
yeah it’s kind of a no-brainer to me and
I think it’s something that you’re
absolutely right you kind of could go to
from the get-go and as you scale you
company you have more impact we’re very
lucky so you know if I look at areas
like Atlanta I will got a thousand folks
their colleagues and that means that i
think is it a bit about 40,000 hours of
volunteering here goes into community so
makes a big difference so even a even if
you find people though you can make a
difference and and it’s kind of pretty
cool when you have your monthly meetings
or go down to the pub or you have some
wins to connect that to Wyoming and the
more successful you are to Evans point
you can you can give back more the more
successful you are and I know a lot of
companies who have when they grow
profits they give a percentage i know a
lot of startup companies and come with
I’ve invested in who from the get-go
they said ten percent of our profits
will give to charities that really
matter to us and make a difference I
think there’s still a stigma that
business is just greedy in bad and evil
and ripping people off I don’t know what
the culture in Britain but i know in
north america distilled I that image and
so when people are thinking about giving
back to me not they may not see it
through a corporate I where that’s the
point of this session to in trying to
spread
earnest and an even you know Stephen
leading by example with all the things
that he’s doing with sage foundation his
own personal time and stories I think
it’s just to try to raise the awareness
that that you can do good in the
business context and really business is
about like really a business about
providing value if you’re providing
value you’re in business and see you’re
providing value by helping customers do
something you know so you’re doing good
through your product or service but then
if you’re fortunate to make a good
profit off of that then also use some of
that to contribute back and build the
community because then everybody wins
yeah Vinod sales so you don’t do these
flaps you don’t do what you’re doing to
be the next bill Gates you do it because
you’re passionate you can leave and I’m
looking at that foot behind you wrote
that book of your passionate and I know
you get a kick out mentoring people
coaching people and enjoy and see in
their success and I yeah it’s really
there is a massive stigma particularly
since like 2008 and the banking crisis
with all this kind of concept of fat
cats and a few other things i think you
know we are looking into one who lives
on this blab we need to and we do create
a big shadow what you guys say to your
colleagues price massive impact and it’s
little things you know everyone i joined
this company for whatever reason the
previous chief executive had a private
jet or access to a private jet when I’m
in the Toronto I move down the street I
jumping in a cab or in this city great
City of London um I want 20 minutes to a
meeting today I’ve got the tube in New
York Oh get on the metro you know I just
kind of thing at the end they we don’t
realize we’re very privileged to serve
the responsibility we feel for our
customers or stakeholders our colleagues
its immense and when I woke up every
morning to think about wow what 14,000
colleagues where their mortgages are
dependent on our success our customers
their whole financial systems that have
been our success their collection and
cashing their customers annison as safe
responsibility and all all we were
talking about here
it’s just extending that responsible to
the community to serve and it could be
little things if any of you guys if
you’re in downtown Montreal actually
Vancouver you mentioned that’s beautiful
city I love this and it’s cut some of
the best westerns of the world you got
the water you look up at the mountains
oh my god on that Vancouver but what a
problem around homeless people you can
move down the street and and then I said
it begins there but for the grace of God
go probably any of us if we’re going on
peer group you know hit the bottle
whatever there’s something in
everybody’s that no one’s perfect and we
could have been met so as entrepreneurs
I think we cast a massive shadow and I
think you’re right Evan and I think over
one of the missions with a bizarre
community is to actually explain to the
rest of the population about the
humanity of what we’re trying to do it’s
not about greed it’s about really making
a difference about creating a legacy is
about being proud of the businesses that
you run and creating something I use the
phrase a lot it’s great you know what
I’m my mission for sage is great
something special unique and magical for
everybody involved I love it there’s a
follow-up question from our mind though
along the same lines why do we need to
be reminded why do you feel we need to
be reminded that it’s important to do
good I think it’s a great question my
mom though I think I think actually
Evans hit a nail there with the stigma
and I think actually the other thing if
I when I was in Montreal a couple of
months ago you know I picked up the
papers from the hotel and from page was
about actually greedy businesspeople
executive pay stuff like that I think
there’s there’s just an overwhelming
level of noise to depict entrepreneurs
sometimes is the bank I’ve my I just
think that’s so far from the truth ah
and therefore the more we remind
ourselves and actually communicate the
amazing things you guys do if you do
this you should be so proud of what you
do in terms of working in the community
the mechanical
I just think it’s something that is
worth shouting about and with a sense of
humility never any arrogance but I think
it is something that you should be very
proud of so it’s good to remind
ourselves that this is important I think
a lot of people as I said on this plant
will be we’re preaching to convert it
because you guys will get it and that’s
probably why you’re joining the glare
but we need to spread the love and
there’s a lot of people out there who
probably depict a stereotypical
entrepreneur it’s just going to agree
the private jets you know try the island
15 houses you know Ferraris and all that
sort of stuff I don’t think that could
be further from the truth maybe there’s
one or two or less than one person but I
think mostly wonderful as I know and me
just want to build something very
special pursue their passions be their
own boss I have that great sense of
Independence and build something as a
legacy but also doing the right way and
make a massive difference nickname fit
or pursue their passion about giving
back well arm under who asked the
question wrote yes good point Stephen so
I think you answered that for him um
what I would add to it too i think is uh
i think sometimes we just get caught up
in life like running a business is hard
and it’s a ton of you guys know it’s a
ton of our time and effort to get our
business off the ground and sometimes we
lose we lose sight of some of the things
that are important right sometimes we
need to be right to spend time with our
spouses or boyfriends or girlfriend or
we need to spend time with our kids or
we need to remember what our mission is
ourselves so to get so locked into the
daily grind of doing and executed in
making payroll and all the stresses that
you have that sometimes you just need an
outside perspective that breath of fresh
air to remind you about the things that
are truly important yeah Jim Sarah yeah
entrepreneur you guys work hard
sometimes something is we almost like
run on autopilot and after I come back
to the food bank the next day I was so
invigorated I will always go up in the
office with a spring in my step and I’m
wildly optimistic and happy about life
but that’s a
was I floated it serotype floated it and
if I hadn’t reminded myself to do a bit
of volunteering you get into it you get
into a rough and it’s almost like having
a holiday if you had a three-day break
you catch up on your sleep you connect
reconnect with your partner your kids
and stuff like it did in 3d i think i
think great entrepreneurs i could come
and it really supports great Dharma and
sometimes it’s so easy just to be kind
of head down run thousand miles an hour
so it’s proper to the reminder service
plan to recommit ourselves to the water
community oh alright well guys keep the
questions coming next up is Rishi cup TV
Steven and Evan you your favorite loud
reaching yeah I love it I love already
she loved those questions so she’s
writing Steven and evan i find that
service minded people or do-gooders in
quotes I can have a very hard time also
being paid for what they do any advice
to get over that mindset hurdle yeah um
I think yeah again actually do goodness
so again let’s go kind of stigma
attached to it because I just think what
we’re talking about becomes natural i
think the other thing i think as well in
terms of some of the community or answer
this correctly Richie because I’m not
absolutely saying how do you want to
monetize to do good in because I kind of
think probably that’s not the purpose of
what year you seeking to address I think
in terms of this it could be a habit
Annie make a difference so you could
just walk down the street well number
one in innate if you just reach it with
your friends apartments a book really
important to you what what are you
passionate about where you could make a
different moment people you know young
people disabled people or people less
fortunate than us and then the second
thing is you could probably walk within
a quarter mile where you live and find
something a charity or p
work really hard to make a difference
where they could do with some help now
it could be financial but quite often
the best help they can have because
every charities business you’ve got an
amazing business girl your aura nerves
you can probably help them run their
business almost like as a mentor maybe
sort of a director time and you can make
a big difference to the efficiency of
that business to their reach and
although something so I think we have to
be quite creative about what is what is
going to be a real value to that
business and obviously you know in some
respects a part of that is from the you
know if they recruit do good as if you
say charity workers people who
passionate about an issue I think it is
fair to pay those charity workers a fair
wage and actually something we there’s
are all kind of rafter things happening
in Canada and us and most developed
countries around still the modern
slavery act around paying people a fair
wage and I think this will become a
movement as well because I think we want
to share the wealth that we create with
a wider population of people and not
just kind of the executives and I think
what you can do is shine a spotlight to
make sure that those kind of charity
workers are really given and pursuing
their passions yes both obviously fairly
treated but also reasonable compensation
for their efforts and I think that’s a
key role you can provide so as you were
talking this business chat happening
around it and she added that sometimes
people who are service-oriented feel bad
about receiving money that it might
change them that they feel greedy for
taking money for something to doing that
is doing good and other people are
saying yes I have I struggle with that a
lot too so as an entrepreneur who’s
trying to do good that fear of making
money because they feel like they’re
being greedy when they’re just trying to
help getting over that mindset that you
know money is bad yeah well Rishi one
thing on for your company one thing I
think is a great idea though very
practical is you
do you know a salary sacrifice for what
passion they perceived so if you had a
colleague who got better than say thirty
thousand dollars a year you could say
you want to give this to a charity they
could name the charity and then they can
get ten percent of that going every
month to that charity so if they feel
and if they’re in a charity and they
don’t want to get paid for it why don’t
you give them a fair wage and then they
can make a personal choice do they
actually want to think give some of that
money back to the charity and the
attraction about that in some countries
there’s some really efficient tax ways
where some countries and some
governments gross that money up so I’m
certainly in this in the UK i think they
hear that is another twenty five percent
and there’s old process called gift aid
around that so so not only that would
make me feel really good if i gave as a
colleague working your company bitchy I
gave up some of my own salary because I
you know I didn’t feel worthy but I knew
that the government contributed more and
made that dollar go further so make
every loony go as far as you can the
loonie extra Canadians I love the ladies
I think in general just entrepreneurs
don’t value their time enough they don’t
value their contribution enough they
under the under price themselves I think
most entrepreneurs should should be
increasing the prices at least at least
thirty percent from where they are right
now and a lot of entrepreneur time
asking for money and it holds them back
and it’s recognizing that money money
itself is it’s just an enabler money
itself is not the angle ever money is
not evil money is not good money is just
an exchange of value and so for those
people who feel like money is evil and
you’re going to be greedy for taking
money it’s really just recognizing that
you’re providing people with a lot of
value and you’ve had a major impact on
their lives and that money will also now
enable you to go off and have a greater
impact and touch more people and hire a
team and now your team can go and help
people as well and so keeping your your
mind clear of money being evil and it
often comes from
parents who you know they feel like
money is evil now we feel like money is
evil you have to you have to break free
of that mindset or you’re always going
to live small your business always going
to be small you’re going to make just
enough to survive and not enough to
really build something special and in in
that growth is where you can have an
even bigger impact on the people around
you on the community on the world so
breaking through that money is evil
greedy mindset is is important now I
love that ever i love it listening to
Evan you’re rocking today will is
writing in to say thank you stephen and
having for this wonderful live interview
thank you once more Stephen for your
presence in soweto South Africa yeah I
that would um I said I think you asked
me on the previous blood my best day was
when I went and was attended to school
with these kids and wow I loads of
reasons I think we all around the world
anybody who’s probably over 30 years old
was so optimistic when Nelson Mandela
what came to power about 1995 after all
the suppression around apartheid and it
was a huge time of optimism and then to
go back what 20 years later to a place
called kliptown so this place was where
the freedom charter was signed in 1955
and where the African National Congress
kind of were very prevalent at the time
so we have this you know huge optimism
Nelson Mandela and unbelievable world
leader obviously movies made about all
that sort of stuff but it was a time for
massive optimism and you know unleashing
the poverty and also everything we
believe in around making sure that
there’s a quality around race gender all
these great things which we have to
really pursue vividly right so I went
down there back to get down and I didn’t
know what to expect I saw these kids and
I love kids anyway from what three to
ten years old and we walk around the
whole yeah basically the old kind of
clipdown
just shanty town and the as I said the
past look mud there’s no so they go sort
of communal just bathrooms are cool
embarking such as toilets they have to
go and use with no running water they
get the kind of know that sushi and died
the other thing so so the adults and
typically all the parents and others
have gone to work in the city and the
kids are being brought up by the
grandparents or grandma what you
couldn’t believe is how spotless an
impeccable detiene these shacks were and
how perfect they were organized and and
and dignity these people have an idea
just blown away generally I I cried that
day and then I went to see these kids
and I saw my um you look lovely on
Twitter it’s one of the photos we went
down with the president and chairman of
the foundation Ivan Epstein having these
kids and they all came on sang songs oh
man I just went to pieces and I just
thought all the opt ISM you know when we
saw Mandela and all the excitement back
in the nineties and then the reality is
they these guys are poor and now than
they were 20 years ago and they’ve got
no hope of getting out and you know what
are you offered it’s either poverty or
crime or their disenfranchised so what
an opportunity the only way out is not
Mandela said is for education and given
these guys classroom wireless laptops
and the teachers were amazing inspiring
so is pretty moving and I just think
again in just one life just one life you
know could there be another Nelson
Mandela in that in that classroom of
send you off you know what a what an
honor and and you know I think all of us
probably on this globe again this is
candidly pretty personal to all of us we
care where I think all of us compassion
and I think companies with that sense of
heart and compassion will go far but
when you when you see the visibility of
the impact you can make through the
prosperity that we
create for our companies as often those
it’s just such an overwhelming sense of
genuinely thanks but also it may be very
humble that day and I cried and I
thought wow this is just touch my arm
like nothing could ever do and um well
you know I won’t cry ever he was just so
moving and it was a great day so look
and look up Twitter there’s I think
there’s a video something on YouTube as
well and actually I should kind of call
out a shout out for Joanne and all the
guys in the South African office we did
an amazing job and then painted the
school and made it look amazing and
there’s a whole program of ongoing care
around those kids and I think I’m also
somewhat guys pontoon to continue to
work there which is fantastic limit
sorry tobacco at 7am no no no it’s just
every time every time you want a story
the chat blows up and then I have to
keep track of what everybody else is
saying but like Tamra’s saying that’s
the sweetest story Stephen a new yet I
don’t have pronounced that ok thank you
so much for taking the time to do this i
love you guys there’s a bunch of
questions around the execution of how to
do good that maybe we should address
sherry is right in and about uh she’s
thinking about donating a portion of her
profits to helping donate books to
children in hospitals mahal villas
asking does donating blood count being a
blood donor and so maybe just a dress in
a different way so you can give back
different different strategies different
tactics different execution that people
can feel like they’re making a
contribution yeah I think kind of money
time expertise there’s loads of
different ways and again with this you
know I’d say always start small just
take baby steps just take the first step
with anything you know if you’re going
to sell overseas open up a german
website whatever always take you know
don’t try and rule the world in a
afternoon go take baby steps walk before
you can run
so you know simple thing dependent ask
yourself what do you really care about
and it’s entrepreneur’s you know why did
you start a business in the first place
because you saw a gap in the market
something really annoyed you about our
product that you will have something
that really fires you up and the second
thing is help me going access to it
because this and again great thing about
social media is there’s so much out
there that you can connect your passion
with charity that needs help that all
these charities will need help and your
new unique individuals you’ve got
tremendous expertise you could give them
you know half their month you give them
a couple of hours you could do a skype
call with them there’s loads of
different ways there are relevant to
what are their needs it’s almost like
what we talked about another plant go in
this case you’ve always got to go where
the audiences and then the second thing
is what is their needs what do they
think that they’re stopping them and
then as you get to know you’ll find that
there will be other things so they
haven’t even thought about where your
expertise can help and it’s not always
money you know monies to Evan point
money money actually doesn’t always
solve the problem and life is ultram
that’s I think the same ethos we have
like bootstrap stuff is awesome saying
we don’t want charities that were
involved in wasting money and you know
stop spending stupid money sort of
philosophy and treat the charity’s money
even more as if it’s your own money and
make sure every Lee every dollar really
makes a difference to the bottom of
people that serve so I think there’s a
range of things but what our advocate is
it starts more to start I’m just saying
you know maybe a couple of hours a month
and then find out one of the needs and
then start filling those needs and I
think you’ll find a rich relationship
where you can make a massive difference
to something you really are patch matter
kind of Lina’s remanence Steven what a
touching wonderful story thank you for
sharing I get another one lead from the
heart and the head will follow Thank You
Steven so that I mean to summarize I
loved how you brought that together
where it’s money time and expertise and
we’ve talked about a lot of different
kinds of strategy
we talked about donating a portion of
your salary and maybe the government has
some program to match it Steven talked
about mentoring and going to junior
achievement and giving back to the local
charities their mentoring people who
have gone through the criminal record or
they’re in impoverished neighborhoods
and trying to help them get back on
their feet I think donating blood counts
like it’s a way to get back right maybe
doesn’t fall into our three categories
he was like a fourth money great time
expertise and and I don’t know body
parts or something there but but like
it’s a way to get even if you have 0
money zero knowledge 0 2 t’s you can
still find a way to get back by donating
blood or volunteering out of food bank
that’s even did with this team there’s
always a way to do something and I think
I think it’s an important point because
a lot of people watching or try to think
of how they might give back me feel like
well I don’t have money to start a
foundation like I love what’s H is doing
but I’m nowhere near that I’m just
trying to pay my bills and I’m put you
know make sure my internet stays on and
feed my family but just threw a little
bit of time by mentoring somebody or
giving back to some local thing
happening in your area or you know being
a collar for an anti-bullying campaign
or whatever it is there’s always a way
that you can get back to something that
touches your heart there’s so many
causes that that are out there that need
talented dedicated people who will take
all the time you have like if you have
ten hours a month they’ll take it if you
have one hour month they’ll take it
right there’s always waited will give
back and I think giving back also makes
you feel better in like Steven said he
comes to the office next day with that
extra little hop in his step because he
feels good about the work that he’s
doing so I love the advice that Stephen
gave about starting small and just
finding a way to do it um cool next up
is to lose to lose a hope I said that
okay I actually kind of touched on this
at the start but will more people do
business with businesses that do good
with their profits yeah absolutely to
lose and I think this evidence would
share it on
the ebon site at this a load of evidence
say that companies are more tofu or more
successful they’ll recruit better people
you know what is what’s not to like
about this and I think it’s just
compelling financial evidence that the
companies of the future that are
successful will be companies with a
heart and I think the other thing you
know this we’re not faking this stuff
their companies with high integrity
where the entrepreneurs the executives
really are passionate obviously about
growing a business and pursuing their
dream of in independent but also doing
it the right way and build Norton
culture where we’re giving back is the
fundamental tenant of everything you’re
doing so there’s compelling evidence to
say and also I’ve seen it with my
colleagues just visibly when guys have
been to the family are again when I
heard the stories back because our solar
culture is he ever 40 doesn t were ever
written to me and I’m pleased they do
and i get i get takes to get social
media get chatter about people story you
know actually I mean paddy went down to
Louisiana to the floods volunteered for
the Red Cross and she said look she’s
cheesing works our customs port area um
and she you know when the floods could
obviously Louisiana’s had a really tough
time with Katrina and all that sort of
stuff I’m much never that the
devastation she came back after two she
said as amazed she didn’t believe how
youthful she was to provide cross
because you know in customer support
she’s always probably sold then she’s
troubleshooting and she said obviously
different set of problems but all the
skills she learned the teamwork
communication planning were totally
applicable to what they were doing down
there and and she just said it makes me
really proud to work for saged be able
to do this sort of stuff and take
volunteering time and just finger near a
note to say thank you very much so I do
think around productivity and I just
can’t believe there’s companies now 2016
who wouldn’t think this is just it’s
just a foundation block for building the
great company it’s important and
actually I just have thought that came
into my head ever
is and now more than ever because if you
look at what happened in 2008 you look
at Canada a great company a great
country that cleared the deficit after
nineteen ninety or but you know meltdown
in the nineties and every government in
every developed economy as a massive
deficit you know they’re basically been
spending after the credit crunch made
more than their been collecting the
taxes so the government sort of piggy
bank of that translates is empty and in
the past you know particularly since the
sort of Second World War those are
pretty much a sort of a socialist really
good approach to caring for the
vulnerable in the community and every
government stepped up with programs and
build a machine to be able to do that
but that machine’s been increasingly
starved because governments around the
world actually they’re not technically
bankrupt but they’ve got nothing in the
chest in the war chest to be able to
deploy in terms of resources or money
and financial help to help the
charitable sector so there’s a huge
pressure now on the charitable sector to
step up and and who’s who’s going to
come in let’s think about this so
governments are got no money the
charitable sector are running on fumes
the only logical place where there’s an
answer to this as a solution is us
entrepreneurs world creatives cronin
prosperity we’re the only people look
and plug the gap there’s been left by
the government so I’m sure if you look
at Canadian help for charities it will
have reduced in the last ten years I bet
if you look in the US and the UK in
Germany because basically the you know
no no typically government is running a
massive budget surface and they’ve got
massive debts to pay off left gone from
the two thousand and credit crisis so
it’s even more important now than it’s
ever been and the only people to be the
Cape Crusaders if you guys on this glad
I love it yeah I mean I think
entrepreneur going to solve all the
major problems of the world I think I
think if you are waiting for the
government that come in and save you
save your business save the problems you
can be waiting a long time for people
who really think that it matters to
their business who wins the election
like Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton
they’re not going to come in and save
your business it’s not going to make a
huge difference you gotta go it doesn’t
matter who’s president or prime minister
I’m going to go and get mine I’m going
to go make my impact you can’t hold me
back chump or Clinton or you know
whoever and so recognizing that is
empowering it can be it can be a little
sad at the start recognizing man like
the weight of the world is on my
shoulders but it’s also empowering that
you have the ability we all collectively
have the ability to go out and make the
change like you’re upset with something
Gandhi right be the change be the change
you want to see stop complaining and
blaming your governments and blaming
corporations and blaming other people
like be the change and go out and do
something yeah and ever thought up on
that credit to be like bill gates the
gates it might be possible to cure
malaria eradicate just could happen and
you know he’s built a great company
obviously Microsoft but he’s using the
shoe and and creditors at the bergen all
these guys because they’re entrepreneurs
with a heart and passionate about
rebuilding their business pursuing their
dreams but also making a seismic
difference and and eradicated issues
could be around poverty and quick beer
and disease and you know massive credit
so I think you’re right there’s a much
more broader noble cause here Evan you
call out entrepreneurs of the solution
is so many of the world issues I love it
and then maybe back to the question of
to lose you know will people do business
with people were businesses are doing
good if hopefully we can link up that
survey that you did there was some great
numbers and data there that we can link
up in the description afterwards and I
think just you know at the very basic of
business you have to provide a valuable
product or service yeah your product has
to be good it has to work like I use
sage accounting I mean I love Steven but
the software is good right like it works
it handles my problems but after the
product works then great lots of
products
why is your company different than the
next one and what you do as a business
your mission your core the work that you
do to give back then becomes you know
important if somebody hates raspberries
they’re not going to buy your
raspberries only because you’re giving
back to charity although some might but
if I’m given the choice between two
raspberries i’m going to buy yours
because i love the mission you’re on
versus this other company that i don’t
know about and so that’s what really
makes a difference and i think from your
own experience if you know what
companies doing good you want to support
them and help them out ya think evan lil
that i’ll be crazy here i’ll be like um
you know i’ll be a crystal ball moment
and I know nothing good but I’ll gaze
into my crystal ball I reckon with in a
decade when one thing we do in sage as
well we have a pass on any procurement
towards multi medium businesses so we’ll
always go to entrepreneurs small and
medium businesses rather because the
other thing we have a standard policy
any small and medium business dealing
with us will automatically get paid
within 30 days I reckon companies will
have this is a single corporate social
responsibility I would predict that
within the decade companies will want to
deal with companies to buy stuff with
companies with a half so I think you’re
right you obviously want a great product
great experience great service but once
there’s a level playing field there I
think there probably will i’m not sure
what the government’s will legislate
this is probably a mistake if it does
because no one wants to be told what to
do but the choice and the freedom people
exercise and entrepreneurs around the
world in both big and small companies we
want to deal with companies with a heart
and make a difference in their
communities and I think over time that
would be one of the factors people buy
products and services from companies who
have got a mission around corporate
philanthropy as well as innovation
invented great products and delivering
great services I love it Ruth Ellen is
asking how can we help social
entrepreneurs that need more support to
make a bigger impact yeah I think it’s
great question Ruth I think
some of the things we talked about
social on forever lean this is actually
I think this is will be a third wave
there will be there will be more and
more social entrepreneurs coming in so
businesses with a mission about making a
massive difference and and serving
whatever your passion about what mental
health whether it’s offenders whatever
it is you’re your big passion is I think
one thing we can do absolutely is
because what are they doing at the end
of the day is they’re running the
business they’re like us they’re
entrepreneurs and they need help they
need mentoring they need coaching they
probably at some point in time what I
create some sort of even though might
not be for more some sort of board of
directors but they want some some and
also that sort of thing you need some
level of governance you don’t want to
have crazy rules but you need some level
of governance to make sure that all the
financial management activity integrity
and you actually making sure all the
financials all the donations and all the
profits go into the causes that you have
your passion about so I think in all
those things there’s a myriad of
different roles experiences and
expertise or you could provide booth to
help them on their journey and they grow
their our mission and really serve a
great community and have a greater
impact and social good through their
social entrepreneurship so at the end of
that don’t think we should get charities
social entrepreneurs they’re running
businesses and they need and they worry
about probably the same things that we
worry about every day you know cash flow
looking after people connecting their
colleagues admission making a difference
delivering outcomes that matter to the
people are going with all these sort of
things they grapple with every day and
around that you’ve got tons of everybody
on this blog has got some magic dust
that you could sprinkle on those social
entrepreneurs to make them even more
successful yeah I think it comes back to
Stevens framework from before about
money right you can choose to buy their
products or by you know when they have a
raffle or a fundraiser or whatever you
can contribute with the money that you
have there
is the mentorship right you’re giving
your experience can you help them no
maybe if your website designer can you
help them make a better website right if
if you’re a barber can you go and cut
their hair right like whatever like you
can use your skills to help them out a
little bit more or just your time like
show up and just be a body because they
need somebody to help them do XYZ for an
event that they’re planning so I love
that framework the money mentorship and
time to help out whether it’s a charity
with a social entrepreneur whether it’s
just where does not as well whether it’s
just an entrepreneur who’s trying to
build a business and they have a good
mission that you just love and want to
help them out either those three ways is
a great way to be looking tribute and
get back yeah just this simple and we
have given some of our office space to
companies coming in to help them free
internet obviously if you’re not if
you’re out of your office you leave out
a six seven o’clock you’re renting space
do they need to do you know presentation
stuff and the evening misled its loads
of stuff when you you know what it’s
like when you’re bootstrapped as many of
these nonprofit organizations are and
they don’t have fancy resources fancy
offices and stuff like this but they
want to make sure every dollar goes on
the quarter servant there’s loads of
ways that you can think creatively from
office infrastructure internet expertise
and as Evan says I think it’s time to
get creative and if you sit in their
shoes for a day you’ll find out a
thousand things that they need where you
can come up with solutions yeah and
there might be a lot of things that you
just take for granted like if you have
an office and that’s not being used at
night or on the weekends but just
sitting there you may just take that for
granted but somebody might really value
that that could be really helpful for
them so just sitting down and having a
conversation understanding what they
need could uncover some hidden
opportunities that it’s just an easy
giveaway for you like sure I met I mean
I didn’t think you needed that I’m so
happy to help out it’s a great way to be
11 impact cool while it’s crazy how
quickly
our flies by when we’re talking with
Stephen Kelly last thoughts last you
know maybe a challenge to believe nation
something you want to throw out there
how we can end this side this hangout on
I love it Evan you know I always loved
joining you and I think you know credit
gian hoan be i’ll give you a shout out
because you’ve got a community where
you’re helping them you’ve meant to them
you’ve now written an awesome book
encourage everybody to look at that
download it read it buy it but you’re a
rock star and I think you I know you do
a lot of great stuff yourself you don’t
shout about it just do it very humble
guy and I totally respect that but I
think the message is I mean everybody on
this lab we are preaching to the
converted you guys matter I think
there’s two things a challenge number
one share your love get more people to
be like you be proud of what you’re
doing for the community to serve to the
bowl people who you make a difference to
the mentorship you give so build a
network the other thing is do more of it
if you’re in a town or you know you live
in a rural area and you’re doing great
stuff can you build a network of people
like you are or more kind of
entrepreneurs who are engaged in in your
mission to help whether it’s on true so
social entrepreneurs or around charities
so kind of challenge number one can you
share the love that you feel and and
share it on a wider platform the other
challenge I’d say is you know what are
the one the practical these with all
these things what was the one thing we
could do different in October so I know
there’s there’s the go sober campaigning
October yeah I’m gonna cut a seven I do
love an occasional glass of red wine
yeah okay my love there’s an Italian
wines life of Brunello which I sometimes
dream about after a hard week on a
Friday night when I finish about ADA
club and I just dream of that but what
about having a campaign for us on this
blab sharing the Evan love Evan Almighty
challenges are
to just do one thing the matter to your
community for a thing that you’re
passionate about caring for the
vulnerable or whatever turns you on and
really gets you excited let’s enable
your mojo to do one thing in October so
skip maybe the go sober campaign in
October and do one thing where you do it
for yourself and your communities and I
guarantee if you do it just take that
baby step then you’ll you’ll be doing
more of it in november and december and
you know candidly you’ll get so much out
of it personally in terms of pride
satisfaction and if you do it engaging
your colleagues as well I think that’s
huge power in terms of extended it and
your colleagues will thank you for it
forever because it will give them so
much more meaning to come into work for
you alone will we stir with the Stephen
Kelly quotes and we end with this even
Kelly challenge that that might become
the next tradition is finishing with a
challenge from mr. Stephen Kelly uh guys
thank you so much for your time thank
you for the comments and the love and in
all the questions Stephen as always
really appreciate you stopping by and
taking time out of your crazy schedule
to join us looking forward to another
session next month until then continue
to believe whatever your one where it is
and we’ll see you soon as I believe love
you Evan thanks everybody
YouTube hang out super excited to have
my friends and special guest Steven can
lead back for another episode he is our
favorite CEO here in believe nation CEO
of sage the county software company that
I use to help run my businesses and we
do this monthly session to give back
help you guys out ancien some questions
and ready to get into the chat Steven
welcome back great to be back ever
really good to see you you’re back in
your London offices yeah I’m details in
Atlanta I was just last week and back
here actually I’m way I run a clean
Atlanta we did an amazing thing called a
philanthropic which is charity basically
pitching for philanthropy and what
obviously we’d saved we’ve got a massive
social conscience so we’ll get on to
that in a minute but it was just
overwhelming crying in the audience we
have colleagues their customers and you
know it is moving when you see these
people to ambala at work for vulnerable
people well that’s awesome so today’s
topic is how to do good with your
business people in the chat have already
been warming up and asking me is Steven
gonna start with his quotes because last
time you had these amazing quotes to
start the day so I don’t wanna put you
on the spot but I hope you’ve got some
quotes because they’re they’re excited
for you yeah we love it we got some cry
7 i’m gonna give you this free okay i’ll
quote from me is um customers absolutely
love companies with a half and a half of
me so second quote from well we did save
some it Richard Branson was on the stage
and I love this so change begins with a
small group of people who simply refuse
to accept the unacceptable now I love
that and I love love us guys
entrepreneurs defying the cynics and I
think you can do it all you can build a
great company a great business the
awesome for customers be the best place
to work colleagues and do the right
thing by giving back and making a
difference community from the last one
again Richard Branson I love it more
than
doing good good very true I love it this
is this is it has to be a thing now
you’ve set expectations we need quotes
every time so we already have a bunch of
questions coming in but before get into
that your thoughts on how to do good
with business importance of it how I
mean obviously you guys are doing have a
big big scale big company doing it but
how you know an entrepreneur who may be
a solo person even a part time
entrepreneur how they can also do good
and give back or what are your thoughts
yeah I think and I think the key message
really evidence is not mutually
exclusive and ironically I think the new
generation of entrepreneurs are totally
connected over themselves in their
community and we did a message survey
about 7,000 loads across 16 countries
millennial entrepreneurs and it’s
incredible sixty-nine percent of those
said it’s more important in terms of
their mission for their company to do
good in their communities and generate
profit so now the good news is I think
you do both grow revenues you can be you
know rock star company you can be the
best place to work and really important
leg of a to connect your colleagues to a
mission than matters is you can do good
in your communities and give back and
make a massive difference and just think
about the talentless you know on this
sound lab today you guys rock your
building great businesses why don’t we
share the love with the communities we
serve and just connect even if it’s on
our locality to make a little different
you know I won’t down the street here I
guarantee LC homeless people us and and
there but for the grace of God go on so
I think I do generally believe the
companies with a heart are absolutely a
pivotal element for you as entrepreneurs
to build into and even as you know they
start up a company I think it’s really
important to connect your passion around
business with your passion around making
a difference whatever is important to
you whether it’s are they are hospitals
whether its youth whether it’s going to
people whether they’re supporting
prisoners whether it’s supporting
veterans whatever it may be that really
is the thing that unlocks your passion
that’s what we’re always talking about
believe and am pursuing your passion and
the this is a perfect world where they
can come together very holistic Lee in
an integrated manner through the wealth
and prosperity you pray you can share
that view community it’s very noble
court I love it will you get no ton of
love in the comments people hashtagging
a skilly CEO so much heart so it’s great
it is there is irre so i guess an
entrepreneur who’s starting up there’s
so many things that they have to do you
know so many problems they have to
tackle is there a point in time we say
now I’ve made it and now can start doing
good is there time is it too early to
start doing good what do you think I
kind of think Evan you build because
this is a key part of a culture you
build in the company to your colleagues
so even the first person and the other
things people want to work for people
you guys but they’re inspired by and I
think just the humanity and everybody
says that we want to work for people who
have really strong moral compasses have
really good values and I think you have
to build those values cultures and
behaviors and and design this from the
get-go again I would argue when you’re
recruiting colleagues even if you’re a
10-person company that you’ll get
greater productivity out your colleagues
if you connect them to things that
really matter to them through and I will
talk about sage for just a second is
basically the sage foundation we created
which has got sort of a catchy tagline
of two plus two plus two so two percent
of all our colleagues time so we give
them five days a year two percent where
they paid to go and do volunteering and
actually put through a highly grid
pressure on them to use their five days
of volunteering um notnot undue pressure
but we really encourage and I do my
volunteering so I think it’s important
to turn the top says this is really
important to be the culture and the DNA
of this company then we give two percent
of our free cash flow through the grant
foundation and that’s what we’re doing
with a film
for pitch down in the land we have three
amazing charities the mission for the
grants is around three things that we
think are noble causes and don’t get
enough attention so one is obviously
around women and we had an amazing
charity around domestic violence
generally we were crime when we goats on
the case studies particularly about a
woman called Susan in atlanta and and
it’s the sort of thing it’s an elephant
in the room or in canada to moose on the
table people don’t talk about this stuff
but there’s a lot of people who are
suffering out there well we gotta shine
a spotlight and give them the support
they need so when it was one issue which
is really critical to us veterans again
you know sad we’re doing this 20 to push
up challenge why because in the USA 22
veterans who serve their country mixed
suicide every go and i think these guys
valiant soldiers in canada in the USA of
God to keep us secure and safe I think
this the countries we live in owes them
something back when they return and make
sure that they’ve ideally got a roof
over the head a job and support if
they’ve got any issues around traumas
that they’ve dealt with were laying in a
world is Afghanistan where they come
from so so the end the third big areas
youth so again are amazing in the
greatest economy in the world a data
point that showed me his teachers in
Georgia give up and then well paid in
the are in the public school sector in
Georgia but they give up four hundred US
dollars a year buying books buying
pencils crayons pens for their school
kids so wow you know again surely if the
state system doesn’t provide for them
these are the most fun people across USA
and i know you know i love the USA is
the American dream but if they can be
supplemented to help teachers to have
the core resources to allow you know
again mella great quote Nelson Mandela
the best road to freedom future
education and he’s absolutely right the
only way out of poverty is through
education and I think these are missions
so so we
do two percent of free cash flow for the
grant foundation and then the other
thing for nonprofits and charities we
provide our own technology so they run
their back office and movement of money
and collection of funds way more
efficiently so that allows them to
actually direct the funds to the cause
of that they serve rather than having a
fancy back office will cost a lot of
money so let’s I think it’s important so
back to the question of them I do think
it’s important to be starting this in
from and you don’t have to over engineer
it it doesn’t have to be a big overhead
and there’s loads of things that you
will do and some of the data we got is
our amazing ninety percent of
entrepreneurs donate money to charities
so why don’t you integrate that into a
business and celebrating with your
colleagues so if you had donating your
own money to charities bring the charity
into an all-hands meeting and share with
them you know the valiant work that
these charity do so i think it’s
incredible again I think seventy-six
percent of entrepreneurs actually donate
their time to charity so it’s happening
so my I guess my challenge all of us is
why do we bring that in the room and
share it with our colleagues and build
our company’s culture so that we do
develop generally not only an awesome
business and you’re rock stars I know
you do that but it’s actually building
the company with a half the people want
to know where are you spending your five
days a year volunteering hey I love it
so I’ve been down and I’m really lucky I
tell you this ever every time cars so
blessed I’ve got the best job in the
world I deal with the people I love
bitchez entrepreneurs so pulling them on
their noble cause being their champion
but then also I I get blown away I was
at the Invictus games we’re against
service people men and women who have
lost legs one guy been in a coma for two
years and you think I’m not only the
trauma for that individual but their
family visiting the hospital every day
so I’m very lucky to be invictus games
we provided 50 volunteers who wanted to
give up their time from the Atlanta
office to do that I’ve been down to
we know where our colleagues build a
school down in where the Freedom Charter
was sound down in South Africa and
actually sadly you know there’s really
shocking over to there you know these
guys live in a shack there’s no running
water there’s no kind of electricity
there’s excrement on their kind of
rhythm and it’s not even need not even
broke so so effectively again education
is the key to unlock their property i
I’ve been down and worked with a good I
tell you heaven this is some kind of off
piece when we started this sage
foundation one of the byproducts and I
worked in the 80s becomes as I call when
I went off all over these team-building
exercise and you have these fancy
management consultants into a play fair
hundreds of dollars a day and we’ll walk
it across the mountains and given silly
exercise is about crossing bridges that
didn’t exist stupid up the best team
building I’ve ever been on was going
down and working in the food bank in
southeast London with 20 my colleagues
from the receptionist to you know admin
folks and the team building and the
camaraderie that I I got out of there
yeah it’s really humbling and I think we
learn more about and it comes back to
building a great culture in your
companies and then I’ve done I’m junior
achievers stuff down in places like
Atlanta which is invested in the next
generation of entrepreneurs and kids and
then the other personal thing I’ve got
is and this kind of makes me sad as well
is young people who go in and get
convicted for crimes and then go into
prison and the reality is there’s
typically a ratio of tubulin someone
likes it in most countries seventy
percent reoffending ratio so they go to
prisons and you know a prison fight if
you watch colleges to do black or
something like that that depicts from
the glamorous version of it it’s just a
world of drugs gangs violence it’s a bad
bear place it should be called the
University of criminalization and these
kids going on seventeen eighteen
nineteen going into that world I think
you should be given another chance so I
actually are in a very deprived part of
the UK going to work in a mentoring you
young offenders in a prison because I
think we just gotta get and actually
have a batch here and I’m very
sentimental about this I got inspired
I’m just a kind of ordinary guy I got
inspired and through all of
entrepreneurship through my family and
our roots of being sort of small
business owners but also through a
couple of teachers I met you said you
may live your dreams do we love and and
when these guys 16 17 18 when they’ve
dealt with a world of gangs and stuff
like that whether it’s not a lot of hope
and it’s pretty depressing if they meet
someone I’m not suggesting that’s me but
any of us on this blab where they get
inspired and they they just say there’s
a spark I want to educate myself for
what I learned my I want to learn the
skill they’ve got a chance and then
obviously you know they could actually
be one of the one of those things that
really move the doll and I always say
ever nothing you said this on a previous
lab in these sort of things I’m not
suggesting with anything special but
even if we just open the door to save in
one luck wow what a privilege what an
honor and if we can do that through the
prosperity we building our companies and
entrepreneurs then in are generally
thing that’s a huge privilege very cool
i love it while you’re getting a lot of
love in the comments a rest day steven
is so great love em Tamara superb utiful
moisture feel the love so guys I want to
transition from just us talking to get
into your questions we got you know you
got at me and Steven for 45 minutes
let’s get to some questions so we can
help you figure out how you can do good
with your business too first up is
Giovanni Giovanni I’m shooting a film
about happiness and how everyone can
improve the world following the United
Nations 2017 global goals for
sustainable development I want to use my
skills to help people around the world
the solution I found is to have an
online for-profit business is this a
good strategy yeah I think catch the
other it’s a pretty cool question the
other thing I sort of haven’t touched on
but I think if you can have a business
particular sustainable development where
your business mission
is around supporting that that you’ve
lived in over cause and is your passion
then obviously it’s really congruent and
connected so I think you can do that as
well and then actually business
performance is enhance so I’ve got tons
of data this and I will publish this
good you guys who put on your website
but we’ve got a study where that says
companies that actually have a heart and
do a lot of whatever you call it
corporate philanthropy or omissions
connected with supporting causes are
twenty percent more profitable and grow
our revenues revenue increasing by
revenues by twenty percent so so there’s
a lot of data to say that productivity
improves revenues improved and they tend
to be better companies and also
obviously it’s kind of a a naively to
say but it is so obvious you will
recruit better people because I think
the best people want to make a
difference as well and I think that’s
very honorable thing to do as well yeah
and Giovanni I love the idea of mixing
them I think too many people think we’ll
to do good I have to start a charity I
have to go into the nonprofit sector and
that’s a noble pursuit and it works for
a lot of people but you can be
profitable and do good at the same time
and if you can make your business
extremely profitable and build up a team
than the amount of good you can do
amplifies right like the amount that
sage can do because they’re profitable
business and they have a CEO of the
heart is insane compared to what you
know one person can do not that that one
person can’t give back and still
contribute in their own way but I love
the idea of starting a business to do
good and to give back and not only
having to think about going to nonprofit
route-thanks give ani next one and ever
this ghost next one here we go J reyez
you can only two can always expect an
interesting one from junior eyes ah he’s
asking is it doing good a simple basic
natural thing for humans to do do you
have an idea why a how-to is needed
yeah I think it is I think actually you
guys get it you know we’re sort of
probably preaching to convert it on this
black but but the practical thing is we
need to bring it to life and I just
think if you’re building successful
businesses and entrepreneurs and
covering all the other stuff like
getting both capital and stuff we’ve
covered a lot of labs then wouldn’t be
amazing to share that engine for
prosperity in a wider community and do
good I think everybody’s got humanity of
their art and we’ve got a strong moral
compass and particularly nerves and the
day is suggested a really the case so
yeah it’s kind of a no-brainer to me and
I think it’s something that you’re
absolutely right you kind of could go to
from the get-go and as you scale you
company you have more impact we’re very
lucky so you know if I look at areas
like Atlanta I will got a thousand folks
their colleagues and that means that i
think is it a bit about 40,000 hours of
volunteering here goes into community so
makes a big difference so even a even if
you find people though you can make a
difference and and it’s kind of pretty
cool when you have your monthly meetings
or go down to the pub or you have some
wins to connect that to Wyoming and the
more successful you are to Evans point
you can you can give back more the more
successful you are and I know a lot of
companies who have when they grow
profits they give a percentage i know a
lot of startup companies and come with
I’ve invested in who from the get-go
they said ten percent of our profits
will give to charities that really
matter to us and make a difference I
think there’s still a stigma that
business is just greedy in bad and evil
and ripping people off I don’t know what
the culture in Britain but i know in
north america distilled I that image and
so when people are thinking about giving
back to me not they may not see it
through a corporate I where that’s the
point of this session to in trying to
spread
earnest and an even you know Stephen
leading by example with all the things
that he’s doing with sage foundation his
own personal time and stories I think
it’s just to try to raise the awareness
that that you can do good in the
business context and really business is
about like really a business about
providing value if you’re providing
value you’re in business and see you’re
providing value by helping customers do
something you know so you’re doing good
through your product or service but then
if you’re fortunate to make a good
profit off of that then also use some of
that to contribute back and build the
community because then everybody wins
yeah Vinod sales so you don’t do these
flaps you don’t do what you’re doing to
be the next bill Gates you do it because
you’re passionate you can leave and I’m
looking at that foot behind you wrote
that book of your passionate and I know
you get a kick out mentoring people
coaching people and enjoy and see in
their success and I yeah it’s really
there is a massive stigma particularly
since like 2008 and the banking crisis
with all this kind of concept of fat
cats and a few other things i think you
know we are looking into one who lives
on this blab we need to and we do create
a big shadow what you guys say to your
colleagues price massive impact and it’s
little things you know everyone i joined
this company for whatever reason the
previous chief executive had a private
jet or access to a private jet when I’m
in the Toronto I move down the street I
jumping in a cab or in this city great
City of London um I want 20 minutes to a
meeting today I’ve got the tube in New
York Oh get on the metro you know I just
kind of thing at the end they we don’t
realize we’re very privileged to serve
the responsibility we feel for our
customers or stakeholders our colleagues
its immense and when I woke up every
morning to think about wow what 14,000
colleagues where their mortgages are
dependent on our success our customers
their whole financial systems that have
been our success their collection and
cashing their customers annison as safe
responsibility and all all we were
talking about here
it’s just extending that responsible to
the community to serve and it could be
little things if any of you guys if
you’re in downtown Montreal actually
Vancouver you mentioned that’s beautiful
city I love this and it’s cut some of
the best westerns of the world you got
the water you look up at the mountains
oh my god on that Vancouver but what a
problem around homeless people you can
move down the street and and then I said
it begins there but for the grace of God
go probably any of us if we’re going on
peer group you know hit the bottle
whatever there’s something in
everybody’s that no one’s perfect and we
could have been met so as entrepreneurs
I think we cast a massive shadow and I
think you’re right Evan and I think over
one of the missions with a bizarre
community is to actually explain to the
rest of the population about the
humanity of what we’re trying to do it’s
not about greed it’s about really making
a difference about creating a legacy is
about being proud of the businesses that
you run and creating something I use the
phrase a lot it’s great you know what
I’m my mission for sage is great
something special unique and magical for
everybody involved I love it there’s a
follow-up question from our mind though
along the same lines why do we need to
be reminded why do you feel we need to
be reminded that it’s important to do
good I think it’s a great question my
mom though I think I think actually
Evans hit a nail there with the stigma
and I think actually the other thing if
I when I was in Montreal a couple of
months ago you know I picked up the
papers from the hotel and from page was
about actually greedy businesspeople
executive pay stuff like that I think
there’s there’s just an overwhelming
level of noise to depict entrepreneurs
sometimes is the bank I’ve my I just
think that’s so far from the truth ah
and therefore the more we remind
ourselves and actually communicate the
amazing things you guys do if you do
this you should be so proud of what you
do in terms of working in the community
the mechanical
I just think it’s something that is
worth shouting about and with a sense of
humility never any arrogance but I think
it is something that you should be very
proud of so it’s good to remind
ourselves that this is important I think
a lot of people as I said on this plant
will be we’re preaching to convert it
because you guys will get it and that’s
probably why you’re joining the glare
but we need to spread the love and
there’s a lot of people out there who
probably depict a stereotypical
entrepreneur it’s just going to agree
the private jets you know try the island
15 houses you know Ferraris and all that
sort of stuff I don’t think that could
be further from the truth maybe there’s
one or two or less than one person but I
think mostly wonderful as I know and me
just want to build something very
special pursue their passions be their
own boss I have that great sense of
Independence and build something as a
legacy but also doing the right way and
make a massive difference nickname fit
or pursue their passion about giving
back well arm under who asked the
question wrote yes good point Stephen so
I think you answered that for him um
what I would add to it too i think is uh
i think sometimes we just get caught up
in life like running a business is hard
and it’s a ton of you guys know it’s a
ton of our time and effort to get our
business off the ground and sometimes we
lose we lose sight of some of the things
that are important right sometimes we
need to be right to spend time with our
spouses or boyfriends or girlfriend or
we need to spend time with our kids or
we need to remember what our mission is
ourselves so to get so locked into the
daily grind of doing and executed in
making payroll and all the stresses that
you have that sometimes you just need an
outside perspective that breath of fresh
air to remind you about the things that
are truly important yeah Jim Sarah yeah
entrepreneur you guys work hard
sometimes something is we almost like
run on autopilot and after I come back
to the food bank the next day I was so
invigorated I will always go up in the
office with a spring in my step and I’m
wildly optimistic and happy about life
but that’s a
was I floated it serotype floated it and
if I hadn’t reminded myself to do a bit
of volunteering you get into it you get
into a rough and it’s almost like having
a holiday if you had a three-day break
you catch up on your sleep you connect
reconnect with your partner your kids
and stuff like it did in 3d i think i
think great entrepreneurs i could come
and it really supports great Dharma and
sometimes it’s so easy just to be kind
of head down run thousand miles an hour
so it’s proper to the reminder service
plan to recommit ourselves to the water
community oh alright well guys keep the
questions coming next up is Rishi cup TV
Steven and Evan you your favorite loud
reaching yeah I love it I love already
she loved those questions so she’s
writing Steven and evan i find that
service minded people or do-gooders in
quotes I can have a very hard time also
being paid for what they do any advice
to get over that mindset hurdle yeah um
I think yeah again actually do goodness
so again let’s go kind of stigma
attached to it because I just think what
we’re talking about becomes natural i
think the other thing i think as well in
terms of some of the community or answer
this correctly Richie because I’m not
absolutely saying how do you want to
monetize to do good in because I kind of
think probably that’s not the purpose of
what year you seeking to address I think
in terms of this it could be a habit
Annie make a difference so you could
just walk down the street well number
one in innate if you just reach it with
your friends apartments a book really
important to you what what are you
passionate about where you could make a
different moment people you know young
people disabled people or people less
fortunate than us and then the second
thing is you could probably walk within
a quarter mile where you live and find
something a charity or p
work really hard to make a difference
where they could do with some help now
it could be financial but quite often
the best help they can have because
every charities business you’ve got an
amazing business girl your aura nerves
you can probably help them run their
business almost like as a mentor maybe
sort of a director time and you can make
a big difference to the efficiency of
that business to their reach and
although something so I think we have to
be quite creative about what is what is
going to be a real value to that
business and obviously you know in some
respects a part of that is from the you
know if they recruit do good as if you
say charity workers people who
passionate about an issue I think it is
fair to pay those charity workers a fair
wage and actually something we there’s
are all kind of rafter things happening
in Canada and us and most developed
countries around still the modern
slavery act around paying people a fair
wage and I think this will become a
movement as well because I think we want
to share the wealth that we create with
a wider population of people and not
just kind of the executives and I think
what you can do is shine a spotlight to
make sure that those kind of charity
workers are really given and pursuing
their passions yes both obviously fairly
treated but also reasonable compensation
for their efforts and I think that’s a
key role you can provide so as you were
talking this business chat happening
around it and she added that sometimes
people who are service-oriented feel bad
about receiving money that it might
change them that they feel greedy for
taking money for something to doing that
is doing good and other people are
saying yes I have I struggle with that a
lot too so as an entrepreneur who’s
trying to do good that fear of making
money because they feel like they’re
being greedy when they’re just trying to
help getting over that mindset that you
know money is bad yeah well Rishi one
thing on for your company one thing I
think is a great idea though very
practical is you
do you know a salary sacrifice for what
passion they perceived so if you had a
colleague who got better than say thirty
thousand dollars a year you could say
you want to give this to a charity they
could name the charity and then they can
get ten percent of that going every
month to that charity so if they feel
and if they’re in a charity and they
don’t want to get paid for it why don’t
you give them a fair wage and then they
can make a personal choice do they
actually want to think give some of that
money back to the charity and the
attraction about that in some countries
there’s some really efficient tax ways
where some countries and some
governments gross that money up so I’m
certainly in this in the UK i think they
hear that is another twenty five percent
and there’s old process called gift aid
around that so so not only that would
make me feel really good if i gave as a
colleague working your company bitchy I
gave up some of my own salary because I
you know I didn’t feel worthy but I knew
that the government contributed more and
made that dollar go further so make
every loony go as far as you can the
loonie extra Canadians I love the ladies
I think in general just entrepreneurs
don’t value their time enough they don’t
value their contribution enough they
under the under price themselves I think
most entrepreneurs should should be
increasing the prices at least at least
thirty percent from where they are right
now and a lot of entrepreneur time
asking for money and it holds them back
and it’s recognizing that money money
itself is it’s just an enabler money
itself is not the angle ever money is
not evil money is not good money is just
an exchange of value and so for those
people who feel like money is evil and
you’re going to be greedy for taking
money it’s really just recognizing that
you’re providing people with a lot of
value and you’ve had a major impact on
their lives and that money will also now
enable you to go off and have a greater
impact and touch more people and hire a
team and now your team can go and help
people as well and so keeping your your
mind clear of money being evil and it
often comes from
parents who you know they feel like
money is evil now we feel like money is
evil you have to you have to break free
of that mindset or you’re always going
to live small your business always going
to be small you’re going to make just
enough to survive and not enough to
really build something special and in in
that growth is where you can have an
even bigger impact on the people around
you on the community on the world so
breaking through that money is evil
greedy mindset is is important now I
love that ever i love it listening to
Evan you’re rocking today will is
writing in to say thank you stephen and
having for this wonderful live interview
thank you once more Stephen for your
presence in soweto South Africa yeah I
that would um I said I think you asked
me on the previous blood my best day was
when I went and was attended to school
with these kids and wow I loads of
reasons I think we all around the world
anybody who’s probably over 30 years old
was so optimistic when Nelson Mandela
what came to power about 1995 after all
the suppression around apartheid and it
was a huge time of optimism and then to
go back what 20 years later to a place
called kliptown so this place was where
the freedom charter was signed in 1955
and where the African National Congress
kind of were very prevalent at the time
so we have this you know huge optimism
Nelson Mandela and unbelievable world
leader obviously movies made about all
that sort of stuff but it was a time for
massive optimism and you know unleashing
the poverty and also everything we
believe in around making sure that
there’s a quality around race gender all
these great things which we have to
really pursue vividly right so I went
down there back to get down and I didn’t
know what to expect I saw these kids and
I love kids anyway from what three to
ten years old and we walk around the
whole yeah basically the old kind of
clipdown
just shanty town and the as I said the
past look mud there’s no so they go sort
of communal just bathrooms are cool
embarking such as toilets they have to
go and use with no running water they
get the kind of know that sushi and died
the other thing so so the adults and
typically all the parents and others
have gone to work in the city and the
kids are being brought up by the
grandparents or grandma what you
couldn’t believe is how spotless an
impeccable detiene these shacks were and
how perfect they were organized and and
and dignity these people have an idea
just blown away generally I I cried that
day and then I went to see these kids
and I saw my um you look lovely on
Twitter it’s one of the photos we went
down with the president and chairman of
the foundation Ivan Epstein having these
kids and they all came on sang songs oh
man I just went to pieces and I just
thought all the opt ISM you know when we
saw Mandela and all the excitement back
in the nineties and then the reality is
they these guys are poor and now than
they were 20 years ago and they’ve got
no hope of getting out and you know what
are you offered it’s either poverty or
crime or their disenfranchised so what
an opportunity the only way out is not
Mandela said is for education and given
these guys classroom wireless laptops
and the teachers were amazing inspiring
so is pretty moving and I just think
again in just one life just one life you
know could there be another Nelson
Mandela in that in that classroom of
send you off you know what a what an
honor and and you know I think all of us
probably on this globe again this is
candidly pretty personal to all of us we
care where I think all of us compassion
and I think companies with that sense of
heart and compassion will go far but
when you when you see the visibility of
the impact you can make through the
prosperity that we
create for our companies as often those
it’s just such an overwhelming sense of
genuinely thanks but also it may be very
humble that day and I cried and I
thought wow this is just touch my arm
like nothing could ever do and um well
you know I won’t cry ever he was just so
moving and it was a great day so look
and look up Twitter there’s I think
there’s a video something on YouTube as
well and actually I should kind of call
out a shout out for Joanne and all the
guys in the South African office we did
an amazing job and then painted the
school and made it look amazing and
there’s a whole program of ongoing care
around those kids and I think I’m also
somewhat guys pontoon to continue to
work there which is fantastic limit
sorry tobacco at 7am no no no it’s just
every time every time you want a story
the chat blows up and then I have to
keep track of what everybody else is
saying but like Tamra’s saying that’s
the sweetest story Stephen a new yet I
don’t have pronounced that ok thank you
so much for taking the time to do this i
love you guys there’s a bunch of
questions around the execution of how to
do good that maybe we should address
sherry is right in and about uh she’s
thinking about donating a portion of her
profits to helping donate books to
children in hospitals mahal villas
asking does donating blood count being a
blood donor and so maybe just a dress in
a different way so you can give back
different different strategies different
tactics different execution that people
can feel like they’re making a
contribution yeah I think kind of money
time expertise there’s loads of
different ways and again with this you
know I’d say always start small just
take baby steps just take the first step
with anything you know if you’re going
to sell overseas open up a german
website whatever always take you know
don’t try and rule the world in a
afternoon go take baby steps walk before
you can run
so you know simple thing dependent ask
yourself what do you really care about
and it’s entrepreneur’s you know why did
you start a business in the first place
because you saw a gap in the market
something really annoyed you about our
product that you will have something
that really fires you up and the second
thing is help me going access to it
because this and again great thing about
social media is there’s so much out
there that you can connect your passion
with charity that needs help that all
these charities will need help and your
new unique individuals you’ve got
tremendous expertise you could give them
you know half their month you give them
a couple of hours you could do a skype
call with them there’s loads of
different ways there are relevant to
what are their needs it’s almost like
what we talked about another plant go in
this case you’ve always got to go where
the audiences and then the second thing
is what is their needs what do they
think that they’re stopping them and
then as you get to know you’ll find that
there will be other things so they
haven’t even thought about where your
expertise can help and it’s not always
money you know monies to Evan point
money money actually doesn’t always
solve the problem and life is ultram
that’s I think the same ethos we have
like bootstrap stuff is awesome saying
we don’t want charities that were
involved in wasting money and you know
stop spending stupid money sort of
philosophy and treat the charity’s money
even more as if it’s your own money and
make sure every Lee every dollar really
makes a difference to the bottom of
people that serve so I think there’s a
range of things but what our advocate is
it starts more to start I’m just saying
you know maybe a couple of hours a month
and then find out one of the needs and
then start filling those needs and I
think you’ll find a rich relationship
where you can make a massive difference
to something you really are patch matter
kind of Lina’s remanence Steven what a
touching wonderful story thank you for
sharing I get another one lead from the
heart and the head will follow Thank You
Steven so that I mean to summarize I
loved how you brought that together
where it’s money time and expertise and
we’ve talked about a lot of different
kinds of strategy
we talked about donating a portion of
your salary and maybe the government has
some program to match it Steven talked
about mentoring and going to junior
achievement and giving back to the local
charities their mentoring people who
have gone through the criminal record or
they’re in impoverished neighborhoods
and trying to help them get back on
their feet I think donating blood counts
like it’s a way to get back right maybe
doesn’t fall into our three categories
he was like a fourth money great time
expertise and and I don’t know body
parts or something there but but like
it’s a way to get even if you have 0
money zero knowledge 0 2 t’s you can
still find a way to get back by donating
blood or volunteering out of food bank
that’s even did with this team there’s
always a way to do something and I think
I think it’s an important point because
a lot of people watching or try to think
of how they might give back me feel like
well I don’t have money to start a
foundation like I love what’s H is doing
but I’m nowhere near that I’m just
trying to pay my bills and I’m put you
know make sure my internet stays on and
feed my family but just threw a little
bit of time by mentoring somebody or
giving back to some local thing
happening in your area or you know being
a collar for an anti-bullying campaign
or whatever it is there’s always a way
that you can get back to something that
touches your heart there’s so many
causes that that are out there that need
talented dedicated people who will take
all the time you have like if you have
ten hours a month they’ll take it if you
have one hour month they’ll take it
right there’s always waited will give
back and I think giving back also makes
you feel better in like Steven said he
comes to the office next day with that
extra little hop in his step because he
feels good about the work that he’s
doing so I love the advice that Stephen
gave about starting small and just
finding a way to do it um cool next up
is to lose to lose a hope I said that
okay I actually kind of touched on this
at the start but will more people do
business with businesses that do good
with their profits yeah absolutely to
lose and I think this evidence would
share it on
the ebon site at this a load of evidence
say that companies are more tofu or more
successful they’ll recruit better people
you know what is what’s not to like
about this and I think it’s just
compelling financial evidence that the
companies of the future that are
successful will be companies with a
heart and I think the other thing you
know this we’re not faking this stuff
their companies with high integrity
where the entrepreneurs the executives
really are passionate obviously about
growing a business and pursuing their
dream of in independent but also doing
it the right way and build Norton
culture where we’re giving back is the
fundamental tenant of everything you’re
doing so there’s compelling evidence to
say and also I’ve seen it with my
colleagues just visibly when guys have
been to the family are again when I
heard the stories back because our solar
culture is he ever 40 doesn t were ever
written to me and I’m pleased they do
and i get i get takes to get social
media get chatter about people story you
know actually I mean paddy went down to
Louisiana to the floods volunteered for
the Red Cross and she said look she’s
cheesing works our customs port area um
and she you know when the floods could
obviously Louisiana’s had a really tough
time with Katrina and all that sort of
stuff I’m much never that the
devastation she came back after two she
said as amazed she didn’t believe how
youthful she was to provide cross
because you know in customer support
she’s always probably sold then she’s
troubleshooting and she said obviously
different set of problems but all the
skills she learned the teamwork
communication planning were totally
applicable to what they were doing down
there and and she just said it makes me
really proud to work for saged be able
to do this sort of stuff and take
volunteering time and just finger near a
note to say thank you very much so I do
think around productivity and I just
can’t believe there’s companies now 2016
who wouldn’t think this is just it’s
just a foundation block for building the
great company it’s important and
actually I just have thought that came
into my head ever
is and now more than ever because if you
look at what happened in 2008 you look
at Canada a great company a great
country that cleared the deficit after
nineteen ninety or but you know meltdown
in the nineties and every government in
every developed economy as a massive
deficit you know they’re basically been
spending after the credit crunch made
more than their been collecting the
taxes so the government sort of piggy
bank of that translates is empty and in
the past you know particularly since the
sort of Second World War those are
pretty much a sort of a socialist really
good approach to caring for the
vulnerable in the community and every
government stepped up with programs and
build a machine to be able to do that
but that machine’s been increasingly
starved because governments around the
world actually they’re not technically
bankrupt but they’ve got nothing in the
chest in the war chest to be able to
deploy in terms of resources or money
and financial help to help the
charitable sector so there’s a huge
pressure now on the charitable sector to
step up and and who’s who’s going to
come in let’s think about this so
governments are got no money the
charitable sector are running on fumes
the only logical place where there’s an
answer to this as a solution is us
entrepreneurs world creatives cronin
prosperity we’re the only people look
and plug the gap there’s been left by
the government so I’m sure if you look
at Canadian help for charities it will
have reduced in the last ten years I bet
if you look in the US and the UK in
Germany because basically the you know
no no typically government is running a
massive budget surface and they’ve got
massive debts to pay off left gone from
the two thousand and credit crisis so
it’s even more important now than it’s
ever been and the only people to be the
Cape Crusaders if you guys on this glad
I love it yeah I mean I think
entrepreneur going to solve all the
major problems of the world I think I
think if you are waiting for the
government that come in and save you
save your business save the problems you
can be waiting a long time for people
who really think that it matters to
their business who wins the election
like Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton
they’re not going to come in and save
your business it’s not going to make a
huge difference you gotta go it doesn’t
matter who’s president or prime minister
I’m going to go and get mine I’m going
to go make my impact you can’t hold me
back chump or Clinton or you know
whoever and so recognizing that is
empowering it can be it can be a little
sad at the start recognizing man like
the weight of the world is on my
shoulders but it’s also empowering that
you have the ability we all collectively
have the ability to go out and make the
change like you’re upset with something
Gandhi right be the change be the change
you want to see stop complaining and
blaming your governments and blaming
corporations and blaming other people
like be the change and go out and do
something yeah and ever thought up on
that credit to be like bill gates the
gates it might be possible to cure
malaria eradicate just could happen and
you know he’s built a great company
obviously Microsoft but he’s using the
shoe and and creditors at the bergen all
these guys because they’re entrepreneurs
with a heart and passionate about
rebuilding their business pursuing their
dreams but also making a seismic
difference and and eradicated issues
could be around poverty and quick beer
and disease and you know massive credit
so I think you’re right there’s a much
more broader noble cause here Evan you
call out entrepreneurs of the solution
is so many of the world issues I love it
and then maybe back to the question of
to lose you know will people do business
with people were businesses are doing
good if hopefully we can link up that
survey that you did there was some great
numbers and data there that we can link
up in the description afterwards and I
think just you know at the very basic of
business you have to provide a valuable
product or service yeah your product has
to be good it has to work like I use
sage accounting I mean I love Steven but
the software is good right like it works
it handles my problems but after the
product works then great lots of
products
why is your company different than the
next one and what you do as a business
your mission your core the work that you
do to give back then becomes you know
important if somebody hates raspberries
they’re not going to buy your
raspberries only because you’re giving
back to charity although some might but
if I’m given the choice between two
raspberries i’m going to buy yours
because i love the mission you’re on
versus this other company that i don’t
know about and so that’s what really
makes a difference and i think from your
own experience if you know what
companies doing good you want to support
them and help them out ya think evan lil
that i’ll be crazy here i’ll be like um
you know i’ll be a crystal ball moment
and I know nothing good but I’ll gaze
into my crystal ball I reckon with in a
decade when one thing we do in sage as
well we have a pass on any procurement
towards multi medium businesses so we’ll
always go to entrepreneurs small and
medium businesses rather because the
other thing we have a standard policy
any small and medium business dealing
with us will automatically get paid
within 30 days I reckon companies will
have this is a single corporate social
responsibility I would predict that
within the decade companies will want to
deal with companies to buy stuff with
companies with a half so I think you’re
right you obviously want a great product
great experience great service but once
there’s a level playing field there I
think there probably will i’m not sure
what the government’s will legislate
this is probably a mistake if it does
because no one wants to be told what to
do but the choice and the freedom people
exercise and entrepreneurs around the
world in both big and small companies we
want to deal with companies with a heart
and make a difference in their
communities and I think over time that
would be one of the factors people buy
products and services from companies who
have got a mission around corporate
philanthropy as well as innovation
invented great products and delivering
great services I love it Ruth Ellen is
asking how can we help social
entrepreneurs that need more support to
make a bigger impact yeah I think it’s
great question Ruth I think
some of the things we talked about
social on forever lean this is actually
I think this is will be a third wave
there will be there will be more and
more social entrepreneurs coming in so
businesses with a mission about making a
massive difference and and serving
whatever your passion about what mental
health whether it’s offenders whatever
it is you’re your big passion is I think
one thing we can do absolutely is
because what are they doing at the end
of the day is they’re running the
business they’re like us they’re
entrepreneurs and they need help they
need mentoring they need coaching they
probably at some point in time what I
create some sort of even though might
not be for more some sort of board of
directors but they want some some and
also that sort of thing you need some
level of governance you don’t want to
have crazy rules but you need some level
of governance to make sure that all the
financial management activity integrity
and you actually making sure all the
financials all the donations and all the
profits go into the causes that you have
your passion about so I think in all
those things there’s a myriad of
different roles experiences and
expertise or you could provide booth to
help them on their journey and they grow
their our mission and really serve a
great community and have a greater
impact and social good through their
social entrepreneurship so at the end of
that don’t think we should get charities
social entrepreneurs they’re running
businesses and they need and they worry
about probably the same things that we
worry about every day you know cash flow
looking after people connecting their
colleagues admission making a difference
delivering outcomes that matter to the
people are going with all these sort of
things they grapple with every day and
around that you’ve got tons of everybody
on this blog has got some magic dust
that you could sprinkle on those social
entrepreneurs to make them even more
successful yeah I think it comes back to
Stevens framework from before about
money right you can choose to buy their
products or by you know when they have a
raffle or a fundraiser or whatever you
can contribute with the money that you
have there
is the mentorship right you’re giving
your experience can you help them no
maybe if your website designer can you
help them make a better website right if
if you’re a barber can you go and cut
their hair right like whatever like you
can use your skills to help them out a
little bit more or just your time like
show up and just be a body because they
need somebody to help them do XYZ for an
event that they’re planning so I love
that framework the money mentorship and
time to help out whether it’s a charity
with a social entrepreneur whether it’s
just where does not as well whether it’s
just an entrepreneur who’s trying to
build a business and they have a good
mission that you just love and want to
help them out either those three ways is
a great way to be looking tribute and
get back yeah just this simple and we
have given some of our office space to
companies coming in to help them free
internet obviously if you’re not if
you’re out of your office you leave out
a six seven o’clock you’re renting space
do they need to do you know presentation
stuff and the evening misled its loads
of stuff when you you know what it’s
like when you’re bootstrapped as many of
these nonprofit organizations are and
they don’t have fancy resources fancy
offices and stuff like this but they
want to make sure every dollar goes on
the quarter servant there’s loads of
ways that you can think creatively from
office infrastructure internet expertise
and as Evan says I think it’s time to
get creative and if you sit in their
shoes for a day you’ll find out a
thousand things that they need where you
can come up with solutions yeah and
there might be a lot of things that you
just take for granted like if you have
an office and that’s not being used at
night or on the weekends but just
sitting there you may just take that for
granted but somebody might really value
that that could be really helpful for
them so just sitting down and having a
conversation understanding what they
need could uncover some hidden
opportunities that it’s just an easy
giveaway for you like sure I met I mean
I didn’t think you needed that I’m so
happy to help out it’s a great way to be
11 impact cool while it’s crazy how
quickly
our flies by when we’re talking with
Stephen Kelly last thoughts last you
know maybe a challenge to believe nation
something you want to throw out there
how we can end this side this hangout on
I love it Evan you know I always loved
joining you and I think you know credit
gian hoan be i’ll give you a shout out
because you’ve got a community where
you’re helping them you’ve meant to them
you’ve now written an awesome book
encourage everybody to look at that
download it read it buy it but you’re a
rock star and I think you I know you do
a lot of great stuff yourself you don’t
shout about it just do it very humble
guy and I totally respect that but I
think the message is I mean everybody on
this lab we are preaching to the
converted you guys matter I think
there’s two things a challenge number
one share your love get more people to
be like you be proud of what you’re
doing for the community to serve to the
bowl people who you make a difference to
the mentorship you give so build a
network the other thing is do more of it
if you’re in a town or you know you live
in a rural area and you’re doing great
stuff can you build a network of people
like you are or more kind of
entrepreneurs who are engaged in in your
mission to help whether it’s on true so
social entrepreneurs or around charities
so kind of challenge number one can you
share the love that you feel and and
share it on a wider platform the other
challenge I’d say is you know what are
the one the practical these with all
these things what was the one thing we
could do different in October so I know
there’s there’s the go sober campaigning
October yeah I’m gonna cut a seven I do
love an occasional glass of red wine
yeah okay my love there’s an Italian
wines life of Brunello which I sometimes
dream about after a hard week on a
Friday night when I finish about ADA
club and I just dream of that but what
about having a campaign for us on this
blab sharing the Evan love Evan Almighty
challenges are
to just do one thing the matter to your
community for a thing that you’re
passionate about caring for the
vulnerable or whatever turns you on and
really gets you excited let’s enable
your mojo to do one thing in October so
skip maybe the go sober campaign in
October and do one thing where you do it
for yourself and your communities and I
guarantee if you do it just take that
baby step then you’ll you’ll be doing
more of it in november and december and
you know candidly you’ll get so much out
of it personally in terms of pride
satisfaction and if you do it engaging
your colleagues as well I think that’s
huge power in terms of extended it and
your colleagues will thank you for it
forever because it will give them so
much more meaning to come into work for
you alone will we stir with the Stephen
Kelly quotes and we end with this even
Kelly challenge that that might become
the next tradition is finishing with a
challenge from mr. Stephen Kelly uh guys
thank you so much for your time thank
you for the comments and the love and in
all the questions Stephen as always
really appreciate you stopping by and
taking time out of your crazy schedule
to join us looking forward to another
session next month until then continue
to believe whatever your one where it is
and we’ll see you soon as I believe love
you Evan thanks everybody
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