Do Good, Make Money

Speaker 1: [Music] I help companies figure out the good that they want to do in the world I help individuals figure out how they can make an impact in the world I help nonprofits figure out how they can grow their impact in the world hi I'm Melanie bar welcome to the sheb built it experience with Melanie join me as I talk to women who have successfully built it a career and business that they love we dive into the topic of how they built it and talk about everything from Having the courage to make career leaps to the details of how to lead effectively create successful teams Implement strategies for growth and Infuse Tech Innovation magic happens when we focus on the part of ourselves and our business that brings us joy so let's dive in thank you for joining us Laura you are the CEO of do good make money tell us about your experience leading up to launching your business I started working in South Africa helping women learn how to create their own businesses avoiding some of the really difficult situations that we in so teaching them jewelry making skills hair reading and building those businesses out and came back and really wanted to do that kind of work but I wasn't sure how to get started so I just really started volunteering and I actually connected with step-up women's Network and organization that you and I actually met through an amazing women's networking organization and got a chance to meet a lot of great women leaders I had become an attorney and volunteered to take on the pro bono program at my Law Firm connecting young lawyers to adoptions and guardianship opportunities and so all that intention to serve and volunteer and WR connect the dots between businesses that I was working with and support and wanting to do this good in the world gave me the opportunity to actually go consult and you have worked with large Global Brands leading up to launching your business tell us a little bit about that yeah with dermologica with The Container Store with Merc all kinds of big companies and I think the cool thing about that was being a freelance consultant they were like wow you're doing a great job would you ever want to work us and I was like I work here but I could also work for you and they just got more projects that way so unintentionally grew a client base from nurturing relationships and then deciding wow this is actually a way I can financially sustain myself so I'm going to start a real business doing this share with us more about do good make money how are you helping clients today sure so I'm a social impact consultant I help companies figure out the good that they want to do in the world I help individuals figure out how they can make an impact in the world I help nonprofits figure out how they can grow their impact in the world on the corporate side what that means a lot of times is helping with environmental social and governance work these days started as CSR corporate social responsibility but now it has more teeth where we're actually measuring what's our environmental impact how are we impacting the community in which we operate how are we treating our people are we leading as an organization so it's tons of fun I love going in and doing an assessment of where we are and where we can go and building all the systems and processes to take us to the next level you have worked with many Global Brands as we mentioned before to enhance their Global strategic Partnerships is there a favorite client success story that you can share with us I have so many but my new favorite I was recently working with a Blackstone portfolio company EQ office they do commercial real estate and part of what we needed to figure out was how to be more strategic about the work we did in the community they create spaces that help Talent do their best work and so part of the strategy was can't we help all Talent do their best work not just your tenants there's tons of untapped Talent out in the community and since they create space we looked for spaces that really weren't inspiring so partnered with a Workforce Development nonprofit nationally called youth build USA built a multi-tiered program with them from mentoring people their clientele who were looking to get into the property management and trades they were able to really develop their talent skills but the most shining achievement of that program was actually getting to renovate their Center in Compton which was a really uninspiring space and getting to motivate the construction and development team to get 40 of their vendors together and go in and over the course of the summer completely redo that space so that when those students walk in and you tell them they're worth something they see a space around them that reflects that it was such a great opportunity for the organization to create this new space not only for their clients but for their staff but also for EQ office and black Stone to really see by being thoughtful about our Partnerships our relationships we got a great opportunity for skilled volunteering we got to meet Talent potential property managers potential building Engineers train electricians janitorial staff landscapers solve those problems also for our vendors who are running into those same challenges and introduce them to qualified talent who had proven look I built this so so it was just a really great lasting impact in the community in a program that they're replicating with other youth builds that was my new favorite what you do is so much fun because it's such a win for everyone you're helping people and you're helping companies the people that work within the company that has to feel so good too it really does the employee engagement my Approach is usually to go in and build working groups to help weigh in on and build the strategy and then begin to implement the strategy so many companies that I work for so many hands go up to go on those working groups and be part of the diversity Equity inclusion committee be part of the community engagement committee how can we be more sustainable and look at how we can examine our operations and our packaging and all of those sorts of things it is fun and it brings a purpose you got to work with a purpose of more than just to do your job yeah that's what I help companies Discover at the outset if they haven't already figured that out what is your purpose Beyond making a profit why are you here and if we can help you articulate that to all of your stakeholders to your investors to your employes to your clients to your perspective clients you're just going to be more successful and then once we know what our purpose is then we can align all facets of the organization in service of that purpose and make more money so do good make money what do you like the most about what you do and what led you to purpose-driven marketing sustainability and creating strategic Partnerships I didn't know this when I first started but somebody who works with companies wealthy individuals high-profile individuals nonprofits it's kind of unique skill set there's not too many people that have done all of that and know how to pull those things together so the fact that I have a unique skill set that people find helpful they have a desire to do some but they don't know how they want to make their company better they don't exactly know how to go about that that I can go in and help them figure that out and we can produce an end product that really has reshaped their trajectory make people's dreams of this is the change I want to see in the world into a reality just a lot fun that it is a lot of fun what do you believe is the most important element in building teams and sustainable company cultures I think that listening creating an inclusive environment that allows voices to be heard and team members of all ages skill sets abilities to weigh in and buy in is the key to my programs and I see that is really the companies that I work with and the organizations I work with that are most successful shaped their culture in that way they haven't zeroed off this leadership team that just hands down new edicts they survey they listen they provide opportunity for people to weigh in to contribute and they communicate they share how they've listened what they've actioned what they've put a pin in and why so there's just really good communication when I'm looking at building teams on a project I try to do the same thing tons and tons of time upfront interviewing listening getting to understand where people are coming from what they think of the business what they think's working what's not working what they're proud of what keeps them up at night and really using all that input to shape strategy not coming in with an idea of this is what you should do but building them into that process it seems like what you do encourages openness you bring a purpose and if you're open to that purpose it shows that the company might be open to other things that employees might be experience in yeah absolutely like I said a lot of when I go into a company you see a lot of hands go up a lot of people that are like oh my gosh I would love to be part of that I want to work on what are our benefits how are we gonna be doing it dollars for doers program or how much money can we give in matching every year they really like that opportunity and then the more that they get to participate the more they share and then I find oh you two work in different departments but you just told me about projects that you're working on do you know that those are symbiotic like the connections that are made by that process of being open to purpose being open to letting teams come in and build things for the company it really does move move the company for it in a more collaborative way yeah and brings people together yeah it brings people together gives them a chance to know one another and honestly feel really proud of their company and the fact that they're investing that time and energy and giving them enough opportunity Magic happens when we focus on the part of ourselves and our business that brings us joy what is one way that you make sure to find and live your joy this is something my mom has always said to me and I believe it you bring joy to your day no one can impact it no one can take it from you and I keep that joy in my day by maintaining a really Fierce gratitude practice every night before I go to bed I say three things that I'm grateful for that day I practice it with my kids what were you grateful for a day we talk about at the dinner table and I send a ton of notes to people random things I'm so grateful that you did this I'm so grateful for you for this and write text messages cards little I'm thinking of you things but I just really try to live very gratefully because that makes me more joyful and it protects my sense that yeah no one can take my joy from me there's lots of things they're trying to but I bring it to my day I get to radiate it and I have so much to be joyful and grateful that's so nice and how good does it feel to receive something like that cuz we don't always so that's so nice and I have to bring up your travel because you do something that I think is the most fun can you tell us about the jar when my husband and I got married we decided that we would put every place in the world that we want to go into a vase we had received as a wedding gift and on January 1 every year we each add one more there's a giant stirring ceremony and then we pick where are we going and we obey the vase that's where we go for our family vacation so fun I love that that has to bring joy too oh for sure having things look forward to absolutely brings Joy it's been a fun tradition and my 14-year-old son has been to 28 countries now so oh so amazing so fun thank you for joining us today and sharing your business wisdom and reminding us all to do good in the world please share with us how and where we can find you my website is do good-making low propes thank you for joining us today I'd love to hear from you reach out to me at hello sheet.com on our Sheil it website or @ Sheil it on social thank you to my editor Rich draino who always makes us sound good until next time let nothing stop you from experiencing the life and business that you crave [Music]