Happy New Year and welcome to The Skim, our rapid-read selection of brain pickings from thought leaders in sport, business and the third sector. These words of wisdom will help you ring in the changes for 2019.
Haile Thomas
‘I make sure that I give myself the opportunity to just chill out and do nothing and be ok with that, because I’m aware I’m someone who really likes working hard and I can take that to extremes.’ Haile Thomas.
In this edition of the How Success Happens podcast from Entrepreneur, teen third sector trailblazer Haile Thomas chats to host Stephen Bronner about the importance of downtime for highly driven entrepreneurs and balancing the commitments of running a successful non-profit with educational and family commitments.
According to Haile, part of the key to her success is her passion for informing children in underserved US communities about the value of sustainable plant-based nutrition through her HAPPY organisation:
‘I really enjoy what I do, so it’s less stressful as I’m able to be creative and share my personal perspective and connect with so many amazing people’.
Listen to Haile’s inspirational podcast here
Navid Khadivi
‘My family constantly told me I couldn’t do anything remarkable. I always had to prove them and other people wrong’ Navid Khadivi.
Navid Khadivi is the Iran-based founder of tech start up SnapHitt — a news app that keeps subscribers up to date with 60 word summaries of the latest local and international events.
In this profile from Medium, he discusses the determination and self-belief that allowed him to achieve his entrepreneurial aims and overcome the challenges of securing investment and operating globally in a nation affected by sanctions.
Navid’s underdog success story proves that it’s possible to maintain an internationalist perspective in a cloistered culture.
‘I no longer believe in borders and feel that technology can help remove them’, he says.
Read Navid’s fascinating profile here
Oprah Winfrey
‘Let’s pledge ourselves to being true global citizens — and let us at long last become the change we want to see in education, in clean water, in health, in gender equality everywhere’ Oprah Winfrey.
Media mogul Oprah Winfrey needs no introduction. But her recent keynote speech from South Africa’s Global Citizenship festival in Johannesburg is essential reading for anyone who wants a motivational summary of life lessons from the late, great Nelson Mandela.
Oprah reminds us that it’s possible for anyone to build a lasting legacy in any sphere through regular positive interactions with friends, colleagues, classmates and neighbours, stating:
‘Every single one of us has the ability to comfort and strengthen somebody through small acts of kindness’.
Read the full script of Oprah’s speech on her site.
Dr Rahmyn Kress
‘My main role is bringing about digital transformation by creating an entire culture shift within the company. To achieve this, I have no doubt that my academic training in organisational behaviour plays a strong role’. Dr Rahmyn Kress.
In a candid discussion with Forbes, Chief Digital Officer of German consumer goods behemoth Henkel discusses the value of his formal academic background in bringing a 142 year old company into the digital age — and the importance of mentorship in moulding a successful business career.
He also emphasises that employing self-starters with growth mindsets is crucial to Henkel’s success.
‘Henkel employees remain entrepreneurially minded, trying new things, encouraging each other throughout’, he says.
Read more of Dr Kress’s insights here
The Skim will be back in February with more bite-sized business news.
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