Innovate, Collaborate, Activate

I love nerding out on innovation. Stories about innovation pump me up (always). 

Innovation can make things radically better; it can create tremendous value.

But are we really being innovative?

Are we asking people what they need in order to make their lives better?

And if we are, are we fulfilling that need?

And if we aren’t, then what should we be doing differently?

In our roles as leaders and change agents, we need to start asking ourselves these questions.

I also believe that innovation goes hand-in-hand with collaboration – they feed and build upon each other. 

Innovation is not just about new ideas; it’s about implementing those ideas to meet real needs. By actively engaging with the people we’re trying to help, we can ensure our innovations are meaningful and impactful. Collaboration, in this context, becomes our greatest ally – it fosters diverse perspectives and collective problem-solving, driving us toward solutions that none of us could achieve alone.

Let’s commit to being truly innovative by listening more, collaborating widely, and always keeping the human element at the core of our efforts. By doing so, we can create a future where innovation isn’t just a buzzword, but a tangible force for good.

With love and appreciation,

Sarah

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♀️YES, MELINDA

I am feeling more hopeful about empowering women and girls around the world with the recent news of Melinda French Gates’ $1 billion donation over the next two years to support women and families. Her May 28 op-ed in the NYT highlights massive gender inequalities and outlines her plans for spending the $1B. I absolutely love that she’s giving 12 individuals whose work she admires their own $20 million grant-making fund to distribute as she or he sees fit. Allyson Felix, who I previously mentioned in this newsletter, is one of those individuals. I can’t wait to watch this work unfold… Bring on more philanthropic innovations!

🤣CORPORATE AMERICA IS…FUNNY?

Have you heard of Corporate Natalie? Maybe I live under a rock, because I just heard of this Gen Z content creator. I spent some time over Memorial Day weekend catching up on her videos, which poke fun at corporate America. Corporate Natalie posts daily work-oriented comedy sketches to remind us that our careers don’t have to be a constant source of stress. You can check her out on Instagram and LinkedIn.

📖A RECENT FAVORITE READ

Looking for a good summer read? Go ahead and pick up The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. You may remember Verghese from his book Cutting for Stone, which was on the NYT bestseller list for more than two years.

Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, in southwestern India, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a secret medical mystery, where water is the cause of death for family members in each generation. Women lead this book even in its patriarchal setting. This novel is masterful, moving, and will keep you reading way past your bedtime.

💘NONPROFIT LOVE

Alfa Demmellash grew up on less than a dollar a day in Ethiopia. When she was two years old, her mother fled to the United States to build a better, safer life for her family. About a decade later, Alfa was reunited with her mom in Boston. At the time, Alfa’s mother worked as a waitress during the day and a seamstress at night. Alfa thought there had to be a better way for her mom to make money as a seamstress; she knew her mom had the sewing skills, but realized she lacked business skills.

Alfa was later admitted to Harvard University, where she met Alex Forrester, who would become her husband. Alfa and Alex had long conversations about what their generation could do to alleviate poverty on a local level. Fast forward to 2004 – the pair launched Rising Tide Capital, a nonprofit that provides business development services designed to transform lives.  

Rising Tide Capital now serves more than 1,000 entrepreneurs per year in both English and Spanish and operates in six New Jersey cities. The organization has received local, national, and global coverage for its work, including Conscious Company Magazine, Forbes, CNN Heroes, Bloomberg.com, and Entrepreneur.com. 

This is how you build a thriving, sustainable, inclusive economy. Learn more here.