Real Leaders UNITE 2024 Recap

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Kevin Edwards

Reflecting on this past week at Real Leaders UNITE 2024 gave me hope for the future of business leadership.

First and foremost, thank you to all of our Founding Members who have been with us since 2020, and to our UNITED Partners including: Creative Alignments, Sorensen Impact Institute, SureCall Contact Centers, Priority Power, Sunrise Banks, Salas O’Brien, CentralReach, SVN, and Big Path Capital. And to the companies who came forth with fantastic sustainable gifts in our goodie bags including: PATH, Sprout World, Karun Sunglasses, WeFirst, and Conscious Ink we thank you for your creative contributions (see below). Last but not least, an extra round of applause to the formidable first-time UNITE Pass holders who conquered the rain and thrived at the Kona Kai Resort in San Diego. Thank you all!

Pictured Here: Contents from the Real Leaders UNITE 2024 Goodie Bag

What Builds Community?

There was a burning question I couldn’t fully put my finger on all throughout 2023 – the kind of question that keeps you up at night. I raised it in team meetings, during job and podcast interviews, and of course, in my confidential Real Leaders forum to gain intel and seek an answer. But even with help from some of the best minds in the world, it was a query that words alone could not answer for me.

The question was simply: What builds community?

Brief History

Since the pandemic, Real Leaders has transformed from solely a global business leadership publication to an online community of impact CEOs that facilitates monthly forums via Zoom, for leaders to get direct support from peers who are navigating common challenges. Members meet in groups of 8-10 each month to get guidance and better clarity with whatever is keeping them up at night. For an impact CEO, there aren’t many (if any) business communities like this where people can speak their language, so it’s extremely helpful to know that you’re surrounded by other CEOs who truly get it.

Establishing an Identity

Although we had served hundreds of CEO members over the course of those 4 years, I still felt that the community’s identity hadn’t been fully established. When I asked What builds community, to others, the common answers were: people, shared-values, connection, and leadership. Surely, these attributes existed but to me, something was missing.

Going into UNITE, I can assure you I was so focused on the event to have any space for free thought. I quite frankly had no idea what would unfold and just prayed for strength and humility. UNITE would need to take its own shape and be built by the members themselves.

Pictured here: Real Leaders members walking to the opening reception.

Raving Reviews for UNITE

To my surprise the 3-day experience in San Diego was a massive success! I am continually receiving messages from members and speakers who shared experiences that left a lasting impact on them. For those of you who experienced UNITE, you all know what I’m talking about. For those who did not, we will have a recap video for you shortly and I encourage you to learn more.

We received comments from member CEOs such as “Generally, I go back to business as usual afterwards. Maybe it’s all about timing, but this event was like a wrench that helped me get unstuck.” or “It would be impossible to attend Real Leaders UNITE and not be inspired” — have been sent to us throughout the weekend.

Pictured here: Kevin Edwards, Allie Burns, Felecia Hatcher, Daymond John (Left to Right) on the opening panel: How to Get Impact Capital Now.

The Secret Ingredient — Love

Isn’t that crazy? I would have never guessed I’d be writing about love. Love is for softies!

For me, the unexpected takeaway was that our members demonstrated and exemplified human qualities that are critically important in thriving businesses today; empathy, compassion, and love for one another. This simple answer to my burning question came from left field and now has me wondering why I never thought of it in the first place. It’s probably because love is often suppressed and lays dormant in all of us. It is the key ingredient that built this community and is also the one that will protect it for generations to come. Stedman Graham, one of many respected speakers at UNITE discussing “Identity Leadership” said it best “Take fear out and replace it with love and everything will shift for the better.”

Pictured here: Stedman Graham delivers a moving keynote on Identity Leadership.

Protecting the Community

I believe what differentiates UNITE from a typical event or conference is that lasting connections are created. You didn’t just meander around, meet a few leaders, listen to a couple of motivational speakers and leave. You left feeling like you found “your people” and created everlasting relationships. I now feel a deep responsibility to protect this experience and foster its growth. Many of you sought me out after the impact awards celebration (maybe because I was wearing an astronaut suit) and encouraged me to “keep it this size” because of the quality connections that you made. So we collected your feedback and did a deep dive the next day while we were still fresh.

ReUNITE in 2025

Our team has thought long and hard about what it will take to push boundaries while maintaining a quality event in 2025. First, we wanted to make sure that those founding members (from the inaugural event) were grandfathered into the community since qualification and pricing will undoubtedly elevate. Second, we will be capping the event attendance to preserve a quality experience at UNITE and in our community. Third, we plan to continually keep high curation standards of the speakers and sessions to provide a unique experience that you can’t find anywhere else.

Pictured here: A lone astronaut poses with Chris Sullens, CEO of CentralReach

Building Community — Add Yourself To the Short List

Thank you for taking the time to read my open letter and please consider sharing it with 1 leader who you think deserves to be at UNITE 2025. If you would like to be added to the short list to receive first dibs at pre-sale pricing, please add your email below. Thank you again to all of the people who made this community thrive, we can’t wait to deliver another incredible experience in 2025.

The Real Leaders 2024 Top Impact Companies

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Kevin Edwards

The Evolution of Impact

by Kevin Edwards

After five successful years of producing the go-to list for the Top Impact Companies, it was time for Real Leaders to pause, revisit its mission, and grow an impact awards community that preserved its integrity while scaling its impact. So, we made a few changes:

1. We made it harder to make the list. We increased our minimum annual revenue requirement to be ranked as a Top Impact Company, removed public companies entirely, and disqualified applicants if they failed to submit adequate information in any of the six areas of our I.M.P.A.C.T. awards application. The Top Impact Companies were ranked by their three-year compound annual growth rate times their 2022 annual revenue.

2. We made it a tool you can leverage. Based on 13 years of experience interviewing over 1,000 impact CEOs on the Real Leaders Podcast, we asked questions that challenged the applicants to think clearly about how to communicate their I.M.P.A.C.T.:

Intention: What is the enlarged problem you’re trying to solve?

Model: Where in your value chain does your impact show up?

People: Where do you see the impact in your culture?

Accountability: What key performance indicator(s) do you use to measure your impact?

Collaboration: What is one collaboration that has helped grow your impact?

Transformation: How deep are you driving impact in the environment, society, or your governance structure?

We turned each of these areas into correlating awards categories to highlight the companies that didn’t reach the threshold for a Top Impact Company but are still making an impact and want to make the list one day.

3. We made it a collaborative community. All impact award winners are currently receiving access to impact-oriented events in a confidential forum to foster growth and innovation while collaborating on initiatives to grow awareness.

With 500+ applications, we are proud to reveal the 185 trusted brands that have inspired us and many others to preserve their mission while scaling their impact. Congratulations to all of the winners who rightfully earned this achievement and are returning dignity to business.

Kevin Edwards, President

Points of Impact

Real Leaders recognizes the rise in purpose-driven businesses with its sixth annual Real Leaders Top Impact Companies list. On the following pages, you will find a diverse group of companies around the globe that prove that businesses can thrive while helping to build a better world. We encourage you to support these companies by buying their products and services, investing in their growth, and sharing this list with your network.

From companies that have reimagined old business models to place a greater focus on all stakeholders to those that built impact into their business from day one, we are getting to the point, thankfully, where purpose-driven businesses are becoming the norm. This is something to celebrate!

Why Impact Matters

Many employees want to work for companies that align with their values, and many customers prefer to purchase products and services they feel good about. It’s crucial for the well-being of society and the health of our planet that businesses commit to a definition of success that incorporates social and environmental impact alongside profits.

Who Made the List

The Top Impact Companies list is reserved for those private companies that have completed at least three fiscal cycles and reached specific benchmarks for revenue and number of employees. You can find the full list here.

Akon Podcast

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Kevin Edwards

Akon Uses New City and Akoin to Unite Africa

What will the future behold?

Isn’t that the question we all frequently ponder? 2020 is already a loose cannon as the corona virus just halted the strongest bull market since 2009 and climate change is now a climate crisis.

The day I interviewed Akon, he used the word future 6 times, in 4 different ways:

Future of Corruption

“So, a lot of it as you know, corruption, is all built around money. So, if money isn’t properly managed, and you have people that are dishonest managing the current state of your financial future, then naturally corruption is going to exist.”

-Akon believes a decentralized and transparent banking system on the blockchain can eradicate unethical money management amongst government officials in African countries.

Future of Akon City

“So let’s look at Akon City as the test model for the rest of the continent, you know, we want to be able to utilize the city not only from a development standpoint, but we want to also attract people that normally wouldn’t come to Africa, into Africa. We want to implement ideas, terms, laws, all that within that city that we feel benefits the people something that people can relate to, and be able to work with. And then we want to really upgrade the city in a way to where it thinks feels and operates like the future.”

-Akon said his city will be an eco-tourism destination and the first infrastructure for his new cryptocurrency Akoin. The artist mentioned he wants to avoid the problems and mistakes developed markets made so they can sustain a brighter future. The metropolis has plans to be positioned 5 miles away from the capital of Senegal, Dakar.

Future of Renewable Energy

“Honestly, it’s the future and when you look at how life is created now and how things are being affected from our global warming standpoint, like you can clearly see the difference and change… Like we have the most bipolar weather conditions in the world that we’ve never had and it’s all because it’s all due to global warming. And it’s because we’re not taking full advantage of our renewable resources, and we’re not taking into account that 200-300 years from now the world may not even exist.”

-Akon, who brought solar energy to 100 million Sub-saharan Africans through his Akon Lighting Africa project believes renewable energy is the key to sustaining the future, noting he does not want to make the same mistakes the industrial world had made in the past.

Future of Cryptocurrency

“So we’re starting from a clean slate, which allows us to reorganize, restructure, rebrand and push things forward for the future because it’s going to be tough cleaning up the past. You know what I mean? With the transformation from fiat currency deals to cryptocurrency deals.”

–Akon’s new cryptocurrency hopes to provide an exchange for business owners and consumers to trade goods. Akon believes cryptocurrency is the only way to stop corruption and restore wealth to the African people by creating a transparent decentralized system. The company hopes to make it interchangeable for fiat currency in the long-run.

Now ask yourself: What will the future behold?

Why This Company Doesn’t Want To Know Their Customers.

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Kevin Edwards

An unusual concept right? At least that’s what Erik Rind, CEO of ImagineBC’s lawyers thought when they were crafting their Terms of Service policy for his company, a market provider for customer data stored on the blockchain. Erik joined me on Episode 47 of the Real Leaders Podcast to discuss what the future of personal data security looks like. Before we jump to how it works, maybe it’s important to reflect on why data security exists.

Read the transcript Ep.47-Erik-Rind-Transcript Download

Whether you are surfing the internet, exercising with a health monitor, or swiping a credit card, your data (web clicks, blood pressure, expenditures, etc.) is collected, stored, sold, or in some cases confiscated.

My first question for Erik was simple, “In this day and age of surveillance capitalism with companies making money off of my personal data, your personal data, what are some of the ramifications when we allow companies to take that from us?“

“I think the ramifications are very significant or we wouldn’t have started ImagineBC in the first place.”

Some argue this is a human rights issue, others are submissive.

“But now it’s like how do you take on a Google or a Facebook? They’re so big, you can’t do it. My opinion is, of course, you can. It’s our data, we have complete control of it. We just need to band together.”

So, how do we band together?

Somewhere, a computer is pumping out continuous “blocks” of information, in order (like a twitter thread), bonded by a “chain” of encryption to other computers or nodes. Transactional data is stored on a public ledger for everyone to see but not edit. Your username, however, is sacred. You are the only one who knows who you are. This raises the one problem with blockchain, we do not know who anyone is.

That’s blockchain.

Our guest joked around mentioning that his lawyers were having a difficult time crafting their terms of service, telling the practitioners, “..look, we don’t even know who our members are and we don’t want to know! They have all control and we create a market for them.”

“What is this going to do for the common media conglomerate or to any businesses that are using these data lakes?”

“We just want you the individual to be the beneficiary. So the Cambridge Analyticas, the Facebooks, they get disintermediated. I don’t need to go to Dunkin Donuts; I don’t need to go to Facebook, to find targeted information on users, because I have that information available to me through an ecosystem like ImagineBC.”

Understand how Blockchain works from expert Jeremy Gardner on Ep.18.

Don’t be overwhelmed, thankfully for us humans, we are not who we were yesterday and that most of our data is always changing. The jury is still out on if blockchain will be adopted by the average consumer but if the stars align, imagine what blockchain could do for the future of data security.

Share this article with a friend who you think would find this story helpful!

Helping Fix the Recycling Crisis

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Kevin Edwards

Mitch Hedlund, founder of the nonprofit organization Recycle Across America (and Recycle Across the World), has joined us to discuss the U.S. and global recycling crisis and the increasing epidemic of waste in oceans. Hedlund explains how implementing society-wide standardized labels on recycling bins is proving to help solve these issues. She is working with leadership in D.C. to pursue legislation for the standardized label solution to make it possible for people to begin to recycle properly wherever they are — mirroring legislation in the 1950s that introduced standardized road signs which make it possible for people to be able to drive properly wherever they are. In this episode of the Real Leaders Podcast, Mitch and Kevin also discuss the international ocean waste crisis, and the work RAA/RAW is doing to expand the standardized label solution internationally, with partners such as the International Waste Platform. To join the standardized label movement, contact: https://www.RecycleAcrossAmerica.org

You can help FIX IT!

Text FIX IT to 40649 or click this link https://p2a.co/AJYO2QD to take action today. Let’s get the standardized labels on recycling bins everywhere to make it possible for people to begin to recycle right. Let’s finally make it possible for the recycling industry and closed-loop manufacturing to thrive.

Could Every Company Become a B Corp?

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Kevin Edwards

“If everyone were a B Corporation, the planet would be in a much better situation.” Jennifer Cantero, Director of Marketing & Sustainability at Sensiba San Filippo, California’s first and only certified B Corp accounting firm stated on the Real Leaders Podcast. In the video below, Jennifer shares her passion for becoming a certified B Corporation, discussing the process, benefits, and challenges for a business to undergo the B Corp certification journey.

Watch her interview below to learn what it takes to help your company become a part of this environmental and social movement.

All you need to know about getting B-certified

Rethink Your Business Before It’s Too Late

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Kevin Edwards

This week I had the opportunity to interview multi-business owner Jared Meyers of Legacy Vacation Club and Salt Palm brands who recently launched Florida For Good to help inform, inspire and connect Florida business owners to rethink the way they do business.

You never know whom exactly you’re going to get on the opposite end of a podcast, some guests try to promote their own brand, book, or thought leadership but for the hour I spent with Jared we focused on what motivated him beyond his businesses.

I got to know the real Jared, and the real Jared genuinely felt obligated to spread the word about what mistakes lead to his epiphany (See below).

“A lot of times our epiphanies in life or the lessons we learn are because we go through tough times…”

Tough times call for tougher decisions. The next decision he would make would change his life [and potentially yours] forever. If the business owner community prioritized stakeholder value over shareholder value how might that impact their bottom-line? So I asked him this…

“Why not be a leader and do it proactively?”

Jared’s debacle inspired a new purpose, one that transparently fosters shared value leadership throughout the value chain. By focusing on all stakeholders one must consider its environmental ramifications and reduce its carbon-footprint, pay fair-trade prices, and reveal their company’s impact. But wait! Doesn’t that mean higher costs? Jared you’re crazy! Are you thinking what I was?

“This sort of an investment makes financial sense.”

Failure, realization, and resolution all in under 5 minutes. Jared encompasses the core values of what I deem as a real leadership and it seems to manifest throughout his company’s entire value chain. I’m excited to see if his decisions result in long-term growth and is a model for the next generation of leaders before it’s too late.

If you learned anything from this read today it would mean the world to me if you shared this with your network and continue the discussion on shared value leadership.

I never know who will be on the opposite end of the podcast but I’m grateful it was Jared Meyers. You too can get to know him better by experiencing the full episode below.

Akoin Launches First ‘Token of Appreciation’ Cryptocurrency Campaign to Accomplish the 17 SDGs in Africa!

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Kevin Edwards

Akon’s Blockchain Endeavor For Social Impact, Akoin, Announces the Launch of the Akoin Foundation and Issuance of Cryptocurrency “Tokens of Appreciation (TOA)” For Donors In Partnership With The SDG Impact Fund

When Lynn Liss, COO of Akoin reached out to Dr. Bryan Doreian, Chief Development Magus of the SDG Impact Fund, they both knew something special in the impact realms was emerging. Leveraging Akon’s groundswell of charitable work in Africa and their emerging blockchain endeavor, Akoin, aligned with the incredible ability of the non-profit structuring of the SDG Impact Fund platform, they have partnered to launch the Akoin Foundation. This combination of blockchain, impact-mindedness, a high profile celebrity like Akon, and the Donor Advised Fund (DAF) platform is launching what they foresee as a next evolution of the cryptocurrency realm.

The Akoin Foundation will be performing a first in cryptocurrency – giving initial donors to the foundation a literal cryptocurrency Token of Appreciation (TOA) as a way to say thank you to those who believe in the missional purpose of the foundation, supporting regenerative endeavors in Africa and focused on entrepreneurial empowerment; from blockchain, financial and business tools to healthcare, education, renewable energy and governance. The token, which carries no present value, commemorates donors early involvement with the Akoin Foundation and their support of this impact mindset, which will be pioneered through Akon’s championing of the Akoin Project in Africa. To join the Akoin Token of Appreciation campaign, go to www.akointoa.org. For more information on the token and its release, visit www.akoin.io.

“I’m excited for our team to launch the Akoin Foundation and our first Token of Appreciation campaign. This is what we’re all about at Akoin — coming up with innovative solutions, appreciating the fans, and empowering the people to take charge of their finances,” said Akon. “I’ve said before: blockchain and crypto bring the power back to the people and has the potential to transform Africa’s economies. We’re giving people the chance to get involved early and show their support of that transformation.”

Through this incredible alignment, together the Akoin Foundation and the SDG Impact Fund amplify their mission and social impact results even further – rapidly opening up the opportunity for donors, and other leaders in impact to access this new platform to attain the 17 SDGs across all 53 countries in Africa.

What is the SDG Impact Fund? On the International Day of Peace, September 21, 2018 – the SDG Impact Fund was announced at the United Nations in New York City. This fully independent 501(c)3 recognized non-profit Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is quantum leaping the well-proven DAF model by uniting and marshaling the exponential power of the digital and impact frontiers to transform what is possible for humanity, prosperity, and the planet. The SDG Impact Fund is the first to accept and deploy traditional assets as well as all forms of crypto, token, and digital assets with a singular goal: attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) before 2030.

What are the SDGs? The UN’s SDGs are 17 sustainable development goals, ranging from gender equality to no hunger and quality education agreed upon by 193 countries to realize a more sustainable and prosperous humanity and planet by 2030. Through the Akoin Foundation, entertainment, blockchain, philanthropy, all align and showcase to the world a way forward in attaining the 17 SDGs.

“There is this perception that “non-profit” and “business” don’t go together,” says Bryan Doreian of the SDG Impact Fund. “I feel that if we redefine what non-profit and business is and means, those endeavors that harness both, in a mutually regenerative manner, will usher forth a new paradigm of what work is, and what it means to be a “business” or “non-profit” altogether. In fact, the more individuals, brands, and companies realize that the return of investment on actually making a difference in the world, instead of being siloed into making money at the EXPENSE of others and the world, is easily 10/1. Akoin is one of the endeavors pioneering in the impact realms and we’re honored to co-create this new blockchain and business paradigm with them.”

As the philanthropic arm of Akoin.io, and part of Akon’s vision for a better world, The Akoin Foundation exists to activate, educate and fuel young entrepreneurs in Africa and other rising economies to start and build businesses and create sustainable communities. We believe that developing young entrepreneurs is the best way to promote innovation, economic stability, and growth across Africa, and, ultimately, the world. We have set ourselves a goal to educate, inspire and activate 2 million new CEOs in Africa and beyond by 2030.

For more information: Lynn Liss lynn@akoin.io

www.akoin.io

The SDG Impact Fund is one of the most innovative, forward-thinking, and knowledgeable donor advised fund (DAF) leaders on charitable giving in the nation. Our donor advised fund clients gain access to the highest level of strategic thinking on ways to meet social challenges around the world. By partnering with the SDG Impact Fund, donors receive the simplicity and tax advantages of a public charity combined with the personal recognition, involvement and flexibility of a private foundation.

For more information: Bryan W. Doreian bdoreian@sdgimpactfund.org