Imagine Simplifying Your Product for Greater Impact
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was known for many things, but developing a school desk is not one that instantly comes to mind. Yet the “Arch” championed a campaign for many years that provides a simple writing surface for school children across Africa who have no desks. Known as the Tutudesk, it’s proof that simplicity can sometimes […]
Imagine Building a Business from Trash and Sand
“Don’t quit your day job” – or so entrepreneurs are often advised when trying to build a business. But Nzambi Matee of Kenya did quit her day job — and her social life and invested all her savings into an experimental project in her mother’s back garden. “My friends were worried,” she admits. “Everyone thought […]
Turning Disability into Ability
As part of activities planned around the observance of the International Day of Peace, held in September each year, amputees (above) play in a football game organized by the United Nations Mission in Liberia. While some people see crippling disability and no economic future, others see opportunity. Some of the innovative business models built around […]
The Power of Images: Adding Social Cause to Your Brand
Never underestimate the power of someone with a camera and a social mission. Producer, director, writer, and actor Spike Lee has been creating provocative films since 1985 that explore race relations, political issues, and urban crime and violence. His films include She’s Gotta Have It, Do the Right Thing, and BlacKkKlansman. Lee has accelerated social […]
Imagine Consulting With Potential Customers With Physical Needs Different From Yours
During New York Fashion Week last year, a fashion shoot was held that featured four Special Olympics New York athletes. Celebrity fashion photographer and Special Olympics Champion Ambassador Nigel Barker took photographs of four Special Olympics New York athletes. They modeled adaptable athlete/streetwear from the Be Brave collection, developed through a collaboration between Special Olympics […]
Imagine Using the Power of a Name to Inspire Your Next Project
NASA has renamed its headquarters after its first black female engineer, Mary Jackson, whose work contributed to America’s early space programs. She achieved success in the face of racial discrimination, despite black employees being forced to use different canteens and bathrooms. When Jackson applied for engineering training, she needed permission to take classes with her […]
Imagine Working with Nature Instead of Trying to Dominate It
Singapore has an innovative way of putting nature at the heart of construction that can make us happier, healthier and closer to the natural world. It’s called biophilic design, and it replaces walls, windows, columns, signs and neon, with leaves, bark, birds and insects. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is the most biophilic hospital in Asia […]
Imagine Putting a Bunch of Kids on Your Advisory Board
Have you noticed how many young people have been pushing for change this past year? Maybe it’s time to start listening. They are the consumers, customers, and business owners of the future, and they’re giving us clues today about the business opportunities of tomorrow. “Young people are now coming to discussions as contributors and not […]
Imagine Encouraging Young People to Achieve the Impossible
Some people spend their lives deciding on a career, but for 20-year-old Alyssa Carson, the goal has been clear since she was three years old: Be among the first humans to explore Mars. Carson has spent most of her life preparing to go to Mars by attending space camps and advanced preparation programs, building a […]
Imagine Combining Two Products into One to Create Social Impact
Worldwide, millions of people are forced to sleep outside in the cold. That number is growing by the minute. Poverty, mental illness, unexpected loss of jobs, natural disasters, and wars are the top causes of homelessness around the world. The Sheltersuit, developed by Bas Timmer (above, right) in the Netherlands, is a wind- and waterproof […]
