Better Business Founder

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The Manifesto for Quiet Disruptors

Have you noticed? We’re shifting from one era to the next.

From the modern, industrial age where there were linear and predictable answers, to a complex, interconnected and volatile world. Where what we do affects who others become and impacts our whole environment, without us fully realising it.

We need different voices. People with fresh things to say who don’t need to shout.

Not just super-heroes with confident gestures. Nor the loud, always-on culture, with quick answers that offer attractive sticking plasters, yet fail to see what comes next or why we are doing it anyway.

But the thoughtful and creative change-makers who look from the edge and craft their responses, who want to make a difference, differently. Not just for today.

Because more of the same won’t do.

So now is our time to shift the conversation by becoming the change we want to see. Owning our voice, finding the others and having the courage to speak softly about things that matter.

Because only people make change. And change emerges with those who have the courage to be different:

• who think before they speak;
• who ask questions we’d sometimes rather not face;
• who create solutions we hadn’t expected;
• who see more from the edge, than the centre, and make connections that surprise us;
• who are driven to make a difference, but want to do it differently, with grace;
• who get their energy from calm reflection, beautiful ideas, and taking the long view;
• who exercise kindness, generosity and stubborn courage in pursuing a different way of looking, being and doing that can turn our world upside down – for the better.

It’s time for the new change-makers. The quiet disruptors with the courage to speak softly about things that matter.

Sue Heatherington
The Waterside
November 2020

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CONNECT WITH Sue Heatherington / Quiet Disruptors

Web: https://quietdisruptors.com/

Daily poetry: https://sueheatherington.com/

twitter @SueWaterside

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MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION:

University of East Anglia

Susan Cain

Simon Sinek

Patagonia "DON'T BUY THIS JACKET"

Josie Mackenzie / AMMA Sri Lanka

🎤 🎧 episode with Josie Mackenzie

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Host: Leekei Tang

Contact: hello (at) betterbusinessfounder.com

Music credits: Ukulele Fun by Liosound Music / Wooden Xylophone by Floraphonic

Definition of success can change over time:

(2:33) David Nebinski

(4:02) Bai Zahmri

Success is beyond Founders' personal goals, it's more about connection, about adding value to the lives of others, inspiring others to do things differently:

(5:03) Shivani Patel

(5:59) Nan & Carl

(8:20) Pola Stępień

(8:40) Bai Zahmri

(9:10) Ihita Shandilya

On privilege, freedom, and exploration of new possibility:

(10:04) Mati Ventrillon

(10:46) Pola Stępień

(11:44) Josie Mackenzie

On the sustainability components in the business created:

(16:07) Ihita Shandilya

(16:50) Bai Zahmri

(10:03) Josie Mackenzie

On being lean, on growing, and being close to the core of what the brand stands for:

(20:39) Jennifer Myers Chua

(22:51) Mati Ventrillon

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CONNECT WITH DAVID NEBINSKI

David is the host of Portfolio Career Podcast: https://www.portfoliocareerpodcast.com/

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CONNECT WITH BAI ZAHMRI

Bai is the Founder of Nazkids https://www.mynazkids.com/

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CONNECT SHIVANI PATEL

Shivani is the Founder of Arture https://myarture.com/

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CONNECT WITH NAN & CARL

Nan & Carl are the Founders of Seeker x Retriever https://www.seekerxretriever.com/

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CONNECT WITH POLA STEPIEN

Pola is the Founder of MODAPOLKA https://modapolka.com/

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CONNECT WITH IHITA SHANDILYA

Ihita is the Founder of MithilaSMITA https://www.mithilasmita.com/

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CONNECT WITH MATI VENTRILLON

Mati is the Founder of Mati Ventrillon https://www.mativentrillon.co.uk/

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CONNECT WITH JOSIE MACKENZIE

Josie is the Founder of AMMA Sri Lanka https://www.ammasrilanka.com/

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CONNECT WITH JENNIFER MYERS CHUA

At HIP MOMMIES: https://hipmommies.ca/

Buy products that are useful, well-made, thoughtfully designed that are responsibly from suppliers that are good people, supporting good causes, and that are doing business ethically

Jennifer's podcast: COST OF GOODS SOLD

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Host: Leekei Tang

Contact: hello (at) betterbusinessfounder.com

Music credits: Ukulele Fun by Liosound Music / Wooden Xylophone by Floraphonic

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CONNECT WITH Josie Mackenzie / AMMA Sri Lanka

Web: https://www.ammasrilanka.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amma_srilanka/

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MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION:

Central St Martins

KANDY: the second city of Sri Lanka

Official languages in Sri Lanka: Tamil and Sinhala

Nuwara Eliya, where AMMA is located in Sri Lanka

Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka

Good Market

TRAID UK

FIBERSHED

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Host: Leekei Tang

Contact: hello (at) betterbusinessfounder.com

Music credits: Ukulele Fun by Liosound Music / Wooden Xylophone by Floraphonic

ON Malaysia, its lush forests and Bai’s future vision for the world (2:43)

ON the reason why Bai created Nazkids, a social business that provides jobs for women and particularly mothers in Jitra, Kedah (4:30)

ON providing training as the hiring process of the makers (8:27)

ON how Bai created a new category in baby clothing by developing Malay traditional outfits for babies’ Aqiqah and how it landed in the hands of celebrities and royal families (10:02)

ON the power of the pictures to launch the brand (12:11)

ON why it is so important to build the brand first (13:44)

ON Bai leaving a corporate career to start her own company (15:02)

ON losing most of her savings and bootstrapping (17:10)

ON the philosophy behind training programs, why Nazkids focuses on training even if the women do not end up working with the business (20:23)

ON the longer vision: to provide business training so the women can start their own business (22:41)

ON Bai’s definition of success: how many people Bai can bring to achieve greater things in life (24:50)

ON why Bai decided to register her company on Dec 12, 2012 (26:40)

ON challenges and learnings from running a social business (27:53)

ON where you can find Nazkids and the new products launching since the start of the pandemic (beyond masks!!!) (29:33)

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CONNECT WITH Bai / NazKids

Web : www.mynazkids.com

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nazkids/

Shopee in Malaysia :- http://shopee.com.my/starzgate23 (or search for Nazkids)

Shopee in Singapore :- https://shopee.sg/starzgate23 (or search for Nazkids)

Lazada in Malaysia :- https://www.lazada.com.my/shop/nazkids (or search for Nazkids)

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MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION:

Jitra Kedah

Rainforest in Malaysia

Aqiqah or Akikah

Kuala Lumpur

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Host: Leekei Tang

Contact: hello (at) betterbusinessfounder.com

Music credits: Ukulele Fun by Liosound Music / Wooden Xylophone by Floraphonic

ON Capetown and Daniela's father moving to South Africa (3:13)

ON how Daniela "stumbled" upon slippers and how she perfected shoemaking skills during the pandemic (6:03)

ON Daniela's childhood in the wilderness of South Africa and how it shaped her quest for a simple lifestyle and sustainable living (12:07)

ON finding the name of the brand WALK THE TALK AFRICA (17:25)

ON creativity in South Africa (20:14)

ON getting the shoes made in South Africa (22:47)

ON Daniela's previous career and why she decided to launch WALK THE TALK AFRICA (26:33)

ON selling and finding resellers for WALK THE TALK AFRICA (31:53)

ON life slowing down during lockdown and how Daniela used this time for her business (36:12)

ON measure of success for WALK THE TALK AFRICA 1) job creation and Daniela plan to take part of the business online (39:37)

ON measure of success for WALK THE TALK AFRICA 2) daring to dream, stepping out of your comfort zone (44:14)

ON measure of success for WALK THE TALK AFRICA 3) money in the bank and Daniela's "business plan" (45:47)

ON how to connect with Daniela's and WALK THE TALK AFRICA (47:31)

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CONNECT WITH Daniela / Walk The Talk Africa

https://walkthetalkafrica.com

IG @walkthetalkafrica

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MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION:

Cape Town

“(Getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.) The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again. (It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.)” (Steve Jobs)

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Host: Leekei Tang

Contact: hello (at) betterbusinessfounder.com

Music credits: Ukulele Fun by Liosound Music / Wooden Xylophone by Floraphonic