Veronika is the youngest recipient of the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award from the JFK Library Foundation and Harvard University. She has received an IDEA Gold Award from the Industrial Design Society of America and has an honorary PhD of Humane Letters from Johnson State College. Veronika has been named one of CNN’s Ten Visionary Women in the World and is the winner of the 2014 DVF People’s Voice Award. She has also been named a 2015 Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur. Since 2012, the Empowerment Plan has provided employment to 34 homeless individuals—all of whom have now secured permanent housing for themselves and their families —and distributed over 25,000 coats to those in need across the U.S. and Canada. Self-heated and waterproof, Veronika’s trademark coat doubles as a sleeping bag at night. By hiring the homeless to produce coats for people living on the streets, Veronika Scott’s Empowerment Plan helps struggling women gain back independence for themselves and their families. The Empowerment Plan story has been told across the world and shared at events such as the World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Forbes 400 Philanthropy Summit with Oprah, Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffett.
Show Notes:
In this episode, Jon and Veronika discuss:
- How The Empowerment Plan came to fruition
- Breaking down the product itself and how it’s impacting the world
- Knowing who your ideal client is
- The power of reputation
Key Takeaways and Actionable Success Principles:
- Tapping into who you are can guide you to what you’re passionate about
- We tend to look at charity like a math problem… subtracting the compassion
- Give with integrity. And give so that the person receives it with dignity
- Many homeless people are smart and hungry for success. They just needed a break.
“Yes, [the homeless] need warmth and shelter but at the same time, most people that are homeless are treated less than human… so this was about giving some pride and dignity back.” – Veronika Scott
Connect with Jon Dwoskin:
Twitter: @jdwoskin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.dwoskin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejondwoskinexperience/
Website: https://jondwoskin.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwoskin/
Email: [email protected]
Get Jon’s Book: The Think Big Movement: Grow your business big. Very Big!
Connect with Veronika Scott:
Website: http://www.empowermentplan.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronikascott/
Twitter: @empowermentplan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmpowermentPlan/
Show Notes by Show Producer: Anna Nygren
Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You’re the expert. Let us help you prove it.
*E – explicit language may be used in this podcast.
