Friday Feature: Today, I'm Brave
Dedicated to helping individuals take on their biggest challenges.
It’s always nice to feature what’s right, what’s good and what’s brave!
When brands, nonprofits and individuals collaborate around shared purpose, amazing things happen. “Today, I’m Brave,” a heart-centered, global nonprofit, is a powerful catalyst for purposeful partnerships. By leveraging fundraising prowess with multi-media storytelling, the nonprofit builds bridges and scales impact across social issues with sustainable and tangible results.
Today, I’m Brave Mission Statement
Our very first act was to send a simple but empowering message to 300 children in Sierra Leone who were left without hope or a school to go to in the wake of the Ebola crisis. What transpired after receiving our message of bravery was beyond anything we ever expected. Not only were the children uplifted by what we sent them, but the entire community was inspired. People’s lives were changed and fear was replaced with strength.
The realization that we could have that kind of effect on people 7000 miles away is what then inspired us to turn our brave message into a global movement that continues to grow every day.
It’s also what inspires us to continually seek out and create new initiatives and partnerships that benefit the greater good. Everything from our 100Roofs Project which put 100 roofs back over the heads of hurricane victims in Puerto Rico, to our ongoing Brave Speaker Series and Educational Workshops, to our Serving Support Project supporting essential workers fighting COVID-19, and to the Brave stories we share from people around the world, is done with the sole purpose of helping others overcome their greatest challenges—no matter how big or small.
Because we believe that in the face of adversity, especially these days, that there’s an opportunity for us to band together, to cross borders and overcome our differences so that we can make the world a better, braver place.
To catapult the nonprofit further, “Today, I'm Brave” brought its first CEO, Lindsay Stein on board. After serving as the editor of Campaign US, Stein took the position on August 3. Her years of experience as a reporter, connector and storyteller make her uniquely positioned to drive partnerships and scale impact. Forbes magazine had the opportunity to speak with Stein about ‘Today I’m Brave’s exciting future. Here’s what was discussed:
Simon Mainwaring: Lindsay, what attracted you to “Today, I'm Brave?”
Lindsay Stein: I feel like an industry is only as good as its trade publication. That trade publications should elevate it, celebrate it and hold it accountable. That's what I was trying to do in the past three years at Campaign.
I’ll give you an example. We did a report on the maternity and paternity policies of all the major ad agencies and holding companies. We publicized whether they would report it at all. The next year when we did it again, a lot of big agencies changed their policies because they didn't want us to report on that again. I'm trying to make changes like that.
I've been working with brands and agencies that have a lot of money and power. They can cross borders and make change in ways that even governments can't. I want to focus on leveraging that power and creativity and bring these sources together for good.
Mainwaring: How prepared are brands to embrace the “Today, I'm Brave” philosophy?
Stein: It should have been adopted a long time ago but right now it's a perfect storm. It's been a rough couple of months in terms of Covid-19. There are long overdue, necessary pushes for change around racial injustice in America. Transparency issues with Facebook and other social media platforms that endanger brand safety. Brands have to answer for all of these issues.
Younger generations are the next big consumers. People are demanding that brands do more with their money than big ads. I love good campaigns, but your work and the money you spend should be focused on more than just trying to sell to consumers. But the authentic action they take to make their lives and communities better.
Mainwaring: If you had to point out an area where the advertising industry needs to wake up, what would it be?
Stein: Diversity. We need more diversity of thought, socioeconomic situation and backgrounds. Most big companies are majority white and male. We need to empower the younger generations and underprivileged communities.
Marketers, understandably, are focused on making money. They also need to focus on helping people. Verizon set a great example of using their power for good with their response to Covid-19. It doesn’t have to be done in a ‘braggy’ way - more companies just need to use their power and resources for good.
Mainwaring: As you step into the CEO role, what's the first thing you’re going to do?
Stein: We're building the board of directors. That'll be a guide for us to tap into different corporations and influencers. Individuals who are commitment to bravery and world change in all aspects of their lives. There are also several exciting initiatives in the works that we will share soon.
Mainwaring: There's a lot of organizations talking about purpose. How do you cut through?
Stein: I wouldn't consider it a competition. There's no shortage of great stories to tell and people love to hear them. We’ve collected thousands of the Brave Stories and showcased a number of them on TodayImBrave.org, highlighting individuals, influencers, brands and organizations.
We’re working to tell real stories that help empower others – both individuals and brands - to find their purpose and lose their fear. I think we’re unique in that we’re nonprofit storytellers with a finger on the pulse of philanthropic marketing and values based on courage.
Mainwaring: Where do you see the opportunities for “Today I’m Brave” to make a big difference?
Stein: Storytelling is important. I feel the marketing and advertising industry has the potential to do so much good. I couldn't necessarily have done it at any of my prior places of employment. Now I’m going to make those connections between CMOs, agencies, nonprofits and all the players that I've been connected with over these years.
Mainwaring: What's the coalition of partners you're trying to bring together through ‘Today I’m Brave’?
Stein: Marketers. Influencers. Sports stars. Philanthropists. Every sector could be braver. When it comes to empowering youth and the next generation, it could be women in sports, diversity behind the camera and in Hollywood, and much more. It's getting all of these sectors together because the world overall needs to be braver, and diversity of thought and voice will help make that change.
And if we focus on the creative and marketing industry right now, then we can expand from there once we start seeing some real progress and change.
Mainwaring: What’s your vision for what Today, I'm Brave will be in five years?
Stein: “Today, I'm Brave” is not just a nonprofit, it's a frame of mind. Right now, I want to hone in on the U.S. In five years, it would be amazing to have ‘Today, I'm Brave’ centers within other countries. Imagine an outpost in London or Canada or Mexico. I see people empowering that same frame of mind within their own communities all over the world.
Mainwaring: What does embracing bravery unlock within an individual?
Stein: It comes down to living your truth and being authentic and unapologetic about it. If more people did that and inspired others to do the same, that would make the world a much braver and better place.
To learn more about Today, I’m Brave Click Here
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Cheers!
Jeff