Home: Toronto, ON. Age: 46. Birthplace: Thornhill, ON. Profession: Social entrepreneur and movement builder. Organization: Consultant and Movement Builder. Title: Founder. Pronouns: He/Him/His. Significant other: Roxanne Joyal. Alma mater: Harvard, Oxford.
Recent professional development: Taking a course on holistic nutrition and wellness. Latest contribution to others: Helping visionaries launch their own custom impact projects and build movements that create real impact. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Pivoting to a new organizational model after nearly thirty years of success. Hobbies: Yoga, running, rugby. Recent travel or adventure: A visit to our Minga ecolodge in the Amazon of Ecuador, spending time with the local community and taking part in sustainable development projects. Last book read: Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, by Bill Gifford and Peter Attia. Recently viewed and recommended: Brené Brown: The Call to Courage (Netflix).
Personality profile: Intuitive, thinking, decisive, leader. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Determined. How do you define a perfect friendship? Trust and honesty. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Alignment of values and goals. What is your greatest joy? My family. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? A charitable donation that will create significant impact in the lives of others. How do you relieve stress? Meditation and mindfulness. What is your go-to workout? Running and yoga.
What was your favorite college course? Human Rights and Advocacy. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? Prints from travels to Kenya. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? My wife, Roxanne, who is a constant source of strength and inspiration. What’s the best advice you received in your career? You don’t have to choose between purpose and profit. What is your favorite app? Calm (meditation app). What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? Watching TED Talks and reading (both fiction and non-fiction). What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? The Covid-19 pandemic, for fundamentally transforming the way we work.
What is your big idea?
Changing the narrative of what legacy means and introducing the concept of a living legacy.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field? Helping others align their inner and outer purpose. What change would you like to see in the world? Acting with purpose rather than out of fear. What mega-trend most excites you? AI and the boundless opportunities it enables.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? On Purpose. What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Matt Damon. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A lawyer. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? Our wedding photo album. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? Spending time with my family in the great outdoors. What advice would you give your younger self? Don’t be afraid to fail, that’s what success is built upon. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? The day my daughters were born.
Personal mission: Making doing good doable. Personal motto: Be the change you wish to see in the world. Favorite quote: “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve" (Martin Luther King, Jr.). Desired epitaph: A life lived with purpose.
