You want to pursue your dreams. You have lots of dreams and things you want to do. But somehow you are held back. One can pursue their dream - by creating an impact, and hustle. Millennials are now the largest, most diverse generation in the U.S. population, according to The Council of Economic Advisers report.
The larger the people- the larger the dreams but now the youth don’t have to sacrifice their ideals to pursue their passions, says Shivika Sinha, a leader in guiding businesses to have a positive environmental and social impact, and an expert in marketing to the conscious consumer.
Shivika traverses the country teaching businesses how to pivot towards sustainability and social good. She discusses the rise of the conscious consumer and why they are the future of business.
Deloitte states that Millennials will account for 75% of the global workforce by 2025 and over 50% of them are willing to take a pay-cut to do work that is aligned with their environmental and ethical values. “After spending a decade in strategy and digital media for globally renowned businesses, I yearned to find a way to leverage my passion for business and marketing to solve humanity's greatest crisis”, she says.
Here are a few things she learned about why you don't have to sacrifice your passion to fulfil your ideals:
1. Synergy is abundant: Synergy between technology, innovation, sustainability and social good is endless. Exponential change in technology has reshaped and created industries. As new ideas, innovations and professions arise, they create opportunity for skills or passions to be applied in accordance with values. Digitally-savvy consumer advocacy groups, innovative media agencies that specialize in humanitarian storytelling and CSR ventures within tech companies, are a few examples of how innovation is creating new ways to combine passion, skills and values.
2. Rise of social entrepreneurship: Social entrepreneurship is a continuously growing trend. People around the world are transferring their entrepreneurship desires to create businesses that solve humanity's struggles. Use your passion to help a budding social entrepreneur and grow a business that includes environmental and social solutions. From waste management to poverty, there are countless ideas being executed to impact global issues.
3. Conscious consumerism is a growing trend: As more consumers shift their spending towards eco-conscious brands, they create profit and jobs within value-driven businesses. Additionally, each of us should seek to buy ethical and sustainable alternatives in order to ensure these business continue to survive. Opt for organic ingredients, Fair Trade supply chains, recyclable packing and brands that give back to charity.
4. Globalization and technology: Humanity is more connected than ever before, which makes it easier for individuals to donate their time and resources to those solving social and environmental problems. This connectivity allows digitally-savvy youth to sync with non-profits, NGOs and philanthropies for digital volunteer opportunities. Consider assisting with website development, social media, marketing or other roles that don't require physical presence.
Her search transformed her career and gave her life purpose. It included a trip to NASA, 10 days of silent meditation, conversations with people from disparate background and a lot of soul searching. Today, Shivika teaches businesses how to incorporate sustainability and social impact, and market to the fast-growing segment of conscious consumers.