How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change In this podcast, one social entrepreneur shares his incredible startup story.

By Lewis Howes Edited by Dan Bova

This story originally appeared on Lewis Howes

Shutterstock

When a 60-foot rogue wave crashed into the ship, everyone on board thought they were going to die.

This week on The School of Greatness, Adam Braun, the founder of Pencils of Promise, shares the story of how this near-death experience inspired him to make his mark on the world.

Pencils of Promise was born then and has gone on to build 200 schools and positively impacted 200,000 lives. In this interview we talk about what it takes to be an ordinary person, have an idea and turn it into something extraordinary.

Welcome to episode 56 with the amazing social entrepreneur, Adam Braun.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher Radio or TuneIn

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • About the schools Pencils of Promise has built
  • The powerful impact of bringing Mozambicans into the family
  • About Adam's life and death experience while on a Semester at Sea
  • The single question revealed in such a deep purpose
  • The value of a definite purpose
  • How lessons learned at Bain Capital supported the creation of PoP
  • To infuse your work with purpose
  • About the humble beginnings of Pencils of Promise
  • Finding the courage to pursue your passion
  • To shift your way of being to create your vision
  • About the physical existence of ideas
  • To cultivate honesty while thriving in uncertainty
  • How to build a remarkable business and team of volunteers
  • About the massive results that can be found outside of the comfort zone
  • The first step when finding one's purpose
  • What it means to "Never take a "No' from someone who can't say "Yes'"
  • Keys to getting in front of the decision makers and persuading them
  • The power of vulnerability when growing a business
  • How to get out of your own way for massive results

#insert RSS here#

Lewis Howes

New York Times Bestselling Author, Entrepreneur, Coach

Lewis Howes is a New York Times bestselling author of The School of Greatness and The Mask of Masculinity. He is a lifestyle entrepreneur, high performance business coach and keynote speaker. A former professional football player and two-sport All-American, he is a current USA Men’s National Handball Team athlete. He hosts a top 100 iTunes ranked Apple podcast, The School of Greatness. Howes was recognized by the White House and President Obama as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country under 30. Details magazine called him one of “5 Internet Guru’s that can Make You Rich.”  Howes has been featured on Ellen, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The New York Times, People, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Men’s Health and other major media outlets.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Starting a Business

These Yale Students Raised $3 Million in 14 Days to Build Their 'Anti-Facebook' Startup: 'I Can See My Childhood Self Looking Up to Me.'

Two 21-year-old Yale juniors are changing digital networking with Series, an AI-powered platform backed by $3 million in venture capital.

Business Solutions

Why Many Business Owners are Finally Moving on From Microsoft 365

One alternative gives you the same apps for life.

Social Media

How To Start a Youtube Channel: Step-by-Step Guide

YouTube can be a valuable way to grow your audience. If you're ready to create content, read more about starting a business YouTube Channel.

Business News

Google Layoffs Affect Hundreds in Division Working on Chrome Browser, Pixel Phones

A Google spokesperson said the move would help Google run more efficiently.

Growing a Business

How I Replaced a $2,000-a-Month SEO Agency and Built My Own Growth System as a Solo Founder

15 proven tactics I used to grow my startup's visibility and backlinks — without writing a single cold email.