Fearless leadership + when to ask for help.

Getting something new off the ground can be extremely hard.

Two days ago we launched an incredibly bold intiative that I believe is hugely important for the future of our nation. The goal is to raise $1m in September to kick-start the Future Fund – an endowment, to better back young New Zealanders to unleash their potential to change the world.

I wanted to write what this feels like, and the truth is, it scares the shit out of me.
It's a crazy thing – when you put a piece of your heart and soul on the table, open for public scrutiny – it's a very vulnerable place to be. 

The wierd thing is that deep down I know this process now like the back of my hand. Five years ago, Inspiring Stories didn't exist. Five years ago, Festival for the Future didn't exist. Two years ago, Live the Dream didn't exist. We've created these things from nothing. The Future Leaders programme in development for next year is just that – in development. The entrepreneurial spirit is all I've known since university, and there are challenges, risks, and unknowns in everything.

At the same time – and through all of these things, I'm crazy enough to believe that it's possible. And time and again, it's become real. 

Now in year five, we’ve grown Inspiring Stories from the seed of an idea to something very real and tangible. There is an incredible community of people and organisations who have generously supported and enabled our work. Since 2011 we've worked with nearly 5,000 young New Zealanders, and I've seen first-hand what young people can acheive when they feel empowered and supported.

Having experienced the Social Enterprise World Forum earlier this year, and the Youth Social Enterprise & Philanthropy Summit – there is a very real groundswell that is building. Young people across the globe are stepping up and pushing boundaries to change our world for the better – globally, and locally.  

The Future Fund is the next evolution in our story.  It's a critical and missing link. Raising $1m in a month is crazy, but it's possible. And once realised, we'll use the fund to provide scholarships, seed funding and tailored support to better back young New Zealanders to change the world. Imagine.

This incredibly bold and ambious goal to raise $1m in Sepember to kick-start the Future Fund, can also be your story. It can be on of the great stories of our generation. A year from now – we'll talk about that crazy thing we did. You'll be stoked, because you you stepped up and played a critical role in making it happen.

I'm asking for your help. I need you to make a donation. I need you to be a champion and spread the word. The future is ours to create. Are you up for it?
>> www.thefuturefund.org.nz