Maverick has once again partnered with Virgin Unite and Sir Richard Branson in creating a unique Impact Experience bringing together game-changing entrepreneurs from around the globe.  This time in Kenya. 

A group of Mavericks and invited guests from countries such as Denmark, Ireland, Indonesia, Canada, Croatia and the U.S, came together for a 7-night experience in Kenya to not only share a once in a lifetime experience, but to use their talents, resources and brainpower to make a difference. 

Here are a few highlights…

Day 1: African Prison Project,  David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Giraffe Sanctuary – Nairobi

On our first morning in Nairobi we traveled to Thika Prison to visit with 

African Prison Project.  The mission of APP is to bring dignity, hope, and justice to prison communities in Africa by providing legal training and services for prisoners and prison staff.  Their program is having a tremendous amount of impact.

For many, this was their first time inside of a prison, but regardless it was an eye-opening experience for all. On first glance you can see the overwhelming problem of the prison having far more prisoners than they are able to accommodate with many inmates sitting in each other’s laps and even sharing small mattresses at night. 

More surprising was when we learned that one of the overflowing wings we visited is full of people that haven’t even been convicted. An entire room of 100+ people that could potentially be found not guilty, living as prisoners in pretty challenging conditions – for an average of 1-3 years because they can’t afford bail (which is typically around $50 USD). 

But what may have surprised everyone the most is the camaraderie and shared family-connection between prisoners and guards. APP also helps bring these two groups together as you’ll often find guards and inmates studying and working together through the program…and even dancing together as we got a send-off at the end. 

One of the immediate needs we heard about from the prison was access to clean water. After digging in, we came to understand that this was simply a function of the small number of tanks available onsite.  Mavericks quickly mobilized to raise the funds and with the help of local members, Samit and Taran Gehlot, we’re happy to say that the wheels are in motion and the Thika prison should have clean water very soon!

After seeing the impact of the work that African Prison Project is doing in the prisons, Virgin Unite and Maverick will also be contributing $10,000.00 of the proceeds from this trip towards opening a stand-alone legal clinic at the maximum security Naivasha prison. This project is still in need of additional  funding for the building, office equipment, admin and operations. Please contact us for more details or how to contribute.

Elephant Encounter 

After an intense morning, we made our way down to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (Sheldrickwildlifetrust.org), best known for protecting baby elephants and operating one of the most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation programs in the world. 

Day 2: Living Goods, Nai Nami and Africa Yoga Project

Living Goods: Community Health Empowered Opportunities

Yanik was first introduced to Living Goods (LivingGoods.org ) doing research while writing the Evolved Enterprise book. He loved the model of providing economic empowerment opportunities to health entrepreneurs to deliver lifesaving products to the doorsteps of the poor. It was like an Avon model but used for delivering life-saving health benefits.

We were able to get an incredible “show and tell” explanation of the ways they are empowering their community health worker (CHW) to be able to support every rural community. 

Armed with a tablet and a powerful CRM on the backend, these local women and men are transformed into frontline health workers who can deliver on-demand, life-saving care to families in need. 

They go door-to-door treating sick children, supporting pregnant mothers, counseling women on modern family planning choices, educating families on better health, and delivering high-impact medicines and health products. A rigorous 2014 study in Uganda found with CHWs support, they decreased child deaths by 27 percent for less than $2 per person annually.

From Streets to Significance: The Nai Nami Tour

We walked into a downtown hotel lobby bar and seated in front of us were a 6 young men that were stylish and cool, a little bit like a gang but not quite. Nobody knew what we were doing there or what this was about until one of the leaders explained that each of these young men at one time lived on the streets and grew up in the slums until they found another option with Nai Nami. A way to create an honest way of living…and even thriving.  

This was their story.

Nai Nami is a social enterprise created to help former criminals become respectable and admired members of their communities, proving that it’s possible to make a living without crime. 

Not only did we get a chance to walk the streets of dynamic and vibrant downtown Nairobi, but we were able to connect with these amazing young men in a deep and meaningful way during this unique storytelling experience.  The stories and the sights are intense, punctuated with heart-crushing trauma, loss and suffering yet sprinkled with humor and smiles. We definitely left inspired and touched with a tremendous amount of respect for these young men, their hustle, shining personalities and beautiful hearts!

Yoga as Community Connection Tool

Next we visited the Africa Yoga Project (Africayogaproject.org) to learn how yoga has transformed and brings together hundreds of communities of all socio-economic backgrounds. 

The idea is simple, provide yoga teacher training to help provide success skills, a living wage and new opportunity to those who wouldn’t normally have one. The trained teachers are then encouraged to provide free community classes where they’ve “come from.” Over 6,000 people participate in more than 360 community yoga classes taught by AYP teacher representing 19 different African countries.

Mavericks even took a yoga class instructed by a deaf teacher with diversity and inclusion being part of the core values for the Africa Yoga Project. 

Day 3: Bush Bound: Mahali Mzuri

The next morning Mavericks headed out to the beautiful Maasai Mara Reserve to meet Richard and experience his beautiful luxury safari camp, Mahali Mzuri. 

The safari started the moment we arrived as we encountered  lions, leopards, elephants and giraffes on the way in.

Each day Mavericks were engaged with Growth Sessions where we shared ideas, impactful conversations and insights. 

We connected with the land to see how we can learn from the radical abundance and interconnection of nature and had discussions on a variety of topics such as  longevity, relationships, business and our responsibility for future generations (4-7 generations) to be stewards of this planet by evolving even more purpose in our companies.

And, of course, we had a bit of fun…

Mavericks brought Día de Muertos in the bush, and we’re pretty sure that was the first time it was ever celebrated there.

The morning session was all about our ancestors and in the evening everyone was clad in traditional Día de Muertos costumes. 

Lost Bets and Surprises

The World Cup of Rugby championship happened to occur while we there with England facing off against South Africa. England had played incredibly well to beat two very good squads to get into the championship.

One of our guests, Ben Croft had a little surprise for Richard with custom England jerseys for both of them to wear. 

Yanik decided it would be more fun to have a little wager on the game. He took South Africa and bet that the loser would have to don the infamous Maverick green speedo on the next game drive. 

The next day, Mavericks took to the skies for an early morning balloon ride with Richard actually piloting one of the balloons, making sure his group came within inches of the ground…just to keep things interesting, of course. Sophia and Stephanie Farr also decided to bring a bit of Necker to the bush that morning by donning their best Lemur get-ups that morning!  It was a totally different kind of game drive, soundlessly soaring above the majestic Mahara, lemurs in tow.. 

Community Connection

On our third day in the bush, we ventured out to see different community projects being developed by the partnerships of Maasai and the lodges. 

Mahali Mzuri itself and the entire region are an excellent example of Evolved Enterprise thinking creating a win/win/win for everyone across the board. 

One of the issues facing this region was the number of fences being put up by the Maasai to herd their flocks of sheep and cows. The problem was this created a barrier for the annual migrations, where millions and millions of animals travel through the area. Coming together with 277 Maasai landowners and five tourism partners, a solution was created encompassing 13,500 hectares named the Olare Conservancy.

This land is leased at a more favorable rate from the Maasai landowners and the community also provides job opportunities in tourism and conservation management. Plus, there is an emphasis on supporting community initiatives that we got to experience touring the water projects, medical facilities and schools. 

Visiting the kids at their school was a highlight for so many of us. Many Mavericks participated in the Pack for a Purpose program which encourages visitors to utilize some of their luggage space for much needed supplies. We were greeted with lots of smiles, hugs, dances and high-fives. 

Maverick Classrooms

With the community thriving there is a need to have more schools, with a larger capacity. The idea was to build three more classrooms ($10K each), in order to have one for every grade of elementary school as well as the kindergarten. Well, thanks to a collaboration by Richard and a few of our guests – this project will be underway shortly!

1-Degree Network

On the final day, we planted the seed for the project I’ve been thinking of, dreaming about and journaling on for 5+ years with the mission of nudging the consciousness of the world by 1-degree through the leverage of business. This will be incubated in 2020 because our world needs it more than ever. There’s no time to waste.

www.1DegreeNetwork.com

We think one of our guests, Bernadette Doyle, summed up the essence of this experience best as she kept asking, “How can it get any better than this?” But it did as more surprises from bush dinners and breakfasts to incredible animal encounters, meaningful conversations and Maverick magic kept taking place.

Who shows up? Maverick members are industry leading entrepreneurs that are committed to continuously growing themselves and their businesses while creating an impact in the world and having a little (or A LOT) of fun in the process! 

Our roles are to catalyze the catalysts and help leading entrepreneurs utilize their skills and resources to make a difference in the world. In fact, that’s what has always drawn our two organizations together. Richard and Maverick have a shared belief that business can be the greatest lever to make a difference in the world tackling serious issues – without taking yourself too seriously.

More details about Maverick here – www.maverick1000.com

Want to be considered for the next Epic Impact Experience on Necker Island? Check out www.maverick1000.com/necker 

Mavericks joined other Mavericks in jail last month.

I never thought I’d write that sentence, but it is completely true.

Maverick members teamed up with Jayson Gaignard and his MMT community for a totally unique Hustle 2.0 Impact experience with co-founder Cat Hoke.

Hustle 2.0 provides incarcerated people with the training and tools they need to transform their lives, make an impact, and hustle. Hustle 2.0’s comprehensive curriculum is co-authored by industry-leading content experts and incarcerated people, with relatable, evidence-informed courses that are directly relevant to incarcerated people’s success while doing time and after release. In fact, the previous program, Cat, co-created with Defy Ventures, has an astoundingly tiny, single-digit percentage going back into prison as compared to the standard 70–80% recidivism rate.

I didn’t really know what to expect but was ready and open for anything.

Our day started with a 5:30 a.m. departure from LA and a very strict dress code. Many volunteers even had to buy new clothes just because certain colors were absolute NOs for the prison based on the colors the incarcerated population wears, what guards wear, or just gang colors. We were headed to Kern Valley prison, a Level IV Maximum Security institution in Delano, CA.

After a thorough process of being led through doors and barbed wire fences, we were greeted with a tunnel of joy. All the inmates who are part of the program were high-fiving and whooping it up as we ran through the entrance. And then we met the mavericks! That’s right!

To me, language is so important. Your words create your world, and Hustle 2.0 calls participants “Mavericks.” So Mavericks and Mavericks together in prison!

(Note: To make it clearer, in this article, I’ll use capital ‘M’ Maverick for members and lowercase ‘m’ for mavericks in the Hustle 2.0 program.)

Part of the mentoring and connection process is learning about each other. All of the volunteers had a quick moment to share their biggest business brags after a bit of dancing to the front of the room. Cat and Hustle 2.0 are definitely after our own heart when it comes to bringing fun and joy into an area that has the potential for a lot of emotional pain.

Before I went, several people asked me why I’d want to help murderers and violent criminals. My answer was, “If they are getting out anyway, I want to equip them with the empathy, tools, and thinking to ensure they don’t do it again.” There’s an inside part to this about feeling whole, seen, and loved, and there’s the practical part of having an economic opportunity.

That’s why two weeks before the event at Traffic & Conversion, a few Mavericks broke away to spend a few hours doing an exploratory brainstorm about developing an “Evolved Economic Empowerment Business-in-a-Box” idea for these returning citizens. Maverick #154 Damien Zamora, Maverick #304 Chris Koomey, Maverick #269 Tom Shieh, and Maverick #61 Mike Cline were in that room, along with a few more colleagues and our new Community Catalyst, Chris Hay. (Part of Chris’s role is working on accelerating impact projects and the ripple effect we can have.)

We made some progress, and there’s more to come. Certainly now, after experiencing an even deeper connection, I have an even better understanding of the situation.

And that deep connection came with one-on-one conversations and mentoring with Mavericks. Volunteers were seated in a circle around the gym, while Mavericks were on the inside. We did a few sequences of speed networking and mentoring sessions. After each session, you exchange words of appreciation on your “Sweet Sheet,” and at the end, you pick individuals to truly “see.”

These words of affirmation and acknowledgment make all the difference to people no matter what level they are at in life. (Many Campers tell us they hang on to their “Happy Camper” notes for years. I do too!)

I heard quite a few stories that would break your heart. One of the mavericks I really connected with was “Jumping James.” Each of us put an adjective using the first letter of our first name on our name badge. Mine was “Yoda’cious Yanik.” So many people have referred to me as a Yoda so I’m embracing it, but it’s not an adjective, so yoda’cious I guess is my made up one.

James looked me directly in the eye and starting telling me his story and his dream. When he was finished, I saw a book he had brought with him – 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class by Steve Siebold. I recognized it because I have it on my bookshelf too but haven’t looked at in years. I opened it up, and James had underlined and devoured the book. And then we got to talking about other habits, and he told me he meditated each day. Wow! I had to look past the tattoo around his eye, but looking directly into his eyes, he had the spark – that light of being able to do something great if given the chance.

Part of the speed mentoring was each maverick sharing their business idea with you and then getting some quick advice from the volunteers. Then, at the end of the three rounds, you had one ticket to give to someone who you thought you’d invest in. By that time, James wasn’t in my area of the circle anymore, so I didn’t hear his pitch. But I was really proud because he was one of four or five mavericks who got all three tickets from the volunteers. That means all three volunteers thought his idea would work.

James circled back after that, and we grabbed lunch together and a quick picture.

Step to the Line

One of the most emotional exercises Cat facilitates took place after lunch. I had done it with my friend Gio and his Archangels group, where I had met Cat, so I knew a little bit of what to expect. I don’t want to spoil the process for you with too many details, because I’m sure many of the Mavericks will go at some point for this impact experience. The exercise is called “Step to the Line,” and it’s designed to help you see the commonality of what we all have. If a statement read is true for you, you step up to the line. If not, you walk away from the line. You are paired off with one person directly in front of you. My partner was Jumping James again. We made sure to be together.

With each statement, you learned a bit more about everyone around you with statements of “I’ve had too much to drink and still drove” or “I’ve contemplated suicide,” etc. It was incredible how many people on the volunteer side actually stepped to the line for that statement. In fact, when we had a moment of one-on-one time with our partner, that was what got James to cry. He was deeply moved by how many incredible people had considered ending it all. (In fact, I think suicide and depression are two of the hidden secrets too many entrepreneurs keep private and it’s something I’d like to do more impact work around.)

One statement was asking if you have fully and completely forgiven yourself for mistakes of the past. James and I both stepped OFF the line for that. Part of the program is helping to bring forgiveness because otherwise, that non-forgiveness shows back up in violence, anger, and revenge. James and I shared a deep, deep connection because of what happened there, and then I got a little tinge of “oh, oh!”

He told me he is coming out in five months.

I thought, “Am I for real, or do I just want to feel good in here and then ‘they’ stay where they are?”

But this is a guy I’d bet on – reading all the time, underlining, taking notes, meditating, etc. I told him later, before we left, “I believe in you.” And I do. But it was a real sobering moment to be aware of that feeling, and that also plays into what are other opportunities for people with criminal records, those who look “dangerous.”