e032 Making a Difference with Headbands of Hope CEO & Leadercast Speaker Jess Ekstrom

Become inspired to Make A Difference with our Inspiring Leader this week, Jess Ekstrom.
[Please excuse the minor audio difficulties that we encountered on this show]


“Business and giving back shouldn’t be two different things”


Jess Ekstrom is the founder and CEO of Headbands of Hope, a company she started as a junior in college in 2012. For every headband sold, a headband is given to a child with cancer. 


Headbands Of Hope has been featured on the TODAY Show, Vanity Fair, Seventeen, Good Morning America and more. But more importantly, they've donated over 100,000 headbands to every children's hospital in the United States and 6 countries. Jess is also a professional speaker, author, and writer for Entrepreneur and The Huffington Post.


“Social responsibility in business is not a trend. Giving back is going to be an expectation for businesses”
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In the past year, the company has launched impact initiatives such as hosting proms at children's hospitals and starting their #BandTogether program where they partner with a childhood cancer charity and donate proceeds from sales to their mission. They've also joined hands with art therapy by having the patients create their own headbands with the flower crown kits they provide. 


“I believe that you shouldn’t have to choose between making a living or making a difference”
 
Jess believes that luck is where preparation meets opportunity. She's passionate about helping others find those collision points and live a more purposeful life. Her most popular audiences are employees, millennials in the workforce, leaders and college students. 


“Inspired Leadership means that you don’t have to tell people to follow you. You set an example that inspires their intrinsic motivation”


Links:
Jess Ekstrom on LinkedIn 
Jess Ekstrom on Twitter 
www.headbandsofhope.org or www.headbandsofhope.com
Leadercast Live 
Leadercast Ottawa 



Next Week’s Show 
“Game Changers” with Leadercast Keynote Speaker, Podcast Host and Athlete Agent Molly Fletcher