Until the age of 38 Edward Molkenboer impacted people's lives through the ads he created. Having launched his ad agency at the age of 18, and after 20 years of success Edward was hit by an existential realization that set him on a new path of impact; social not commercial.

 In this episode Edward recounts that awakening moment and discusses the work he is doing now to leave the world a better place than he found it. ‘Something to which I think we all aspire. 

Edward Molkenboer recounts his decision to leave his successful career in advertising to embark on a new path focusing on social impact. Edward speaks about his helping initiative of living on the streets for a week in the Netherlands; giving insight into the humanity and kindness he experienced, and the lessons learned. He also expands on his new social venture, the Social Impact Tour, a creative endeavor that shares emotional stories of those in need, leveraging the power of narrative to inspire people to help, and encouraging brands to support. Edward also underscores the importance of embracing change, stepping out of comfort zones, and the significance of spending quality time with loved ones.

Thanks to Caroline Arditti for the connection.

Time codes

00:01 Introduction 

01:48 Who Edward is as a human?

03:05 What or who made him?

04:41 A Look Back at Childhood and Early Life

11:51 The Impact of Losing a Parent and Reevaluating Life

20:43 The Birth of the Social Impact Tour

22:15 A Bold Experiment: Living Homeless

29:29 The Power of Asking for Help

30:14 The Impact of Sharing Personal Stories

31:20 The Social Impact Tour: A Creative Approach to Raising Awareness

33:40 The Role of Businesses in Social Impact

36:12 The Power of Sharing Stories on a Larger Scale

38:26 The Role of Storytelling in Social Impact

39:36 The Reaction to the Social Impact Tour

40:47 The Future of the Social Impact Tour

44:44 The Power of Spending Time with Loved Ones

48:39 The Role of Action in Overcoming Doubts and Fears

52:15 The Importance of Taking Action and Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

52:33 The Power of Serendipity and Action

53:44 The Impact of the Social Impact Tour on Children

59:32 The Impact of Living with Dementia: A Potential Future Guest

Social Links 

Edward’s Linkedin 

Links In the Show 

Edward’s TED Talk

The Power of Now 

The Alchemist

Caroline Arditti 

Don Smith 

Teun Toebes Human Forever

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