Think when I lost my job in TV during the pandemic and although I had started a media comms company working with changemakers I went to find another career thinking that I had no more to give in the impact media world. So I secured a job as an office coordinator for Savills prepared to turn my back on my life purpose to help changemakers. The job only lasted over a year and I got the sack for not fitting into the corporate box. To make a change and impact you have to think outside the box. If we become entrenched in routine and box ticking exercises, then we are not allowing our creativity to help solve problems. We are in fact stopping ourselves in our tracks. I have learned that to be a changemaker you need to be a creative thinker otherwise you will never change the dialogue.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ali Monjack.
Ali Monjack is a Media Communications Expert and Broadcaster, known for her work in uniting and empowering social entrepreneurs and changemakers through the Impactful Founders Club. She co-founded this global platform alongside Nyasha Gwatidzo and Dr. Jacqui Taylor to foster collaboration and amplify voices in the social impact space. With a background in television and a passion for social causes, Ali is dedicated to facilitating meaningful change and driving collective action.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I worked in local TV in the South East of England as the station Editor and saw firsthand how I could change people’s lives by highlighting their issues on TV and drawing people’s attention to it which led me to meeting my first clients who were changemakers, award winning Social Entrepreneur Nyasha Gwatidzo who has transformed the lives of over 12,000 children in the UK and Africa and Ex pat lawyer John Richardson who helps US citizens living abroad
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Since we started the Impactful Founders Club last year, I think reaching out to Fatima Whitbread MBE about her campaign to help children in the care across the UK and connecting her with my co-founder Nyasha who founded Banya placement agency which was one of the first independent fostering agencies, certainly highlighted the collaborations we could make with other changemakers to join forces. In doing this I was able to have Fatima along to our first Christmas meeting and connect her with some like-minded changemakers, philanthropists and other organisations that work closely together to help change the lives of children. The great thing now is this relationship has been a catalyst in sharing each other’s contacts across all projects that our changemakers have in the club. This is what led us on to connecting more closely with Bridget Chriume from Visible Rays who had the design for one school in Zimbabwe. We are now collaborating on a project plan to build 40 schools, five across the eight provinces of Zim. However, again the team has got larger as we are also now collaborate with other organisations who are building using hemp and Eternal Flame who produce cook bags.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The funniest mistake I made was not getting anyone to sort out the tech on our first meeting in October 23 and as much as I tried to make the meeting live we kept dipping out on YouTube and we had to invite all our guests onto the Zoom call. People trying to watch the live were seeing us dip in and dip out on the screen. I learned to structure the meeting but always have someone else on the meeting that could just keep their eye on the tech and not try to organise it all.
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
Yes, my organisation connects changemakers and teaches them how to scale their business to make a significant social impact whether that be in childcare, building schools in Zimbabwe or educating children about the environment in Kenya or growing a medical device company to serve the wider community medically. Together we are like minded individuals who like to go the extra mile to support each other with their mission and help each other grow through the journey.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
Bridget Chirume, is one of our first members who has never missed a meeting, she is part of Visual Rays, a small company that are building a school in Zimbabwe to serve the local community and solve the education need. Through the sessions she has expanded her network with people involved with Social Impact who are investors and philanthropists as well as met people for potential future collaborations.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
Yes. Look at collaborating on projects and actually getting to the heart of the matter. Take Climate change seriously and take the appropriate action not the cheapest. Learn to make sustainable practices more affordable. Support social entrepreneurs with a project to help teach them how they might get the best of use of government funds so that there is a win win situation to solving people problems.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
I define leadership by listening to the people you work with getting the best out of them and being a strong team that makes decisions together.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1 . I wish I had been told that you don’t have to have everything finished before you can move onto another task.
2 . Enjoy it, it’s as much about the journey.
3 . Don’t stress not everyone gets it right the first time.
4 . Learn to delegate the tasks that take you the longest.
5 . Don’t be afraid to fail, it is a redirection to change what you started.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Think that is what I am doing now is igniting changemakers and saying anything is possible so whatever it is that you want to change for the greater good the Impactful Founders Club will make it happen for you as long as you are committed to the cause. Whether we need to find you the right investor of the right partner or the right education to help you grow — anything is possible.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life? If you can help only one person then that will be a knock on effect and To fail is fall forward and put you on the right path to success.
Think when I lost my job in TV during the pandemic and although I had started a media comms company working with changemakers I went to find another career thinking that I had no more to give in the impact media world. So I secured a job as an office coordinator for Savills prepared to turn my back on my life purpose to help changemakers. The job only lasted over a year and I got the sack for not fitting into the corporate box. To make a change and impact you have to think outside the box. If we become entrenched in routine and box ticking exercises, then we are not allowing our creativity to help solve problems. We are in fact stopping ourselves in our tracks. I have learned that to be a changemaker you need to be a creative thinker otherwise you will never change the dialogue.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Yes, I would like to have a private breakfast with Kamala Harris as I believe she is a changemaker and hopefully the first woman to be President. It has been a longtime coming but think there is something to be said for equality for women. We are stepping into an age where we need to fully embrace female and male energy combined. In my opinion this is another step forward in solving world poverty.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
I am on social media but also have a podcast called ‘Tea Time with Ali Monjack’s
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Ali Monjack Impactful Founders Club Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.