Entrepreneur Danielle LaPorte shares her secret to profiting with purpose
Danielle LaPorte knows exactly what’s down the road less travelled.
As an author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, LaPorte is a living example of someone who brings her whole self to every project she encounters. With just a high school diploma she began working at The Body Shop and soon found herself climbing the company’s corporate ranks with her “get it done” attitude. It is this same attitude that had her working alongside PhD graduates at a high-profile Washington non-profit think tank.
LaPorte will be sharing some of the experiences that catapulted her into high profile circles like Oprah’s Super Soul 100 group, a collection of 100 awakened leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity, at the Real Talk Summit on March 18.
To get you geared up for her talk, we’ve asked her a few questions to find out what she’ll be talking about and why entrepreneurship matters to her.
Why did you decide to go into business for yourself?
Because my definition of success has everything to do with freedom. I do what I do for a few key reasons: to be self-expressed, and to turn that self-expression into a form of service. Those things can only happen if I’m feeling free to be creative, to own my own time, to be home at 3 pm when my son shows up from school, to hop on a plane when I need to, and to write late into the night because I’m on fire to do that.
What have been some of the rewards and challenges of doing that?
The rewards of freedom are infinite. So are the rewards of integrity – though the “right thing” takes some heavy lifting sometimes. I do what I say I’m going to do. If I change my mind, I explain myself, quickly. The point is, I’ve created a lot of space in my life to change my mind, speak my mind, and chill out so I don’t lose my mind.
The challenge is that leadership can be a lonely game. Leadership is not about popularity. It’s about being centered enough to have a vision and then being strong enough and determined enough to direct your team to carry that vision through. There’s a lot of work that I put into myself to lead with clarity, because if you’re not clear as a leader, it all goes south.
You’re an invited member of Oprah’s Super Soul 100 group – how do you do incorporate that spirituality into your business?
For me there’s no difference between my vocation and my spirituality. My career is an expression of my belief system.
Why did you decide to speak at the Real Talk Summit?
I’m always stoked to talk to a room full of on-fire entrepreneurs. If they’re socially responsible, all the better. If they’re Canadian, all the better. If the venue is only 10 minutes from my house – all the better. I’m interested in people who are interested in making a difference. I’m interested in people who want to add value to the cultural conversation and it’s something we need more than ever, so I’m totally honoured to grab the mic and get on my high heels.
What advice would you give people wanting to grow their personal brand?
First of all, stop thinking about yourself as a brand. You are a set of values, a set of beliefs, a set of talents and intentions. If you get clear on that, that defines what your so-called ‘brand’ is. Talk to your audience and your ‘market’ like you would talk to your friends, because most often your tribe is also your market. If your tribe isn’t your market you should stop and question why you’re doing what you’re doing. It doesn’t always work out that way – sometimes you’re serving a different audience. But personally, there’s a lot more satisfaction and velocity, and efficacy if I work to serve my own tribe.
What can people expect from your talk at the Real Talk Summit?
The truth.
You’ll be able to get a lot more insights on how Danielle LaPorte is positively impacting the world through her work during her talk at Real Talk Summit on March 18.
You’ll also get to hear inspiring and down-to-earth talks from other entrepreneurs, leaders, and professionals – including Gary Vaynerchuk, Brian Scudamore, Al Jessa, Treya Klassen, and Giovanni Marsico.
Tickets to the Real Talk Summit are available online, and early bird tickets are $199 until February 28 (the regular price is $249.) Daily Hive readers can get a $50 discount when they use the promo code dailyhive.
For more information, follow Real Talk Summit on Twitter and Facebook.
Real Talk Summit
When: March 18, 10 am to 6 pm
Where: 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver Convention Centre West
Price: Early bird tickets $199 until February 28. Regular price $249. Get $50 off when you use the promo code “dailyhive” online
Daily Hive is a proud media sponsor of Real Talk Summit
Follow Channels and Categories