Hunt - DreamMakers: innovating for the greater good

It is the great irony of our day that, in a world where more and more people know that the future will look very different from the past, the most visible stories of the present seem more and more driven by desperate, fear-driven efforts to return to the past. In a time when it is easy to set aside hope as nave, Michele Hunt reminds us that all change starts with protecting that small spark of possibility and then takes us on a tour of amazing fire protectors around the world.
Peter Senge, MIT and Academy for System Change

Michele Hunt is the ultimate DreamMaker. Her inspiring book is a beacon of hope for all of us. Her stories give us great comfort that there are remarkable people among us who are leaving no stone unturned and meeting whatever challenges they face to make this a better world for all of us.
Joseph M. Brodecki, Principal, Bernstein Global Wealth Management; Presidential (of the United States) appointee to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council

How Michele Hunt can find so many wonderful innovations for the common good, I dont know. Her book about the people who are changing things for the better will uplift your spirit.
Max De Pree, Former Chairman and CEO of Herman Miller, Inc.; author ofLeadership is an Art

Another amazing book by an amazing author, which is a must-read for all that are concerned about the future, and the future of our society and the future of our children. Michele Hunt has carefully crafted stories of leaders, of dreams and of business realities that can serve as a benchmark to others. If you care, if you want to be touched and join the dreamers in action, read this book.
Simon L. Dolan, Professor, ESADE Future of Work Chair & President of the Board of Trustees Global Future of Work Foundation

DreamMakers not only inspires you to realize the greater good that only you can do, but shows how to get it done. The powerful individuals, stories, and insights Michele Hunt shares will change your life for the better so that you can do the same for others.
Simon Mainwaring, CEO, We First, and author ofNew York TimesbestsellerWe First

For anyone whos felt the call to work in a way thats less about the balance sheet and more about balance in the world, Michele Hunt offers a much-needed infusion of optimism and inspiration. This collection of wisdom from those who are redefining corporate sustainability and social good will kindle the human spirit in the work we do.
Lyell Clarke, President and CEO, Clarke

Michele shares the journeys of leaders, entrepreneurs, and communities who fearlessly dream a positive future for humankind and the planet. These inspiring people have committed their lives in service to making that beautiful dream come true. This book is about hope. It invites us all to look inside our hearts and discover our unique spirit of DreamMaking, and put that force to work to help create a flourishing world.
Frances Hesselbein, President and CEO of The Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute; Editor-in-Chief ofLeader to LeaderJournal; US Presidential Medal of Freedom

This extraordinary narrative of doing well by doing good, brought to life through intimate stories and the authors incisive commentary, reminds us of the possibility that we each have to create a desired future one in which people thrive, businesses prosper, and the planet flourishes. Through this book you will meet the people next door who are changing the world for the better, many of them in the face of great adversity. Michele Hunt writes with the insight and pragmatism gained from a life well lived.
Chris Laszlo, Chair and Chuck Fowler Professor of Business as an Agent of World Benefit, Department of Organizational Behavior, The Weatherhead School of Management; Faculty Executive Director, The Fowler Center, Case Western Reserve University

In DreamMakers, Michele shines a light on stories of innovation that are helping to write a new and positive narrative for humanity. These stories are not only inspirational, however, they are also invitational. They invite each of us to shine a light on our own passions and talents to help create a flourishing world in our unique spheres of influence. From envisioning our families, to our organizations, to our entire communities as catalysts for the greater good, Michele reminds us that we can all be DreamMakers!
Lindsey Godwin, Professor and Director of the Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry, Champlain College

What an inspiration to read Michele Hunts new book! Sharing with us the inspiration and lessons learned from incredible individuals who relentlessly and successfully have acted upon their vision for a better world, Michele Hunt gives us hope. May reading this book become the defining moment for us all, helping us awaken our own DreamMaker. We can and should all take part in the quiet revolution to build a brand new world where people, planet, and business all prosper. Showing the way, this book is just what the world needs in these troubled times.
Inrgid Stange, Founder and Chair, Partnership for Change, Oslo, Norway

DreamMakers

Innovating for the Greater Good

2017 Greenleaf Publishing

Published by Greenleaf Publishing Limited

Salts Mill, Victoria Road, Saltaire, BD18 3LA, UK

www.greenleaf-publishing.com

Cover by Sadie Gornall-Jones

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the publishers.

The right of Michele Hunt to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN-13: 978-1-78353-568-2 [paperback]

ISBN-13: 978-1-78353-395-4 [hardback]

ISBN-13: 978-1-78353-567-5 [PDF ebook]

ISBN-13: 978-1-78353-569-9 [ePub ebook]

This book is dedicated to my father, Theodore Hunt, Sr., the greatest man I have ever met. His boundless love, his endless generosity and his tireless pursuit of creating a world where everyone is valued, heard, and respected, defined him. He helped to uplift the lives of thousands. He taught people, especially young people, to believe in the mantra I Am Somebody. Most precious to my heart, Dad taught me to be a DreamMaker.

And to my mother, Leona Hunt, thank you for always being there for me. You are a gentle lady who has the wisdom of a sage, the inner strength of a warrior and the gentle heart of a goddess. You are the most beautiful person I have ever known.

And to my daughter, Nicole Levey Hunt, thank you for being my greatest cheerleader. You were relentless at keeping me going when I got weary, and, when doubt reared its ugly head, your love, words, and your support helped me to find my footing. I deeply respect you for living your values. You had the courage to walk away from a lucrative job on Wall Street to help elect and support a great leader, President Barack Obama, during two campaigns. You are one of the brightest people I know and the brightest light in my life.

Contents

Part 1
Businesses as agents of world benefit