I recently went one on one with Brad Leibov, CEO of EarthShare.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth? 

Brad: For the past 25 years, I’ve worked to improve the health and well-being of people and the planet through environmental philanthropy, social enterprise, and community development. My interest in social entrepreneurship was formed early in life through the experience of my mother’s hardship as a single working parent. I became determined to develop the tools and wherewithal to intervene in a system that I knew was unjust and broken and began working when I was 12. By the time I obtained my first leadership position in the social impact sector a decade later, I was already an experienced team leader and project manager. 

I’ve been fortunate to serve in several chief executive roles throughout my professional journey, and if there’s one constant above all others, I’ve always worked in roles that require transformational changes in strategy, culture, and program and partnership development. If I had to estimate, I’ve led change at organizations with a combined history of 150 years and created dozens of new programs, initiatives, and enterprises to deliver impact, many of which are still operating today. 

Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business? 

Brad: Social entrepreneurs are very skilled at achieving a lot with very little. We are accustomed to being generalists and operating across all functional areas of the business – products and services, technology, brand and communications, finance, human resources, legal, and more. To effectively grow and scale, social entrepreneurs have to build an extraordinary team with functional expertise beyond the talents of the founder or chief executive(s). It’s this extraordinary team that enables a social enterprise to grow and scale.

Adam: What are the keys to leading effectively in the social impact space?

Brad: Effective leaders in the social impact sector truly care for people and the world around them and always create space for others to lead and grow. Good leaders balance their ambition and determination with constant humility and reflection, while demonstrating time and again their ability to overcome obstacles and deliver on their bold visions for systemic change. 

Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?

Brad: To answer this, let me share a story. As a teenager, I was the head lifeguard at a summer day camp. One day, the camp owner directed me to fire a lifeguard that had arrived late. I met with the lifeguard and discovered she was splitting time between her parents’ homes and had underestimated the length of her commute. The lifeguard recommitted to arriving on time. The camp owner became enraged with my decision and refused to speak to me again. The lifeguard wasn’t late again, and we became friends after the season ended. Years later, we married and recently celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. 

Effective leaders care for the people around them, they follow their moral compass, and they use their voice and power to do what’s right. The universe has a remarkable way of holding us accountable, and sometimes rewarding us, for our decisions.

Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? 

Brad: Subscribe to newsletters, attend meetings and conferences, participate in professional associations, join peer networks, and volunteer with nonprofit organizations. Do everything possible to find and connect with your tribe. Identify a group of people who not only understand and support your journey but inspire you to achieve your goals. 

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders? 

Brad: Surround yourself with great people: creative thinkers who are inherently good and positive and enabling. As social impact leaders, we also have the responsibility to pay it forward by supporting the work of others. We should be working to advance more than just their own visions for change. Learn to say no to those requests or legacy obligations that no longer bring you joy to create new space for the opportunities that excite you and where you can be of service as a mentor or peer to others. 

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams?

Brad: Be transparent with how you are establishing priorities and share when you are not meeting your own goals or expectations. Be kind and generous, and above all, be yourself.

Adam: What are your best tips on the topic of corporate social responsibility?

Brad: Employees and consumers expect a company to have a purpose beyond the bottom line and to stand for that purpose and communicate it in everything it does. With 93% of corporate employees under age 30 agreeing that the more socially and environmentally-responsible their companies become, the more motivated and loyal they will be, it’s no surprise that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is now a core business strategy for many companies. 

CSR strategies entail comprehensive plans to address a company’s environmental, economic, philanthropic, and ethical responsibilities. A good CSR strategy will also communicate a company’s vision and purpose, help attract top talent and new customers, and create opportunities for employee and consumer engagement. In fact, 77% of U.S. employees expect employers to provide hands-on activities around environmental responsibilities in the workplace. This is why EarthShare is dedicated to providing the platform technology and environmental expertise that businesses need to bring their own CSR program initiatives to life. 

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? 

Brad: The emotional journey of creating anything great is inevitable. You will certainly face moments of both ecstasy and despair along the way. Both are totally normal so long as you do not rest there for too long. It's all about moving forward. 

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Brad: I think I would be remiss not to shine a spotlight on my organization and the great work we do. Millions of people and thousands of organizations around the world are motivated by the urgent threats facing our planet. And yet, somehow, environmental nonprofits remain woefully underfunded, receiving less than 3% of global philanthropy. These organizations are working to solve the environmental crisis with limited resources and support. Every dollar donated or volunteer action taken can really make a difference to a local environmental organization. That’s also why environmental groups like EarthShare are so critical.


Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.

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