How the Hult Prize turned me into a social entrepreneur Hult Blog

Elpida Kokkota has many goals. One of them is to positively impact 5,000 women around the world by 2020. Another is to create a school of entrepreneurship for children. We spoke to the serial entrepreneur, Hult MBA Class of 2011 grad, and Greek national to find out more about her life since Hult and the incredible achievements that led to her winning the Greek International Womens Award in the Social Responsibility category. Congratulations on winning the GIWA! What an awesome recognition. You mentioned that one of your biggest aspirations is to impact 5,000 women around the world by 2020. How did that come about? This was a Commitment to Action that I made at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in 2015. It all started when I was a student at Hult, which was a catalyst for my global career and changed my life on so many levels. I was passionate about the Hult Prize and keen to be a student volunteer. I already had lots of events experience as I had worked for my mother’s events business, one of the largest events management organizations in Europe. So I was really excited to submit my proposal to volunteer I had my interview and was told that I hadn’t got the place—I was devastated! But I refused to take â€Å"no† for an answer, and I ultimately convinced them to let me carry the boxes and I worked my way up from there! Elpida working at the Hult Prize Finals in New York City, 2012. The determination of a true Hultian! So what happened next? Everything changed after I met Ahmad [Ashkar, Hult MBA grad and Founder CEO of the Hult Prize]. The first thing I asked him was â€Å"What is your dream for the Hult Prize?† Back then, the competition was only in its second year, but Ahmad was already dreaming big. He told me that he wanted it to have a truly global impact, and become the world’s largest student competition and movement for social good. Until then, I had only seen his â€Å"business† side, but now that I saw his â€Å"vision† side, and I saw the belief he had, it moved me. I told him that I was passionate about it too and said: â€Å"Test me—you have six months to see how I can help you.† I took on all of the production and marketing alongside Ahmad for the Boston regional finals held on Hult’s Boston campus. Then, after graduation, he hired me full-time to work on the brand and events management, and that September I was proud to be one of just a few people from the team to attend the Finals in New York City, hosted by President Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative. And it was here that I fell in love with the goals of the CGI. Elpida with President Clinton at the Hult Prize Finals in NYC, 2015—the year that she became a member of the CGI. Mentoring young students at CGI University. So you continued to work for Ahmad and the Hult Prize for two years after graduation. Tell us about that. I learned a lot from Ahmad—he showed me the way to greater things and how to transition yourself from doing something well to becoming a catalyst for big things to happen. The year after graduation we held the Hult Prize at the New York Public Library. I was leading the whole project, in touch with Clinton’s team and the Secret Services. All this opened my eyes and proved to be one of the biggest opportunities of my life. I still remember the impactful conversations I had with President Clinton as well as [Nobel Peace Prize recipient and Hult Prize judge] Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Dr. Yunus and his tech advisor David Stevens became my mentors and I traveled alongside them for six months and met many influential people from the social impact sphere. One day they turned to me and said â€Å"you have the fire in your belly to change the world. Why don’t you do it?† This was the first time that I had been motivated so directly and it inspired me to take the leap. Elpida with Nobel Peace Prize recipient and Hult Prize judge Muhammad Yunus, in 2015. And where did you go from here? Within a month, I left my job and moved to Tijuana, Mexico, to launch my non-profit, MeXOXO.org—working to empower disadvantaged women by teaching them entrepreneurship. I was still in contact with Joanne Lawrence, my Professor of Practice, Business Global Society at Hult and she was very influential in this. She said to me: â€Å"You have all this business knowledge and opportunity, and a uniquely creative approach to problem-solving—why not transfer it to women who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to learn it?† So that is what I did. I took my Hult knowledge, made a simplified business plan, and started imparting it to other women. It began with ten females in Mexico, expanded across the country, and then into the USA, Nepal, and Greece. Today we have reached more than 1,720 women. And after three years of trying we have just secured a grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation in Atlanta to support 600 more this year. By the end of May 2018, we will have reached 50% of the goal and be on target to complete it by 2020. One of Elpidas workshops for female entrepreneurs in Mexico. Amazing! So what’s next?! After 2020 I want to get more involved with my goal to create a school of entrepreneurship for children. The refugee crisis in Greece has impacted me hugely. When I returned to Greece I knew what was happening but felt I needed to experience it to understand it and begin to help. People told me not to go—they said it would be too hard. But we need to know the reality if we are going to change it. Eventually, I convinced a friend to come with me and on day one of arriving we rescued ten children from the rocks of Samos Island. There was a group of women there who had started cooking out of their kitchens and were feeding 1,500 people a day, so I started financially supporting them. A few months after that I started a social business—Muse Sandals—to employ and empower women around the world. Elpida joins the refugee rescue operations in Samos. Muse Sandals produces Greek leather sandals, crafted by local women, and exports them around the US and Canada. Within six months we signed a contract with TJ Maxx in Canada [TK Maxx in the UK], and now we are in our second year. This is a social business: for profit and for impact—and for every pair sold a percentage goes to orphaned children in the country where they are sold. So far we have managed to feed approximately 1,500 children in the Mexico orphanages over the past three months, and educated 40 children in Greece. In our first year, we offered 800 labor hours to the female entrepreneurs producing the sandals. At a refugee camp in Samos. Looking back, how would you say your time at Hult prepared you for all this? I loved every single moment of being at Hult and it changed my life on so many levels. The school and the Hult Prize were truly a stepping stone for my global career. I loved that Hult was very practical, experiential, and multicultural. It is an exciting school with a fresh approach that turns academics into action. After you have been to Hult, you truly have friends all over the world. I even went to the Cayman Islands recently and I even had a classmate living there! Elpida (front row, second from right) with the Mayor of Rosarita, Baja, at an event celebrating female entrepreneurs in Mexico. Thanks Elpida, it’s been awesome catching up with you. All the best!   Elpida with some budding female entrepreneurs in Nepal. Running an entrepreneurship workshop for orphaned children in Mexico. Find out more about Elpida Watch this short video  about Elpida’s journey Watch this video depicting the refugee crisis in Samos Find out how Elpida is supporting orphanages in Baja, Mexico Learn about the impact of Muse Sandals here Contact Elpida on LinkedIn More about Elpida’s businesses ilovesifnos.com musesandals.com mexoxo.org countingstars.me libertymkt.gr, Want to know more about Hults Global One-Year MBA program? Download a brochure. Mel Cloney Mel is a staff blogger working in London, and is passionate about the Hult journey. Her writing focuses on faculty, academics, and student and alumni experiences. She’s a food, scuba, and running junkie with a penchant for all things French. Related posts Academics Beyond (narrow) business concepts: â€Å"Soft† skills turn out to be critical skills News Building success: Dual Degree students win at USASBE Community How going beyond business at Hult helped me launch my company Admissions Accepted Students Weekend: A weekend to remember Careers Career mapping: How to become an executive in the next 5 years 0 Thought leadership How to prepare for an uncertain future in a world of AI Instagram Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .