Conversation with Evan Leong (EMBA ’05) takes on a life of its own. He will enthrall you in thought and excite you with more ideas than you can comprehend. Leong is one of the number of growing entrepreneurs that have discovered a way to make a difference in his community and tie it into business.
Greater Good Radio program provides professional and personal advice to listeners in Hawai’i and around the world. Located on SportRadio 1420AM in Hawai’i, Greater Good Radio uses the knowledge and first-hand experiences of successful business people and entrepreneurs as a tool to encourage social entrepreneurship. Through an hour-long interview, business professionals share their secrets of success, community involvement, and inspirational thoughts to audiences.
Each radio show is recorded and distributed through internet podcasting, internet streaming, print media and transcriptions. Since its inception in September, more than 40,000 recorded interviews have been downloaded.
Leong is absolutely convinced that this social and business model can help change the way businesses are developed in the world. “I want to show that people can be successful and help people at the same time,” says Leong. “Profits from Greater Good Radio will help fund The Kokua Project. “This project is designed to create additional revenue for business education in our schools and instill a sense of social purpose in aspiring entrepreneurs.”
Admittedly, Littlefield, Mangieri and Leong all know there’s a level of risk involved when trying something different. Each started with a business plan, acquired funding and launched their companies within a year with no hesitations. Quoting Chinese philosopher Confucius, Evan Leong said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. That step has just been made.”
