In this episode of The Mind Takeaway Podcast, we speak with John Marks, a renowned peacebuilder, social entrepreneur, and former US diplomat. With a decades-long career, John shares his transformative journey from exposing abuses within the CIA to becoming a global peacemaker. He discusses the challenges and triumphs of scaling a non-profit organisation, Search for Common Ground, from a small team to 600 staff across 35 countries and the vital role of collaboration and adaptability in conflict resolution.
We explore the complexities of social entrepreneurship, exploring the hurdles of securing long-term funding and the internal bureaucratic challenges growing organisations face. John provides insights into his unique conflict resolution approach, emphasising media engagement and societal-level impact, and shares lessons from his extensive experience mentoring emerging social entrepreneurs.
The conversation also touches on the impact of stress and burnout in the non-profit sector, with John offering a unique perspective on managing these challenges through the principles of Aikido. We also explore his work in media production, including creating impactful programming such as "Under the Same Sun," a film promoting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
This conversation highlights the power of optimism, collaboration, and the continuous search for common ground in a world often marked by division and conflict.
00:00 John Marks' life work has been all about transforming how countries deal with conflict
03:40 How did you grow your company from zero to 600 staff in 35 countries?
05:09 What's your secret to growing a business together and being married for 25 years?
08:28 What are the biggest challenges in social entrepreneurship?
13:09 Why did you write your new book, From Vision to Action, Remaking the World through Social Entrepreneurship?
21:34 What would you say to people who want to start an NGO today?
24:12 Can you tell us about your Mockumentary about two business owners, one Israeli and one Palestinian?
30:30 How did you get the US and Soviet Union to cooperate on preventing terrorism?
40:54 Every conflict can be an opportunity to learn from and grow from
42:08 Why is burnout so common in social entrepreneurship, and how do you prevent it?
