< PreviousI t may be surprising that a lot of people are on the fence about climate change, succumbing to the negativity instead of taking action. By telling positive stories and sharing solutions, we can create a starting point for newcomers in the space and provide encouragement for those striving to make a diff erence. We spoke with Naman Bajaj, Content Writer and Founder of Not My Problem, about how his platform is sparking meaningful conversations and inspiring folks to engage with the climate space. What was the “spark” that fi rst inspired you to start creating impact- focused content? After completing my MBA in 2020, I had a fi lter in my mind: I wanted to work with startups that were doing something good for people and the planet. However, I had limited knowledge about the impact space, so I decided to talk to people who were building something in this area to learn more. Of course, founders are busy people, juggling hundreds of diff erent things. Why would they want to talk to someone like me? What would they get out of this conversation? So, I decided to start a podcast series where I would interview founders of sustainability and social impact startups, where I recorded, edited, and published videos for free. Th is gave founders free PR and marketing for their brands, and I got some screen time with them. I did around 50 episodes and that’s how I learned about this space. Th rough the solutions that these founders are building, I learned about the problems plaguing the planet and humanity. I thought it was a less overwhelming way to learn about the climate crisis and humanitarian problems that we are dealing with. I decided to replicate this experience for others. I pivoted from podcasts to written content since I felt that it was easier to publish and distribute. In January 2021, I started building Not My Problem, a plat- form where I share stories of startups from around the world that are solving problems related to the climate crisis. What do you consider to be your biggest success? Can you share any stories of the impact your work has had that have surprised you? I am grateful to have received a fl ood of beautiful and kind messages in my inbox. Th ey help me keep going on tough days. One message, in particular, stands out as my biggest win to date: someone told me that they use the positive and impactful stories I share to initiate climate change conversations within their circle. Instead of focusing solely on everything that's not going right in the world, they introduce these impactful solutions to peo- ple in their group to start a conversation. People are more receptive when they hear these positive stories. It gives them hope that there are solutions being developed to combat the crisis, and they can become part of these solutions as customers, inves- tors, employees, or cheerleaders. What are some of the challenges you typically face in creating content or building out your audience? Most of my content is focused on people who are on the fence about climate change — folks who know things are not going well, but they don’t know where to start. Since I have been in this space for the past few years, I have these biases and assump- tions that come into play when I am writing. One of my biggest challenges is to make my content free of these so that it does not become overwhelming for anyone wanting to make a change. In the last few months, I have also understood that content distribution is a beast in itself. If your content is not reach- ing the right audience, it doesn’t matter how good it is, unless you are writing only for yourself. I have doubled down on my distribution in the past six to seven months Not My Problem Inviting newcomers to the climate space through positive stories 50 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEand have started seeing some early wins. My LinkedIn followers have grown fi ve times and the newsletter subscribers have quadrupled. How do you feel having a platform and community help to make the world better? Our newsletter is read by people from 85 countries. It's amazing to think about the wide reach of our content and the diverse audience it attracts. One thing I've come to realize is that you never know who is reading your content and how it might be impacting their lives. I receive messages from peo- ple who tell me they discovered new brands through my LinkedIn posts, even though I’ve never seen them interacting with my posts directly. It's a powerful reminder of the infl uence we can have through online platforms. Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you'd like to share? One of the most common requests we receive is to compile a database of the brands whose stories we share. So, we have started putting all of these brands into a Notion board, segregated by countries and categories. Paid subscrib- ers to our newsletter have access to this database. I keep adding 25–50 brands to this database every week. How can people help support your mission? I have been fortunate to have amazing connections in my network who share impactful startup stories with me. Th is makes my job easier, as I don't have to actively search for them. If you come across any such stories that you want me to share, feel free to send me an email or message me on LinkedIn or Instagram. If you enjoy newsletters, consider subscribing to our weekly newsletter, Not My Problem. Every Friday, we will send positive climate change stories to your inbox. If you are able to, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the time, research, and love that goes into crafting each edition. People are more receptive when they hear these positive stories. It gives them hope that there are solutions being developed to combat the crisis, and they can become part of these solutions as customers, investors, employees, or cheerleaders. notmyproblem.earth twitter.com/namanb90 (@namanb90) linkedin.com/in/namanbajaj1990 substack.com/@notmyproblem Left: Not My Problem’s website. Bottom: How the newsletter has grown since it started in January . DECEMBER 2023 • ISSUE 06 51M aking the world better is a lifelong commitment. Every day, individuals and organizations are igniting positive change and improving the world in ways both big and small. Through concerted eff orts to continually create moments, take steps, and make changes, we advance on our collective journey toward making life better — not just for ourselves but for our family, friends, communities, and eventually, everyone. There’s no denying that the journey is fraught with challenges. We may take a wrong turn, encounter delays and setbacks, or even wonder if we’re really making an impact. But the destination is worthwhile, and there’s only one way to reach it: by pressing onward. The changemakers in this issue of Make The World Better Magazine are taking steps to make the world better and demonstrating what’s possible. They inspire us to keep going. It’s an honour to share their stories, to amplify each other’s impact, and to walk together on this purpose-driven journey. At Sparx Publishing Group, we started our journey by venturing into uncertainty, but we saw an opportunity that we could not ignore. Driven to help amplify impact-focused organizations and individuals so their eff orts to help people and planet can thrive, we took a risk and changed course. And, as we progress on our purpose-driven journey, we continue to grow and change to do better. Sparx’s Journey to Choosing Purpose Our journey began over 10 years ago, and it’s certainly been a long and wind- ing one. We embarked with the spark of an idea to make the world of self-di- rected investing more accessible for Canadians through a free online resource called Sparx Trading. Creating content for Sparx Trading laid the foundation for Sparx Publishing Group’s growth and was our fi rst content marketing success story.1 Carried by our values of integrity and responsiveness, we soon branched off on a new path, one that takes us deeper into purpose every day. “We were founded on a premise that we could use content to make a positive impact and that has become even more true today than it was when we started,” says Hamish Khamisa, Sparx’s Founder and President. While Sparx was increasingly focus- ing on impact, 2020 was a signifi cant turning point. Hamish Khamisa hon- oured his daughter, Anahera, who was stillborn at 35 weeks, with the creation of our in-house event devoted to doing good, Make Th e World Better Day.2 We’ve always believed that a single spark can ignite a world of change, and the love and hope that Anahera embodied were the sparks that set our mission in motion. FROM CONTENT MARKETING TO CONTENT TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER: Sparx Publishing Group’s Purpose-Driven Journey Amplifying voices that catalyze positive change We were founded on a premise that we could use content to make a positive impact and that has become even more true today than it was when we started. 52 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEAfter that, our journey began in ear- nest. “Sparx has put in a lot of eff ort over the years to determine what it means to ‘make the world better’ and how our mis- sion fi ts into that statement,” says Sonia Lau, Junior Frontend Developer. “We've gone from a generic marketing company to one that takes on projects that focus on our environmental and social responsibil- ity, as well as uplifting other companies that do the same.” We began dedicating our time to intentional practices, like turning Make Th e World Better Day into an annu- al event, launching Make Th e World Better Magazine, donating to various causes, and off ering pro bono work for mission-aligned organizations. However, it took us time and eff ort to get to the point where we had clarity from a market perspective on who we could ideally serve and work with. “We now pri- oritize working with clients who share our core values and are actively contributing to making a positive impact on the world,” says Aretta Yeung, Marketing Analyst. “Th e partnerships and collaborations that we have sought out have led to opportu- nities to work on projects that align with our mission and reinforce our commit- ment to purpose-driven initiatives.” Striving to be stronger members of the purpose-driven community through networking and event participation has also contributed greatly to our journey. “Attending a variety of mission-aligned events on DEI, sustainability, and other topics allowed me to learn best practices and get inspired by leading individuals and organizations in the purpose-driven space,” says Alexandra Nikitina, Head of Growth. Th rough this undertaking, we’ve been able to grow in our purpose and meet many mission-aligned contacts. “While the desire to make the world better has always been at the forefront, Sparx has gone from dreaming to doing,” says Libby Shabada, Copywriter. We've gone from a generic marketing company to one that takes on projects that focus on our environmental and social responsibility, as well as uplifting other companies that do the same. DECEMBER 2023 • ISSUE 06 53Growing Purpose With a Diverse Team Moving from dreaming to doing wouldn’t be possible without the right team. Our team comes from diverse backgrounds, earning us a CAMSC certifi cation,3 and what unites us is a desire to work hard to drive positive change. “I feel constantly inspired through the work that we do and the contagious energy our team generates as we create a platform for change,” says Brandon Ashcraft, Marketing Coordinator. Sparx operates by following a set of clearly defi ned values, which are commu- nicated throughout the hiring process. Because of this, we were able to build an enthusiastic and values-aligned team. “Curiosity and the drive for self-im- provement are personal values that I see constantly refl ected in our work,” says Nicole Yeh, Graphic Designer. “We are curious about the innovators making a positive change in the world, and we are dedicated to connecting those ideas with an audience.” While challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic partially rewrote the compo- sition of the Sparx team, the switch to working remotely opened the door to even broader perspectives and hires from out- side of the Vancouver area. But the impact went even deeper. “Partially due to going through COVID-19 and remote work, I've learned more about people's struggles with mental health and isolation,” says Ken Yeung, VP of Operations. “I think [being transparent and honest] helps build rapport and respect with team members.” Th is has made a positive diff erence in our workplace culture. As a result, every- one feels encouraged to share their unique perspectives on how to make the world better and to share their input across all areas of our work, from the content we produce to how we conduct our business. Our perspectives and ideas are diverse, which enhances our problem-solving abil- ities, yet there’s a common thread uniting us: we see our work as meaningful. Th at inspires us to give it our all. “Th e fact that I get to be a part of the work that amplifi es valuable stories makes me want to deliver the best work I can so that our work in sharing these stories may be accessible and impactful to more people,” Elisabeth Choi, Communications Designer, says. Our diversity is a real strength for the work and space we’re in. Any organization that acts with intentionality can build that space too. Inspiration Beyond Our Desks Th e diversity of our personal experiences has led to a fl ow of purpose-driven ideas, which travel with us into our work. But we also fi nd ways to integrate what we’ve learned at Sparx into our everyday lives. “I always say that it's important to walk our talk since it's important for me to try to embody what I share or preach to those around me. So, I'm glad that as a team, we always try to learn and live out the purpose-driven values we share to our audience,” says Pauline Macapagal, Communications Specialist. Together, our team is always learning: from the stories we amplify and change- makers we work with, from the causes we champion and initiatives we engage with, from our mistakes, and from each other. “Working at Sparx challenges me to think more about the ways I can create a We are curious about the innovators making a positive change in the world, and we are dedicated to connecting those ideas with an audience. 54 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEmore positive social impact in my person- al life,” says Nicole. Creating a positive impact in our per- sonal lives takes on a diff erent meaning for everyone. For some, we’ve discovered ways we can make progress on various causes through our everyday actions. “I'm following more activists on social media, learning and sharing content, buy- ing more locally-made and Indigenous brands — many of which we've featured in our gift-giving guides! — and fi nding everyday ways to reduce my environmen- tal footprint,” says Libby. For others, our experiences have caused us to look inward and be mindful of our personal accountability. “Th is experience has inspired me to dig deep within myself, prompting me to be more intentional when it comes to aligning my personal choices and deci- sions with the values that truly resonate with me,” says Aretta. “I've personally learned and grown as an individual to be kinder, to care more about the world and learn ways to pre- serve it, and especially to be more active in the activities that help make the world better,” Elisabeth adds. Ultimately, our work inspires us to take initiative and engage with amplify- ing impact both at work and at home. As Pauline’s learned, “no matter how big or small, an impact can eff ect great positive changes that travel far and wide to places and people you wouldn't expect.” Amplifying Stories of Impact With Make The World Better Magazine Amplifying impact so it travels far and wide is exactly what we seek to do with Make Th e World Better Magazine, a core Sparx initiative our team was eager to rally behind and learn from. For Sonia, the Circular Economy issue4 was a real stand out. “It features a lot of the companies where their missions feel familiar and can be easily supported. For example, I could see myself using EcoMeter to fi nd an eco-friendly restau- rant, or getting food from Too Good To Go, or using one of Susgrainable's baking mixes. A lot of these companies provide an approachable way to support their mission that fi ts pretty seamlessly into your lifestyle.” As for Hamish, the feature on Sxwpilemaát Siyám/Chief Leanne Joe 5 was profoundly impactful. “As a parent, I felt that centring her perspectives around the implications of her work to future generations resonated deeply and speaks to the ethos of the magazine — to inspire others to leave the world better than how they found it.” Every participant has been truly inspiring, and we want to see their impact thrive. All of their stories have inspired us to come up with fresh ideas about how we can grow Make Th e World Better Magazine. Team members, like Pedram Milani, Web Developer, have been thinking up some new ways to engage audiences around the magazine. “I think a 10–15 second YouTube short/TikTok segment covering companies could be a nice way to highlight companies and bring attention to brands and the magazine,” he says. And Pauline imagines another type of digital platform: “It would be really cool to see the magazine available on e-readers. Th at way, we're making it more accessible Partially due to going through COVID-19 and remote work, I've learned more about people's struggles with mental health and isolation. I think [being transparent and honest] helps build rapport and respect with team members. DECEMBER 2023 • ISSUE 06 551. Read “What is Sparx Trading? A Content Marketing Success Story,” on the Sparx blog, sparxpg.com/blog 2. Read “Making the World Better: How Small Eff orts Can Spark Big Impact,” on the Sparx blog, sparxpg.com/blog. 3. Read “Sparx’s CAMSC Certifi cation: Gaining National Recognition as a Minority-Owned and -Led Organization,” on the Sparx blog, sparxpg.com/blog. 4. Check out the Circular Economy issue of Make The World Better Magazine at sparxpg.com/make-the-world-better/mag/issue3. 5. Read “Sxwpilemaát Siyám / Chief Leanne Joe: Heartfelt Inclusion,” on the Sparx blog, sparxpg.com/blog. 6. Read, “Make The World Better Magazine is on Patreon!,” on the Sparx blog, sparxpg.com/blog. [...] and being more environmentally friendly,” she says. Other team members are dreaming of collaborations, special editions, follow-ups with past participants, partnerships with institutions, spin-off s centred around diff erent topics, and going global. “I envision stories and initiatives from around the world featured in the magazine, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and inspiring collab- orative eff orts to address global challenges,” says Th uan Nguyen, Sparx’s former Financial Analyst. Team members are also excited about the potential to cover more initiatives and causes. “I would really love to see more stories about organizations and individuals working to help the homeless and children and families,” says Michelle Baleka, Copywriter. “Making the mag- azine is a learning experience for me too, and it would be great to know about more organiza- tions and initiatives that are helping [them].” Th ese hopes are encouraged by the positive responses we’ve received from everyone who’s been featured in the magazine, shown interest, or taken a dive into its purpose-driven pages. Th eir support has ignited our expansion goals, and we’re taking active steps to reach them with our Make Th e World Better Magazine Patreon 6 and exciting new partnerships. Most of all, as Alexandra says, we have hope that the magazine can help “make being better a norm as opposed to a niche.” Looking Forward to a Brighter Future Speaking of hopes, we have some pretty high ones for Sparx as a whole. “I'm excited to see how Sparx continues to allow our culture and values [to] blossom through our work and exponentially scale that level of growth through future projects,” Brandon says. Individually, we all have diff erent ideas of what this growth would look like and specifi c areas of impact we want to reach more deeply. “I would love to see Sparx expand their client base and help a few start-ups become viral,” Pedram says, while Ken hopes we can “continue expanding our clientele and ideally create a SaaS- like project that we can scale,” and Michelle wants to “work with more circular economy organizations and clients that assist with things like ending homelessness and breaking the cycle of poverty.” With hopes to grow in Canada’s purpose- driven space through collaborations, sustainable partnerships, raising awareness around and contributing to the adoption of more regenerative solutions, and building up a community of like-minded organizations that help each other out, we’re determined to amplify more voices catalyzing positive change. “My hope is that through our marketing and communications eff orts, we will be able to meaningfully inspire demand for products, services, and business practices that contribute to the long-term well-being for all,” Hamish says. A Spark of Inspiration Can Change the World Th e path to a better world is long and challenging, but we’re excited to travel alongside so many amazing changemakers on our journey. As Hamish says, “Th e biggest thing that I get excited about is now being fully confi dent that we're not alone in the work we want to do.” Our hope is that through our work, readers like you feel inspired to start your own impact journey or feel more energized to continue along your purpose-driven path. Whatever stage you’re at, if you have a spark of hope to make the world a better place, it will not only serve as a guide for yourself, but a beacon to others to join in your journey. The biggest thing that I get excited about is now being fully confident that we're not alone in the work we want to do. sparxpg.com linkedin.com/company/ sparx-publishing-group instagram.com/sparxpg twitter.com/SparxPG facebook.com/SparxPG 56 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEAmplify your message here Advertise in Make The World Better Magazine On a mission to spark positive change? We know a great audience for your initiatives. Catch the attention of like-minded individuals by advertising your purpose-driven organization in an upcoming edition of Make The World Better Magazine. To advertise, get in touch with us here: mtwb@sparxpg.com POWERED BY SPARX PUBLISHING GROUPIMAGINESOON,A WIRELESSWORLD! SOLAIRESISRECYCLINGINDOORLIGHTTOPOWERIOTAND ELECTRONICDEVICES,ELIMINATINGTHENEEDTOPLUGIN YOURDEVICESTOCHARGE! 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