One Mandela Connection Away From Thinking On a Global Scale
Welcome to episode two of The One Away Show! Episode two features a very special friend of mine, and one of the first featured missions we debuted in our newsletter. Caroline Pugh is the Founder and CEO of Oya Partners, which enables family offices, philanthropists, entrepreneurs and investors to deliver effective and forward-thinking strategies for impact, investment, and growth. Her company empowers high impact individuals and brings their visions to life.
CREATING A SPACE OF BELONGING IN THE PROFESSIONAL REALM
A professional powerhouse, Caroline is both the star of this episode and a star in her own right changing the game for family offices and philanthropists nationwide by carving out a new niche to spark connection and facilitate knowledge sharing to make strategic decisions about impact, investment, and growth.
She began her career as the Chief of Staff to Aneesh Chopra at CareJourney, a data analytics company in the healthcare space. Her experience running the show for a high-powered executive from behind the scenes inspired her to empower those in similar roles, specifically those who are looking to make a big difference in the world. This role catalyzed a critical realization for Caroline: how very much we crave and require human connection and open, honest dialogue. I couldn’t be more impressed with how deftly she segued this intuitive insight into an actionable and innovative solution. At the intimate dinners she plans, guests can share openly, knowing nothing they disclose will leave the table.
As an advisory firm, her current company Oya Partners is driven by the core mission of working with leading family offices and young global leaders who make direct investments into private companies and funds. Oya Partners also works with philanthropists and impact investors committed to making systematic change, on a range of issues including philanthropic giving, investment strategy, community building and leadership development.
Something I admire about Caroline is that she’s so much more than her career. When she’s not taking the reigns of this high-powered business, she serves on the Board and as a Senior Advisor to the Mandela Institute of Humanity as well as an advisor to the Mandela family office. The Institute is founded and led by activist and humanitarian Ndaba Mandela, building upon the legacy of his grandfather, Nelson Mandela.
A pivotal moment in her professional path was a serendipitous series of events that got her involved in a life-changing initiative: supporting Ndaba Mandela's Washington-DC book launch. Ever since her relationship with Ndaba has blossomed into a more generative and meaningful initiative than she ever could have imagined.
A simple book launch ultimately turned into so much more. Caroline helped Mandela cultivate new strategies and partnerships that turned his vision into reality. She helped bring his mission to life through his foundation. Check out the five most important takeaways I got from our interview below!
TOP 5 MEANINGFUL MOMENTS WITH CAROLINE PUGH
During our conversation, Caroline shared with me the most important lesson Ndaba taught her about Nelson Mandela:
1. People remember former South African leader Nelson Mandela for his forgiving nature, but he also kept an unwavering commitment to his core values, practicing what he preaches throughout every aspect of his life.
2. Like Nelson Mandela, the best values to aspire towards center around the golden rule: treating other people how you want to be treated.
3. In every interaction, aspire to engage the people you meet with love, dignity, and respect.
4. How Nelson Mandela and Ndaba Mandela taught her to think on a global scale about the world’s biggest problems.
5. How Ndaba Mandela is carrying forward his Grandfather’s legacy and how he has great character to emulate as a leader
Launching People Forward on a Path to Success Where They Truly Belong
As the episode continues, Caroline shares her passion for moving all human beings forward on a global scale, much of which has been influenced by her work with Ndaba and other influential figures who have touched her indelibly throughout her life.
Caroline is both the star of this episode and a star in her own right, illuminating a path towards connection and professional excellence for experts in her field. She has an unmatched capacity to maintain a holistic worldview of our expansive, global, and connective human ecosystem. So many entrepreneurs always forget to take a step back and ask themselves what impact their work is having on others. Caroline helps leaders find their voices, even in situations that carry grave potential political ramifications.
Beyond being an indomitable inspiration for anyone’s career aspirations, Caroline is an incredible friend. She motivates me to strive to be my best self and put in the effort to improve every single day. Unlike many, Caroline genuinely understands the true nature and critical importance of inclusivity and diversity as ethical principles. She has truly committed her entire professional life and expertise to empower others like her to accomplish the objectives they hold dear. Tune in here- I can’t wait for you to experience our conversation, and I hope you get as much out of it as I did.
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4 年I really enjoyed listening to Caroline and learning about her path thus far. She is clearly very passionate about her work and has a lot to offer. Great interview Bryan and Caroline!