Ben Higgins: Faith, Influence + Impact
LISTEN NOW: ITUNES // SPOTIFY // stitcher
Unless you've lived under a rock, you know Ben Higgins from ABC's The Bachelor. But what you may not know is that this man has a heart for social good, faith, and leadership. He understands that purchasing power can and should be used to make an impact. This episode, I talk with Ben Higgins about life on The Bachelor, his faith, and his work creating sustainable change through his for profit organization, Generous Coffee.
"The euphoric feeling of having your ego stroked ended- I was left to question a lot of things"
Life After The Bachelor
When you're on The Bachelor, you all of a sudden have an audience and millions of eyes are on your life.
While it's so easy to use this newfound fame and get a big head, Ben has committed to making a difference in the world.
Ben remembers a time when he enjoyed having all eyes on him as the bachelor, but it didn't last. "The euphoric feeling of having your ego stroked ended- I was left to question a lot of things"
Faith and Work
He recognizes the partnership between faith and action. Instead of just praying things into existence, which is important, he knows we have vital roles to play in creating a world and culture of hope and change. "I don't think we give ourselves enough credit sometimes."
"God has entrusted us with skills, intelligence, and wisdom to get to a place where we can be good stewards for the world He has created for us."
We have to deconstruct our beliefs to strengthen our why's and live with integrity.
Ben often thinks back to this quote: "Live your life like you'll be written about in the Bible."
Creating Lasting Change
Ben's friend Riley Fuller started a non-profit called Humanity and Hope United, which focuses on ending poverty in Honduras.
Ben and Riley witnessed the poverty and saw that they were being helped, but not in a way that would create lasting change.
He remembered being angry about what he saw for years after until Riley suggested they partner with these countries.
They partnered with communities in Honduras to support them in reaching their goals. Six years in he was overwhelmed with the realization that small businesses were succeeding and children were graduating school.
Today's ceiling is tomorrow's floor. Ben challenges himself and others to never get complacent, "How far have we come, and how far can we go?"
"When you see a purpose, no matter how big or small, stay in your lane and pursue it and complete it and do it with vigor."
Generous Coffee
He recognizes that The Bachelor gave him a platform that allowed him to get funding for their project, but that it won't last forever.
Two years ago, he and Riley started Generous Coffee as a for-profit business to help fund the non-profit.
Now, Ben is the operating president, chief executive officer, and co-founder along with Drew Scholl and Riley Fuller.
Their coffee comes from nine different countries. T-shirts are made from water bottles by women in Haiti.
Beyond non-profits, there are so many for-profits that donate a portion of their profits to causes they believe in, like Newman's Own. Following in the footsteps of this, Ben is looking forward to continuing his work with Generous Coffee.
This week's episode is brought to you by Generous Coffee. It creates a community that creates sustainable change and believes in the unique power of the human being. It is a for-profit business and they're always partnering with organizations that share their values. Join the movement! Go to generousmovement.com to see their products and what they're up to.
This episode is ALSO brought to you by Steereo. Are you obsessed with music? Are you looking to stay ahead of the next big music trends? If you become a contributor at Steereo.com/contributor, you can get rewards for rating music!
XO,
Kat Harris
