On Thursday, October 9, Neumann University welcomed two keynote speakers in the Meagher Theatre for the Rocco and Mary Abessinio Speaker Series. Both are CEOs who are committed to compassionate capitalism, running their organizations with an eye to more than just accumulating profits.
Speaking first was Wil Reynolds, entrepreneur and CEO of Seer Interactive, a digital marketing agency based in Philadelphia.
The second speaker for this event was Evan Ehlers, the founder and executive director of Sharing Excess, a nonprofit organization that is committed to solving the problem of food insecurity and minimizing food waste around the United States.
Reynolds worked as a teacher until 1999, when he began helping Fortune 500 companies develop marketing strategies. He started Seer Interactive in 2002 after being told by his boss that he could not volunteer his time on his lunch break. Seer Interactive quickly developed into a well-known digital marketing agency.
During Reynolds’ speech, he frequently highlighted the importance of “Knowing Your Why” and “More vs. Enough” as a business owner or CEO. The central idea of his speech was focused on how to treat employees, clients, and family as a business owner. “The more my clients win, the better I can take care of my team. The better I take care of my team, the better I can take care of the community,” said Reynolds.
Instead of focusing his speech on his company and sharing tips on how he succeeded, Reynolds spoke about paying his employees fair wages and implementing required volunteer hours. He frequently volunteers his time at the Covenant House in Philadelphia, where he has raised over $262,000.
Seer Interactive is an innovator in the way they treat their employees. The company offers unlimited paid time off (PTO) for all employees and a 3-week minimum paid time off. Their lenience on PTO emphasizes employee’s rights to do what matters – spend time with family, take breaks for their mental health, and, of course, volunteer within their communities.
Evan Ehlers followed Reynold’s speech, and he spoke about his business and their goals. Sharing Excess started in 2018 when Ehlers was just a junior at Drexel University. With just two days left in the semester, Ehlers found that he had 50 meal swipes left and would not be able to use them. He swiped the meals out, gathered the food and drove around Center City Philadelphia, redistributing the meals to people and families that needed them.
Now, Sharing Excess focuses on minimizing food waste and, subsequently, sharing food to families across the United States to reduce food insecurity. The organization travels to grocery stores, restaurants and universities to take their unused food and produce. Then, the food is redistributed to families and communities that need it.
Since its start, Sharing Excess has grown considerably. Now, the organization has many partners, including Giant, Trader Joe’s, Feeding Pennsylvania, and Temple University.
To learn more about Sharing Excess and Seer Interactive, please follow the links below.
