Not long ago, I was watching some of my fellow EOers present our organization to prospective members at a recruitment event. During the presentation, I found myself mulling over the EO vision: “To build the world's most influential community of entrepreneurs.”
Several days later, I got an e-mail from Salvador Paiz, a chapter mate. He informed me that he had been named one of the “230 Young Global Leaders” by the World Economic Forum (WEF), along with Matías de Tezanos, an EO Guatemala alumna; Pooja Jain, an Elumni; and Sminu Jindal from EO New Delhi. The selected few receiving this designation are considered to be the most prominent leaders shaping global influence and the future of the world. It was an astonishing feat, to say the least.
In his e-mail, Salvador included a link with the full list of leaders honored by the WEF. To my surprise, I found names like Tiger Woods (golfer), Michael Schumacher (Ferrari), Jessica Biel (actress), Chad Hurley (YouTube), Chris Martin (Coldplay) and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) accompanying these EO members. I asked myself, “How can two guys from a third-world country get added to such a profound list?” It was at that moment that I realized EO’s vision was becoming a reality.
Salvador and Matías are two incredibly influential entrepreneurs, not only because of their entrepreneurial activity, but because they give back to their communities and the rest of their world. Salvador is creating an educational revolution by introducing high-end technology in a third-world country (Guatemala) and providing children with access to world-class information in places without electricity. On the other hand, Matías has faced the challenge of using third-world companies and labor to launch a state-of-the-art healthcare portal available to worldwide customers.
To highlight one of EO’s core values, these members are “making a mark” in the world. I was proud to see my EO peers rise from success to significance. Their accomplishments reinforce the fact that EO fosters the world’s most elite entrepreneurs. Through EO, I know I can make a mark in my industry, and quite possibly, the world.