(Strengths: Bravery, Creativity, Humour, Kindness, Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence)
Anna Sheppard, Founder and CEO of Bambuddha Group strongly believes the power of Kindness is world-changing. With a deep commitment for creating equality based on her lived experience, Anna began Bambuddha Group to empower corporate leaders and their teams on how to ‘work kinder’. The team at Bambuddha developed an evidence-informed kindness curriculum which minimises risk and improves outcomes across all organisational areas. Bambuddha Group is a multi-award-winning social enterprise that provides leadership coaching, education, and corporate kindness programs.
BACKGROUND
Anna grew up in a caravan park on the northeast coast of England and is one of five sisters, several of whom have physical and learning disabilities. As a child, Anna spent most of her childhood fighting prejudice and finally went into the care system for a short time before braving the world alone, at the young age of 16. As a neurodiverse gay person, fitting into the systems in life has always been a challenge.
The good news? Anna was lucky enough to have found and understood her WHY from a young age. Early life experiences helped her develop a strong passion for equality and a vision for change. Anna worked hard and optimistically putting herself through college, university and a master’s degree.
After working on various community development projects in Europe, Africa, and Asia, Anna had the idea to set up an enterprise with a clear vision for social and environmental change. And so Bambuddha Group was born, to pay forward a percentage of business profits to work towards balancing the scales for equality.
Anna has added value to thousands of companies and inspirational leaders by showing them how to ‘work kinder’. She is also the founder of several other major initiatives, including The Corporate Kindness Awards, Working Kind Collective (the world’s first kind business centre), the Impact Studios, and The Corporate Kindness Project, which is an Australian-based research study focusing on the business benefits of working kind. The first white paper was released in 2019 and is now an upbeat, honest, and feel-good podcast show called ‘Project Good Boss’.
Anna Sheppard and Bambuddha Group have won multiple awards for work in this space, including being recognised as one of the ‘Top 10 Leadership Development Training and Coaching Companies 2021 in APAC’, ‘Top 50 leading light for APAC’, ‘Top 50 most impactful LinkedIn Influencers’, a 2021 NSW Business Awards finalist and currently a finalist for 2022 Telstra Best of Business Awards.
Throughout her career, Anna has raised millions in funds for charities via mutual partnerships created to reduce inequalities. She is an old hand when it comes to showing the big fish how to give back and do well whilst doing so.
Anna likes to keep things simple ‘If you work as hard as you do kind’ success is inevitable’.
Anna’s storytelling is relatable, down-to-earth and fun. She is a real powerhouse who is optimistic and engaging. Anna takes the audience on a journey leaving people feeling educated and inspired to be the change they want to see in the world. Book Anna to speak here.