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.
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.
Current Work:
After working on various community development projects in Europe, Africa and Asia, Anna had an 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’.
Talking Points
Kindness as a source of Competitive Advantage (How to make your brand a movement)
\We need a different KIND of leader for business. Through her own story, Anna explores the relationship between the kindness of businesses and their success. Social Responsibility and ESG is about more than giving back to the community. It is the act of integrating kindness and the desire to make systemic change into the very heart of everything you do. In this keynote, we cover an overview of the breadth of impact your business can create, while bringing everyone back to the simple day to day acts of kindness that together make for massive change.Kindness as a source of Competitive Advantage (How to make your brand a movement)
Anna will also be sharing evidence-informed insights, Corporate Kindness Curriculum pillars, and strategies for using the power of kind to future-proof business for generations to come. Filled with examples, laughter and plenty of good vibes, this keynote is just what your people need right now.
This keynote will cover:
- Annas inspirational story of resilience
- Overview of current business landscape
- Changing trends in consumer preferences
- Key kindness pillars: kind leadership, inclusion, resilience, impact, and authenticity
- Examples of businesses working hard at working kind
- Call to action of your choice
Perfect for: Inhouse Strategy Days, High schools and higher education, stakeholder engagement events. Team/leadership development
The 5 Pillars of Kind Leadership
Leaders are striving to be more then meaningful to their employer they also want to be champions of world change, empowering coaches to their teams, all while building a personal brand. In this keynote we deep dive into the 5 Pillars of Kindness in leadership and the benefits for people, profit and planet. Anna will also be sharing evidence-based advice, tips and strategies for using the power of kind to future-proof your business. Filled with examples, laughter and plenty of good vibes, this keynote is just what your people need right now. The 5 Pillars of Kind Leadership
This keynote will cover:
Annas inspirational story of resilience
Overview of current business landscape
5 Pillars of Kind Leadership
Diversity & Inclusion in business
Authenticity in leadership
Understanding your sphere of influence
Leading purpose-driven people
Evidence-based advice, tips and strategies
Call to action of your choice
Perfect for: Inhouse Strategy Days, High schools and higher education, stakeholder engagement events. Team/leadership development
Meet you at the intersection (Diversity & Inclusion starts with kindness)
As a gay, neurodiverse traveller; Anna has had her fair share of ‘otherness’ along the way, while learning strategies to build confidence and advocate for inclusion and intersectionality. Through her own heart-warming story Anna explores the relationship between leadership kindness and success, unpacking the role of inclusion in future-proofing business. Anna will also be sharing evidence-based advice, insights and strategies for using the power of kindness and inclusion. Filled with examples, laughter and plenty of good vibes this keynote is just what your people need right now.Meet you at the intersection (Diversity & Inclusion starts with kindness)
This keynote will cover:
Annas inspirational story of resilience
Overview of current business landscape
Changing trends in consumer preferences
Diversity & Inclusion in business
Examples of businesses working hard at working kind
Evidence-based advice, tips and strategies
Call to action of your choice
Perfect for: Mardi Gras, IWD, Diversity events, Inhouse Strategy Days, High schools and higher education, stakeholder engagement events. Team/leadership development
Tomorrows Leader is a Kind One - engaging a purpose driven workforce
Young people really are our only hope for making a recovery for people, planet and profit. They want more from employers than ever before, starting off with a clear set of values alignment. So WHY is it important to be a kind place of work? Your people are already judging you based on your impact in this world, and respect these days takes more than a Ping-Pong table and beers on a Friday. In this keynote we deep dive into the 5 pillars of Kindness in Leadership and the benefits for people, profit and planet. Anna will also be sharing evidence-based advice, tips and strategies for using the power of Kind to future-proof your business. Filled with examples, laughter and plenty of good vibes this keynote is just what your people need right now.Tomorrows Leader is a Kind One - engaging a purpose driven workforce
This keynote will cover:
Annas inspirational story of resilience
Overview of current business landscape
5 Pillars of Kind Leadership
Diversity & Inclusion in business
Authenticity in leadership
Understanding your sphere of influence
Leading purpose driven people
Evidence-based advice, tips and strategies
Call to action of your choice
Perfect for: Inhouse Strategy Days, High schools and higher education, stakeholder engagement events. Team/leadership development
Corporate Kindness is the new ESG
With investors squeezing for improved ESG, senior leadership is now stuck between profit and purpose like never before, with a large number of CEO’s facing a wave of change. How do you please both share holder and stakeholder, while improving your triple bottom line? Through her own story Anna explores the relationship between the kindness of businesses and their success. Social Responsibility and ESG is about more than giving back to the community; it is the act of integrating the desire to make systemic change into the very heart of everything you do. In this keynote we cover an overview of the breadth of impact your business can create, while bringing everyone back to the simple day to day acts of kindness that together make for massive change and improved customer, staff and stakeholder engagement.Corporate Kindness is the new ESG
Anna will also be sharing evidence-informed insights, Corporate Kindness Curriculum pillars, and strategies for using the power of Kind to future-proof business for generations to come. Filled with examples, laughter and plenty of good vibes this keynote is just what your people need right now.
This keynote will cover:
Annas inspirational story of resilience
Overview of current business landscape
Changing trends in consumer preferences
Applying ESG through human centred strategies
Examples of businesses working hard at working kind
Call to action of your choice
Perfect for: Inhouse Strategy Days, High schools and higher education, stakeholder engagement events. Team/leadership development
The role of Corporate Kindness in Accelerating Women
As a gay, neurodiverse traveller; Anna has had her fair share of ‘otherness’ along the way, while learning strategies to build confidence and advocate for inclusion and women in leadership and on boards. Through her own heart-warming story Anna explores the relationship between leadership kindness and success, unpacking the role of inclusion and increase in equality as an essential strategy for future-proofing business. Anna will also be sharing evidence-based advice, insights and strategies for using the power of accelerating women. Filled with examples, laughter and plenty of good vibes this keynote is just what your people need right now.The role of Corporate Kindness in Accelerating Women
This keynote will cover:
Annas inspirational story of resilience
Overview of current business landscape
Changing trends in consumer/ preferences
Accelerating women who change the world
Examples of businesses working hard at working kind
Evidence-based advice, tips and strategies
Call to action of your choice
Perfect for: Mardi Gras, IWD, Diversity events, Inhouse Strategy Days, High schools and higher education, stakeholder engagement events. Team/leadership development
Video
Anna Sheppard Showreel 2021
Anna uses the power of her own story to join the dots between brand, people and CSR. She was rated one of the most inspirational and feel-good speakers by our 2020 Marketing Academy Scholars ... keep reading The Marketing Academy
You hit the nail on the head as we say... we are ready for "next stage"
Great storytelling, inspirational message
Truly inspirational and eye opening to the type of leader you could be that can change the world
