From Disruption to Innovation: Building an Entrepreneurial Mindset in Global Impact

​Hosted by Julia Firestone & Kwaku Aning

​90-minute Interactive Workshop | Format: Small Groups + Startup Labs

​The global impact sector is in flux. From restructuring at USAID to widespread layoffs across NGOs and development orgs, disruption is the new normal. But what if we could meet these challenges not with fear — but with imagination and entrepreneurial action?

​In this highly participatory session, Leadership Coach and Impact Strategist Julia Firestone and educational innovator and people connector Kwaku Aning invite you to shift from reactive to proactive — turning uncertainty into fuel for innovation.

​Part 1: Futurism & Imagination

​How can we use futures thinking to repurpose our skill sets in a changing landscape of social impact? Together, we will envision bold new possibilities for the sector and ourselves. This is a space for radical imagination, fresh thinking, and creativity.

​Part 2: Actualization & Action

​We’ll shift from ideation to implementation. Participants will form mini start-up teams, identify real-world resources and partners, and make tangible commitments to take their ideas forward — transforming vision into momentum.

​You’ll leave this session with:

• ​A reframed perspective on disruption as opportunity

• ​Concrete next steps and new collaborators

• ​Tools to build an entrepreneurial mindset in the face of change

​Whether you're a funder, founder, intrapreneur, or impact leader navigating this moment, this session is a chance to reclaim your agency and help design the future of global impact.