BEST OF: Perfecto Sanchez: A Life of Service & Impact (E236)

First aired 11/04/22 Perfecto Sanchez is a decorated military veteran with two combat tours to Iraq, who was originally born and raised in NYC by way of a tough Jamaican mom and later, West Point. He has over 10 years of corporate marketing and impact strategy experience, from launching Kraft’s most successful innovation to date, to launching Brooklyn’s first Organic Christmas Tree Company. Perfecto currently serves as the Founder and CEO of Keep The Change; an impact strategy shop that serves a wide portfolio of clients across the U.S. from household name brands and foundations to national institutions and international nonprofits. Not to mention he was the first American to row across the North Sea, a project to raise awareness for Ocean Sustainability. This Episode’s Heavy-hitter’s: Perfecto was a Lieutenant straight out of Westpoint Academy, which put him in a position where he was challenged to earn the respect of his unit. He was also replacing a Lieutenant that had just been killed in action, and had an immensely respectable reputation. In other words, very big boots to fill. Originally, Perfecto did not want to make the documentary Against The Odds about his unit’s experience in Ramadi, Iraq. But after turning it down multiple times, he understood that it wasn’t about his own fame, but was rather about telling the story of his soldiers and the families of those who were lost. Per usual, Perfecto attributes his massive success leading the growth of Mio, which grew to a $100M+ company, to his team. To this day, they’re all still on a text thread together, even though they’re no longer on the same team. Interestingly enough– Perfecto actually borrows from his engineering background in leading his “Keep The Change” consulting company. He forms strategies around finding the “critical point” from which the most value can be created. This ones just a cool full-circle moment; Perfecto helped create a campaign with Budweiser where they emergency dropped pallets of beer to veterans out of a C130 aircraft. He got to connect with the veterans and see some finally get a welcome home that they were so overdue for. Special Bonus – The HEAVIEST Hitter: Without giving it away, we get some wisdom at the end of this episode from the woman who started it all: Perfecto’s Grandmother, who raised him. It starts at timestamp 44:48, you don’t want to miss it. Learn more about Perfecto and his organization at www.morechange.co