“Your leadership needs to be permanently hinged on the door of risk.” - Jossy Chacko

When Michelle Grunberg was invited to the Global Leadership Summit for the first time by one of her clients, she responded with an immediate, make-the-client-happy response and said she was interested, even though she had no idea what it was.

“The Global Leadership Summit was NOT important to me…until I experienced it,” said Michelle.

“It has become one of the blessings God has bestowed upon me to be used as fuel for my fire and light in the darkness,” she said. “I have also found resources I can trust when my clients are ready to give, and a level of camaraderie I cannot find in most of the world. I trust that the leaders you bring to GLS are good trustworthy people I can ‘hook my wagon’ to and catapult my vision to change the world one business at a time.”

At the Summit, Michelle felt reaffirmed in her leadership and was challenged with a grander vision.

She had a 30-year background in sales in the corporate world where she served Fortune 100 firms. While there, she discovered her hard work was going toward the wrong purpose. Even though she was helping distressed organizations build profit and increase excellence, her work lacked the purpose God was calling her to. “I had no other purpose than to fill the pockets of corporate leaders who loved me at the end of the month for my great accomplishments, but then treated me like a dog on the first day of the next month.”

She regretted the example she was to her daughter. Her stress, frustration, long work hours and poor health were a great example of how NOT to lead.

God began to stir and plant a vision on her heart.

Perhaps there was a better way to allow businesses with excess to channel their profit towards a greater good.

Michelle left her corporate career and founded a company called, Iconnectu which focuses on building better businesses for the greater good in three major ways:

1. ICUGrow -- "The WAY to grow your business by leveraging your existing relationships.”

1. ICUCare -- “The TRUTH your clients see giving you clear vision.”

1. ICUGive -- “The LIFE support the community seeks aligned with your unique mission.”

Iconnectu is the bridge between better business and better giving. The workforce will help businesses grow, keep their clients and give back to worthy causes that are healing our world.

Attending the Summit has strengthened Michelle and her organization and prepared them to accomplish this mission. She continues to use the GLS resources to empower her team and take them to the next level of service.

Ultimately, the Summit catapulted Michelle’s leadership and affirmed her grander vision. “I attended in order to be close to my top client,” Michelle shares. “I will keep attending to be closer to those who inspire me to live out my God-given vision. I now know I have resources and a community of like-minded leaders whom I can share my fears with and turn them into loving action.”

Michelle leaves us with a challenge—one that she felt on her own heart when she took a risk, answered God’s call, and started a business. “Whatever God has placed on your heart to make a difference, He did so for a reason,” she shares. “If your mission, vision and values are aligned with your day-to-day accomplishments, you will cross the finish line a success.”

What risk will you take today to build a better world?