Carolina García Jayaram on Working with Mother Teresa, “Whole Leaders,” and Making Good Famous

In this episode of From Vision to Creation, Alexander sits down with Carolina García Jayaram — founding CEO of The Elevate Prize Foundation — to explore how storytelling, wellness, and trust-based philanthropy can supercharge social impact. From volunteering alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta to launching Elevate Studios and the “Nevertheless” documentary series, Carolina shares how visibility, unrestricted funding, and whole-leader practices help change makers scale solutions and stay resilient. If you’re into purpose-driven work, creative media, and building movements that last, this conversation is a blueprint for making good famous without burning out. 🎙️ Hosted by Alexander Schmieding In this interview, you’ll learn: -How volunteering with Mother Teresa shaped Carolina’s leadership and service ethos -Why “whole leader” practices (mindfulness, retreats, coaching) make organizations more effective -The power of visibility: why brand, media, and story are underfunded in nonprofits -How to beat “impact fatigue” with content that’s both delicious and nutritious -Why unrestricted capital + tailored capacity-building changes trajectories -How Elevate Prize connects creators, donors, and world-class problem solvers at scale In this interview, we discuss: 2:43 Impact of Cuban Refugee Background 4:09 Year in India and Women’s Studies 5:54 Bride Burning 7:56 Meeting Mother Teresa 15:36 Law School and Nonprofit Beginnings 19:53 Founding the Elevate Prize Foundation 23:36 Making Good Famous 28:01 Storytelling for Social Impact 34:26 The Resilience of Democracy Defenders 36:27 Global Challenges and the Rise of Fascism 39:06 Innovative Social Causes and their Impact 43:07 The Power of Meditation and Mindfulness 53:05 Empowering Future Leaders and Influencers Episode Resources: https://www.elevateprize.org https://www.youtube.com/@ElevatePrize https://www.instagram.com/elevateprize/ https://www.instagram.com/fromvisiontocreation/ https://www.instagram.com/alexschmieding https://www.tiktok.com/@fromvisiontocreation Subscribe for more conversations with visionaries turning ideas into reality. This podcast is brought to you by Proper Placement – a full-service marketing agency helping brands grow through social media marketing, paid advertising, PR, email marketing, and more. Learn more at www.properplacement.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices