Nir Zavaro is the Founder, CEO, and Chief of Happiness at Streetwise, an agency that specializes in outsourced marketing services. Founded in 2011, the company has worked with hundreds of brands in Israel and abroad. Nir is also a speaker and the author of the upcoming book, F*ck the Slides.
Ami Kassar is the Founder and CEO of MultiFunding, a company that provides financing to small business owners. Since 2010, MultiFunding has helped businesses achieve their biggest growth goals through creative and personalized funding solutions, including SBA loans and other funding options. Ami is the author of The Growth Dilemma and has earned a national reputation as a thought leader in business finance.
Fran Biderman-Gross is the Founder and CEO of Advantages, an award-winning branding and marketing agency. She works with clients to scale and grow their businesses resulting in increased market share, improved client and employee retention, and accelerated revenue and profit. Fran is also the host of the Drive Profit with Purpose podcast and co-author of How to Lead a Values-Based Professional Services Firm: 3 Keys to Unlock Purpose and Profit.
Ab DeWeese is the Founder and Non-executive Chairman of Good Automation, a firm that provides automated test, validation, and qualification systems. Ab is a public speaker, serial entrepreneur, investor, and board director in various business ventures.
In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran sits down with EO members Nir Zavaro, Ami Kassar, Fran Biderman-Gross, and Ab DeWeese to talk about the recent terror attack on Israel. They discuss the horrific atrocities committed, how their families and friends have been affected, and how the EO community has been supporting Israel.
Here’s a Glimpse of What You’ll Hear:
- [01:22] How John Corcoran’s family has been impacted by the terror attack in Israel
- [02:17] Nir Zavaro’s experience living in war-torn Tel Aviv, Israel
- [08:35] Ami Kassar talks about EO’s involvement in supporting the victims of the war
- [11:00] How Fran Biderman-Gross learned about the attack on Israel
- [15:42] Why Ab DeWeese started a WhatsApp group to support victims of the war
- [20:41] Mobilization efforts by the EO community and strategies for supporting Israel
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
- Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)
- EO Israel
- Nir Zavaro’s website
- Nir Zavaro on LinkedIn
- Streetwise Agency
- Ami Kassar on LinkedIn
- MultiFunding
- The Growth Dilemma: Determining Your Entrepreneurial Type to Find Your Financing Comfort Zone by Ami Kassar
- Fran Biderman-Gross on LinkedIn
- Advantages
- Drive Profit with Purpose podcast
- How to Lead a Values-Based Professional Services Firm: 3 Keys to Unlock Purpose and Profit by Don Scales and Fran Biderman-Gross
- Good Automation
- Ab DeWeese on LinkedIn
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Episode Transcript
John Corcoran 0:00
Today is a somber topic and not one that I expected to be talking about. Today we’re talking about the terror attacks in Israel and the worldwide response. We’re recording this on October 12 of 2023. I’ve assembled a panel of guests who are all active members of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, which has mobilized an amazing amount of support. And we’re going to talk a little bit about some of the things that are happening at this moment in time. But first, I want to quote President Biden, who said that this was a pure unadulterated evil that was unleashed on this world. Unfortunately, more than 1000 civilians were slaughtered, killed, slaughtered, at least 25 American citizens killed, you know, parents that were killed, saving their children, it was just absolutely awful. We all try and see what we can do at times like these when something happens. And I figured that I could use this platform that I’ve built in order to shine a light on some of the good things that are happening right now. And also to educate anyone listening to this, and anyone watching this on how they can contribute. But this is undoubtedly a humanitarian crisis. It has nothing to do with politics at all. It’s very personal for me. On my wife’s side, we have two aunts in Israel, one in Jerusalem, one in the north endzone from your Cove, two first cousins in Jerusalem, one in Tel Aviv, one of whom is in the IDF reserve and will likely be called up one of the places that was hardest hit, I’m not sure how to pronounce it, but Caboose, very. I didn’t even know this. But we have extended family on my wife’s side that was there, one of whom was taken hostage for about 24 hours. And then he was released. I have a family friend who lives 100 yards from me, whose kids are friends with my kids who are Israeli, and her husband is having to go back to Israel tonight on a plane. It makes me very angry. This is touching everyone in every part of this globe. It affects all of us. And that’s why I decided to do this here today. I want to start with my friend near Varro. Near you’re in Israel, I believe in Tel Aviv. Take us through what the last four days have been like I know you’re operating on very little sleep. But tell us what the experience has been like for you what you’ve been going through.
Nir Zavaro 2:36
I don’t know if you know this. On Sunday, I was supposed to launch a book titled The fact that slides which I’ve been working on for two years now gives us the situation is I woke up on Saturday at 7:30 to an alarm. I didn’t even hear the first siren I was asleep. And life changed. I think we couldn’t even understand the magnitude and the first hours we were sitting next to the TV understand that something unfolds. But in Israel terror attacks. They happened. What happened now is not a terror attack. There’s a purge. It’s an unbelievable situation. This is a nation grieving in shock. People say I feel for you I’m sorry. I hope we meet soon. Or how are you? We don’t even know how to answer to these things. My best friend, his kids are sleeping next to their mom because they’re afraid they’re gonna get kidnapped at night. The streets are closed, things are empty. This is a nationwide trauma. I want to stay and this has nothing to do with politics. I believe that both sides have issues Hamas has one goal. And that’s an if you could look at the charter. It’s to kill Jews and then the rest of the world. I believe on Saturday we work woke up to what is a new reality.
It started here. It’s unbelievable. I believe it will expand the next month. I think what we’re seeing is not just unprecedented. It went to a peace party and executed 260 people some guys will rate was three. The boyfriends were executed. Next is insanity. We don’t even know how to comprehend what is happening. We believe that at the moment as people as members, you know are supposed to travel the world and do stuff life has changed for us will never be the same. We’re asking ourselves how we come back from this and there’s always the same with come back stronger and this in that weather the moment even though we’re all focused on I’ve been awake for 72 hours. was working. And you don’t, you don’t come back from this. This is you know, I speak to EO members all over the world when they will try and console us. And I say, first of all, you can’t. And secondly, do me a favor, hug your kids. It started with us. It’s coming. This is how we feel. We’d never had in my generation a declaration of war. This terror attack happened exactly 50 years. And one day, after our last war, we lost 3000 soldiers. Just to give you the magnitude, we are now the body count of over 1200 The equivalent for 911 News that it’s 10 times the fuel per capita. And it’s not to cleanse hitting the building. It’s terror, going house to house, purging the homes.
And you know, you and I often talk about business and podcasts and wants to talk about these things in a more slick place when sucked out. I want to say that sometimes when things happen, we say now we get the job done. We will grieve tomorrow. So for us, as your members chapter leaders and so on. And we decided to focus on getting the job done. And we have over 900 We have over 900 members of the movement on a WhatsApp group from all over the world deserve 50 or 60 countries. We rally together Jewish non Jewish people who have never been to Israel, they have no idea where this place is even on the map, but they understand the gravity of the situation and we decided to take action. That’s where most of the work is done. By the way, I think. Um, you will correct me I think yesterday we got enough money to buy three ambulances. We’re focused on three key initiatives while Riki initiatives donations. Yeah.
John Corcoran 7:22
I want to go to army Hill brief us on some of the initiatives before I do near what is it like out on the street if you go out into the streets right now?
Nir Zavaro 7:33
The streets are empty in Tel Aviv. Most places are closed. On Sunday, there was a coffee shop open and ask the guy why did you open and he said, Look, I’m not not the owner, anything. I opened because people will need coffee. And is there alone every day. Now, some places are opening a few hours just to offer a certain relief. So people come by a cup of coffee and leave no one sits. I walk around the streets at midnight I’m alone in the street that use should be tonight. Packed with 1000s of people party 1000 energy. So this is the situation in the moment in the heart of the country. Yeah.
John Corcoran 8:22
Near I know you might have to go at a moment’s notice. And I know that you’re operating a very little sleep. So give you permission to leave if you if you need to. Thank you for understanding. Yeah, thank you for everything. Stay safe near me, let’s go to you. First of all, thank you for your leadership and for all of your leadership. You all have been very involved. But I mean, you’ve been organizing webinars and getting people on Zoom calls and organizing groups. Talk a little bit about you know, this, this organization for those who aren’t familiar with it, Entrepreneurs Organization, 18,000 entrepreneurs, successful entrepreneurs, all over the globe, with chapters in hundreds of different companies. 100 plus different countries, including in Israel, talk a lot about what you’ve been doing since Saturday.
Ami Kassar 9:07
First to know that maybe, like many people in America or around the world, I had this complete sense of despair for the first 24 hours. I just didn’t, I couldn’t even function properly. And then I decided that doing nothing and laying around the house moping and stuck to the news 24/7 and feeling hopeless was not enough. And then as I thought, let me do everything I can to help rally. It’s not just it’s not me. It’s everyone in the community. The power of the EO community to see if we can learn leverage our resources and our networks to do everything we can. Immediately in my mind, the chapter and Israel became our client. They have so much on their plates, they are members taking food out to their kids and the army bases and this and that, and the other, many kids would be called to service. And I said, let’s connect with the EO chapter. Not applaud AB this, this podcast for starting a WhatsApp group having the foresight to do that I didn’t even realize avid started until yesterday. And collectively, we are leveraging the power of like 900 and growing entrepreneurs now around the world who care about the situation, and are trying to do everything in our power to help. So great.