Inner Wealth

Scaling Deep: Impact of One-to-One Leadership Journeys

Vadivu — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 06:54:13 +0000

Given the scale of social problems, it is natural that we want scale in our interventions. But what if that scale came in a less visible way? Would we be able to spot it?

In this document, “Scaling Deep”, I share examples of how leaders in the farmed animal movement have benefited from long-term one-to-one journeys with me.

“Scaling Deep” explores a different form of scale – one that enables leaders to dive deep within themselves and unleash their potential and allow that to exponentially ripple out to the many lives they touch. While this may appear less visible than programmatic expansion, this document shares how such work builds durable capacity.

This visual makes explicit what the naked eye cannot see. This is not small-scale work. There is systems leverage here.

Within the document:

Common perceptions such as the following are addressed. “This is small-scale, slow, high-cost work.” “Artificial Intelligence can do this work”.
I share examples of shifts my clients have experienced. For example, one client grew her organisational capacity and was freed to lead the organisation by focusing on the big picture and using her energising strengths. She shared:

“I felt empowered to lead the hiring process entirely by myself….(before I was too scared and overwhelmed to do this)…During this process, I used the strength based approach to look for the best qualities that would complement our team, and ended up with finding the amazing [deleted name of staff]. This work has freed up time for our team to focus our efforts to strategically best support the farm animal welfare community, and not be so limited in our capacity.

I spent a few months trying to develop a resource platform but due to my struggles with technology, I simply could not make much progress. After hiring our wonderful new operations specialist, she was able to create a functioning system in two days! We will be able to support so many people through developing this resource bank…“

As I zoom in, Amruza Birdie of Reveal Impact zooms out and shares patterns and themes from coaching leaders in the movement as well. We hope this complementary take enables readers to get a fuller picture of what clients face and how they benefit.
Reflection questions are included to support contemplation, discussion and meaningful action.
You will see photos and artwork by clients which capture their ways of seeing or being in the world as they have gone through their journeys of growth and transformation.

While all interested in social change (including outside this specific movement) can benefit from this document, it could be particularly useful for funders, organisational leaders (all levels), board members, and servant leaders. Servant leaders do not always have a leadership title; they lead through their care for people.

These journeys are confidential. I am grateful to clients for granting permission for parts of their experience, artwork and photos to be shared in service of the movement and beyond.

The photo montage above is by a client who has blossomed like a lotus. In Asia, all parts of a lotus can serve – the flower, stem, root, pod, seeds. Part of my work has been to put up a mirror to clients so they can recognise their leadership which has service at its heart.

Our work for the leaders in this movement is made possible by philanthropists. If you are in philanthropy and would like to learn more on bringing such support to leaders in the change-making space you support, feel free to get in touch. We work remotely and between 8am and 8pm Singapore time.

If you don’t need subsidised rates and are from the nonprofit, business or government sectors, and would like to explore such journeys for leaders in your organisation, contact us.

Read “Scaling Deep” here and if you find it useful, share it with those in philanthropy, social change or other decision-makers.

Speech: Be an Inner Billionaire at Work

Vadivu — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 04:58:37 +0000

“Be an inner billionaire at work.”

That was the title of our speech and dialogue for 300 public servants at a Ministry. These are a few highlights and slides.

I started with remembering my dad (photographed with me below), who was in public service for over 40 years and died last year, and the qualities he embodied.

We introduced “care, serve, grow” as three values that inner billionaires embody at work. While these may sound simple, if we all practised these consistently, we would be living in a different world.

I shared excerpts from the letter I wrote the person who scammed me of money, and what that forgiveness and service did for me although I never heard back. And linked this back to growing through the tests the audience may face through their work.

I shared about Olivia, a taxi driver whose presence lit up her taxi and served me in a profound way. And used this to introduce the concept of having a calling orientation to work where you focus on meaningfully making a difference to others and creating a better society.

I spoke about what people who are dying have discovered, and how that aligns with inner wealth – people like the late Singaporean millionaire, Dr Richard Teo who, upon his cancer diagnosis, went through a transformation and realised the power of kindness, service and relationships.

I invited them into a minute of silence to appreciate themselves for how they already show care and service to stakeholders, and reflect on a time when this brought them most joy and fulfilment. During this silence, I said I would sweep the room with my appreciation of them. This was a powerful moment for me – to hold silence and send beams of appreciation from my heart to the audience during a speech.

I then interviewed my team-member, Daphne Yuan her on how she had lived out “care, serve and grow” when she was a civil servant. Her inspiring journey and examples brought our message home to their context.

From our resource list, we highlighted “The Rookie”, a Netflix show with inner billionaire characters at work, so they could continue the learning journey.

We got people thinking of wealth and the term “billionaire” in new ways. We reminded all that “inner billionaire” isn’t an exclusive group of perfect people. It is in all of us to develop.

How are you already bringing your inner billionaire to work everyday? Appreciate yourself.
How can you step into this more this year?
Enjoy the wonderful sense of meaning and purpose you experience as you do this.

It felt synchronous to do this for the public service exactly five months after my dad died. It felt like he was walking with me through this.

Alliance Opinion Piece: How could funders nurture changemakers’ wellbeing?

Vadivu — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 06:16:29 +0000

In my Opinion piece that has been published in “Alliance”, a global magazine on philanthropy and social investment, I focus on a few things funders could do to nurture change-makers’ wellbeing:

Fund effective wellbeing interventions
Offer transformational presence and relationship
Explore inner transformation

I consider inner transformation the most foundational because as I write in the piece, funders:

“may be distant from ground level suffering. Or people may not speak openly with them or point out blind spots. And their decisions affect many.”

If you know of or are part of funder networks, please share the article if it resonates and contact us if we can be of support.

– Vadivu Govind

Leadership Retreat: Animal Alliance Asia

Vadivu — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 06:08:13 +0000

It was a special joy to design and facilitate a customised leadership retreat for the core team and country directors of Animal Alliance Asia, which empowers animal justice advocates across Asia. Here are some gems from the participant feedback I appreciated.

“It addresses a real gap and acknowledges our value outside of productivity.”
“There are many ways to acknowledge our value/impact of our work other than just numbers.”

This group cares about building community, empowering local leaders, doing work in culturally relevant ways, and living out their organisational values. This is not captured in quantifiable outcomes that are sometimes emphasised by external stakeholders. So through discussion with them, we co-created a project debrief discussion guide that honours the whole journey – learning and growth, relationships, values honoured, wellbeing etc

“We can have fun and experience joy in activism. We need our wellbeing to create the impact we want to create in our respective communities.”

To question the status quo can be challenging. To see them light up and view activism with this lens was beautiful.

Sometimes the mission of social impact work is so important, that we forget these are human beings, not tools, who are working for the mission. They are to be cherished and nurtured. This consolidates compassion and justice – the very things they are working for.

“Sometimes I get in between the divided thoughts and philosophy of this society, even in our movement, and I have always thought of ways to get out of it but haven’t be able to. But after this retreat, I believe that I might have found some light as a potential solution to deal with that problem.”

We used an activity to enable them to take the perspective of key stakeholders who may have differing views from them.

“Well-being is never just personal, there’re always structural elements.”

And leaders play a very important role in creating the culture in organisations for people to flourish and do inspired work.

We were wholly human together. Lots of tears and laughter. Based on our conversations on the first day, I introduced them to a song on the second day – an anthem on empowerment and speaking your truth bravely. We even sang it together. Liberating.

These were other words they left with:

“…the depths of transformations that I never experienced in other workshops.”
“enlightenment and reset”
“hopeful and deep”
“collective healing”
“Grateful and life-affirming”

Gratitude to Animal Alliance Asia for trusting and co-creating with us, and to our funders for being our catalytic partners.

AVA Summit: Wellbeing

Vadivu — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 05:58:06 +0000

“I felt seen for the first time with the hard feelings I sometimes struggle with.”
“LOVE for my people, my family and my staff.”
“Feeling grateful that a session like this exists and to see mental health become a priority.”
“Loving support.”
“Peers – We are not alone.”

These were some of the gifts participants wrote they were leaving the “Wellbeing: The Hidden Catalyst for More Powerful Impact” workshop with. I facilitated this recently with veteran animal advocate Anbarasi Boopal at the Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit in Delhi.

I shared with them on the wellbeing challenges animal advocates in Asia experience, from burnout and depression to suicidal ideation.

We took a silent pause to connect to the possibility that those of us in the room may be quietly facing those very issues. I guided us to fill our hearts with compassion for ourselves, then radiate it to everyone in the room, then everyone in the Summit, and out to everyone in Delhi and beyond.

They picked quotes their hearts connected to from interviewees we had done on burnout and stress in the farmed animal movement in Asia and did a guided reflection and discussion. Some had just met but they shared openly.

One participant came up with the powerful term “self-abandonment” – where one’s own needs and wellbeing have been abandoned as they focus on the animals.

One said that her favourite image on our slide deck was the one showing how leaders play an important role in creating the work culture which then impacts work performance and animals. This vital link is often under-appreciated.

With vulnerability and authenticity, Anbu shared her journey on wellbeing as a leader and long-time advocate. It was pure joy and flow working with her. When values align, strengths are complementary, and the bond is deep, collaboration truly feels light and effortless.

Everyone received an evidence-based wellbeing poster and an inspirational pop-up card with different messages on the theme of Hope. Some said it was just what they needed to hear. And we gave access to a list of pro-social leadership resources and more.

When I bumped into some participants during the Summit, they expressed appreciation for the highly interactive nature of the session.

Some continued the conversation with raw honesty on their personal journey or the movement’s wellbeing challenges – on burnout culture, that the message for leaders was important, that those who need to learn on this topic the most may not do so etc. Listening to such voices from the ground helps me reflect on what more could be done.

Huge gratitude to the organisers for making space for this topic, to Anbu for being a fabulous project-partner, to our wonderful participants and to our visionary funders for believing in our work.

Love transforms

Vadivu — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:01:45 +0000

Among the huge number of people at Impact Week, I serendipitously bumped into the amazing agent (and angel) of change, Lam Nguyen-Phuong. (extreme left).

That led to me learning about and watching “Loving Karma” and attending an event by Asia Philanthropy Circle which hosted Lobsang Phuntsok, a former monk and founder of Jhamtse Gatsal, the non-profit featured in the film.

The seeds of our purpose lie in our own lives. In his TEDx talk, Lobsang says he learned: ”My most unbearable pain is my most powerful resource.”

Born in the toilet to a single mother, Lobsang was left under dried leaves used to cover human excrement. He showed many behavioural problems and was sent to the monastery. He became a monk, and later, started the community for unwanted children.

His inner transformation and healing (including healing of the relationship with his mother) led to his service. Today Jhamtse is a community and learning center that impacts people globally. The children there are nurtured to be changemakers.

“Love transforms.” These were my first words to Lobsang. He takes in unwanted children and they go through a process of transformation through love. In fact, when asked how he chooses the children they take in, he goes for those with the worst behavioural challenges.

Lobsang asked me what I thought after watching the film. I said Jhamtse is a jewel – small but its radiance is far-reaching. Because his work is deep. Those of us who are doing smaller scale, deep work can find inspiration in this.

Lam wisely said “deep” is a different kind of scale. Yes. We need to cultivate the eyes and heart to appreciate this, and not only look at visible numbers reached through social impact initiatives.

Lobsang said education should teach about love. YES. This is true literacy for life. And to do this, it is also the teachers who need to be cared for and embody love to the children. It cannot just come from unembodied lessons, taught clinically.

Lobsang teaches the children to gift others with their Presence. He teaches them to transform themselves so they become like butterflies who are light and don’t get poked by the thorns of the rose-bush.

This has been a key life lesson for me too. We are focused so much on doing but what does someone experience around our presence and Being? That is the litmus test of our growth and service.

At Inner Wealth, we coined the term “inner billionaire”, for people who embody qualities such as love, wisdom, service and inner growth. Their richness lies in meaning, purpose, depth and the difference they humbly make in others’ lives.

All of us have an inner billionaire within, to be awakened for the wellbeing of all. One of my great joys is meeting inner billionaires like Lobsang and Lam. In the presence of inner billionaires, we are inspired to cultivate our own inner billionaire.

What do people experience in your Presence?
Who are the inner billionaires who inspire you?

Buy Now! Netflix Film

Vadivu — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 04:22:37 +0000

“Buy Now!” is an illuminating wake up call film.
Transformational stories. Fearless truth-speaking. Stunning visuals.

It shines a light on disturbing practices by businesses to get consumers to buy more, leading us to environmental devastation.

If you’re a decisionmaker watching it, you have the opportunity to ask yourself soul-searching questions.

It might empower you to see that other senior leaders like former Adidas Brand President, Eric Liedtke can go through deep inner transformation, and now contribute positively to the world.

It reminds me that when we feel full within, we don’t grasp for material things at the cost of life. This is what inner wealth is about – what emerges when we’re connected to ourselves, others and life through values such as love, service and character growth. Inadequate attention on these is part of the root causes of the problems we’re facing now.

The courage of whistleblowers featured in the film is inspiring. As is the courage of the team that put this together to speak truthfully about powerful entities. This is soul power – the power of caring for our collective wellbeing.

Here’s wisdom from Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit: “Life is about experiences and the people that we’re with. The stuff that we have supports it, but it’s not the end. Whoever dies with the most stuff does not win.”

➤ If you’re from business, policy or other leadership schools or entities and would like support in working with your educators and curriculum so we can awaken heart and conscience, contact me.

➤ If you’re a senior leader open to re-evaluating your life so you have more life-giving impact, I offer nonjudgmental yet heart and conscience-evoking space and support.

➤ If you’re a funder open to sponsoring our wellbeing-oriented work for changemakers to thrive and work sustainably amidst such challenges, contact me. While our report on burnout is focused on the animal protection movement, it can serve others too.

➤ If you appreciate the film share it widely, especially with decisionmakers (in business and policymaking) and change agents such as educators, spiritual leaders and changemakers.

Watch it with others. Digest it silently. Feel fully. Ask yourselves and discuss questions such as:
What broke my heart most?
What restored my heart?
What is my heart inviting me towards?

Podcast interview: Inner Billionaire Heartset

Vadivu — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 04:10:46 +0000

People are fascinated by billionaires.

What if there is another kind of billionaire to aspire to become with the inner wealth that we all already have access to?

I use the term, “inner billionaire” purposefully, provocatively and playfully to get people thinking in fresh ways about wealth and aspirations. The root word of wealth is “weal” which means wellbeing but we have fallen so far from this as a species. Inner wealth brings us back to the roots and deepens that, for it contributes to collective wellbeing, not only personal wellbeing.

Inner wealth emerges when we are in deep connection with themselves, others and life through five key pathways:
be, love, serve, grow, play.

“Inner billionaire” doesn’t refer to an exclusive group of perfect people. We all have an inner billionaire within us. It’s a humbling journey to discover and grow ourselves and realise this potential within.

I had an enjoyable, flow-filled conversation with Lisa Partridge of The SIXCOMMS Podcast on this very topic.

To set the context for the importance of inner wealth, I started my sharing with reflections by the late millionaire Singaporean doctor, Dr Richard Teo after he was diagnosed with cancer. He lived a more material life before that:

“…it was just a job…patients were just a source of income, we become so lost that we serve nobody else but ourselves..

…Don’t let society tell you how to live. Don’t let the media tell you what you’re supposed to do. Those things happened to me. And I led this life thinking that these are going to bring me happiness.…

you have to decide whether you want to serve yourself, whether you are going to make a difference in somebody else’s life. Because true happiness doesn’t come from serving yourself….”

And with Lisa’s beautiful questions, we spoke about how inner wealth affects daily life, including work life and communication habits for a more meaningful and transformative dialogue.

Lisa is a consummate podcast host – still, deep, connected listener who holds space naturally for an easeful conversation. Outside the podcast too, every conversation I’ve had with Lisa – kind, giving, reflective, down-to-earth – has been deep, magical, expansive and peppered with laughter that makes the stomach hurt.

If you find the podcast meaningful, please join me in sharing it so we can jointly expand our definition of wealth to heal and transform ourselves and our planet.

Higher Purpose Friendship

Vadivu — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 04:03:13 +0000

Dinosaur.

At the end of our recent higher purpose friendship event, I asked participants for a word or image they were leaving with. And this word was offered by one participant.

It’s a resurrection of something ancient that seems to be extinct. This way of connecting with each other. The Presence such friends offer.

In the slide below, you can see a sketch of some characteristics of higher purpose friendship. Because of this friendship, we grow into our true potential and are of greater service to others.

In the breakout room I facilitated, I was overjoyed that two people from animal protection who are such compassionate, wise, humble beings were connecting. When people who embody such values meet, the magic is palpable.

Another highlight for me was the presence of someone I had met at a meditation retreat in Bali. Her presence had been so encouraging, positive and warm during the retreat and it was the same on zoom through her chat engagement, questions and feedback. She reminded me that heartful Presence is undeterred by virtual platforms and just shines and bursts through.

Co-host Zhi Ying Wong made a beautiful point that when structures are crumbling globally, including trust in leaders, higher purpose friendship becomes the trust-filled ground we can walk on. And she shared the beautiful Ram Dass quote:

“We’re all just walking each other home”.

Co-host Vivien Tai introduced the beautiful idea of intentional living to the group as she lives in such a community where the way they relate to each other and co-exist is all part of their growth. And how important vulnerability is to this.

One participant asked about workplaces and such higher purpose friendships. I said that while there is a challenge of lower psychological safety in many workplaces and people in the workplace may not be gathered around pro-social values, it is up to us to break patterns and create the kind of inspiring workplaces we want.

It is possible and helpful to find higher purpose friends even in workplaces where the culture may not be clearly aligned in this way. It takes some effort to put out a Signal so you can find each other. And when you do, you and your experience of work life can transform powerfully.

Through our group work for clients, we co-create a field where we are experiencing the best of each other and such higher-purpose connections are seeded. We are currently working on an offering for organisations to build higher-purpose community at work. If you’d like to be informed about it, please leave your details in our contact form.

PS: The photo above shows me communing with a dinosaur bone at Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, sensing into what it was communicating with me. I think after this session, it would say –

“We walk the earth again with you and your friends….
we will walk each other home.”

Life-affirming Networking

Vadivu — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 03:48:25 +0000

Does networking make you cringe?

A heart-centred client shared her aversion to it: “I don’t know what to say or what value I can add. It seems like people are out to get something for themselves.”

If in a leadership position in her next workplace, she would create a lot of positive impact. Building new connections that can enable this is important.

Over time, I’ve moved from discomfort to being more relaxed about networking. I move at my natural pace through the room, follow my intuition and value quality connection. Take what resonates, if anything.

Where possible, look out for values-aligned spaces which have curated people you may find meaningful connection with.

Radiate positive intention. While wanting to benefit ourselves at the cost of others isn’t helpful, wanting to serve others genuinely is needed and allows us to view networking positively.

Wear what reflects your inner shine. Inside-out authenticity can make you feel comfortable in your own skin and draw in others who pick up your essence with more ease.

If new to it, try structured opportunities where, for example, prompt questions are offered. For example: Wonderful walks by Lisa Partridge.

Be curious. Ask open questions. Listen deeply. Appreciate. Trust the flow. Sometimes I ask “What are you passionate about?” which brings a smile to some.

Serve with your presence, without expecting anything in return. At one networking event, someone shared a struggle as a leader. As I listened and empathised, her tears unexpectedly flowed. As she was open to it, I gave her feedback on being more people-centred. I later received a gratitude message on how supported she had felt.

If you feel safe, heard, appreciated, and experience values resonance, initiate post-event contact with the person.

Be open to surprise unfoldings.

After our second conversation at a networking event, which was filled with depth and flow like the first, I received an unexpected invitation from Lisa – to be her podcast guest. And gained a precious new friend with shared values.

Someone I met at a reception drew me in with her deep listening. I asked her for coffee. In time, her organisation became a client. We’ve enjoyed mutual positive influence over years. Sensing interest, I encouraged her to get a certification related to wellbeing which she did. On one birthday, she facilitated us to do clothes swapping at The Fashion Pulpit – fun and environment-friendly.

I met Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute (in photo) at the reception of an event he spoke at. The conversation flowed smoothly and led to me initiating a spontaneous interview on workplace happiness which I shared more broadly years ago.

Networking can be transformational instead of transactional. It depends on the heart and intentionality we bring to it.

What helps you connect with networking in more life-affirming ways?