Barb Stegemann’s entrepreneurial vision was formed after her best friend—a soldier—was severely wounded in Afghanistan. Understanding that supporting Afghanistan’s economy was key to building stability for its people, Stegemann created The 7 Virtues, a company that sources organic, fair trade essential oils from countries experiencing turmoil (such as Afghanistan, Haiti the Middle East and Rwanda). Despite addressing complex global matters in her talks, Stegemann uses humor to explain how individuals can use business for good and effect change, both at home and worlds away. 

This week on the podcast, presented by the UB School Of Management Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness, Barb talks about starting her company, the passion involved in mission-driven entrepreneurship and the impact the company has had on war-torn farmers.