Shillong, Oct 17: “Start strong. Finish stronger.” If you ever find yourself in the company of Mark Laitflang Stone, chances are you’ll hear him speak these words quite often. And the more time you spend with and around him, the more you’ll realise how much they mean to him, and how these words are personified through him and his life. Probably one of the most hardworking people we know, Mark’s meticulous nature in getting things done is second only to the passion behind his purpose.
AVENUES: At the heart of Mark’s remarkable journey
Mark’s turning point in his journey as an award-winning Serial Entrepreneur, Impact Coach, Soft Skills & Leadership Trainer occurred when, at the age of 20, he founded AVENUES, Northeast India’s pioneering Life Coaching and Personal Excellence Training Social Enterprise, based in his hometown – Shillong, Meghalaya.
Shillong is tucked in a corner of the world where entrepreneurship is still finding its foothold. But as they say, ‘Home is where the heart is’, and Mark’s passion to drive social change helped him find his own footing in a landscape that’s still forming. With a heart that beats for the wellbeing of young people, Mark has made it his life’s mission to unlock the true potential of tribal youth across the Northeast region of India, and to initiate ground-breaking interventions of high social impact for the community.
As an institution builder, Mark leads a competent, caring team of young life coaches whose meaningful interventions in soft skills, leadership, capacity building, life coaching and personal development have touched the lives of over 1,00,000 young people across Northeast India.
A large part of this has been made possible with the Avenues Curriculum which is built on a change model that recognises the gaps in conventional learning and introduces pioneering innovations that can transform parched classrooms into oases of life skills and hotbeds of untapped potential.
One of the workshops – “Own Your Story” – imparts critical Leadership Training to young people through modules that build interpersonal communication skills and shared values that help forge authentic human connections based on mutual respect and understanding.
The Impact Speaker
Today, Mark is a sought-after keynote and impact speaker and has addressed audiences in India, Switzerland, Thailand and Brunei. He is a published author, and has co-authored an Amazon bestseller “Coach Wisdom II”.
His past engagements have included a Founding Curatorship for the Global Shapers community with the World Economic Forum as well as Co-Chairmanship for the “Adult Literacy” vertical of the National Council for the Confederation of Indian Industry’s India@75 Foundation.
Most recently, his 18 years of relentless commitment towards imparting unconventional education across Northeast India has won him the first-ever Northeast Young Heroes Awards 2020 by Leaders Connect.
An entrepreneurial approach to tackle COVID-19 crisis
As the fight against Covid-19 continues, Mark leverages his social media networks to connect with the community and audiences around the world through empowering conversations and messages that instil hope, strength and resolve during these difficult times. His vast experience across diverse fields such as technology, events and hospitality, telecom distribution, life coaching and business consulting echoes inspiration, courage and entrepreneurial resilience, all of it built on his passion to help prepare the youth community for a world of possibilities amidst a life of uncertainties.
Over the course of his two-decade social entrepreneurial journey, he remains unyielding in his commitment to champion the aspirations of young people, and he does it with a spring in his step and light in his eyes every single time.
Mark Laitflang bags Asian youth empowerment leader award
In recognition of over two decades of Serial Entrepreneurship and Youth Empowerment Leadership, Mark Laitflang Stone will be felicitated by AsiaOne with the inaugural edition of AsiaOne Asian Youth Empowerment Leader 2O2O-21 Award.
Also read : Mark Laitflang bags Asian Youth Empowerment Leader Award
AsiaOne is an international media house and the only Pan-Asia Business & News magazine whose pioneering Platform of Excellence recognises and felicitates brand leaders in Asia, Africa and the GCC. The 15th Asia Middle East Africa Business & Social Forum Summit will be held on October 26, 2021, in DUBAI, UAE. The prestigious event will witness participation by Business Owners, Political Leaders, Dignitaries and Celebrities from multiple countries, and the felicitation of leaders and brands for their achievements and contribution towards socio-economic development of the region.
