Scaling Social Impact: A Candid Chat with Scott Beale

In the world of social entrepreneurship, few stories are as compelling and full of teachable moments as Scott Beale’s story. Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting Scott on our Outside Insights podcast, where he shared his personal journey from an aspiring changemaker to a global leader in fostering youth leadership and international volunteerism.

Scott, who grew up in a family of educators, had his eyes opened to the world’s inequities while volunteering in Bosnia at age 20. This experience led him to found Atlas Corps in 2005, an innovative program often described as a “reverse Peace Corps.” The mission of Atlas Corps is to address critical social issues by developing leaders and strengthening organizations through training programs and a global alumni community of skilled social change professionals. I strongly encourage you to learn more about their mission here.

Building Atlas Corps from the ground up was not easy. Scott faced plenty of skepticism from others along the way. But he persisted, fueled by the belief that positive change is possible when you refuse to accept the status quo.

“People often fear that…when you choose to believe that change is possible, you then become responsible for making change. It’s much easier to accept you have no power than to try to change the world.”

-Scott Beale

Now, Scott’s journey has led him to his current position as the U.S. Peace Corps’ Associate Director for Global Operations. In this role, Scott continues to advocate for international service. On this episode of Outside Insights, he shares personal reflections that I really connected with, as he emphasized the importance of enjoying the journey rather than fixating on the destination.  Scott and I have been loosely connected via family connections over the last many years, and I watched from afar as Scott built Atlas Corps from scratch. Over time, I began to understand his mission and see his impressive outcomes and impact.  This is a classic story of an entrepreneur finding a gap in the marketplace and filling it with a passionate solution.

Scott’s advice to our listeners is simple yet profound: seize any opportunity to make a difference. The road may be unpredictable, but it is rewarding. His story is a powerful call to action—be bold, embrace the journey, and use your potential to transform the world.If you’re inspired to create change, remember Scott’s words and take those first steps towards a better future.

Do you have a “crazy” idea that has the potential to make a big impact? It doesn’t have to change the world to be profound – it could change one life, or even just change your life. Reply to this email and let me know.

Until next time friends,

Chris