Friday, June 19, 2015
Greetings from Sri Lanka! I arrived on Tuesday, June 16, and have been enjoying the natural beauty and hospitality of this beautiful country. On Wednesday, I had the privilege of meeting the extraordinary Otara Gunewardene, Sri Lankan entrepreneur, philanthropist and fashion icon. Otara founded Sri Lanka’s premier fashion and lifestyle store Odel. Otara started Odel by selling surplus clothing from the trunk of her car and has since overseen the brand through two decades of explosive growth. Last year, she sold all of her shares in Odel to pursue her childhood passion: helping the street dogs of Sri Lanka by creating the Embark clothing and accessories brand. In her media statement, Otara said:
“I believe everybody has a purpose in life, one that goes beyond material gain…25 years on from when I started Odel and as I turn a grateful 50, I find it harder to silence what I know is my own true calling in life, which is to help animals. I have tried to do as much as I can for them over the years, as well as to help people understand the importance of living in a world in harmony with animals and people, but it is time to do more…My love for fashion has always been linked with my passion for animals and to helping our world – both people and animals – co-exist for our future.”
Otara told me that, while the work remains challenging and occasionally frustrating, it is also enormously rewarding. She believes attitudes toward animals are changing in Sri Lanka, especially among young people. As an animal lover myself, I came away inspired by and grateful for her efforts. Otara epitomizes what leaders can accomplish with passion, conviction, and vision. She is a powerful symbol for one of my favorite speaking topics: the power of purpose at work and in life.
