Natasha Rockstrom

Having lived across the globe-- in places like London, Stockholm, California, Montreal, Oman, and now Dubai, Natasha Rockstrom is a global citizen with a passion to ignite generosity in all around her. It all began from the seeds of a business school social experiment, where she along with her MBA colleagues and local elementary students sold t-shirts to buy bananas to gift for hugs on the streets of Stockholm. What transpired transformed her and showcased that the 'business' of love is powerful and universal. When an elementary student hugged an elderly woman who was brought to tears, they learned this woman lived alone with no family nearby, and this was her first hug in a long time. At the end of the experiment, 1200 hugs with 1200 such stories had rippled into the city, and the spirit of human connection rang radiant in everyone's hearts. 

From that point forwards, Natasha felt a strong pull to connect people through acts of giving. In her own journey, from visiting ashrams as a young child to business school to embarking on a 3-year unplanned and unpaid adventure where she volunteered and learned about social enterprise, she reflects, "It forced me to redefine my relationship with money and that forever changed the future of how I engaged in the monetary world. I realized that we don't own money or land or resources but rather are guardians or stewards of that resource. My inner knowing of that I was always a child of the universe empowered me to always ask and I've always received more than I ever needed."

Since then, Natasha and her partner Martin launched InJoy Giving, a social enterprise that inspires generosity and awakens happiness through online gifting experiences and in-person community events that celebrate human connection. She recently completed a 6-week learning journey, through which she whole-heartedly experimented with the power of small acts, accessing different forms of capital, and holding space for emergence amid a structured business setting. From gathering a crew of colleagues to gift muffins around the office building, to walking into high-stakes business meetings with the question, "How can we come together and bring generosity and love back into our community," Natasha's creative mind and heart of service is a steady wand that casts magic into her daily life and all around her.

She credits her inspiration to her grandmother, who was "a nun who ate what she needed, with few possessions that fit in a small bag, a heart big enough to take in the whole community and a peaceful smile and big hug always available," and from whom she learned that the biggest acts of generosity are embedded in the small things.

An entrepreneur, mother, wife, and steady servant leader, Natasha finds herself consistently fueled by the sight of people lighting up with wide smiles and the sound of her daughter's delighted laughter. In addition to crunchy popcorn, she loves music, children, and unearthing opportunities to embody love on a daily basis.

Join us on September 5th, 2015 to learn more about Natasha's vibrant journey.