AkshayKapur-1At Conscious, we meet social entrepreneurs everyday. We’re inspired by their mission work. We have the opportunity to learn about the issues they face as leaders, and we are in tune with their innovative approaches to problems and much more. However, there’s another side to entrepreneurship where entrepreneurs face struggles from time, money, balance, health, relationships, and more.

This is why Akshay Kapur, Coach, Entrepreneur, and Strategist is joining Conscious Magazine as an Editorial Collaborator to address the struggles entrepreneurs face and to help them focus and balance better. Get to know Akshay in this interview below.

Q | TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF
After 7 years in NYC, I moved to Pittsburgh in 2014 to be closer to family and take advantage of a slower pace of life. I love experiencing a new place, because it recharges your whole being, and keeps your eyes curious. Travel, cooking, and yoga are definitely my passions. I can cook for hours, lost in the logistics of it, regardless of the outcome. Thankfully, it’s usually edible! I have had many jobs, from consultant to entrepreneur to executive, all in the healthcare industry. I have recently expanded my career into mindfulness coaching for busy professionals to improve work/life balance and be more productive. What keeps me truly motivated is helping people work together effectively towards a common goal. I’m always seeking to find art in my coaching and strategy work.

Q |  AT CONSCIOUS MAGAZINE WE’RE ABOUT CHANGING THE CONVERSATION, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU?
The moment someone says, “Aha!”, they start seeing the world anew, making different decisions in their life and treating others differently than they used to. Once the light bulb goes off on an idea one can own, nothing is ever the same again. Helping others get to these moments and finding them myself is why changing the conversation is so important to me.

Q | YOU ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH A COLUMN ON CONSCIOUSMAGAZINE.CO HIGHLIGHTING “FINDING FOCUS AND BALANCE IN A FAST-PACED, INFORMATION-HEAVY MODERN WORLD”. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT FOR OUR READERS?
Information doesn’t scale, but wisdom does. We can never catch up to the bombardment of information that comes at us daily, but we can be wise about how we curate it to match what’s most important to us. Knowing why we’re doing something lets us be decisive about where to focus and eliminate the noise. Learning how to slow down can in fact speed up your career, and make you happier. You are a better version of yourself when you can find focus and balance in everything you do.

Q | WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CAUSE AND WHY?
International civil service, because it builds empathy. Traveling abroad, especially as a volunteer, gives you first hand experience with those you initially characterized as “foreign.” Working in a new culture shakes up your beliefs, thoughts, and perceptions and makes you reshape your perspective completely.

Q | WHAT IS YOUR  BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU CAN SHARE WITH OUR READERS WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE?
Before every task, ask yourself “Who am I helping?” and include yourself in the accounting. Knowing the reason behind your actions keeps you focused on what’s important to you and avoids unnecessary business. It slows you down and makes you think clearly before you jump into your to-do list.

LEARN + CONNECT
Learn more about Akshay Kapur
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FROM THE EDITOR
At Conscious, we are inspired by remarkable people, and so we set out to tell stories that highlight real human interactions and human dignity. You can read more stories like this when you Subscribe.