We had the good fortune of connecting with Jon Ross and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jon, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
A lot of streams of experiences came together to enable me to start MicroAid International—the nonprofit that I founded in 2009 to rebuild permanent houses for disaster survivors around the world. I didn’t necessarily want to reinvent the wheel, but when I looked into helping during the “long-term” disaster response—when the world’s attention has moved on, but people still need help—there just weren’t many, if any, other organizations operating in that space. I realized, too, that although there were a lot of “emergency” response organizations and many “relief” organizations, no one was getting the survivors out of the temporary tents, and the reliance on donated food and bottled water, and back into permanent houses so that they could return to self-sufficiency. I had already been building houses for low income families in Los Angeles with Habitat for Humanity, and been trained by them to be a crew leader, coupled with my other careers as international tour leader, TV-commercial producer, and running another nonprofit for people with disabilities for 20 years, and I was primed to create an international nonprofit to help people rebuild their homes… and their lives.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
One of the secrets of life/how to be fulfilled is to be of service. I have found that the more your help others the better you feel. Our culture does not teach that. In fact, it teaches the opposite: that everything is a zero sum game (not true) and that the more money you make, the happier you will be (also not true). When I worked on Wall Street, just out of college, and then at a movie studio in Hollywood, I saw a lot of rich and powerful people who were not happy. Of course, complete sacrifice is not the point either; your basic needs have to be met before you can help anyone else. (It’s like the emergency video on a plane says: “…put your mask on first before helping others.”) Once you learn that, you can find the balance that works for you. But getting off the hamster wheel of capitalism helps. The world is fascinating and varied, and the more I’ve traveled and lived in different countries, the more connected I realize we all are—as people and our environment. The atmosphere and oceans don’t recognize national borders… we are, truly, all in this together. Another lesson I learned along the way is that nothing is permanent and you never know how one experience might help you in the future—you’re never choosing a “career for life,” you can always change. I had so many streams of experience come together so that I could form MicroAid International, but I wasn’t thinking about that while I was having them/doing them. Traveling, volunteering, running nonprofits, building houses, producing TV commercials, all seemed like distinct jobs/skills, at the time, but they all were necessary to do what I do now. Live simply, experience the world, find peace and fulfillment, not material wealth.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in New York and in Los Angeles, and have lived in a lot of places in the world, so there’s a lot of information to impart. In New York, I would say rent a bike and ride around Central Park, and check out the Frick Museum, and a hidden gem called the Nicholas Roerich museum. There are still a few authentic rice & beans places—Cuban, Puerto Rican, or Dominican—so definitely search them out. And wander around Chinatown and have dim sum at Nom Wan Tea Parlor. There are so many art galleries in Chelsea and neighborhoods like SoHo and TriBeCa to explore. Take an MTA ferry for amazing views of the city from the water for cheap. In Los Angeles, go to Venice boardwalk for the scene, but search out the actual canals that still exist from when Abbot Kinney developed the area. Eat at Mao’s Kitchen for good Chinese food and Holy Guacamole for a quick local burrito, and Gjusta Bakery for brunch and the scene. Of course, one should see the Hollywood sign, but do it while hiking in the nearby hills. An amazing experience is the Museum of Jurassic Technology—don’t ask, just go. Some incredible places in the world to see: the animals in one of the game parks in Africa, the moai (statues) on Easter Island, the Himalayas in Nepal, Machu Picchu in Peru, the Grand Canyon in the U.S., the Irrawaddy Delta in Burma, and many many others, of course. There is a big wide world out there to explore—see as much as possible… and do some good.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
So many people and influences have helped me get to where I am. I definitely credit finding Vipassana meditation (as taught by S.N. Goenka), 25 years ago, and maintaining a daily one-hour practice, for my general state of mind. Other than that, a slew of spiritual books and wisdom masters and traditions have helped me find the right perspective on life: living as a human being in the material world, but also being aware that, as a spiritual entity, I am on a bigger infinite journey/evolution. It’s like looking at the stars at night, it keeps things in perspective. “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl, “When Things Fall Apart” by Pema Chodron, “The Tao de Ching” by Lao Tzu, “Knowledge of Higher Worlds” by Rudolph Steiner, and “Everyday Holiness” by Alan Morinis are just a few of the dozens of important books that have influenced my life. And Ajahn Brahm’s damma talks on YouTube are go-to support in times of need. Also, learning that it’s in the challenges where true growth happens, was a culmination of many wise inputs: and the people who seemed to be doing me the most harm, at the time, were in fact giving me the opportunity to make the greatest strides. I am lucky to have many friends that I have known all my life, and that have known me. I consider them my most valuable possessions—a treasure that transcends words. It’s important to cultivate and maintain your friendships… it takes a bit of effort.

Website: https://microaidinternational.org

Instagram: @microaidinternational

Linkedin: microaidinternational

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/microaidinternational/

Image Credits
all photos by Jon Ross

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