Throughout history, there has been a long and distinguished tradition of successful entrepreneurs who were also inspiring philanthropists. Thanks to world-famous personalities such as Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, the spirit of giving something back is alive.
It was pioneering philanthropist Andrew Carnegie who once said, “No man can become rich himself without enriching others.” It is a statement with which entrepreneur Josh Heller would wholeheartedly concur. Like Carnegie, Heller was also born poor, but his passion to succeed has spilled over into helping others.
“Like many others, I grew up in a low-income family and we relied on welfare for government housing and food stamps. I was determined not only to forge a different path for myself but also to be in a position where I could eventually help others like me,” explained the co-founder and CMO of Favored Nations.
After getting a scholarship and graduating from the Annenberg School for PR and Journalism at USC, Josh started his career in entertainment publicity, where he worked with high-profile film talent alongside top studios and PR agencies such as Paramount, Disney, and Sony. He eventually branched out on his own and founded his own company, HELLER PR, specializing in fashion, music, film, tech, gaming, finance, and healthcare.
Josh has since helped launch big global brands and business ventures for clients such as Kendall and Kylie Jenner, yet his most fulfilling and rewarding work comes from his non-profit organization, Favored Nations.
Josh explained, “We launched Favored Nations in early 2020, which has proved to be a challenging year to launch anything. Nevertheless, we gained 100,000 members in the first six months and have raised more than $150,000 for initiatives such as COVID-19 relief, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the youth vote in the 2020 election.”
As well as fighting poverty, helping those in need, and campaigning on issues that matter most to Gen-Z and Millennials, Josh is passionate about raising awareness for mental health issues, something he has firsthand experience of.
“Since I was a child I’ve battled with what I’ve learned now to be anxiety and depression,” revealed Josh. “Mental health education wasn’t a thing growing up so it was easy to lose hope and feel less than, so I think it’s important to let others who are suffering from similar conditions know that there is hope and that they are not alone. If I can do that and help bring people together and empower communities at the same time, it is very much my mission accomplished.”