Embracing challenge to enact change
Helping the homeless is not easy, but for Nic the process is almost as important as the result.
The thing that strikes me about Nic Marchesi is his philosophical approach to challenging situations.
At only 20 he and his best friend Lucas Patchett founded the social enterprise Orange Sky - a mobile laundry service for the homeless that also offers warm showers and a place to connect with others.
You can imagine the kinds of obstacles they faced to get their charity up and running - they were almost straight out of high school! How do young men who have never experienced homelessness manage to connect and support those in that situation and develop a service that has never existed before?
Nic says, "We always talk about challenge being a part of our DNA at Orange Sky … [this] actually creates this really beautiful space for people to come in and contribute.”
By accepting that things can be hard, Nic and Lucas didn’t stop when others might have been discouraged.
For me that resonates with the Buddhist philosophy, “No mud, no lotus” - meaning that beautiful things can be created from growing through the muck. And if we can apply that to the things we are passionate about, maybe we can appreciate that the struggle and the challenge is just part of the process. And that sometimes it’s just as important as the end goal.
Listen to Nic Marchesi on A Better World Blueprint on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Nic’s Blueprint:
Some ideas from Nic on how he has lived his life of purpose
Who inspires you?
“So many people inspire me in my life, whether it be Jordan, our first ever client and friend, or incredible inventors, First Nation inventors like David Unaipon, who invented mechanical motion, and is on the $50 note, or Navjot Sawhney from The Washing Machine Project who invented a mechanical washing machine to help people … seventy per cent of the world still manually hand wash their clothes and he invented a really amazing mechanical washing machine.
“But I think at this stage of my life, the people who come to mind when you ask that question are my parents. My parents have got me to where I am today. And I have such a tremendous respect and admiration for who they are as people.”
Do you have a saying that helps guide you in life?
“If you ask Lucas, I can never pick one. So a couple that come to mind is ‘Hurt people hurt people’. And I always think about this idea when we're working with some challenging situations at Orange Sky. I love that notion of ‘A rising tide lifts all boats’ and thinking about how collectively as a community we can lift people up around us.
“A saying my partner always says is, ‘We get sick alone and we heal together.' And I think that's so important to the work that we do at Orange Sky and bringing people together. And Dom Prince from Atlassian, shared this quote with me once. It's always stuck with me, which is ‘The definition of dysfunction is the difference between what you know and what you apply.’ From an innovator perspective, that always grounds me.
“All those quotes can wrap up into being: give things a go, look after the people around you and take action when required.”
Is there a book, movie or piece of art that has impacted your life and what was it?
“Orange Sky is named after a song by singer-songwriter Alexi Murdoch. The song talks about helping out your brothers and sisters and everyone being under an orange sky. Orange Sky isn't politically or religiously associated. We really love the idea of this communal connection and that's why we named Orange Sky after the song.”
What's the best thing you ever did?
“I think the best thing I ever did is give things a go.”
What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
I love Cat Stevens and his beautiful song Father and Son. He says in that song; ‘Take time, think a lot’. And I think that that's a really beautiful reminder of the presence of being mindful, but then the song finishes with, ‘But you'll still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not’. It comes back to, we just need to do something.”
Listen to Nic Marchesi on A Better World Blueprint on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
