Residing happily in Tulsa, Oklahoma by way of California, New York, and London, Mike Basch, George Kaiser Family Foundation consultant and advisor, was inspired to take a new direction largely in part due to his REALITY Impact experience. Now he spends his time getting Tulsa on the radar of buzz-worthy tech-startups and big hitters alike and returning to Israel every chance he gets.

REALITY: Describe what you do and how you are trying to make an impact.

Mike: So many of the young and talented people in this country have moved to the coasts in order to pursue technology and startups and I think this has resulted in a feeling across the rest of the United States of being a bit left behind. I recently moved to Tulsa Oklahoma in the spirit of helping to build up the city and get it on the radar of folks who may not have initially considered it. It’s also just happens to be SUCH a great city! I work with the George Kaiser Family Foundation which is based in Tulsa and works in a variety of issue areas including education, young people’s issues and women’s issues. I spend most of my time consulting with companies who may have a huge presence in California and New York and asking them “Have you considered Tulsa?” I work with them to figure out how to set up a secondary office with a very West Coast or New York culture here in Tulsa. I’m doing a variety of things that ultimately create 21st century jobs in Tulsa.

REALITY: Who inspires the work that you do?

Mike: I’m inspired by the overall culture of philanthropy and social services in Tulsa and by the true hunger that the average Tulsan has to give back to their community. I wish that as a country, we had more of this drive to do good. I find it to be incredibly inspiring.

REALITY: How did REALITY impact your personally?

Mike: REALITY played a very interesting role in my life by really putting Tulsa on the map for me as a destination for somebody interested in the philanthropy world. Prior to my REALITY Impact experience, I was having a hard time aligning my career with my values. But during my time in Israel I met a lot of people who were finding really interesting and innovative ways to make an impact, and it made me realize that there was a way to align what I wanted to do from a contribution-to-the-world perspective with what I wanted to do professionally. I feel so grateful for having had the opportunity to go on REALITY.

REALITY: How have you shifted reality since you return?

Mike: I’m an active advocate for REALITY and love to proactively bring people into the REALITY family. I think that it’s our responsibility as human beings to maximize our personal potential to contribute to society during our lifetime, and I think tikkun olam very much exemplifies that same idea. I do my best to make the REALITY world smaller among alumni and bring more people into the experience.

REALITY: How have you stayed connected to Israel since your journey?

Mike: Growing up Jewish with a natural connection to Israel, it was very interesting for me to get a chance to travel on REALITY with a large group of people who didn’t necessarily have that same natural connection to Israel. Since returning home, there has been a considerable amount of discussion among my fellow REALITY Impacters via WhatsApp, and for me, it has been a chance to participate in a conversation that’s way outside of my own echo chamber.

REALITY: Since REALITY, how “do” you Shabbat? Share a short story.

Mike: I grew up celebrating Shabbat every week with my family, and then for a very long time it fell to the wayside. I like that REALITY made Shabbat a ritual that was more spiritual than religious and since returning, I’ve been part of, as well as hosted, many Shabbats. It’s a great thing for your soul and REALITY reminded me of that which had been a bit lost for me.

REALITY: What can the REALITY community contact you about?

Mike: Any time you’re going from one coast to the other, you should stop by and do a quick Shabbat with me in Tulsa! Other than that, just know that I really want to help connect people and help them achieve whatever it is they want to achieve. If you need help growing a business, talking through an idea or discussing anything involving small businesses and building customers, scaling, hiring or strategy, don’t hesitate to reach out.

 

The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation is proud to empower emerging leaders to explore their values, identity and new ways to strengthen their communities. We believe that as we work together to repair the world, it is important to share our diverse experiences and perspectives along the way. We encourage the expression of personal thoughts and reflections here on the Schusterman blog. Each post reflects solely the opinion of its author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Foundation, its partner organizations or all program participants.