On this episode of Soft Skills for Leaders, my guest is Vikas Garg, founder of Abillion, a digital platform that encourages conscious living and advocates for a vegan lifestyle to promote sustainability and social equity. Vikas has a  passion for promoting a plant-based lifestyle, and discusses how ordinary citizens can have more impact on sustainability than governments or corporations. The interview explores topics such as the importance of empathy and trust as a leader, as well as the impact of animal consumption on social equity and biodiversity. Viaks also shares his personal journey towards becoming vegan, and how ABillion aims to inspire more people to choose plant-based options through the community-based platform.  Tune in to listen to this episode,  a thought-provoking exploration of sustainability and how individuals can make a difference through their daily habits. Timestamps [00:00:30] Introducing Vikas Garg, founder of Abillion, a digital platform promoting sustainable living. [00:02:28] From India to  New York, Vikas had a successful career that led him around the world, but began to question if he wanted to spend the rest of his life in the finance space. He started to think about the role of his values and personal mission, which led him to start his own company. [00:06:16] Vikas was raised vegetarian and appreciates how his values have given him a sense of purpose. Choosing a vegan lifestyle was influenced by his parents' health issues and a better understanding of the impact on health and the environment that dairy has. [00:11:08] Sustainability is about social equity and biodiversity loss caused by consuming animals making us and the planet sick, leading to diseases, deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. We have an opportunity to change. [00:15:41] Abillion inspires sustainable living through consumption, creating a digital community to help people find the best vegan options and influence businesses to do more. The community aims to inspire simple changes like modifying diet [00:22:20] Great food must be convenient and accessible. Show empathy, not judgment. Create a positive community on social media. Incremental change is good, as reduction is just as important as achieving absolute change. [00:25:30] Large, strong, fast animals are mostly vegetarian, getting protein from plants. Humans get a diluted form of protein from animals, while plants provide clean protein and essential amino acids. Dairy products are marketed as good sources of protein and calcium, but there are other options. Marketing influences ideas about food more than reality. [00:30:34] Soft skills driving success. Leadership requires listening, empathy and trust in your team. It's important to make decisions by considering everyone's voice and feelings. Trust your team and give them space to execute. [00:33:40] Exciting times are ahead for the business to impact more people and double charitable donations. Mission: inspiring a billion people to go vegan. [00:36:00] Speaking to a room of professional speakers, he didn’t see that coming! Summary  An inspiring interview with a conscious living entrepreneur Vikas Garg founder of Abillion, a digital platform tackling sustainability through personal consumption.   Talking Points 🌱 The benefits of a plant-based diet for sustainability, health, and animal welfare.  🌎 The sustainability challenges we face, including water scarcity, deforestation, and climate change. 🍴 The challenges of finding vegan options while dining out and how technology can help. 🤝 The importance of empathy, trust, and active listening for effective leadership.  💻 The mission of Abillion, a digital platform that helps consumers make sustainable choices.  🎁 The impact of donations on social causes and the goal of doubling Abillion's charitable contributions.  🙌🏼 The power of positive incremental change and how individual actions can make a d