My First Million #25 - Mission Driven: Bringing Solar Power to 1M People in Africa
22 snips
Nov 13, 2019 
Xavier Helgesen, a mission-driven entrepreneur and founder of Better World Books and Zola Electric, shares his inspiring journey in social impact and renewable energy. He details how he transformed his college side hustle into a $70M business, tackling Africa's electricity crisis head-on. Xavier recounts his eye-opening experience in Malawi that sparked his passion for solar power, discusses innovative energy solutions, and highlights the importance of mutual improvement groups in fostering collaborative growth. His commitment is not just profit, but profound societal change.
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Zola's Origin
- Xavier Helgesen's involvement with Books for Africa led him to an off-grid village in Malawi.
- This experience inspired him to found Zola Electric, bringing electricity to a million people daily.
Better World Books' Beginnings
- Xavier Helgesen started Better World Books in college during the dot-com boom.
- He had a popular website called ND Today and initially sold textbooks online.
Textbook Hustle
- The idea for Better World Books came from a roommate's success selling used textbooks online.
- They initially hustled books from friends and the library, selling them on half.com.