An interview with Vishen Lakhiani, CEO of Mindvalley

I have read various leadership quotes that have inspired and motivated me. Three are my favorites. Talking with Vishen Lakhiani for CEOWORLD magazine, I found that these three of my favorite quotes fit right into the leadership model he applies to Mindvalley. I’ll explain right away what I mean.

First quote: “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Vishen Lakhiani explained to me his vision and his constant efforts to adjust it according to current needs and trends.

Second quote: “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others”. Vishen Lakhiani told CEOWORLD magazine that “we strive to create a world where everyone has the opportunity to step into their greatness.”  

Third quote: “Leadership is defined by results”. The CEO of Mindvalley has created a community of over 20 million followers worldwide, reaching individuals in more than 195 countries.

Meeting Vishen Lakhiani was a life-changing experience. At the same time, Mindvalley can be a useful educational tool for everyone. If you are interested in learning more about Mindvalley and Vishen Lakhiani, just continue reading this interview. Mindvalley is organizing a Remote AI Summit on July 14–16 for entrepreneurs that seems highly promising. 

Q: How can an entrepreneur or business executive be helped by participating in Mindvalley’s programs? 

Vishen Lakhiani: AI is transforming the way we live, work and interact, revolutionizing the speed and efficiency with which entrepreneurs and business executives can run their companies. However, many currently lack the understanding of how to leverage these tools and fear that they are at risk of being replaced by AI, when they should be concerned with upleveling their skills so that they aren’t replaced by someone who can effectively use AI. Mindvalley’s AI Summit, led by industry experts, will walk through real-world applications of AI, going beyond theoretical knowledge to offer practical insights, strategic guidance, and a roadmap to integrating AI powerfully and sustainably within your business. Specifically, how to lead these changes within your organization rapidly and sustainably and how to leverage AI-powered automations for significant time and cost savings. By embracing this early, you can position your organization at the forefront of innovation, leaving competitors behind and securing your position as the dominant industry leader on your new path to unprecedented growth. 

Q: In your case, what is the strategy that has helped Mindvalley grow so much since its foundation? 

Vishen Lakhiani: Mindvalley’s growth is a multifaceted approach, stemming from a combination of key factors ingrained in our strategy since our foundation.  

It starts with a vision. This doesn’t mean you need all of the details right away, but an overarching vision will provide you with direction for the actions you need to take to make your idea a reality. In my case, my vision was to bring together the world’s top educators under one platform to help millions of people experience personal transformation. Did that mean I knew immediately how to design the online platform? Did it mean I knew exactly which people I wanted to bring on? No. But it gave me the structure I needed to start breaking down my larger goals into actionable tasks.  

Secondly, whatever business you seek to pursue, make sure you set growth as your number one goal. Often, people fall into the trap where they refuse to let go of old ideas to make room for new and better ways of doing things. Our turning point for growth at Mindvalley came in 2016, when Mindvalley Quests, our online learning model that produces 5x better completion rates than the industry average, suddenly took off. However, in order to achieve this growth and fully commit to the Quest platform, we realized we had to take down thousands of courses from Mindvalley that no longer served our vision. So, we destroyed the old version of the company to let the new version emerge. By offering cutting-edge programs led by top experts in various fields such as wellness, peak performance, and longevity, we have cultivated a community of over 20 million followers worldwide. Sometimes, I believe you have to destroy what is nearly good, to allow what is great to come in. Through a holistic combination of immersive experiences, community support, and innovative technologies, we have created an environment that fosters continuous growth and empowers individuals to unlock their fullest potential. 

Leveraging the power of technology has been instrumental in expanding our global reach and impact. Harnessing digital platforms has allowed us to transcend geographical boundaries, reaching individuals in more than 195 countries. This global presence has allowed us to form a vibrant and united community with a shared vision for personal growth and transformation. 

Finally, focus on creating a company that contributes to the betterment of society. Don’t just focus on producing a quality product or service, but a business that can improve the world for generations to come. As conversations around companies’ global footprints continue to increase, people are no longer interested in supporting extrinsically motivated companies, who focus on investor relations, the media, and ROI, with little regard for the majority of humanity or the environment. Businesses stemming from intrinsic motivations, such as wanting to improve the world, that focus on issues that matter to the general population, resonate better with people. 

Q: Mindvalley is organizing a Remote AI Summit on July 14–16. What changes do you think AI will bring to the business environment in the future? 

Vishen Lakhiani: The transformative power of AI is evident in sectors such as healthcare, finance, manufacturing, retail, and transportation, among many others.  

The integration of conversational AI and chatbots will have a significant impact on the way we interact with businesses. With the increasing sophistication of AI technology, chatbots are becoming more human-like in their responses, making them effective tools for communication and problem-solving. This integration will also lead to the growth of virtual assistants that can carry out tasks such as scheduling appointments, booking travel arrangements, and handling customer service inquiries. Chatbots will continue to advance and evolve, leading to more personalized interactions that feel like real conversations. 

Additionally, the integration of no-code AI enables businesses to accelerate their digital transformation initiatives, enabling rapid prototyping, agile development, and seamless integration of AI-driven functionalities. This means businesses are able to create custom AI-powered solutions in less time and less work than ever before. With AI able to tackle repetitive tasks with increased efficiency, we are freed up to focus on innovative ideas and high-value business activity. This will lead to improved productivity, cost savings, and ultimately an enhanced experience for our customers. 

Personally, I can proudly say I’ve saved an hour of my day thanks to ChatGPT, and so many things that we do at Mindvalley – from writing emails to notification communications, to even coming up with creative ideas for social media – are now done by human beings richly supported by AI. In the last three years, our team size has practically stayed the same, even though our company revenues have more than doubled.  

By embracing this technology early, you can position your organization at the forefront of innovation, leaving competitors behind and securing your position as the dominant industry leader on your new path to unprecedented growth.  

Q: How do you think AI will affect learning, colleges and universities in general? 

Vishen Lakhiani: The current education system is not sustainable, with the recent emergence and adoption of AI emphasizing the need for lifelong learning. The world is changing too fast for us to be in a bubble, and a transient, 4-year degree can render your skills obsolete in a matter of weeks, months or years with the rapidly evolving pace of technology.  

It will be crucial for colleges and universities to understand the opportunities AI presents and embrace this technological shift to set their students up for success. As AI continues to drive the no-code movement, it is reducing the need for traditional coding expertise to deploy entire applications. AI also has exceptional capabilities for understanding and writing human language, as well as generating music and imagery.  

Learning institutions will want to integrate AI into their current systems to not only increase their productivity as an organization by empowering staff to focus on higher-level problem-solving and innovation but also maximize learning benefits for students as they are able to engage with AI to exponentially increase their knowledge. Shifting to a model of lifelong learning would provide additional benefits for students, as they would be able to continually uplevel their skills, and it would also prevent monetary loss for those who are graduating into fields that are now becoming obsolete.  

By leveraging AI algorithms and machine learning, we can create tailored learning paths and adaptive content that caters to individual needs and preferences. This approach will maximize learning outcomes by delivering content in the most efficient and engaging manner for each learner, helping unlock their full potential.   

Q: What is your vision for Mindvalley? 

Vishen Lakhiani: I believe the solution to a better world, a diverse, borderless, awakened world, lies in raising human consciousness, which means evolving the way we learn, grow, work, and co-create. Today, Mindvalley is aiming to create the world’s most influential education movement on the planet, and in the process create a rise in human consciousness our species has never experienced. By providing cutting-edge programs and experiences, we aim to revolutionize education and make it accessible to individuals across the globe, regardless of their geographical location or socioeconomic background.  

We’ve given ourselves till 2038 to make a dent in every major aspect of human life. In the next decade, I envision Mindvalley reaching 100 national schooling systems and making a significant impact on the education landscape. By collaborating with governments, schools, and educators, we aim to introduce innovation and holistic approaches to education that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit. I also aspire for Mindvalley to be a catalyst for positive change in the corporate world. We aim to partner with organizations and bring our transformative programs and practices into the business environment.  

Ultimately my vision for Mindvalley is to inspire and empower individuals to release their full potential, live extraordinary lives, and contribute to the betterment of society. Through our innovative learning experiences, global community, and unwavering commitment to human transformation, we strive to create a world where everyone has the opportunity to step into their greatness. 

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