Anisa Mirza. CEO and Co-Founder of Giveffect. Triple Bottom Line Business.

 Anisa Mirza shows us that you can make money and be meaningful at the same time. Co-founder of charity crowdfunding site, Giveffect, Anisa is a force to be reckoned with. She epitomizes the saying ‘age is just a number’, as Anisa is wise beyond her 26 years.  Her determination and vision is as inspiring as it is infectious, making you want to go out and do something! Anisa got bit by the ‘giving bug’ and now makes a living on helping others give as well. Her technology company is en route to going big, so remember her name, because it won’t be the last time you hear it.

Can you describe your company and what you do in a nutshell?
I am the CEO and co-founder of Giveffect, a crowdfunding site built for charities. Our emphasis is on engaging the next generation of donors (millenials) and providing charities with the tools that allow them not only to fundraise but also to continue building relationships with their donors. I manage the day-to-day operations and deal with our charity clients.

What makes Giveffect different from another crowdfunding site?
If I were to fundraise for my favourite charity on another platform, I would be collecting the money and donating to the charity. The charity only receives the final cheque (if at all), and no donor details. With Giveffect, the charity (or a person) can set up a fundraising goal and the money goes directly to the charity. The charity can issue tax receipts, collect donor information, and leverage social media unlike any other crowdfunding platform.

What inspired you to start your company?
Before I started the charity crowdfunding site Giveffect, I was the youngest person on my fundraising team, I would hear “Anisa, your generation (millenials) are a “me” generation, they’re not interested in giving.” I knew they were wrong. It wasn’t that my generation wasn’t interested, it’s that they weren’t being engaged in the right way.

How did your past life and work experiences help get to where you are today?
Born in Canada to Italian-Pakistani parents, at 13 we moved to Pakistan and remember realizing something was wrong in the world, when your life could be so dramatically different depending on where you were born. I also saw that poverty didn’t stop people from giving, in fact, people were willing to give so much with so little because they were part of the community. Fast forward to Canada, and I saw the giving experience was so institutionalized, lacking that emotional connection. At first I wanted to start my own non-profit targeting Gen Y, but then realized that it would be more impactful to come up with a tool that would help charities engage with millenials. I want to build a community, one campaign at a time.

What’s the most fulfilling part of your meaningful job?
I love the feeling that I get when I help others and knowing that I can leave this world better than when I came. What’s most fulfilling about my job is that not only does it help my personal “calling” (what I feel like I’m meant to do), but, it’s amazing to make a living doing so. My favourite part is seeing what change can be made with my work, and seeing Giveffect empower other people to make a difference.

What’s one thing that people might not expect to find on your resume?
I did some early stage modeling, and volunteering for a club as a doorperson.

What’s one trend you are seeing that will impact your sector in the next 5 years?
Gamification is a trend that I think will have a big impact on crowdfunding and giving. People want to see their impact first hand and if you can add more game like elements the donation process could be enhanced. People will be able to see their social impact of giving over time.

If you could have one superhero power that would help you do your job better what would it be and why?
The ability to control time. I’d love to be able to speed up time, so that I can see the impact of my actions, but also make time stand still to be able to get all the work done.