My Journey from Intern to Director: A Living Example of Shared Wealth in Action

When people ask me what Shared Wealth International means, I often smile because my own journey is perhaps one of the best examples of the principles we stand for.

My journey with Shared Wealth International began before Shared Wealth International officially existed.

Several years ago, I joined the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme in search of a mentor who could help me develop my entrepreneurial vision. I spoke with several potential mentors, but when I met Cliff Southcombe, something immediately stood out. Cliff was not only interested in business ideas; he was interested in people. He listened carefully, encouraged ambition, and genuinely wanted to help others succeed.

What started as an internship quickly became a transformative learning experience.

At the time, I was developing Letstern, a digital student recruitment ecosystem designed to create better opportunities for students and educational institutions. Cliff took the time to understand my vision and introduced me to an extraordinary network of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and changemakers.

Through him, I had the privilege of meeting remarkable individuals including Howard Weinstein, Amjid Khazir, James Perry, Mariabel Dutari, Amad Nabi, Sonja Vukovic, Dr. Gugs Lushai, Edwin Zu-Cudjoe, and many others. Each person contributed in their own unique way to my personal and professional development. Some challenged my thinking, some shared opportunities, some provided guidance, and others simply offered encouragement when it was needed most.

These relationships taught me one of the most important lessons in business: success is rarely achieved alone.

As I became more involved with Cliff’s work through Social Enterprise International, I found myself increasingly inspired by the philosophy behind it. The idea that businesses could prosper while actively helping others succeed resonated deeply with me. It was a refreshing alternative to traditional models that often focus solely on individual gain.

The more I learned, the more I became convinced that this philosophy had the potential to create global impact.

During many discussions with Cliff, I proposed the idea of expanding the model internationally through a dedicated digital platform that could connect people, businesses, mentors, and opportunities across borders. Cliff embraced the vision and suggested that we relaunch Social Enterprise International under a new identity that better reflected our purpose.

That identity became Shared Wealth International.

I was honoured to become part of the founding journey and today serve as Co-Founder and Director of Shared Wealth International, leading digital transformation, education initiatives, and strategic partnerships.

The launch of the Shared Wealth International digital platform was far from easy. Behind the scenes were months of hard work, countless meetings, continuous redesigns, technical challenges, setbacks, and long days that often turned into longer nights.

Throughout this journey, James Perry played a pivotal role, providing endless support, technical expertise, and unwavering commitment to bringing the platform to life. I am equally grateful to Dr. Gugs Lushai, whose strategic insight and critical thinking helped ensure that we remained focused on building something sustainable and impactful.

What makes me particularly proud is that Shared Wealth International is not simply a digital platform or a business network.

It is a community built on trust, collaboration, and mutual support.

One initiative that perfectly demonstrates this philosophy is the Shared Wealth Global Student Internship Programme, a joint initiative between Shared Wealth International and Letstern.

The programme connects talented students and graduates from around the world with businesses and mentors within the Shared Wealth network. Through these opportunities, students gain practical experience, develop professional skills, build international networks, and prepare themselves for successful careers.

At the same time, participating businesses benefit from fresh perspectives, enthusiastic talent, and the opportunity to contribute directly to developing future leaders.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Edwin Zu-Cudjoe and Howard Weinstein, who have generously welcomed and mentored multiple interns this year. Their willingness to invest time, knowledge, and energy into young people demonstrates the true spirit of Shared Wealth.

Looking ahead, I am committed to expanding this programme significantly. My ambition is to involve more mentors, more businesses, and more students from across the world. By creating these opportunities, we can help shape the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders.

I would also like to share a personal goal.

By 2030, I would like to see more than 5,000 companies and members actively participating within the Shared Wealth International community.

For me, this is not simply a membership target.

It is a vision of creating a global movement where businesses collaborate rather than compete in isolation, where knowledge is shared freely, where opportunities are created collectively, and where success is measured not only by profit but also by the positive impact we create for others.

I often remember a question that Howard Weinstein likes to ask:

“What is in it for companies to join Shared Wealth?”

Initially, I found this question difficult to answer.

Then one day, while sitting with a cup of coffee and watching the snow fall in Slovenia, I reflected on the countless interactions I had witnessed within the network.

The answer became obvious.

Shared Wealth creates professional opportunities. It creates business partnerships. It creates revenue opportunities. It provides mentorship and guidance. It offers emotional support during difficult times and genuine celebration during successful times.

I have seen members help each other recover from business challenges. I have seen members create partnerships that generated new opportunities and revenue. I have seen people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds celebrate each other’s achievements, festivals, and milestones.

These experiences convinced me that Shared Wealth International is much more than a networking organisation.

It is a movement.

A movement that believes wealth should be shared through opportunities, knowledge, relationships, mentorship, and support.

My own journey from intern to Co-Founder and Director is evidence of that philosophy in action. I was given opportunities by people who believed in my potential. I was supported by mentors who invested their time and knowledge. I was trusted with responsibility and encouraged to think bigger than I ever imagined.

Today, my commitment is to do the same for others.

The Shared Wealth International platform has now launched, but in many ways, our real journey is only just beginning. Together, we are building a global community where businesses grow stronger through collaboration, where future leaders are nurtured, and where success becomes more meaningful because it is shared.

Dr. Muhammad Salman Munir Malik
Co-Founder & Director
Leading digital transformation, education initiatives, and strategic partnerships.