Education:

• BA, Boston University, MA
• MBA, Purdue University, IN
• MAPP, University of Pennsylvania, PA
• CAPP, The Flourishing Center, NY

Location: New York, NY   Teaches: CAPP Online

Professional Experience:

Sid has over 13 years experience as a facilitator, advisor, public speaker and social entrepreneur. He is the founder and managing director of The Billion Dollar Question – a coaching, advisory and consulting company for high net worth (HNW) families that helps them flourish and become more impactful.

In 2006, he founded HUGS (Humans United Giving Support – previously called Hug Don’t Hate) a student non-profit in Boston that continues to spread love to thousands of people in the Boston area. This work led him to receive the Deneen Zarada Award at BU – the highest leadership honor available for non-seniors (out of 16k undergrad), as well as the Leila Saad Award in 2009 – the most prestigious leadership award at BU, for which he was the sole recipient (out of 4k seniors).

Sid proudly speaks 7 languages, and delivered the TEDx Talk: 5 Techniques to Speak Any Language, which has over 3.5 million views, as well as a second Tedx Talk, The Beauty of Selfishness.

My Story:

Whenever someone grows into privilege, it is difficult to notice just how privileged they are in a global sense. Having grown up in Brazil, that was not an option for me. All it took was a peek outside the window to realize how incredibly privileged my reality was compared to most humans. By the time I turned 15, I had decided that it would be my life’s mission to make the world a fairer and more flourished place.

This pursuit led me to explore poverty alleviation, international geopolitics and the different structures that cause and cure discrimination and othering. Eventually, it brought me to positive psychology and the social sciences – as I sought to find ways to help societies flourish – and to effective altruism – where I found a framework to evaluate and direct impact.

Today I work in the intersection of both, using empirically validated methods to improve local and global well-being, while helping develop and promote ideas that make our altruistic efforts more impactful.

Favorite Quote:

“Live what you believe, or you end up believing the life you live.”

– Anonymous

Words of Wisdom:

Morning Ritual:

As soon as I wake up, I craft a delicious almond cappuccino.

After drinking it, I do an hour of cardio, either running (plus audiobooks) or on the stationary bike (plus TED talks). After foam rolling and stretching, I make myself a green smoothie with half a pound of greens, a ripe banana and other delicious ingredients. I then shower and head to the office.

A Little Known Fact About Me…

In 2009 I developed a supposedly incurable condition on my right ankle. I thought I was never going to walk again without feeling excruciating pain. After hundred of hours of physical therapy, I not only became pain free but I also became a distance runner. I’ve completed 3 marathons and counting.

This is how I proposed to my wife

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvMoDeOeT0s

This is my Zulu class singing the South African National Anthem to Desmond Tutu:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3XRlbhgN1Y