Oleg Lougheed

About Oleg Lougheed

I was recently asked,\"What makes YOU qualified to do what you do?\"The more I thought about it, the more I realized that gratitude isn’t just something to check off a to-do list for me, it’s become the lens through which I see the world and choose to operate from.Ever since I picked up the book,\"365 Thank Yous\" by John Kralik, I knew this was the type of life I wanted to live.I remember reading about John’s hardships, the different ways gratitude transformed those experiences. I remember thinking, “I want to experience this too.”I wanted to heal.I wanted to make peace with my past.A past filled with challenges.The memories of begging my birth mother to stop drinking, knowing that such a day may never come.The absence of my birth father.The \"tough love\" received at the Russian orphanage.The gut-wrenching final goodbyes on the orphanage steps to my family, moments before my adoption, not knowing if I would ever see them again.The adoption. The challenges of learning a new language, culture, making friends, accepting a new set of family members as your own.Through it all, gratitude became my anchor.Gratitude gave me the chance to find lessons in the pain, gifts in the struggles.Gratitude gave me a chance to forgive, not just others, but myself.To forgive myself for the anger, the resentment, and the judgment I held toward those who hurt me.Today, I can’t help but wake up wanting to pour into others’ lives, to pay it forward like the thousands who have done so for me.Whether it’s through a handwritten thank-you card, a text, a call, or an in-person conversation.I do this because I know what it’s like to feel unseen and unheard.I know what it is like to not feel valued or appreciated.Today, I intentionally take a step back and celebrate all of the people who have been a part of my life.Friends who have become family.Parents whom I love with all my heart.Animals that have taught me lessons I’ll carry with me forever.If you were to ask me again the question we all got asked as kids, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”I would tell you,\"I want to be the person who puts a smile on someone’s face when they’re down. The shoulder to cry on when life gets tough. The person who sees every being for the incredible gift they are to others.\"I want to inspire others to see that no matter how hard life gets, there’s always something to be grateful for.This is what drives me.This is who I am.

Experience

1. Human Connection Amplifier

   Moments Worth Remembering

   May 2023 — Present

   The inspiration for \"Moments Worth Remembering\" came from a poignant realization: our deepest expressions of love, gratitude, and admiration are too often kept for life\'s more somber occasions - illnesses, farewells, and memorials. Yet, I believe these heartfelt messages have the power to enrich our everyday lives, serving as crucial reminders of our shared humanity and interconnectedness. With this understanding, I was motivated to change the narrative by providing a space for individuals to collect meaningful messages from their loved ones, not just in times of sorrow, but in the joyful celebration of life itself. As I have watched the impact, I have seen lives brightened, relationships deepened, and a strong sense of community fostered.

Education

• Lake Erie College

  Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies

  2015

• The University of Akron

  National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps Sites)

  2015

• Université Laval

  Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies

  2015

• University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

  Russian, Central European, East European and Eurasian Studies

  2010 — 2012

• Kent State University

  Bachelor's Degree, Russian Translation | Entrepreneurship Minor | International Business Minor

  2012 — 2015

Skills

• Strategic Planning
• Strategic Partnerships
• Event Management
• Html
• Event Planning
• Personal Development
• Entrepreneurship
• Autodesk Fusion 360
• Strategy
• Negotiation
• Translation
• Brand Management
• Fundraising
• Marketing Strategy
• Personal Branding
• Social Media
• Customer Service
• Russian
• Nonprofit Management
• Writing
• Public Relations
• Product Development
• Business Strategy
• Competitive Analysis
• Start-Ups
• Management
• Team Building
• Marketing
• Team Leadership
• Business Planning
• Photoshop Elements
• Project Planning
• Public Speaking
• Business Development
• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• Leadership
• Networking
• Consulting