# Nick Foley, Founder of Celebrate the Hero (INTERVIEW) Anti-Bullying Initiative By Tiana Reid | Published 2012-02-29 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nick-foley References: [cellythehero.tumblr](http://cellythehero.tumblr.com/) Nick Foley is the founder of [Celebrate the Hero](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/celebrate-the-hero), an anti-bullying project that focuses on, as the name suggests, celebrating the daily hero rather than putting the emphasis on the bully. The program involves a mix of social media, presentations and follow-up meetings with the schools. Nick Foley hopes to reach as many youth as possible, and is looking to adapt students' blog entries into a book that will create a legacy in the eradication of bullying. It's a feeling of sameness that invites discussion and creates a safe space for students to explore the consequences of bullying -- emotional and otherwise. **Four Questions with Nick Foley** **1. How did the idea for the business model come about?** To be honest it kind of evolved slowly. I was asked by schools and community groups if I would be interested in doing talks, locally, based on the ideology of my book. Often times I was asked if I could tailor the talk around bullying. So after some research I quickly came to the conclusion that many programs that were available concentrated on the “bullying” aspect. I wanted to start an initiative that celebrates the good that people do and take the attention off of the “bullies.” I also felt that as a teacher who has seen many guest speakers come to schools that there was need to design a program that will be implemented and running throughout the entire school year, months after I have presented. I felt that it is equally as important to have an initiative in place that not only motivates but empowers students to make a difference. Not only does this initiative focus on anti-bullying, choices and getting involved but it also encourages [students to get involved through literacy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/savvy-suzanna). We feel that through social media avenues and blogging we can [give students a voice](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hallie-clarke), by turning their entries into a book we can provide a sense of legacy that they can take with them through their journey, and reflect upon the fact they contributed to a cause. **2. How did you decide to join this sector?** I spent six years as a teacher, teaching overseas and in Canada and I certainly loved being one; however I felt that I could make more of a difference if I could turn my attention to what I felt passionate about, and for me it was motivating. I have always wanted to work for myself, and I felt that if I was ever going to do it the time was now. I knew that I wanted my company to do be a success but in doing so I also wanted to create something that could potentially make a difference and contribute to the lives of others. And to me bullying, the importance of getting involved in your life and choices, were three issues that I knew I wanted to be able to touch upon. I quickly found out that there were others that felt the same way and slowly my idea became a reality. We want people to act locally and think globally. **3. How did you get your inspiration?** I am so blessed that I surround myself with such amazing friends and family. My mom and dad have been so supportive throughout my life and I am so lucky to have them. The team at Celebrate the Hero are pretty amazing too; they push me to be better and are continually coming up with new initiatives and missions for our clients. I have to say; reading what young people contribute on our blog is a pretty inspiring part of my job, many entries are so insightful. I love the look on the faces when I am speaking to schools or organizations that say, “I can get involved, I can make a difference.” **4. How do you reset yourself to be creative? Do you have any rituals?** I enjoy going for walk by the water, whenever I am feeling a bit overwhelmed I find that it helps me re-focus on what it is I am trying to do. I try and take little breaks throughout the day to recharge, sometimes that means reading or writing sometimes it means going to the movies (which I tend to do often). For me it is important to have a healthy balance, of work and living actively, it is difficult at times but I do my best to find it. That said, I literally jump out of bed every morning because I love what I do and what the day brings, having that feeling in itself is what I need to stay creative. As far as rituals go, I guess I like to listen to the same songs before a presentation; it helps to keep me focused. I also touch my faith rock before I leave the house for luck. But that’s a secret. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.0/10 - Popularity: 55% | Activity: 86% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Social Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialbusiness) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Anti-bullying Campaigns:** Opportunities for companies to design innovative anti-bullying initiatives that celebrate goodness and empower the younger generation. - **Student Blogging:** Innovation opportunities exist for companies to leverage social media avenues and student blogging to provide students with a voice and a sense of legacy. - **Empowering Students:** Creating innovative programs and initiatives that motivate and empower students to make a difference and get involved in anti-bullying campaigns. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Education Industry:** Opportunities exist for educational institutions to create curriculums designed to celebrate heroism and empower their students to make a difference to eradicate bullying. - **Social Media Industry:** Companies in the social media industry can develop innovative platforms that give students a voice and help them get involved in anti-bullying campaigns. - **Entertainment Industry:** There is a huge opportunity for the entertainment industry to educate and entertain the younger generation in a way that promotes anti-bullying and celebrates heroism. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Entrepreneurial Journey Insights](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/founder-folks.md) - [Kid Entrepreneur Carts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/entrepreneurship-for-children.md) - [Digital Literacy Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cleo-1.md) - [Anti-Bullying Toy Store Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/toy-store-campaign.md) - [Career Platform Commenting Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/herotalk.md) - [Charitable Convenience Store Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/circle-k-canada.md) - [Career Reflection Journals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/being-honest-by-ignacio.md) - [Youth Mental Health-Supporting Shirts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kids-help-phone.md) - [Social Gratitude Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/take-the-win.md)