Christopher North
Build A Miracle
Cardiff by the Sea, CA USA
"Any job you do, you can approach it from the perspective of making a difference. You can live every day that way."
Career Roadmap
Christopher's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Business, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
As a college student, you have an advantage. Entrepreneurial Studies is a MAJOR now and in my day we could hardly spell it. DO THE HARD WORK and learn finance and accounting. Be proficient at Excel, even if your business focus is not in the financial area. Many people in business or engineering find themselves with "P&L responsibility" even if they don't own a business. Be fearless, try things, and figure it out as you go! Get involved on campus!
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Business Administration and Management, General
Loyola Marymount University
Graduate Degree
Business Administration and Management, General
University of California-Los Angeles
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Co-Founder:
Bachelor's Degree: Mechanical Engineering
Graduate Degree: Business Administration and Management, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I attended Loyola Marymount University, where I received my bachelor’s degree in business and later attended UCLA, where I earned a Master’s of Business Administration.
2.
In 1985, shortly after graduating from college, I was asked to lead a service trip to Tecate, Mexico, to help a group of LMU students paint the dormitory of an orphanage and boys home.
3.
On that trip, I met my now-wife and business partner, Julianne.
4.
Together, we started an organization at LMU called De Colores, which is still in operation and organizes monthly student trips to build homes and schools in Tijuana.
5.
After Julianne graduated, I moved to Mexico with her, we got married, and we continued to help fundraise and help out with various charitable projects.
6.
In 1999, we decided to start our nonprofit, Build a Miracle, which focuses on building homes so that children can be raised by their families instead of having to live in an orphanage.
7.
Initially, our goal was to gather friends and family and to build one home a year, but over the year’s the organization has grown and grown—we have now built over 350 homes to date.
8.
In addition to my work with Build a Miracle, I also work as an entrepreneur in engineering, manufacturing, and aerospace.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
You can't do this.
How I responded:
Even if someone is unreasonable in criticizing you, it is valuable to reflect on it. I am my own biggest critic. It is annoying and not always healthy, but with maturity and wisdom, I channel it all in a way that keeps me growing and learning.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
It is really hard to raise money and resources when running a nonprofit. It involves a lot of hard work and you rely on the generosity of others. We don't take a salary from this work and subsidize our income from my other businesses.