From selling flowers at 16 to founding North East India's leading indigenous facilitator for training and life coaching interventions, Mark Laitflang Stone's entrepreneurial journey echoes inspiration and courage. Avenues- the organisation Mark founded at 20 in Shillong in India has touched the lives of over 100,000 people through programmes that nurture Personal Growth, Career Preparedness, Professional Development, Skills for Life and Leadership Capacities for a wide audience. He has quickly emerged as the region’s leading speaker and youth mentor, championing the aspirations of youth and audiences across the country and now the world. Mark inspires not only through his achievements but also with his struggles and triumphs as a young, self-made entrepreneur. Often referred to as the original millennial start-up man of the North East, Mark's endeavours are built on his empirical understanding of the realities and challenges that each of us face while trying to get ahead in life. A self confessed dream chaser, Mark's unique ability to bring people together has lead to the birth of platforms and festivals that celebrate human connection.Mark’s coaching framework has emerged from over two decades of expertise in building, coaching and retaining highly talented teams in challenging geographies. His workshops challenge the status quo of contemporary, productivity driven leadership coaching programmes by emphasising a return to human values and people-centered leadership. "Own your Story" is Mark’s signature personal impact workshop that empowers participants with human insights into their leadership journey and the shared values they choose to embrace in the teams they lead. Founded on the tenets of Selflessness, Empathy in Action and Personal Awareness, the experience reveals why authenticity is the future of Leadership. From Bern in Switzerland to the Kingdom of Brunei in Southeast Asia, Mark's workshops are now a quiet movement with people of diverse nationalities and professions attending his experiences. Awarded for his commitment to human resource development by Rotary, and a recipient of multiple awards for entrepreneurship, Mark has also served as a Founding Curator for the Global Shapers community at the World Economic Forum as well as the Founding State Co-Chair (2015-16) for CII’s Young Indians' Meghalaya Chapter. He has co-chaired the Adult Literacy vertical of CII's India@75 National Council (2018-19). Mark is the recipient of the inaugural edition of the prestigious Leaders' Connect North East Young Hero's Awards for Education, 2020.