Purpose Before Profit: Rosa L. Antonini of Wonders of My World On The Benefits Of Running A Purpose-Driven Business
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
…An important part of living in self-fulfillment is being present, living with awareness, and appreciating each moment. It’s about doing your best each day in alignment with your purpose and heart while letting go of attachment to fixed outcomes…
In today’s competitive business landscape, the race for profits often takes center stage. However, there are some leaders who also prioritize a mission-driven purpose. They use their business to make a positive social impact and recognize that success isn’t only about making money. In this interview series, we are talking with some of these distinct leaders and I had the pleasure of interviewing author Rosa L. Antonini.
Rosa Lopez Antonini is a self-development author who combines insights from science, metaphysics, and psychology with her life experiences in the Dominican Republic and the USA. With a master’s in Information Systems and expertise in software engineering, she brings a unique perspective to personal growth. Her book, The Zero-Sum Game of You, channels all profits into educational programs for underserved communities. Rosa’s mission to empower others will soon expand through the Rosa Antonini Academy, offering transformative programs for clarity, resilience, and self-fulfillment.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us your “Origin Story”? Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Thank you for having me! I’m Rosa L. Antonini — author of The Zero-Sum Game of You, founder of the Rosa Antonini Academy, software engineer, and passionate advocate for purpose-driven transformation. My story began in the Dominican Republic, where I was one of the youngest in a family of 10 siblings. Growing up with limited resources shaped my resilience, nurtured a curious mind, and fueled my creativity — when there wasn’t much around, resourcefulness became a way of life. My deeply religious upbringing, especially my mother’s faith, introduced me to questions I couldn’t ignore.
While the priest in the church spoke of God’s powers that could change anything in the blink of an eye, in my young mind, this created a lot of questions because I could not understand if that was the case why I was surrounded by relentless struggles — prolonged illnesses, untimely deaths of people in my community due to weight of poverty. I believe this is how my logical mind started to build, looking for answers to things that did not make sense to me and getting to the root cause of understanding.
This is how I started my pursuit, looking for answers that led me to metaphysics. This practice, over time, became integral to who I am today. Exploring energy, interconnectedness, and spirituality opened my mind to a balance between science and the intangible.
Thanks to my parents’ relentless efforts and a partial college scholarship, I earned a degree in Pharmaco-Biochemistry, driven by a fascination with and understanding the importance of learning the facts, using logic and knowledge from science. Later, I immigrated to the United States, where I earned various certifications in Computer Programming and a master’s in Information Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology and embarked on a successful career in software engineering.
I have a natural affinity for data and designing data solutions, finding logical patterns with ease. Yet, my journey became more than just science and data. My metaphysical practices have drawn me into realms that cannot be fully explained through statistics or logic alone. For a long time, I kept this side of me hidden, believing it was easier to separate the two. Over the last few years, I realized that without embracing this part of myself, I couldn’t live a truly fulfilling life — or help others to do the same. By integrating what I’ve learned from metaphysics with my deep respect for logic and evidence, I’ve shaped a holistic approach to personal growth — one that bridges the complexities of both the physical and spiritual realms.
In addition and unfortunately, I have experienced profound personal losses along the way. This has deepened my empathy, strengthened my resolve, and inspired my mission to help others heal, grow, and thrive.
Through my work, I’ve come to embrace a powerful truth: we are the sum of all our parts, the things we feel proud of, and the things we keep behind the scenes — our joys, challenges, triumphs, and heartbreaks. These pieces make us whole, but they don’t define our future. Like software, we can reprogram our internal narratives, break free from limiting beliefs, and transform even our greatest struggles into the foundation for something extraordinary. This belief is the essence of my story and the driving force behind my vision to empower others to live with clarity, resilience, and purpose.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
There have been many moments that have reinforced my mission, but one stands out vividly. In 2023, I received a heartfelt letter from a student in our tailoring program. She shared how, before joining the program, her family faced extreme financial struggles, and she couldn’t provide for her infant child. After completing the program, she was working independently, making clothes for her family and community. Her words still echo in my heart: “Thanks to your program, I won’t see any of my family members dying from starvation.”
That letter arrived at a time when I was questioning whether all the effort and resources I was investing in this mission were truly making a difference. As I read her words, I felt an overwhelming sense of clarity and gratitude — a profound affirmation that every bit of effort and every penny was worth it. It was a reminder of why I do what I do and the life-changing impact even small actions can have.
Another moment that brought me immense gratitude happened a couple of weeks ago, when Moses, the main person helping me run these programs in Uganda, told me as he was going about his day, when he came across one of our first students from the carpentry program. To his surprise, this young man was standing in front of his own shop. He had taken everything he learned from our program and turned it into a goal and mission to build his own business.
Seeing that transformation was incredibly rewarding. It reminded me of the profound impact we can have. Sometimes, we get caught up in looking at the big numbers, but stories like his show how changing one life can ripple outward to positively affect their family, children, and community. Moments like these reaffirm the purpose behind everything we do.
We often learn the most from our mistakes. Can you share one that you made that turned out to be one of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned?
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made — and unfortunately, more than once — was trusting anyone who offered marketing services to help grow my business or increase book sales. Each time, it resulted in financial loss, leaving me hesitant to work with anyone in marketing now. My mistake was trusting their promises blindly without doing my due diligence. I’ve learned the hard way that it’s crucial to ask for references and proof of outcomes and to thoroughly research before making a commitment. While it was an expensive lesson, it taught me the importance of informed decision-making and the value of being cautious when investing in services.
As a successful leader, it’s clear that you uphold strong core values. I’m curious what are the most important principles you firmly stand by and refuse to compromise on. Can you share a few of them and explain why they hold such significance for you in your work and life?
Our Values: We are dedicated to empowering individuals to thrive through clarity, resilience, and purpose, cultivating authentic growth, compassion, and self-fulfillment while celebrating each person’s unique path toward meaningful and purpose-driven success.
- Empowerment Through Knowledge. We believe that learning and self-discovery are the keys to unlocking individual potential and achieving transformation.
- Purpose-Driven Transformation. Our work is guided by the principle that alignment with one’s purpose is the foundation for lasting change and fulfillment.
- Clarity and Resilience. We help individuals cultivate the clarity to define their goals and the resilience to overcome challenges in pursuing their dreams.
- Authenticity and Integrity. We encourage living and leading authentically, with honesty, self-awareness, and a commitment to one’s values.
- Holistic Growth. We offer a comprehensive approach to sustainable growth and healing by integrating science, metaphysics, and personal development.
- Compassion and Connection. Rooted in empathy, we strive to build a supportive, inclusive community where individuals feel seen, valued, and empowered.
- Self-Fulfillment as Success. We define self-fulfillment as the realization of one’s unique potential and the alignment of life with personal values, passions, and goals. True fulfillment looks different for everyone, which makes a customized approach essential. By honoring each individual’s distinct journey, we help them create success on their own terms, free from societal expectations or one-size-fits-all solutions. This tailored approach ensures that every step taken reflects their authentic self, leading to a life of genuine meaning and joy.
- Contribution and Impact. We are committed to making a meaningful difference by empowering individuals to transform their lives while inspiring communities and cultures to embrace positive change by honoring and supporting each person’s unique path.
What inspired you to start a purpose-driven business rather than a traditional for-profit enterprise? Can you share a personal story or experience that led you to prioritize social impact in your business?
My main motivation for starting a purpose-driven business stems from a deep desire to help others create fulfilling lives. It took me years of struggles and self-discovery to reach this point — many challenges I now realize could have been avoided if I’d had the right knowledge or tools. Today, I see an opportunity to make the journey easier for others, helping them build meaningful lives with less stress, more clarity, and fewer regrets.
A cornerstone of this mission is Wonders of My World, a vocational training program I run in Uganda. This initiative equips young adults with no prior income or formal education with skills in tailoring, hairdressing, and carpentry, empowering them to build sustainable futures. I keep seeing the tangible impact this program has had on their lives has only deepened my commitment to social impact and purpose-driven work.
To support this vision, I donate all the profits from my debut book, The Zero-Sum Game of You, and plan to continue this commitment with a significant portion of the profits from my second book, coming in 2025. These books are not just tools for personal transformation but also engines for funding real-world empowerment.
In 2025, I launched Rosa Antonini Academy to support individuals at various stages of their personal growth journey. The Academy offers a range of courses, from free resources to in-depth, premium programs, providing valuable insights into self-discovery, purposeful living, and meaningful success. Pricing reflects the diverse levels of support and materials provided, ensuring accessibility for many while sustaining our mission.
If you’re ready to begin or deepen your journey, I invite you to join the waitlist and be among the first to access these transformative courses.
My ultimate vision is to expand the reach of Wonders of My World and replicate its success in other countries. To achieve this, I’m diversifying income streams, enabling us to broaden our impact and empower even more lives globally.
This work is more than a business; it’s a calling to bridge the gap between personal success and collective impact, demonstrating that purpose and profit can coexist to create a better future.
Can you help articulate a few of the benefits of leading a purpose-driven business rather than a standard “plain vanilla” business?
Leading a purpose-driven business offers profound benefits that extend far beyond financial success. For me, it’s about aligning my work with my core values and creating a meaningful impact on the world. Here are a few key benefits I’ve experienced:
- Fulfillment Beyond Profit: Any work that you do that concentrates on adding value to others will bring you a lot more fulfillment than anything that is only financially successful.
- Sustainable Growth: By focusing on impact alongside profit, I’ve been able to diversify income streams in ways that support my mission. For instance, the proceeds from The Zero-Sum Game of You and upcoming books are reinvested into projects like Wonders of My World, helping to expand vocational training programs globally.
- Inspiring Others: A purpose-driven approach serves as a ripple effect, inspiring others to pursue their own meaningful journeys.
- Resilience Through Challenges: When your work is deeply rooted in purpose, it fuels resilience. The inevitable challenges of entrepreneurship feel less daunting when you’re driven by a clear mission to create real change.
How has your company’s mission or purpose affected its overall success? Can you explain the methods or metrics you use to evaluate the impact of this purpose-driven strategy on your organization?
For Wonders of My World, success is evaluated by the number of graduates who start their own businesses and achieve financial stability. For Rosa Antonini Academy, success will be tracked through student feedback, course completion rates, and the personal transformations shared by participants. Additionally, the global reach and replication of these programs in other countries are key indicators of success.
Can you share a pivotal moment when you realized that leading your purpose-driven company was actually making a significant impact? Can you share a specific example or story that deeply resonated with you personally?
I shared two impactful stories in response to the second question, and I’ve also received numerous testimonials from students at various stages — before, during, and after completing the program — highlighting the transformative impact it has had on their lives.
Have you ever faced a situation where your commitment to your purpose and creating a positive social impact clashed with the profitability in your business? Have you ever been challenged by anyone on your team or have to make a tough decision that had a significant impact on finances? If so, how did you address and reconcile this conflict?
Yes, there have been times when the financial pressures of sustaining projects like Wonders of My World have created tension with profitability goals. One of the most challenging aspects is knowing there are many more students eager to start but not having the immediate resources to accommodate them all.
To address this, I’m actively working on diversifying income streams and optimizing partnerships. For instance, changes with my publisher this year are expected to create a more stable financial foundation, enabling me to support more students and expand the program’s reach without compromising its purpose-driven mission.
Additionally, the new courses at Rosa Antonini Academy will further contribute to this vision, providing valuable resources while supporting the sustainability of our impact-driven initiatives.
What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs who wish to start a purpose-driven business?
- Define Your Why: Start with a clear understanding of your mission. A strong sense of purpose becomes your compass during challenging times. Building a purpose-driven business often requires long nights and weekends, and without a deeply rooted ‘why,’ it’s easy to run out of energy or lose motivation to keep going.
- Be Authentic: Let your values guide your decisions. People connect with genuine intentions, and authenticity builds trust.
- Focus on Value for others: Design your business to create measurable change. Whether it’s helping individuals or uplifting communities, your impact will drive success.
- Stay Resilient: Purpose-driven work often takes longer to yield results, but the impact is worth the patience and perseverance.
- Balance Purpose with Sustainability: Diversify your revenue streams to ensure your mission can thrive without financial compromise.
What are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Purpose-Driven Business.” If you can, please share a story or example for each.
- Clarity of Mission: Your purpose must be crystal clear. For me, it’s empowering individuals to live fulfilling lives through Rosa Antonini Academy while creating a global impact through programs like Wonders of My World.
- Empathy: Truly understanding the needs of the people you serve ensures that your solutions create meaningful change. My 63-day game challenge in The Zero-Sum Game of You was designed to show how small, consistent changes can lead to powerful transformations. But I didn’t stop there. I’ve expanded this concept into From Stuck to Thriving, a program at Rosa Antonini Academy that takes the foundation of the book and elevates it into a comprehensive, step-by-step journey. This program is more than just a class — it’s a transformative experience that guides you to break free from limiting patterns, gain clarity, and build a life rooted in purpose and fulfillment.
- Collaboration: Build strong relationships with your team and partners. Success is a collective effort. For example, local partnerships in Uganda have been critical to the success of Wonders of My World.
- Adaptability: Having a clear goal and vision is essential, but it’s equally important to remain flexible in how you achieve them. From a young age, I’ve felt a deep desire to help others, though many of my early efforts didn’t work as I’d hoped. I never imagined I would become an author, create a self-development academy, or help others not just financially but by providing tools for self-growth and sustainable improvement for generations. Yet, this is exactly how my journey has unfolded.
Through these experiences, I’ve learned the importance of letting go of things beyond my control. I focus on doing my best and then allow the process to unfold. Don’t get too attached to a fixed outcome — stay true to your purpose, follow your heart, and remain open. Often, life will lead you to a path that’s even more impactful than you ever envisioned.
Passion and Patience: building a purpose-driven work demands endurance, commitment, and a deep connection to your mission. It’s a journey of perseverance where your passion fuels you to navigate challenges and keep moving forward.
For me, this work is more than a second job — it’s a calling. While it requires sacrifices, such as limiting my social life and other hobbies, I deeply love what I do, so it never feels like a burden. Outside of spending quality time with my family and occasionally with friends, I devote all my extra time to this beautiful vision, knowing the impact it can create.
I’m interested in how you instill a strong sense of connection with your team. How do you nurture a culture where everyone feels connected to your mission? Could you share an example or story that showcases how your purpose has positively influenced or motivated people on your team to contribute?
Creating a culture of connection begins with open communication and shared values. I ensure that everyone involved — whether in Wonders of My World or Rosa Antonini Academy — understands the “why” behind what we do. For instance, I celebrate successes with the team, like sharing stories of graduates who have transformed their lives, to remind everyone of the impact of our work.
Imagine we’re sitting down together two years from now, looking back at your company’s last 24 months. What specific accomplishments would have to happen for you to be happy with your progress?
An important part of living in self-fulfillment is being present, living with awareness, and appreciating each moment. It’s about doing your best each day in alignment with your purpose and heart while letting go of attachment to fixed outcomes. As long as I stay true to this, I trust that the best possible outcome will unfold.
Would I love to see Wonders of My World expand to multiple countries? Absolutely. Would I be thrilled to see more people living with purpose, unapologetically following their hearts? Without a doubt. And would I love to come back in two years to share how millions of people have let go of unnecessary stress, empowered themselves, and taken charge of their decisions to build success on their own terms? Yes, yes, and yes!
What I know for certain is that by taking purposeful, determined steps each day, the best possible outcomes will naturally come to fruition.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would inspire a movement where self-fulfillment becomes the ultimate measure of success. Where clarity, resilience, and purpose guide lives combined with the learning tools to build independent minds that value and understand the interconnects among us and concentrate not only on their well-rounded well-being but also the contribution to the well-being of others.
How can our readers further follow your work or your company online?
To stay connected and follow my journey, you can find me across various platforms where I share insights, updates, and inspiration:
- Instagram: Follow me https://www.instagram.com/rosa.l.antonini/
- LinkedIn: Connect with me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosaantonini/
- Website: https://www.rosaantonini.com/ — My official website
- Website: https://www.rosaantoniniacademy.com/ — My Academy website is where you can learn about my books and courses.
I’d love to have you join the community and be part of this journey toward meaningful success and impactful living!
This was great. Thanks for taking time for us to learn more about you and your business. We wish you continued success!
Thank you for your kind words and for choosing me to write this article. I’m very grateful for your support and wish you continued success as well, and I hope our paths cross again in the future!
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur and Thought Leader with over 25 years of business experience. He has founded, operated, and exited multiple companies and now builds into a handful of high impact CEOs. Chad has launched multiple online communities, including a recent leadership development platform, and also serves as a strategic advisor for Authority Magazine’s thought-leader incubator program.
To learn more and connect with Chad visit: chadsilverstein.io
Purpose Before Profit: Rosa L Antonini of Wonders of My World On The Benefits Of Running A Purpose- was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.