ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Growing up, Brentyn Hall learned the value of giving back, a family legacy passed down from his grandmother. Seeing his father help a young boy access healthcare showed him the tangible, real-world impact of generosity, sparking Brentyn’s own drive to give back. Now, through his work at WeShall Investments, Brentyn supports his family’s own philanthropic efforts.
Through his work with Toronto Metropolitan University’s Social Venture Zone, Brentyn merges sustainable giving with hands-on support, providing mentorship to students and illuminating possibilities in social entrepreneurship. Through a values- and data-driven approach, Brentyn embodies the future of next-generation giving, building sustainable generosity for the TMU community.
In this conversation, Donette and Brentyn discuss philanthropy as a form of emotional gift-giving, Brentyn’s journey to his role at WeShall, and the cascading effects of supporting entrepreneurship through the Social Venture Zone.
About Brentyn Hall:
Brentyn Hall is the Director of Operations and Head of Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy at WeShall Investments. After completing his B.B.A at Wilfrid Laurier University, he began supporting WeShall’s investment portfolio and philanthropic work.
Brentyn is also a Youth Committee Member at the BlackNorth Initiative, and serves on the boards of Friendly Fables Productions, Mobile Business Express, and QM Environmental.
Resources mentioned/links list:
- BlackNorth Initiative
- WeShall Investments
- Wes Hall Social Entrepreneurs Award
- TMU Social Ventures Zone
- TMU Zone Learning
- TMU Penny Appeal Canada Social Accelerator competition
Three reasons to listen to this episode:
- Learn how witnessing the impact of his family’s generosity while growing up in Jamaica influenced Brentyn’s approach to giving back.
- Find out why Brentyn considers hands-on mentorship an essential part of his philanthropic work.
- Discover how Brentyn’s work unites data and values to provide sustainable, long-term support of social entrepreneurship.
Episode highlights:
1:57 - Learning generosity from his grandmother
Brentyn reflects on his grandmother’s selflessness and generosity, as she raised 13 grandchildren and worked full-time. This had a cascading effect, with the value of giving back passed down to Brentyn’s father and then to Brentyn himself.
6:29 - Giving back and “emotional gift-giving”
Brentyn discusses how the value of giving back was instilled in him from a young age, based on his experiences providing food to homeless shelters. Seeing the real-world impact of his family’s generosity resulted in his recognition of “emotional gift-giving” as a key element of philanthropy.
12:23 - Hands-on philanthropy
Brentyn highlights the crucial role of hands-on mentorship and support in his philanthropic work. He describes how bringing students to the WeShall Investments offices gives them the “life-changing” realization of what is possible for them, offering value beyond the monetary aspect of philanthropy.
13:58 - A family legacy of generosity
Given that generosity “feels organic” for Brentyn and his siblings, he discusses his hope that giving back will be a crucial part of a family legacy for himself and for future generations. Brentyn also hopes his family will continue to take an active and hands-on role in providing mentorship via their philanthropic work.
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To learn more about giving opportunities and community impact at Toronto Metropolitan University, visit torontomu.ca/giving
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