12 Aug 465: How One Entrepreneur Is Bringing Clean Water to Millions (And What Every Leader Can Learn From It) – An interview with founder and president of Sawyer Products Kurt Avery

Kurt Avery didn’t set out to solve one of the world’s biggest humanitarian problems.

He simply wanted to build great outdoor products.

But over time, something remarkable happened.

As founder and president of Sawyer Products, Kurt realized the same water filtration technology trusted by backpackers, mountaineers, and adventure travelers could also transform entire communities around the world.

Today, Sawyer partners with more than 140 nonprofit organizations across 80 countries, providing clean drinking water to millions of people and dramatically reducing waterborne disease – all while proving that business can be one of the most powerful tools for good.

But here’s what surprised Mitch most…

Sawyer wasn’t an overnight success.

In fact, Kurt spent more than 23 years building the company before it truly took off.

In this conversation, Kurt shares the mindset that kept him moving through those long years, why he refuses to create “me-too” products, how faith shapes his decision making, and why every entrepreneur already possesses the ability to create meaningful impact.

Whether you’re building a business, leading a team, or simply wondering how your work can matter more… this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

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What You’ll Learn

1. How Purpose Can Fuel Long-Term Success

• How solving meaningful problems creates sustainable businesses
• The mindset that kept Kurt moving through difficult seasons

2. Why Innovation Starts With Better Questions

• How looking three to five years ahead creates competitive advantage

3. Leadership That Multiplies Impact

• Why hiring people smarter than yourself isn’t just good leadership – it’s essential
• How generosity became one of Sawyer’s greatest business strategies
• Why integrity attracts world-class innovation

4. Using Business to Change the World

• The simple water filtration technology that’s transforming communities around the globe
• Why Sawyer describes itself as a “behavior change company” rather than a filter company

5. Faith, Wisdom & Decision Making

• Kurt’s lifelong prayer for wisdom
• Why your greatest skill set may also be your greatest opportunity to serve others

Resources

Get Kurt’s book Sawyer Think: https://amzn.to/4rYLPvS 

Check out Sawyer’s Water Filtration Products here: https://amzn.to/4usz3aM 

Connect with Sawyer Products on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sawyerproducts/

Why This Episode Matters

It’s easy to believe that changing the world requires massive resources, government programs, or billion-dollar organizations.

Kurt Avery offers a different perspective.

He reminds us that meaningful impact often begins with solving one real problem exceptionally well… and then being faithful enough to keep going long after the excitement wears off.

Whether you’re building a business, leading a nonprofit, raising a family, or simply wondering how your work can matter more, this conversation offers practical wisdom—and a refreshing reminder that your unique gifts might be capable of changing far more lives than you ever imagined.

Ready to take action?

This week’s conversation raises an important question:

What’s the unique skill set you’ve been given – and how could you use it to make a bigger impact?

Maybe it’s in your business…

Maybe it’s in your community…

Maybe it’s simply serving the people already in front of you.

Drop a comment and let us know:

What was your biggest takeaway from Kurt’s story?

And if this episode encouraged you, send it to another entrepreneur, leader, or dreamer who needs the reminder that purpose and business really can go hand in hand.