Jacob Niemeier P.E. shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Jacob, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Spending time with my wife and kids and are growing family brings me a lot of joy!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Armed with a degree in Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering from Purdue University and over 13 years of engineering experience, I am a professional engineer, specializing in water resources that has chosen to use my engineering expertise to make a tangible impact on the world. The nonprofit, Vera Aqua Vera Vita, which I founded in 2017, aims to provide grass-roots level clean water and sanitation solutions to communities in developing countries. Through this initiative, along with my leadership roles in other entrepreneurial ventures and my personal commitment to community, I am all about taking action that can bring about meaningful change. I am driven by the call we all have to greatness and desire to inspire others to discover that they were created for unique greatness, too! However above and beyond all of this, I rest my identity in being a son of God, blessed husband to my wife Fernanda, and father to my four children as I strive to live by and inspire others with the words of Howard Thurman: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Personally, I have always been and will always be a dreamer that strives to accomplish great things and do as much as possible to live life to the fullest and leave a lasting legacy behind when my time is up.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I would have to say the most defining wound in my life was self-inflicted in that at the lowest point in my life I was defining my identity by what people thought of me instead of by the fact that I am a beloved Son of God which as it turns out was and continues to be the key to healing that wound!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, I strive for this to be true because I am convinced that a life true of integrity in which I am true to the highest of ideal of who I am created to be is the key to real joy and freedom.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When I’m gone, I hope that people remember me as a guy that lived this Mission Statement of mine to the fullest: “I help others by serving as a champion for all people that I encounter, especially including the less fortunate, by unlocking their potential through empowering them with the understanding of their dignity, access to basic resources they need, and the encouragement they need to become who they were created to be and in that way become fully alive as beacons of joy to the world which in turn makes the world a bit more what it is meant to be like!”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://veraaquaveravita.org/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/veraaquaveravita
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vera-aqua-vera-vita/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/VerAquaVeraVita
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veraaquaveravita/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWxgGXMoVAc3GnAfWqIPWRw?sub_confirmation=1
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vavv4water
Image Credits
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