“Comprehensive, rigorous, and friendly” - Kirkus Review

“The author presents familiar concepts in fresh ways | She also provides useful exercises, strategies, and tips for everything from preparing financials and presentations to gauging impact and managing stress relief | The author’s style is clear and direct, using simple analogies, examples, and occasional charts and diagrams to explain potentially difficult concepts. Her passion for her subject is obvious as she frankly presents the challenges of trying to change the status quo while also encouraging readers to overcome such obstacles.”

  • "Elena’s candor is a gift that rare leaders are willing to bestow. It is brilliantly written using real-life examples to guide us on how to achieve positive change at a time when the world needs to alter so many negative patterns of behavior.”

    – MARIA ATKINSON AM. Director. Investor. Sustainability advisor.

  • “Elena has written a uniquely voiced book on how to make a true difference in the world. Equal parts futurist manifesto, self-help guidebook, personal confessional, and business planning guide, it will prove insightful and foundational to any champion of change. I recommend it highly to anyone with a fire inside to make tomorrow better than today."

    – JASON MCLENNAN, founder, Living Building Challenge and Chief Sustainability Officer, Perkins&Will. Author: Transformational Thought II, Transformational Thought, Zugunruhe: The Inner Migration To Profound Environmental Change, The Ecological Engineer, The Dumb Architect's Guide to Glazing Selection, The Philosophy of Sustainable Design, and Love + Green Building: You and Me and the Beautiful Planet.

  • "Over a decade ago, Elena gave me three gifts: her analysis of mega trends, the concept of the irresistible narrative of the future, and the notion that a change-maker needs to make their solution speak to everyone from CEO to cleaner. Now in this book, Elena shares much, much, much more of her process with the world.”

    – DR. DOMINIQUE HES, M. AIRAH, M. AICD, GIA(A), Chair, Greenfleet. Co-author, Designing for Hope: Pathways to Regenerative Sustainability.

  • "Elena has always been a trailblazer, from her work with Pollinate to the early days of the Green Building Council of Australia. I am delighted that she has created a book to share some of her ideas with other changemakers.”

    DAVINA ROONEY, CEO, Green Building Council of Australia.

  • “In addition to informing, inspiring, and affirming me as a leader, Elena has always checked my blindside; an invaluable gift that Change-maker’s Handbook extends to the world. Every page of Change-maker’s Handbook is full of astute, inspiring, encouraging, and actionable insight that is a treasure for anybody changing the status-quo; insight derived from Elena’s personal experience as well as from her work with many change-makers around the world.”

    SUJATHA RAMANI, Chief Executive, Pollinate Group.

  • “Change Maker's Handbook is a candid and inspiring guide for leaders who dare to challenge the status quo. Elena is a dear friend who I’ve turned to for guidance on a variety of topics. You will not be disappointed in this book.”

    LAKISHA ANN WOODS, CAE, EVP/CEO The American Institute of Architects. Author, Never Get Their Coffee: Empowering Fearless Leadership.

  • “This book is so timely! As somebody who’s been dabbling with changemaking across industries, I felt like the Change-maker’s Handbook talks directly to me. Through head shakes of disbelief, nods of validation, tears, smiles, and even laughter, this book resonates with me on so many levels that it has become my go-to resource for respite, troubleshooting, and practical guidance as I grow my influence over time.”

    LEILA DALE, Transformation Lead.

  • "“Change-makers are so important to making the world better, but they often fail in two critical areas: finances and outcomes. Even when not for profit, change-making is a business, which jars many a change-maker who claims altruism. But surpluses are needed to expand impact. Elena’s introduction to change-making finance is critical. Equally so is her focus on measuring impact and results, not just processes. Without those, change-makers are bound for failure or mediocrity. Change-maker’s Handbook is timely and needed to remind change-makers that ‘hope’ is not enough. Change must be professionalized. This book is a must-read for amateur and professional change-makers alike."

    ANDREW MACLEOD, Chair and CEO, Griffin Law. Visiting Professor: Kings College London. Author: A Life Half-lived: Surviving the World’s Emergency Zones.

  • “If you have ever felt yourself wondering why you care so much and why you feel deeply driven to change complex systems that most think of as 'just how things are', Change-maker’s Handbook gives us words for this. We are changemakers. And we can turn more of our sleepless nights into impactful change by treating our calling as the discipline it is. Changemaker’s Handbook is a guidebook. It's a change manual. And even more, it's an encouragement to keep going.”

    BRYNLY LLYR, regulatory and emerging technologies lawyer.

  • “Elena's insight helped me visualize my venture idea, asking me all the hard questions, and guided me along the way. Now this book will pave the way for the many entrepreneurs like myself to boldly venture towards their dream ideas. A helpful guide, with detailed practical approaches, and much more… A must-have book for any entrepreneur change maker!”

    KAMALA SRINIVASAN, Founder and CEO, Upahara.

  • “We established Commonground (the forerunner to the Groupwork Centre) in 1984 to resource community groups to work well together. Over the years we have seen lots of good ideas for social change. The challenge is always – yeah, yeah, but how do you make them work? Our passion has always been to provide practical, easily accessible skills and processes to help people breathe life into their endeavors. Elena’s work is next generational. It is reassuring to see the scope of the book extending the breadth and depth of practical support to available to our changemakers. Trust this manual can seriously strengthen your change making to care for this wonderful world of ours.”

    ED MCKINLEY, co-founder, Commonground and the Groupwork Center.

  • “Change-maker’s Handbook is a rich resource for people at any stage of their careers. Elena Bondareva has a remarkable talent for taking complex ideas and conveying them in easy-to-understand and insightful ways. She uses this talent and an engaging writing style to share both the nuts and bolts and the nuances of transformational initiatives. Crucially, she also addresses what it takes internally to be a person doing this work. Whether you are new to change-making or have been at this for years, you will feel seen – and you will find reasons to go back to the book again and again.”

    MICHELLE MALANCA FREY, climate strategy advisor, speaker, writer.

  • “The book is amazing and a joy to read. Elena has such an easy style and so many profound and sensible things to say. The whole section on financials is amazing! I learned so much from reading it; it will hold incredible value for many change-makers like me who have worked for others most of their career."

    SIMONE CONCHA, head of ESG, CDC data centers.

  • "It helps you get past the thinking of 'but I'm only one person, what difference could I make?' to being empowered to know that one person can make a lot of change and it is only if people have the courage to step out and try to drive change at any level that we will achieve meaningful change for a more sustainable world."

    DR. JULIE SINISTORE, Vice President, WSP

  • "Change is part of our everyday, and the knowledge, tips and advice shared in this book should form part of every business-person's vernacular and skillset."

    RICHARD DUERDEN, Client Development Director | Associate, Diadem

  • "This book is the antidote to stale business advice that often feels like it could have been delivered in a memo rather than an entire book. Elena does a remarkable job of sharing anecdotes from her own life and career and compelling case studies to challenge any change-maker to take a leap towards a better future they’ve always dreamed of. Through her thoughtful reflection on mega trends shaping the world, to her action packed tools to help the entrepreneur succeed, this book is full of insights and inspiration to compel anyone to make a positive change they’ve been dreaming of. 10/10 recommend."

    ANGELA SPANGLER, public health and sustainability expert