Exploring Life & Business with Michael Mozley of Catalyst for the World

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Mozley.

Hi Michael , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta and was raised in Marietta. Graduated from Marietta High School and then attended a small liberal arts university in KY. In my junior year, I was challenged to go on an eight week short-term trip to Kenya and it changed my perspective for life. After graduating, I spent a year living with a Ghanaian family in Kumasi, Ghana. I spent a year sharing in junior high and high schools for a ministry called scripture union. When I returned home, I started my masters program and graduated in 1989. While I was in my masters, I traveled to India, Peru and back to Ghana. Upon graduation, I worked for an international ministry and did work in Thailand, Mexico, India, Ghana and traveled throughout the US. Since that time I have traveled to 58 countries throughout the globe and in 2013 started our first 501(c)(3) called Catalyst for Africa. We focused primarily on leadership development. In 2025 we expanded our nonprofit to Catalyst for the World. We expanded our focus to include educational development and community transformation.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Raising funds for a nonprofit is always a challenge and we are always looking for new partners to “link hearts and change lives” with us.
Anytime you travel internationally there is always a risk of danger. I have traveled to some very dangerous and unstable countries such as, Niger, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Central African Republic. While I was in Mali, one morning, a group of radical jihadist killed 16 internationals in a four star hotel just 3 miles from where I was staying. Also, I visited a game park in Niger and one year later six French tourists were killed in the same park. The most traumatizing event took place on March 18, 2009. While we were living in Ghana, we had a home invasion where four shotguns and a machete came and robbed us of all of our valuables at gunpoint. Thankfully no harm came to us but we lost a lot of valuable things. We were all traumatized from that event but were thankful we survived. There is always a risk when you travel internationally, but the passion I have to train leaders and be effective, compels me to go in some of the hardest places. Thankfully, I have always had positive experiences in all of the countries that I have traveled to. My first trip to Russia was in Saint Petersburg in 1993 just after communism fell and it was an incredible experience. Also, I have made several trips to Kenya, which I consider one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

As you know, we’re big fans of Catalyst for the World . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Our nonprofit is fully funded by individuals, foundations and churches. We would love to expand our network of partners.
With all the travel that I have done throughout the world and working with leaders from all walks of life, I found that the common denominator was relationships. My first nonprofit was started in 2013 and we changed the model of doing leadership training. We have three phrases that we love to live by. The first comes from a symbol in the Ghanaian tribal language Akan (Akoma Ntoaso) and it means “linking hearts, changing lives.” The second phrase we live by is “Together we are changing the world one relationship at a time” and the third phrase is “Go small and go deep.” We teach four core values: intimacy in relationship, stewardship, integrity, and self-care. When we do our leadership conferences, we spend more time listening to the stories of our leaders than we do in teaching. We work primarily with indigenous leaders in each country and they have found that this training experience and leadership material has transformed their focus on their lives, their families and their local community.

How do you think about happiness?
Relationships and listening to people’s storing is my passion. First and foremost is my relationship with my wife and my children. My son and my wife work with us. My wife has a passion to reach women, youth and children, and she is developing a training focus on trauma for victims. My son works in developing next generational leaders and wants to see his generation impact communities throughout the world. He is particularly passionate about bringing pro athletes in US to partner in sports ministry through out the world.
One example we recently experienced in my hometown: my wife and I were in a restaurant just a few days ago and we got to know our server a little bit. Her name is Georgia and she is from Florida but she attended West Georgia University and majored in geology. She is currently a high school teacher teaching chemistry and biology, but will soon go to the Colorado school of mining for her PhD. We wished her well and gave her a large tip. We were so honored to hear her story and her passion for geology. Everybody has a story. People are valued when we listen to their story without judgment.. I want to work with leaders throughout the world and hear their story and give value to their lives. Thanks for reading. Join us in changing the world, one relationship at a time!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.catalystfortheworld.com
• Instagram: Catalystfortheworld
• Facebook: Michael Mozley
• LinkedIn: Michael Mozley