My apologies for the delay; today was a busy day! I spoke with one of my partners, Brian, for only about 15 minutes. We discussed why our time was limited (due to him being at a Gospel Today event in North Carolina and me attending an event hosted by the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the 100 Black Men Organization, in Arlington, V.A. and a photo shoot), the proposals and business plan we have to work on, relationships that must be built, and the unfortunate moment today when I had my tail handed by a Delta, due to a stall in mental preparation.
The Deltas are in the great nation’s capitol for an event on the Hill. My photographer and I approached two Deltas about being in a picture. Immediately, she drilled me with questions regarding the purpose and existence of one of my previous endeavors, RilaxUrMind Entertainment. Normally, I would nail the answers with an impressive response. In this case, the famous phrase…”cat got your tongue” came to mind. Normally it would not be a problem but I was at a lost for words. At first I thought it was because the young lady was attractive, but after walking it off I came to the realization it was because I was not mentally prepared.
A fellow entrepreneur, Kimberly Smith co-founder of Mayfair Electronics, suggested I make a list of questions I would expect to answer at any moment. Brian directed me to 15secondpitch.com. Both of them are great suggestions that I will put into action. As the Chief Relationship Strategist, in our current endeavor, it is my responsibility to reach out in the upmost professional manner. As I grow as an entrepreneur, I see how valuable it is to be able to deliver a message in a brief period of time.
I don’t see today as a lost but as a success! I wanted to go back and find the Delta to thank her. Thank her for reiterating, I have growing to do…we have a lot of growing to do. That is what this journey is all about you learning from our shortfalls and us learning from the advice you have. That being said what do you suggest for diligent preparation for an “elevator pitch”?
Painter Henry Hartman said “Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity”.
1. Asking someone for advice is paying them a compliment. If done correctly, it can become a very fruitful relationship for both parties. Be considerate of the “ Mentors “ time and make sure you have solutions or engaging ideas before you ask for a plethora of information. Show initiative. 2. Specializing in a particular area is more enticing for employers and customers than knowing a little bit about everything. However, when engaging in daily conversation with many different individuals, knowing a little bit about everything actually comes in handy. 3. Twitter was offered 500 million dollars in mostly stock to be bought out by Facebook. They apparently turned it down because they did not believe the stock was worth its face value and it wasn’t the right time 4. There might actually be a market for the strategies I have used in making improbable connections on social networks to get past pre-existing barriers. 5. Wordpress is more professional and comment friendly than blogger 6. Web 2.0 Entrepreneurs are pretty accessible and interesting to talk to 7. Peers are helping me do my research and homework without even knowing it 8. Failure does two things. It either makes you fearful or fearless. 9. “Doing everything the easy way to quickly get it off your to-do list is not how start-ups succeed. That’s how employees succeed in a corporation”. 10. People already know a bunch of stuff. They just need to be reminded.
It was early summer last year when I had the chance to try Honest Tea. A classmate of mine brought some in as a representative of the group. She was paid to introduce her friends and acquaintances to something she loved. I was curious about the idea and decided to look on the website to check out the history of the mildly sweetened ‘real tea’. It was there I found the story and Seth Goldman, the man with the idea and drive who got the company started.
Like most entrepreneurship stories, this one began with an idea hatched years before any action took place. Seth Goldman and his professor Barry Nalebuff had an idea for a thirst quenching liquid that wouldn’t be sweet as soda or bland as flavored water. After years of doing other things (and doing them quite well if I may say), Goldman quit his job without guarantee that he would be successful in his venture, and began brewing tea in his kitchen.
There were other types of commercialized bottled tea in the market but this was not anything to worry about as far as Goldman was concerned. He found out from his long-time professor (now business partner), that most well-known brands of bottled tea they would compete with are made from the leftover dust and fannings not the real thing. To ensure the success of his brand Goldman would be honest with consumers; he would provide them with tea made from the good stuff.
The company has now grown from making $250,000 in 1998 to $23,000,000 in 2008 with only 52 employees. My good friend read somewhere and makes it a point to repeat: “Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is!” And perhaps there’s a point to be made about the choice of the brand name. The tea is healthy and gives the consumer a chance to enjoy something good, and the product is obtained via a fair trade agreement, so it is honest as production gets, hence: Honest Tea.
This is what true entrepreneurship should be about: giving a service or product worth paying for. Thus, it is the charge of the OBJectives to give this our best shot. We will keep each other honest about our motives and the process will yield a product worth the hype!
When I began this journey with Brian and Omi, I set out on a quest. A quest for knowledge; a quest for understanding; a quest for wisdom…every quest is a part a larger quest to help young professionals/entrepreneurs communicate more effectively within the corporate environment. Thank you for joining me on this quest and us on the journey.
Self-help books author Ken Keyes stated “Everyone and everything around you is your teacher”. How will the relationship you built teach you?
Earlier today, I had a conversation with Brazen Careerist co-founder, Ryan Healy. He was precocious, knowledgeable, and wise in regards to the topic of creating our online resource. With a great understanding of what is needed to be successful, he shared with me a couple principles that I will keep in mind throughout this journey:
1) Be inclusive with other entrepreneur’s blogs: I concur; Companies with similar missions should stick together. We’re all helping the same generation here! With that in mind don’t forget to look into the following blogs: Employee Evolution, Twenty Set, Living the Start Up Life. 2) It is imperative gain support early: I concur; we have to gain the support our target audience, millennial entrepreneurs. Thankfully we both agreed creating a blog, which followed our path to launch, is a great idea!
Ryan is a wealth of knowledge and I look forward to speaking with him further in the future.
Relationships are important to any business endeavor! They serve as mentorship, can translate into revenue, or create a simple barter system, among many other things. Most people will scratch your back…trust me…but you have to be willing to scratch theirs. Also, many young professionals fail because they over think the relationship building process. Don’t ever think anyone is unreachable. With the social media outlets, the only person who may be impossible to contact is President Obama (I’M WORKING ON THAT). The key is to be genuine in your approach, people can sense when you aren’t. My relationship with Ryan Healy began on Facebook…from a Facebook message, to an email, to a phone call, to an illustrious future!
To allude back to Mr. Keyes’ quote, everyone around you knows something you do not. Someone has been through what you’re going through, it is just a matter of reaching out to the right persons. Teaching is not always done in a classroom and doesn’t have to come from a book. Teaching can come from a simple engagement in communication.
If you need any help or tips for reaching out and building a relationship feel free to contact me!
Emotion is an integral part our everyday lives. It is interwoven in our conversations and interactions with other people. I have had many situations that I have let my emotions get the best of me, but I have also prided myself on holding my emotions together when times get tough. In business, emotions are still in lay. I’ve noticed that I have had a tendency to be really high or really low. However, I have recently learned to keep an even keel through all situations. I recently made a regrettable mistake during the sales process that really set me back. The mistake cost me the sale, and came back to haunt me months later when I got a message from an associate that got the account in my place. When I first made the mistake , I told myself that I can get bitter or get better. I started off doing both, but I used the situation to strengthen my sales presentation and continually educate myself so that I do not make more absent-minded mistakes.
A mentor of mine told me that when building my business, “ Remove emotion and have continuity of effort.” What he meant by that was that I can’t take all the no’s personally and get upset and made at people and quit in response to the negativity. He also realizes though, that emotion in business is not all bad. Jonathan Brown, A leading supplier of distance business and sales learning, says that there are four basic emotions that can actually fuel your business and life.
1. Disgust
I was so disgusted at the mistake that I made that I vowed to make it right. I was also tired of mediocrity and doing the same things that everyone’s was doing. I got tired of normalcy. Strong disgust in my previous situation propelled me forward to where I am today, fighting for my dreams and goals. 2. Decision
This emotion is hard for me as a Phlegmatic (laid back, reserved) because I usually do not speak or think in absolutes. Sometimes I lose myself in the details and don’t make the decisions fast enough. I am more decisive now and realize that the worst decision is indecision. 3. Desire
My Desire to win is very strong. I focus on my “ Why” in times of laziness and disinterest. Desire is extremely powerful and something that you have to have in order to succeed. I am driven by the fact that a series of blows have taken out other people, but I will be one that continues to fight. 4. Resolve
I have resolved that no matter what , I will win. My resolve has been tested over and over again. I have many stories to tell. I refuse to have my dreams die so young and I have resolved to see them through until the end.
We realize that we will have setbacks, but we understand that setbacks and setups for the future.
When I woke up this morning, I knew it would be a great day. I just had the feeling it would all go well. Monday morning, the sun still a little shy to come out to play, but it was peeking through the clouds in curiosity, waiting to see what a great day it would be for me. I don’t mind the mornings but somehow, when I walk out of my house, I meet people, and sometimes they don’t like mornings. So, it was with a little extra effort that I convinced my evil twin to stay inside through the day. I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that it goes against human nature to stay calm when all about you people are being their bitter halves. But it was a lesson in patience for me, a lesson that the most successful people in the world seem to learn before an education begins to cost them.
To be patient, one has only to master three things: • Listen aggressively, • Speak slowly and after much thought, and • Calm down!
The last two points seem practical for a student of patience. You speak slowly and weigh your words in order to avoid saying something you will later regret. Ambrose Bierce put it this way, “Speak when you’re angry and you will give the best speech you will ever regret.” Likewise, you blow off some steam away from an adverse situation or remind yourself of your responsibility for any actions and thus calm down, because there are consequences that come with rash, decisions. But what about the first point: “Listen Aggressively?” How does that teach patience?
The wisest man who ever lived was a great advocate for aggressive listening “Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,” (Proverbs 4:1, ESV). Yet, I would admit that most of the time, I listen to reply, to refute or for instructions (GPS). But think, if you listened to people with the objective of understanding them, perhaps there would be no need to defend a point of view or get heated because you would get what they are saying. Now that does not mean there should be no difference of opinion, it simply means that you would be able to understand another’s perspective enough to refrain from challenging it harshly.
So, in a situation at work today, when spoken to quite condescendingly by a co-worker, I remembered her complaints of not being able to sleep and being sick for over a week and I felt bad for her, not angry, just sorry. I felt better for not retorting with some comment of equal acidity and her demeanor seemed to change at my calmness. I’m thinking, I might try this more often.
On Friday, I met with my Department of Homeland Security mentor. He is a member of the Executive Staff has 30+ years of experience in the corporate environment. He gave me advice on how to generate revenue in regards to this business venture, why now is the best time to invest in real estate, and how I shouldn’t wear socks lighter than my suit (as I found black socks being dirty is no excuse). Mentorship is one of the essentials for being successful in the corporate environment.
Most mentorship has to be sought after. So far on this journey I have reached out to many parties for mentoring on the start up process. Everyone has responded vehemently to my search to have learned so much in the process. Yesterday, Brian and I had an eye opening experience when teleconferencing with one of our mentors, Mr. Tim Burks. I will discuss more concerning this next week but we were advised to focus more on our company structure before making any hasty decisions. We have our plates full for next week, but we would not have been aware if it wasn’t for the mentoring of Mr. Burks.
I am out of town, Brian and Omi are holding down the fort. However, I plan to receive much mentoring while attending a Black History Month event on behalf of Martin Luther King Jr’s family, in Atlanta.
I like sleep. Sleep likes me. We have spent many a night together and sometimes enjoy a midday rondezvous . 8 hours a day feels great! I’m learning to function on 6 , but 5 or less brings a headache with it! However, sleep seems to be something that serious entrepreneurs do without. I remember hearing somewhere that Donald trump only sleeps 3-4 hours a night. This scares me to a certain extent because if I don’t sleep a certain length of time I become a different person; A mean person. However, we all have 24 hours in the day and if you can gain an edge by sleeping less, it may be worth it. Luckily, I recently found research that supports sound sleeping habits. CNN money had an article from the CEO of 1-800-CashOffer:
New research proves that fatigue, rampant in hard times, is bad for business. Here's how 8 entrepreneurs beat insomnia and get ROI from rest.
Empty Your Brain, then turn it off.
Jeremy BrandtFounder & CEO, 1-800-CashOffer Southlake, Texas 1. I write down everything I need to do the next day before I go to bed. I've found that if I don't do this, my mind stays active at night trying to remember everything I need to accomplish. 2. I try to do something mindless right before bed. Watch TV, read a book - anything that doesn't require much brainpower and "disengages" my thought process.
It is hard for us entrepreneurs to go to sleep when we have an exciting idea floating around in our heads, but it is necessary to function properly the next day and bring the best ideas to the table. This means that every hour that we do have awake should be productive to our overall goals. We have been learning to maximize or time because we all have full time occupations. So today I found that it is ok to get good sleep as an entrepreneur and not feel guilty, but your work when your awake better be on point to make up for the time sleeping!
When I first began working professionally last June, I was an intern. I was just donewith college and ready to work for a year or two before moving on to medical school. I was retained after my internship and currently work full time as a contractor with the Dept. of Health and Human Services and also part-time as a contractor with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Needless to say, I have learned a whole lot more on the job about professionalism than I ever learned in school despite my resume-worthy list of leadership experience on campus. My on-site supervisor will let me send an email on her behalf these days but it wasn't always so. For a few months at the beginning of my internship, she would read over my electronic communication drafts and polish them often taking out chunks of pointless information. Her tact with correcting me has been priceless, but not everyone gets an understanding mentor on entry into the workforce. Adaptation communication skills are often left out in our formal education and unlike I thought, your boss is not the 'real world' version of your college instructor.
Perhaps you've seen the commercial where a frazzled baby boomer mother tries desperately to communicate with her millennial daughter and traditionalist mother colloquially as they reply to her in text speak. The famous line from Grandma, " IDK, my BFF Rose ," had me laughing the first time I heard it. Perhaps that grandma was a little off the mark but the communication gap between the millennials and boomers isreal. This gap doesn't only exist at home; it follows millennials to the joband has become the reason for many-a-raised brow. I have scanned numerous blogs and spoken to a number ofseasoned colleagues on the issue to get the perspectives from both sides of the fence and a few things that were mentioned often were: Baby boomer employers say:
¡P Millennials have no sense of email etiquette, they fail to address the recipient appropriately and usually type no more than one or two lines. They are also in the habit of sending an email for everything when they could take a few minutes to address higher-ups in person.
¡P Who taught these kids how to speak? Using the proper lingo does not seem to be one of millennials' aspirations. Banish words like: "Like," and "you know" from your conversations with other professionals and clients, they make a person sound incompetent! ¡P I should not have to baby any adult on the jobby s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g out e-v-e-r-y-thing! What did you learn in school?
Millennials say: ¡P If I have just one question, why bother with the formalities in an email? I'm just saying what I need to, nothing more. It would probably take me less time to send you an email than it would for me to walk toyour office! ¡P What's the deal with sounding uppity when you're talking to people? As long as they get what I'm saying, I'm not concerned about it. ¡P Be specific!
Most of my resources seemed to agree on the differences in communication styles and the solutions offered to bridge the gap tend to bequite mixed. Some voices on the issue suggest that employers adapt to the millennial styles in order to retain them and others suggest that millennials adapt to the workforce as there is a pre-existing hierarchy in which they areallowed the least say. Some websites even go as far as offering a manual to begiven by HR to supervisors along with their millennials ( Tips on how to keep your millennial employees from leaving ). With what currently seems like an online battle between the two groups, one of the most valid comments I found was that both groups have something to give and something to learn. While Gen Y is synonymous with technology, their older counterparts need a little help. Companies could pair the younglings with older mentors and have them help in that area while the mentors share experiences with mentees on professionalism. The reason this would work? Millennials learn fast!
Why can't we all get along? Is mentoring a viable solution?
In a recent issue of Success Magazine, I read an article where, world renowned motivational speaker and entrepreneur Tony Robbins stated "success leaves clues". (I would recommend everyone pick up a copy of and subscribe to Success Magazine) This means that someone has been successful in your endeavor and one of the best ways to become successful and more successful, is to find out how they obtained their success. Hearing this both inspired me and made me wonder, why many entrepreneurs/professionals are not successful? Could it be because they are confused in constructing the business model? Could it be because they don't understand the best practices of marketing, themselves and their products? Could it be because they don't know how to begin to generate revenue from their endeavors? Or could it be because they do not ask for advice (in all these areas)?
Social Media blogger, Monica O'brien (@monicaobrien), blogged on the topic in her "Need Something? Try asking for it" blog. In this blog, she expresses there is no harm in asking, that many times the situation works in your favor…so what do you have to lose? ASK!!! I took this blog to heart and began to reach out to key players in the social media industry with questions of how to build, market, and generate revenue from our business endeavor. Most of the players such as Guy Kawasaki (@guykawasaki), Ryan Durkin of CampusLIVE, and most recent Jun Loayza of Future Delivery (@JunLoayza), are in concurrence and support of our resource to help young professionals/entrepreneurs communicate effectively in the corporate environment.
Jun was AWESOME enough to share a few tips on increasing traffic on our blog/site. I feel obliged to share with you, my friends; they are as follows:
· Promote the blog on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Digg, and other social networks · Use Twitter Tools to automatically post a tweet everytime you post a blog post · Contribute to other blogs and publications: check out Jun's Press page · Build followers on Twitter: strategically use Tweet Manager, Tweet Later, and Social Too
The following is a personal example of how asking questions benefit you (happened to me TODAY!!!!): I attended a Black History Month presentation for my job; where the key note speaker was nationally recognized Dr. Julianne Malveaux. She is currently the President of Bennett College for Women (HBCU), has appeared on many shows (CNN, BET, Fox News Channel's O'Reilly Factor, to name a few) and has written many books. She spoke about the resilience and faith of African Americans, including the historic victory of President Barack Obama. When her speech concluded, I asked a question regarding keeping the millennials energized and focused past the boost they received from the victory. (in an OPEN FORUM consisting of a couple hundred people!!) She responded by saying we have to "become our own leaders". The result of this ONE question was many top executives approaching me to commend the courage and it also placed my name in the hat for youth leadership (as I was the only person of my generation to ask a question).
To ask or not to ask; is it even a question? ASK!!!!!!!!
Josh and I (Mostly Josh) have been collaborating on the actual business plan for the company we are going to start. We have done extensive research on the intricacies of starting a website and have found it to be a hassle for some and quite easy for others. Guy Kawasaki, who we obviously look up to, wrote about how he started a Web 2.0, User-Generated Content, Citizen Journalism, Long-Tail, Social Media Site for $12,107.09 in his blog “ How To Change the World”. He detailed the costs of starting a site and gave us a realistic breakdown of what we would be looking at. Guy actually wrote no business plan for his site. He said “ The plan is simple: Get a site launched in a few months, see if people like it, and sell ads and sponsorships (or not).” His method actually falls in line with the overall theme we have been finding which is that it is important not to get bogged down in details(not saying that he believes this is true for all start ups). What we have found is that if you get caught up in making sure everything is perfect, you may not ever release anything at all.
However there are those that believe in a sound foundational and detailed business plan even for Web 2.0 startups. Donna Bogatin wrote a blog entry called Web 2.0 start-up survival: Business plans, revenue models required, which she states that” Web 2.0 start-ups are being led astray by Web 2.0 conventional start-up wisdom”. She believes that people with sound financial plans and business models are promoting Web 2.0 companies that have neither. She believes that a “lightweight, disposable approach to Web 2.0 entrepreneurship is supported by many in the Web 2.0 community” and leads to what she calls a rash of amateur entrepreneurship. In her new “ The Real Deal” CEO interview series she is “ showcasing dynamic Web 2.0 entrepreneurship based on rational business plans and revenue models.”
So as we sift through all the different information that is out there from those that have been successful , we are taking everything with a grain of salt and seeing how it applies to our company. However, we will have a sound business plan!
What do you think? Are comprehensive business plans necessary for a Web 2.0 Company? -B
It is always quite amazing to talk to people who pride themselves on how busy they are. They can't get a minute to call and say hello or meet for some coffee because there's just so much to do and so little time! I wonder does it occur to these people that I get 24 just like they do? In my conversation with Joshua (who had the time to meet for lunch today), we talked about this and explored the differences in other cultures. It is often said that the British live for their holidays, saving up for a special time away somewhere they haven't yet been or simply getting out of town to relax. However, to take 2 months of vacation within a year seems like it would be a crime before retirement in America. Why? Are we concerned about how people would view our work ethic or do we just not have the resources to do so? I think it could be a mix of both, but I also think there are ways around it.
Let me address the stigma that vacationing has been associated with in this country. People view this as a time to lie on a white sandy beach and drink from a coconut with an umbrella straw. Thoughts of vacations conjure up visions of being completely lazy, not having to do anything but be present in the moment. As luxuriously enticing as that might sound, this is only one type of vacation. This type of vacation gets old after about a week because the body needs activity as much as it craves rest. Vacations should be a time to learn and subconsciously strengthen ones awareness of the world around them. They should be an opportunity to find out what it is you lack in your world that is normal elsewhere while resting ones work-mode brain. I know of people who take vacations in developing countries to remind themselves of just how good they have it here but also of how little happiness has to do with having 'stuff'. Plus, you will be challenged to use both parts of your brain in communicating with others be it at an airport or your vacation spot if you choose to engage with other cultures. Keeping your brain exercised will help you age more gracefully – something that every cosmetic company seems to cashing in on by the bottle these days. So people who take periodic vacations are not lazy, irresponsible individuals, they might be the smartest of the bunch!
If you've taken the time to notice lately, the most effective people are not those who put in the longest hours at work and spend their time at home doing more work. They are those people who plan their time effectively so that they have time to play enough to work and work enough to play. Having the resources to take time off from work without having to worry about lost wages is something that becomes more common as you go up the professional ladder. However, the now busiest man in the country, our President Barack Obama, finds the time to go out on the town with his family and friends because he understands the importance of such balance. They are not taking time and money-consuming trips across the world to enjoy time together; with or without money there are things to do and places to see. The local paper is usually full of free and affordable weekend events (mini mind vacations). And if you do just need some time to relax and rest your mind, there's no place like home with a scented candle in a corner and your favorite couch!
So try and catch yourself when you want to use the excuse: "I'm too busy these days," and instead, accept the offer to meet a friend for some coffee on a Wednesday evening. I'll bet you'll feel better about being at work when you're happier outside work and perhaps, you will do what needs to be done in those sweet 8 hours and not be so busy after all!
Omi went to the Bridge Church DC- www.thebridgedc.org/ Brian went to The Bridge Church DC- www.thebridgedc.org/ Josh went to Fresh Annointing International Christian Ministries- www.FAICM.org
This past week America celebrated the birthday the illustrious 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. A man remembered for bringing two political sides together, the Emancipation Proclamation, and wrestling! President Lincoln is also praised for his intellectual quotes. One, brought to my attention by Omi, read “And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” Having done much research in regards to our endeavor to provide an online aid, to help young professionals/entrepreneurs communicate more effectively within the corporate environment, we’ve found that the older generations have concluded millennials have communication drawbacks. I wonder, can the emerging generation of millennials be perceived by seasoned professionals on the basis of Lincoln’s quote? (The answer is YES!)
Earlier in the week I read a blog by David Silverman for Harvardbusiness.org. The blog is entitled “Why is Business Writing So Bad?” and spoke of the lack of focus in business writing for college students. Being that Mr. Silverman also teaches a business section at Drew University; I will be reaching out to him to discuss ways to bring the issue to the forefront of college discussion.
In a recent discussion with Alexandra Levit, author of corporate survival guide, They Don’t Teach Corporate in College, we both agree there is a need for a focus on bettering effective communication skill sets of young professionals/entrepreneurs. Now that the need is established the question is…how to reach young professionals/entrepreneurs? The answer is to go where they eat, sleep and breathe…Social Media outlets.
Experience, Inc., a social media sit that connects millions of young professional candidates with job opportunities, juggle with communication scenarios often. CEO and founder of Experience, Ms. Jenny Floren, stated in a Reuters.com press release, “one of the top trends in 2008 for managing Gen-Yers is for companies to change their communication style”. In a sense, can millennials be held responsible for what they may not have been taught in school or within communities? At this point, that seems be an irrelevant question. Millennials are being pre-judged by seasoned professionals prior to completing the first week employment. While providing millennials with the wondrous opportunity and experience to be employed in the corporate environment, a mechanism is also essential to help them communicate effectively.
A great place for the mechanism to be is within social media, where millennials tend to LIVE! This will provide a place for the innovative minds and energetic personalities to grow and become more effective in the corporate arena. This will also help to eliminate the prejudgments of seasoned professionals and allow them to recognize we are precocious enough to work alongside of them, be successful, and bring life to President Abe Lincoln’s quote! (happy belated birthday)
When we first embarked on this journey, one of our immediate concerns was a lack of resources. Being the typical college student, my first instinct was to see what we could get for free. That issue is still one we are examining because we want to make the best use of the resources we do have. Right now our most valuable resources are relationships and creativity. We have searched the internet to find websites that have a similar design and/or platform to the one we are looking to create for young professionals. Should it have a social networking component? Should it have some sort of dictionary database? Should it be free? These are all questions that we have asked ourselves and others. Josh connected with Jeff Shuey,Alliance Manager – Microsoft and Tech (ECM & BPM), who suggested that we could have a comprehensive website using only open source software.However I'm not sure that open source software is completely free, especially if you need help with something.I was also inspired by Markus Frind, founder of the free dating site Plenty of Fish.He learned how to build a website from Microsoft’s ASP.net and now makes 10 thousand dollars a day running a website that basically runs itself.
Venture capital seems to be a viable option, but I'm not sure how much control we would have to give up to do that and I also like the challenge of funding it ourselves.We also asked Jeff if we should learn to build the website ourselves or pay an expert to do it.He gave the analogy that if your teeth hurt you don't go to Home Depot to buy tools to fix it, you go to the expert.That kind of advice brings us back to UrbanDictionary.com, who has a database of words provided by editors and also has free membership feature.They also promote the people who actually built the website and its features. MediaBistro is also a site that we may look at to get ideas for features.I like the color contrast of the site, which we recently found out was very important (myspace and facebook are blue for a reason).The social components of the website are intriguing, but it all goes back to cost and how technology savvy we need to become to make this thing happen.Ramon Ray Editor of smallbiztechnology.com wrote on the advantages and disadvantages of free software on OpenForum blog.His notes of importance:
Work with a technology consultant to understand the pros and benefits of each offering. If you are comparing the free product (such as Unison Technologies) to a fee based product such as Microsoft Exchange you need to first ensure the free product can meet your needs now and in the future and that at the minimum it has no (or few) bugs, a good interface and the features you need — compare all of this to the fee based product.
Once you feel that it can meet your needs, you need to focus on support options. How will you get support for the product? Can your local consultant help? Do you need to pay support fees to the vendor providing the free product or service? Can you support the product with your own internal IT staff?
Another thing to consider is does the product connect well with other applications you use. Sometimes you have a custom application or maybe an off-the-shelf application like Intuit QuickBooks or a sales force application. If you have a free product can it integrate with popular business applications that you or your partners are already using.
If you plan on growing a business that will last, building your business on free technology is something you should think carefully about, before doing. While free software is great for some users, such as productivity tools for your computer, it might not be the best thing to run your customers’ payroll on.
So how free can it be?
What is one magic tool you would want to use to help you communicate in the corporate environment more effectively?
If there’s anything I could eliminate from the general trend of millennial attitudes, it would be indecisiveness. For some reason, it seems like there is a throng of people following several trends and a select few with minds of their own. One of my good friends always says: “Have a mind of your own and use it.” It makes good sense. Perhaps we have taken too seriously the comments of our parents: “You can do anything you want,” and forgotten that at some point, we are meant to pick just a few things and do them well. So, we have ‘Undecided’ majors in college and graduates with a tapestry of knowledge and nothing specific enough to be fully functional without additional training. This works for some people, but being a ‘Jack of all trades’ doesn’t quite work for everyone. Learning different trades is especially useful especially during a time when people are unsure of whether or not they will still have their jobs next month. But even more important is knowing what you want and going after it despite what the trend might be at the time.
It’s a little like drinks. For some, water is good just like it is, others like a little slice of lemon to keep it interesting and others still some flavor, corn syrup, or minerals from the soil taken up by plants (juice, wine etc.). Some drinks have an interesting look but prove unappealing to the taste buds of a particular person. So it is with finding your niche. There is a time to discover what it is you like and what you don’t, and there is a time when it is expected that you know what you like. You may try a new drink every now and again and sometimes, it’s just what you want but other times, you’ll find that it isn’t. But don’t confuse adventure with flakiness!
I often marvel at my friends who dance like stars and are especially good at coordinating movements with different body parts. However, I have tried and I know that dancing simply isn’t one of my great talents but I bet you there is something else I’m better at than they are… maybe poetry? As much as I love the song: “I hope you dance…” (By Lee Ann Womak) if the lights are on, I’ll sit it out. That’s a decision I’ve made and it’ll save me from much embarrassment.
An article (Keeping “Generation Y” on the Job) written by Pamela Mills-Senn makes reference to the reputation of millennials as ‘flighty.’ In other words, indecisiveness is costing employers and they are trying to find ways to combat it. Today, Millennials are pouring out of colleges with degrees that parents assured us would help us “get a good job,” but it isn’t so easy with the competition we are facing from older, more experienced individuals who want to work more before they retire, not to mention those losing their jobs. Perhaps the present state of things will work to curb our ‘flightiness’.
My goal is to find out how OBJectives can make entry-level positions an easier phase to go through by bridging the communication gaps that are sometimes the reason for quitting. It is my hope that the end product will be something simple, effective and good for you! So my drink of choice today is: water. It’s simple, it’s pure, it’s good for you and it may be plain but it is especially appreciated when you’re thirsty!
What communication issues do you face with higher-level professionals at your job or internship? What do you wish they understood?
Zig Ziglar once said “An optimist is someone who goes after Moby Dick in a rowboat and brings the tartar sauce with him.” Do you believe that? I do!
I recall a memory of a young American feeling as though he was dreaming while watching an acceptance speech. Tears filled his eyes as the fire of passion for life inside him was being drenched with fuel. The fuel, that drenched this passion for life, was the impacting words from an articulate orator on television. The orator had his audience focused like no other, hanging on to every word speaking a message of change for our future. Even now, as that young American typing this blog, I can still hear the chants of “Yes We Can”. The orator was our President, Barack Obama. I begin this blog recalling this laudable victory because it takes optimism to rewrite history.
In an interview blog (Kawasaki Blog) regarding the myths in the workplace, the social media giant, Guy Kawasaki (@guykawasaki, Twitter) wrote “If you’re a pessimist, a great job can’t overcome that”. Optimism in every endeavor is essential. I am currently employed with the Department of Homeland Security. I know the opportunities to be pulled into meetings with top executives and perform many office taskings was not presented by chance but by optimism. Two years ago, I interviewed as a young professional pursing my degree, fresh out of high school. With no high level work experience on my résumé the odds were against me. However, with an optimistic attitude (and preparation of course) I rewrote my story.
Regarding purpose of this blog; my good friends, Brian and Omi, and I decided to create a way to help young professionals communicate more effectively in the corporate environment. I knew we had to be optimists at heart. Admittedly I was a little concerned with the vast impact it will have on not only the country but the world! When you look at it through a macro lens, it is terrifying. But optimism is the foundation of courage. It will take optimism to build relationships with key players in the social media industry; it will take optimism for Brian, Omi, and myself to learn how to create an online interactive aid; it will take optimism to launch the aid and impact lives!
History shows the millennials have been viewed in an impotent light, in reference to corporate communication, let’s rewrite it! It is time for us all to be optimists!
So if you read the intro blog you will notice that it was by my failure that our group came into existence. Thank God for failure. One of the greatest lessons I have learned in my short existence is how to deal with failure. With the guidance of mentors and training materials I have come to understand failure, and the root of the resistance towards it. I am a junior in college and I've noticed that up until now failure has been something to avoid at all costs. If you fail too many times, you drop out and go home so that you won't fail anymore. I've been told since a very young age that failure will hold you back and lead to all kinds of punishment. So when I hear the business crowd say to go out and fail as many times as possible and learn from it, it is easy to see where that resistance comes from.
I’ll never forget meeting a gentleman in Barnes and Nobles who said he would never go into business again because of a bad partnership. It seemed that "after a series of blows, his humanity had been reduced to efficiency"(John Eldredge, Waking the Dead). I asked him about his current government job, and he said that he can't complain because it pays the bills. I'm sorry, but I can't live my life like that. I guess he never heard that “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm”. I'm glad I did. I am glad I was well read by the time my sales call came around with the executive assistant described the intro. When she basically told me that I did not speak the same language as upper level management, I could have gotten upset, but I thanked her for telling me that. I wasn't speaking any sort of slang, but there was a certain terminology that upper level types seem to use that I wasn't privy to. Half of it was nerves and half of it was trying to answer questions on the fly. I saw the opportunity within what she was saying. I thought.. what language is she speaking of? How can I learn to speak it? Why does it matter? After that experience, I wondered if I was the only young person in that position. Dan Price(24), owner of Gravity Payments, made me believe that I wasn’t the only one out there. In an interview for Entrepreneur Magazine highlighting Dan and his company , Peter J. Burns III, chancellor of the College of Entrepreneurship at Southern States University “suggests networking with business leaders in your community and industry to learn and share knowledge”. He says that “you get into the mix and just sound smarter. That article was the beginning of major findings that support our mission.
This web 2.0 world is completely new to me. Failures are inevitable, but success is optional. I’m used to being a user, but I always wondered what the other side looked like. I see it now.. It’s on.
We are young. We are beautiful. We are naïve. We are responsible. Inspired by the many other young people in the world who have chosen life, I stand humbled and in awe. So many people under 30 are breaking out of the mold everyday and challenging the status quo to prove that the world is not yet out of ideas, inventions and success stories. Like the young doctor from Iraq, Luqman ‘Luke’ Jubair, who was featured on CNN’s Young People Who Rock, to live is to choose the path that others avoid and doing so simply because there is a need you can fill. Success is not easy, and it is risky but it only knocks at your door if you’ll welcome it.
I started reading the book Take the Risk by Ben Carson (You’ll soon find that he is one of my favorite people). In it, he explains how we have become a society that is so risk averse that it has become crippling. We buy insurance for everything for fear that something might happen to it; we get a warranty on everything and will pay more for it because we want an assurance that what is ours now will be ours forever. Fact is: we don’t get to live forever and we cannot get back lost time. And it might seem harmless, even beneficial (and it is if you live in a flood zone and insure your house), except for the fact that we tend to want to insure our success too. Afraid to take a leap for fear that the ground will not be there when we want to land. But no one who ever did anything significant was so fearful. The Henry Fords and Thomas Jeffersons of the world understood failure as a way to determine what pathways to eliminate so that there are fewer choices to find the right one. We don’t waste time by trying, we get ahead, and we eventually thrive.
I knew when I was 9 that I wanted to be a doctor. Perhaps the naïveté of childhood got me this far in my journey. I have graduated college with a Bachelors of Science in Biology and I currently work 2 jobs in the field of Emerging Diseases so that I can learn a little while I try to get into MedicalSchool. I will have a health post one day in Nigeria that is open to the poor for good treatment. I will not be the first person who does this, but I’ll be one of the first who have done it there. I have taken the MCAT twice and gotten the exact same score both times (needless to say, it was not a good score and I was greatly humbled). I say ‘humbled’ and not ‘disappointed’ because I understand that priceless gifts always come at a great cost, one I have not yet paid. You would say that a gift shouldn’t cost the receiver anything, point is, we are not given our talents for personal gain, and thus we are the givers. But this is just the beginning of a story that will have a wonderful end. Call me a hopeless optimist, I’ll still believe it!
There will be times in my journey when I get afraid and want to stand still. There will be times when I think I’ve come far enough. But I hope the day never comes when I doubt that I have what it takes. So I am embarking on my own journey. I know there is a need in this world I was born to fill. I am going to be there to restart a heart when it wants to stop beating, I’ll be the one who knows what will stop someone’s aching and it is going to be a long road before I can do that legally but I’ll get there; hopefully, still young, still beautiful with a healthy dose of naïveté and much responsibility.
This blog is an Entrepreneurial Reality Journey of three individuals (Omi, Brian, Josh) who came together to form the group “The OBJectives”. The name was birthed out of a strategy session that took place at the Busboys and Poets Lounge in Downtown Washington, DC when the group was brainstorming ideas for a future business project . Follow the OBJectives through their daily account of the thoughts, discoveries, and actions taken to eventually reach the goal of successfully building a start-up company that will help entry level workers, young entrepreneurs, and young professionals communicate in the corporate environment more effectively.
The Story
This goal came from the usual sort of entrepreneurial story. Brian was marketing an incentives program to a large regional bank and made major strides with the Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Human Resources, who basically made all the decisions. Brian's reading habits came in handy when he was dealing with someone probably twice his age. After reviewing her professional emails with smiley faces at the closing, and the never ending phone calls, Brian realized that he was dealing with a Sanguine individual (Talkative, enthusiastic, curious). After building a rapport with Brian, she let on that the account would be 100k account. She said that 100k account wasn’t that big, but she also didn’t know that Brian was a 20 year old junior in College. Brian kept his composure, all the while trying to foster a sense of security for the enthusiastic exec. During one conversation, she ever so bluntly let on that one of her concerns with the product offering was that she knew he didn’t do it full time and that higher level executives were used to dealing with individuals “ That used their words differently”. Brian was taken aback because he is usually applauded for his verbal prowess, but saw deeper into her comment that there must be some kind of lingo that he wasn’t privy too. He concluded that he was not the only individual who wished to communicate with upper level management in a way that increases his credibility quotient. After consulting with Omi and Josh who have already had experience communicating with executives at their jobs, they saw that the need for more effective communication between entry-level professionals and high level executives was common.
Today
the OBJectives are Energized, Focused, and Determined, with good ideas backed up with research. Omi is studying to take the MCAT to be a doctor, Josh is a business major and a working executive assistant, and Brian is in college studying marketing. Inbetween their activities, they are getting a crash course in Web 2.0, Social Media, SEO, Etc. The First OBJective:
