Transformation is an Inside Job
It’s my personal experience that evolutionary change — change that moves me to a more expanded, vital and healthy place — really does come from some inner space, some internal sensibility or knowing in me that is hard to describe. It is a place that we all have in us. We may be conscious of this space, know ...
Intrapreneurship – using your entrepreneurial talents within the organization you work for
As a child, I was surrounded by a family – both sides of the tree – of small business owners and creatives. The drive to make something new – businesses, new gadgets, clothing, music, etc. – is a genetic trait that seems to run strong and deep. Me, I was driven by empathy and an ...
Business Model Generation – A Process for Developing and Testing your Big Ideas
Last week, I was honored to present to a group of enterprising nonprofit organizations. Each of them is interested in exploring, developing, or growing a social enterprise as part of their organizational strategy. My quick talk was intended to help them think through some of the key pieces of how to do that, by using ...
What if, Why not, and How could – 5 Tips for Encouraging Possibility Thinking
Whenever I struggle with a problem or hurdle, I ask myself two things – “What if” and “Why not.” And, I ask them in that order. The first is a question I ask to help me generate possibilities, hoping that one might lead to something interesting or helpful. The second question is my way of ...
Are you ever really ready to make the leap?
Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the honor of working with Bibhuti Aryal, the founder of the Rukmini Foundation, which empowers girls in Nepal through education, health, and mentoring. From his experience, it seems that there were many things that he and his team didn’t anticipate and that challenged their ability to move forward in ...
Solving Problems by Challenging the Obvious
Sometimes the best answers to the problems we face aren’t the ones that are right in front of us. Sometimes, they are the ones we find when we dig deeper, when we ask someone else what they see, or when we stumble upon an unrelated idea that makes us think about things just a little ...
The Power of Conversation; the Potential of Collaboration
I was involved in a meeting recently where several area organizations were sharing their current social enterprise efforts, needs, and goals. While most of the organizations knew of each other – they all work with homeless, low-income, and other populations that face life challenges – they were not as familiar with what each was doing ...
Creating Space for your Big Ideas to Happen
We all have limited time. And anything we choose to focus on – getting our big idea going, for instance – can mean time not spent on something else, like your core work, your hobbies, or even family. So, to get your big idea off the ground and keep it going, you have to create ...
Do you really need to plan the time to achieve your goals?
It depends. : ) Do you need to sit down and write your goals out? If you feel compelled. Do you need to take time to create a to-do list? Maybe, if you’re that way inclined. What about for doing things that get you closer to your goal? Yes. Absolutely! Someday is NOT on the ...
Capturing Creativity: Don’t get caught with your pants down when inspiration strikes
Have you ever had a sudden burst of inspiration, a brilliant idea for something, or just figured out the ideal solution to a problem that’s been plaguing you, but you weren’t in a position to capture it and then it just went away? Me too, and it’s awful. The feeling of having lost my inspiration ...