THE BUZZ: From May 21st – 23rd 2012, I had the pleasure of attending the first Seattle Summit of the Young Global Leaders (YGLs) which was hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It opened with a reception at the Space Needle and a welcome from Bill Gates Sr. – Co-Chair of the Gates…
ZERO. Is the presence of nothing different from the absence of something? Does the term “ground zero” mean the beginning or the end? Are you comfortable with empty space? Zero is both a number and a concept. Many historians state that the introduction of zero was the most significant achievement in the development of our counting system because it made calculation with large numbers feasible. The inclusion of zero introduced negative numbers and opened up a new world of mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry and business.
PARTNERSHIP. Are you a loner or a connector? What type of genuine partnerships have you formed in your life? I was a tom-boy athlete growing up. I ran track, swam and did gymnastics competitively and was successful at winning many medals. Although I was technically on a “team”, I realize now that in all of those sports the final result was really determined by my individual performance. Except for in a relay race, I wasn’t really dependent on the other members like with sports such as football or basketball.
Q&A: I own a small business and I’m trying to be environmentally-responsible. Where should I start without breaking the bank?
QUESTIONS. How curious are you? Do you take things at face value? Do you ever avoid asking questions because you think you’ll sound naive? Are you willing to ask the tough and unpopular questions? If you’ve spent time around a young child then at some point you’ve probably experienced a seemingly endless stream of questions, such as “Why is the sky blue?”, “Why does a dog have a tail?”, “What makes the grass grow?”, “Where do babies come from?”
Q&A: I work for an advertising company and I’m trying to start a business on the side. I can’t seem to stay on track with the work I really want to do. Do you have any suggestions?
NO. Have you ever agreed to do something you really didn’t want or have time to do? Have you ever said “No” to something that seemed like an opportunity to other people, but just didn’t “feel” right for you? How do you respond when you are told “No”? There’s a funny thing about this simple two-letter word. It is a word we’ve all used and we’ve all heard before. When it’s said to you, you may not like it very much; when you say it, it can be quite liberating. Sometimes the word is open for interpretation; other times, it is absolute. For example, when making a sales call, “No” may very well mean, “Not right now.” However, when asking for a romantic date, “No” most likely means “NO!”
Q&A: I have a small financial advisory firm based in New York City and I just bought a house in Philadelphia to lower my cost structure. I have decided to keep my New York office… commute in three days a week and work from my new home two days. How can I manage my schedule so I still grow the business, have a social life (I am single) and not burn out!
From October 22nd through 25th, I participated in the SVN Fall 2009 Conference at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa in California. I also taught a yoga class. The Social Venture Network brings together the pioneers of socially-conscious business to collaborate and connect in order to transform the way the world does business. My sister, Sheila Kennedy Bryant, joined me. I must thank Ed Dugger from UNC Ventures for inviting me again, and Deb Nelson, SVN’s Executive Director, for welcoming me back. I joined SVN in 2002 as an “Emerging Entrepreneur.”
EXPERIENCE. What have your experiences taught you? How much time do you spend thinking about what you want to do with your life versus actually doing it? When was the last time you shared your personal knowledge with others? Experience is life’s great teacher. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “People grow through experience…
