In this last installment with the Wendel brothers, we look at the nature of community. How does it change the way we do business? How is community-building about depth instead of breadth? How do powerful emotions create a shared bond?
Throughout these interviews, I've been delighted with the rich stories that both Chris and Tim have told. It's a wonderful example of wisdom entrepreneurs using story-telling in a powerful way. In Part 4, you won't be disappointed. The Wendels tell probably their most powerful story at the end of this interview. Photo of and by Tim Wendel
This last installment is under 17 minutes long.
My thanks again to Chris and Tim for being a part of the A Bigger Voice community. We learn by hearing each other's stories. The Wendels have given us stories that will stick with us for a long time.
Provide your comments below. Chris and Tim particularly want your ideas on where to go with their community-building efforts. Let's continue the conversation, both here and on the Wendels' blog, Buffalo Nation.
This is the third installment of a four-part interview. For me, this was the most exciting part of the interview. I could see a new stage emerging for the Wendels, from being a "firestarter" for a community with their book, Buffalo, Home of the Braves, to being facilitators for a community. I could hear both brothers grappling with what this new role meant for them personally. It's not uncommon that when a community takes hold, the founders need to adapt their style from nurturing to letting go.
But before we get to that part, the Wendels talk about an unexpected turn of events that increases their blog traffic from under 50 hits a day to over 1000 hits a day, literally overnight. It doesn't hurt for wisdom entrepreneurs to get a lucky break every once in awhile. Enjoy Part 3 of the interview, which is just under 19 minutes long.
This story just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?
In our last installment, the Wendels talk about the nature of community--how it plays into a new era in business as well as how it encourages us to go deeper into the topic at hand. Ultimately, communities force us to examine what we know, believe, and feel.
In this second installment of a four-part interview, the Wendels give us an inside look at what it feels like when you've formed a vibrant community, with a book as the catalyst. In this case, the book is "Buffalo, Home of the Braves," about an NBA team from the 1970s. Through a combination of in-person events and online blogging, you'll hear how they were able to reach a cross-section of their audience, from the 20-year olds who only heard about the basketball team from others, to the fans who were there in the stands, to witness the Braves' finest moments.
The audio is 11 minutes long. Enjoy!
If you aren't convinced after Tim's story that community should come before monetizing, nothing will convince you!
In Part 3 of our interview, I talk to Chris and Tim about the unexpected death of one of the best known players from the Braves, just after the publication of their book, and how that became an opportunity to serve and engage a larger community.
How can a book be the catalyst for a community? How does building a community translate into book sales (monetizing)? And when does the community go beyond the book, to create stunning results in the world? These questions are relevant not only to authors, but to wisdom entrepreneurs.
I caught up with two wisdom entrepreneurs from our pilot last year, author Tim Wendel and small business consultant, Chris Wendel. The Wendel brothers, as they were affectionately known throughout the pilot, worked with A Bigger Voice in the summer of 2008. At that time, the writing of their book, Buffalo, Home of the Braves, was largely complete (Tim's job as the author.) Chris was in the throes of adding in the visual component (read: tracking down photos from 35 years ago) and handling all the other stuff that goes into producing a book. The Wendels also had a complementary blog with a small following of hard-core Braves fans.
In this first installment of a four-part interview, I talk with the Wendels about finding their community, and the surprises along the way. Don't miss the last few minutes where Chris tells some remarkable stories about their community members.
The audio is 12 minutes long.
In Part 2 of our interview, we talk about the vibe of community and how in-person and online community-building come together.
More information on the Wendels and links to their blog and book:
Chris Wendel works with both aspiring and established entrepreneurs through his work with the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center. His work utilizes the imagination, desired outcomes, and problem solving skills of his clients. To hone his own entrepreneurial skills, Chris founded SunBear Press, a publishing company that specializes in niche market books. SunBear Press recently released “Buffalo, Home of the Braves”, a story that chronicles the meteoric rise of a National Basketball Association franchise that played in Buffalo, New York in the 1970’s.
Tim Wendel is the author of seven books, including "Red Rain: A Novel" and "Buffalo, Home of the Braves." His writing has appeared in Esquire, The New York Times, GQ and USA Today, where he is on the op-ed page's board of contributors. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, he teaches nonfiction and fiction writing there. More of his stories can be found at www.timwendel.com.
About Carol Ross
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