A Bigger Voice

Biggest Mistakes Made By Wisdom Entrepreneurs

I've been blogging about wisdom entrepreneurs and the path to A Bigger Voice since late 2007. I've talked to lots of experts, did a pilot with four wisdom entrepreneurs, had numerous conversations with kindred spirits, and helped many attempting to go down this path. Here are the 8 biggest mistakes that I've observed:

1. Mistaking passion for an idea for the ability to effectively communicate an idea.  It's easy to think that because you get it, everyone else will. But the communication of the idea is as important, if not more, than the idea itself. I listened to a podcast about entrepreneurship recently where this advice came out:  Spend 20% of your time developing the product and 80% on the marketing and sales. For wisdom entrepreneurs, this translates into 20% on development of the idea, and 80% on the communication of it. Photo by jonny goldstein.
2. Downplaying the need to tell your story. People need to hear how the idea that you are so passionate about came into being. Bless all those humble wisdom entrepreneurs out there who don't like talking about themselves. (You know who you are.) But without a human voice representing the cause, your ideas are less likely to engage others. Your story is essential to that engagement, not only to make it personally inviting to others, but because story helps others make sense of why you, why now. It gives credibility to your cause.
3. Thinking too narrowly about the beneficiaries of your cause. This impacts not only who you invite into your community (the kindred spirits) but also limits how you think about monetizing. One wisdom entrepreneur I know has a cause of creating more living donors in general and specifically for kidneys. He was discouraged that his potential "community" consisted of only those patients on the waiting list for kidneys, about 70,000 people. And yet the people who care about his cause are not only the patients but their families, their doctors, their friends.
4. Focusing only on top down, instead of top down + bottom up.  It's easy to go after the "big fish", those who you perceive have money or status or power. And yet, this is just one half of the equation (and becoming less relevant all the time with the pervasiveness of social media and crowdsourcing.) Relying on the traditional power structure to promote and align with your cause will only get you so far, so fast. Again, going back to the living donor example, the crux of their efforts focused on Congress and policy makers in Washington, DC. One of the founders of the cause wrote several Op-Eds for the Wall Street Journal. But the real power comes when there is a groundswell from those who personally feel the pain of not enough living donors--patients and their families,  friends, and health care providers. These are people who become engaged in a community and respond to a call to action. Photo by VinothChandar
5. Ignoring the use of technology to expand your reach. This has been less of a problem with the pervasiveness of social media, but it still bears a footnote for "digital immigrants."  It's easy to stick with what you know and not invest the time into other ways of reaching your tribe.  
6. Focusing on an event rather than a conversation. I have a friend who has organized a social entrepreneur day in his local area for the past few years. He usually has a prominent speaker fly in from out of town, gets the mayor and other luminaries to say a few words, and lines up several events throughout the day.  The problem is that it happens once a year, with no follow-up as a community to continue the conversation.  Sparks initiated by the day of events are likely to be snuffed out without some support afterward. 
7. Forgetting that community building is a two-way dialogue, not a one-way broadcast. Nothing dismays me more than to see a site for a wisdom entrepreneur that offers no means for the reader to respond and contribute. Contact pages don't count. Really. Information dumping doesn't take the place of authentic dialogue and being shaped and influenced by that dialogue. Photo by BASFPlantScience
8. Neglecting the balance between outward engagement and inward focus. Sometimes, the wisdom entrepreneur needs to visible and out in front, sparking the conversation, telling her story, creating alliances. Other times, she needs to be reflecting, self-managing, and working on her own personal growth in order to be more effective in the world. Both are needed, in good measure. 

I'm not immune to these mistakes, so the adage, "People who throw stones shouldn't live in glass houses" comes to mind. This post is as much for me as it is for you.

What mistakes have you made?  What mistakes have you observed others make?

What an Entrepreneur Looks Like, Part 3

In the first posting of this series, a sixth-grader showed us how the mind of an entrepreneur works--imaginative, customer-oriented, and opportunistic (in a good way).

In the second posting, we saw how one Millenial uses his resourcefulness, curiosity, and team-oriented leadership style to shake up the music industry's way of finding up and coming bands.    

Much has been written about the joy of being an entrepreneur, the glory and positive impact when successful.  But I'm curious about the flip side.  What happens when things get difficult? Photo by alaina.buzas

In this third and final posting of this series on the different faces of entrepreneurs, we explore the messy side of entrepreneurship--when things go wrong.   It's a big topic, one that all entrepreneurs face, and one that I've been living with over the last few months.

The more I talk to entrepreneurs, the more I admire anyone who tries their hand at starting a business.  Often, things get messy when assumptions (spoken and unspoken) are proven wrong. This creates situations where there are no easy answers and all the choices are unappealing.  I've used pseudonyms below to protect the privacy of entrepreneurs who were willing to share their stories.

"Joanna" assumed that building a business could fit into the life of a mother raising three children under the age of 7 and the role of a supportive spouse to a serial entrepreneur, who hasn't taken a salary in years.  Her assumption was wrong.  She wonders when it will be her turn again, when she'll have enough financial and mental runway to get something off the ground. In the meantime, she's looking to return to a previous employer, on a part-time basis. 

Returning to work for someone else is one that Mike knows all too well. He spent nearly three years trying to get traction on a bootstrapped startup that he described as a "Open Table Meets Yelp" for the XYZ industry.  His spouse worked in the startup, while holding down a full-time job, and eventually, both lost the juice to continue.  Mike now works at a thriving Silicon Valley Internet company. 

This option--dropping out for period of time in exchange for steady paycheck--is one of the little talked about paths for entrepreneurs. Photo by bradleyolin.

And then there's "Louise", who found out that assumptions about the adoption rate of her recommendation sharing service and the ability to sell sponsorships were both wrong. Louise needs a new business model and she needs to prove it out, quickly.  Funding this business on her own, she's run out of time.  Like many entrepreneurs, Louise has plenty of experience in the corporate world, working inside established companies, where unprofitable projects go on for far too long.   In the start-up world, trial and error must proceed at a much quicker pace.

"Dan" also knows the value of time in a start-up.  He's been working on a software start-up for over four years, aimed at serving university students.  His wrong assumption?  The adoption rate of free software that helps to recover lost laptops.  He recently remarked, "If you looked at my website, you'd think I was driving around in a BMW.  Instead, I've got a car that has 160,000 miles on it where the door doesn't open without a good jiggling."  He's emotionally drained, trying to figure out how to make his start-up profitable, with less time invested and better results. He's a serial entrepreneur, using his first company, established decades ago, to fund his start-up and now on the lookout for external funding.  

Neither Dan nor Louise have lost their optimism for what might be around the corner, with the right packaging, a strategic trade show, or a different market. In a ten-round boxing match, they are willing to come back for rounds two and three, after getting punched in the stomach in round one.  They are smarter, and hopeful that learning from their experiences will make the difference in the long run.  Photo by _Fidelio_

"Patty" took a different route, having built a thriving company over seven years, one where venture capitalists were willing to invest.  And then she burned out. Her personal life with her family had suffered considerably.  She took a year and a half off to rejuvenate.  Now, she helps other small business owners avoid unnecessary struggle and depletion. 

In each of these stories, the way that entrepreneurs respond to the messiness is familiar and yet, uniquely their own.  They take a job, continue with another trial and error, or in extreme cases, drop out completely.  One option is not better than the other, but rather a response to the circumstances at the time and what's best for an individual, personally and professionally. Photo by Noobins.

To hear these stories, one might want to quit before even trying.  Yet, my friend, "John", a seasoned serial entrepreneur, provides another perspective.  John is working on his sixth business, and is known for being meticulous about measuring the right things.  He lives close to reality.  He's gone more than a few rounds in the boxing ring and could tell me ten more stories for every one that I've relayed here. He also found success right out of the chute, with his first company, started in college and sold in his thirties.  

What intrigues me is that John has also had his share of failures, when things got difficult, and the only choice was to move on.  Success is no insurance against failure.  And failure isn't a pre-requisite for success. 

A few of John's perspectives that I found fascinating:

• On the need to prove something: "All entrepreneurs have something to prove.  It's part of what makes them an entrepreneur."

• On not having control and humility:  "Expect that things can blow up at any time."

• On the lifecycle of companies: "Companies go through a cycle, starting with the excitement and thrill of starting up and growing.  Then it matures and at some point, chaos comes.  During the chaos, which is really no fun but it always comes, we remember the excitement of starting up and growing.  That's what keeps us going.  And finally, something dies--some part of the company or the company itself. Until something else is born.  Then the cycle starts again."

• On persistence and failure: "Each time we go into the ring, we know there's a chance of getting beat up.  And each time we get beat up, it's not as bad.  But we still get beat up. We all experience failure in our lives, but failure as an entrepreneur is a lot more visible."  Photo by bolhav
  

What I've learned from John and others is that those who endure failure best are the ones who win.   They are able to see failure not as a personal indictment, but as a sign that something needs to change in the equation.  They are able to cut bait, when they've sunk time, energy and money into something that isn't working.  No small feat.  Emotional attachment is both a blessing and a curse for entrepreneurs.

Seth Godin's newest book, Poke the Box, underscores the importance of failing.  A few choice quotes:

"The person who fails the most usually wins. If you fail once, and big, you don't fail the most. If you never fail, either you're really lucky or you haven't shipped anything. But if you succeed often enough to be given the privilege of failing next time, then you're on the road to a series of failures.  Fail, succeed, fail, fail, fail, succeed--you get the idea." 

"Talk to any successful person.  He'll be happy to fill you in on his long string of failures."

"I started a record label, and failed.  I started a fundraising business based on light bulbs, and failed.  Launched the first aquarium on a VHS tape and failed.  Published many books and failed. The winning part?  I learned from each of these failures."

This is the essence of entrepreneurship--trial and error.  Being keenly observant, willing to face reality, humble enough to know that even smart people get hammered, creatively resourceful, and adapting quickly.

Why do it?  Why go through the pain?  I can think of no better reason that this one, from Pam Slim:  

"Entrepreneurship, at its heart, is aligning your purpose for being on earth with a business idea that is so compelling that you must do it, despite the fears that hold you back."

 Photo by @boetter.

Wisdom Entrepreneurs in the Field

"How do I get started?"

Many people have told me how much they like the ideas presented with A Bigger Voice. My theory is that once individuals achieve a level of competence in their careers, gotten that promotion, created a reputation and earned a decent salary, they look for meaning. So it's no wonder that the idea of applying their professional skills to achieve social good is appealing. 

Quite honestly, it's one thing to like the idea of being a wisdom entrepreneur. It's another to start on the path. And the first step can often be the hardest one to take. If that sounds like you, keep reading. This post is about inspiring you to take the first step by seeing those who are further down the road.

Here are a few wisdom entrepreneurs that I know who are actively applying their professional skills and experience to do good and do well in the world:

www.Topplers.org.

Wisdom Entrepreneur: Herb Morreale, the founder of Topplers, is a serial entrepreneur and a techie with a strategic bent.  His wisdom comes from a combination of hitting mid-life and all of the questions about meaning that comes with it and having built companies with a rigorous business mind (e.g., points of leverage, metrics.)

Wisdom: Great things can be achieved with small, purposeful actions. Topplers' tagline is "Setting Big Things in Motion."

Question for the Community: What's possible when the pay-it-forward concept becomes both goal-oriented and trackable?  Can a collection of strangers achieve stunning results, just by "doing their part?" 

Find out more: Join the Topplers Facebook page. 

www.WorkingMinds.org

Wisdom Entrepreneur: Dr. Sally-Spencer Thomas, the Executive Director of the Carson J. Spencer Foundation, is a trained clinical psychologist and an expert on suicide prevention and workplace violence prevention. Her wisdom comes from the convergence of her academic interests with the real-life experience of having her brother commit suicide, a successful entrepreneur who was described by the Rocky Mountain News as "a bright star that burned out too quickly."

Wisdom: Most people who complete suicides are of working age. Therefore, workplaces can be a vehicle for education and support, to prevent suicides. Carson J. Spencer Foundation's tagline is "Sustaining a Passion for Life."

Question for the Community: What do you do with employees who are no longer productive due to mental health issues? 

Find out more: Denver-area breakfast seminar, Promoting Resiliency and Preventing Distress at Work, from 7-8:30 am on November 10, 2009.

www.microfranchisesolutions.com

Wisdom Entrepreneur: Grant Hunter, founder of Microfranchise Solutions, LLC, has been a corporate trainer as well as a franchise broker. His experience with both showed that the quality of the training and support is a critical success factor for any franchise owner. He also saw how the franchise model could help individuals who lacked the "entrepreneurial instinct" to become successful business owners.

Wisdom: Micro-franchises in the developing world hold the key to eradicating poverty and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for millions at the base of the economic pyramid.

Question for the Community: What are all the ways the franchise model can be used in developing countries to help lift people out of poverty?

Find out more: Grant's LinkedIn profile

www.money-masters.org

Wisdom Entrepreneur: Lisa Dworkin, founder of Money Masters Foundation, has been a successful futures trader as well as a passionate teacher of grades K-12 and adults. In her work with adults, she saw how the basics of personal finance were not known by many otherwise competent working professionals.  As a school teacher for a wide age range, she found the ideal age to target learning about financial literacy.

Wisdom: The best time to teach financial literacy is during the middle school years, when kids can see the impact of their financial decisions and before bad decisions create situations that are hard to recover from.

Question for the Community: How can financial literacy be taught in a way that  invites in and engages middle-schoolers?

Find out more: Lisa's LinkedIn profile

www.hautenet.org

Wisdom Entrepreneur: Ben Hafele, founder of Haute, spent time in the Peace Corps in Guinea, a developing country in Africa, before doing graduate work at London School of Economics and becoming a forecast analyst at Caterpillar. He saw in Guinea the type of poverty that doesn't just leave people hungry, but ends up literally killing them. And with his business background, he could see how entrepreneurship could lift entire communities out of poverty.

Wisdom: Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. Focus on those individuals who were already choosing to be entrepreneurs in developing countries and give them basic business training (e.g., accounting) to help them be more successful.

Question for the Community: What does it mean to believe in the African entrepreneur?

Find out more: Peoria-area newspaper article about Hafele and Haute. 

So, if you are still on the sidelines, thinking this wisdom entrepreneur thing is a good idea, I challenge you to contact any of the above role models. Ask them for advice on getting started. They'll all tell you that it hasn't been easy and that there are times of discouragement (maybe even yesterday.) But you'll also hear what it's like to get a little closer every day to "doing good and doing well."

Creaky Joints

One of the joys of this work is connecting with spirited individuals--people who are actively working on a cause that helps others and loving every minute of it. Next month, I'm giving a talk at the Juvenile Arthritis (JA) 2009 National Conference. The title of my talk is "Finding Your Voice." My goal is to inspire audience members to see themselves as "experts" in their own life, whether they are afflicted with JA or the parent of a child with JA. Finding your voice starts with recognizing that you have something to give to others and that usually comes from reflecting on your life and what you've learned from it.

In researching who already is doing this in the JA world, I came across a wonderful online community, called Creaky Joints. The site was started by Seth Ginsberg, when he was still an adolescent. Seth is now 27 years old and the online community has grown to 32,000 members. He works on Creaky Joints full-time and in his words, "Creaky Joints has become much bigger than me."  He talked about how Creaky Joints had become a model for other groups oriented around living with a disease. Seth also is passionate about influencing policy makers on bigger issues that impact the JA community and beyond--like health care reform. With Creaky Joints representing 32,000 voices, Seth clearly understands working both bottom-up and top-down.

I'm struck by how Seth has taken his experience of someone living with JA and turned that into the fuel for a vibrant community. His blog serves as one person's diary of what it's like to live with the disease and navigate daily life, in a way that most of us take for granted, but which resonates with his audience. 

I connected with Seth recently and found out that he's attending the JA conference, for the first time in many years. I've invited him to be interviewed, as part of my presentation at the JA conference. I'm excited that by telling his story, on stage, he'll inspire others to find their voice, and/or to join his community.

Seth has also agreed to be interviewed for this blog. Stay tuned!

PS. For those of you in Houston, I'm trying to arrange a meetup/tweetup while I'm there. If you are interested in being included, please email me, carol [at] abiggervoice.com.

Why Commitment Trumps Passion

One of my big lessons this last year was this:

Passion is not enough to change the world.

That might sound strange, coming from a coach, whose job is to help people find their passion. I've met plenty of passionate people, individuals who found the thing that makes them jump out of bed in the morning. The thing they formed a non-profit around. The thing they can't stop talking about. Yet passion is not enough.

Commitment is needed. In fact, commitment trumps passion, time, authority, money, and most anything else you can think of.

I recently saw Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, speak in Denver at the Paramount Theatre. I wish I had taken my teenage sons to hear him speak. Mortenson has that impact on people. He inspires them, not with his words, but with his actions and for lack of a better word, with his presence.

What hit me between the eyes was encountering someone who is the essence of commitment. It's rare to see someone who devotes his life to a single purpose. In Mortenson's case, his mission is to create peace in Pakistan and Afghanistan, by providing education for children, especially girls, in those countries.

Commitment looks like this:

• Attending an event in LA until 2am, getting a few hours of sleep, then hopping on a plane to Denver, only to return to LA that evening.
• Visiting 118 cities in one year to speak about your cause.
• Sleeping in your car and eeking out a living as an ER nurse, in hopes of raising $12,000 to build a school on the other side of the world. Deciding that pennies from school children could be the start of collecting the funds.
• Building schools, one by one, in a remote part of the world, with political, geographical, and cultural obstacles at every step of the way.
• Providing a consistent message, day in and day out, to groups as diverse as U.S. military commanders to school children to outdoor enthusiasts. 

The results are impressive:

• Since 1994, nearly 80 schools have been built in one of the most troubled and remote areas of the world, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Three Cups of Tea is now mandatory reading for senior officers in the Pentagon in charge of counter insurgency efforts.It has also been on the New York Times bestseller list for two years.
• After reading the book, military commanders like General David Petraeus and diplomats like Richard Holbrook are focused on listening more. Mortenson relayed how Petraeus, after reading the book, said, "We need to listen. We need to have respect. We have to build relationships."
• Collecting 100 million pennies from school children, as part of Pennies for Peace
• Fifteen years after living in his car, Greg Mortenson was nominated in January 2009 for a Nobel Peace Prize. 

For wisdom entrepreneurs, take note. Yes, one voice can start a community (and judging by the crowd at the Paramount Theatre, Mortenson's community is as diverse as I've seen in a long time.) But without commitment, it's all for naught. Mortenson has shown that when you make that commitment, your life changes. (BTW--that scares the heck out of a lot of wanna be wisdom entrepreneurs. I've seen it.)

Mortenson confessed near the end of his talk that he doesn't know why he is compelled to do the work he does. In his words, "I just listen to what people need." It made me think that commitment is not entirely a choice. You choose to surrender to the call, but after that, you are compelled. There is no other choice.

Mortenson closed with two thoughts that are particularly appropriate for wisdom entrepreneurs, one a quote from Martin Luther King and the other a result of a plea from Mortenson's wife.

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."

"If you want to make the world better, you need to take care of yourself to be strong."

P. S. I had contacted Mortenson's non-profit, Central Asia Institute, asking if I could interview him for this blog. I received a reply a few days later that my request had been forwarded to Mortenson. Because of his busy schedule, not all requests could be honored. I never heard back from Mortenson, but it didn't matter. Who was I to slow down the progress of this man, with a mission so clearly imprinted on his heart and mind?  Instead of asking for a favor from him, I was compelled to offer up whatever help I could for his cause. That's what happens when you see commitment manifested.

Update on Networking Naturally Program

In offering the Networking Naturally Program, I'm realizing it's become a case study for A Bigger Voice. I'm seeing how the model works "in the field." Some thoughts:

• Crystallize: It was difficult for me to develop this program, to help others learn to network better and realize the benefits of networking, until I could get to the essence of what would make this program different. Ahhh...the sweet feeling of innovation--a new solution to an old problem!  When I hit upon the idea that there are underlying principles that successful networkers use, independent of their personality and style, I tapped into my own wisdom. That led me to the name of the program, "Networking Naturally," and marketing copy that described what it is that I was offering. The stunning result has just emerged from recent activity on the participant-only blog: A Community of Givers. Participants were asked to answer the question, "What do you want help with?" It wasn't too long after the answers came in on the blog (as comments) that I could see participants giving first before asking for anything. This one of the principles of Networking Naturally.

• Build Community: There are three primary tools for building community, Marketing, Networking, and Technology. In addition, communities are built around a central question, one that is expansive enough to keep everyone engaged for a long time. The central question for the community forming around the Networking Naturally Program is, "How do I network more naturally and more effectively at the same time?"  A great question to explore as there's no quick answer. Marketing this program has shown me the wide range of tools that are now available--from email announcements to my ezine list to talking about the program on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, to postings on three blogs (all my own.) Networking has played a large part in getting the word out--via my connection to the Northwestern University Alumni Association. This is a relationship that started several years ago when I did a series of interviews with Northwestern alums for a Northwestern-sponsored career podcast. I'm learning that networking with groups that have a large distribution list can accelerate the path of a wisdom entrepreneur, by delivering a critical mass that becomes the core of the community. Technology has been the final piece of the puzzle, creating a sense of community from people coming together all over the world (literally!) to learn about networking. I set up a participant-only blog, thinking it was just a central repository for information. It's been that and more, one of the great success stories of the Networking Naturally Program. To give you a sense of the activity, in the first week alone, there were over 3000 hits on the blog. You can use Marketing, Networking, and Technolgy well and still not have a community. My colleague on A Bigger Voice, Ellen Ingraham, who served as the networking consultant during the pilot last year, has a been a wonderful partner in creating a culture of giving and role-modeling community-building skills. She's a natural at both.

• Sustain. Efforts are underway to look at how to sustain this Community of Givers, after the program ends on April 29. I purposely did not monetize as much as I could have from this first go-around on Networking Naturally Program, when community-building and giving back was really the intention. The fee for the public is $37 for all four teleseminars. 100% of the fee from those registering through Northwestern University (as a partner in marketing this program) is being donated back to Northwestern, to fund future career programs for alumni. Monetizing, to create sustainability, will come afterwards. 

There's still time to be join in--to get an inside view of community-building, as well as learn some valuable networking skills, and to connect with a community of givers. All sessions (MID-DAY and EVENING) are recorded and replays are available through May 31, 2009.  Go to www.naturalway2network.com to register.

Resources for the Wisdom Entrepreneur

A few resources that I recommend:

• NCWIT Entrepreneurial Toolbox Interview Series. Designed to promote fundamental skills of entrepreneurship, the audio series is sponsored by the National Center for Women and Information Technology Entrepreneurial Alliance . The series interviews both men and women about a range of topics critical to entrepreneurial success, such as networking, how to procure funding, writing a business plan, and the importance of failure.
• Groundswell by Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li.  I gave a snippet of the valuable information covered in this book in a posting last October. After reading the book late last year, I consider it a must read for any wisdom entrepreneur planning any use of the Internet to attract like-minded souls to their cause. Groundswell gives you the landscape of how your demographic is using the Internet, based on levels of participation. This, in turn, drives the strategy for community-building.
• ProBlogger and TwiTip. These are blogs on blogging and using Twitter, a form of micro-blogging. Darren Rowse, the blogger behind both sites has useful, actionable information if you want to use blogging as a way of growing your community. While the name ProBlogger implies blogging for money, the stuff Rowse talks about is about creating a blog that's valuable to others, whether it's done for money or for community or both.

And while there are plenty of resources that get at the pieces of being a wisdom entrepreneur, I hope to provide you with real life examples of wisdom entrepreneurship in action, through interviews on this blog. I'll conduct my first interview this week, with Patricia Ryan Madson, author of Improv Wisdom.  We'll talk about her dreams for using wisdom in the world to help others, what the Crystallization phase looked like for her, and what building community might look like to turn her wisdom into a movement. I'll post the interview with Madson later this month.

From Braves World to Buffalo Nation: Catching up with Chris Wendel

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Chris Wendel, one of our A Bigger Voice pilot clients. Chris and his brother Tim are the sports fans and history buffs behind the blog Buffalo Nation.  Their new book, Buffalo, Home of the Braves will hit the shelves in January. The book chronicles the fast rise, overlooked players, and mismanaged final years of the Buffalo Braves, the National Basketball Association franchise that existed from 1970-78 before leaving Buffalo to become the L.A. Clippers.

The ABV Team worked with Chris and Tim from May through August as they prepared for the launch of their book.  Now, two months after the pilot, Chris sat down to chat with me about the impact A Bigger Voice had on their thinking about their book and their own bigger voice. Here are some highlights from our conversation.

Bill: What did you hope to accomplish though A Bigger Voice?

Chris: Our goal in working with A Bigger Voice was to get help in how to get the word out about the Braves book. But in working with the A Bigger Voice team to sharpen our story and message and to identify our audience, you helped us realize the broader significance of the Braves story and that our book might have a broader audience than we had originally thought.

In what way?

When we came to A Bigger Voice, we saw the Braves book as a niche book for Buffalo sports enthusiasts, but we’ve had our eyes opened to the broader scope of our story, and to the possible broader audience that the book might appeal to. There are parallels between what has happened to the Braves and what was happening in Western New York in the 70’s. The mid to late 70’s was a high water mark for Buffalo and Western New York, with Buffalo being a major industrial center with three major sports teams.

Then with the closing of Bethlehem Steel and the end of the industrial age, we entered a transition period for Western New York; the Braves leaving town is symbolic of that time. So we realized that the book has a broader story that might appeal to folks in Western New York who had been around for a long time and who relate to Buffalo and Western New York in a deeper way.

In the short run, our goal is still to generate excitement about the Braves story and the book. But we now see the opportunity for longer term community building: to grow a community beyond the Braves for people who care about Buffalo sports and Buffalo and Western New York more generally, to build on the solid values, connections, identity and pride in the area.

It was working through our story with the A Bigger Voice team that helped us get there.

How else did A Bigger Voice help?

I’ve been in marketing for years, but I didn’t realize how much the rules had changed and how important community building can be to getting our message out and connecting with people who care. Marketing used to be all about pushing your message out, but having an online presence is really important for getting in touch with people who care about the same things you do outside of your local community.

But it’s not just about an online community. Because our audience is somewhat older and may not be on the computer all the time, we need to connect with them directly too. For example, I recently had an opportunity to go to a fundraising event for the Lockport “Y” outside of Buffalo. The “Tipoff Dinner” had three basketball coaches from Buffalo speaking. There I got to meet the community up close and personal. Thanks to my Dad's help, I was able to set up a small table at the event with postcards and posters with book pages from Chapter One.

From a demographic perspective this was definitely the right group: mostly male, many over 40, with an intense interest in basketball. There was a core group that was on fire with the book concept. They could recount particular games, players, and circumstances thirty years later. Some were season ticket holders. One actually worked on press row for the Braves. They really still want to talk about this! There was even one guy who liked the concept so well that that we are talking about ways that he can help spread the word about the book. Now, I can start to see the community and the power it can have.

So what are you doing differently to build your community?

So far, we changed our blog from one called Brave’s World, which strictly focused on the Braves, to one called Buffalo Nation, which offers commentary and stories about Western New York. We also started implementing your recommendations on building our online audience: visiting, commenting and linking to other blogs, and we changed blogging platforms. But we are only touching the tip of the iceberg. We haven’t gotten the book out yet and have many more recommendations to implement. We are starting to see blog traffic and the time people stay on the blog increase with what we have done so far. We are also thinking about another book that would have interest to folks in the Western New York Community.

What would you tell someone who is considering A Bigger Voice?

I run in to so many people who have good ideas who don’t know how to get them out. A Bigger Voice is very progressive in helping people get to the essence of what their big idea is and how to get it out in an efficient way. Have faith and listen to you [the ABV team]. You may take them in a direction that they may not expect, but you will really help them clarify their ideas and message, and really help get it out in new ways. I think you are on to something very cutting edge.

Case Study: CarePages and Instant Communities

A friend who I had not heard from since last year recently sent me an invitation to CarePages,  an "online community of millions of people coming together to share the challenges, hopes and triumphs of anyone facing a life-changing health event."

The About Page states:
"Through personalized websites, members can relate their stories, post photos and update friends and family instantly. In turn, people who care can send messages of love and encouragement. The CarePages website also provides unique resources (discussion forums, blogs, articles and more) to educate and guide members through their health journey, as well as give loved ones the tools to offer hope and emotional support when they're needed most.

CarePages was founded by Eric and Sharon Langshur in 2000. When their son, Matthew, was born with a heart defect in 1998 and needed surgery, Eric and Sharon struggled to find a way to keep in touch with family and friends about Matthew's condition. Sharon’s brother set up the first CarePages patient website to help. Today, Matthew is a healthy, happy kid, and CarePages has grown to reach millions of families across the globe."

When I went to my friend's website, I discovered that her six-month old baby is undergoing surgery today. My friend had posted photos of her baby and older son, as well as information about the condition that the surgery is intended to treat. She had over 60 comments on the page, from friends and family.

From an ABV perspective, this is a fascinating service. CarePages touches on all three phases of the ABV Model:

Phase 1: Crystallize

• This phase includes Story.  We hear about a husband and wife dealing with a child's heart defect and the desire to communicate with their support network, easily and quickly. Story explains how CarePages came into existence and points to the wisdom that started the effort (e.g, we can help each other in times of need by offering love and encouragement, virtually.) Story provides authenticity and credibility.
• Crystallize includes Stunning Result--the outcome of a vibrant community, the answer to the question of "Why bother putting the work into having a bigger voice?" CarePage answers this question with their mission, "to ensure that no one goes through a health challenge alone." This is an excellent example of a Stunning Result that is compelling, easy to understand, and attractive to a large group of kindred spirits. How many of us have seen a loved one struggle with a serious health condition or had one ourselves?
• In my friend's case, she showed pictures of her baby, and talked about her health condition and the impending surgery to crystallize the message for her "instant community."

Phase 2: Build Community

• CarePages has used Technology extensively to build their own community by using blogs and discussion forums. Blogs are further divided into mini-communities. For example, there are specific blogs on losing a child, managing cancer, and being a caregiver. CarePages also uses technology to help their customers build instant communities with free websites and email announcements for patient websites.
• In building instant communities for customers, CarePages continues to grow their community--people who will tell their friends about the service or become a reader of the blogs or a participant in one of the discussion forums. In reading many of the messages left on my friend's site, I experienced what it's like to be part of an instant community--people I don't know who express hope, encouragement, and love for the baby of a friend. It leaves an impression with me. I will come back tomorrow to see how the surgery went. And the next week to follow her recovery. This is Networking and Marketing to build community, at its best.
• In addition to growing the community through their own customers' communities, CarePages has over 150 affiliate partners, other groups and organizations that can see the benefit of CarePages for their members. This is another form of Networking.

Phase 3: Sustain

• Monetizing is part of sustaining. When I talk to people about A Bigger Voice, this is the part that often eludes them. CarePages illustrates one way of monetizing--by helping community members express support for a cause, whether it's with a small token from  a modern-day version of the hospital gift shop or with clothing, mugs, bumper stickers, note cards, even stamps to show support for the concept of CarePages. CarePages also uses advertising as a way of monetizing, where large companies like Bank of America have signed up.

One last point. The results speak for themselves. In 8 years, CarePages has grown from a single family's experience in using a website to keep in contact while their toddler was treated for a heart defect, to an online of community of millions of strangers, connected quickly and deeply through shared emotion and experiences.

If it can happen for this family, it can happen for you. You can have a bigger voice, where your remarkable wisdom is the seed for stunning results and sustainability. What seemed almost impossible a decade ago is now possible. Really.

Case Study: From Dictatorship to Democracy

The Wall Street Journal recently profiled Gene Sharp, founder of the Albert Einstein Institute and a pioneer in researching non-violent resistance principles, based on successful uprisings to dictatorships throughout history. His wisdom is simple: Any dictatorship will eventually collapse if its subjects refuse to obey.

The Wikipedia entry for Gene Sharp goes on to say:

"Sharp's key insight is that power is not monolithic; that is, it does not derive from some intrinsic quality of those who are in power. For Sharp, political power, the power of any state - regardless of its particular structural organization - is derived from the subjects of the state. His fundamental belief is that any power structure is based on the subjects' obedience to the orders of the ruler(s). Therefore, if subjects do not obey, leaders have no power."

Sharp combines this wisdom with practical application in a 90-page handbook for political activists, From Dictatorship to Democracy. Downloadable from the Internet, the hard copy is translated into over two dozen languages. It's a testament to how Sharp's insights have impacted revolutions around the world. According to the Wall Street Journal article,

"Spread via the Internet, word-of-mouth and seminars, Mr. Sharp's writings on nonviolent resistance have been studied by opposition activists in Zimbabwe, Burma, Russia, Venezuela and Iran, among others. His 1993 guide to unseating despots, "From Dictatorship to Democracy," ...was used by movements that toppled governments in Serbia, Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan....He offers a list of 198 methods of nonviolent action, like the staging of mock elections to poke fun at problems like vote-rigging, using funerals to make political statements and adopting symbolic colors, a la Orange Revolution in the Ukraine."

Sharp has written other books but his handbook has been the most influential, because of its direct applicability for political activists around the world. It's an example of what can happen when remarkable wisdom is combined with practical application, concisely and effectively.

Interestingly enough, Sharp had a benefactor for his work for over two decades, Peter Ackerman, a former doctoral student who hit it big on Wall Street as an investment banker. The two parted ways in 2004, when Ackerman started pushing for spreading the word through a wider variety of mediums, e.g., video. Since then, Ackerman has underwritten production of two documentaries and the creation of a video game. His International Center on Nonviolent Conflict runs seminars and workshops for activists on nonviolent conflict.

This case study offers several important lessons for A Bigger Voice. During the pilot for A Bigger Voice, we streamlined the roadmap to having a bigger voice:

• Phase 1: Crystallization. This includes the innovator's wisdom, a vision of the "Great Result" from applying the wisdom, and the story of the innovator. Gene Sharp's work shows what's possible when this phase is done well, with an emphasis on practical application.

• Phase 2: Community-Building. A Bigger Voice uses technology, branding/marketing, and networking as tools for building a community of kindred spirits. While both Sharp and Ackerman have used all three, a look at their respective organizations' websites show a focus on research, dissemination of information, and education, not community-building. In other words, the conversation is one-way, without a virtual gathering place for like-minded activists to share experiences and learning. What is possible with a focus on community-building, especially given the global application of nonviolent conflict?

• Phase 3: Sustainability. Monetizing and monitoring fall under this phase. Monitoring is the feedback loop back to Crystallization and Community-Building. Monetizing means tapping into the marketplace value of Crystallization (Sharp sells his handbook for $6) and Community-Building. Unfortunately, the traditional mindset is to look to how non-profits are usually funded--through grants, philanthropy, and private donations. Ackerman funds his center privately through a family philanthropy. Before pulling the plug on Sharp's Albert Einstein Institute, Ackerman estimated that he had given "in the low eight figures" over two decades. Since then, Sharp has operated on a shoestring budget. Who benefits from more democracies in the world? I'd love to see what Michael Gerber could come up with for a business model on this one.

Like a good coach, I always see where there could  be more. More impact, more sustainability, more change in the world.