A Bigger Voice

Resonate, Lessons From the Grateful Dead, and the Disease of Entrepreneurship

Over the last few years, this blog has expanded to talk about entrepreneurship in general, beyond being a social entrepreneur or wisdom entrepreneur.  The concepts of story-telling and community-building apply to entrepreneurship in general, especially these days. More importantly, the personal journey of creating something lasting and larger than yourself, whether it's for profit or non-profit, is the same. 

Here are resources that I recommend any entrepreneur check out:

• Resonate by Nancy Duarte.  This book is based on change management principles and the things that move people into action.  Duarte is a master at creating a compelling story that helps the listener feel the tension between what is and what can be. In this book, she analyzes great speeches in history and outlines a form that you can use to develop presentations that connect deeply to the audience. A few wonderful quotes from the book that inspire and tell me that Duarte knows what she is talking about:

"Passion for your idea should drive you to invest in communication."

"We were born to create ideas; getting people to feel like they have a stake in what we believe is the hard part."

"If you can communicate an idea well, you have, within you, the power to change the world."

• Marketing Lessons From the Grateful Dead, by David Meerman Scott and Brian Halligan. Meerman Scott and Halligan are marketing gurus who are also lifelong Deadheads. So this book is the result of walking in both worlds and realizing the connection between the two (that's a boundary crosser in my book.) Watch this video to learn more about the approach of the book.

I quickly devoured this book and finished with a renewed feeling that community-building is at the heart of a successful enterprise--whether for-profit, non-profit or anything in between.  Sure the product has to be interesting and engaging.  But it's the community that fuels the growth beyond what any business person could envision.

• Harnessing Entrepreneurial Manic Depression: Making the Rollercoaster Work for You. This blog post is one of the best descriptions I've seen of the emotional journey that every entrepreneur makes. Even more useful is a section that matches activities the entrepreneur should undertake in each phase and what activities to avoid.  I've lived this and only wish I had read this blog post a few years ago. Photo by Kekka.

• Entrepreneurship as a Disease.  This post on the Harvard Business Review blog comes down heavily on the side of nature in the debate of whether entrepreneurs are born or made. Entrepreneurs find they can't stop themselves from doing what they do. Those who have the disease will recognize themselves immediately and those who don't will wonder whether they missed out on the magic pill somewhere along the way.  I provide this last resource to help those who are often described as driven (like me) to see that it's what we are wired to do. The caveat is to pay close attention to the other blog post about emotional journey, so that you don't end up burning yourself out (like me.)

And finally, I love this HBR blog post,"On Entrepreneurship, Steve Jobs, and Unashamedly Loving Your Work." The blogger talks about one of the many gifts that Steve Jobs gave to the world--an example of what it looks like to be passionate and engaged with your work, to the very end. A favorite quote from the blog post:

"For too many, work is a grind instead of a passion, a four-letter word. I'm lucky enough to share Jobs' absolute passion for work. A good number of my friends and colleagues I know feel the same way — and entrepreneurs absolutely have to, or their businesses will fail. But it is sad to see how many people do not cherish what they do for a living."

While being an entrepreneur is not an easy path, I count myself among the lucky ones to be on this journey. 

 

Engage Your Followers With Backstory

I've blogged a lot recently about story.  And the part of story that I love the most is backstory--the story behind the story. 

I ran across blogs for two artists, one a chorale composer and the other a photographer, who go beyond just showing their wares. They give the backstory.

Ken Kaminesky is a photographer who I found on Twitter (@kenkaminesky).  Take a look at his blog post about a photo he took of Times Square on a rainy night.

Eric Whitacre is a "rock star" of the chorale world, who my husband had seen in concert earlier this year.  His music is stunning, even if you aren't a fan of chorale music. Listen to The Seal Lullaby and then read the story behind the song. 

Judging by the comments on both sites, when you provide the backstory, people respond.  Backstory engages. In the case of Kaminesky and Whitacre, backstory not only exposes more about the creation. It also exposes the creator. (Okay, I know what some of you are thinking right now. Try not to cringe with the thought of being in the spotlight.)  With Kaminesky, we see his patience in waiting and waiting and waiting, just to capture the absolute right moment on his camera.  With Whitacre, we see his creative process as well as his heart.  The result is a greater appreciation for each artist's talents and who they are as people.

How can you use backstory in creating conversation with your community?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

The Power of Telling Your Story

It's natural that many wisdom entrepreneurs focus on getting their ideas into the world, rather than talking about themselves.  Unfortunately, this is a fatal flaw that I've seen with more than one person.  Photo by Vivianna_love

In the discomfort, humility, and maybe even fear of being seen, the very cause that you work so hard to promote is undermined.  The point of telling your story is not to glorify yourself. It's to give credibility to your ideas.  Story is the mechanism for telling the reader not just "what" (the cause) but "why" (the motivation for the cause).  Your audience wants to know, "Were you always like this?"  And if the answer is no, they want to know what happened to flip the switch. (Which reminds me of meeting with someone I knew from high school and hadn't seen in 25 years. Upon seeing me now as an executive coach and organization development consultant, and remembering me as a math and science geek, he blurted out, "What happened to you?")

A great example of the importance of backstory lies with my friend, Sally Spencer-Thomas.  She's passionate about suicide prevention for working adults.  Sally speaks at conferences around the world on the topic, in addition to being the executive director for a related non-profit. That's the "what."  The "why" is her backstory--having trained as a clinical psychologist, she could see the signs that her brother, a successful entrepreneur, was struggling with bipolar disorder.  But that wasn't enough to prevent his suicide in 2004 at the age of 34. Knowing Sally's story gives weight to her words and explains what flipped the switch for her. She's experienced the loss of a sibling due to suicide. It's not just academic theory from her training.

Story provides the emotional ballast to the facts and figures of your ideas.  Without the reader feeling something, anything, around your cause, there's less chance of engagement.

In the book, Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting, considered to be the bible for screenwriters, the author, Robert McKee says:

"[F]act, no matter how minutely observed, is truth with a small "t". Big "T" Truth is located behind, beyond, inside, below the surface of things, holding reality together or tearing it apart, and cannot be directly observed...What happens is fact, not truth.  Truth is what we think about what happens."

To tell your story is to speak your truth.  People know big "T" Truth when they hear it.  Photo by Candida.Performa

Story also helps to distinguish how your passion for say, working with entrepreneurs in Africa, is different from someone else's passion that appears on the surface to be very similar.  We each come to our life's work through a unique set of experiences.  Story is a way to reveal to an audience a set of experiences that shaped and contributed to your ideas today. Now, instead of your solution to an age-old problem becoming another "me, too," you've shown your audience that your insight comes from hard-won life lessons.  Story explains where your wisdom comes from.

One of the best uses of telling your story comes from entrepreneur, Mansoor Shafi, banker turned CEO of ROADGEAR, Inc., a company that sells accessories for avid motorcyclists.  On his site, Shafi talks about suffering a personal tragedy and how being on a cross-country motorcycle trip renewed his sense of purpose and life.  He experienced not just the joy of being on a motorcycle. He found that riding could be life-affirming, even life-giving. That's his wisdom, which he's built into a successful company that supports other motorcyclists in finding the magic in riding.  Photo by Will Palmer

And finally, in my recent work with helping individuals tell their story, I've seen first hand how story transforms the teller as much as the listener.  People think of themselves differently after telling their story.  They are more appreciative of the life journey they've taken, more sure of who they are and more centered on where they are going. 

So, tell me, what's your story? 

 

 

Part 2, Brains on Fire: Interview with Spike Jones

"People ache for the human connection."

--Spike Jones, Chief Firestarter, Brains on Fire

In Part 2 of my three-part interview with Spike Jones from Brains on Fire, we cover lots of ground, from what it takes to have a strong culture to how movements live both offline and online to how building a community is an organic process. We also touch on having fun, saving the day and being profitable. Photo by brainsonfireflicker.

Two of my key take-aways as a wisdom entrepreneur:

• A traditional entrepreneur can get caught up in the goal of making money, to the detriment of growing the business. Likewise, a wisdom entrepreneur can be so enamored with their cause that engaging and empowering kindred spirits can suffer, to the detriment of building a movement. Spike reminds me that focusing on "the other" is where it's at. Whoever is in your community, find ways to tap into their passion and co-create with them.

• Defining your brand (part of the Crystallizing phase in A Bigger Voice) and staying true to it is important, whether you are a traditional entrepreneur or a wisdom entrepreneur. Fun is part of the Brains on Fire brand and you can see it throughout their work. I especially like how it comes out in how they welcome viewers to their site.

Enjoy Part 2, which is approximately 12 minutes long.

In Part 3, Spike reveals more lessons learned on building movements, including one that I found to be completely counter-intuitive. Stay tuned.

Brains on Fire: Interview With Spike Jones

Brains on Fire is a brand identity and marketing company that drew my attention with these words on their home page: "Brains on Fire helps organizations build movements." 

When was the last time you heard a for-profit company talk about building a movement? Love it. That led to a more poking around on their site, a tweet about the company, followed by a series of email exchanges between myself and Spike Jones, BOF's Chief Firestarter.

I discovered a company that not only understands the nature of communities and movements, but also knows how to create remarkable relationships with fans/kindred spirits. Nurturing your evangelists or "1000 true fans" is not something I've spent much time talking about on this blog. It's one of the reasons I got so interested in Brains on Fire. 

 

"Be famous for the people who love you and for the way you love them."

--Greg Cordell, Principal at Brains on Fire

 

It's notable that Spike found me. I tweeted about the company and then he initiated a conversation. He later asked for a snail mail address to send a thank you for the tweet. This was not just over the top. It was remarkable. And it further intrigued me. Who are these guys anyway?

I asked Spike if he'd like to be interviewed for this blog and he graciously said yes. I'll talk more about my experience with Brains on Fire, as a new fan, at the end of this three-part blog interview.

For now, enjoy Part 1, where Spike talks about Brains on Fire as a company, and what they believe in as a collective organization. Part 1 is approximately 13 minutes long. 

 

 

 

 

Photo of Spike Jones by Olivier Blanchard.

Stay tuned for Part 2, when Spike talks about the importance of offline gatherings to build connections and the use of online means to provide a reason for meeting face-to-face.

Iran and Social Media

The power of technology to create a groundswell was shown in Iran this last week. People all over the world are seeing and hearing and reading what's going on with the protests over the recent elections and the response by the theocratic government. 

One voice can start a community. Communities create stunning results. It's even more startling when it's a world community, from a top columnist for a US paper to the anonymous voice of an Iranian woman. Two voices on Iran:

Peggy Noonan's column, Whose Side Are We On? You Have to Ask?, points out:

"Twittering and YouTubing made the story take hold and take off. But did the technology create the rebellion? No, it encouraged what was there."

She goes on to say,

"Revolutions are revolutions and rebellions are rebellions; they don't work unless the people are for it. In Iran, Twitter reported and encouraged. But the conviction must be there to be encouraged."

Wisdom entrepreneurs take note. Noonan is saying that the technology is a tool that amplifies. But the voice must be there first, with conviction, and I would say, commitment.

The other voice is a simple but powerful one, one that tells the story with minimal words and photos. It paints a stark portrait that only those who are there can fully comprehend.

Note that this YouTube video was created on Friday, June 19, less than a day ago. This morning, at about 9:30am Mountain Time, when I first saw the video, it had 300+ views. I found it from a friend on Facebook who had posted the link (thanks, @kareanderson!) Now, several hours later, as I'm posting this, the video has over 1700 views. That's how fast we can connect now.  When there is so much at stake, when we are compelled by history in the making, the ties between us are created with mind-boggling speed.

The following question has never been more important or pertinent:

What will you do with your voice?

Photos by .faramarz

Seth Godin on Sliced Bread

Ideas that spread, win. 

That's the message that marketing guru, Seth Godin, provides in this TED talk.

The question then is "How do you get your ideas to spread?" Two points that are particularly appropriate for wisdom entrepreneurs:

• Be remarkable. Have something worth talking about. For wisdom entrepreneurs, this means not only understanding what makes your wisdom remarkable, but then crystallizing it so that others "get it," right away.
• Speak to the early adopters, the people who are listening, who care about what you are talking about. In A Bigger Voice parlance, find your kindred spirits.

Enjoy Seth at his best:

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.

More on Three Cups of Tea

Last month, I blogged about Greg Mortenson's decades-long journey as a wisdom entrepreneur. Mortenson is the author of the best-selling book, Three Cups of Tea.

Last week, Mortenson was in the news, having received the Star of Pakistan, Pakistan's highest civil award presented by the country's president, and in our uniquely American way, being named ABC News Person of the Week.

Here's the video from the latter. It highlights very clearly Mortenson's wisdom and as a ending note, Charlie Gibson gives a nod to the sustainability of Mortenson's efforts.

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

My thanks to Dave Murphy, who has been with me on my journey as a wisdom entrepreneur since the beginning (December 2007), for pointing out this video. When I am knee-deep with other stuff (e.g., launching the Networking Naturally Program), Dave brings me back to my core purpose in life--to help others turn their ideas and wisdom into a sustainable and scalable movement. Everything else is in service to that.

Interview With Kim Dority, Part 1

In this next interview for A Bigger Voice, I talk with with Kim Dority, VP of Content for Disaboom.com, an online community with over 90,000 registered users, for people with disabilities and those whose lives they touch. Disaboom has been widely recognized (by organizations as diverse as the Obama campaign, Business Week, Ford, and major universities) as a voice and a rich resource for the disabled community.

In this first part of a four-part interview, Kim tells the story of Dr. J. Glen House, founder of Disaboom, a for-profit company. Dr. House suffered a ski accident while in his twenties, which left him as a quadraplegic. He went on to medical school, eventually becoming the medical director of a rehab center at a Colorado hospital.  Along the way, he discovered that it wasn't just a matter of helping people learn to use a wheelchair. It was about helping them create a new life. You'll hear Kim talk about Dr. House's wisdom and how that influenced his vision for Disaboom.

This is a beautiful example of how a person's life story connects to his wisdom and vision. The end result is a compelling message that attracts a community. This part of the interview is about 10 minutes long:

Also notice that the story and message is crystallized to the point that Kim is able to articulate it clearly.  We don't need to hear from Dr. House directly to understand the change he's trying to make in the world or why he's doing what he's doing. How well could someone else tell your story to others? 

In Part 2, to be posted later this week, Kim talks about Disaboom's community and community-building efforts.