Sometimes people resent being pushed out the door. They feel hurt and rejected. They feel angry. They get upset about the bruises, which fade anyways.
But the truth is, you wouldn’t have gone along the path you did and gotten where you really wanted to be if people just let you stay inside and allowed you to think that right there was the best place for you. And worse, you would have probably eventually resented them anyways for keeping you from a bigger adventure outside that door.
So yeah, it’s unfortunate when doors get slammed and you’re left outside. But grab your stuff and keep walking down the road. I guarantee it leads somewhere.
Last week, I had the great opportunity to meet with Simon Höher (@jimmiehu) and Emanuel Schwarz (@emustweet), founders of Knowable. The two Berlin boys were in town for the Social Good Summit, but thanks to the infamous Christian Vanizette (MakeSense.org), we were able to squeeze in some coffee and chat about development work and their start-up adventure.
The purpose of knowable.org is to connect creative ideas in order to solve everyday problems in developing countries. Currently, the guys are in start-up mode and therefore doing some crowd-funding. Check out their recently released video that better explains their pretty fabulous idea:
I can attest to the fact that knowable.org is not only a great idea, but it’s also run by some really great and super chill guys. I’d recommend checking them out and perhaps donating a few bucks to help get this idea off and running. If you can’t give money but have experience or connections on the ground in developing countries, don’t be afraid to reach out to them also. And if you ever find yourself in Germany, they’re hiring!
Isang Litrong Liwanag is a project being done in the Philippines right now that 1) provides solar light to hundreds of dark homes, 2) upcycles plastic bottles, and 3) is overall pretty eco-friendly.
And from the looks of the video, it seems it could possibly support some kind of micro-entrepreneurship in many communities. But maybe I just think that way because I’m me.
Many of my friends have heard me say something to the extent of, “Isn’t it crazy how…[insert something relatively normal in our modern society]?” I always find technology, and how far along it’s come, to be absolutely fascinating and something my mind sometimes needs a moment to really think about. When I tell people about my wonder, they tend to think I’m weird. Understandable, since we live in a hyper-connected, super tech-savvy society where 10-year-olds spend recess downloading apps to their phones and the concept of putting pen to paper to communicate with someone seems like an ancient one. It’s amazing though, right?
Brian sent me this clip this morning with the added message, “This should be the official video of #firstworldpains.” Louis CK on Conan O’Brien about how amazing our world is today and how nobody appreciates it.
It’s official. The Adventure Project is having a Cocktail Party next week in Soho, and it looks like it’s going to be awesome. The crowd expected to attend will be mostly young leaders and entrepreneurs in the tech, media, socent, and international nonprofit industries, amazing supporters, and folks who just like a good party.
Complimentary cocktail drinks + time to hear from Becky Straw and Jody Landers, two incredible women working on making a lasting impact. They’ll be sharing about the work being done with entrepreneurs in Haiti, India, Kenya, and Uganda.
Details of the party: When: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 — 7pm to 9pm Where: 1534 (20 Prince Street, between Elizabeth and Mott) Why: Support entrepreneurs in developing countries Cost: $20
Honestly, complimentary drinks + doing good? Not a bad combo for an evening.
I had posted this TED Talk a while back on my previous blog but recently came across is again. I think it’s great, and Jacqueline, as I had said in that old post, is an amazing woman.
The video is a bit lengthy but it’s really great, I assure you. Among the many inspiring stories she tells is one of a little girl during the United States’ early stages of desegregation (around 14:25 in the clip), which is a favorite for me.
Jacqueline Novogratz is the author of The Blue Sweater and the founder of Acumen Fund.
