So What? Who Cares? Why You?

J.K. Rowling: A Different Kind of Entrepreneur

My friend, entrepreneur, and startup legal wizard, Suzie-Dingwall Williams, posted a link to J.K. Rowling's commencement address given at Harvard University last week.

A great morning read before you launch in to your day.  Hop on over to Suzie's blog and read her crib notes, then read the full address at the Harvard web site. 

By the way, be sure to sign up for Suzie's blog which is chock full of great insights and advice (and humour!) about all things in the land of tech startups.

For more insights on the entrepreneurial journey, visit Wendy online at www.wendykennedy.com

Enjoy Your Journey!

Wendy
Entrepreneurial Professor

"Selling is Serving"...A Mantra for Entrepreneurs

On Wednesday night I took the opportunity to listen to a tele-seminar offered by Steve Harrison who is a recognized expert in my sector of information products and services.  You've likely heard others remark that if you can get 1 piece of take-away advice in a seminar etc., it's time well spent.  If this is the metric, then I spent my time VERY well.  I took 12 pages of notes and walked away with lots of practical ideas to implement for my own business.

However, enough about me....I believe some of Steve's advice is valuable for inventors and entrepreneurs in general.  One point that struck me is his observation that "selling is serving".  What a powerful mindshift to think of selling as informing, sharing, and "serving" prospects.  If you're like most entrepreneurs, you shy away from selling.  You've created something you truly believe the world needs, but you'd rather not have to "pound the pavement" to tell them about it.  Don't be afraid to admit this -- you're like 99% of entrepreneurs -- they are inventors first and new to the entrepreneurial game. You're the rare few that are naturals at inventing and selling.  But, the good news is...you can change this....

How you think is how you act....this was a favorite expression of a professor of mine many years ago.  So think about Selling as Serving....and don't thank me, thank Steve Harrison. 

For more insights on the entrepreneurial journey, visit Wendy online at www.wendykennedy.com

Enjoy Your Journey!

Wendy
Entrepreneurial Professor

Music to my ears...

I always enjoy scanning the MaRS newsletter -- it's full of neat tidbits about the wonderful work being done globally and collaboratively by researchers and scientists.  The April edition arrived this morning and put a spring in my step to start the day.  There, at the very beginning, is the story of a new anti-malaria tool founded by a Harvard student, a UK entrepreneur and professors from McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health. 

What caught my attention wasn't the anti-malaria tool, although this in itself sounds quite intriguing -- no, it was how they described this tool...

..."The site was built to do for African research what YouTube did for sharing videos and what eBay did for auctions: open it up in a creative and engaging way to the vast global community through the Internet".

It may be a small, basic step to briding the gap between scientific professionals and business people, but nonetheless, it's a very important step.  I can only hope business backers and investors encourage and applaud scientists who bridge conversations with tools and approaches like this. 

You can read the full article here: 

Enjoy your journey!

Wendy
author/advisor/lady with the flipcharts!
www.wendykennedy.com

Entrepreneurship in Sub-saharan Africa

  I am always inspired  when I discover organizations like the MicroLoan Foundation.  This foundation support women entrepreneurs in Malawi, Africa with business education and funding to start their own ventures.  A key aim of the MicroLoan Foundation is to enable families to become self-sufficient by financing and helping them launch small business projects.

A key aim of the MicroLoan Foundation is to enable families to become self-sufficient by financing and helping them launch small business projects.  Through these project, women are able to improve the family's food security and support the children's education.  We often talk about the struggles and challenges of starting a venture, but I think we can all agree that being an entrepreneur, specifically a woman entrepreneur in these harshest of conditions, takes courage and commitment on an whole new level.

I urge you to take a look at the work the MicroLoan Foundation -- not only is it a great example of social entrepreneurship, but it will give you a dose of reality about your own entrepreneurial "struggles".

Hats off!

Enjoy your journey!

Wendy
Wendy Kennedy
author/advisor/lady with the flipcharts!
www.wendykennedy.com

My 2007 Mantra - Life is Good!

  This weekend I picked up a t-shirt from this great little company - www.lifeisgood.com.  A wonky green tee with the words "Life is good" embossed on the front and then in small print at the bottom, a very important message and the inspiration for my blog post...

  "DO WHAT YOU LIKE, LIKE WHAT YOU DO"

What a great mantra for 2007!  I can honestly say that 2006 was a remarkable year for me.  This is because of the people I met around the world --  I'm truly thankful for being able to do what I love to do and to get to build friendships with so many wonderful people.  Who could ask for anything more.  I've been fortunate to meet and work with some of the most amazing people this year who have made my life all the richer.  I am grateful for this and looking forward to 2007 and to doing more of the same. 

And so while being an entrepreneur is a journey unlike any other, it is one that gives you the gift of being able to do what you love to do.  And so life is good -- and I wish for you in 2007 all the health, happiness, and good fortune you desire.

Enjoy the journey!

Wendy
author/advisor/lady with the flipcharts!
www.wendykennedy.com

So what? who cares? why you? is now "Cool Blue" at Penn State University

Well today is a big news day at wendykennedy.com!  I'm super pleased to share the news that Pennsylvania State University has adopted my So what? who cares? why you? book and methodology for use throughout Penn State and its partner economic development organizations. 

Hop on over to my web site and click under What's New to read the news.  Also be sure to visit this page to learn more about why Penn State chose the book and ToolShed.

A great day for sure!  Hope you have a grand one too! 

Thanks for sticking with my blog these past few months while I've been offline.  You now know a major activity that was keeping me busy!

All the Best!

Wendy
author/advisor/lady with the flipcharts
www.wendykennedy.com

The Science of Sports

I'm talking a lot these days about the "science of business" -- scientists, researchers, and pretty much all inventors take comfort in the idea that there's a methodology or a process to follow to articulate the value of their ideas.  Well, imagine the same idea applied to professional athletes.  If you think about it, most athletes training for the big leagues don't know what it feels like to play the game at that level -- that's what they're trying to achieve -- kind of like an entrepreneur isn't it -- he/she wants to be a global player but it's a dream and they're looking for coaching and skills to take them to that stage.

I had never really thought about this until this morning.  I  opened my email to find this article in my inbox.  Mike Gough Athletic Edge Sports is recognized in North America as one of the top sports and conditioning trainers for professional athletes.  Mike has trained professional athletes from the Chicago Bears, Miami Hurricanes, Indianapolis Colts, and a long list of others. 

I should declare my bias here :-) since Mike is my brother-in-law - so it's not just that I wanted to recognize his success, but more to talk about the parallels to our businesses which are quite interesting.  And plus, he's an entrepreneur building a business in a very interesting space.

Mike teaches athletes the science of sport -- the specific tools and approaches to get to their peak performance -- and in this game, .5 seconds in a 40 yard dash can make or break you.  Check out his web site.  It's comforting to see that we entrepreneurs aren't the only ones "sweating the details!!".

Nice to see that just like in the game of commercializing an idea, even professional athletes look for ways to increase the odds.

Enjoy your journey!

Wendy

author/advisor/lady with the flipcharts
www.wendykennedy.com

Coleman keep getting better

When I think of Coleman, I think back to my days as a kid -- lazy summer days at our cottage.  Tire swings, poison ivy, a sunfish sailboat that doubled as a raft and camping out under the stars in our sleeping bags -- so Coleman has a special place in my heart.  Lanterns, sleeping bags, tents, you name it.  Coleman is camping - simple as that.

But nothing lasts forever - and for Coleman it seems there is a need for greener pastures - target markets that have better growth potential. 

So Coleman is now looking to target 3 new markets:  emergency preparedness, outdoor events, and backyard gatherings.  (CMO Magazine July 2005).  I like how these new markets are compatible with the company's overall outdoor brand.

I can't wait to watch Coleman (www.coleman.com) bring its new focus to life with new products, distribution strategies, and customer centric marketing.  An exciting time for sure!

Amazon Turns 10!!!

Happy Birthday Amazon! 

Check out WorthWhile Magazine's piece on Amazon.

A big congrats to Jeff Bezos -- he's managed to captain this ship since its inception turning it in to a billion dollar business that is now turning a profit.   Not many entrepreneurs can stake that claim, and the article makes mention of a few.

While you're there, sniff around on this blog. It's worth a read now and again to remind us of how to get the most out of work and play.

The Best Kept Secret in Ottawa

Last night I attended the CATA Innovation Awards Gala.  While the guests at my table were fun and the award winners stellar, I have to say that what held me in awe was the keynote presentation by Dr. Ron Warton.

Dr. Warton, a world reknowned scientist and leader in the field of molecular medicine, lead us through an overview of the ground breaking research being done at the Ottawa Health Research Institute (OHRI).  Here is one of the world leaders in this field quietly making his mark on the world from our own back yard.

What struck me as awesome was Dr. Warton's ability to take the most complex topics (cancer therapeutics, stem cell research, molecular medicine) and put them in to a language that even us laymen could not only understand, but get passionate about. 

Anyone who can explain new cancer therapies that kill bad cells while not harming good cells, or can explain how NEWTs (yes NEWTs, those tiny salamander little creatures) are being used to discover the gene in humans that can reproduce limbs, gets my vote for articulating their value proposition in a clear and compelling way.

If a scientist (mind you a world class one) can manage to captivate an audience of 300+ at 9pm on a Tuesday night after wine, food, and rich dessert, surely the rest of us can make our own stories a bit more engaging to our audiences by asking ourselves "So What? Who Cares? Why You".

Thanks Dr. Warton for showing us world class research and technology in a language we could all understand and appreciate!

No doubt there are many more jewels like this hidden around Ottawa.  I look forward to finding them.