John Hope Bryant
Source: http://johnhopebryant.typepad.com/john_hope_bryant_/
I've had the opportunity to share the stage with John at one conference and listen to him at another. He is truly incredible individual and speaker. He has achieved massive success in for-profit arena and is now dedicating his life to poverty eradication. He has a blog, which I would highly recommend.
Below is his bio and credentials:
A national community leader cited by the past four sitting U.S. presidents for his work to empower low-wealth communities across America and author of BANKING ON OUR FUTURE, a book on youth and family financial literacy by Beacon Press, John Bryant is a noted business builder, corporate-to-community bridge builder, social entrepreneur, Presidential appointee and advisor to governments, and one of the most authoritative and compelling advocates for poverty eradication in America today. John Bryant has a powerful and clear vision for the eradication of poverty in the 21st Century, which he calls "The Silver Rights Movement". To the producer of the NBC Weekend Today Show, John Bryant is ?a revolutionary of our times,? and to U.S. President George W. Bush, John Bryant is ?a social entrepreneur.?
Three times during the 20th Century TIME Magazine has compiled a list of America?s future leadership. On December 5th, 1994, John Bryant was selected by TIME Magazine as ?One of America?s 50 Most Promising Leaders of the Future,? as part of their 50 for the Future cover story.
On October 18th, 2004, the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, nominated John Bryant as one of 237 young leaders selected from around the world to serve as a member of the new Forum of Young Global Leaders. Chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, the Forum of Young Global Leaders is comprised of ?a community of extraordinary leaders who are 40 years old or younger, clearly exceptional on a global level, and (those who) will have a visible opportunity to have significant impact on world affairs.?
On June 13th, 2004, John Bryant became a Presidential appointee when U.S. President George W. Bush appointed him to a 4-year term on the non-partisan U.S. Community Development Advisory Board for the CDFI Fund at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and on May 8th, 2004, John Bryant received an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Human Letters from Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas, for his work around education and poverty eradication.
Always the activist bridge-builder, on June 5th, 2003, John Bryant brought U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan into an inner-city Washington, D.C. area classroom, as they teamed up to co-teach a Banking on Our Future financial literacy course, bringing needed attention to the growing national importance around financial literacy education in this country, as well as other countries around the world.
Once again, on April 24th, 2002, John Bryant joined former U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton in a Harlem, New York area classroom as they teamed up to co-teach a Banking on Our Future financial literacy course, while simultaneously announcing a partnership between Operation HOPE and the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Foundation ?to educate every child in Harlem in financial literacy over 5-years.? That same week, on April 29th, 2002, John Bryant brought current U.S. President George W. Bush into South Los Angeles, hosting America?s elected leader amongst a diverse gathering of respected community leaders, in commemoration of the rebuilding of community on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the worst urban civil unrest in U.S. history.
John Bryant has received more than 400 awards and citations for his work to educate, inspire and empower low-wealth communities nationwide. Awards include a special honor from Oprah Winfrey on May 7th, 2001, where he was selected by Ms. Winfrey and her Oprah?s Angel Network Foundation to receive the Use Your Life Award on the Oprah Winfrey Show, being named a ?Community Hero? by People Magazine on April 29th, 2002, as it marked the 10th anniversary of the worst urban civil unrest in U.S. history, and being named ?One of America?s 25 Most Generous Young Americans? by WORTH Magazine on December, 2002.
At the age of 38, John Bryant is today the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Operation HOPE, America?s first non-profit social investment banking organization and a leading national self-help provider of economic empowerment tools and services for the under-served and the wealthless. Since its founding in 1992, John Bryant has raised more than $30 million in grant funding for his effort and more than $200 million in lending commitments for low-wealth homeownership and small business creation. As chairman and chief executive officer of Operation HOPE John Bryant works in active partnership with more than 250 banks, insurance companies, credit unions and corporations, along with government and community leaders, and directs the activities of nine non-profit Operation HOPE initiatives operating in nine states, 15 cities and the District of Columbia.
In his role as a private sector businessman John Bryant runs Bryant Group of Companies, and has served on several corporate boards, including the corporate board of directors for 3-Day Blinds, Inc. and Southern Pacific Bank. John Bryant currently serves on the community board for Wells Fargo & Co., the Telecommunications Consumer Advisory Panel for SBC Communications, the advisory board for First American Corporation and the Board of Governors for the Kravis Leadership Institute at Claremont McKenna College.
In the community John Bryant serves on the board of trustees for First A.M.E. Church, the oldest Black church in Los Angeles, California, the national board for the Black Leadership Forum, the board of governors for the City Club on Bunker Hill, the board of directors of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, the national honorary board for the Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the advisory board for the FAME Renaissance Program, the Center for Community Partnership at UCLA, and the John & Sheila Kennedy-Bryant Family Foundation.
John Bryant has served as goodwill ambassador to the U.S. for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva, Switzerland, and on May 4, 1998, became the first African-American in history to be knighted by German nobility and the royal House of Lippe.
John Bryant was born on February 6th, 1966, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, California, and resides in Los Angeles with his wife Mrs. Sheila Jenine Kennedy-Bryant.
Chronological Bryant Career Highlight
2004
On October 18th, 2004, the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, nominated John Bryant as one of 237 young leaders selected from around the world to serve as a member of the new Forum of Young Global Leaders. The Forum of Young Global Leaders is chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan.
On September 27th, 2004, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Citizen Corps publicly announced their endorsement and co-branding of the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit, or EFFAK, created and pioneered by John Bryant and Operation HOPE.
On September 27th, 2004, John Bryant received the President?s Volunteer Service Award for Lifetime Achievement, in recognition of his charitable activities, and his contribution of more than 4,000 hours towards public service. This is the highest award possible for lifetime public service by the President.
On June 13th, 2004, John Bryant was appointed by U. S. President George W. Bush to a 4-year term on the U.S. Community Development Advisory Board of the CDFI Fund at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
On June 1st, 2004, John Bryant served as a featured speaker on behalf of Operation HOPE, Inc. for the first ever national conference of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community-Based Initiatives, on two separate panels, namely ?Community Development Successful Partnerships? and the ?Foundations and Corporations Forum.?
On May 8th, 2004, John Bryant gave the commencement speech before the 132nd graduating class of Paul Quinn College of Dallas, Texas, where John Bryant was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters.
2003
In July, 2003, edition of Black Enterprise Magazine, John Bryant featured as one of nine leaders for the African-American community for the 21st Century.
In June, 2003, John Bryant was selected to testify before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services in the first ever hearings on financial literacy and the un-banked.
On June 5th, 2003, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, Operation HOPE Chairman John Bryant and President J. Alfred Broaddus of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, co-taught a Banking on Our Future financial literacy session at John Philip Sousa Middle School in South East Washington, D.C., highlighting the national importance of financial literacy in our economy and amongst the nation?s youth.
April-May, 2003, John Bryant conducted a national tour featuring Banking on Our Future program co-teaching sessions with presidents of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Chicago, St. Louis,. Richmond, Dallas and Cleveland respectively, as well as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve System Chairman Alan Greenspan.
In January, 2003, John Bryant was selected by L.A. Focus Magazine as one of the 30 Most Influential Blacks in Los Angeles
2002
On October 15th, 2002, John Bryant served as a participant in the White House Conference on Minority Homeownership.
In June, 2002, John Bryant was selected by Savoy Magazine as part of their cover story on the Power 100, as one of three national community leaders to watch.
On May 7th, 2003, John Bryant was selected by Oprah Winfrey and the Oprah?s Angel Foundation to receive the Use Your Life Award, along with a $100,000 gift, donated to the work of Operation HOPE in Chicago, on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
On April 29th, 2002, John Bryant hosted U.S. President George W. Bush, Jr. in South Central Los Angeles as his guest, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the worst urban civil unrest in U.S. history.
On April 25th, 2002, John Bryant announced a partnership between Operation HOPE and former U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton to educate every child in Harlem, New York in economic literacy.
On April 18th, 2002, John Bryant signed a memorandum of agreement with the FDIC on behalf of Operation HOPE, creating a partnership to educate the whole family in economic literacy.
2001
On July 23rd, 2001, John Bryant was assigned a special consultancy with UNCTAD, Geneva, Switzerland, to help develop a unique and vital global micro-finance marketplace.
On June 20th, 2001, John Bryant was selected by the Bush Administration to serve as a panel participant for the U.S. Labor Department -- 21st Century Workforce Summit, held in Washington, DC.
On May 18th, 2001, John Bryant was selected by the United Nations to serve as a delegate, speaker and co-leader of an official State of California delegation to the UNCTAD III Global Conference on Least Developed Countries, held in Brussels, Belgium.
2000
On June 29, 2000, John Bryant was selected to participate as a forum chairman for the White House Community Empowerment Conference held in Columbus, Ohio.
On April 5, 2000, John Bryant was amongst a select group of leaders from the fields of business, technology, education and the non-profit arena asked to join President Clinton at the White House Conference on the New Economy.
1999
In October, 1999, John Bryant was selected by the Los Angeles Times as one the Top 103 Most Influential People (in Los Angeles).
On June 21, 1999, John Bryant served as a panel participant with then U.S. Vice President Al Gore on the occasion of Family Reunion 8: Family and Community (Policy) Conference, in Nashville, Tennessee.
In June, 1999, John Bryant was appointed a consultant and special advisor to UNCTAD, Geneva, Switzerland.
In May of 1999, at the invitation of the Clinton Administration, John Bryant served as a delegate on the U.S. Presidential Mission to the V African-African American Summit in Accra, Ghana, as well as a Summit speaker.
1998
In 1998, John Bryant participated as a delegate, speaker, and a key member of the planning group for the UNCTAD Partners for Development Summit; Tri-Partite Meeting on Micro-finance, as hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and held November 9-10, 1998, Lyon, France.
In May, 1998, John Bryant was appointed the first ever United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Goodwill Ambassador for Partners for Development to the United States of America.
1997
In 1997, John Bryant participated as a delegate and panel participant in the IV African-African American Summit, focused on economics, health and education, and founded by Dr. Leon H. Sullivan, in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Harare, Zimbabwe.
In May, 1997, John Bryant was selected by Town & Country Magazine as one of the 25 individuals in the country that represented ?The New Breed of Philanthropic Leaders? in America.
1996
On March 18, 1996, John Bryant was selected by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one their 40 Under Forty.
In January, 1996, John Bryant was selected by Swing Magazine as One of the 30 Most Powerful Twentysomethings in America.
1995
In August, 1995, John Bryant co-founded and subsequently served as the first president of The New Leaders organization, a group comprised principally of African-American professionals in Los Angeles, inspired by the life and legacy of former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley to ?do something? for their community.
In August, 1995, John Bryant was selected by Black Enterprise Magazine as One of 25 Future Leaders to Watch.
In June of 1995, United States President Bill Clinton invited John Bryant to be a panel participant in the White House Pacific Rim Economic Conference, held in Portland, Oregon.
1994
John Bryant participated in the 19th Japanese External Trade Organization, Export to Japan Program, as a guest of the Japanese Government.
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February 19, 2005
Emma Maree Urquhart
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1471249,00.html
Emma Maree Urquhart, 13-years-old, is the author of Dragon Tamers, which has sold over 50,000 copies.
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My Biggest Speaking Engagement Ever
This past week, I had an incredible experience speaking in Elko, Nevada at Great Basin College (GBC). While this audience was only 150 people, it was my most meaningful as:
- People came from hours away to listen to my talk. Normally, I'm part of a conference where there are multiple speakers.
- It was my longest speaking engagement ever, lasting 3.5 hours.
- It was different than any other audience I've spoken with. Elko and its surrounding areas are extremely rural. Its economy is very much based on gold mining and gambling and this is where many of the youth go on to work.
- The audience was split between people in high school and older people in their forties and fifties.
- The day-long event was intended to launch GBC's entrepreneurship center.
I must admit that I got quite nervous before-hand. It started on Monday evening (Valentine's Day) when Sheena and I were at the
Opera. I begged Sheena to leave early because I was too distracted. On Tuesday, I spent a lot of time preparing, but I was afraid that there would be a large culture disconnect or that I wouldn't meet people's expectations. One thing that actually helped me besides meditating, was remembering a story that
Anthony Robbins told in his book about the beginning of his speaking career. He was flying in on a helicopter to the arena where he would be speaking later in the day. From the helicopter, he could see thousands of people filing in, all having come to see him speak! That was when he realized the importance and excitement of what he was doing. After this memory, I felt similar, and I knew that this will only be the beginning for me and that I was exactly the right person to give the speech!
Below is the introduction of my speech:
Preface: Each student is given a red pill and a blue pill. After an introduction by one of the faculty members, a 3.5 minute clip of the Matrix is shown where NEO must choose whether he wants to take the blue pill and go back to life as normal or take the red pill and see how deep the rabbit hole goes.
Enter Me:
You have two pills in your hand. A red pill and a blue pill. If you take the blue one, you will go on with life as usual. During the next few hours you?ll see my mouth moving and my body making gestures, and by tomorrow you?ll have forgotten I was here.
If you take the red pill, I will show you a world you never dreamed was possible, a world in which people?s dreams become a reality. However, I can only show you the door, it is you who must walk through it.
Take a moment to make your choice. [PAUSE]
As we all know, America gained its freedom in 1776. The declaration of independence boldly stated:
"We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
When America was formed, the large majority of people were entrepreneurs, being either farmers or merchants. This all changed sometime in the 19th century, during the industrial revolution, as a country of entrepreneurs started to become employees. We don?t know exactly when it happened, but today most people do not exercise their rights from the declaration of independence. 71% of workers are self-described slackers (Gallup) and many do not enjoy their jobs. Furthermore, by the time people are old enough to retire, 36% are dead and 54% are dead broke!
Now, let me introduce to another world, a world that I?m on a mission to help people discover. It is a world that is hidden from you, yet you take part of it everyday, but do not realize it. Let?s start with this room. This room is filled with success stories. Everything from the chairs you?re sitting in, the clothes you?re wearing, to this computer and software are all here, in large part because of the hard-work and creativity of entrepreneurs, people who started and run their own businesses.
As you know, today I will be talking about starting and running your own business (also known as entrepreneurship). Just like the ?real world? in The Matrix, it is hard to explain the power of entrepreneurship without actually experiencing it, but today I will try my best by describing what entrepreneurship is and by talking about my story and what I?ve learned.
In the end, everything went extremely well and I gained an appreciation of the central, rural part of the the USA. Before, my main conception between the coasts and mid-America was blue states and red states. Now, I appreciate and respect the different culture. The people that I interacted with had an incredible amount of pride and were extremely kind.
Two of the most fulfilling moments were when somebody came up to me afterwards and said, "I've heard many business speakers before, but you are the most genuine, I've ever heard." Another person shared (in front of everyone) that the session had made a big difference in her life and that she had not been living up to her potential, but that now she would be focused on her dreams. Without sounding too cliche, comments like these are what it's all about for me.
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February 17, 2005
Declaration of Inspiration
Rights without practice are like ice without cold. Over time each will melt away.
We are at a critical point in humanity. And, if our world ends, it will not be because of lack of knowledge. It will be because of lack of inspiration to use that knowledge.
If it our god-given right to life and liberty, then it is our god-given duty to, at the least, use these rights, and at the most, use our abilities to the pursuit of a massive, meaningful vision that transcends oneself. Extreme Entrepreneurship is for those who wish to passionately pursue the latter.
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February 13, 2005
John Catsimatidis
Source: http://www.gristedesonline.com/www/JACNY/Biogrophy_p.htm
John Catsimatidis is the Chairman & CEO of the Red Apple Group. The Red Apple Group has holdings in oil refining, retail petroleum products, convenience stores, supermarkets, real estate and aviation.
Catsimatdis grew up in New York City after coming to the United States as an infant with his parents from the island of Nissiros, Greece.
While attending the Bronx campus of NYU, studying engineering, Catsimatidis worked for an uncle in a small supermarket on 137th Street. While still in college, Catsimatidis opened his first store in 1968 on Manhattan's Westside at 99th Street and Broadway.
This supermarket has evolved into Manhattan's largest, high quality supermarket chain, Gristede's Supermarkets. Famed throughout the Borough of Manhattan, Catsimatidis took over the 114-year-old company and has made Gristede's a staple of New York City life.
In the mid-1980's, Catsimatidis broadened his reach beyond the supermarket industry. United Refining Company of Warren Pa., which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2002, was added to Catsimatidis' holdings along with approximately 400 gas stations and convenience stores. His refinery services the energy market of Western Pennsylvania, New York and Eastern Ohio.
Just as Catsimatidis broadened his business interests he also increased his real estate holdings, making substantial investments in the New York, New Jersey and the Florida real estate markets. Catsimatidis entered the Manhattan real estate market just as it began to recover in the late 1970's.
A certified jet pilot, Catsimatidis has been involved in the airline industry since the early 70's. His holdings in the aviation industry have included a fleet of leased commercial aircraft and, at one time, Catsimatidis owned and operated Capitol Airlines, the 11th largest commercial airline in the United States. His corporate jet company, United Air Fleet, operated as many as forty corporate aircraft.
All totaled Mr. Catsimatidis companies post annual sales in excess of $2 billion. With a total of over 10,000 employees, Catsimatidis is a major employer in the New York metropolitan area and upstate New York.
Mr. Catsimatidis' charitable interests are as varied as his business interests. Although centered in his Hellenic roots, such as his Hellenic Scholarship Foundation and the Greek Orthodox Church in America where he served as President of the Church Council in North America, Mr. Catsimatidis takes up the causes of a variety of charitable and public service organizations beyond the Greek American Community.
Catsimatidis has been on the Board of Directors of New York's Police Athletic Leagues (PAL), since the 1980's, and he is the Vice-chairman of the Ellis Island Awards Foundation, of the National Ethnic Coalition Organization (NECO). Catsimatidis is the co-founder of the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation. This foundation has a $10 million endowment and the first foundation in the country established on behalf of a public school.
Mr. Catsimatidis is also involved with the Juvenile Diabetes', Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research foundations. In the first two weeks of October this year, Mr. and Mrs. Catsimatidis raised over $1,000,000 for the Diabetes and Alzheimer's Foundations. This year, Catsimatidis added the Interfaith Theological Center of New York and Outward Bound to his circle of charitable interests.
A legendary fundraiser in New York and national politics, Catsimatidis is deeply committed to his community and country.
Mrs. Catsimatidis, Margo, is a leading businesswoman in the advertising industry. President of MCV advertising, Mrs. Catsimatidis is also co-publisher of the couple's Greek American newspaper, the Hellenic Times, which is the largest Greek newspaper printed in the United States. Mrs. Catsimatidis shares duties with her husband in all of their charitable activities.
John and Margo Catsimatidis have two children, daughter AJ who is 12 and son Yianni, 9.
The family resides on Fifth Ave. They are world travelers, most recently leading a trade and Congressional delegation to Cuba.
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February 08, 2005
Josh Kopelman
Source: http://www.kopelman.com/biography/
Josh is a serial entrepreneur and investor who has been an active leader in the Internet industry since its commercialization. He currently serves as Managing Director of First Round Capital, a seed-stage venture fund.
In 1992, while he was a student at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Josh co-founded Infonautics Corporation ? an Internet information company. In 1996, Infonautics went public on the NASDAQ stock exchange.
Josh left Infonautics to found Half.com in July of 1999, and led it to become one of the largest sellers of used books, movies and music in the world. Half.com was acquired by eBay in July 2000 -- and Josh remained with eBay for three years, running the Half.com business unit and growing eBay?s Media marketplace to almost half a billion dollars in annual gross merchandise sales.
In early 2004 Josh helped to found TurnTide, an anti-spam company that created the world's first anti-spam router. TurnTide was acquired by Symantec just six months later.
Prior to forming First Round Capital, Josh served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Comcast Interactive Capital - a $350 million venture capital fund affiliated with Comcast Corporation.
Josh is an inventor on five U.S. Patents for his work in Internet technology. In June 2000, he was awarded Ernst and Young?s prestigious ?Entrepreneur of the Year? award for the Greater Philadelphia region. Josh has also been recognized as one of the ?10 Most Influential People in Philadelphia Technology? by the Philadelphia Inquirer, one of the ?76 Smartest Philadelphians? by Philadelphia Magazine and as one of forty individuals under the age of forty who have made the biggest impact on the Philadelphia region by the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Josh is often quoted in industry trade journals and national newspapers, has appeared on numerous national television shows, and is a frequent speaker at industry-wide conferences on entrepreneurship, Internet marketing and the future of Internet services.
In 2001 Josh and his wife created the Kopelman Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on angel philanthropy to provide ?start-up? grants to social entrepreneurs. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Innovation Philadelphia, a public/private partnership focused on enhancing the global innovation economy of Philadelphia through technological leadership. He also serves on the advisory boards of the University of Pennsylvania?s Center for Community Partnerships and the Weiss Tech House at the University of Pennsylvania.
Josh earned a Bachelor of Science degree cum laude in Entrepreneurial Management and Marketing from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
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Mark Hughes
Source: http://www.buzzmarketing.com/about.html
Mark Hughes is author of the soon to be published book (Penguin/Portfolio, July 2005) "Buzzmarekting" and leads the boutique marketing & PR consultancy, Buzzmarketing.
Hughes? marketing background includes growing eBay?s Half.com from zero to 8 million registered users in less than 3 years.
He literally put Half.com on the map by convincing Halfway, Oregon to rename itself to Half.com, Oregon...dubbed by Time magazine as "one of the greatest publicity coups" in history. eBay later bought the company for over $300 million.
Hughes brings a wealth of creative and quantitative experience in consumer marketing from PepsiCo's Pizza Hut Division, Pep Boys, and American Mobile Satellite (now XM Satellite Radio).
Hughes was the youngest company officer with Pep Boys, a big-box retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, tires and service. He served as Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Advertising, managing a $42 Million marketing budget focused on TV, Radio, and direct mail. While running its advertising, Pep Boys received Media Week's Media Plan of The Year, for Best Use of Radio in 1999.
Mr. Hughes holds an MBA from Columbia Business School in Marketing & International Business, and is a guest lecturer on creative marketing at NYU, and University of Pennsylvania. Hughes is the son of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, John Hughes and is a contributing columnist for the magazine of international advertising knowledge, Admap.
Endorsements for his forthcoming book "Buzzmarketing" read like a who?s who: Steve Forbes of Forbes Magazine, Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry?s, the former CEO of Dow Jones & editor of The Wall Street Journal, and the former Chief Marketing Officer of that little sugar water company called Pepsi.
Contact via email directly:
mark "at sign" buzzmarketing.com
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February 05, 2005
Professional Networking Strategies
I'm a big believer in networking. In my opinion, it's one of the most fulfilling things there is. Beyond that, I've been extremely fortunate to have people who've taken me under their wings! Here's how I view the process:
- Do favors early and often. I mainly do this by:
- Giving people valuable information and advice. This shows people that I understand what they need and am willing to take steps to fulfill this need. I often find this information through my online reading, experience, book reading, or through my network.
- Make introductions. This is one of the easiest things to do in the world. You connect two people who you think could derive value from each other. It's a win-win-win.
At the level of giving away information and contacts, there is a ton of abundance. Very little time is needed to make a big impact. I'm very willing to help people at least once, given they make a good case and earn my trust. - Give more if they reciproocate and/or appreciate. While it feels good to give, I much prefer giving to those who appreciate it and who are willing and able to help me now or in the future. For me to keep giving, they need to follow some basic etiquette:
- Follow up promptly with introductions that I broker and "cc:" me.
- Show appreciation/consideration and provide feedback on the helpfulneess of information and contacts. Email is a good way to do this. Sending something in the mail would probably make more of an impact, but isn't necessary.
- When meeting me, come early and prepared with questions.
- Research me. I've written a book and hundreds of journal entries. Spending a little time early on getting to know how I think will help us get more out of the relationship. If you want to go a step farther, you will purchase and read the book. If you have an online presence, I will do the same for you.
- Proactively think about how I can help you and you can help me. I will do the same. Even if you're at the beginning of your career you can always help people. Little things that help me a lot are posting comments on my blog agreeing/disagreeing with my ideas, purchasing and providing feedback on the book, and giving ideas for improving the company and/or web site.
From here, the relationship can develop into a business partnership, a friendship, a combination of the both, or anywhere in between.
With all of this said, I'd like to explore using
LinkedIn, a leading online social networking tool for professionals. If you'd like to develop a relationship with me, please add me to your LinkedIn network (email: michael@successmanifesto.com). We can work from there!!
