The
Definition:
“A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses
entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve
social change ( a social venture).” – Wikipedia
The
Example:
We can spend BILLIONS in aid to send food to Africa, or we
can support the largest untapped resource in the world and provide the women
with the land to farm the resources they need to farm that land, grow their own
food, and empower themselves. – Back Pack Farm: Africans feeding Africa (http://backpackfarm.com)
The
Application:
But this theory doesn’t just apply to extremely impoverished
people in Third World Countries. We need to bring this home to our own people.
STOP waiting for the government to “change things” so enough new jobs are
created so that everyone can be employed. While you’re waiting to act on your
dreams, you’re wasting valuable time of your life away, time you will never get
back. Seconds turn to minutes turn to hours, days, weeks, years? You have
unique talents, ideas, resources, and experiences. Please don’t waste them. If
you keep doing what you’ve always done you’ll continue to get the same results
you’ve always gotten. It’s time for a change – not a hand out but a hand up. I
apologize for the “clichés”, but for simplicity’s sake I believe they get the
message across.
The
Content:
This blog is an accumulation of life observations I made,
lessons I’ve learned, and established business practices as instructed and
guided by my wonderful, esteemed, and knowledgable Business Professors at the
University of the Pacific.
The
Background:
My family always laughed that, “Ashley’s Out to Save the Whales
Again”, referring to my fervent effort to change things that seem to be
impossible. I am not perfect, I do not consider myself any better than anyone
else. I compare myself instead to my capacity to reach my own potential. What I
recognize is that I’ve been blessed with amazing people in my life that have
sacrificed everything for me so that I can reach my dreams. On that pursuit I
realized that I won’t be remembered for the amount of dollars I die with in my
bank account, I’ll be remembered by those that love me and by those whose lives
were somehow changed by my existence. I have a unique set of skills, experiences,
and teachers in my life and I want to do something meaningful with that. I’m
out to pay it forward, and I’m out to change the world for the children I have
not yet had because I’m sick of the way things are and I’m sick of the way they’re
going. I’ve heard that’s the secret to changing the world though – First you
change your world, impacting the people around you, and watch the ripple effect
as the impact carries on. So take this blog as my experiment because I’m
interested to see how far that ripple effect can go if I truly try to capture
my passions in written form.
The Goal:
My goal with this blog is to summarize and simplify the
process to start a company from inception through commercialization of a
product or service.
“If you can’t explain it simply you don’t understand it well
enough.” – Albert Einstein
The
Equations:
Getting Things Done = Motivation x Ability
x Opportunity
If you’re lacking one of these 3 things you can easily get
stuck in a rut with the best ideas that never become anything but a memory.
There’s a time for dreams, and then there’s a time for action. So I will be
breaking down this equation further later regarding how to overcome those
barriers and let your empowered potential flourish.
Happiness = Someone to Love + Something to Do + Somewhere to Be
Hapiness is not an end all result we’re striving for, it is
not something that magically happens one day when you wake up and everything’s
perfect and you finally have everything you want. That’s the thing about
desire, you’ll never have everything you want, so focus first on the things you
need. Happiness is a mindset we choose to strive for by directing our thoughts,
attention, and time. Happiness is the process of enjoying the journey and
figuring out how to balance our privileges and responsibilities so we can share
that happiness with those we love.
Personal
Statement:
I respect everyone’s choice to hold their own values and
goals as long as they don’t infringe on the intrinsic liberties of others. It
is my personal opinion that nothing in this world means more or is more
powerful than love. As a student of Economics, and Politics, and Government,
and History I understand our society is structured to run with a competitive
capitalistic heartbeat and to enjoy the luxuries of this society we need to
compete in that system. I am seeking to empower the people with the motivation
to revolutionize their lives and shake the currently established socioeconomic
hierarchies. In-so-doing, I request that those who do choose to use my advice
and knowledge continue to pay forward the love in which I have invested into
this project, and in turn you. Make the most of yourself and your
opportunities, but bring up your brothers and sisters with you – don’t tear
them back down. Guide them in love and your investment will tenfold.
