Courage
It’s usually found in the deep end of the pool. So throw people in.
One of our core values at ONOW is courage.
We choose to solve problems few others are trying to solve.
We finance youth startups. We choose to trust them. No one does that.
We build digital tools to teach people who are digitally illiterate.
We build networks of entrepreneurs in places that aren’t networked.
These are hard things that require courage. And we do it all without a safety net in Myanmar — one of the most difficult and volatile places in the world to do business.
Solve the big problems that few others are trying to solve.
Choose difficult projects.
Push into new areas.
Try new things.
One of our favorite practices is to hire young people, put them in a place where they are challenged to lead, then watch them step up and grow.
A staff meeting, a client face-to-face, a room full of students, or a staff talent show on their first day with our team.
It takes courage to jump in the first few times.
But one reason we choose to do this is because we are inspired by entrepreneurs in Myanmar who are doing the same thing.
They’re members of families, pursuing every possible avenue to contribute to the whole family, finding whatever way they can to survive. They’re young women who are working factory jobs with a steady income, deciding to strike out on their own in a new startup. They’re mothers providing for their families, taking the risk out of necessity. They’re social-minded business owners, creating jobs and solving community problems.
And here’s one way to build courage — encouragement, opportunity and experience. We have built these into our DNA at ONOW. And that’s how we help Myanmar’s young entrepreneurs succeed!
