Did we fall into the “over-serving” trap?
Every year we have added new elements to our programming based on needs we see around us.
During COVID we started to add on finance, systems, venture and mindset learning tracks, peer support groups, initiatives to decolonize ourselves including racial justice working groups, and Rooted in your story, then added virtual trade events, anti-Asian racism discussions, pride, and other timely events in response to the world around us. We co-created collectives focused on affiliate groups where we “found the others” along the way. We reached out to communities most on the margins and showed up for hundreds of hours getting into right relationship to build bonds and deep connections.
The quality of people in the community, the generosity of spirit, the values alignment, the commitment to unlearning, the care and support led to an abundance of activities: 60+ learning sessions in a year (5+ a month), community calls, dozens of deep dives with Ventures, peer calls, thousands of social posts, outreach to hundreds of Activators.
We found ourselves creating more and more; more calls, more events, more impact, acutely aware that the work is endless and rich and deep and important and wanting to do as much as we could. Oh, and let’s change our name while we are at it!
Honestly, it felt exhausting to look at and summarize, let alone achieve.
With the intensity of activities over the past couple of years and the impact of COVID weighing on all of us we heard a loud ‘enough’ message. We are feeling a collective undertone of overwhelm — the biggest reason folks give for not re-activating is that they don’t have the bandwidth to keep up with everything we’re doing…is this really the message we want to be putting out into the world?
Do more. Be more. Give more.
We don’t want to be modelling that behaviour.
So what is enough? And what is core? And what is our unique contribution/activity(s)? Here’s our current answer. We are going to focus on 4 core areas:
- Supporting Ventures with our unique model: our regenerative capital model, collective way of entrepreneuring in an ecosystem, power disrupting selection process, all of it is still leading the way, globally. Let’s keep doing that.
- Connecting in person: Getting to know one another, asking how we can help, sharing our gifts and experience, celebrating together, removing barriers, all the good things start with relationship building.
- Rethinking Series: We have stories you won’t believe. It’s time to go deep into the community each month to experience the impact we are having. We can’t wait to see you on the first call — Feb 21st.
- Self-organize around affiliate groups: queer collective, ask-give support, small circles, accountability groups, whatever calls you, feel free to create what you need here and ping us if you need some wayfinding help.
This year we want to experience over and over again why being in a community of radically generous souls committed to transforming ourselves and the systems around us makes us happier, healthier, stronger and more resilient. Let’s get to the core of our human needs and remind ourselves that together, everything is easier and more impactful.
With love and gratitude,
