Why Giving Back Your Time, Lessons Learned, Money & Talent Makes a Difference.

15 years ago when the entrepreneurial-animal I carry within was unleashed, I started an amazing journey called “entrepreneurship”. A couple of start-ups later — still hungry and foolish — I consciously give back.

public

In the first week of July 2015 I had the pleasure to be a guest speaker at Draper University (DU) in San Mateo talking to 50–70 students in the summer course of 2015. DU inspires people and accelerates ideas by igniting the entrepreneurial spirit. Draper University fosters a community of diverse leaders who want to change the world by equipping them with skills, access and resources in Silicon Valley. Doesn’t it sound awesome?

I shared with the students my global entrepreneurial experience on How Silicon Valley Culture is Changing The World with the students. When we think of Culture, we automatically associate it with a geolocation — and not with a culture as a result of an ecosystem. But actually this is the case of Silicon Valley (SV). SV is an ENVIRONMENT — and not to be seen as a geo-location — which is working very efficiently on a global scale. As such, we are all immigrants to it — regardless if you were born in Palo Alto or elsewhere. Those who decide to be part of this environment go through 8 phases I describe in my presentation.

The end-result for the survivors of this journey is a i) transformed mindset, ii) humble personality, iii) with a spirit to share what has been obtained.

This spirit of giving back is what makes SV an environment that grows in a virtuous cycle. In many cultures the act of “giving-back / sharing” is not given. Let’s imagine for a moment that many of us would give back in a good mood what we have. Sound weird? But can you imagine how much value everybody would add to the community? Can you imagine how much progress we might have altogether? How faster we ALL might move ahead? I break down the act of giving back into four pillars:

• TIME
  Time is a matter of priority. We all have the same amount at our disposal. And yes — it’s hard to cut some of … BUT this is where SV makes a difference. SV’s actors INVEST TIME to enrich the journey. Time leads to new networks — and new networks lead to new opportunities — and new opportunities make us grow.
• LESSONS LEARNED
  We all carry scars and of course nobody can prevent us from having others; that’s part of the game called life. But WHY get scars for exactly the same issue you got them from? Why lose time getting through the same issue you had? Why not avoid this? SHARING LESSONS LEARNED — positive and negative ones- prevent your network from doing the same less successful steps you experienced and at the same time expedite your peer’s learning by getting ahead with other “lessons to be learned”.
• CAPITAL
  Come on — admit it. You do have a stunning idea you carry within, don’t you? One of those ideas that if you would execute (or maybe you already have), it might change the world, right? Well — and to change the world — along with many other things — you need capital. Now, why don’t invert this thought and think about the topic you have knowledge in (= value add) and you put some dollars into a start-up that is in this space? You don’t need to be an investor to do so. Crowdfunding allows everybody to invest a small amount of money into projects to help entrepreneurs actually change the world. Be part of it. Make a difference.
• TALENT
  What are you really good at? What is the vertical you have gathered experience in? What have you proven you are able to do successfully? Awesome — this is exactly what others need! Your talent might be crucial to some groups out there that are lacking exactly the ability you have. Be clear in what you talent is — you value proposition / the problem you solve by adding your capabilities to a project. Go out and join a journey.

It’s a mindset! Yes — giving back becomes part of the DNA. And guess what if more than one person gets together with the same mindset — it creates a movement. It eventually creates a new environment — like is the case for Silicon Valley — that has the power to change the world … because it’s changing us!

we make a living by what we get — but we make a life by what we give!

TAKEAWAY

• Investing time makes us grow
• Sharing lessons learned reduces time loss and accelerate maturity
• Crowdfunding allows you to help projects without being an investor
• Add value by solving other’s challenges with what you do best

Please click on the share button and make this information available to your network too! Follow my Blog “What it takes” . YOU ARE AWESOME! THX.