WOW! 5kg of dates! I´m impressed! Gebana, Gebana, Gebana.
Some time ago I heard that Gebana, a fair-trade company, would send you dates to try an in return ask you to blog about them. I like dates and I like supporting fair-trade and I like getting free stuff, so why not? I thought I would get a try-out box of maybe the size of your hand, but wow! I got a 5 kilo package of best quality dates!
It came at the perfect time. I was having friends over for a house warming evening, it was christmas time and we were having hot wine and christmas cookies. So dates perfectly fit the party. We ate loads and people also took some home. I got a recipe for a vitamin-drink, you are supposed to drink one sip during ten days, it strengthens your immune system:
4 dates
4 figues (they can be dry)
1 apple
You cook everything with some water for 1 hour, afterwards mesh it and then you can have one sip every day to survive the winter.
Date tart is also a very nice thing to use these many dates for: just make a normal dough with hazelnut and dates, on top you put one extra layer of dates (you should cut them open) and on top of that whipped cream. Let it rest for a day, the whipped cream takes the flavor of the dates. Delicious! It´s my traditional birthday cake.
So I am completely satisfied with the Gebana dates, really nice stuff. Also their way of trading and watching the ecological balance of the places where the dates grow is very appropriate for our times. We should know where our food comes from and how it is grown. Check on www.gebana.com
Dienstag, 9. Dezember 2008
Donnerstag, 2. Oktober 2008
back to Business
Abandoning your blog does not mean that you can escape facing the abandonment of a project. It just makes it less public. Hmhm.
But your projects may lead a life of their own and come back to life eventually. At least mine did! A little bit reshaped, but still. Quest-on! lost its name and got refrased into "challenging culture shock - sharing experiences, understanding the process" and downsized from a whole company to a workshop. Is there an English word for Gesundschrumpfen? It´s what describes best what happened to my project. It got smaller and healthier so that it will actually become a reality. It will be conducted the 8th of November in den Haag at the world forum, under the umbrella of www.nuffic.nl and the "day of the international student". Paid! Chacka!
But your projects may lead a life of their own and come back to life eventually. At least mine did! A little bit reshaped, but still. Quest-on! lost its name and got refrased into "challenging culture shock - sharing experiences, understanding the process" and downsized from a whole company to a workshop. Is there an English word for Gesundschrumpfen? It´s what describes best what happened to my project. It got smaller and healthier so that it will actually become a reality. It will be conducted the 8th of November in den Haag at the world forum, under the umbrella of www.nuffic.nl and the "day of the international student". Paid! Chacka!
Sonntag, 1. Juni 2008
What is this school for me?
03.04.2008: The possibility to live many, many situations, that I would not have lived in this amount of time without this frame. Get in contact with things that otherwise I would probably not have gotten in contact with, e.g. filming.
04.04.2008: A place, to say out loud what I don´t like
06.04.2008: A place of frustration, joy, tears and dancing
08.04.2008: an excessive demand
09.04.2008: A place full of surprises
14.04.2008: An opportunity of buying 3 years of freedom
15.04.2008: An excuse to stay young
16.04.2008: A playing field. A team experience. Love
20.04.2008: energy draining
29.04.2008: A place to wake up - come alive
01.05.2008: An idea incubator for future business ideas
05.05.2008: A place of inspiration. A place to form visions
21.05.2008: Hell
01.06.2008: A place that makes me see the value of process
04.04.2008: A place, to say out loud what I don´t like
06.04.2008: A place of frustration, joy, tears and dancing
08.04.2008: an excessive demand
09.04.2008: A place full of surprises
14.04.2008: An opportunity of buying 3 years of freedom
15.04.2008: An excuse to stay young
16.04.2008: A playing field. A team experience. Love
20.04.2008: energy draining
29.04.2008: A place to wake up - come alive
01.05.2008: An idea incubator for future business ideas
05.05.2008: A place of inspiration. A place to form visions
21.05.2008: Hell
01.06.2008: A place that makes me see the value of process
Freitag, 4. April 2008
Verdammt. Wo sind meine Schuhe? Meine Hemden? Meine Schreibutensilien? Alles ist weg. Das bringt mich zum Lachen. Glück ist nicht an Sachen gebunden, rein gar nicht. Selbst wenn ich weder Hemden noch Schuhe besitzen würde, könnte ich doch immer noch lachen. Und mich freuen, an Dingen wie dem Sonnenaufgang, dem Wassertropfen, der am Geländer hängt, meinen Freunden und darüber, dass die Ampel genau dann grün wird, wenn ich rübergehen will.
An meiner Intuition, an einer Tasse Tee, und an anderen Menschen. Andere Menschen gern zu haben ist wie ein ganz großes Lächeln. Macht nichts, wenn sie einen nicht gern haben. Wenn ich sie gern habe, dann bin ich froh. Aber ich hab sie natürlich nicht immer alle gern. Nur manchmal. :-)
Damn it! Where are my shoes? My shirts? My pencils? It´s all gone! That makes me laugh. Joy is not attached to things, not at all. Even if I did not have shirts nor shoes, I could still laugh. And be happy about things like a sunrise, the drop of water that is hanging on the handrail, my friends and because the traffic light turns green just the moment that I want to cross the street.
About my intuition, about a cup of tea, and about other people. To like other people is like a big, big smile. It does not matter if they also like you. If I like them, I am hapy. But of course I don´t like all of them all the time. Just sometimes. :-)
An meiner Intuition, an einer Tasse Tee, und an anderen Menschen. Andere Menschen gern zu haben ist wie ein ganz großes Lächeln. Macht nichts, wenn sie einen nicht gern haben. Wenn ich sie gern habe, dann bin ich froh. Aber ich hab sie natürlich nicht immer alle gern. Nur manchmal. :-)
Damn it! Where are my shoes? My shirts? My pencils? It´s all gone! That makes me laugh. Joy is not attached to things, not at all. Even if I did not have shirts nor shoes, I could still laugh. And be happy about things like a sunrise, the drop of water that is hanging on the handrail, my friends and because the traffic light turns green just the moment that I want to cross the street.
About my intuition, about a cup of tea, and about other people. To like other people is like a big, big smile. It does not matter if they also like you. If I like them, I am hapy. But of course I don´t like all of them all the time. Just sometimes. :-)
Donnerstag, 20. März 2008
Snowflakes in München
Dancing snowflakes in front of my window. Behind me a bar, nicely buzzing with low voices. My run-away place. The appartement I am living in is as empty as it is cold. I long for some rest...a comfortable environment, sofas, pictures on the wall. But you don´t complain, when you are a guest, you rather go and buy some posters for the walls.
Or you think of a better plan:
The Pinakothek is right around the corner, and isn´t art created to make people happy? To show a different approach to life? Something out of the normal, something exiting! That´s what art is for, so let´s make it real.
I went in, carefully, limping a little bit because of my sprained ankle. Looking around I immediately noticed the big, tall guy right in the first room after the entrance hall. He would be my complice, I decided. So I approached him carefully, looking left and right and up if nobody was watching. No, they were pretty busy with guarding the art, imprisoning it. "Art is meant to be free!" I whispered, when walking past him. A small turn around and a smile and I was again contemplating the piece in front of me. A Klee, if I remember correctly. But the one I wanted was by Max Ernst, Totem and Taboo. It fit the bigger plan. Mr. Big began to move slowly. He shifted his weight off his right leg, it crackled some as he pulled it out of the anchorage. "Not too many people know that." he answered. His voice was as thin as the air on a 8000 mountain, barely hearable. If I had not called him before I would have thought is was the air condition. "Will you help me?" I asked and looked straight into his steely eyes. They began to twinkle and shine, a shiver ran over his wrinkled body. "Young lady, how will I not help you? If you just called on my vocation!" "So let´s bring life to this deathbed!" I clapped my hand on his rough shoulder.
His twisted body straightened visibly and I began to scream, scream as lound as I could and as my lungs would hold. "He moved, he moved!" I screamed and the guard came running from the next room to see what the hack was going on there and who dared to disturb the deathlike silence of the place. I was pale as a blanket, my finger trembled as I pointed onto the statue: "He moved!" Now that was abviously too much for the guard, he had no training in what to do with customers who go mental. First he just stared at me and when he saw me grin he cracked up laughing. He was quite young, had a sharp face and was most probably totally bored by his job. Yes! Perfect person! And this was the best reaction possible, since with every more vibration of life in here Mr. Big would become stronger. His job was to take the picture while mine consisted in keeping up the illusion. I don´t know which one was more difficult. I am quite used to walking and grabbing things with my hands, he probably did it for the first time. He was an expert in letting people see what they want to see while gently twisting their thoughts into a certain direction. But if this was going to work out we had to enter unknown territory, both of us. You can´t preach one thing and do the other. If our plan was to work out, it had to be carried out in its own way. Totally.
So here I was, trying to gently twist the thoughts of the nice, young guard into one direction, away from the moving statue. I had never done this before, but I also had never been in a situation where I needed to steal a picture. Being right there in the moment things come to you when you need them and either you fail or you succeed.
My eyes were fixed, but relaxed, as I talked to him. I let him see right into my mind, at least until the big screen that I had placed there for him. Like in a movie where the projector shows the episodes that were previously recorded. I had recorded a lot in my life, so the only thing to do was to pick the right topic. Fairly easy with this guy. He loved travelling, you could tell from casting just one look. So I talked about the world and its wonders, high mountains and deep seas and kept my eyes straight in his ones. Don´t let go! I smiled and he smiled back. Strike! Behind his back I could see Mr. Big struggling with his uncoordinated limbs, shambling towards the desired object.
A question pulled me out of my trance. What I liked best in my life? (How had we come to this topic?) But let´s go along. In this phase the most important thing was not to disturb the natural flow. "You" I said honestly. It was true. In this moment he was all there was space for in my mind, so he was all I could think about and all I could possibly like. It was quite a risky answer to give, since the band between the eyes was all there was that hold him onto me right now. He laughed. Surprised, a bit uncomfortable. Don´t turn around! I laughed, too, just to loosen up the situation. But my eyes stayed fixed.
I took a step back and he followed. Now I knew I had half won. Mr. Big was moving his clumsy hands near the picture. Totem and Taboo...
We stood closer than before. The next step! Please don´t leave me now, my totem, tell me what to do!
"Why me?" he followed up. Thank you! Now it was easy to continue. I examined him, enough to find out the strong and weak spots and the ones that were open to be talked about. The air was filled with life and Mr. Big kept moving. "Because you are a very human person." "Oh, and what makes me so human? Now I´m curious!" Small challenge there! (Did I say I had no idea how to do this? True, but there was always help in the crucial moments.) Compliments about his attitude, his way of talking, listening and just in general his open personality. "Thanks" he said.
Mr. Big was done. He had taken the Totem and Taboo out of its frame and hung it over his head. This way it looked just like an old rag, poor picture. But it would have to take this humiliation just for a very short time.
"I got to go now. Wanna have some coffee together, later?" His answer made Mr. Big freeze onto his original post again. Not without giving me a last most happy, proud and whimsical twinkle. He had put the cloth in the notch that resembled his pocket. A last hug and I was gone. Totem and Taboo will be the first piece in an empty room that is ready to be decorated.
Or you think of a better plan:
The Pinakothek is right around the corner, and isn´t art created to make people happy? To show a different approach to life? Something out of the normal, something exiting! That´s what art is for, so let´s make it real.
I went in, carefully, limping a little bit because of my sprained ankle. Looking around I immediately noticed the big, tall guy right in the first room after the entrance hall. He would be my complice, I decided. So I approached him carefully, looking left and right and up if nobody was watching. No, they were pretty busy with guarding the art, imprisoning it. "Art is meant to be free!" I whispered, when walking past him. A small turn around and a smile and I was again contemplating the piece in front of me. A Klee, if I remember correctly. But the one I wanted was by Max Ernst, Totem and Taboo. It fit the bigger plan. Mr. Big began to move slowly. He shifted his weight off his right leg, it crackled some as he pulled it out of the anchorage. "Not too many people know that." he answered. His voice was as thin as the air on a 8000 mountain, barely hearable. If I had not called him before I would have thought is was the air condition. "Will you help me?" I asked and looked straight into his steely eyes. They began to twinkle and shine, a shiver ran over his wrinkled body. "Young lady, how will I not help you? If you just called on my vocation!" "So let´s bring life to this deathbed!" I clapped my hand on his rough shoulder.
His twisted body straightened visibly and I began to scream, scream as lound as I could and as my lungs would hold. "He moved, he moved!" I screamed and the guard came running from the next room to see what the hack was going on there and who dared to disturb the deathlike silence of the place. I was pale as a blanket, my finger trembled as I pointed onto the statue: "He moved!" Now that was abviously too much for the guard, he had no training in what to do with customers who go mental. First he just stared at me and when he saw me grin he cracked up laughing. He was quite young, had a sharp face and was most probably totally bored by his job. Yes! Perfect person! And this was the best reaction possible, since with every more vibration of life in here Mr. Big would become stronger. His job was to take the picture while mine consisted in keeping up the illusion. I don´t know which one was more difficult. I am quite used to walking and grabbing things with my hands, he probably did it for the first time. He was an expert in letting people see what they want to see while gently twisting their thoughts into a certain direction. But if this was going to work out we had to enter unknown territory, both of us. You can´t preach one thing and do the other. If our plan was to work out, it had to be carried out in its own way. Totally.
So here I was, trying to gently twist the thoughts of the nice, young guard into one direction, away from the moving statue. I had never done this before, but I also had never been in a situation where I needed to steal a picture. Being right there in the moment things come to you when you need them and either you fail or you succeed.
My eyes were fixed, but relaxed, as I talked to him. I let him see right into my mind, at least until the big screen that I had placed there for him. Like in a movie where the projector shows the episodes that were previously recorded. I had recorded a lot in my life, so the only thing to do was to pick the right topic. Fairly easy with this guy. He loved travelling, you could tell from casting just one look. So I talked about the world and its wonders, high mountains and deep seas and kept my eyes straight in his ones. Don´t let go! I smiled and he smiled back. Strike! Behind his back I could see Mr. Big struggling with his uncoordinated limbs, shambling towards the desired object.
A question pulled me out of my trance. What I liked best in my life? (How had we come to this topic?) But let´s go along. In this phase the most important thing was not to disturb the natural flow. "You" I said honestly. It was true. In this moment he was all there was space for in my mind, so he was all I could think about and all I could possibly like. It was quite a risky answer to give, since the band between the eyes was all there was that hold him onto me right now. He laughed. Surprised, a bit uncomfortable. Don´t turn around! I laughed, too, just to loosen up the situation. But my eyes stayed fixed.
I took a step back and he followed. Now I knew I had half won. Mr. Big was moving his clumsy hands near the picture. Totem and Taboo...
We stood closer than before. The next step! Please don´t leave me now, my totem, tell me what to do!
"Why me?" he followed up. Thank you! Now it was easy to continue. I examined him, enough to find out the strong and weak spots and the ones that were open to be talked about. The air was filled with life and Mr. Big kept moving. "Because you are a very human person." "Oh, and what makes me so human? Now I´m curious!" Small challenge there! (Did I say I had no idea how to do this? True, but there was always help in the crucial moments.) Compliments about his attitude, his way of talking, listening and just in general his open personality. "Thanks" he said.
Mr. Big was done. He had taken the Totem and Taboo out of its frame and hung it over his head. This way it looked just like an old rag, poor picture. But it would have to take this humiliation just for a very short time.
"I got to go now. Wanna have some coffee together, later?" His answer made Mr. Big freeze onto his original post again. Not without giving me a last most happy, proud and whimsical twinkle. He had put the cloth in the notch that resembled his pocket. A last hug and I was gone. Totem and Taboo will be the first piece in an empty room that is ready to be decorated.
Samstag, 15. März 2008
Montag, 10. März 2008
Eurostarstrip
We are in Berlin right now. Love this city. I want to live here. Great houses, alldifferent, great people, all different. Ich komme ja auch irgendwie aus Berlin, immerhin ist meine Mutter hier geboren.
Yesterday we went to this gay bar on Oranienburgerstraße, very nice one, fur on the walls and silly Kronleuchter all over the place. Leuk.
Yesterday we went to this gay bar on Oranienburgerstraße, very nice one, fur on the walls and silly Kronleuchter all over the place. Leuk.
Presentation
Last friday we had to present our business idea to a springboard. I sucked big time. I had no energy, I was not able to tell what I really want to do and how I see it working. They asked me exactly for the things that I was still unsure about myself, like "Where is the innovative business idea?" "What about your project is different from your competitors?" Damn. Then you just feel very small and with a silly project that has no value. Not the nicest feeling.
But I picked myself up afterwards, also got some nice comments of my classmates, and I will use the feedback I got and make a better impression next time!
And althought the business design module is now over, I´ll still keep on track and pursue my idea. Change it a little, probably. It´s a work in progress, right?
But I picked myself up afterwards, also got some nice comments of my classmates, and I will use the feedback I got and make a better impression next time!
And althought the business design module is now over, I´ll still keep on track and pursue my idea. Change it a little, probably. It´s a work in progress, right?
Sonntag, 2. März 2008
It goes on...
Have not written in a long time...that already tells something. The flow leaves you abit after the first enthusiastic days or weeks. Especially when you have nobody to report to. But: now I´m back on track! And this whole waiting and being busy with other things than my company also helped me become more sharp on how I am going to proceed. Some things just develop naturally. Wait and suddenly the next step seems obvious!
In my case it was a talk to David Madié that woke me up. He suggested I should call hostels and get feedback from them. So I called 3! (Concrete numbers help to actually do it. I´ve called 3 hostels and achieved what I set out to do!) Now they want something written. So I had to produce something written. Good move! Puts up some pressure and an aim, which helps a lot.
Hopefully Lori can help me with getting my branding straight today, since I don´t want to let them wait for too long.
And this weekend I am going to buy the web domain! Be prepared! :-)
In my case it was a talk to David Madié that woke me up. He suggested I should call hostels and get feedback from them. So I called 3! (Concrete numbers help to actually do it. I´ve called 3 hostels and achieved what I set out to do!) Now they want something written. So I had to produce something written. Good move! Puts up some pressure and an aim, which helps a lot.
Hopefully Lori can help me with getting my branding straight today, since I don´t want to let them wait for too long.
And this weekend I am going to buy the web domain! Be prepared! :-)
Sonntag, 17. Februar 2008
The HUB
The HUB in Rotterdam is now officially open. Last friday a great auction took place and already this place is casting its shadows of its own mood. It is, in its very nature, a meeting place. Guess who I met? A lady with whom I might partner for doing a workshop for students after they will have returned from their study time abroad. Unimagnable that this is not done already! So necessary! So we will give it a try and see how it works out.
Freitag, 15. Februar 2008
Europe project, here we come!
9 people. Cracking nuts. Running against walls. Finding doors, here and there. Climbing over self-created obsacles, but they are obstackles nevertheless. You never know why they are there. Sometimes they make you go into another direction, where you then find a nice vally to enjoy. You can build a camp there, to stay for some time. But soon you will break the tents down again and be back in the djungle.
It all started when the other group decided to go to Thailand. You know, sun, beach, laughter, happy faces...pollution...connections, learning, local people. Broaden your horizon. Social innovation! That would be the string that still connects us. We would be here. But there are more worlds than just the geographical one and both our groups would be together in the world of social innovation.
It all started when the other group decided to go to Thailand. You know, sun, beach, laughter, happy faces...pollution...connections, learning, local people. Broaden your horizon. Social innovation! That would be the string that still connects us. We would be here. But there are more worlds than just the geographical one and both our groups would be together in the world of social innovation.
How do you discover a world? How do you set off, loose sight of the shore and discover something completely new? Without knowing where you go? We were hanging in a calm for quite some time, loosing energy, running in circles. We were stuck on trying to figure out where to search for our new world geographically, could it be Eastern Europe? Oh no, some people were severely against that. Berlin? Maybe. Barcelona? Nice shot, but did it have enough potential? Marocco. Ruled out quickly for financial reasons.
How do you discover a world when you don´t have any money? How do you still create an impact in the new area that you are approaching? That we were quite sure about: we wanted to leave a footprint. And not one that vanishes when the air blows over it, but one that really lasts.
Leave a footprint somewhere where you don´t even know how the ground looks like that can embrace the footprint...that´s a hard one.
But taking steps leaves footprints. So here we go.
And somehow, eventually, this new world also reaches out to you. Giving you new ideas and inspiration but also feeding you with its essential nutricious fruits. We came across such a fruit when we finally had the idea of going in two Vans into two directions, one east, one south, further exploring what we had just been stumbling across right there, when having this idea: What the f**k is social innovation? We are right in it. We don´t see it, but we are living it. So let´s make it visible not only to us, but to everybody! Why were movies invented anyways?!
Wading in muddy territories, insecure grounds, robbing forward we had finally reached that island. Wow! Sun is shining again! Blue skies, with rockets shooting through it, like bubbles in a glass of champaign. A firework of new ideas! Maybe we will take people with us along the road! Or we will connect to the underground scenes! Or we will do stand up theater! Or we will just ask people on the street! Or we will open up a dialogue between East and West! Or, or, or. Why should it be "or"? Can´t it be "and"? But where is the focus then?
Damn, we are back in the mud. But now we have a history, we already left footprints. How does the water look like that is slowly gathering in them, condensing into the essence of our quest? Maybe it is not cristal clear. But it is water, the essence of life! What springs to the eye when watching it is its authenticity. It is real.
This is what we are: we are real. Authentic. So let´s bring it on again! Let´s see how we explore, discover and create at the same time something that is like a raw diamond, hidden deep down in the earth, ready to be grinded by us, to reveal its ultimate beauty. How will it look like? Nobody knows, but everybody believes that it will shine. Beautifully. Magnificently! Wow, I wanna see it already!
How do you discover a world when you don´t have any money? How do you still create an impact in the new area that you are approaching? That we were quite sure about: we wanted to leave a footprint. And not one that vanishes when the air blows over it, but one that really lasts.
Leave a footprint somewhere where you don´t even know how the ground looks like that can embrace the footprint...that´s a hard one.
But taking steps leaves footprints. So here we go.
And somehow, eventually, this new world also reaches out to you. Giving you new ideas and inspiration but also feeding you with its essential nutricious fruits. We came across such a fruit when we finally had the idea of going in two Vans into two directions, one east, one south, further exploring what we had just been stumbling across right there, when having this idea: What the f**k is social innovation? We are right in it. We don´t see it, but we are living it. So let´s make it visible not only to us, but to everybody! Why were movies invented anyways?!
Wading in muddy territories, insecure grounds, robbing forward we had finally reached that island. Wow! Sun is shining again! Blue skies, with rockets shooting through it, like bubbles in a glass of champaign. A firework of new ideas! Maybe we will take people with us along the road! Or we will connect to the underground scenes! Or we will do stand up theater! Or we will just ask people on the street! Or we will open up a dialogue between East and West! Or, or, or. Why should it be "or"? Can´t it be "and"? But where is the focus then?
Damn, we are back in the mud. But now we have a history, we already left footprints. How does the water look like that is slowly gathering in them, condensing into the essence of our quest? Maybe it is not cristal clear. But it is water, the essence of life! What springs to the eye when watching it is its authenticity. It is real.
This is what we are: we are real. Authentic. So let´s bring it on again! Let´s see how we explore, discover and create at the same time something that is like a raw diamond, hidden deep down in the earth, ready to be grinded by us, to reveal its ultimate beauty. How will it look like? Nobody knows, but everybody believes that it will shine. Beautifully. Magnificently! Wow, I wanna see it already!
Donnerstag, 14. Februar 2008
holistic entrepreneurship...or how we ARE our businesses
Yesterday´s session about holistic entrepreneurship was really good. Learning about how the classic business way, the social/environmental business way and the spiritual business way all play an important role in the whole outcome was fascinating. Basically what I learned was: if I die (or burn out), my project dies with me. That would be a pity, wouldn´t it? For both of us. ;-)
We worked a bit on what our passion in life is, disconnected from our projects...but for some it actually turned out that their project does not cover what they really want to do in life (they had been stuck in their project before, so guess why...!)
I see it as such a big advantage, that in western Europe we have the luxury of being able to run a business as a way of self-realization. Here it is not about surviving. It is about making a living, yes, but it is not about surviving. So we are actually in a very enviable situation: we can dive into our life´s passion and create a business from there. Our identity becomes manifest in our business. Does this mean that by defining what you do, at the same time you are defining who you are? Or the other way around? Probably both at the same time. Since what you do makes you who you are.
We worked a bit on what our passion in life is, disconnected from our projects...but for some it actually turned out that their project does not cover what they really want to do in life (they had been stuck in their project before, so guess why...!)
I see it as such a big advantage, that in western Europe we have the luxury of being able to run a business as a way of self-realization. Here it is not about surviving. It is about making a living, yes, but it is not about surviving. So we are actually in a very enviable situation: we can dive into our life´s passion and create a business from there. Our identity becomes manifest in our business. Does this mean that by defining what you do, at the same time you are defining who you are? Or the other way around? Probably both at the same time. Since what you do makes you who you are.
Dienstag, 12. Februar 2008
and on we go
The last days I felt really dizzy. I think I worked too much. I was sooooo hyped about my idea and its development that I kind of forgot that it is not my whole life. There are other important things as well...like eating...or sleeping...or just relaxing, hang out with people I like and do nothing. Very important. But experiencing that rush helped me to now know that I should not take developing my company too deadly serious. Work on it yes, but just as much as my body allows me to! Although I get so passionate every time I work on it.
Yesterday I started working on a brochure for my product, including a product description. This really helped me to get a clearer image of what I am actually doing here! (I´ll post it as soon as I feel that this is a presentable version...not yet quite. Still undergoing changes.) I expanded my product portfolio by defining the core product and variations to it, finding introductory products (kind of appetizers so that people will want to work with me), add-ons for clients to buy later on when they were satisfied with my product and giving some thought to flagship product, really big fish, kind of Coca-Cola extra large. Not there yet either.
I also defined attributes and advanteages of my product and services. These will help me make a brochure in which I will describe and advertise my product. For the brochure I feel I need iWorks or any other proper program with templates. So I should get this first.
Presenting this work to my fellow Kaospilot students really helped me to get a more realistic view of what I am doing, their feedback was very helpful. They also helped me to think of new market segments that I could target. Plus it made me change my idea of how my product should actually look like...again. :-) It´s an ongoing process, this product and idea development...
Today we learned about packaging the product. Who would buy a perfume in a crappy plastic bag? Nonono, it has to be something special! Something extraorinary! You buy much more than the product, you buy a whole lifestyle, an experience, an identity. So you should better give your customer a clear idea of what you are selling him and make it attractive! Nobody wants a woman in dirty underwear. But give her some really nice dessous and everybody will be after her! She is still the same woman, but the package ist differen. (Maybe I should not choose this as an example, but I am a woman myself, so I may! ;-) )
Anyways, packaging I found really difficult. It made me realize that my idea of my product and my target group is not yet so clear. But that´s what this work is good for, right? To find out what you still have to think about and develop further. So here we go with the next creative act: what kind of people do I want to attract, how does my product "feel" like and how can I express this identity through, say, the way I dress, the way course facilities are set up, the interior, graphic design...even the invoice needs to be designed!
But tomorrow we will learn something about holistic entrepreneurship, so maybe this will be a source of inspiration!
Yesterday I started working on a brochure for my product, including a product description. This really helped me to get a clearer image of what I am actually doing here! (I´ll post it as soon as I feel that this is a presentable version...not yet quite. Still undergoing changes.) I expanded my product portfolio by defining the core product and variations to it, finding introductory products (kind of appetizers so that people will want to work with me), add-ons for clients to buy later on when they were satisfied with my product and giving some thought to flagship product, really big fish, kind of Coca-Cola extra large. Not there yet either.
I also defined attributes and advanteages of my product and services. These will help me make a brochure in which I will describe and advertise my product. For the brochure I feel I need iWorks or any other proper program with templates. So I should get this first.
Presenting this work to my fellow Kaospilot students really helped me to get a more realistic view of what I am doing, their feedback was very helpful. They also helped me to think of new market segments that I could target. Plus it made me change my idea of how my product should actually look like...again. :-) It´s an ongoing process, this product and idea development...
Today we learned about packaging the product. Who would buy a perfume in a crappy plastic bag? Nonono, it has to be something special! Something extraorinary! You buy much more than the product, you buy a whole lifestyle, an experience, an identity. So you should better give your customer a clear idea of what you are selling him and make it attractive! Nobody wants a woman in dirty underwear. But give her some really nice dessous and everybody will be after her! She is still the same woman, but the package ist differen. (Maybe I should not choose this as an example, but I am a woman myself, so I may! ;-) )
Anyways, packaging I found really difficult. It made me realize that my idea of my product and my target group is not yet so clear. But that´s what this work is good for, right? To find out what you still have to think about and develop further. So here we go with the next creative act: what kind of people do I want to attract, how does my product "feel" like and how can I express this identity through, say, the way I dress, the way course facilities are set up, the interior, graphic design...even the invoice needs to be designed!
But tomorrow we will learn something about holistic entrepreneurship, so maybe this will be a source of inspiration!
Freitag, 8. Februar 2008
stories of a startup - day 4
Yesterday I talked to a friend about my idea. I could very well imagine to work together with her, and she could as well. So we´ll see how things will work out.
Today I refined "my story" and my logo, but got a bit frustrated with this darn computer program for drawing, that I don´t know about and that somehow does not give me the options I want to have. Well, having something is better than having nothing. But still what I have will need further refinement. I should learn to manage this computer program (or get somebody to help me).
Today I refined "my story" and my logo, but got a bit frustrated with this darn computer program for drawing, that I don´t know about and that somehow does not give me the options I want to have. Well, having something is better than having nothing. But still what I have will need further refinement. I should learn to manage this computer program (or get somebody to help me).
Mittwoch, 6. Februar 2008
stories of a startup - the first 2 days
Starting up a company...nothing more exciting than this! After 2 days of working with David Madié I´m already on track. Man, it makes such a difference if you just have somebody to indicate to you the next possible step! And, even more important, who gives you the feeling that he believes in you, that you are going to be successfull, and who encourages you to start now. START NOW! This is the basic message that I want to yell out to everybody ever trying to start up: START NOW! Go with the passion. Whatever there is passion for is the next step. Don´t get caught up in planning and thinking about how you could or should do things, but DO them.
We worked with this guy from Startup Company, he´s a real pro. He gave us many worksheets on which we could see which next steps would be possible and then we just did what we felt most passionate about.
An idea is very fragile in the beginning. The energy that we can give it is all there is. So follow that energy!
He also talked about the fear of many entrepreneurs that their idea might get stolen. You have to overcome this fear. It is very unlikely that anybody steals it anyways, because those that might be interested in having the product that your idea is about are probably the ones who will never go all the way of bringing it into action, because they are no entrepreneurs. So the only group that might be "of danger" for you are entrepreneurs, but they are very unlikely to stal it, too, because it is not their idea, and entrepreneurs want to realize their own idea, not somebdy else´s. That´s only half the fun.
So yesterday and the day before I worked on my idea. I identified some next steps that I wanted to take, I did some of them, like research and writing an email and telling others about my idea and getting feedback, I identified the next key challenges of my start-up business, so that I would know what I wanted to work on next, like getting a better picture of the actual business idea or think about my market position, I found a mission statement and finally I found a name. Today I made a logo, looks so nice, and it makes it even more real, that this company is actually existing! Can´t believe it!
I also worked a bit on a story of why I am working on this company, answering questions like Who am I and where do I come from? Where did I get the inspiration for my idea? Why is this idea important to me? Why was I the right one to realize the idea? Who am I wirking with an how did I get to meet them? Answering theses questions and telling the story provides trust. If people know whom they are talking to and why this person is passionate about what he/she does, they are much likely to also find inspiration for it.
Anyways, the last question I cannot answer. Until now I am working alone on this. I made a very important experience on this topic: a teammate of mine asked me if she could work together with me. I said yes. This was in a very, very early stage of my idea and actually she was thinking that I was working on another idea that I had had before. I briefly told her about the current idea. She suggested some things on what we could do and suddenly I felt that all my energy went away. I felt totally drained. Something was going on that was not right. I could not pinpoint it, but I felt it had to do with her entering my project. So I told her that I would not like to work with her, which now I regret, because now I think what was actually going on was not that I did not want to work with her, but that I did not want to change my idea! Did not wanna kill my darling, oh no. I even started crying in front of her! Poor girl. The lesson I learned from this is that there are times when it is ok for somebody else to join and sometimes it is better to keep it for yourself. It is an issue of ownership. I felt as if somebody was stealing my baby. Now, that I am in a different phase, I would love to work together with somebody, because now I am more clear of what I actually want to do. But now she does not want to work with me on this one any more. Understandable. Funny to note that she had a similar thing with me some time ago.
It´s all about energy. When you have energy you can work and when you don´t have it, then it is better not to work. But sometimes the energy also comes while working. Today I felt the lack of a partner, somebody to talk to about the idea and to get inspired again. I started working on my logo and then showed some drafts to a friend. He liked them. Then my roommates came by and I also showed it to them and told them about the whole idea of starting a business (they did not know about it yet). They really liked the idea, liked the logo and even gave me new things to think about and make my range of thoughts bigger. This gave me a lot of energy again! It felt like quite a step to show the logo, who knows, they might not like it? But they did. They even guessed what the whole thing is about just from taking a look at the logo, without knowing what the company is about. Great! :-)
We worked with this guy from Startup Company, he´s a real pro. He gave us many worksheets on which we could see which next steps would be possible and then we just did what we felt most passionate about.
An idea is very fragile in the beginning. The energy that we can give it is all there is. So follow that energy!
He also talked about the fear of many entrepreneurs that their idea might get stolen. You have to overcome this fear. It is very unlikely that anybody steals it anyways, because those that might be interested in having the product that your idea is about are probably the ones who will never go all the way of bringing it into action, because they are no entrepreneurs. So the only group that might be "of danger" for you are entrepreneurs, but they are very unlikely to stal it, too, because it is not their idea, and entrepreneurs want to realize their own idea, not somebdy else´s. That´s only half the fun.
So yesterday and the day before I worked on my idea. I identified some next steps that I wanted to take, I did some of them, like research and writing an email and telling others about my idea and getting feedback, I identified the next key challenges of my start-up business, so that I would know what I wanted to work on next, like getting a better picture of the actual business idea or think about my market position, I found a mission statement and finally I found a name. Today I made a logo, looks so nice, and it makes it even more real, that this company is actually existing! Can´t believe it!
I also worked a bit on a story of why I am working on this company, answering questions like Who am I and where do I come from? Where did I get the inspiration for my idea? Why is this idea important to me? Why was I the right one to realize the idea? Who am I wirking with an how did I get to meet them? Answering theses questions and telling the story provides trust. If people know whom they are talking to and why this person is passionate about what he/she does, they are much likely to also find inspiration for it.
Anyways, the last question I cannot answer. Until now I am working alone on this. I made a very important experience on this topic: a teammate of mine asked me if she could work together with me. I said yes. This was in a very, very early stage of my idea and actually she was thinking that I was working on another idea that I had had before. I briefly told her about the current idea. She suggested some things on what we could do and suddenly I felt that all my energy went away. I felt totally drained. Something was going on that was not right. I could not pinpoint it, but I felt it had to do with her entering my project. So I told her that I would not like to work with her, which now I regret, because now I think what was actually going on was not that I did not want to work with her, but that I did not want to change my idea! Did not wanna kill my darling, oh no. I even started crying in front of her! Poor girl. The lesson I learned from this is that there are times when it is ok for somebody else to join and sometimes it is better to keep it for yourself. It is an issue of ownership. I felt as if somebody was stealing my baby. Now, that I am in a different phase, I would love to work together with somebody, because now I am more clear of what I actually want to do. But now she does not want to work with me on this one any more. Understandable. Funny to note that she had a similar thing with me some time ago.
It´s all about energy. When you have energy you can work and when you don´t have it, then it is better not to work. But sometimes the energy also comes while working. Today I felt the lack of a partner, somebody to talk to about the idea and to get inspired again. I started working on my logo and then showed some drafts to a friend. He liked them. Then my roommates came by and I also showed it to them and told them about the whole idea of starting a business (they did not know about it yet). They really liked the idea, liked the logo and even gave me new things to think about and make my range of thoughts bigger. This gave me a lot of energy again! It felt like quite a step to show the logo, who knows, they might not like it? But they did. They even guessed what the whole thing is about just from taking a look at the logo, without knowing what the company is about. Great! :-)
Sonntag, 3. Februar 2008
where is the open source idea collection?
I´ve been searching on the web for cool ideas for socially innovative projects, but did not really find anything. How come? There should be a simple list of ideas, open for everybody to take inspiration from or simply put one in action. Or do my searching skills just suck?
A simple list with the topic of: what concretely needs to be changed in my environment. Then anybody could go anywhere and do a project on such an issue. Anywhere in the world, but being sure that there is a real issue he/she is working on. Saves you a lot of research.
A simple list with the topic of: what concretely needs to be changed in my environment. Then anybody could go anywhere and do a project on such an issue. Anywhere in the world, but being sure that there is a real issue he/she is working on. Saves you a lot of research.
that´s exactly what this country needs!
a cock in a frock on a rock.
No, seriously, what do we need? Let´s go and have a look. Let´s take a skateboard, cross this country and see what is there and what is not. Let´s see what people really have and what they really don´t have. Be an outsider and see things from a different angle. Make a movie, make a book, and pick one thing yourself and start doing it.
No, seriously, what do we need? Let´s go and have a look. Let´s take a skateboard, cross this country and see what is there and what is not. Let´s see what people really have and what they really don´t have. Be an outsider and see things from a different angle. Make a movie, make a book, and pick one thing yourself and start doing it.
unjust
I´ve been to the film festival in Rotterdam and there were lots of movies depicting different ugly situations in society. One was about a girl from Zimbabwe, whos mother died of AIDS and she and her little brother and little niece went to the nearest city to live with the aunt. She did not have much money either, so Zimbabwe, the girl, immigrated illegally to South Africa, via a "company" that smuggles peiple and gets them a job. She got a job as a housemaid. She had to give her earnings to the "company" that threatened her to turn her in as being illegal. The husband of the house where she worked raped her on a regular basis. She burned a shirt by accident and the wife made her pay for it from her salary (note that she easily said that she would just have to buy a new one). In the end she hit the husband to unconsciuosness when he raped her again. The one friend she had there adviced her to go back to Zimbabwe, what she happily did.
Another movie was about a Maroccan child that moves from a village in the mountains into the city and becomes a street kid. Stealing and selling stolen stuff is a way of making a living than a crime. Basic knowledge of the tourists languages would help to do other things.
A third one was about a prison for children in Russia. Kids younger than 14 years go there. Some had murdered a person. They liked the prison better than their home because they could go to school and got basically everything they needed, food, education, a bed. But they don´t get psychological help. The movie maker was the first one to ask them how they felt about what they had done and how they think they would continue their lives. Asking simple basic questions like this already made them think into a different direction.
Of course it is not this easy as it sounds to tackle these issues. But maybe we find ways to do some small change on a small scale and build in some elements that make it spread.
Another movie was about a Maroccan child that moves from a village in the mountains into the city and becomes a street kid. Stealing and selling stolen stuff is a way of making a living than a crime. Basic knowledge of the tourists languages would help to do other things.
A third one was about a prison for children in Russia. Kids younger than 14 years go there. Some had murdered a person. They liked the prison better than their home because they could go to school and got basically everything they needed, food, education, a bed. But they don´t get psychological help. The movie maker was the first one to ask them how they felt about what they had done and how they think they would continue their lives. Asking simple basic questions like this already made them think into a different direction.
Of course it is not this easy as it sounds to tackle these issues. But maybe we find ways to do some small change on a small scale and build in some elements that make it spread.
Freitag, 1. Februar 2008
Ideas: projects, funstuff, anything. Open source.
There are so many people out there who really want to do more with their lives than a 9-5 job. Many of them are travellers, searching for a suitable way that fits their needs and at the same time makes them do something useful.
So let´s go to Brasil, stay at a youth hostel for some time and do facilitation on "what do I want to do with my life" with backpackers!
So let´s go to Brasil, stay at a youth hostel for some time and do facilitation on "what do I want to do with my life" with backpackers!
About
Once upon a time there was an old garden. It was very dark and moist, making you look over your shoulder constantly, but feeling intrigued by the smell of adventure. Being in there you could only see until the next tree, densly wrapped in lianes, emitting sweet smells. Strange sounds were all over the place, making you set your feet very carefully: what would you find behind that next gate of twigs? The question was never: how do I get out? the question was: how do I go in. Since living in this garden made you come across yourself eventually.
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