enlightened orgs: kiva

NOT JUST CONTRIBUTING, BUT CONNECTING

Introducing Kiva.org, a Web 2.0 company focused on connecting generous contribution with the creative potential of those living in poverty. Kiva’s mission is simple: “to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.” I had the pleasure of listening to Co-Founder Jessica Flannery speak this past weekend at Jubilee in Pittsburgh. Her speech offered two valuable insights:

1) A glimpse of hope - the poor of the world have the talent and creativity to become self sustaining…all they need is a boost in the form of capital
2) Advice – on how to realize the dream of any company, Kiva’s Story has something to offer to all of us.

FROM $14,000 TO OVER $60,000,000 IN LOANS

Kiva has its roots in the same soil as many other non-profit and charitable organizations…a person or people have a dream to make a difference.  Basically, one small loan to a Ugandan start up blossomed into this immense global network of micro-financers.  Read more about how Kiva works here.

SUCCESS IN ANY BUSINESS

Co-Founder Jessica Flannery is a very passionate person whose enthusiasm has aided in the growth of Kiva over the past few years. But enthusiasm was not the only way Kiva has come to be where it is.  Check out this Poptech interview with Jessica Flannery and you will see what I mean.

Can’t see it? Get FlashPlayer, or view at Poptech.

ENLIGHTENED ORGS BUSINESS PRACTICES

• JUST START – You may never have perfect information, just start! When you make mistakes, look to Jessica’s next piece of advice
• ITERATE – Learn as you go and be prepared to do another version…another iteration. Don’t view mistakes as failures, view them as opportunities to create the next iteration.  Every step is an iteration rather than a failure and retry.
• “CO – CREATION” of content – Kiva.org is filled entrepreneurs stories, loaner stories, and new logos created by the kiva.org loaner groups.  The site is not just owned by organization but by everyone.
• BRAND OPENNESS – People have created Kivapedia’s, Kiva Video Channels, even an office on Second Life. Kiva lets anyone to re-create the brand in a new way. By allowing everyone to have creative control over the brand, so much more has been created than originally concieved.
  
  
  The power of creativity isn’t necessarily within the organization, but through the new and fresh eyes of others.
• KNOW YOUR MISSION – Jessica mentioned in her speech at Jubilee, Kiva had an offer of $10 million dollars from a large company, but they didn’t want to follow through with the connection. Kiva is not only about the financing, it is about bringing people all over the world together and gain vested interest in each other….Kiva turned down the $10 million.

KIVA.ORG – “THE WORLD’S FIRST PEER TO PEER MICROLENDING WEBSITE” - CHECK IT OUT!

Along with a receiving a BS in Marketing at the University of Pittsburgh, Nick enjoys spending time with service and Christian organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, an organization focused on themes of learning, creating, building and serving. Does anyone want to start a community on kiva?

Work Hard, Take it Easy

Nick Corsi

Inspiration: Jubilee

INSPIRATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE WITH A UNIVERSAL HUMAN MESSAGE

I never thought attending a Christian conference would present me with such an abundance of culture and progressive thinking. This weekend started out with a talk by Gabe Lyons, co-author of the book “unChristian,” describing perception research into how the world views Christians. This research was conducted the same way a company conducts market research to understand brand perceptions, awareness, etc .

His research suggests, among other things, that people perceive Christians as having lost touch with culture and creativity – they are sheltered…out of touch with reality. These opening remarks began a weekend of inspiration, insight, and an exposure to some remarkable individuals who prove such an argument couldn’t be more wrong.

THE ULTIMATE FOCUS…THE HUMAN MESSAGE

How will you use your God-given talents, abilities and opportunities to cultivate learning, creating, building, and serving? And…how can you accomplish these goals in such a turbulent world?

In light of the wealth of information provided to me, here are a few of the highlights accompanied by links that will expand upon anything that you may find interesting.

Along with the Homepage, Jubilee offers a wonderful Blog with pictures, video and profiles of speakers and events.

ENLIGHTENED ORGANIZATIONS…AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND THEM

I eventually will write multiple blog posts about this weekend. Specifically about the Enlightened Organizational practices I saw in the likes of keynote speakers:

• Jessica Jackley Flannery, co-founder of kiva.org and – Featured Here on poptech.com

• Bill Strickland Creator and Founder of the Manchester Craftman’s Guild – Featured Here on ted.com

These two organizations take a completely different look at SOLVING poverty through the enablement of individuals and cultivation of their talents.  Look for posts under the “Enlightened Organizations Best Practices” column in the next two weeks for a more detailed glimpse into the great work of these two individuals.

CREATIVITY AND CULTIVATION

Andy Crouch, author of the book Culture Making, took a look at the creation of culture in a new way.  He broke down the pieces of a “good story.” A piece of literature, music, film or TV show that really makes us view the world differently and offers enjoyment needs to be rooted in the “form” rather than the content.

Too often creators get caught up in the characters, location, and specific scenes rather than the timeless human themes that all of us can identify with. Going back to the simplicity of human emotion through the rising and following action of a story is just one of the ways culture can be created.

He brought the discussion back to Christianity, and the perception that Christians can’t create good culture, because they supposedly denounce anything with themes such as sex, violence, and profanity.  He argues that we shouldn’t get caught up in these petty matters of content, but rather, focus on the form…the true meaning behind the story…the ultimate ‘home-hitting’ takeaways.

The session was brought to a close with a discussion on simplicity.  Culture doesn’t need to be something completely brand new, but rather RETRIEVED and remade.  Sometimes the same 4 simple chords that have been played in music FOREVER, can be seen and used differently to create something never heard to the human ears.

The focus of Andy’s work:
We, as Christians, spend too much in these postures with respect to culture: condemning, critiquing, copying, consuming, rather than CREATING AND CULTIVATING. For more on his work and ideas check out his site.

MORE INSPIRATION
This conference is geared towards college students, many of whom are attending, among other schools, Carnegie Mellon, and the University of Pittsburgh .  These students are not studying theology; they are studying business, science, technology, art, music, literature, mathematics, economics, anthropology, philosophy…and the list goes on. Although this gathering incorporated a lot of worship, it is really about something much more.  It is about us as humans, regardless of your belief, realizing that we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work on this world.  We need to recognize that we have a lifetime ahead of us; of learning, creating, building, and serving.

It’s time to take the talents given to you and put them to use…

What will you do with your talents?

AN ASIDE…

This post hardly sums up the thoughts,prayers, ideas and insights that encompassed the weekend. Please feel free to click the links, and check out the the keynote speakers and musicians. Send comments about other inspirational experiences, religious or non-religious.  And as always, as a sound engineer…I can’t let down the fact that I love any opportunity to witness live production.

Along with a receiving a BS in Marketing at the University of Pittsburgh, Nick enjoys spending time with service and Christian organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, an organization focused on themes of learning, creating, building and serving.

Work Hard, Take it Easy

Nick Corsi

corporate mindshift: management

SCARCITY VS ABUNDANCE

Last Thursday I posted an article titled Let’s Redefine Abundance. Thanks to Nick Corsi for this link from the PopTech Conference 2008 that expands on the topic.

Listen as Peter Whybrow, neuropsychiatrist, author of “American Mania: When More Is Not Enough,” describes the brain physiology of addiction of a society that demands more and more, yet is left empty, devoid and sick. This clip outlines the HOPE that underlies this economic crisis, if we will take the opportunity to make a cultural shift in our evolution.

Click on photo for video presentation of Peter WhyBrow at the PopTech conference 2008 on the brain physiology of
“When Enough Is Not Enough”

BLESS BLESS
JUDY BERG
If you know a company that is making a Mindshift towards serving humanity while still turning a profit, we would like to know about them. Let us know by contacting::
attractingsuccess@soulabundant.com... or leave the information in the comments section of this post.

Organizational Behaviour Consultant
author: Imagine Your Soul Abundant: Attracting Success, Fulfillment and True Happiness
more about: www.soulabundant.com
Judy’s book can be ordered from her website www.soulabundant.com.  Special prices for bulk orders upon request. Seminars and retreats customized to the needs of your group or organization.

]]> http://vanamburggroup.com/blogs/greed-addiction-blocks-ethical-functioning/feed/ 0 http://vanamburggroup.com/blogs/understanding-the-big-economic-picture-debt-and-money/ http://vanamburggroup.com/blogs/understanding-the-big-economic-picture-debt-and-money/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:00:28 +0000 David VanAmburg http://vanamburggroup.com/blogs/?p=2725

AWARENESS AND ATTENTION ARE OUR STARTING POINTS

We mentioned the great program, PopTech, last week. If you haven’t watched it yet, here’s another excellent presentation from the October 2008 conference. Debt-crisis expert Juan Enriquez diagnoses and prescribes a reasonable 10-point remedy to America’s pressing financial ills.

Juan calls it a “systemic problem“. Please understand what he means. Only if you do, can you be informed and educate your elected officials who you hired to act on your behalf. For all of our sakes, please listen carefully, then follow up at PopTech.

Can’t see it? Get FlashPlayer, or view at PopTech.

Do you have your head around what “our” Federal Reserve Bank, mortgage bankers, financial “experts” and insurance executives have done with derivatives? $531 trillion???

BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT MONEY REALLY IS AND HOW IT’S CREATED?

This is important.

To continue our metaphor from earlier today, the U.S. debt is the GIANT canary in the economic coal mine.

Most of us scratch our heads when asked the questions, what is money and how is it created. Yet it’s fundamental to our lives. We invest 40 years or more of our lives earning money. We rely on it for multiple times a day, to buy a pack of gum or to charge for our services.

I don’t know Chris Martenson personally, but I like most of what he has done in creating his Crash Course, a free, condensed online version of  his “End of Money” seminar. In 20 sections, 3 to 20 minutes in length, he covers most of the critical elements we need to think about.

He is totally on target by identifying energy as critical to our economic and societal future. I respect, but don’t agree with all of his conclusions regarding energy. More on energy later. But I think he has captured much of the essence of where we are with our money system.

Here’s his two minute introduction.

I recommend viewing the full course. It won’t cost a penny, it’s constructed in digestible bite sizes, and it could help you save your home, retirement, and business.

But please remember that if we see ourselves as separate from the the world, we will experience desire and fear. We are all part of one reality. The common themes we experience can be changed overnight. It is up to us to change them.

WHERE IS THE UNIVERSE MOVING US AND WHAT ARE THE PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR YOU?

If you’ve stuck with us all day, we’re finally ready to discuss the question, Where Is the Universe Moving Us and Our Economy? Next Monday, we’ll start giving some of our big picture projections, and identifying specific opportunities being brought by the changes for you and your organization. And in advance of that, we’ll touch on other opportunities throughout this week.

Until then, be excellent.

Sincerely,

David VanAmburg

global trends: fixing our economy

Welcome to the first Monday edition of Global Trends, focused on what’s happening today that is turning your life on its head. We can’t ignore it any longer. If we bury our heads in the sand, there won’t be any sand left within months, not decades.

“THIS IS GOING TO BE A HARD TIME”

PopTech (The PopTech story) has begun a series of video interviews, Diagnoses and Prescriptions: Global Economic Crisis. Here’s an insightful one with Robert Borosage on what to do to fix things.

Can’t see it? Get FlashPlayer, or view at PopTech.

“IDEAS START ON THE OUTSIDE AND ARE DRIVEN BY PASSION”

From the PopTech site:

“Robert Borosage is president of the Institute for America’s Future, a contributing editor at The Nation magazine, and frequently writes on political, economic and national security issues for The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times.

In this special Pop!Cast, he advances a main street recovery plan designed to address America’s current economic woes and help us build towards a sustainable economy for tomorrow. Learn what Borosage envisions in the coming ‘historic spasm’ of reform, why Obama shouldn’t be afraid to try, try again, and what it’ll take to draft a constitution for the global economy that supports a broad, global middle class”

OUR TAKE: HIS MOST IMPORTANT STATEMENT

Whats the big issue that we’ve yet to address?

“I think the big question is how we restructure the global economy. That is not on the table. Everybody’s thinking in national terms. You’re trying to save it, with everone being thrown out of work.

But in the end, we’ve so integrated this global economy and it’s been integrated on the basis of deregulating finance across the world with massive flows of speculative capital that we have to shut down and forced into real investments rather than speculative gambling.

And we have to re-balance an economy that the IMF, the International Monetary Fund, among others have been warning can’t be sustained in the current levels of imbalances where we’re running these huge trade deficits and the Chinese are running huge trade surpluses, and other countries, then loaning us the money to buy the goods they make.

That can’t go on.

That’s a wrenching change for both the Chinese – for China to go from an export-led growth to internally-led growth, and for us, living beyond our means, and trying to figure out how we sustain a different system here that sustains a middle class but that lives within our means.

That long term restructuring, which will be the key to a successful transition out of this crisis, isn’t on the table yet, and has to be – quickly.”

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE TODAY?

This will not be your father’s recession, or your grandfather’s depression. But what will emerge from it will be like nothing we have known – and it will be excellent.

Individuals and families are starting to be impacted in every direction. Prepare today as you should have five years ago. But never lose sight of why you came to this planet. Was it to help others through the crisis? Was it to create a new world? Was it to build your dream business? Was it to raise your family in a safe, sane, creative, loving environment?

Always reflect on what is really occurring. Don’t get lost in the fear encouraged by the nightly news. And remember that every day you have the power to make a big difference.

Sincerely,

David VanAmburg

The story of PopTech

One of my favorite conferences is PopTech, held every October in Camden, ME. It used to be that you had to be one of the lucky few thousand who paid significant money to attend and hear the excellent presentations.

In 2007, Andrew Zolli, Curator and Executive Director, and his team decided to share everything with the world at no charge. Now you can attend the conference for free as it is streamed in real time. You don’t enjoy the interaction with other participants, but you save $4,000 plus travel.

And they provide Popcasts, new videos of key presentations throughout the year. Enjoy.