NICE Initiative for Female Entrepreneurship

“You have your moments. Not many of them, but you do have them.”

“Hope is not lost today. It is found.”

— Princess Leia, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

“Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.”

“Do or do not. There is no try.”

— Master Yoda, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

This week many people in the USA, including myself, will proudly “fly the geek flag” and wish others tongue in cheek albeit wholeheartedly that “force be with them”. We will collectively rewatch and requote our favorite scenes, players, and quotes. We will collectively take to social media in support of  Star Wars and its forward thinking universe and characters. Thursday, May 4th is Star Wars Day and I’m counting down. Especially since this year marks the passing of the uber-insightful and talented Carrie Fisher, who has immortalized beloved Princess Leia for generations to come.

Star Wars Day is a day of widespread fond, avid, and vocal commemoration of a cultural touchstone which has universally affected the Theory of Mind i.e. the “inner landscape” of people from different generations and different parts of world. It is a non-denomination day that should make us think seriously about ourselves and others. It should make us hit our inner “pause” button and take stock of our values and ambitions; especially as professional women in the iEra i.e. the age of the startup and mass networking thanks to our growing symbiotic relationship with technology. Star Wars provides a relatable story regarding The Hero’s Journey , famous quotes inspiring one to hone their own communication and artistry, lessons in creativity and productivity, and takeaways regarding mentorship and one’s career and career goals.

It in any wonder May 4th is on my blogger radar?

To date, this diverse, deceptively simple interwoven and ongoing saga has provided much fodder for academics, “growth-hackers“, ethicists,  and behavioral psychologists,  as well as those in business and the entrepreneurship arena. This powerful, moving  tale of taking sides in the war of Good vs. Evil, and the pursuit of Answers, Truth, and Personal Growth, has been instrumental to many of us trying to pursue purpose not just profit, maintain a sense of humor in the midst of challenge and adversity, and hone our skill set to foster our own  empowerment and  leadership acumen.

So what have I learned from Star Wars? 

A lot actually, beginning with the complex, nuanced, and wonderfully depicted relationships between Luke and Yoda, Leia and Han Solo, Anakin and Padme, Rey and Finn (A Force Awakens),  and Imwe and Malbus (Rogue One).

I also learned all about the 3 Es:

I learned all about the importance of the 3 Es; something I keep in mind when I’m writing, speaking, and working with children with Autism/special needs and their families/service providers:

Educate others using your own talents and trials by fire

Entertain others while providing necessary takeaways and constructive criticism

Encourage change in yourself before demanding it of others, and be patient and unafraid to fail along the way

What additional 4 takeaways can I share in honor of 5/4/17?

We are all interconnected. We all have opportunities in our personal and professional lives to think “We” instead of “Me” and act on it. To create a seamless, user-friendly, collaborative and self-sustaining ecosystem that benefits others; economically, educationally, physically, emotionally, and geographically. Cross-pollination collaboration and cultural shifts at the workplace are happening, need to happen more, and need to happen right now. So get out there in real space and cyberspace and connect more meaningfully and authentically! 

We are all storytellers and characters in someone’s story, and our Story is fluid and ongoing. We all have opportunities in our personal and professional lives to create our Story, reverse engineer it,  and ensure that the information is made readily and unobtrusively accessible. We are all in the “driver’s seat” of our own Millenium Falcon– our Story; how it proceeds; its wording shared with others, its chapters, its routines, breaks from said routines, attempts to reboot them, and recollections of lessons and interactions from those we meet along the way. So make it a good one, and keep moving forward to add pages!

We are all able to better harness time, to create a better workflow, a better balance at home/work between Process and Outcome. We all have the opportunity to reduce our multi-tasking to truly  “live in the moment” and honor the Journey, not just the End Destination, should we so choose. We all have an “inner time clock” allowing us to transition as needed, and intuitively understand the importance of breaking down every process into three components; beginning, middle, and end. This is an area of difficulty for children with Autism; something I wrote about previously here and here.  We all have innate strengths and skills we can harness, to better harness time. To better harness outcomes for the greater good, and contribute to the process of improving problem-solving en masse. Collaboration re: problem-solving and innovation, and subsequently getting your “fifteen minutes of fame” for your cause has never been easier.  Thanks to our myriad social media feeds and global connectivity, we can more efficently and effectively identify and connect with our “tribe”. Know your place and time. Timing is everything as they say. Not all trends and/or current events are “triggers” for you to change trajectory, or branding of self/service for that matter. So don’t just say– do, and stay on your time-table! Make sure you are being productive, not just busy!

We are all indebted to a power greater than ourselves, and we need to honor that. How? By living with integrity. By living in passion of our beliefs. By striving towards the ability to independently “connect the dots” for greater self-awareness and growth; personally and professionally. We live in an age of instant gratification and reinvention on so many levels, where we change our minds, our circle of friends and “influencers”, our geographical location, careers, and even marriage partners, much more frequently and nonchalantly than our parents did. Getting bogged down in the “change the channel” mindset and minutiae of our daily lives can lead us to myopic thinking contributing to “tunnel-vision” beliefs about our own achievements. We often forget the Big Picture, including those who helped us along the way. So retain your core mission and values, be mindful that nothing is coincidental– not even those who cross your path, and be grateful for what you have been given. 

May “The Fourth” Be with You!

Best,

Penina

Spring- A Time to Reboot & Read!

“What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction.”

— Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay

“The moment you doubt your ability to fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.”

— J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Hello! Happy World Book Day!

I know, I know– it’s been a while <sheepish grin>…..

But I’ve been busy <sideways smile>.

I’ve been busy in Real Time with…

— Malala Yousafzai

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”

— William James

I’ve been away from the blogosphere for a while, occupying both intellectual and physical space in both the education (special needs/Autism) and entrepreneurship arenas. Trying to better balance my own seesaw of humanity and technology; personally and professionally, while contributing to both. Trying to continue the “journey for change” I first embarked on 5 years ago, when I started my consulting company Socially Speaking LLC.

I’ve spent time doing this wearing various hats, and in various boroughs in New York City. I’ve had the privilege of meeting many different people from all walks of life and schools of thought. People coming together because of one commonality and one growing realization:

At the crossroads of education and entrepreneurship is where you find the seeds for social good. 

  This is something I started to experience first hand when I began lecturing around North America in 2010. That spurred my own growth and the 2012 launch of my Socially Speaking™ iPad App, and my raison d’être for creating The NICE Initiative. It’s why I wrote my business book, The NICE Reboot, and have previously blogged here, for The Huffington Post, and on WordPress. It’s something I’ll be speaking about in Newark NJ on 1/19/16.

Social good is not new, but it is noticeably catching on. More and more of us have realized the importance of social entrepreneurship as a way to change the world and address national disasters. Both education and entrepreneurship are intertwined with social good, now more than ever. This is seen in the growing trend towards online learning and the gamification of the MBA. There is a paradigm shift in education resulting in the creation of student-centric learning. It’s all about creating “learning experiences”. This is trickling down into the startup arena where the  rules of engagement are also changing. Good entrepreneurs understand the importance of communication and technology in an almost intuitive way. It’s why for us, digital citizenship is crucial, as is acting like digital natives; no matter one’s age or geographical location.

Social good is the new frontier. It is the invisible country without a map, which knows no borders or time limits, and is accessible to all. Social good is the only true catalyst for meaningful change and overall success; for both the individual and communal pursuits we aspire to. It affects our mindset, especially when it comes to how we pursue entrepreneurship and work/life balance. It should affect our game plan and career trajectory, and should affect our best practices in our ongoing quest to balance our cravings for humanity and technology. The future of world peace depends on it. The future of work depends on it.

So how can one hone their entrepreneurship by harnessing the power of social good? 

Here are 3 practical suggestions to ponder as we look towards our journey in the new year…….

1. Use your social media platform creatively and consistently as a sounding board and proverbial petri-dish to promote causes you care about, that can incite social media activism in others.

2. Use your job as a drawing board for honing a diverse and creative skill set of both soft skills and tech skills, so that you are ready and able to more effectively collaborate with others in real time and online.

3. Find ways to provide a product/service to a niche market that will promote good by contributing to the welfare of others, making a real difference. A quantifiable, global, and long-term difference in quality of life for the user. This goes beyond the revered “user experience” and is actually about leaving a self-sustaining legacy.

Wishing everyone a meaningful, joyous, and socially good new year,

Penina

"I believe in the power of the voice of women." 

-- Malala Yousafzai 

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."

 -- William James 

I've been away from the blogosphere for a while, occupying both intellectual and physical space in both the education (special needs/Autism) and entrepreneurship arenas. Trying to better balance my own seesaw of humanity and technology; personally and professionally, while contributing to both. Trying to continue the "journey for change" I first embarked on 5 years ago, when I started my consulting company Socially Speaking LLC. 

  I've spent time doing this wearing various hats, and in various boroughs in New York City. I've had the privilege of meeting many different people from all walks of life and schools of thought. People coming together because of one commonality and one growing realization: 

  At the crossroads of education and entrepreneurship is where you find the seeds for social good. 

This is something I started to experience first hand when I began lecturing around North America in 2010. That spurred my own growth and the 2012 launch of my Socially Speaking™ iPad App, and my raison d'être for creating The NICE Initiative. It's why I wrote my business book, The NICE Reboot, and have previously blogged here, for The Huffington Post, and on Wordpress. It's something I'll be speaking about in Newark NJ on 1/19/16. 

  Social good is not new, but it is noticeably catching on. More and more of us have realized the importance of social entrepreneurship as a way to change the world and address national disasters. Both education and entrepreneurship are intertwined with social good, now more than ever. This is seen in the growing trend towards online learning and the gamification of the MBA. There is a paradigm shift in education resulting in the creation of student-centric learning. It's all about creating "learning experiences". This is trickling down into the startup arena where the  rules of engagement are also changing. Good entrepreneurs understand the importance of communication and technology in an almost intuitive way. It's why for us, digital citizenship is crucial, as is acting like digital natives; no matter one's age or geographical location. 

Social good is the new frontier. It is the invisible country without a map, which knows no borders or time limits, and is accessible to all. Social good is the only true catalyst for meaningful change and overall success; for both the individual and communal pursuits we aspire to. It affects our mindset, especially when it comes to how we pursue entrepreneurship and work/life balance. It should affect our game plan and career trajectory, and should affect our best practices in our ongoing quest to balance our cravings for humanity and technology. The future of world peace depends on it. The future of work depends on it. 

So how can one hone their entrepreneurship by harnessing the power of social good? 

  Here are 3 practical suggestions to ponder as we look towards our journey in the new year……. 

1. Use your social media platform creatively and consistently as a sounding board and proverbial petri-dish to promote causes you care about, that can incite social media activism in others. 

  2. Use your job as a drawing board for honing a diverse and creative skill set of both soft skills and tech skills, so that you are ready and able to more effectively collaborate with others in real time and online. 

3. Find ways to provide a product/service to a niche market that will promote good by contributing to the welfare of others, making a real difference. A quantifiable, global, and long-term difference in quality of life for the user. This goes beyond the revered "user experience" and is actually about leaving a self-sustaining legacy. 

Wishing everyone a meaningful, joyous, and socially good new year, 

Penina 

Life Lessons from Christopher Columbus

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”

— Amelia Earhart

“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

— Christopher Columbus

Three years ago this week, during this month of October, which is ironically Breast Cancer Awareness Month, my cherished best friend (since late childhood), first mentor, and founding silent…

Here is the LinkedIn post I wrote which I wanted to share, in honor of Columbus Day and in memory of Dr. Natalie Nechah Hochstein. 

Wishing y’all courage, vision, tranquility, and takeaways!

Best,

We’re here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark.”

— Whoopi Goldberg

“Success is not final and failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”

— Winston Churchill

In the summer of 2010, my best friend since late childhood was suddenly diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, during a routine physical. A funny,…

Dear Reader, Entrepreneurial Colleague, and Fellow Strategic Collaborator:

For the past few years I have embarked on a unique entrepreneurial journey which gave me the good fortune to cross paths with you in real time or online. I have been truly blessed to learn from you, share some thought leadership and some of my insights as a speaker and writer, and hopefully make the world a better place; one step at a time.

My ongoing quest to help others better balance humanity and technology in both the entrepreneurial and educational arenas has led me down some interesting roads and given me life lessons I will always cherish.

I am someone who usually values taking the road "less traveled by",  but the time has come to return from veering "off the beaten path" and grab opportunities which present themselves. I have been offered an educational leadership position as the clinical supervisor at a new Autism intervention program opening up in upper Manhattan, under the auspices of the Kennedy Child Study Center. It's a chance to more precisely implement my Socially Speaking™ Program and entrepreneurial mindset/outlook. It's a chance to embark on a new journey and hopefully make a difference, in new ways.

I've accepted the position and wrote about it in my latest LinkedIn post, which I wanted to share:

http://bit.ly/1DaGS94

I also wanted to thank you for your contributions to my personal and professional growth. You have inspired me to be more, do more, and redefine purposeful leadership in the iEra. I look forward to staying in touch, continuing to follow share posts online, and to continuing the work I began 5 years ago; albeit in a different capacity. 

Thanks to technology, collaboration and communication have taken on a whole new meaning. Thanks to all of you, what it means for me to be a self-actualized human being has too.

I sincerely wish you all continued success in your own endeavors, and success in finding ways to follow the terrific advice of Amy Poehler:

"Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life."

Best,

Penina

"The most important thing people did for me was to expose me to new things."

-- Dr. Temple Grandin

"Empathy is like a universal solvent. Any problem immersed in empathy becomes soluble."

-- Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen

The school year has ended in the United States, but many of us are engaging in ongoing learning in our industry. Why? To remain relevant at work, to stay current as sentient, informed human beings, and to sharpen our mental and even fiscal toolbox. Many of us are thus thinking how to reboot, how to implement the takeaways we've learned, and how to make the most of summer and outdoor activities. It’s that magical time when we can actually hit the "pause button" and better balance humanity and technology in our increasingly technologically innovative and dependent culture.

As a long time Autism specialist/speech therapist and social entrepreneur, I have learned much from my students. I've learned so much about emotional resonance and empathy, about  life lessons, and about living with courage and grace in the face of challenges. Over the years, several lessons have stood out and helped shape my trajectory; personally and professionally. These lessons have resulted in me becoming a better educator and entrepreneur, and hopefully a better human being. They have also given me the ability to create a mission statement and blueprint as an authorpreneur and public speaker. I have learned to see things differently and thus take action differently than I might have;  if I wasn't exposed to these terrific children and experiences at crucial junctures in time.

I'd like to thank everyone whose hard work impacts directly or indirectly on the Autism community. I'd like to suggest some summer homework to ponder, in light of recent current events such as the senseless tragedy in Charleston, South Carolina. I'd like to share 4 takeaways I've gleaned "in the trenches",  working with children in Autism, and traveling around the country for 5 years. In that time, I have spoken to groups large and small, and to all kinds of audiences from diverse walks of life, about the unique challenges facing those of us living in the iEra. We all share common goals, and common hopes and fears.

Here is what I've learned…..

1. It's important to honor and celebrate non-conformity and diversity.

Seek out varied learning experiences from diverse people and within diverse settings.

Repeated lessons with changing variables are hallmarks of good Autism intervention, and the same goes for the game of life. Repeated exposure to diverse learning experiences and cultures fosters Theory of Mind (perspective and empathy). This is needed for social communication skills development for collective problem solving; the cornerstone of civilized behavior and success. Successful people need different outlooks and mindsets which impact our collective actions and overall service/product.

2. It's important to size up situations/events, reduce multi-tasking, and take breaks as needed.

Know your strengths and challenges, and what biological/environmental triggers can contribute to poor performance and/or stagnant performance. Course-correct accordingly for better long term outcomes.

Environmental modifications are often a way of life for many people involved with children with Autism, who need to learn to adapt to changes in routine and setting so that they don't experience disorientation and fatigue, causing them to "tune out" or act out. Today's professional also needs to modify his/her environment; the learning one, lifestyle one, and digital one, to maintain peak performance and prevent multitasking overkill and burnout. Monitoring your own ongoing mental/physical/emotional well being is integral to the future of work.

3.  It's important to understand that non-linear learning makes for increased mistakes, but also increased resiliency and creativity.

Understanding that the journey is sometimes as important, if not more, than your outcome, lets you take detours which often yield positive intangible, unexpected results.

Non-sequential learning and splintered skill acquisition can be quite common in children with Autism. Understanding the power of taking detours and making mistakes; in my Autism intervention, in my life, and in my entrepreneurship, have truly taught me the importance of reframing success and failure and the power of resiliency. I've learned to accept  that mistakes are part of the human experience and the entrepreneurial journey, and that true creativity comes from chaos.

4. It's important to hone our emotional intelligence and empathy in ourselves and others, so that we forge real connections with others, and make more of an effort to be sensitive to the needs of others.

Make empathy and emotional resonance a priority in both your personal life and digital life. Craft your digital avatar with heart, and try to counteract the rise of cyber-bullying by using social media to make a positive difference and meaningfully contribute to the collective conversation.

Children with Autism actually do feel emotions, and can and do want/try to experience emotional attunement with others! There is often an untapped wealth of feeling and kindness that these children display and do share with others. They have untapped potential which can serve them well in the community and in the workforce. Watch and learn! Inculcate your philanthropy and social entrepreneurship tendencies and viewpoints no matter which industry you're in.  So that altruism becomes more natural and ingrained as you continue on your own professional journey. So that your trajectory is about purpose and profit.

5. It’s important to increase our tech savvy, not just to foster productivity and revenue but to foster “whole body” learning using multi-sensory learning experiences. 

Understand the implications of gamification and wearable technology in all industries, not just your own. Adopt an explorer mindset where you virtually study new technology or visit places like the Apple Store for an iPad workshop in real time to get “hands on” experience.

Children with Autism tend to be visual learners who respond very well to the use of technology in lessons. The causality effect, the innate sequencing and order to it, and the multi-sensory capability are all appealing, to the child and educator alike. The gamification of education, especially in entrepreneurship, is changing all the rules of engagement, not to mention outcomes. So is wearable technology, especially in the classroom. The age of the Internet of Things is upon us, and Assistive Technology can transform lives, space exploration, and even medicine. 

Isn’t it time to add technology to your professional and personal toolbox, no matter your geographical location or job description? Isn’t it time to become more tech savvy as you continue your entrepreneur journey? 

In conclusion, everyone has reservoirs of empathy, talent, a rich inner landscape, and Story to share; all of which can teach us so much, no matter who that person is. Children with Autism, with their wonderfully unique way of viewing the world and "connecting the dots" have much to share, especially when their stories intersect with ours.

They are my ongoing inspiration for learning, building a better version of myself, rebooting as needed, and for advocating that we embed civic engagement into the DNA of all entrepreneurial endeavors. They are my ongoing motivation for thinking "outside the box" and asking "Why not?" instead of "Why?", to forestall inertia and stagnant thinking.

In this current startup culture of transparency and growth hacking, where everyone is both a student and a teacher, they are the best teachers I've ever had.

Happy Learning! 

Happy Summer! 

Best,

Penina

* Note: This post also appears in another version on my LinkedIn blog. I invite you to connect with me there! What do you want to want to collaborate on? 

“The creative adult is the child who survives.”

— Ursula Le Guin

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

— Albert Einstein

The human psyche is such that “feeding the beast” is not always a good thing, except when it comes to creativity, something I previously wrote about here on WordPress and in thisarticle for The Huffington Post. The truth is, we live in a time where getting things  “on…

A little Star Wars humor to enhance your day :)

Here’s hoping y’all get a great and meaningful gift that keeps giving!

Check out Penina Rybak’s Amazon page and learn more……

A little Star Wars humor to enhance your day! 

Here’s hoping y’all get a great and meaningful gift that keeps giving!

Check out Penina Rybak’s Amazon page and learn more……

Reflections of an Authorpreneur

“A great story arc involves and depicts the hero’s struggle to orchestrate change; for himself, herself, or for others, by finding new ways to work and invoke lessons and the causality loop that life is based on.”

— Penina Rybak, The NICE Reboot: A Guide to Becoming a Better Female Entrepreneur, page 166, (2014)

“Your time is limited. Don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

— Steve Jobs, Stan…

“Our past lessons serve as the stepping stones to pave our way to bright new possibilities.”

-- Lisa Marie Platske, Author: Turn Possibilities Into Realities

“What you learn from your journey is as important as the result you achieve.”

-- Dan Schawbel, Author: Promote Yourself

March is known for being National Reading Month and Women History Month, culminating in our recent observance of International Women’s Day and collective visits to the library to catch up on our never-ending reading list. The point of intersection for both is being showcased in various ways in the startup arena this year. 

We have a plethora of thought leadership, lessons, and new books to choose from, although the two that stand out in my mind (besides mine:) are the ones above. Both have an underlying message about the importance of collaboration and connecting the dots between the past/present/future you; experiences, skill sets, and aspirations. 

This message is needed, to counteract the persistent myth of the “lone warrior” myth in entrepreneurship. A myth which is actually detrimental to female entrepreneurs. I touched on this in a recent article for The Huffington Post about flipping the script, and in my last Tumblr post. 

I wrote about this and other dangerous myths in my book, The NICE Reboot. In it,  I highlighted differences between an entrepreneurial, civic-minded mentality and business plan, and those of a run of the mill business owner. 

Entrepreneurs are playing by a new rule book now, and need to keep up with the changing business landscape. It’s time to craft new rules of innovation. 

Why?

So that we can better participate in and influence the increasing global conversations surrounding startup methodology and outcomes involving:

• The gamification of entrepreneurial education

• The pursuit of purpose in entrepreneurship and the workplace

• The ideation of emotional intelligence to hone leadership skills

• The implementation of specific actions to achieve success

• The redefinition of happiness and work/life balance

I myself am exploring all of the above as I become busy in my pursuit of new social entrepreneur and educational technology job opportunities in the special education arena. I am getting ready to globally publish my Socially Speaking™ textbook in April, Autism Awareness Month. Stay tuned for more information about my book, Autism in the iEra: Integrating Toys and Tech in Treatment. You can learn more about my work in the Autism community  here. 

Some say an entrepreneur should try  visualization  to envision the future he/she wants. I say debunking the “lone warrior” myth and supporting others in their endeavors is actually the place to start, especially other women near and far. 

Let me end with 2 photos that resonate today and are in keeping with this post’s theme. One is the testimonial I previously wrote for the introduction to Lisa Marie Platske’s book, Turn Possibilities Into Realities (which launches today). The other is a profound quote I found on Pinterest and pinned to my NICE Initiative Board.  

Way to go ladies out there, and thank you for your virtual/real time mentorship!

Best,

Penina

In Honor of International Women’s Day 2015

“We can all agree I think, that making women…half the population! is vital to securing our future.”

— Nicky Morgan: Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, United Kingdom

“To be truly transformative, the post-2015 development agenda must prioritize gender equality and women’s empowerment. The world will never realize 100 per cent of its goals if 50 per cent of its people cannot…

"We can all agree I think, that making the most of women…half the population! is vital to securing our future."

-- Nicky Morgan: Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, United Kingdom

"To be truly transformative, the post-2015 development agenda must prioritize gender equality and women’s empowerment. The world will never realize 100 per cent of its goals if 50 per cent of its people cannot realize their full potential. "

-- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Dear Sisterhood of the Startup Arena,

Today is March 8, 2015, AKA International Women's Day. At this time last year, Maven House Press published my book on female entrepreneurship, The NICE Reboot. At this time in 1965, Selma became more than just a woman's name, or the name of a city in the United States. At this time in 1917, women in Russia watched their families lose all manners of freedom as the revolution swept the land, leaving communism in its wake. 

It has taken the world centuries, to understand that gender equality isn't just about women; something the intelligent and talented Emma Watson is trying to hit home with her much needed #HeforShe Campaign. 

It has taken the world decades, to celebrate all kinds of women, embrace diversity, and acknowledge women leadership as a force to be reckoned with outside education. It's something many in Silicon Valley apparently don't want to hear, and seem to be vilifying entrepreneurial educator and advocate Vivek Wadhwa (whom I met personally when I was a panelist with him at the Hack for Big Choices November 2013 Event in Palo Alto, CA) for taking a stand on. 

The real tragedy? It is taking even longer for people in the startup arena to understand that sponsorship, NOT mentorship, is what is truly needed to create a healthy, collaborative, and self-sustaining ecosystem where leadership (and disrupting it) and innovation can flourish. So that entrepreneurship can actually promote global change. 

For the past 4 years I have traveled North America as an educator, entrepreneur, iPad Evangelist, "techie",  speaker, student, and observer of human nature. I have given seminars to increasingly busy, accomplished, talented, and multi-tasking women who sheepishly tell me that they are still struggling to "have it all" and find better work/life balance. I meet thoughtful, caring men who come up to me to discuss economic and ed-tech trends, and what life will be like for their own daughters when they grow up. Men who think like Adam Grant, author of the excellent Give and Take, and who are concerned about opportunity and equality, and what it means to contribute to society. 

But for every enlightened person I've met, I've met others who sadly just don't get it. People who myopically view today's workplace, especially the startup arena, with a Hunger Games mindset, an outdated attitude of Me, instead of We. 

People who don't understand that it takes respect for the pursuit of diversified experiences, to create diversified services/products; the driving force behind today's disruptive innovation--especially in the startup arena. 

It's time to rethink the Big Picture; about the future of work, and what collaboration is all about. 

YouTube has a new campaign: #DearMe, where women can record time capsule style messages for their younger self. It's a terrific way to provide thought leadership and virtual mentorship to generations of girls and women out there.  

What has shaped my Story? What have I learned through my diversified experiences, my travels, my introspection, and my unique interactions with people from all backgrounds, geographical locations, and walks of life? 

What messages can I share with today's women entrepreneurs?

1. Culture needs to be imbued with one's mission, and MUST be value based.

Culture, especially one's company culture, is not "set in stone". It  is a fluid process involving thought and deed. Accepting "it's always been done this way" is dangerous; personally and professionally. Work to effect meaningful, long term, and global change. Think of transparency and "open source" as part of your entrepreneurial strategy as a whole, not just your social media marketing strategy re: your service/product. Go beyond the occasional mentoring and networking. Find concrete ways to sponsor other women led or women driven startups, to add value to the human experience, not detract from it. 

2. Girls compete with each other. Women empower one another. 

I know I'll get flak for this but it needs to be said. Simple words often forgotten, especially since the glass ceiling is all too real, and women founders feel the pressure to prove themselves in a male dominated arena. On my own entrepreneurial journey, I have met many wonderful women and many who shortsightedly sabotage the Sisterhood; intentionally or unintentionally.  Here's another expression to ponder and get riled over (seen on bumper stickers and  Pinterest) "Welcome to the Karma Cafe; there are no menus... you'll get served what you deserve!"

3. Stop waiting for "the right time" to accomplish things in your personal and professional life. 

Because of biological and cultural factors, women ARE more sensitive to the rhythms of time than men. But we CAN cognitively harness time and make it work for us! Adopt more proactive strategies about time management instead of reacting to it from a crisis intervention paradigm. Dial down the fear of risk. It affects one's resiliency, creativity, optimism, and resistance to failure, which is part and parcel of this messy journey called life, especially when it comes to startup life. Taking time to make mistakes is as important if not more, than taking time to learn or accomplish something.

We live in increasingly complex times when it's all too easy to mistake busyness for actual productivity. We live in an age of increasing distractions which fiercely compete for us; mind, body, and soul...eroding our own inner voice, and eroding our passion to make a difference. 

Let's work together to navigate the slipstream of time, where our memories and current best practices converge to transform what could be, into what is and will be. 

International Women's Day was started in 1911 and we've come a long way since then; as professional women and as human beings. But action trumps awareness, every time. 

I still believe women can help each other help change the world. 

Do you?

Best,

Penina

What Kind of Reader Are You?

“I try to write parts for women that are as complicated and interesting as women actually are.”

— Nora Ephron

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

— Dr. Seuss

March is National Reading Month; good news for those of us in the Bibliophile Club :)

Today was World Book Day; all thriftyand resourceful bookworms unite and rejoice!…