mytropicalescape.com

Do you have an idea for a business that you would like to create, a vision that you want to pursue, and goals that you would like to accomplish? Or, are you looking to launch a non-profit organization?

Just about one month ago Leo Babauta, Dan Clements, Andrew Flusche, and I launched Train for Humanity, an innovative new humanitarian project to try and generate some awareness and raise funds for folks who are facing a dire situation.

We are bound in our belief that with a little creativity and independent thinking individuals can make a difference and effect positive change in the world.

In addition, we realize that many people are looking to capitalize on the web and use it as a tool to launch, promote, or grow a new or existing business. Train for Humanity, is of course, a non-profit, however, launching a humanitarian site it is pretty much just like trying to launch any other type of organization or business.

As such, we felt that a one-month recap might be useful to you and help to give some initial insight into some of the mistakes we’ve made and what is working well.

You can read the rest of the post at Train for Humanity: One Month After Launch: Ten Lessons Learned and if you gain any value from the post please consider giving it a Stumble, DIGG, or Reddit.

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Here’s the thing: I have never done a book review on this site before and probably won’t do another, however, as someone who has lived amongst, and worked with, actual tribes in Papua New Guinea who up until about twenty years ago were still practicing cannibalism, I had a lot of hesitancy when I first heard the title of the new book.

image: Village Big Man and Tribal Leader Erukai and family; Kakoro, Papua New Guinea

What could this marketing guy from New York possibly know about tribes? Does he know that in Papua New Guinea the tribal leaders are known as ‘Big Men’ or that in Samoa they call elders ‘Matai’ and they have different designations whether they are a village orator or in charge of land resources.

I have been a reader of Seth’s blog for quite some time now, and he has even been kind enough to answer simple business questions for me from time to time. But, for this book, “TRIBES,” I was not prepared to drink the Kool AId just because Mr. Godin wrote it.

Quite possibly, because the tribes I am most familiar with (literally) rely on each other for survival. Promoting products or trying to increase brand awareness could quite possibly be the furthest thing from their minds. If the tribes I know stop functioning or have a leadership breakdown, the reality is, they face life-threatening circumstances.

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Whether you want to craft the world’s next greatest novel, take the trip of a lifetime, or open a small business the initial idea to create or do “something” has to come from somewhere.

I have always wondered, why do some people come up with innovative ideas while others appear not to? Or, does everybody come up with thoughts for new initiatives and projects but only a few pursue them? For example, what on earth ever possessed me to come up with the post 97 Remarkable Ways to Diversify Your Network in a Down Economy?

Why do only some seem to have this mindset?

image source: TrainforHumanity tshirt concept from Joaquin R. Kierce

Right now I am sitting here cursing Becky McCray, not literally, heck not even figuratively…because Becky is one of the nicest, most helpful, small biz folk on the internet.

However, you see, Becky recently sent a twitter message saying, “Think I might need a trip to Culebra this Feb.”

Of course, being the opportunist that I am, and not wanting to waste access to such a great talent if she actually comes to Culebra, my mind instantly went into creative mode and I replied back:

“maybe we could do a small scale small biz/social media meet up and try to land some other keynote people”

I thought the messages would just end there and nothing would come of it, but within seconds Becky sent something back to the effect of “that’s a great idea….”

Then out of nowhere, and as if the stars were aligning perfectly, the next morning I got this message from the indefatigable Liz Strauss:

@lizstrauss I’m doing well, Mark! Every time I see you I get an urge to plan an event at your place.

Again my mind began racing with the possibilities.

Where this campaign will go, I really have no idea, but I very much like the idea of some type of Idea Incubation Workshop here in the Caribbean during, let’s say, the middle of winter.

Are you an Ideanator (my new term for one who regularly comes up with ideas)?

To help ease my curiosity about the origins of idea generation and innovative thinking I recently asked some folks on Twitter for their input on Big Ideas, and the following are the responses I got:

@josephrueter to start: intentional curiosity, confident humility, sharing, information consumption, diligence, smart/engaged people around.

@sweetsfoods You know Mark, that several times unexpected big ideas come from ….night dreams!

@toddwaller Big Ideas: From reading, applying and seeing ‘other’ ways: assimilation and preparation.

@bgswanson re: big ideas. I think they come from someone who has the mindset to see a problem as an opportunity.

Where do your big ideas come from?

I find it absolutely astonishing how many new project thoughts I have while I am running. The other day I was out for my evening run and I began to think about some features that I would like to see included as an email or Twitter application (and I would greatly appreciate it if YOU would develop them).

The first, GeoTwit (or GeoEmail), would give the geographic coordinates, current weather, and the time of day somehow contained within people’s Twitter messages. Of course there are inherent security risks but you could enable the feature only for trusted friends.

The second, and the one that I think could have real monetization potential, is TwitFlick (or EmailFlick). This application would somehow offer me the option to view the latest Flickr photos based on where my Twitter messages or emails were coming from. For example, let’s say Jarkko Laine sends me a Twitter message from Finland; well I think it would be cool to have a feature that would allow me, based on user settings, to view the latest Flickr photos from Finland. For those who are interested in traveling to a particular “messaged” destination the application could be monetized with hotel and rental car offers…anyway, just an idea.

How about you? What ideas have you got going? Where did they come from?

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Are you looking to expand your network? Or, perhaps create some new connections to make yourself even more recession proof…?

image source: 24oranges.nl

If I hear the words “down” and “economy” in the same sentence one more time I might just hurl my laptop out the window!! And, to be honest, this post could actually be titled, “97 Ways to Diversify Your Network in ANY Economy.”

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the value of using your indirect network and how you can capitalize on its potential to expand your business, or grow your ideas, by engaging the followers of your followers (who can be just as valuable).

Case in point, I came to know Sean Bohan of Core Performance via a Twitter message sent out by Chris Brogan and to date, Sean has been one of the most ardent supports of Train for Humanity.

Whether you are looking to start a small business, travel the globe, gain some traction with social media, or even maintain your current existence…creating a network of like-minded individuals can help to keep you focused, informed, and on task. As a small business owner myself, and someone who is attempting to launch a humanitarian initiative, I think it is paramount that we all assist each other in these times of uncertainty.

What I thought I would do today is list out 97 people that I follow on Twitter and whose blogs I happen to read. To help you to identify whom you might be interested in following or reading I have included everyone’s Twitter profile, blog link, and brief bio.

Under the various topic headings I have not listed people in any particular order…just how they happened to fall while I was researching this post.

Please NOTE - this is NOT a popularity contest! These are people that I happen to follow. I am not stating that they are the most popular, but to me they add value to what I am trying to accomplish.

This is how we help each other…we meet, we connect, and we exchange ideas! Some folks below you will recognize and others you won’t. Truthfully, I don’t want to see ANYBODY fail, sink, or go down with the ship!! (Myself included.) So, let’s expand our networks, join forces, be proactive, and kick some ass.

Happy connection making!

 
image source: www.FinancialAidPodcast.com and www.ChristopherSPenn.com

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Poverty and Hunger Statistics - Provided by Global Call To Action Against Poverty

• Over 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day with nearly half the world’s population (2.8 billion) living on less than $2 a day.
• From 1990 to 2002, in sub-Saharan Africa, although the poverty rate declined marginally, the number of people living in extreme poverty increased by 140 million.
• More than 800 million people go to bed hungry every day… 300 million are children. Of these 300 million children, only eight percent are victims of famine or other emergency situations. More than 90 percent are suffering long-term malnourishment and micronutrient deficiency.
• Every 3.6 seconds another person dies of starvation and the large majority are children under the age of 5.
• An estimated 824 million people in the developing world were affected by chronic hunger in 2003.
• In the early 1990s, the number of hungry people in Eastern Asia declined, but again it is on the rise.
• Every hour more than 1,200 children die away from the glare of media attention. This is equivalent to three tsunamis a month, every month.
• In 2001-03, FAO estimates there were still 854 million undernourished people worldwide: 820 million in the developing countries, 25 million in the transition countries and 9 million in the industrialized countries.
• Every year six million children die from malnutrition before their fifth birthday.
• The overwhelming majority can be traced to a single pathology : poverty.

I think the world would be a much better place if we all increased our compassion, and willingness to help our fellow man.

If you are a regular reader of mytropicalescape.com then you might know that I am a former U.S. Peace Corps volunteer and hold a master’s degree in International Development and I am strongly committed to the principles of local empowerment through compassion and participatory development practices.

One of the major factors that can help to alleviate poverty is personal empowerment, which can be defined as “the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes. Central to this process are actions, which both build individual and collective assets, and improve the efficiency and fairness of the organizational and institutional context which govern the use of these assets.”

However, it is difficult for empowerment to survive if there is not a concerted effort amongst government leaders, and a lasting POLITICAL WILL that helps to support, nurture, and promote effective change.

Poverty Reduction, on a global scale, is a difficult topic to process, and also to write about because it encompasses many different levels, facets, and meanings. Making the issue even more difficult to grasp is the fact that the financial means currently exist to eradicate this global epidemic, which is largely dependent upon where you were born, or where you happen to live on the planet.

So how can we in the global internet and blogging community help to make an impact and alleviate the issue of poverty?

Two words - Compassion and Action

According to Wikipedia, “Compassion is often characterized through actions, wherein a person acting with compassion will seek to aid those they feel compassionate for. Acts of compassion are generally considered those which take into account the pain of others and attempt to alleviate that pain.”

Two organizations that are working diligently to alleviate the pain and suffering of poverty around the world are Make Poverty History and Global Call to Action Against Poverty.

If you would like to support either one of these organizations in their quest to reduce poverty I strongly suggest you spend some time today visiting their websites.

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Would you like to travel the globe while financing those trips solely through your online efforts and income? How about attempting to visit every country that the world has to offer?

Right around the time we started to make final preparations for the launch of Train for Humanity, I came across the aptly titled website, The Art of Non-Conformity, which belongs to Chris Guillebeau.

His site’s tagline is:

“Unconventional ideas for remarkable people. Along the way, I visit every country in the world and profile other nonconformists.”

Certainly after starting a business in the Caribbean, all of my travels,  and a pre-mature escape from the corporate world I thought that I led a somewhat non-conformist life…but I don’t have anything on Chris.

After going through his archives and reading about various travels and adventures, one thing that immediately struck was the fact that Chris had lived and worked on the ground in Africa as an aid worker.

Before the launch of Train for Humanity I decided to email Chris to see if he would provide some feedback on TFH. Almost instantly I received a reply with some solid input and I have been following his adventure ever since.

I think most readers of MyTropicalEscape are living, or are working towards living, a life that is outside of the traditional norm and to that end, Chris has recently published an ebook, The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself, which is intended to help people create personal freedom via a very small business.

Below, Chris answers five questions that I had for him regarding the direction he has chosen for his life and how he funds his travels.

1. Does nonconformity run in your family? If no, what started you on your path…?

I wouldn’t say it runs in the family, but my dad was really good at encouraging me to do whatever I wanted. He encouraged me to try new things and not be afraid of failure. I think those are essential prerequisites for any unconventional lifestyle.

2. Wouldn’t life be easier if you just got a 9-5 desk job, earned a steady paycheck, and lived like a lot of other people?

No. At least not for me — some people are happy to embrace the 9-5 life, but I would be miserable doing that. Most self-employed people I know would gladly trade money for freedom. Obviously you have to make a living to some degree, but once you’ve had the freedom to make your own choices, it’s hard to go back to the cubicle lifestyle.

3. How do you fund your travels?

I support myself entirely through my own work. I create information products and occasionally consult for other small businesses.

4. What has been your favorite country to visit so far and why? What place will you never return to and why?

I don’t have a single favorite. I especially liked South Africa, the Netherlands, Ghana, Macedonia, and Hong Kong — but there’s usually something to appreciate (as well as something not to like) about anywhere you go. As to where I will never return, well, that’s a long list. It can be unpopular to say so, but there are a lot of countries that are deeply impoverished in large part because they lack good governance or because the foreign aid system has let them down. When I go to Africa, for example, I’m usually reminded that there are some things I really love about being there and other things that are a lot easier in North America.

5. What inspired you to write your latest ebook, “The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself?”

All of the emails! People ask every day about how I got started and what they can do to create a lifestyle that allows them to pursue their own goals and dreams. I don’t claim to have all of the answers — one of the things I try to be clear about is that there is no quick-fix system to any of this — but I hope the product will help get some people going in the right direction.

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Do certain local or global issues affect you deeply? Would you like to take action and help?

In my continuing efforts to help promote Train for Humanity, I just wrote a guest post for Liz Strauss and her very popular Successful Blog titled, Kindness in Action - You have the power to change the world.

You have the POWER to change the world! Sounds cliché, but please read those words again and think about what is important to you, to society. In this blogging and social media age you don’t have to be associated with a huge humanitarian organization or educational foundation in order to take action.

In fact, if you would like to create your own non-profit group to assist a particular cause, opportunities abound for you to make a positive and lasting change. The best part, most of the technology needed to help spread the word is available for free or at a minimal charge.

Head on over to the Successful Blog to read the rest: Kindness in Action - You have the power to change the world.

If you find the guest post valuable, I’d really appreciate it if you helped spread the word by sharing it on StumbleUpon or Digg.

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Are you a small business owner? The teeny weenie mankini could possibly provide you with a business growth solution.

A couple of months ago while walking on the beach we spotted a gentleman strutting towards us wearing the ever popular, masculine enhancing, Speedo bathing suit.

As we continued to stroll along the water’s edge, and upon closer inspection when our paths finally crossed, the gentleman (surprisingly) turned out to be one of our guests…

Three thoughts immediately came to my mind:

• Dude – I would never be caught dead in that!
• This conversation could be difficult and I am glad that I’m wearing sunglasses.
• What would possess someone who is male to go out in public in a couple of cubic inches of 50/50 blend fabric sitting taught around their midsection?

That Was Then and this is Now

While I was out swimming today, please don’t ask me why, but I began to contemplate the Speedo from a completely different angle, from a business perspective. Perhaps, I was missing something? How can we attract new customers beyond providing great customer service and value while not relying wholly on social media?

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