Hunting for Greece
During the last months, I am thinking of ways to express my brain flashes through mindful action and to share them. Most of the thoughts are on Greece and how it could re-innovate itself.
Not rebranding, because branding is based also on values and I am afraid that before rebranding Greece, we have to remember some basic steps and ingredients that make Greece, this place so many people call home and draw an honest smile on their faces.
Truth is that I grew up in Vienna and came to Greece during the summer months and ten years ago, initially to try myself at my second «home». Back then, but also now, I believe and insist, with my young approach, that there is more in Greece than the headlines of various newspapers and news keep saying. More than the crisis, bailout, corruption, more than the strikes and the not- functioning public sector, more than the political system, more than all those words dominating not only the news but being a everyday fact in people’s lives seen as unemployment, fear, poverty, a country as a social and economic desert. Stop about the negative lines!
There is this energy around you. You can feel it, when you see the sunset over the volcano of Santorini, walk in the shadow of the Acropolis. When you see the natural light covering the islands and the sound of the sea calming down the country’s people, you know that this place has far more to show and to give than media keep communicating. So, why not focusing on them, because the crisis is everywhere, it is global and not that new, as we might think it is.
One of my mantras is «Think outside of the box», in our case «Think outside of boarders». The Goddess of the Hunt, GOTH, brings a different eye on what is happening in Greece. Presenting on a daily basis new initiatives, ideas becoming action, food for thought… In other words: A positive point approach, that made me reaching out to Vasilis Xydias, Content Director of GOTH, for a little discussion on GOTH’s mindset for Greece and modern Greek culture.
As the crisis is going on, how do you see Greece from a distance?
Vasilis Xydias: So many thoughts daily run through my head about Greece. I understand and sense the frustration and struggle the people have. I am first generation Greek-American, so I still have family in Greece and so I am aware, but there is a silver lining. To me it’s the raw talent that is held hostage by bureaucracy, and corruption. The seeds are there, they need to rise outside of the current system with the help of the diaspora. This talent consists of artists, designers, the musicians and even the entrepreneurs now rising into the spotlight. They have a confidence that can set the tone for others to follow. Artists are always sure of their work. They never second guess what to do…They will lead a creative revolution for others to be inspired. I truly believe this.
Start Some Good – From idea to action
StartSomeGood empowers people from around the world to become social innovators. By connecting social entrepreneurs with the financial and intellectual capital they need to transform an idea for improving the world into a reality, together we can turn ideas into action and impact…We’ve taken the crowdfunding model — which is growing in popularity world-wide — and customized it to reflect the unique needs of social entrepreneurs.
Some lines about StartSomeGood, a peerfunding platform, also known as crowdfunding, for social entrepreneurs, that made me think about the challenges you might face when you start setting up a social startup. I asked Alex Budak, founder of the StartSomeGood to tell me a little bit more over a Skype chat.
1. What is the story behind Start Some Good? How did you take the decision to make it happen?
First of all, thanks for taking the time to interview me! The concept for StartSomeGood arose after I spent a few months living in India. Though I had traveled a good amount before then, I had never been face-to-face with that scale of poverty before. There, for the first time, I recognized that social change won’t come from one or two organizations, but rather from lots of people pursuing social good in their own individual way.
I volunteered for a local social enterprise focused on girls’ empowerment, and I came back to the States ready to dedicate my life to improving the world through social entrepreneurship. I had an idea for a social venture I wanted to start, but I realized that there was no good place to start raising the funds or growing the community that is so crucial to getting a social enterprise off the ground. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that there must be countless wonderful ideas out there for improving the world that never go from the idea stage to action. I reflected back on my experience in India, and spent time thinking about how we could empower anyone, anywhere to become a social innovator. And out of these experiences grew StartSomeGood.
2. Maybe we could talk about the various programs and initiatives in the social entrepreneurship space like Ashoka etc., how important they are and what they offer in the space?
There are lots of outstanding organizations that are contributing to the growth of the social good sector. It’s especially exciting to see how many programs are aimed at inspiring and supporting young social entrepreneurs. AshokaU is a great example of creating college campuses focused on social change. Compass Partners, which recently expanded from three to fifteen Universities in the US and Sweden, works with college freshman, giving them a network, tools and advice so that by the end of their first year of college they are ready to launch their social enterprise. I believe that the proliferation and success of these — and many, many more — organizations makes now the best time ever to be launching a social venture. Continue Reading →
Design your experience – Act now! – HeADCO 2011, AIESEC Greece
Think of Greece. Think of a country facing a crisis. Think that there seems to be no way out, as the media keep showing. Think of unemployment, hopelessness, poverty, hunger, fear.
And now: STOP! Forget all these pictures coming to your head and think of what you would like to do. No, you have not the choice to say …but in Greece”
If you want to change a system, you have to disrupt the resources on which the system depends.
Use the one of the most powerful tools your mind offers you – The power of imagination. The resource of ideas. Ideas develop when we start to think differently and set the scene in order to make them reality.
So there, I was somewhere in the mountains, in Arachova, a place known for its nightlife and VIP gathering which seems to be fading during the last years. There was a mission at HeADCo 2011 powered by AIESEC Greece. They honored me with an invitation to do a session on Innovation for Sustainability. This time not with Acropolis view but with viewing nature. Powerful scene, as powerful as the main feeling I got from them – disappointment, fear, insecurity.
The mission: Make them prove themselves that they can prove all the negative points they mentioned wrong by their own actions.
160 young AIESECers engaged in a game during the one hour, the 60 minutes, I got. They got 30 minutes to brainstorm on an idea/ solution to a business and social problem, working in groups of 10, and present in 30 seconds. Essential part: Real problem with a solution applicable in the real world, outside the protected environment of the organization the were part of.
While walking around the working groups, some interesting discussions came up and watching them writing on the flip charts, getting them actually full, in front of them, was a nice scene. Fact is that some of them managed to “pitch” in 30 seconds and translate the negative thoughts of the beginning of the session into positive first steps.
Investing in young people is one of the important investments our society should not miss out, because it is an investment in the future.
Amateur note #25: Break through…not the wall but your walls
Imagine found on Weheartit.com
Everyone just wants validation, love, security, enjoyment and hopes for a better future. The way they verbalise this and work towards it is where things branch off, but we all have the same basic desires. You can relate to everyone in the world if you look past the superficial things that separate you.
Even if I face difficulties relating myself to the next wannabe Zuckerberg, with at least one iPhone, iMac, iPod, iPad and anything with “I” in front. You can watch everything from a different angle. Fact is that since I am freelancing and getting into my entrepreneurial stuff, I make much less money than in my corporate times, but I am a far happier person. Before that I thought that I could not do it. Lets say that I set some priorities. 
All the quotes in this post are taken from an inspiration shared by a good friend and disruptive mind extraordinaire, on the largest social network tool of today aka Facebook. Meeting him changed the way I see life.
Nothing special: Just applied the «Just f*****g do it»- mentality and we do a refreshment in one of the cities we are, just because life lessons take their time sometimes and we share a love for traveling. So, take it your time and enjoy. As the change started to have its first effects, I met another disruptive and balanced mind, in who I saw parts of the me I wanted to be. Did I write, I wanted…Application Nr.2. Mindblowing as well, I have to admit. Lets say they made me crack my hidden life code and see all the things I could not see till then or see them differently.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from living in countries that are more “easy going” it’s that they are way wiser than the rest of us in their pace of life. People and countries that do everything quicker also do it worse. Take it easy and go slowly.
Talking about life, it means to do one step, jump, move at the time, no matter how big or small, but one. The multitasking, multidoing at one time, might not let you live and enjoy the process. Just saying that you do not need not to watch your mobile while talking to a friend and get off this screens. Honestly.
Stop thinking so much and act. People think their way out of doing everything that’s worth doing in life.
That was life lesson Nr.3. Being a philosopher in theory is interesting, but it is exciting if you put your theory into your way of living. Which brings us to:
The most important lessons in life can never be expressed in black and white, but must be experienced. They have to discover it themselves over time or just continue believing what they do. Don’t take responsibility for convincing the world you are right. It’s important to acknowledge that maybe you are actually the wrong one.
Maybe the hardest thing you face while putting your dreams into reality, is to engage others, to make them part of it. If you really care about this tiny detail, you will find a way to speak their language and listen to first rather than talking and then you might act together.
P.S. Tribute to some of the most amazing people I shared moments of the past six months. Nice to have you around ladies and gentlemen.
Amateur note #24: STARTup Live Athens
At the moment, I am far too tired to write a proper recap of I’ve lived the last three days. Ok, it was not three days, it was a bit longer – Four months living epic moments of “Pitch and beach”. Seeing, listening and reading the so called Greek crisis, which is at least European one, if not a global one.
But the truth is, that if you fall down, you find the strength to stand up.
If you fail one hundred times, you try at least one hundred and one times.
Same goes to Greece and its people, that are not defined by political agendas but by culture.
Fact is that, I was very afraid to go up on stage of STARTup Live Athens and talk about how entrepreneurial action is a decision out of someone’s comfort zone.
I took a deep breath and had a look at the audience. So many faces, eyes shining. This was last Friday, 4th November. Yesterday, Sunday 6th November, I was again afraid. This time, I was even more tired and deeply touched by all the performances of all participants, mentors, partners and of course my team.
In the end, it was just about taking a step out of the comfort zone.
