Month: February 2009

charity, nonprofit, philanthropy, volunteer

My Year of Hopefulness – Live United

Christa Avampato

Today I completed the Linkages Program, a training and placement program for future board of directors hosted by the United Way of New York. I’ve worked in the nonprofit sector off and on in my career, and I’ve been a volunteer at a variety of nonprofits my whole life. I went to the training thinking I knew everything there was to know about how nonprofits operate. I was wrong – from the moment I cracked open my training manual, I discovered that I had a lot to learn when it comes to nonprofit boards.

It’s a testament to the United Way, and to my employer who paid for my attendance in the training program, that they recognize that most people, no matter how deeply involved they are in nonprofit work, don’t really understand the ins and out of board operations. A weak board makes for a weak organization, and the United Way has stepped in to change that. In 2004, they conducted a study and of the surveyed Executive Directors: 45% planned to retire within 5 years, 57% had no professional development program within their organizations, and 68% ran organizations with no succession plans. New York City’s nonprofits, and all of the vital services they provide to so many in this city, were in trouble.

In just 5 short years, the United Way is turning the tide. I was thoroughly impressed with the incredibly high caliber of the people in my class. Passionate, concerned, committed. We are willing to put our resources of time and money on the line to improve New York’s nonprofits and the United Way is helping us succeed. We are ready, willing, and able to stand up and be counted.

Call it the Obama effect. Call it people wanting to find fulfillment in a time when so many feel down-trodden by the state of the economy. Call it the responsibility that comes with being extremely fortunate in a time when so many others face misfortune. I call it hope.

Seth Godin, social media, volunteer

My Year of Hopefulness – Do Something with Squidoo

Christa Avampato

There is a statistic in the news that has been bothering me so much that I am telling everyone I know about it. In January, the number of suicides committed by the US soldiers was higher than the number of US soldiers who died in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. I can’t get over that fact. It’s haunting me – what could be causing this and why did it have to get to this level to get national attention?

So how does a story like this make me hopeful? I feel hopeful because I feel empowered to do something about it. I was talking to my friend, Richard, about it this week and he helped me to realize that if someone, anyone, can find a way to help in this situation that the implications for our country and for the many people who serve this country would be immense.

If ever I wanted a cause that would have impact this would be it. Consider how much energy, time, and funding goes in to training a soldier what to do in a war-torn region. And now consider how much energy, time, and funding goes in to helping that transition back into normal civilian life. The discrepancy is criminal.

So what can I do? Could I start a movement? Could I reach out and offer my help? And to whom? I started tonight be creating a lens on Squidoo. I’ve followed Seth Godin for a long time – his is one of the blogs I read every day. I have to admit it took me a while to figure how or why to use Squidoo. Now I get it – when you want to provide detail on a specific topic, event, or cause, Squidoo is your tool.

Feeling passionate about wanting to help these US soldiers transition back to civilian life and wanting to get a dialogue going about the topic, I started the lens. To see the lens and offer your ideas and support, visit http://www.squidoo.com/helpUSsoldiers

Photo above taken by Rafiq Maqbool, AP.

entrepreneurship, Examiner

NY Business Strategies Examiner.com: Entrepreneurs Find the Silver Lining

Christa Avampato

There is very little to cheer about these day in the world of business. At least until yesterday. An article ran in Crain’s that shows that entrepreneurs who were initially shell-shocked by the rapidly declining economic environment may be picking their heads up and finding the gold nuggets hidden in the rubble.

To read the full article, please visit http://www.examiner.com/x-2901-NY-Business-Strategies-Examiner~y2009m2d27-According-to-Crains-entrepreneurs-are-finding-the-silver-lining-in-this-economy

books, entrepreneurship, Examiner, New York City, restaurants

NY Business Strategies Examiner.com: an interview with the owners of Baked, a bakery in Red Hook and Charleston

Christa Avampato

Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito are cooking up something special at Baked. a bakery with locations in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and Charleston, South Carolina. The duo have an extensive baking repertoire, serving up sweets that run the gammet: classics like chocolate chip cookies and carrot cake, new takes on old favorites like their apple pie with a splash of bourbon and vanilla bean, and wholly original offerings like homemade marshmallows and granola. Oprah named their brownies one of her Favorite Things.

To read the full article, please visit: http://www.examiner.com/x-2901-NY-Business-Strategies-Examiner~y2009m2d25-The-duo-behind-Baked-an-interview-with-Matt-Lewis-and-Renato-Poliafito

education

My Year of Hopefulness – The Critical Importance of the Humanities

Christa Avampato

It’s with some disappointment that I read Patrica Cohen’s article in the New York Times on Wednesday regarding the value of a humanties education. I was not at all upset with her subject matter — now more than ever the humanities field must justify its value and place in American education. That has always been the case, and I believe constantly having to prove our worth makes us more passionate, focused, and ardent about the work. What I found most disturbing about Ms. Cohen’s article is her conclusion:

“As money tightens, the humanities may increasingly return to being what they were at the beginning of the last century, when only a minuscule portion of the population attended college: namely, the province of the wealthy.

That may be unfortunate but inevitable, Mr. Kronman said. The essence of a humanities education — reading the great literary and philosophical works and coming “to grips with the question of what living is for” — may become “a great luxury that many cannot afford.”

I find this conclusion upsetting for several reasons:

1.) I was a humanities major, and most certainly was not from a walthy family. Not even close. My humanities education, my ability to reason, communicate, and evaluate lessons from history, have been critical to my success. To say that it is the province of the wealthy (otherwise known as not valuable unless you have the luxury to sit around all day thinking, not acting) is just ridiculous.

2.) In this country to say that any area of study might need to be undertaken only by the wealthy is wholly un-American. The whole point of education is to open up possibilities to people, regardless of background, to pursue their greatest passions and interests.

3.) What kind of society would we be without the study of history, literature, languages, and art? They are not separate from engineering and science. They are partners. The beauty of an education in the humanities is that it arms us with tools and resources to draw meaning from the experience of our lives and the lives of others. Without that understanding and ability to communicate shared experience, what kind of society would we become? The humanities give us hope — and without hope, all the science in the world won’t be able to save us.

The image above can be found at: http://www2.seattleu.edu/mrc/images/matteobanners_new.jpg

entrepreneurship, sleep

My Year of Hopefulness – Sleep

Christa Avampato

There was one take-away from the Stanford University panel “The Global Leadership and Talent Equation” that is so powerful and simple that it deserves its own post. Eric Benhamou, Chairman and CEO, Benhamou Global Ventures, is a seasoned veteran who has started, run, and sold many businesses during his long and distinguished career. The final moderated question of the panel asked what is one piece of advice that the panelists had for every aspiring entrepreneur. Eric’s answer: sleep. The audience laughed at this answer. Of all the things we need to do and should do as entrepreneurs, Eric recommended “sleep”? In all seriousness, yes.

Eloquently, he made his case without cracking a smile. Eric describes Silicon Valley as a chronically sleep deprived area of the world. With so much to do and learn, there is hardly time to slow down. Yes, Eric argues that in order to keep going, we have to slow down. He discussed how a lack of sleep depresses the immune system and makes clear, decisive decision making nearly impossible. Sleep helps us to reason through difficult problems; it gives our minds time to dream.

In addition to sleep, the idea of pure down time is critical to staying at the very top of our game. Downtime can take the form of a hobby, socializing, running, or meditating. I also think that there’s something to be said for getting some time out in the fresh air every day, unplugged from any kind of electronic device, off of concrete. When I was in San Francisco, I found myself lifted from a funk I have been in for a while. As I was walking through a park, I recognized the cause of my funk — I needed to see some greenery, something that symbolized life. In New York it’s grown pretty gray and we’ve been dealing with the tail-end of a cold winter. We all need a little sunshine, a little warmth, and a little green in order to keep our spirits up.

Entrepreneurs, take yourself for a walk and get some shut-eye. You’re going to need it.

leadership

My Year of Hopefulness – Leadership

Christa Avampato

I have been thinking about leadership a lot this in the past week. I’ve been wondering what so many business leaders are saying behind closed door to their teams, knowing that the market is beating them up, morale is down, and anxiety is rampant. This is the pinnacle moment that every leader trains for – if ever there was time to manage through crisis and show grace under pressure, this is it.

I will go so far as to say that organizations who have senior leaders that can manage the current situation with grace and keep their teams motivated, involved, and supporting one another, will survive to fight another day. Those with leaders that lack bravery in these frightening times may not be so lucky.

Everyone knows it’s bad out there. Even if someone doesn’t want to discuss it, they know this market is as tough as they come. Once thing I can’t stand is to have someone telling the public something they already know as if it’s some great revelation. I don’t need politicians, CEOs, or finance gurus telling me how bad it is. I get it – I read the paper and I watch the news.

What would be immensely valuable to me, and what a select few like Jeff Bezos, are providing is a plan on how they will steer their organizations in this environment. I don’t want to hear anyone of power saying that they don’t know what to do in this market and that they are in uncharted waters. If that’s the case, then please step aside and let someone with vision take the reigns. I have no desire to sympathize with confused leaders. They’ve been pontificating on leadership for years – at conferences, in books, during interviews. Now in the moment of truth – this could be their finest moment. Leaders, are you up to the challenge?

entrepreneurship, Stanford

The Global Leadership and Talent Equation in a Start-up World

Christa Avampato

With extra time in the Bay Area, some people go to a spa, take a yoga class, and spend time outside in the many beautiful parks. I love spending time in all those ways. With my recent extra time in the Bay Area, I went to a Stanford event on entrepreneurship. (My nerdiness never ceases to amaze even me!) On Monday evening Stanford hosted a panel discussion entitled “Solving the Global Leadership and Talent Equation.” 4 panelists based in Silicon Valley, Eric Benhamou, Chairman and CEO, Benhamou Global Ventures, David Chao, Co-Founder and General Partner, DCM, Kyung Yoon, CEO, Talent Age Associates, and Michael Zhao, CEO and President, Array Networks, spoke candidly about building teams within global start-ups. Immensely talented and skilled, these panelists offered advice and shared their missteps and triumphs in building teams. For the full article, please visit: http://www.examiner.com/x-2901-NY-Business-Strategies-Examiner~y2009m2d24-Stanford-University-panel-The-Global-Leadership-and-Talent-Equation

California, hope, HopeLab, Stanford

My Year of Hopefulness – Stanford

Christa Avampato

I’m finding it hard to leave California this evening, which is odd since I am heading back home to New York. Usually I am rushing to get back home after a trip. To sleep in my own bed, to be among my things, to get back to life as usual. Today I walked through some kind of door, and was consciously aware of a shift taking place. Today life changed, though I’m not yet sure how.

I ventured out to California on Saturday in preparation for meetings with HopeLab today. (More on that in a future post.) They are an exceptionally talented, passionate group of people who create brilliant product. It is a rare combination, especially in these times. Their excitement and commitment are infectious.I left their offices feeling lighter, feeling like I had picked up on some kind of trail that I had been looking for – like Trusty in Lady and the Tramp.

After the meetings with the HopeLab team, I went to Stanford to hear a presentation on talent management and recruitment for start-ups, particularly those with a global footprint. I felt completely at ease here in Palo Alto, on the Stanford campus, even though I’ve never been here before this weekend. Every part of me feels energized and hopeful, even on a day when the Dow plunged to 1997 lows and the outlook back East is as grim as ever. Here in Silicon Valley the sentiment is one of opportunity and the direction of focus is forward.

As I crossed the main quad of Stanford’s campus and meandered through its terra cotta buildings, I felt a very peaceful feeling wash over me that I have been missing for some time now. I peeked into a few classrooms that were conducting late night classes and for a second I felt a twinge of jealousy. I wanted to be one of those students, at least right at that moment. My friend, Janet, teases me that I am addicted to school and she’s not wrong. I am addicted to learning and learning environments. I do miss being a student, more than I realized I would.

Today I felt luck following me around all day, I felt a strong and gentle hand at my shoulder just pointing the way I needed to go. That sounds foolish and more than a little naive, I know, but it’s honest. As I was driving to HopeLab, a huge rainbow appeared over the freeway. And in my fortune cookie tonight I got the message, “You will soon gain something you have always wanted.” On occasion, I believe in astrology – mostly when I agree with its advice. I suppose a fortune cookie and a rainbow have just as much chance of being accurate as a horoscope. Or at least I hope they are, and in the times we’re living in hope is a precious resource.

The photo above can be found at: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/56/132248453_b7df81e3f6.jpg

California, environment, hope, nature

My Year of Hopefulness – Monterey Bay Aquarium

Christa Avampato

I make a habit of visiting baseball parks and aquariums across the country. When I used to manage theatre tours, I would make a point of seeing as many stadiums and aquariums as I could in the different cities we traveled to. I have to say that Baltimore is tough to beat in both of those departments – I saw Shark Week at that aquarium and those hotdogs at Camden Yards are the best I’ve ever had.

Being in Northern California this weekend, I wanted to see the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I have heard about it since my fundraising days at Conservation International. Monterey – you’re no Baltimore or Atlanta, though I learned some fascinating things while I was there this morning. They had a few octopi that I were entrancing. Did you know that octopi change their color according to the color of the surface they are crawling or resting on? Incredible. In Boston, they had an octopus who was bored in his own tank, so he found a way to sneak out of his tank at night, when everyone had go home, and would make his way to the lobster, eat his fill, and then get back home before the first staff members arrive. They only way they caught him was by video camera.

The jellyfish exhibit left me breathless. They had these gorgeous, bright orange jellyfish in front of a brilliant blue background. I could have stood there for hours to watch them float through their environment. It was a reminder to me that there are so many mysteries left in this world. There’s still so much more to explore, to see, and to know. We haven’t even scratched the surface – there are entire worlds underwater, canyons deeper and wider than the Grand Canyon, mountains taller than Everest. It is too much to fathom – we couldn’t possibly take it all in

70% of our planet is covered by water so if you ever feel life is too much for you to bear on dry land, I encourage you to go under the sea. Or at least get to your nearest aquarium. It will give you hope by showing you what’s possible.

The photo above can be found at: http://justinsomnia.org/images/monterey-aquarium-orange-jellyfish.jpg