Month: October 2010

business, entrepreneurship, talents

Step 284: 5 Ways for Entrepreneurs to Bring Together a Rockstar Team

Christa Avampato

“I used to say when I was starting my first company, I was much more of a recruiter than a CEO or founder.” ~ Vinod Khosla

Venture Hacks recently published an interview with Vinod Khosla. Khosla co-founded Sun Microsystems, and then went on to serve as the company’s CEO and Chairman. After leaving Sun, he became a general partner of the venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers in 1986 and remained there through the early 2000s. In 2004, Khosla founded Khosla Ventures to invest in start-up tech firms, particularly in the cleantech sector. When he talks, entrepreneurs listen, and with good reason: his entrepreneurial success is the stuff of Hollywood dreams.

In the interview, Khosla gives several pieces of advice for anyone starting a business, two of which I found incredibly interesting: stay true to your vision and get a good team. Entrepreneurs are by nature self-starters, non-conformists, people who enjoy going their own way. Taking the advice “find a good team” can be a challenge for independent entrepreneurs. I’ve been chewing on this conundrum all weekend, thinking about ways that entrepreneurs can and should go about finding a good team. There are countless ways to go about this tough, critical task. Here are the 5 that have worked best for me:

1.) Shout your clear, concise vision from the hilltops. If you’re clear on what you want and can articulate it succinctly and with passion, it will make it easier for your pack to find you.

2.) Don’t settle. It’s tempting to take someone who kind of fits what you’re looking for when a pile of work is looming on your desk. One of my favorite quotes from Brian is “you get what you settle for.” Good enough does not equal good, and you’ll regret the choice in the not-so-distant future.

3.) It’s okay to contract. Finding a good team takes time, though that pile of work next to you isn’t slowing down its growth any time soon. These days, contracting is a perfect way to get daily work done while searching for that perfect team. Contracting also gives you a way to test out new team members before bringing them on full-time, and it gives them a chance to check you out, too.

4.) Add only as needed. There’s a great temptation to build a team before you build a business. Get the work first, and then add staff as needed. There’s no law against taking it slow and managing your company’s growth.

5.) Multi-talented multi-taskers wanted. Usually, I’m a fan of focus over multi-tasking, however if you can find someone who has skill sets in multiple areas where you need to recruit, you can roll several positions into one superstar team member and offer extra compensation to that superstar.

What tips have helped you build stellar teams?

creativity, determination, inspiration, writing, yoga

Step 283: Meeting Inspiration

Christa Avampato

“When inspiration does not come to go me, I go halfway to meet it.” ~ Sigmund Freud

Twyla Tharp quotes Freud in her book The Creative Habit. I read this book about two years ago and worked through the exercises faithfully. I flipped through it again last weekend, reading about my creative journey through the eyes of my 32-year old self.

Two years ago, I wanted to find more outlets for my writing. That’s happened to an even greater extent than I imagined, though not by accident, or hoping for that good fortune to find me. I had to go out there, dig it up, and then persist, persist, persist. I had to risk rejection and all that comes with it in the hopes that there would be some breaks here and there.

I followed a lot of leads to a very dead end, and considered just throwing in the towel. “Maybe the world doesn’t need my voice,” I thought more times than I’ll ever admit. And then here and there I got a bit of encouragement, which helped me to keep trudging out there again for more inspiration and more leads. Creativity, writing, hope, inspiration – they are all more easily cultivated with practice.

This has been true of my yoga teaching as well. I tried lots of avenues to get regular gigs, but the work didn’t come pouring in as I had hoped. This was going to harder than I thought. Stubbornness can pay off. It keeps us reaching up, even when the world seems to be pushing us down. On occasion, good luck shows up on our doorstep, but more often it’s up to us to get out there and discover it. Recognizing luck in all its disguises requires preparedness. Eventually a few things broke and now I teach at NY Methodist Hospital and Columbia Law School, with a possible third regular gig on the way. (More info to come if that pans out.)

I used to think of inspiration as a thunderbolt that reaches me at my dining table in front of this laptop. Sometimes that does happen, but more often it’s sparked by something I’ve witnessed or done outside these safe haven walls of my home. Being out in the world more by walking Phineas, my pup, has helped me see the gifts that lie just around the corner, literally. So now when I find that inspiration just isn’t flowing, I don’t get frustrated. I just pick myself up out my my chair, and go get it.

creativity, dreams, imagination, inspiration, music

Step 282: Imagine John Lennon at 70

Christa Avampato

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” ~ John Lennon

Phineas and I took our morning walk to Strawberry Fields on West 72nd Street in Central Park. Under a great span of American Elms, you’ll find a small space akin to a cathedral for anyone and everyone who loves music, loves the Beatles, and loves John Lennon, who today would turn 70. His legacy is elegantly preserved there in a gorgeous reproduction of a Pompeii mosaic, a gift from Naples Italy, with one simple, powerful word “Imagine”. Just steps away at The Dakota, the singer lost his life almost 20 years ago and we lost a great spirit of peace and creativity.

I stood there this morning, just as the sun started to peak up and over New York City. Already, the memorial was scattered with flowers, offerings, candles, letters, and pictures. He was right – he wasn’t the only dreamer. He inspired a whole world full of dreamers, creators, and people who want to live peacefully. He might not be here anymore, but what he stood for and what he believed are still very much alive in the hearts and minds of so many, especially here in New York City, and most especially in this neighbor that he made his home for 17 years.

Decades from now, there will still be hundreds of thousands of people who will visit this very same spot and imagine, in honor of John Lennon. He lived a creative, passionate life, and the best way for us to pay tribute to his memory is to do the same. I think we should have a national day of creativity in honor of John Lennon, an annual marker that reminds us that our imagination is our greatest, most powerful asset. We could all do with a little more dreaming.

animals, dogs, health, nature, teaching

Step 281: The World is Awake at 6:00am

Christa Avampato

I woke up early this morning to walk Phineas. We strolled along the river inside Riverside Park, smelling the Fall flower arrangements, admiring the sailboats, and listening for the acorns falling from the great oak trees scattered all over the park. It was warm with a little breeze, and around 6:00am the sun was just stretching up over the horizon. A perfect morning, albeit a little early.

I’ve always loved the morning, though liked to view it from the comfort and warmth of my own bed with a delicious cup of coffee. I try to walk Phin for an hour every morning so I’m waking up earlier these days. At first I thought it would be such a chore and now almost 3 weeks in to owning a pup, I see our early morning walks as a real gift. I have time to think, and be, and just relax. There are a lot of people awake at 6:00am walking around New York City; I’m a little late to the party.

I was yawning wide this morning when up over a small hill I saw an older man slowly coming toward me via a walker, oxygen tank in tow. He was up at 6:00am, getting his exercise despite the extraordinary effort it obviously took him, and here I am thinking about my bed. I know I’m not a lazy person (my greatest fear in the world is to wake up one day and realize I’ve become lazy), but in that moment I felt a little embarrassed. At 34 and in perfect health, I’m thinking about sleep and this older man was content, probably even very happy, to be making progress one short step at a time.

I get why we walk into Borders or Barnes & Noble to find countless books filled with the lessons that animals teach us. I know Phinny arrived in my life as a teacher because in this moment, there is a lesson I need that he can provide. To date, the greatest lesson he’s given me is getting me up out of bed early to exercise, enjoy the morning sun, and continuously be reminded that I am one lucky lady to be blessed with this life.

learning, teaching, yoga

Step 280: Don’t Judge a Yogi By Her Appearance

Christa Avampato

I went to a yoga class last week and immediately felt I had made a mistake. A seemingly out of shape instructor walked into the studio with a high-pitched voice. I started plotting my exit strategy.

And then I remembered a comment my yoga teacher, Jeffrey, said during my teacher training at Sonic Yoga. “Every yoga class is a gift, no matter who the instructor is.” So I stayed, and karma taught me that appearances can be deceiving. For the next hour I was challenged and pushed to my limit more than I’ve been in any yoga class in a long time. She had me trying some feats that I have never attempted before. And after my hard work, my body floated into pincha mayurasana for the first time ever. I was astonished. How did this happen?

There’s a time and a place for confidence and ego, and there’s a much more frequent time and place for humility and the squashing of the ego. While we think our ego lifts us up, I learned very quickly in that yoga class that the ego actually weighs us down and prevents us from achieving the heights we’re capable of. I vowed to stop judging anyone, particularly yogis. Thanks, Jeffrey.

books, politics, speaking

Step 279: Speaking Off-the-Cuff with Elegance

Christa Avampato

“The best speakers know enough to be scared…the only difference between the pros and novices is that the pros have trained the butterflies to fly in formation.” ~ Edward R. Murrow

It’s a tough balance: how to give a public speech with a casual, conversational tone while carrying a sense of authority, leadership, and deep knowledge on the subject matter. There’s nothing worse than an over-rehearsed, robotic speech, except a sloppy, ignorant one. Being authentic requires just enough rehearsal to be semi-comfortable, and no more. A few butterflies are beneficial – they keep things interesting.

Last night I heard Harold Ford Jr. speak as part of the Hudson Union Society series. I wish he had run for the New York Senate seat. He certainly had a story that he wanted to get across – his new book More Davids than Goliaths: A Political Education has just hit bookstore shelves – though his answers to the moderator were always genuine. Not once did I hear an “um”, “ah”, or “like”. He injected some dry humor, and then in the next breath spoke about serious issues like education, financial reform, and race. His elegance commanded respect while also showing the utmost respect for his audience. I wish every public speaking engagement I attended went that well.

On the flip side, I listened to the President of a large corporation this afternoon and his speech had every element that an unfortunate speaking engagement contains. He wasn’t robotic – he was entirely unprepared. It was clear after the first few sentences that he had no rehearsed, maybe not even prepared, a single remark. He wanted to appear off the cuff – and told us so. (This is a no-no. The last thing an audience wants to know is that a speaker didn’t care enough to prepare at all.) And the tough part about doing absolutely no prep at all is that a speaker is likely to make bad jokes that don’t get a laugh and then fill the silence with comments that should never be made. It’s a vicious cycle.

When I got home today from the horrendous speech, I grabbed a book I reviewed a while back – Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun. Berkun’s book should be required reading for anyone whoever plans to speak in public. Its rich advice is right on the mark. I think I should send a copy to the company President I heard today – he needs all of the speaking advice he can get, particularly from a pro like Berkun. I’d send a copy to Harold Ford Jr. as well, except that he already has public speaking down to a beautiful balance of science and art.

education, teaching

Step 278: Teaching and Learning As Two Sides of the Same Coin

Christa Avampato

Last night I taught my first yoga class at Columbia Law School. A new space for me and all new students at a very wide variety of levels. I had prepared a sequence though had to quickly change on the fly to accommodate abilities and experience. A word to the wise: bring more tricks in your bag than you think you will need. Life surprises.

On my way home, I was reminded how much we learn by teaching, yoga or any other subject. We test our true understanding when we’re asked to teach someone else, particularly if that other person has no experience. And while we may take on these roles of “teacher” and “student”, the two are always interchangeable depending upon the lesson being conveyed.

Learning and teaching are both gifts and guides in their own right.

business, marketing, nostalgia, product, simplicity

Step 277: Mad Men Commercials – A Celebration of the Quality We’re Looking For

Christa Avampato

Have you seen these retro vignette commercials interspersed throughout Mad Men? I was curious about them so I did a little hunting around. The Smith Winter Mitchell Agency, the agency featured in the commercials, is the brainchild of Rocket XL in New York. These vignettes showcase how a fictional 1960s ad agency, SmithWinterMitchell, develops campaigns for six iconic Unilever brands (Dove, Breyers, Hellmann’s, Klondike, Suave Hair, and Vaseline), combining witty historic parody with modern ad footage. They also showcase these iconic brands and celebrate their heritage on a hit show that is culturally and contextually relevant.

The artistic direction of the commercials is interesting, thought there was something else about them that grabbed my attention. I was drawn to the risk that Rocket XL took by building story with their commercials. They didn’t see this campaign as 30 – 60 seconds spots that happen in isolation. They gave the audience credit for their intelligence; they trusted us to connect the dots across the decades, as well as from Sunday night to Sunday night. They have a distinctive look and style that make them memorable, but they don’t take themselves too seriously, allowing us to laugh a little at the ad guys we spend an hour with every Sunday night.

Our country is craving simplicity in the midst of this economic downturn. Somehow, we glorified complexity for far too long and it got us into dangerous territory. We lost our way when we started to throw around phrases like derivative pricing and sub-prime mortgages, without fully realizing how low their downside could take us. Rocket XL is portraying simple products with a simple message – they have stood the test of time and they’re still here with us with the same quality they’ve always had. Sounds simple, but it’s hard to fulfill on.

On the surface, these are just commercials for ice cream a shampoo. But they’re making us smile for a much more profound reason – we’re looking for reliability and stability in a time when all the ground beneath us is so uncertain. These products have stood the test of time and they’re proud of that. I’m not suggesting that a Klondike bar can take all of our cares away. I am suggesting that products and people alike should flaunt what they’ve got – and if what you’ve got is a track record and history of fulfilling the brand promise you made, then that is no small feat.

Learn more about Rocket XL and they’re cool brand blueprint here.

goals

Step 276: September Accomplishments and October Goals

Christa Avampato

I’m a few days late on this post because I wanted to write a week-long series about public education, though I’ve been mulling it over in my mind for a few days. The list of October goals is short. October is always a rejuvenating month for me. It always comes as a relief after a busy / hectic / frenetic summer that lasted well into September. October is my take it easy and take good care of myself month, and so it is my favorite of the year.

September Accomplishments:

1.) E-book marketing and expansion continues for Hope in Progress.
I’ve been working on the new formats and spoke with my brother-in-law about a new cover design. It took him about 5 seconds to think of something brilliant, and my sister, Weez, also had some good adds. I’ll post it when the cover is complete and the new formats are ready to roll.

2.) Secure some more sub or regular teaching gigs and private clients for Compass Yoga.
This one worked out better than I expected. This month I start teaching at Columbia Law School and New York Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, Brooklyn. I’m exploring some other avenues as well and will continue to track that progress here. I also made some decisions about Compass Yoga to really follow my passion of teaching to under-served populations who can benefit greatly from a regular practice. More to come on that front, too.

3.) Online writing portfolio needed.
I did some investigation into this with a variety of platforms. All of them had their pluses and minuses. Ultimately, I decided to set up a WordPress blog with just my writing as the center stage. I really like Michael Pollan’s website and started to use it as inspiration for the design. When the site is complete, there will be a link on this website and I’ll announce it in a post as well.

4.) My apartment needs a makeover.
It’s amazing what a little paint and some new soft goods will do. My home feels a little more homey now with some color and more personal touches.

5.) I need to put some more time into my new book idea around yoga and personal finance.
I started to sketch out a structure finding inspiration in a lot of how-to guides and workbooks. It’s a fun project that has my mind making new connections all the time between yoga and personal finance. The two are even more linked than I originally suspected.

6.) Continue to grease the skids of Innovation Station.
This one needs some work that I didn’t get to in September. I’ve got lost of notes and ideas scattered about but not the action plan I need and want. And I also want to do some more work on the actual contact. I’ll turn my attention toward that in October, speaking of which…

October Goals:
1.) Continue work on Innovation Station content and action plan.

2.) Spend some quality time with my new pup, Phineas. I adopted him unexpectedly in September, which was a huge surprise goal that has brought so much richness to my life in a very short time. This month I’ll take him in for an evaluation to become a therapy dog. I’d love to get us into the Reading to Dogs program.

3.) Continue working on yoga and personal finance book. Now that I’ve got a loose structure in place, I can start to fill it in with the fun stuff.

That’s it – 3 goals. Short and sweet, just like the glorious month of October. It will be gone before we know it, so I intend to enjoy it while it’s here.

education, teaching

Step 275: Teachable Moments

Christa Avampato

As my week of blogging about education winds down, I debated how to close out this mini-series. Many people have sent me links and story ideas, and in my research I found enough hopeful stories in education to fill this blog for a year. The thought that has stuck with me all day is that learning is everywhere. Every social situation, relationship, job, event, errand, book, movie, person we encounter has something in it that can cause us to make a change, subtle or drastic, temporary or permanent. Teachable moments are everywhere, all the time, provided we can maintain our awareness.

In Buddhism there is a belief that life gives us exactly the teaching we need at the exact moment when we need it. This idea helps us further celebrate the good times and persevere through the difficult moments. There’s an opportunity for all of us to learn at every moment – whether we’re young or old, rich or poor, regardless of our experiences or where we live, work, and spend our time.

If I could give one message to kids everywhere it would be this: every moment there’s a chance to improve our lot and to grow. Sometimes its hard and painful to grow. Sometimes it’s the best feeling in the world. It’s all valuable. It all matters. Just keep going. If we can live this one principle everyday, the journey we take will eventually lead to blessings beyond our wildest dreams.