Two Ghanaians make Forbe’s under 30 Africa's best young entrepreneurs

Two Ghanaians have been named in Forbes Magazine’s 30 best young entrepreneurs under age 30 in Africa.

23 year old Sandra Appiah and 28 year old Isaac Boateng are co-founders of a New York city-based new media company called Face2Face Africa.

Forbes enlisted an independent panel of 12 judges to identify Africans below 30 years who are making the most dramatic impact across the continent and Sandra Appiah and Isaac Boateng’s company made the cut.

Apart from the Ghanaians, the list included about 7 South Africans, 7 Kenyan’s, and 4 Nigerians.

Malawi, Tanzania, Congo, Uganda and Cameroon and Zimbabwe all had one each.

The activities of these young African entrepreneurs cut across Real Estate, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Media, Tech, Green tech, Healthcare, Agriculture and Fashion.

Face2Face Africa, run by Sandra Appiah and Isaac Boateng has three divisions: an outfit that publishes a magazine which explores African development, culture, entertainment and fashion, an events business and a thriving website.


By: Nana Boakye-Yiadom/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Tanzanian in list of top young African entrepreneurs

By Samuel Kamndaya
The Citizen Business Editor

Dar es Salaam. The winner of the second episode of Tanzania’s Top 100 Mid-sized Companies Survey, Mr Patrick Ngowi of Helvetic Solar Contractors, is one of the brainiest young African entrepreneurs, according to Forbes magazine.

The 28-year-old features in the latest list of the American bi-weekly business magazine that is renowned for its original articles on finance, industry, investing and marketing.

According to Forbes, Mr Ngowi is one of 30 Africans under the age of 30 who are changing the face of Africa.
He was picked by a panel of 12 judges from across Africa who took part in identifying the entrepreneurs and innovators who are making the most dramatic impact across the continent.
A statement in the magazine puts it this way: “These 30 young African entrepreneurs, disruptors and innovators featured on this list are impatient to change Africa. Together, they represent the entrepreneurial, innovative and intellectual best of their generation. They’re solving problems like healthcare and electricity shortages, proffering innovative solutions to waste management, building virtual and physical communities and creating lots of jobs.”

Mr Ngowi, the CEO of Helvetic Solar Contractors, ventured into business nine years ago after receiving a Sh2.3million loan from his mother, Emmy. He earned about $3 million (about Sh4.8billion) last year. With Sh2.3 million, Patrick ventured into vending Chinese mobile phones but, having discovered that only 14 per cent of Tanzanians have electricity, he decided that the solar energy business would be more profitable. A Swiss contact, Philippe Glauser, gave him extra funding. The firm, now six years into business, is a pioneer in the supply, installation and maintenance of solar systems throughout the Northern Circuit of Tanzania. In his first year of business, the 28-year-old had a turnover of Sh30 million, rising to Sh4.6 billion last year—making it the fastest growing medium-sized firm in the country, according to a leading consulting and auditing firm, KPMG.
 

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution!

In this poignant, funny follow-up to his fabled 2006 talk, Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for a radical shift from standardized schools to personalized learning -- creating conditions where kids' natural talents can flourish.

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

Why you should listen to him: 

Why don't we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it's because we've been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies -- far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity -- are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. "We are educating people out of their creativity," Robinson says. It's a message with deep resonance. Robinson's TEDTalk has been distributed widely around the Web since its release in June 2006. The most popular words framing blog posts on his talk? "Everyone should watch this."

A visionary cultural leader, Sir Ken led the British government's 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education, a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy, and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements. His latest book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, a deep look at human creativity and education, was published in January 2009.

"Ken's vision and expertise is sought by public and commercial organizations throughout the world."
BBC Radio 4  

Owning a Franchise is Easy

Becoming franchise owner can be a great way for an aspiring entrepreneur to become a successful business owner.

Franchises provide pre-packaged solutions to many of the problems that plague independent entrepreneurs. With a franchise you can start with a product that has a proven record of success, as well as marketing campaigns and business procedures that have been proven over the long run.

Nearly a third of all independent businesses fail because they cannot find solutions to problems in areas like operations, marketing, accounting or distribution. With a franchise, the solutions to many of these issues have been refined down to a science, saving you the headache of creating your own solutions to these complex business issues. These procedures work as a safety net for someone opening a business, allowing them to focus on making money and being successful in their market.

Here are some tips for making a successful entrance into the franchise arena:

Interview: Talking business with Nigerian mobile advertising entrepreneur Oduntan Odubanjo

Oduntan Odubanjo

Growing mobile phone penetration is establishing Africa as a major market for mobile advertising. Oduntan Odubanjo, is the co-founder of Twinpine, a startup Pan-African mobile advertising network. How we made it in Africa’s Dinfin Mulupi caught up with the Nigerian computer engineer on the sidelines of the Mobile Web East Africa conference in Nairobi, to discuss mobile advertising, the enterprising spirit in Nigeria and, when it comes to ICT, why Nigeria holds the most potential.

Tell us about Twinpine.
Twinpine is a mobile advertising company. We call ourselves Africa’s premium mobile advertising network. I say premium because we put a lot of effort in the kind of publishers we sign on to our network and also make sure that our brands can access and identify those publishers where their ads are running. We ensure the right ads are matched to the right audience. This enables brands to get more value, measure impact and do proper targeting. We also provide 24 hour support for advertisers that work with us. We have worked with leading brands in various industries like telecommunications and banking. We have also contributed in growing the mobile ecosystem in Nigeria by developing free mobile sites and helping publishers go mobile. We are investing a lot of our resources in building the mobile ecosystem.

Telkom Foundation To Train 350 South African Entrepreneurs

VENTURES AFRICA – Telkom Foundation, in conjunction with Continuing Education at the University of Pretoria, today launched its Entrepreneurship Programme aimed at up-skilling 350 business-minded youth and women delegates in South Africa, to start and grow businesses.

According to Telkom Foundation Head, Sarah Mthintso, “Entrepreneurship is an important vehicle towards job creation and it is for this reason that the foundation is investing in empowering entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs with the requisite skills and knowledge needed to venture into this area”

She stressed that Telkom aims to fight poverty and reduce unemployment of youth, graduates, and women through the programme.

The 2 Easy Ways to Make Your PC Run Like New

One of the most frustrating things in life is a slow computer.

Every few years, we buy an expensive new PC and love how fast it starts up, runs programs, and loads websites. Inevitably though, it starts to slow down until eventually we are pulling our hair out waiting for it to do routine tasks.

Why is this? It turns out the answer is actually quite simple and you don't even need to be "technical" to understand the causes and solutions.

The good news: It's not the computer hardware that's the problem. In most cases, the hardware you have is perfectly capable of being restored to its original glory and kept in fast running condition with minimal effort.

Rather, the problem lies with changes that occur to the PC's software. The two most common causes of slowdown (along with easy solutions) are:

1. The most common problem: registery errors

Entrepreneurship, South African Style

Entrepreneurs in developed countries like the United States and Western Europe typically start with a brilliant idea.

Aspiring innovators in developing countries like South Africa begin their journey by figuring out how to gain access to a computer and the internet, and learning how to use them. The stark contrast between two dramatically different worlds only underscores the incredible odds faced by ambitious youth in South Africa who are determined to succeed.

Oscar dress pushes the envelope too far

Do not adjust your picture: that's really a real housewife on the Oscar red carpet.

Brandi Glanville

"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Brandi Glanville was not someone most expected to see mingling with the A-list outside the Dolby Theatre, but she was there doing her best racy Ariel impersonation.

Standard Chartered eyes more Zimbabwe private equity deals

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Standard Chartered's private equity arm is looking for more deals in Zimbabwe, a senior executive told Reuters on Monday, betting on a rise in consumer spending after years of hyperinflation.

 

The British bank, whose private equity business has assets under management of about $4.5 billion, made an investment in Zimbabwean agri-business Ariston Holdings through one of its portfolio companies, Afrifresh Group, last year.

The transaction was worth around $20 million. Ariston was previously listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange.

Despite concerns about political risk ahead of general elections later this year, the bank sees potential for high returns in a country that is "starved for growth capital" after being weakened by hyperinflation, said Peter Baird, Standard Chartered's head of private equity for Africa.

"Standard Chartered Bank loves Zimbabwe and our appetite for equity risk in Zimbabwe is high," he said, listing real estate, consumer goods and retail as the most attractive sectors.
Zimbabwe's long-serving president Robert Mugabe, who formed a power-sharing government with rival Morgan Tsvangirai after a disputed 2008 vote, has set March 16 as the date for a referendum on a proposed new constitution.

A general election is expected later in the year.
Baird acknowledged there could be risks attached to the election, but said so far Standard Chartered's dealings with the government, for example over Ariston, had been relatively smooth.
"They were very reasonable about the indigenisation plan (to increase local ownership of businesses) that we filed ... they were very reasonable about the perception of commercial agriculture being in foreign hands," he said.

The private equity team also wants to be an early mover in a country that boasts a well-educated, English-speaking population, as well as a functioning banking system and capital markets, Baird added.

"Given the right policy framework and the right set of circumstances Zimbabwe will do just great," he said.
Standard Chartered Private Equity has invested around $550 million in Africa since 2008, with about half last year alone.

It was also a co-investor with Carlyle Group LP and South African private equity fund Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund in pan-African agribusiness Export Trading Group, a deal announced in November.

Baird was less bullish about the private equity team's investment prospects for Africa as a whole in 2013 given the difficulty of finding companies of the right size and the reluctance of some family-owned businesses to sell equity.

Africa investment boom sees beyond conflict-driven headlines

LONDON (Reuters) - Turmoil in Tunisia? Conflict in Mali? Fraught elections in Kenya? Investment in Africa is thriving regardless.

 

African investment funds have grown nearly five times in value in the past six years and are attracting new forms of capital, from local pension money to sovereign wealth funds.

Conflicts are still making the news and corruption remains a concern. Elections in Kenya next month and a probable vote in Zimbabwe in July are also stoking unease.

In mobile management, one size doesn’t fit all, but three sizes fit most

This vendor-written tech primer has been edited by CITEworld to eliminate product promotion, but readers should note that it will probably favor the submitter's approach.

As with any new market focus, there are a lot of conversations regarding mobile device management (MDM), often stating that you must have a solution – or else. Then there are the naysayers claiming that it will not make any difference, and it’s unnecessary. The truth is that neither bold claim is accurate. Similar industry chatter has occurred about broad client management and other established markets as well and, like others, the key for MDM is finding what’s best for your company’s individual needs.

For MDM, reasonable customer profiles do exist to help organizations determine the MDM structure they need to consider adopting. In any case, it’s critical to implement the MDM solution that disrupts the enterprise the least. It’s naïve to think that security doesn’t come at a price of productivity, but the best solutions optimize both and consider the level of security necessary.

Here's a good case for using online chat to support customers

Consumerization of the enterprise is about empowering employees by enabling them to use the tools of their own choosing -- requiring a change in the mindset of many IT professionals used to having control over network and data access.

Credit: akeg via Flickr

But this consumerization imperative – which favors the user over processes and tradition – also is shaking up the world of (ironically) customer service. More enterprises are turning to web- and social-based service platforms to adapt to customer preferences and to save money.

ACN, a multilevel marketing company that sells telecommunications, television, electricity, natural gas, and other services through a network of independent agents, was in the customer service dark ages. With operations in 23 countries and four continents, ACN still was handling all customer transactions over the phone. It was inefficient and costly, both in terms of higher expenses and lost revenue as customers and potential customers tired of long phone queues to reach a service rep.

Keith Chen: Could your language affect your ability to save money?

What can economists learn from linguists? Behavioral economist Keith Chen introduces a fascinating pattern from his research: that languages without a concept for the future -- "It rain tomorrow," instead of "It will rain tomorrow" -- correlate strongly with high savings rates.

Keith Chen's new research suggests that the language you speak may impact the way you think about your future.

Why you should listen to him:

Does the future look like a different world to you, or more like an extension of the present? In an intriguing piece of research, Keith Chen suggests that your attitude about the future has a strong relationship to the language you speak. In a nutshell, some languages refer to the future using verb helpers like "will" and "shall," while others don't have specific verbs to refer to future actions. Chen correlated these two different language types with remarkably different rates of saving for the future (guess who saves more?). He calls this connection the "futurity" of languages. The paper is in the process of being published by the American Economic Review, and it's already generated discussion. Chen says: "While the data I analyze don’t allow me to completely understand what role language plays in these relationships, they suggest that there is something really remarkable to be explained about the interaction of language and economic decision-making. These correlations are so strong and survive such an aggressive set of controls, that the chances they arise by random lies somewhere between one in 10,000 and one in 10^32."

Chen excels in asking unusual questions to yield original results. Another recent work (with Yale colleague and TEDGlobal 2009 speaker Laurie Santos) examined how monkeys view economic risk--with surprisingly humanlike irrationality. While a current working paper asks a surprising, if rhetorical, question: Does it make economic sense for a woman to become a physician?

PepsiCo took a chance and gave iPhones to 4,500 hourly employees -- and it's paying off

Last year, PepsiCo handed out more than 4,500 iPhones to its army of hourly employees who drive around to stores making sure products are placed correctly.

Companies often give smartphones and tablets to managers and mobile salespeople. But the merchandisers who work for PepsiCo are not your typical information workers.

"These merchandisers are young, many work out of their home, and they're hourly employees," explained Mark Uppaluri, the Director of PepsiCo's go to market systems, who led the initiative.

Tweet From Beyond the Grave With LivesOn

You can tweet from the womb, why not from beyond the grave? In a bizarre twist on the supernatural, social media is bridging the gap between the living and the deceased.

Wishing you could have one last conversation with your uncle who passed away last month? In March, that might become a reality. The LivesOn app, debuting next month for Twitter, aims to make the afterlife more social.

"When your heart stops beating, you'll keep tweeting," the company's tagline reads. By employing artificial intelligence technology, LivesOn can analyze your main Twitter feed - learning typical likes, tastes, and syntax - to create "new" tweets.

Stock market loses N65billion on profiteering

The Nigerian stock market lost about N65billion from its capitalisation yesterday as many investors resorted to profit taking following the recent rally recorded in the market for two consecutive days.
The volume of transactions at the Nigerian bourse yesterday was higher than the preceding trading day’s level as stock dealers exchanged 517.050million shares in 6,184 deals compared with 434.155million shares exchanged in 7,278 deals the preceding day. Value of equities traded stood at N5.273billion against the preceding day’s N4.350billion.

The stock market’s performance indicators closed negative at the close of trading at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). The NSE All Share Index (ASI) dropped by 0.6 percent or 201.58 points to 33,506.60 from 33,708.18 the preceding trading day; while the market cap dropped by N65billion to N10.721trillion from N10.786trillion the preceding trading day.

Phone makers roll out affordable devices to tap into N1.2trn smart phone market

Nigerians will spend about N1.2 trillion purchasing smart phones between now and 2015, BusinessDay can now reveal. In view of this immense market opportunity, industry analysts told BusinessDay, yesterday that the country’s smart phone industry is witnessing heated competition, as foreign phone makers are rolling out affordable smart phones with very high functionality in order to reach even the bottom of the pyramid consumers.

 

The targeted consumers who have long been restricted by cost of device acquisition will be expected to dump their low-end devices and purchase smart phones, say industry analysts.

Reports have it that Nigerians will likely spend about N1.2 trillion for the purchase of smart phones between now and 2015.

Richard Wilkinson: How economic inequality harms societies

“If Americans want to live the American dream, they should go to Denmark.” - Richard Wilkinson

“The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. … But the differences between us and where we are in relation to each other now matter very much.” - Richard Wilkinson

We feel instinctively that societies with huge income gaps are somehow going wrong. Richard Wilkinson charts the hard data on economic inequality, and shows what gets worse when rich and poor are too far apart: real effects on health, lifespan, even such basic values as trust.


In "The Spirit Level," Richard Wilkinson charts data that proves societies that are more equal are healthier, happier societies.

Why you should listen to him:     

FG recovers N26bn from subsidy cabal, says Okonjo-Iweala

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The Federal Government yesterday said it has so far recovered about N26 billion from the petroleum subsidy cabal which defrauded government of about N232billion last year.

 

Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala disclosed this yesterday while briefing State House Correspondents after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

 

Iweala observed that the recovery followed President Goodluck Jonathan’s resolve to tackle corruption alongside other socio economic challenges facing the country.

FG pledges more cities as Eko Atlantic City achieves 5m/sqm land

The Federal Government has said that more cities will be built across the country in the next few years in recognition of their potential for economic growth.
Some of the cities, according to the government, will be built around the nation’s airports beginning with Lagos and Abuja to be built in the next three years as pilot schemes.

President Goodluck Jonathan disclosed this in his address at the ‘dedication’ ceremony of the five million square metres of land reclaimed from the sea for the development of Eko Atlantic City in Lagos.

Expect competitive pricing for power as BPE signs agreements with GENCOs, DISCOs investors

Preferred investors for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor companies on Thursday signed a series of Transaction and Industry agreements with the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) which will bring them closer to taking control of the companies.

The agreement signing event held at the Presidential Villa Abuja, and marked a ‘near-end’ to the PHCN privatisation process which began in 2005 with the enactment of the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act.

 

This was as the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) urged Nigerians to brace up for an initial but temporary electricity tariff hike which would come when these preferred investors finally take over the running of the successor companies.

PPMC builds more petroleum storage tanks to boost reserves

The Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) says it has started overhauling and building additional storage facilities in all NNPC depots across the country.

The PPMC’s Managing Director, Mr Haruna Momoh, said the aim was to increase the nation’s fuel reserves.

According to Momoh, additional storage facilities will enable the country to store up to 160 million litres of petroleum products.

He said that the projects, which started in 2012, were expected to be completed by December.

Momoh said that a storage facility capable of storing 80 million litres of petroleum products was being built at Mosinmi depot in Ogun.

“The on-going project at Mosinmi is time-bound. We have to do it and get it right.

“There are four tanks being worked on at the moment in Mosinmi. A new one is being built, while the other three are under rehabilitation.

(NAN)

Small entrepreneurs invest N158bn in oil equipment – Nwapa

Small entrepreneurs in the country have invested over $1 billion (about N158 billion) in the manufacturing and assemblage of various equipments in the oil and gas sector, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Ernest Nwapa has said.

 

Presenting the development report of the board at the 13th Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja yesterday, Nwapa said the small industries invested in drill bits, pumps, wellheads and christmas trees, cables, and valves manufacturing among others.

 

He said before the intervention of the board, the country has no shipyards, but now has one.

“On ship building, one major shipyard is established which has already commenced shipbuilding, adding that this is to ensure that Nigerian content counts in crude lifting tenders.

 

He said the board is currently collaborating with the Naval dockyard and other facilities on enhanced shipbuilding capabilities.

 

On the pipeline projects, Nwapa said Shell is collaborating with WSP to establish a 200,000 tonnes of seamless pipe mill in Port Harcourt. Addax is collaborating with Yulong to establish 250,000 tons of integrated line pipe mill in Bayelsa state. Kaztec has commenced plans to establish 200,000 tons of LSAW pipe mill in Lagos and Vigeo is in collaboration with Mittal to establish a line pipe mill in Sagamu.

Bahrain company to invest in Nigeria’s waste management

A delegation from the Middle East Recycling Company, Kingdom of Bahrain, has said it will invest in the recycling of the petroleum waste in Nigeria and bitumen manufacturing if given an enabling environment.

 

The head of the delegation Ashik Ali Kutay who visited the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) head office yesterday in Abuja said Nigeria will benefit from the investment.

He said: “We want to establish a relationship with Nigeria so that they can benefit from what we will invest here. We have been investing in Bahrain, Saudi and we have been getting returns from our investment, we have reached a stage where we want to help the people around us and those who work with us and treat us like family.”

 

Kutay said they discovered through the internet that Nigeria is generating lots of waste amounting to about 2.8 million tonnes.

 

“We are here to see that every waste is turned into wealth, the polythene thrown around town can be reused for the good of mankind. We are striving to get used things back so they can be useful again instead of dumping them,” he said.

 

Executive Secretary of NIPC Mustafa Bello said the idea of the delegation is a good one, adding that what is left for the government is to make sure that this intention is realised. He said the Nigerian government is looking towards renewable energy and recycling is one of those processes.

Foreign direct investment in South Africa still healthy, says Zuma

President Jacob Zuma. Picture: TREVOR SAMSON

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma on Thursday stuck to his guns, refuting criticism from the opposition that his administration was failing in key areas such as education, health and job creation.

Mr Zuma, responding after two days of sustained criticism from the opposition in the debate on his state of the nation address, also made what is arguably his strongest statement yet on crimes against women and children.

Importantly, he insisted that foreign direct investment into South Africa was healthy.
Closing the debate in the National Assembly, he said: "According to an average weighting by the World Bank, Transparency International and the World Economic Forum, besides others, South Africa is among the highest-ranked emerging markets.

Central Bank of Nigeria tightens regulations on banks

The Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) on Tuesday said it has reviewed the risk weights assigned to some certain exposures in the banking industry as part of efforts to entrench risk management in

banks.

The banking sector regulatory body said this in a letter with reference number:
"BSD/DIR/GEN/LAB/06/003," dated January 31; a copy of which was posted on its website.
The letter titled: "Review of Risk Weights on Certain Exposures in the Computation of Capital Adequacy," was approved by the Director of Banking Supervision of the Central Bank, Tokunbo Martins.

The regulatory body raised risk weighting on loans to the public sector from 100 per cent to 200 per cent – effectively discouraging states and local governments from crowding out private sector credit growth.

It also raised risk weighting of sectors which account for more than 20 per cent of the loan book from 100 per cent to 150 per cent.

The Central Bank said the recent crisis in the Nigerian banking industry highlighted several weaknesses in the system, key of which was the excessive concentration of credit in the asset portfolios of banks.

China’s Huawei had plans to invest in Nigeria’s Nitel

Chinese telecommunications company and fast-growing mobile phone handset

maker Huawei confirmed that it had planned to make a multi-million dollar

investment in Nigerian telecommunications company, Nitel. (Image: File)

Chinese telecommunications company and fast-growing mobile phone handset maker Huawei said that it had planned to make a $627 million investment into the now-defunct Nigerian telecommunications company, Nitel.

Nitel’s former COO Nicholas Okoye said that “had the corporation not had to contend with sabotage by politicians and ridiculous litigations by state governments, which sued Nitel’s new owners Transcorp for Nitel’s taxes dating as far back as 30 years, it would have been profitable.”

Dan Pink: The puzzle of motivation

“If you want people to perform better, you reward them, right? Bonuses, commissions, their own reality show. Incentivize them. … But that’s not happening here. You’ve got an incentive designed to sharpen thinking and accelerate creativity, and it does just the opposite. It dulls thinking and blocks creativity.” - Dan Pink

Career analyst Dan Pink examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most managers don't: Traditional rewards aren't always as effective as we think. Listen for illuminating stories -- and maybe, a way forward.

Bidding adieu to his last "real job" as Al Gore's speechwriter, Dan Pink went freelance to spark a right-brain revolution in the career marketplace.

Why you should listen to him:     

With a trio of influential bestsellers, Dan Pink has changed the way companies view the modern workplace. In the pivotal A Whole New Mind, Pink identifies a sea change in the global workforce -- the shift of an information-based corporate culture to a conceptual base, where creativity and big-picture design dominates the landscape.

His latest book, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko, is an evolutionary transformation of the familiar career guide. Replacing linear text with a manga-inspired comic, Pink outlines six career laws vastly differing from the ones you've been taught. Members of the Johnny Bunko online forum participated in an online contest to create the seventh law -- "stay hungry."

A contributing editor for Wired, Pink is working on a new book on the science and economics of motivation for release in late 2009.

"Pink has a knack for teaching in such an entertaining way that you'll forget you are learning."
Lexi Feinberg, Forbes.com

Africa: Inch By Inch - Africa's Determined Social Entrepreneurs

'Gbenga Sesan and Erik Charas, both graduates of the Tutu-sponsored African Leadership Institute, are helping the young and poor in Africa find a voice of their own.

When the character played by Al Pacino sat his football team down in the interval of a make-or-break game towards the end of the film Any Given Sunday, he described life as "a game of inches". In other words, it is all about the small steps forward, no matter what.

"We fight for that inch. We'll claw with our nails for that inch. Because we know that when we add up all those inches, that's going to make the difference between winning and losing. Between life, and death."

Determination is the active ingredient of a conventional entrepreneur. Set-backs, hurdles, puzzles and gatekeepers stand between you and your millions. But when you are a social entrepreneur, trying to effect change for good through business, you also have to take account of factor in poverty, drugs, alcohol, sex working, illness, mental health, or disabilities into your business plan. Your determination can be tested daily.

'Gbenga Sesan, the man with a plan

James B. Glattfelder: Who controls the world?

James Glattfelder studies complexity: how an interconnected system -- say, a swarm of birds -- is more than the sum of its parts. And complexity theory, it turns out, can reveal a lot about how the economy works. Glattfelder shares a groundbreaking study of how control flows through the global economy, and how concentration of power in the hands of a shockingly small number leaves us all vulnerable. (Filmed at TEDxZurich.)

James B. Glattfelder aims to give us a richer, data-driven understanding of the people and interactions that control our global economy. He does this not to push an ideology -- but with the hopes of making the world a better place.

Why you should listen to him:     

First a researcher at a Swiss hedge fund and then a physicist, James B. Glattfelder found himself amazed by the level of understanding we have in regards to the physical world and universe around us. He wondered: how can we move toward a similar understanding of human society?
This question led him to the study of complex systems, a subject he now holds a Ph.D in from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Glattfelder is co-head of quantitative research at Olsen Ltd in Zurich, an FX investment manager focusing on market-stabilizing algorithms. In 2011, he co-authored the study “The Network of Global Corporate Control,” which went viral in the international media and sparked many controversial discussions. The study looked at the architecture of ownership across the globe, and computed a level of control exerted by each international player. The study revealed that 75% of all the players in the global economy are part of a highly interconnected core which, because of the high levels of overlap, leaves the economy vulnerable.

In his free time, Glattfelder enjoys snowboarding, rock climbing, surfing and listening to electronic music.

"As protests against financial power sweep the world this week, science may have confirmed the protesters' worst fears. An analysis of the relationships between 43,000 transnational corporations has identified a relatively small group of companies, mainly banks, with disproportionate power over the global economy ... The study, by a trio of complex systems theorists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, is the first to go beyond ideology to empirically identify such a network of power." The New S

Eurobond rallies on economic growth forecast

Nigeria’s $500 million of Eurobond yields rallied for the first time in five days after a forecast that the country’s economic growth will accelerate this year and as foreign-exchange reserves increased. Borrowing costs on dollar debt due January 2021 declined three basis points to 4.370 percent as of 11:55 a.m. in London. The naira slipped less than 0.1 percent to 157.35 a dollar.

Nigeria’s economy will probably expand 6.8 percent this year compared with growth of 6.6 percent in 2012, the Abuja-based National Bureau of Statistics said today in an e-mailed report. The foreign-currency reserves of Africa’s most populous country have advanced 6 percent this year to $46.68 billion, the highest since at least 2010, according to Feb. 14 data compiled by the central bank.

FG to produce 400 million tons of LNG annually

The Federal Government plans to attain 400 million tons of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production per annum in line with the Gas Revolution
Project, an official said on Wednesday.

The Group Managing Director (GMD) of the NNPC, Mr Andrew Yakubu, made the statement shortly after declaring open the 13th Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition.
"We want to situate ourselves to capture the global and domestic markets.

Nestle withdraws pasta meals as horsemeat scandal spreads

Nestle has removed beef pasta meals sold under its Buitoni brand from sale in Italy and Spain after finding traces of horse meat.

This is because it is becoming the latest victim of a food scandal still spreading across Europe.

The world's biggest food company, which said as recently as last week its products had not been affected by the scare, said the decision to withdraw the products came after tests over the weekend showed traces of horse DNA in batches of meat used to prepare the meals.

Nestle spokesman Chris Hogg said on Tuesday the withdrawals would have no material financial impact on the company.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

Why you should listen to him:     

Why don't we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it's because we've been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies -- far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity -- are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. "We are educating people out of their creativity," Robinson says. It's a message with deep resonance. Robinson's TEDTalk has been distributed widely around the Web since its release in June 2006. The most popular words framing blog posts on his talk? "Everyone should watch this."

A visionary cultural leader, Sir Ken led the British government's 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education, a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy, and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements. His latest book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, a deep look at human creativity and education, was published in January 2009.

"Ken's vision and expertise is sought by public and commercial organizations throughout the world."
BBC Radio 4

Always move forward - Inspirational Presidential Quotes

Inspirational Presidential Quotes

I walk slowly, but I never walk backward. -- Abraham Lincoln

One of the most influential presidents in U.S. history, Lincoln inspired the U.S. during a long and difficult period. His progress in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation and ending the Civil War was arduous and hard-won, but he never gave up.

Success likely won't come overnight, so keep your goal in sight and keep moving forward -- no matter how slowly.

MTN maintains leadership position as industry crosses 113m active lines in Nigeria

MTN Nigeria, counting over 47.4 million subscribers, has maintained a comfortable lead in Nigeria’s highly competitive telecommunications market which crossed the 113 million active lines in 2012, according to a report by Renaissance Capital.

 

This figure represents a growth of 13 percent year-on-year, which according to industry analysts, is a much improved performance over 2011.

 

The report, however, says the performance exceeds management guidance of 5.3 million net additions by 0.5 million or 9.4 percent. Analysts told BusinessDay on Monday that the South African owned telecoms company has continued to sustain its market leadership by continuously redirecting its operational and marketing strategies to offer better customer service and innovative products with compelling value proposition.

US-based firm to stake N22.62bn in Nigeria’s real estate market

A United States -based firm, Amira Real Estate Investments, has entered the Nigerian real estate market with the aim of delivering a 23-storey structure of Premier Condo Units valued at $145million (about N22.62billion) within 24 months.

 

The project tagged “Amira” is already designed and is to be built in Abuja by USA construction companies, in line with that country’s efforts to create jobs for its citizens, while giving the Nigerian community a new and exciting place to call home.

 

At the time of completion, the 150 prospective occupants who are to pay $750,000 compared to the real value of $1.2million would be entitled to Green Cards (residency) of the United States.

Unlocking Business Ideas Hidden in the Natural World

Lloyd Watts, who reverse engineered the way the human ear works to develop

 of a chip used in cell phones, stands beside an acoustic testing robot at his

company's lab.

Image credit: Audience

When Janine Benyus coined the term biomimicry in 1997 to describe how nature can inspire innovation, she never expected her phone to start ringing off the hook. Since then, such companies as Procter & Gamble, Boeing, General Electric, Herman Miller, Nike and Levi Strauss have called, wanting to know how they can use nature as inspiration for new products.

While large corporations approached her initially, Benyus, cofounder of the Missoula, Mont.-based consulting firm Biomimicry 3.8, says entrepreneurs are often the ones developing the kind of nature-inspired innovations these large companies are after.
Why the business interest in nature? "Every single problem faced by humans today has been solved by nature," says Jay Harman, CEO of PAX Scientific, a San Rafael Calif.-based firm that conducts biomimicry research. "It has millions of years of trial and error with an open resource and development budget."

If you're interested in seeking inspiration in nature for your next business idea, here are three areas to investigate:

Tech Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets to Success - Billionaire tech entrepreneur Mark Cuban

Success. It's a relative term. Essentially, it refers to the accomplishment of a goal or aim. For some, that might mean finding happiness or wealth. For others, it could mean improving other people's lives.

So, what are the keys to success for technology entrepreneurs? Arguably, all these things -- with some innovation, creativity and fast growth sprinkled in. When interviewing some of the industry's most significant players, we've made it a point to pick their brains about what's key to being a successful tech entrepreneur and launching a successful tech startup.

From Mark Cuban to Guy Kawaksaki, here's some insight we've collected on what a tech 'trep needs in order to find success in business.

Don't compromise your core values - Inspirational Presidential Quotes

Inspirational Presidential Quotes

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. -- Thomas Jefferson

The founding father and primary author of the Declaration of Independence knew a thing or two about principles. Among his many notable political achievements, is the bill he wrote in 1786 establishing religious freedom, which was used as a model for the religious language in the Bill of Rights.

When it comes to trends in the market it helps to stay current, but when it comes to what your company really believes in, stand firm and stay true to your principles.

Remember what is important - Inspirational Presidential Quotes

Inspirational Presidential Quotes

Tell the truth, work hard, and come to dinner on time. -- Gerald R. Ford

The only president in U.S. history who was never elected to office (he succeed the impeached president Richard Nixon), may not have sought his role as a world leader, but he served his short term with honesty. Ford had a reputation as an open, trustworthy everyman, and his words can serve as a reminder that some of the most important things about leadership are also the simplest.

Youths urged to enter Africa’s entrepreneurial awards

Business Reporter
YOUNG entrepreneurs have been encouraged to contest the Anzisha Prize, Africa’s top entrepreneurial awards which reward young Africans who are making a difference on the continent and in their communities.

The prestigious awards are hosted by the African Leadership Academy in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation to identify exceptional young entrepreneurs who are leading by example and underscore their ability to significantly shape the future of Africa.

“There are thousands of entrepreneurial African youth that are making a difference in their communities. We want to hear their stories, celebrate their successes and invest in their potential. We are delighted to be rewarding young entrepreneurs who could very well be the African business leaders of the future,” said Chi Achebe, Anzisha Prize programme manager.

Small achievements happen every day - Inspirational Presidential Quotes

Accomplishment will prove to be a journey, not a destination. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower

The two-term president had a long resumé when taking office in 1952, including serving as a five-star major general in World War II. Leading the county during a turbulent decade in office that included the end of the Korean War, he took a pragmatic approach to achieving his objectives. If big picture success seems too lofty of a goal, focus on what you can achieve each day.

True leaders inspire others - Inspirational Presidential Quotes

Inspirational Presidential Quotes


If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. -- John Quincy Adams

Despite his struggles with opposition in Congress, the sixth president of the U.S. still knew that a good leader is only as strong as those he works with. Adams managed to pay off much the national debt in his single term in office. Motivating your team to go above and beyond is just as important as being motivated yourself.

A Glimpse Inside NYC's Startup Scene

Five years since the financial crisis, New York City has blossomed into a startup magnet. (Please see related story, "Big Ideas in the Big Apple.")

image credit: Warby Parker

Thanks to an influx of capital and entrepreneurial resources, the Big Apple has seen a rise of new ventures spanning a host of industries. Many have been born in the city's accelerators and incubators. Still others have benefitted from New York's tech-savvy labor pool.

Here's a look at some upstarts groomed in New York's fast-paced business community.

Cathy Carroll contributed to this report.

Central Bank of Nigeria, bankers upbeat about agent banking

Although the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is yet to blow the final whistle to signal the commencement of the proposed agent banking in Nigeria, there are indications that the potential of the new policy to capture a large segment of the hitherto unbanked people is driving banks to embark on a flurry of activities, reports Festus Akanbi

Financial experts including top echelons of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the weekend threw their weight behind the planned introduction of agent banking by the apex bank in view of the failure of the current banking sector template to accommodate low-income earners, especially the rural dwellers.

Mainstreet Board Not in Crisis, Says AMCON

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Monday described as false a report from a national newspaper that the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Mainstreet Bank Limited, Mrs. Faith Tuedor- Matthews, had been suspended by the board of directors of the bank.

 Head, Corporate Communications, AMCON, Mr. Kayode Lambo, in a text message to THISDAY Monday, said the corporation was not aware of such development.

Investment In Onne Free Trade Zone Hits $6b

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku

EIGHT years into its operations, about $6 billion has been invested in the Onne Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone, Rivers State, where about 30,000 workers, including indigenes, are gainfully employed.

Speaking when the National Good Governance Tour visited the port at the weekend, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said the free trade zone initiative has attracted 150 companies.

He noted that the Federal Government established free trade zones to attract foreign investment to the country; create employment and transfer skills to indigenes of the locations.

How YouTube Went From Startup to the World's Largest Video-Sharing Site

YouTube is the world's most popular online video site, with users watching 4 billion hours worth of video each month, and uploading 72 hours worth of video every minute.
Since its inception in 2005, YouTube has grown from a site devoted to amateur videos to one that distributes original content.
It played an instrumental role during the Arab Spring, and has also helped jumpstart the careers of Justin Bieber and Korean pop sensation Psy.

How YouTube Went From Startup to the World's Largest Video-Sharing Site

Dangote seeks improved investment profile for Africa

Raises investment in Zambia to $800m


THE President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has urged developed countries to promote investments in Africa rather than providing aids for the continent, arguing that through investment in the real sector the region can achieve real growth and development.
Dangote, who was speaking at a recent event in Lagos, added that African businessmen should increase the tempo of their investments across the continent to spur growth and development in Africa.

Nigerian Stock Exchange Signs MoU With Thomson Reuters

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NGSE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thomson Reuters, one of the world's leading sources of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, to provide Investor Relations Services to its listed companies, as part of its Value Added Services (X-Value) bouquet.

The NGSE launched its X-Value offering on November 30, 2012, as a key element of its business development efforts aimed at attracting new listings, creating a competitive edge for listed companies and retaining current listings. The initiative is also expected to improve investors' interest in the market through enhanced information and assist listed companies in complying with post-listing obligations.

Richard Branson on Entrepreneurial Determination

Editor's Note: Entrepreneur Richard Branson regularly shares his business experience and advice with readers. Ask him a question and your query might be the inspiration for a future column.

Q: Is self-motivation an innate quality or is it something that can be learned and improved upon?
- Chris Prior, Liverpool, England
If you aren't good at motivating yourself, you probably won't get very far in business – especially as an entrepreneur. When you're starting up a company and for the first couple of years afterward, there are a lot of long nights and stressful days, and the workload is heavy. You have to be able to give the job everything you've got every day, or it will easily get the better of you.
 

Hunting for Business Ideas? Consider Looking at These 8 Hot Industries

There may be a lot of economic uncertainty, but that doesn't mean it's a bad time to launch a business. For a few business ideas, take a spin through this list of eight online industries expected to see healthy U.S. revenue growth in 2013 that are hot for startups, according to industry research firm IBISWorld.

Social network game development -- People are spending more time on social networks like Facebook and they are also spending an ever increasing number of hours online, thanks to the rapid adoption of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Consumers are spending more time playing games that are embedded into their social network: The industry has grown by an astonishing 184 percent per year on average for the past five years, IBIS reports. By the end of 2013, U.S. sales in the industry are expected to grow another 32 percent and hit $6 billion.

Ludwick Marishane: A bath without water

If you had to walk a mile for a jug of water every day, as millions of people do, it's unlikely you'd use that precious water to bathe. Young entrepreneur Ludwick Marishane tells the amazing, funny story of how he invented a cheap, clean and convenient solution: DryBath, the world’s first bath-substituting lotion.

Student Ludwick Marishane invented a water-less bathing lotion and was named the 2011 Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award -- all because he didn't feel like taking baths.

Why you should listen to him:     

One day Ludwick Marishane and his best friend were sunbathing in the sweltering heat in their native Limpopo. Marishane's friend turned to him and said, "Man, why doesn't somebody invent something that you can just put on your skin and then you don't have to bathe?" Marishane, 17 at the time, thought: Yeah, why not? It took six months of research to develop a formula for a lotion that cleanses cheaply and easily -- especially important for the 2.5 billion people worldwide who lack proper access to water and sanitation.
DryBath has the same effect as anti-bacterial cleanser, but it's odorless and creates a biodegradable film that cleanes and moisturizes the skin. Five years later, it's now available on the market. Marishane has since enrolled at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and was named the Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011.

Funding Round Values Photo-Sharing Startup Snapchat at $70 Million

This week's need-to-know social-media news.

image credit: snapchat.com

Snapchat, the photo-sharing app that allows users to send self-destructing messages, has raised $13.5 in venture capital -- a funding round that reportedly values the company at $60 to $70 million, despite Snapchat's lack of revenue. Would-be founders should take notice: When it comes to getting funding in the current startup climate, a great concept and a large, devoted user base apparently matter more than a path to profitability.

Couple Entrepreneurs Rekindle Romance by Starting Up

Ronnie and Lamar Tyler started a blog about their

marriage that turned into a full-time media business.

Image credit: Zahra Tyler

If you've ever been late to work because you couldn't break away from your lover, you may have wished that the two of you worked together. Many married entrepreneurs have tried and many have succeeded at this goal. But few have launched products or companies that were actually inspired by love.
This Valentine's Day, Entrepreneur.com caught up with three couples who started businesses based on their love.

Eddie Obeng: Smart failure for a fast-changing world

The world is changing much more rapidly than most people realize, says business educator Eddie Obeng -- and creative output cannot keep up. In this spirited talk, he highlights three important changes we should understand for better productivity, and calls for a stronger culture of “smart failure."

Our environment changes faster than we can learn about it, Eddie Obeng says. How do we keep up?

Why you should listen to him:

What will business look like in 5 years? (Er, what does it look like now?) Eddie Obeng helps executives keep up with a business and social environment that's changing faster than we can know. Through Pentacle, his online business school, Obeng teaches a theory of management that focuses on adaptation to change. Called "New World Management," it's all about forming and re-forming workgroups, constantly re-evaluating metrics, and being open to all kinds of learning, from hands-on group exercises to a virtual lecture hall/meeting room called the QUBE.


"Making it happen' is Obeng’s constant refrain and his books are an antidote to the dryness of much managerial theorizing. They come complete with their lessons in fictional form. Old world they are not." - Financial Times

Foreign money floods Zim Stock Exchange

Sound businesses, relatively cheap stocks and good news on the political front provide a solid counter to negative news reports on Zimbabwe.

The day Finance Minister Tendai Biti claimed the country had only $217 left in the bank, fund manager Alan Mutasa signed up a new American investor wanting to spend millions on Zimbabwean stocks.

 

While the world feasts on bad news from Zimbabwe, foreign investors are pouring money in to the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE), making it one the world's best performing markets.

An article in a Nigerian newspaper last week claimed the Nigerian Stock Exchange's 13.4% January gain had "dwarfed all other stock markets globally". But, in fact, Nigeria was only a distant second to the ZSE, which rose 20.3% during the month.   

 

OPEC targets 29.8mn bpd oil production in 2013

NIGERIA and other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are expected to produce an average of 29.8 million barrels a day in 2013, or 100,000 a day more than it estimated a month ago, according to the cartel’s February monthly report.

The report, which was released Tuesday, put the organisation’s output in January at 500,000 barrels a day.Total OPEC crude oil production averaged 30.32 million bpd in January, representing a minor decline of 21,000 bpd from the previous month.

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon: Women entrepreneurs, example not exception

“If you're talking about entrepreneurs in conflict and post-conflict settings, then you must talk about women, because they are the population you have left.” - Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Reporter Gayle Tzemach Lemmon writes about women entrepreneurs around the world.

Women aren’t micro--so why do they only get micro-loans? Reporter Gayle Tzemach Lemmon argues that women running all types of firms-- from home businesses to major factories-- are the overlooked key to economic development.(Filmed at TEDxWomen.)

Why you should listen to her:

Again, First Bank emerges Nigeria’s top banking brand

GTB, Zenith Bank also get top ranking in The Bankers rating

 

FIRST Bank of Nigeria Plc has again, emerged the number one banking brand in Nigeria in the Top 500 World Banking Brands Ranking just released by The Banker and Brand Finance in the United Kingdom.

 

As published in the current edition of The Banker Magazine of the Financial Times Group London, First Bank emerged top in Nigeria,  closely followed by Guaranty Trust Bank, and Zenith Bank

It would be recalled that First Bank also emerged number one banking brand in Nigeria last year among the four banks that made the 2012 ranking.

How social entrepreneurs are inspiring change across Africa

Leadership programmes are facilitating social enterprise projects that could be a viable alternative to aid

Archbishop Desmond Tutu's leadership fellowship programme is helping entrepreneurs solve social problems across Africa. Photograph: Martin Meissner/Associated Press

When 'Gbenga Sesan touched down onto the tarmac at Lagos airport, he folded up his ticket and tucked it into his jacket pocket. Hailing a cab straight to his office, he went to work right away. He was implementing what he had plotted out during the six-hour flight, and his airline ticket, covered in pencilled scribbles, was the blueprint for a new Lagos.

Sesan had just returned from Johannesburg, where he was one of 22 emerging leaders selected for the Archbishop Tutu leadership fellowship programme. Young Africans from business, government or development backgrounds had been selected in the early part of 2007, by the Africa Leadership Institute, and flown to a secluded conference centre in South Africa. There they were put through an intense series of seminars, discussions, lectures and exercises about leadership.

Speaker Cameron Herold: Entrepreneur

"Start building a network of fellow entrepreneurs that understand your passion and don’t make you feel guilty about always chasing it." Cameron Herold

 

Bored in school, failing classes, at odds with peers: This child might be an entrepreneur, says Cameron Herold. In his talk, he makes the case for parenting and education that helps would-be entrepreneurs flourish -- as kids and as adults.(Filmed at TEDxEdmonton.)
      


An entrepreneur since childhood, Cameron Herold wants parents and teachers to recognize -- and foster -- entrepreneurial talent in kids.

Why you should listen to him:     

For 20 years, Cameron Herold has been coaching entrepreneurs on five continents, helping them build their companies. He started BackPocket COO to coach and mentor young, fun companies -- and help them make their dreams happen.

Herold was a leading force behind one of the most successful new business ventures of the last decade, 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. He was Chief Operating Officer for nearly seven years. Prior to that, he was VP of Corporate Development at Ubarter.com.

Have some idle funds, check out car hire business

If you have some idle funds and still do not know where to invest it. Someone said car hire business is a cash milling business. Car hire has become a major necessity of today and establishing yourself as one of the best car hire companies can give you lot of profit as travel and tourism takes center stage in the global economy.

The car is not only being hired by the people on a trip, but also by those who have their cars at the workshops for repair. There are people who don’t opt for hiring cars from the very elite car hire companies but go in to hire one from the smaller car hire companies. This is where you can get a chance to prove your worth.

“We have a choice to make during our brief visit to this beautiful blue and green living planet: to hurt it or to help it.” - Ray Anderson

Ray Anderson founded the company that makes covetable Flor carpeting. But behind the fresh design is a decades-deep commitment to sustainable ways of doing business -- culminating in the Mission Zero plan.

At his carpet company, Ray Anderson has increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional "take / make / waste" industrial system on its head. In a gentle, understated way, he shares a powerful vision for sustainable commerce.

Why you should listen to him:     

Ray Anderson founded Interface, the company that makes those adorable Flor carpet tiles (as well as lots of less whizzy but equally useful flooring and fabric). He was a serious carpet guy, focused on building his company and making great products. Then he read Paul Hawken's book The Ecology of Commerce. Something clicked: with his company's global reach and manufacturing footprint, he was in a position to do something very real, very important, in building a sustainable world.
Anderson focused the company's attention on sustainable decisionmaking, taking a hard look at suppliers, manufacturing processes, and the beginning-to-end life cycle of all its products. (For example: If you can't find a place to recycle a worn or damaged Flor tile, Interface invites you to send it back to them and they'll do it for you.) They call this drive Mission Zero: "our promise to eliminate any negative impact our company may have on the environment by the year 2020."
Anderson, who died in August 2011, estimated that since 2001 he'd given more than 1,000 speeches making the business case for sustainability. He often ended his talks with the poem "Tomorrow's Child," written by an Interface employee, Glenn Thomas.

"Just trust me and order some tiles. What more do you need to see that sustainability looks pretty good?" - Jill Danyelle, fiftyRX3

Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are

Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” -- standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident -- can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.

      


Amy Cuddy’s research on body language reveals that we can change other people’s perceptions — and even our own body chemistry — simply by changing body positions.

Why you should listen to her:     

Amy Cuddy wasn’t supposed to become a successful scientist. In fact, she wasn’t even supposed to finish her undergraduate degree. Early in her college career, Cuddy suffered a severe head injury in a car accident, and doctors said she would struggle to fully regain her mental capacity and finish her undergraduate degree.
But she proved them wrong. Today, Cuddy is a professor and researcher at Harvard Business School, where she studies how nonverbal behavior and snap judgments affect people from the classroom to the boardroom. And her training as a classical dancer (another skill she regained after her injury) is evident in her fascinating work on "power posing" -- how your body position influences others and even your own brain.

"Using a few simple tweaks to body language, Harvard researcher Amy Cuddy discovers ways to help people become more powerful." - TIME Game Changers, March 19, 2012

Quotes by Amy Cuddy

“Don't fake it till you make it. Fake it till you become it.”

“Our bodies change our minds, and our minds can change our behavior, and our behavior can change our outcomes.”

“When we think of nonverbals, we think of how we judge others. … We tend to forget, though, the other audience that's influenced by our nonverbals: ourselves.”

HAPPY VALENTINE TO ALL OUR FANS - Enjoy your day

Rise of the Male Grooming Sector

Valentine's Day gifts are hard to come by and ideas on what to buy men, even more so.

ABN's Arabile Gumede explores a sector that has traditionally been reserved for women, but is gaining traction among the brutes of human kind.