Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

[David Mullings]

I am planning and hosting a free entrepreneurship lecture series under the banner Think Globally. Act Locally. The event is sponsored by Jamaica National Building Society and endorsed by the Young Professionals Network of Jamaica (YPNJ).

The speaker is a good friend of mine who asked me to endorse his new book on entrepreneurship, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur .

Date: <span style="font-weight: bold">September 13, 2008</span>
Place: <span style="font-weight: bold">UWI Mona Library Multipurpose Room</span>
Time: <span style="font-weight: bold">1pm to 3pm</span>
Cost: <span style="font-weight: bold">Free</span>

Guest speaker: <span style="font-weight: bold">Mike Michalowicz</span>

<span style="font-style: italic">About Mike Michalowicz</span>

Mike Michalowicz started his first business at the age of 24, moving his young family to the only safe place he could afford - a retirement village. With limited resources and no experience, he systematically grew a multi-million dollar technology business, sleeping in conference rooms to avoid hotel costs. After selling his first company, Mike launched a new business the very next day, and in less than three years, sold it to a Fortune 500. With his newest venture, Obsidian Launch, he fosters startup businesses with his “get rich right” approach.

A graduate of Inc. &amp; MIT’s “Birthing of Giants” Entrepreneurial Program, Mike received Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards multiple times. He is a recurring guest on CNBC’s The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, has been featured on National Public Radio (NPR), and in the New York Times, Smart CEO Magazine, and other publications.

Mike is a guest lecturer for entrepreneurial groups at Babson, Boston College, Columbia, Harvard, Penn State, and other colleges throughout the USA.

[Wahalla]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

Fus tink dat nat very Entrepreneurial not charging entry... Den mi tink... im get im money back two way.. Have a pila buk fi sell an teif any idea deh suck...ah atendee dem ha....

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

Jamaica National know what they are doing. They will get the cintacts,ot some of the most qualified furure mcustomers. Business behaves mostly like playing a game of chess.
The result takes a few plays down the road to become obvious. If the private sector organization,or the chamber of commerce, was as forward thinking,they would be aeash in preoperoty through the growth of young dunamic busineses.
If you examine any economy you will find that the major area of growth does not come from old businesses, but from the new kids ion the block.
The AOLs Apple,Microsift,Googles,and the miriad of business that comes out of places like MITs Enterprize center.
Although the old businesses usually benefit from that growth too,but it is these areas that are the catalists for that grpwth. In many cases the older busuiness buy these and benefit further by injecting this new dynamism an dexperience greater profitabillity..

The difference with the Jamaican privatesector, is that they ssee the Jamaican economy as a zero sum game.

Whereas if thse young guns enter the economy, they old existing businesses would loose out.

They may loose market share, but with a healthy growth and still more profitable. That they can't see.
In othr words, they don't see beyond their antiquated cash register.

[David Mullings]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

The event is entirely my idea and Jamaica National graciously signed on to help make it a reality.

Mike, the speaker is not charging a speaking fee and will not have any books to sell. In fact, he will have free copies of his book to give away. He is doing me a personal favour (He is a friend and asked me to endorse his book).

He also does not need to steal ideas from anyone. His company, Obsidian Launch, partners with entrepreneurs to help take their company to the next level.

Maybe an attendee will end up benefitting from such a partnership in the near future, never know.

I made the event free because I believe in giving back to my country and helping others, not trying to make money off every single thing.

To Dr. Dudd's point: I wholeheartedly agree that the private sector in Jamaica has been far too dismissive of the potential of entrepreneurs, especially the young ones.

We do not have business plan competitions, angel investing groups or incubators to take Jamaica to the next level. UTECH does have a small centre but we need funding as well, not just a place to work.

Zero-sum is true - they are more focused on carving up the current pie instead of working to grow the whole pie.

I don't intend to be like that.

[Wahalla]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

<span style="font-weight: bold">Zero-sum is true - they are more focused on carving up the current pie instead of working to grow the whole pie.
</span>

Mi agree deh pie fi grow.. More cow..more goat more milk... more to distrub

But I dont beleive in zero sum alturism.. At best I veiw it as ego driven alturism....

[David Mullings]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

Ego-driven altruism is quite fine as far as I am concerned.

Bill Gates donates hundreds of millions of dollars to fight malaria in Africa = Africans benefit and Bill Gates' ego increases even more (if it can).

Good deal to me.

I personally want to help spark an entrepreneurship drive in Jamaica and then identify the most promising projects to invest my money into.

Like any angel investor, I will help someone achieve their dreams and get a good return on my investment.

[Wahalla]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

never said it was not part of an over all stategy.... But dont make out as if there was no reward from the action, some saintly reason.. Rewards as now doubt you were taught by someone telling you how to maximise profitsby reducing cost is not always money and once a certain economic renumeration is reached is less so.. Ego stoking is one such reward...

[David Mullings]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

You do realize that is exactly what I said right?

&quot;Ego-driven altruism is quite fine as far as I am concerned.&quot;

[johnnycakes]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

&quot;Bill Gates donates hundreds of millions of dollars to fight malaria in Africa = Africans benefit and Bill Gates' ego increases even more (if it can).&quot;

Bill Gates is worth tens of billions. He and all the other billionaires/millionaires in the world are sitting on piles of money while scores of millions around the world starve to death and/or die from curable and preventable diseases.

If one has any sense of morality or is a follower of Christ's teachings (and not just a nominal Christian) then one would have to believe that Bill Gates and his ilk are merely salving their consciences with their relatively paltry donations rather than really trying to change how the world's goods and services are so unfairly distributed.

I'm sure that Gates will get get a cooler room in Hell for all his charity.

&quot;It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle...&quot; and all that.

[Gen]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

bill gates merely salving his conscience aye sah


huh much yuh mek suh far ? and donation ? how dat guh ?

[David Mullings]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

Since you bring up Christianity:

<span style="font-weight: bold">For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.</span>
Job 5:2

<span style="font-weight: bold">A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.</span>
Proverbs 14:30

<span style="font-weight: bold">But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.</span>
Acts 13:45

<span style="font-weight: bold">But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.</span>
James 3:14

<span style="font-weight: bold">Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?</span>
James 4:5

The Bible says that <span style="font-weight: bold">Envy</span> is one of the 7 deadly sins.

The Bible also says:

<span style="font-weight: bold">And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.</span>
- 1 Peter 4:8

As well as:

<span style="font-weight: bold">And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.</span>
- Matthew 25:40

Note that the <span style="font-weight: bold">Pharisees</span> were followers of God yet what did Jesus say about them:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

- Matthew 15: 7-14</div></div>

Based on these teachings in the Bible, how would Jesus Christ speak of people like Bill Gates?

A true Christian would honour Christ by what comes out of their mouth.

[evanovitch]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wahalla</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <span style="font-weight: bold">Zero-sum is true - they are more focused on carving up the current pie instead of working to grow the whole pie.
</span>

Mi agree deh pie fi grow.. More cow..more goat more milk... more to distrub

But I dont beleive in zero sum alturism.. At best I veiw it as <span style="font-weight: bold">ego driven alturism....</span>

</div></div>

a contradiction in terms dont u tink...<span style="font-weight: bold">ego driven</span> <span style="font-style: italic">altruism</span> if u r di former, u r not being di latta...

[evanovitch]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: David_Mullings</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ego-driven altruism is quite fine as far as I am concerned.

Bill Gates donates hundreds of millions of dollars to fight malaria in Africa = Africans benefit and Bill Gates' ego increases even more (if it can).

Good deal to me.

I personally want to help spark an entrepreneurship drive in Jamaica and then identify the most promising projects to invest my money into.

Like any angel investor, I will help someone achieve their dreams <span style="font-weight: bold">and get a good return on my investment</span>. </div></div>

proof positive indeed

[David Mullings]

Re: Free Entrepreneurship Lecture Series - Sep. 13, UWI

It is NOT an oxymoron.

I use the definition taught to me in Biology class (I have a B. Sc. in Biology):
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-weight: bold">behavior by an animal that may be to its disadvantage but that benefits others of its kind</span></div></div>

So I am an animal called a business person and it is to my disadvantage to invest money in someone else's venture because it would be far smarter to invest in my own venture until I am a billionaire, like what Michael Dell, Bill Gates and so forth have done.

It would only be an oxymoron if my business was the business of investing in the business of other people, like Warren Buffett.

Maybe you never thought of it that way.

I decided I should also define how I view <span style="font-style: italic">ego</span> since that may also affect outlook and most people have the wrong view of what ego is.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">your consciousness of your own identity</div></div>

So I am helping others in a way that is directly disadvantageous to my business (but not my pocketbook of course) while improving the the view of myself.

Of course some will argue that if something has one advantage, it is advantageous, regardless of all the disadvantages.

To them I would say, buy some land that is underwater because it has the advantage of you owning land and they land appreciates in value over a any 20-year period.

Don't pay any attention to the fact that the land is not habitable (yet? climate change?)