Author Archives: Allen

Don’t Forget the Little Guys: Pens Increase African School Attendance by 30%

Over the past year, attendance in participating schools [in Malawi] has gone up by 30% due to the simple addition of pens in the classroom. – Goods4Good I ran across this statistic the other day and was struck by the impact of such a relatively simple and focused initiative – supply pens to poverty stricken [...]
Posted in Social Enterprise, Unconventional Ideas | Leave a comment

Take the Money and Run: Vibram Five Fingers Shoes Case Study

Take the money! Don’t try to reposition your product so that the intended customers use it as intended. But learn where and why you are succeeding, then adjust. ~ Guy Kawasaki (paraphrased from The Art of the Start) Vibram Fiver Fingers, the ridiculous-looking reptilian like footwear, have been idolized in the running community as [...]
Posted in Business Development, Entrepreneurship | 2 Comments

Apocalypse Nashville: The Flooding of a Millennium and How You Can Help

Overshadowed by the news in the gulf, Arizona, and Times Square NYC, the devastating floods that ripped through Nashville, TN slid quickly and quietly under the news radar. Over the course of this past Saturday and Sunday approximately 15 to 18 inches of rain fell on Nashville, over about as many hours, in what the Corps [...]
Posted in Social Enterprise | 1 Comment

The Economics of Obesity and Why We Need More Help than Jamie Oliver

Over the past few months Jamie Oliver, Britain’s own Naked Chef, has captivated American viewers with his hit show Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution – a tale of one chef’s battle against obesity and to transform the way Americans eat and live. However, while emotionally compelling and entertaining (I didn’t miss an episode!), Jamie’s movement, which [...]
Posted in Health, Unconventional Ideas | 2 Comments

Not Only is Failure an Option, It’s Mandatory

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that successful innovation most often derives from a series of failures. I found this interview with chef David Chang, of Momofuku restaurants in NYC, to be a welcomed reminder. His notoriety has spurred from his collection of highly successful Momofuku restaurants (Ko, Ssam, Noodle Bar, & Milk Bar) in NYC, [...]
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Unconventional Ideas | 3 Comments

The Sleeper Business Strategy: Personal Health

Why are sleepless nights, late evening fast food dinners at the office, and unused gym memberships the badges of honor for driven entrepreneurs and aspiring business leaders? Believe me, I’m the worst offender. I realize there are only so many hours in a day and only so many hands to do the work, [...]
Posted in Health, Unconventional Ideas | 3 Comments

When seeking partnerships, lose your pitch and perfect your question

What’s more important than perfecting your pitch? Perfecting your question. Forming strategic partnerships, especially early on, can be the catalyst necessary to take a new business from year 1 to year 2. However, pitching a potential business partner can be tricky, especially if they are an industry incumbent and you’re the new guy on [...]
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Changing the World is Cheap

I harp on the power of the internet as a tool for philanthropy a lot. It’s hard not too. The increases in communication and financial payment platforms on the web have crushed the barriers that used to block access to third world countries. Now, anyone can set up an online fundraiser to [...]
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Social Enterprise, Travel, Unconventional Ideas | 1 Comment

Library For Laos: Updates and Photos

Last week I received an email with photos from the crew at Big Brother Mouse in Luang Prabang, Laos updating me on the reading programs we funded through the Library For Laos campaign. For those that don’t know, Library For Laos was a blitz fund raiser run by Ryan Graves and myself last spring [...]
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Social Enterprise, Travel | Leave a comment

Kiva.org Needs Better Twitter Integration (A Micro Case Study)

It can sometimes be difficult to explain to friends and family the power of Twitter, so I’ve resorted to telling them the following story. Furthermore, this story serves as a micro case study as to why Kiva.org needs better social media integration. How We Raised $550 for a Lady in Cambodia in 7 Hours Using [...]
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Social Enterprise | 1 Comment
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