Why Mentoring Matters

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I'm posting these comments for you to see how fabulous our Gen-Y'ers are (not to be boastful or bragging, I'm just honored to be able to meet these kids). Their ability to listen, distill, discern, learn, apply and share are way beyond what ours were at their age, let alone 10, 20, 30 years older. We need to listen, distill, discern, learn, apply and share their wisdom with the rest of the world.  As my friend Carmen Medina has said, "Optimism is the greatest act of rebellion." Please, get to know Gen-Y kids, share with them, encourage them - the joy you will receive is overwhelming.  They are our future!

 

From: Sabrina Yu (Jing-Wen)
Subject: Thank you once again for meeting us last Monday!
Date: 23September, 2012 2:19:28 PM EDT
To: Deborah Mills-Scofield <deborah_mills-scofield@brown.edu>

Hello Deb,

The EP [Entrepreneur Program] leaders would like to thank you again for speaking to us at Ben and Jerry's. We also have something to say to you.

Sabrina: ""Dear Deb, I am always inspired when I talk to you or read your blog posts. Thank you for encouraging us and providing great insights!"

Elizabeth: "Deb - you are wonderful and we are so grateful to have your time - thanks for inspiring us and encouraging us to think about important things. You are a tremendous role model, thanks again!"

Ashley: "To be entrepreneurial is to be creative--thank you for reinforcing that Deb!"

Max: "Thank you so much for coming by and chatting with us. I loved the emphasis you placed on "doing" and "creating," and hope to create an outlet on campus for students to experiment with easy prototypes from the MAKE Magazine collection. Brown is a place of opportunity for the initiated, and after listening to you, I am very energized to spread the spark. Warm regards,"

Alex: "Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us. Your observation that a business serves as a vehicle for learning resonated with me. A personal goal is to give as many students as possible the opportunity catch, and learn from, the entrepreneurship bug. Brown students love to create change, entrepreneurship is the perfect platform. Regards,"

Joseph: "Dear Deb, Thank you for giving EP members an opportunity to hear you speak. I personally enjoyed listening to you talk about the time-tested wisdoms and values of entrepreneurship. I am trying to start a business and your words were invaluable. I hope to see you again in the future. Best regards,"

Sabrina Yu 
Brown University, Class of 2015 

How to Have an Impact without Electricity and the Internet

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This is a guest post by Kona Shen, Founder of GOALS Haiti, mentioned here.  What she has done for youth and their families in Haiti demonstrates courage, compassion, purpose and leadership savvy few CEO’s of any age possess.  Kona shares the starkly different definitions of ‘basic needs’ between the USA and Haiti and how it affects her productivity and impact…a lesson for us all!

Sometimes, when I get accused of being a workaholic, I laugh. I do work hard, but I don’t think I qualify. My schedule typically consists of a nine-hour workday, Monday through Friday. I don’t have internet on my phone, don’t work on projects late at night or on weekends, and almost always take a real lunch hour.

Mostly this has to do with living in Haiti. I began traveling to Haiti as a volunteer in 2007 and moved here in 2010 to launch an organization called GOALS. GOALS uses soccer to engage youth in public service and education that improve quality of life and develop new leadership. We’re up to 600 kids per month with a staff of 18 local leaders focused on long-term, community-driven development.

There are times when full-time electricity, internet, and air-conditioning would be nice. Most days, communications and logistics take more forethought and I can’t always be reached.  It took me a while to figure out what a meme was, and I can barely name any movie, song, or YouTube clip that’s been famous in the last two years.

Of course, I don’t want to minimize Haiti’s long-term infrastructure needs, including electricity and internet. But personally, I don’t miss the 24/7 access to power much. In Haiti, I read more books, do more yoga, write more essays, and cook more meals. I actually studied French instead of putting it off. Without the temptation of the internet and fewer gadgets, there seems to be more hours in the day.

In the U.S., electricity at night and streaming internet is usually enough to derail me. I find myself hammering out emails at 11PM on Sunday with the TV on and my phone lighting up with messages. Clearly, I don’t have the discipline to pretend that turning electronics on isn’t an option.

Why does it matter? Because, for me, more work doesn’t produce better work. It turns out, my light bulb moments come to me when I step back. I get so many new ideas out on walks or runs that I carry a pen to make notes. When I make an effort After Isaac: Cleaning out a kitchento do less, the truly important work gets done first, the biggest breakthroughs happen and GOALS is better for it. Best of all, I find myself looking forward to Monday morning instead of burning out before the week even begins. 

Notes:

GOALS Haiti just won Beyond Sport’s award for Best New Project.

2 Degrees of Separation? Last month, Kona was in San Francisco meeting Arnold Ambiel, Director of Operations for One World Futbol.  He suggested she get in touch with Deb Mills-Scofield. Not letting on, Kona asked how he knew me.  He replied that he followed me on Twitter but didn’t know me personally.  Little did he know we were already connected – through bonds of purpose, passion and our alma mater.