A friend of mine is quitting her job to go teach in Rwanda. I wished her well, and was very happy for her, but then immediately, I had a question: do you have a network in place? This question, it turns out, is quite a core piece of what Julien and I think matters to the way business is done these days (and honestly, the way life is done). And it’s a bit evolutionary, so let’s talk a moment more about it.

 Our Old Networks

In the old days, our network was a little easier to understand: relatives, neighbors, coworkers, schoolmates. It was weighted heavily on genetics, geography, and our job. It made a lot of sense. The downside was that, if a region got hit hard by lack of work, then we were all in the same boat. The downside was, everyone knew us for what we were, so they had trouble seeing us for what we wanted to become. The downside was, sometimes, we wanted to shift radically, and we didn’t have a sense of what to do. Keith Ferrazzi wrote the classic book, Never Eat Alone, back before we had little digital networks in our pockets at all times. He wrote it for the people who hadn’t yet found the new networks.

 Our New Networks

We have new tools, new opportunities, new ways of gathering people to us. With tools like Facebook, we can connect with people from our past and in related fields. With tools like Twitter, we can connect with anyone in the world. Our new networks are based more about thinking, mindsets, ideals, passions, and future visions. We can be who we want to be, or who we’re growing into being. Our past is there, but it’s not often the focal point. It’s our ideas and our ideals that drive things forward. ABN: Always Be Networking

Danger: I don’t mean “always be networking” in the smarmy, business card ninja way. I mean it in the “let’s connect with wonderful, thoughtful people all over the world” kind of way. In my network are people from every continent (though not as many in Africa). In my network are many walks of life, from preachers to millionaires, from teachers to artists to real estate types. They range in age from the early teens up into the 70s and 80s.

 That’s on purpose. I love the diversity. I love being able to reach out and help others connect because of the larger and larger web I’m weaving. A healthy, thriving network is a beautiful thing. It’s also why I encourage people to connect with me on LinkedIn (my email: linkedin @ chrisbrogan . com). I love the connections because I use them to be as helpful as possible.

 Feed the Network

There’s no value in your contact list if you don’t reach out to them when you can, and if you can’t offer them value long before you have a request of your own. It goes that way. You have to try and offer what you have. Then, when the time comes, and not in a “quid pro quo” kind of way, there will be some sense that a relationship existed long before you needed it. “Be there before the sale,” Julien and I called it in Trust Agents. Feed your network often. Connect with them. Touch them in whatever ways you can.

The site inspection allows a complete evaluation including the overall flow of the property, surrounding areas and impacts like construction, cruise ships that come in to port and heavy beach use, creative venue options, experiencing the resort’s normal guest demographics (business vs. international vs family vs  time share clientele, guestroom view categories, renovation and upgrades and the ability to negotiate real-time with the sales manager for additional cost reduction options and added concessions.

Beside producing conference and events for the private and public sector organization, Viva! Consult specializes in providing an end-to-end solution for Hawaii-based corporate incentive programs. We will be launching a series of vlogs and property evaluations…stay tuned

 The view as I a blog…Kei Lani Fairmont Maui

Mahalo,

Denise

EARTH DAY 2010

Celebrate a Earth Day journey with John Francis, planetwalker speaking at Ted.com  Do you really listen?  How do you treat yourself and others?  It effects our earth…  Watch Video

For almost three decades, John Francis has been a planetwalker, traveling the globe by foot and sail with a message of environmental respect and responsibility (for 17 of those years without speaking). A funny, thoughtful talk with occasional banjo.

Check out the lastest posts about projectWhiteCanvas
- seeking warehouse space
- seeking people to collaborate on the project
- seeking funding for the warehouse space, supplies and materials
- seeking creative ideas and connections

contact: Denise Ker – denise@viva-consult.com

Stay tuned…Viva! Consult is busy behind the scene getting ready to launch the Viva! Dream Team profiles. 

A must read – LinchPin, Seth Godin

The Linchpin

Seth makes it a point to remind us that we need to be artists. In other words, we need to stop being clones and start being unique. We need to be the linchpin, the piece that’s needed in order for everything to function.

A linchpin is someone who is indispensable and cannot be easily replaced. They make their own maps and follow through with them. Instead of taking instructions, linchpins take action and figure out how to get things done.

They are intelligent, creative, and do not shy away from human communication. Linchpins are the type of people who interact with customers, coworkers, and anyone else they come across in their life. They aren’t afraid to speak up and make conversation.

However, he does mention that some art cannot be monetized. If this happens to be you, don’t be afraid to give your work away. He also recommends trying to love whatever it is that you do to make money, even if it means sticking with a job that isn’t perfect for you.

Viva! Consults partners with InCouraged to ensure our client’s social responsiblity initatives walk and talk match.

InCouraged.com – Being Successful in Today’s Economy Takes Courage

Being in business today is tough. There are more tools then ever, more competition, more channels to reach your customer. But you have one thing that others don’t have. Passion. Charisma. Drive. Character. Why spend time trying to fit in when you can, and should, stand out? I believe that everyone has a special gift. Once developed, that gift needs to be shared with the world. The world needs you and your special gift. Your business or organization epitomizes your gift (or should). Does it?

Because being successful in today’s economy takes courage. It takes courage to carve your own path, pursue what you know to be true for your organization, your employees, your partners. Courage to be selective in what you stand behind. Courage to see everyone else chasing the newest tool or platform or fad…and stay true to your core purpose. Courage to stand up and speak boldly when no one else will. Courage to be a role model. Because you know that at the end of the day, courage is contagious.

InCouraged helps organizations discover and harness their organizational courage and communicate from that place.  They help organizations develop strategic communication and strategic partnerships that truly inspire.

Follow Megan Strand….

InCouraged blog

Megan’s twitter

As companies think differently on how meetings and events integrate into their organization’s objectives and business development platform, it’s critical to begin the process establishing an outcome-based strategy process before you tackle the tactical.

Vision to Strategy to Tactical…
We’ve been working with a client on redesigning their sales incentive program and here’s how we got started creating the vision framework:

 Vision:
- How does the incentive program tie back to company’s strategy and objectives?
- Who are the key stakeholders?
- What is the role of the company and sales executives?

Results-based outcomes:
- Financial: tie back of top performers to overall company sales quota
- Social: interface with top performers and executive team (key influencers)
- Emotional: connection to leadership, company, spouse/significant other buy-in

Communications:
- Define key components of the program
- What platform will be used to communication and promote the incentive program and leverage sales success stories throughout the year?

Viva! Consult provides an end-to-end solution from strategy to tactical bringing your vision to life.

projectWhiteCanvas slideshow

Seeking…

Space + People + Artful Experiment
A temporary vacant commercial building space, non-artists, dormant artists, functional artists, and tortured artists

Who needs what?
Vacant space needs energy and vitality from people within its walls to live out its purpose.  People need a space to gather to create, exchange and experiment.

What is the project?
Create a white canvas by engaging with colors, paint, mediums, textures and techniques layered underneath the final application of white. 

This process allows the ability to approach the canvas without preconceived ideas, expectations or attachment to an outcome since the entire work or parts of the work will be covered with white. Experimenting and playing creatively can be the catalyst for breaking down walls and providing a new approach to a more colorful artful life.

Philosophy:
It’s the ability to look at every day as a white canvas.  Choosing to experiment and take risks with the knowledge that every moment, every decision and every day can provide a fresh new white canvas.

Target organizations:

No Vacancy Project
novacancyproject.wordpress.com
Best practices for using vacant commercial spaces for the rotating art studio and engage building owners to donate space on a short term basis

Central Eastside Industrial Council
ceic.cc
Connections to building owners, also supporter of the No Vacancy Project

Multnomah Art Center
www.multnomahartscenter.org
Endorse the project and support the design of the rotating art studio framework

 Guerrilla-Media – the creative underground
www.guerrilla-media.com
Sponsorthe project and members promote the project within their networks

galleryHOMELAND
www.galleryhomeland.org/wordpress
Guide the process for exhibiting the project and body of work

 Viva! Consult
www.viva-consult.com
Manage the project and engage stakeholders

Contact:
Denise Ker, Viva! Consult
denise@viva-consult.com

Twitter: DeniseKer
503.806.1707

1. How do I spend my alone time?   Same old, same old or should you incorporate something new?

2. Do I pay attention to what my body needs?  Are you working too hard, drinking too much, letting yourself go?

3. To whom am I grateful?

4. Do I compare my life to other people’s?  Sometimes if you look closely, the Joneses aren’t happier than you!

5. Do I spend money on things that speak to my soul?

6. Have I figured out a way to handle the less-than-perfect relationships in my life?

7. Do I have faith in something bigger than I am, whether it’s God or some other spiritual form?

8. What positive things do I bring to relationships with my husband, my kids, my friends?

9. What do I see when I look in the mirror each morning?  Treat yourself as kindly as you would a friend.

10. Is there a space in my home to do the things I love (paint, practice yoga, play cards with friends)?

11. How many hours a week do I spend on my computer , my TV, my blackberry?  See how you would live these hours instead.

12. Do I feel older or younger than my years?  How often do I feel good about being exactly the age I am?

The Chinese symbol for “intention” is composed two distinct characters.
The upper character means “present“ and the lower character means “heart“.