courage

Is Courage a Requirement for Dreamers?

Yesterday, as I was thinking about our NewCo presentation and prepping my talking points, I saw a post by my dear friend (and musician) Iyeoka. She had posted a video asking her fans if they thought courage was a requirement to dream. She and I met more than 10 years ago in Boston, long before she was a TED Fellow, before she was touring internationally. She was a pharmacist at CVS and on the weekend she performed slam poetry at the Lizard Lounge. Our friend Francis was helping her produce her first record, Black and Blues, and he recruited me to design the cover. It took such courage, for her to dream that one day she would be where she is now.

As I anticipate the chance to talk about my journey as a social entrepreneur tomorrow, for the first time, I'm not gonna lie I have some nerves. But that's ok - I'm gonna borrow some of Iyeoka's courage. Because after all, that's what we're all here for anyhow, to encourage and empower one another along the way.

Please join me tomorrow at our NewCo Session. I'm honored to be co-hosting with Ben Gibson, founder of Youvolution, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering the dreams of indie filmmakers. We'll share the stage with Courtney Santana, Founder of Survive2Thrive Foundation, and Filmmaker Jessie Rodriguez. Each of their stories are inspiring, and I hope you come away with a little more courage for your entrepreneurial journeys!

Here's a preview of our lineup, we look forward to seeing you there!