Merri Pemberton

GC STYLE QUARTERLY Interview with Singaporean entrepreneur and rising fashion power player Jacob Isaac (pages 4-7). GC Style Q’s 2011 game-changing interviews and articles for preparing young professionals to master the global business & job market. Need a job? Think like an entrepreneur (page 3). MASTERING THE GLOBAL BUSINESS & JOB MARKET WINTER/SPRING 2012! GC STYLE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL CREST PRODUCTIONS FOUNDER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHRISTI PEMBERTON A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO Jacob Isaac Editor of The Fashion Destination Scott Gerber Founder of the Young Entrepreneur Council C.K. Vishwakarma Photographer (Singapore photography) GC STYLE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE www.gcrestproductions.com CONNECT WITH GC STYLE TODAY!-Skype: Gcrest32 Editor’s Facebook and Twitter www.facebook.com/christi.pemberton Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/pmerric Copyright 2012, GC Style Quarterly Magazine. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), for commercial purposes without the prior written permission of GC Style Quarterly Magazine. All images, media, and graphics in this magazine credited to other parties are also under copyright. They cannot be used without the written permission of those named parties. Photo Credit: Front Cover - Jacob Isaac. Compliments of Jacob Isaac. Table of Contents YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ON THE GLOBAL STAGE A new century, a new reality of the global job market and business. 2, 8-9 FOR JOB SECURITY, YOU NEED AN ENTREPRENEUR MINDSET To maintain and confirm your value to your employer, you must think like an entrepreneur. 3 NEW ALBUM RELEASE MAY 2012 New world lounge-pop album release by recording artist (and GC Style Editor) Merri-Christi. 26 1 RISE OF SINGAPORE’S YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS AND NEW FASHION MOGULS Interview with Jacob Isaac on Singapore’s rising entrepreneurial talent and fashion industry that are taking the world by storm. 4-7 TO FIND A JOB, YOU MUST CREATE A JOB Young Entrepreneur Council Founder Scott Gerber gives us the real deal on the 21st century job market reality, and how the YEC is supporting young professional success in the USA and around the world. 11-18 INVEST IN YOURSELF IN 2012 The gift giving season may be over, but there is one more person you need to treat... yourself. 19-20 INVEST IN YOURSELF WITH A GC STYLE SUBSCRIPTION Free digital gift bags and corporate advertising discounts are just a few benefits of becoming a GC Style Quarterly subscriber. 21 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ON THE GLOBAL STAGE & ON TOP OF THE WORLD Editor of GC Style Quarterly, Merri Christi Pemberton THE 21ST CENTURY REQUIRES YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO KNOW HOW TO MANEUVER THE GLOBAL STAGE WITH EASE. THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AMONG THEM MUST HAVE THE ABILITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES FROM BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. THE DAYS OF IT BEING ONLY ABOUT OUR “OWN BACKYARD” ARE GONE. 2 The Entrepreneur Mindset Successful entrepreneurs often possess a way of thinking that allows them to be flexible and adaptive to changing situations and circumstances, quick and decisive in action when necessary, very creative and resourceful, savvy risk takers, and able to identify and form alliances with other individuals and entities who can fill a need or complement the general goal that the entrepreneur wants to accomplish. Entrepreneurs often understand that “reinventing” themselves is necessary to keep their products and services relevant to the consumers, or towards those who pay them for what they offer. in a time period where workers are “disposable”. Due to factors such as advancement in technology and automation in the workplace, corporations focusing on efficiency, and globalization; workers are more replaceable by another worker who may have advanced skills or by technology that can do the same job. A business hires a worker that it feels will not only do the job, but will make that company more money, save it more money and time, and go the extra mile to advance the company’s goals. It comes down to if a company thinks it can’t afford NOT to hire you, or if it can’t afford to let you go. Will the company lose money, lose its competitive edge, or lose that unique “spark” that makes consumers love the brand if they don’t hire you or if they fire you? That is kind of a cold way of looking at how you fit into a particular job or company, but that is what you are faced with now in most cases. Whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee, all of us who want a job and keep a job must now adopt this mindset. The reasons why include that no job is guaranteed anymore, you can’t depend on a 401K, and the competition for jobs is much more challenging than ever before. To be frank, we live in the age of the “disposable worker”. The most recent McKinsey Quarterly What makes you stand out from Report, which focused squarely on your competitors as a potential research findings about the new employee? twenty-first century job market, stated this hard reality that we are 3 An entrepreneur has to think about similar questions and scenarios all the time to gauge how valuable his or her company is to consumers. Successful entrepreneurs understand that they must be mindful of their productivity, revenue flow or saving money, and keeping a competitive edge for their own survival. An entrepreneur has to make sure that what he or she offers to the consumer is in demand, desired, and can adapt to and remain relevant if there is a change in those demands and desires. The alternative is to become unprepared and unable to stay relevant; therefore, losing the interest of the consumer. Now, if you want to increase your chances of scoring a job at a company, replace “employee” in the “entrepreneur” name spot above, and you will get the picture of what your mindset should be. SINGAPORE THE NEW DESTINATION FOR FASHION When you think of the most fashionable cities in the world places like Paris, Milan, New York, and Shanghai come to mind. Now Singapore is rising as one of the new hot spots for high end fashion. This bustling city-state with an impressive economy -1 out of 6 household incomes earn at least $1 million- has gained quite a buzz with its Fall 2011 Women’s Fashion Week, which was held in October 2011 and featured haute couture from both renowned Paris-based designers and Singapore designers. This was the first time that a fashion week was dedicated solely to haute couture in Asia. The social media network SENATUS has been credited with helping Singapore boost its “high end fashion” status as the co-coordinator of the Women’s Fashion Week and also the Spring 2011 Men’s Fashion Week. Major media outlets such as CNN, the New York Times and many others are taking notice of Singapore’s rise in fashion and as an overall global destination. In the midst of all of that excitement, there is a rising class of young Singapore designers and fashion industry professionals who are stepping out on the global stage. To kick off 2012, we will spotlight some of the young fashion professionals who are putting Singapore on the map as a 21st century fashion capital. One unique talent is Jacob Isaac, the Founder and Editor of Fashion Destination. In this issue of GC Style Quarterly, we have an exclusive interview with Isaac. This young entrepreneur and innovator has rubbed shoulders with some of the rising young talents who are bubbling to the top in Singapore’s fashion industry. Readers will hear Jacob Isaac’s take on Singapore’s fashion industry, what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur on the global stage, the great young fashion talent in Singapore, and what’s next for him as the Fashion Destination’s editor. 4 Photo Credit: Singapore at Night. Compliments of C.K. Vishwakarma- INTERVIEW WITH JACOB ISAAC THE RISE OF SINGAPORE’S YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS AND NEW FASHION MOGULS Connect with Jacob Isaac Facebook: www.facebook.com/the.jacob.isaac Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/jacobisaac5 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jacobisaac. Photo Credit: Background - Singapore at Night. Compliments of C.K. Vishwakarma- Photo Credit: Above - Jacob Isaac. Compliments of Jacob Isaac. The following interview was conducted by GC Style Editor Christi Pemberton with Jacob Isaac GC Style: Why did you decide to become a serial entrepreneur? Jacob: Hahahaha, I didn’t really set out to be one. It just happened like that. I am naturally a multi-tasker, and explored a few industries like publishing, entertainment, fashion, design and IT. Most of this exploration turned out to be potential business opportunities. Another factor could be that I always thought to myself, why does one study so hard and become an employee? I didn’t want to sit behind a desk and face the computer the whole day. I wanted something that allowed me to interact everyday with new people, be on the frontline, think of innovative services or products, be challenged, have a flexible work time… which all pointed out to one thing– being an entrepreneur. GC Style: Tell us more about your first business? Jacob: My very first business was in the IT industry. I started out as a freelance web designer and developer. I catered to the high-end market. Very soon people in that network knew me, and I started getting more offers. After some time, they encouraged me to formally set up a company, which I set up with a partner. GC Style: What are some of the most important lessons you learned about being a successful entrepreneur? Jacob: A couple of things that I 6 have learnt apart from passion, which I believe is fundamental for most entrepreneurs, is that we need to be discerning. After all, it all boils down to dollars and cents. media is very often used for promotion and advertising purposes. But the real treasure is found when you use it to communicate and engage with your consumers. We need to be discerning in terms of being hooked up to the latest news in the market. You have to understand what is going on in the market and technology, which might affect your business and your business’ industry in one-way or another. I could go on and on to tell you more about entrepreneurship, but one last thing I would like to share with you is that you must have FUN! I often tell people that my hobby is work and vice versa because I enjoy what I do, even in my free time. Be innovative. Just as the world continuously spins, you will need to constantly think of innovative ways to provide your services or products. It’s either you meet a market demand or you create a need. Always think as a consumer, and you will deliver. And I also always believe that consumer engagement is probably one of the most key factors that lead to many companies’ success. In this virtual era, where everything is done in the virtual world, one would need to think how to reach the consumers at large. You have to know how to reach them in the most effective, efficient and most engaging manner. People often use technologies in the wrong way. For instance, the social GC Style: How did you get into the fashion business? Jacob: I started doing freelance assignments with production houses and slowly got introduced to models and choreographers. I soon became entrapped in that magical world. Very soon I found myself spending quite a bit on clothes and accessories, and then by the time I knew it, the passion had overtaken me. I started going to fashion events and parties. From there, I became very interested with the local designer brands. I started talking to them, and today I am running a startup, an online fashion magazine and a networking portal. Photo Credit: Above - Jacob Isaac. Compliments of Jacob Isaac. GC Style: What part do you play in Singapore's fashion industry? Jacob: I would say that I have embarked on a mission to recognize, promote and connect our homegrown brands to the international scene. I believe that although international brands do help the local scene, ultimately you need your own home labels to do well too. That is what I have set out to do. I am also working on a venture that will help me to go beyond the consumer to the business side of fashion. GC Style: What makes Singapore fashion and its growing fashion industry environment unique and attractive? Jacob: The Singapore government has many strategies and initiatives to help our local talents. A few examples are grants, such as those provided by Spring Singapore and TAFF’s workshops and also exchange trips for designers. Our favorable geographical location acts like a springboard for many designers to go international. As Singapore experiences summer all year around, this gives our designers more room to come up with very innovative designs, as well as materials that are comfortable for wearing in a tropical climate like ours. The clothes worn by most of us are very suited to our weather. GC Style: Do you often share your entrepreneurial insight with other young professionals? Jacob: Yes, I always believe that sharing is the best way to move forward in a society. I share with them my experiences and challenges as an entrepreneur in the industries that I have worked with. This is to help them to do better than I. I engage in one-to-one consultations and sharing sessions. As I always keep myself up to date with the latest happenings around the world, I am able to advise someone on a particular product or service that he or she intends to go into. I share my tips with them on the business and revenue models that they can emulate. GC Style: Do you see a strong growth in young entrepreneurship in Singapore? How is the government helping entrepreneurs? Jacob: Yes. Definitely. A lot of appreciation goes to the government and private entities. They come up with so many strategies and grants that allow us to explore and experiment our ideas. Even schools are actively involved in encouraging budding and aspiring entrepreneurs to create their businesses. Being in an ideal location like Singapore also gives us a platform to spring out into most countries. The strong network by many of the entities and investment bodies located here allow ideas to be taken internationally. Many years prior, the mindset was more of we need to take all the relevant exams and aim for a professional career in the banking, trade, marketing or retail sector. Now, however, we are slowly opening up to dare to venture out with our ideas. GC Style: What are some of the your current projects? Jacob: I am currently running an online fashion magazine, working on an industry networking portal, and also helping out my friend in her venture as well. You could very soon see me writing a dedicated column about the latest happenings in the entrepreneurship scene, innovation and other interesting things at Hatched Inc. (www.hatchedinc.com). Jacob also offers Web design and development services, analytics and consulting services. You can reach him at-for any queries. Connect with Jacob at www.facebook.com/the.jacob.isaac. 7 During the 2009 New Beginning speech that President Barack Obama made in Cairo, Egypt; he announced that the United States will host a Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington, D.C. for April 2010. The summit became an event that lead to a major effort supporting the development of entrepreneurs and building economic partnerships, especially among and with the MENA region (Middle Eastern and North African nations). Some may wonder the impact that this major initiative will have on an American small business owner. The suffering of our nation’s small businesses, during such a turbulent economic period, would suggest that more focus must be placed on domestic entrepreneurs. Programs and events such as the Summit on Entrepreneurship and the Partners for a New Beginning effort are important parts of the solution for the success of U.S. businesses and the economy. During the April 2010 Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the formation of the U.S. State Department-led Global Entrepreneurship Program and the joining of the U.S. State Department with the Partners for a New Beginning effort. Both include a focus on entrepreneurship and economic partnerships around the world. As discussed in the GC Weekly June 2011 “On Top of the World” article, entrepreneurship has been a crucial part of the American heritage for creating businesses and jobs. The freedoms possessed by average Americans to create and grow businesses from a simple idea, 8 What makes the young professional demographic ready to do hard core business on the world stage? Recap of GC Style Quarterly’s 2011’s Global Entrepreneurship Series. GC Style Quarterly was formerly called GC Weekly Magazine. and to meet the needs of a consumer population, allowed the U.S. economy to become very different than those found in many nations around the world. How many times do we hear of a “rags to riches” story in the United States, or a middle class citizen who built a successful business that first started in her kitchen or living room? These stories are part of the American entrepreneurial story. How will these global entrepreneurship and partnership programs impact American small business owners, especially among our young entrepreneurs and young professionals? In general, the severe lack of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs living in other nations to build businesses mean less opportunities for U.S. small businesses to export their items and build productive business partnerships with these entrepreneurs. Right now, the United States is recovering from a major hit to its economy that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression. The rallying cry from Americans is “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”. Another cry is “Export, Export, Export”. Underneath it all, economic growth will include strong and productive global economic partnerships between U.S. entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from around the world. What makes the young professional demographic ready to do hard core business on the world stage? We live in a world of the global economy. Today’s successful businesses are at least open to the idea of operating masterfully on a world stage. The young professional demographic has a strong understanding of these facts. They grew up, or were in college, when the internet first began to radically restructure the way we communicate and do business. Today’s young professional demographic, via social media, has amassed thousands of connections with people who represent almost every nation in the world. Business deals were made, social groups for networking were created, and cultures were explored with the click of a mouse or tap of a touchpad. These young professionals are creating new rules for this brand new economy. In the June and July 2011 issues of GC Style (formerly called GC Weekly), the magazine introduced a series of articles on global partnership and economic growth. The focus was on programs and initiatives that strengthen the small business relations between U.S. entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from other nations. The core question we asked was, “how will these programs and initiatives impact the young professional and entrepreneur demographic?”. Beginning with the June 2011 issue of GC Style (formerly called GC Weekly), Editor-in- Chief Christi Pemberton interviewed Robert Lalka, the U.S. Department of State’s Liaison to the Partners for a New Beginning effort. Partners for a New Beginning is an exciting program that opens the door to new global partnerships. These include opportunities for U.S. entrepreneurs to provide mentorship to and share expertise with entrepreneurs from Muslim communities around the world. The article gave a “behind the scenes” look into how this program originated from a conversation between Robert Lalka and Greg Behrman (former member of the Policy Planning staff at the Department of State and a Henry Kissinger Fellow of Foreign Policy at the Aspen Institute), the roles that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright played in organizing this program, the sharp rise of entrepreneurship in the MENA region on the heels of the 2011 Arab Spring, and how small U.S. business entrepreneurs can get involved in and benefit from this effort. Both the June and July issues of GC Style (GC Weekly), featuring parts one and two of the article, are available for purchase. Contact the editor at-for more information. 9 RE-INVENT YOURSELF FOR THE GLOBAL JOB MARKET & ECONOMY Recap of GC Style Quarterly’s 2011’s Global Entrepreneurship Series. GC Style Quarterly was formerly called GC Weekly Magazine. Christi Pemberton, Editor of GC Style Quarterly 2011 has been a roller coaster year! The battle in our nation’s capital on the debt ceiling, worries of where the next jobs will come from and when, and the future of entitlement programs and other public programs that provide so many U.S. citizens with a helping hand have heightened the worries of the public. manufacturers leaving the area and relocating to another state or abroad. I noticed the growth of technology in the workplace replacing jobs that humans normally performed. I knew then that we had to change our whole way of thinking about our job market, especially in how we viewed manufacturing in this nation, and begin preparing The new century has proven that ourselves with a stronger skill set we are dealing with a major reality and understanding to maneuver shift of our economy, jobs, the through it all more successfully. way we do business, and domesticinternational security. Even We can blame everyone else from without the current economic corporations to the government situation that we are wrestling for these changes, but in reality, we with, this shift was coming anyway have to take responsibility for as a result of globalization, ourselves at some point. We also increase of automation and new need to give our neighbors a technology in the workplace that helping hand who are not able to are taking over job functions adjust as quickly as others to this normally performed by humans, new job market reality due to and the demand for today’s financial hardships or lack of worker to have a higher skill set to information about what is going compete for and keep a job. These on. changes were happening long before this current economic crisis Not everyone is an entrepreneur hit, but were we listening? in the traditional sense, as meaning not everyone owns a The signs were everywhere of business, but we now have to these changes happening. When I develop an entrepreneur mindset was in high school during the to compete in this new job early 1990‘s, I remembered local market. This mindset is one 10 that automatically kicks into “re-invention mode” to adjust to changes that will affect your career and overall well being. When you “reinvent” yourself, that does not mean, in any way, that you have to give up your closely held values and beliefs. I personally have dedicated my life to the Salvation of Jesus Christ, which is where I find the most strength in this time of economic uncertainty. The peace and new ideas that I have found through my faith allowed me to not just live through this challenging time, but to walk on top of it all with a swagger and a smile (speaking in my best Southern - meets - urban chic accent). When I say “re-invention”, I am referring to conditioning your mind to be ready to learn and absorb certain skills and a knowledge base that will sharpen your value for today’s and tomorrow’s employers and consumers. “TO KEEP A JOB, CREATE A JOB” YOUNG POWER BROKER SCOTT GERBER FOUNDER OF THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR COUNCIL Recap of GC Style Quarterly’s 2011’s Global Entrepreneurship Series. GC Style Quarterly was formerly called GC Weekly Magazine. By Christi Pemberton, Editor of GC Style Quarterly One of the reasons for starting GC Style Quarterly was that I had a difficult time finding a publication that truly targeted young entrepreneurs. I wanted a magazine that targeted a particular group of young professionals and entrepreneurs who embraced and craved information about the extraordinary opportunities in global business, innovation, and living with style in this exciting new century. So, when I interviewed Scott Gerber, Founder of the Young Entrepreneur Council, I immediately understood his reasons why he started this innovative organization and its website. business product, or will it take you away from what you do best. The result of Gerber’s decision to expand his product line eventually ended with him only having $700 in his bank account. His mother, a highly respected educator and employee in the New York City school system, told him to “get a real job”. Scott Gerber had to regroup and use the lessons learned Known as “the world’s first help desk for young entrepreneurs”, to help him get back on his feet. He didn’t want to take a “real the Young Entrepreneur Council’s website is a treasure trove job”, we wanted to create his own. He could not, however, find of business intelligence, strategies, and support that young the appropriate advising or information that really spoke to entrepreneurs craved. They are provided these things from him as a struggling young entrepreneur. He craved a good peers who’s been there, done that, and conquered many of source, publication, or group of people who gave him the the business growth and startup hurdles. Scott Gerber can be support he needed from a young entrepreneur’s point of view. seen as a “young veteran” of entrepreneurship. He led an entertainment company that made ten’s of thousand’s of This propelled Gerber to begin sharing his knowledge and dollars while he was still in college. The company provided experience of lessons learned from the unique Generation Y entertainment products such as music videos. Gerber, perspective. Gerber had written the critically acclaimed book however, went through what many successful entrepreneurs Never Get a “Real” Job and earned the spot of the most go through as a “rite of passage,” a hard fall. syndicated entrepreneurship columnist in the world. The national media soon came knocking on his door. Such major Gerber began expanding his product line due to customer names in media as the New York Times, CNN, Wall Street Journal, requests; however, he found later on that this expansion took Time, Reuters, and a host of others were eager to have him share him away, and too fast, from the product line that he was good this perspective. He became a voice for the twenty-first century at creating and providing. He found that when you manage a young and dynamic entrepreneur, he became the voice of a company, you have to be careful. You have to be sure that when new class of rising leadership in this nation and the world. expanding a product line, whether it will complement your core 11 THE WORLD’S FIRST HELP DESK FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR COUNCIL When Scott Gerber formed the Young Entrepreneur Council, he took fulfilling the need for providing high quality support and advising to the twenty-first century young entrepreneur to a whole new level. Photo Credit: Above Near Right and Previous Page - Photograph of Scott Gerber. Compliments of Scott Gerber. Above Far Right Co-Founder of iContact and YEC member Ryan Allis attends NexGen IT Entrepreneur Boot Camp to mentor young Egyptian entrepreneurs. Compliments of USAID/ECP. 12 We live in an age where the rules of business, the economy, and the job market have changed forever and dramatically. We are experiencing a tremendous amount of turbulence in our economic and job market. At the very same time, we also have an abundance of golden job and business opportunities, but those who see these opportunities are often those who know how to operate on the innovation-driven global stage. Gerber knew that today’s young entrepreneurs can very well take and master these golden opportunities like no one else. can be found on the site's individual webpages, each coupled with a photograph of the YEC member who will become your virtual guru on that particular subject. Each face you see from these individual YEC members featured in the slides exude confidence, satisfaction, and an approachable nature. The online content on the site include such targeted and "in demand" information as “12 Things Every Marketing Plan Should Consider” by Buzz Marketing Group’s Tina Wells and “How to Build a Faith-Based Social Business” by Luke Burgis of ActivPrayer (a faith-based health and fitness company). Also, the site allows you to send in a question regarding startup and business growth topics to have it answered by YEC members. Not only that, your question may also be picked and When you first visit the YEC featured on the website website, your eyes automatically where a panel of YEC members “zero in” on alternating slide will contribute answers. When images featuring titles of business that happens, you have several growth “how to” content that members from the council giving short and to-the-point answers based on their experience. Each answer is thoughtful and high quality. This group does not play around when helping fellow entrepreneurs, but they do have fun and show a passion for their work and supporting one another. How does YEC attract such a passionate and solid group of young entrepreneurs who are committed to the mission of the organization? Acceptance in the organization is by “invitation-only”. An entrepreneur must be invited by one of the YEC members. The answer for why an "invitationonly" requirement is needed is simple: To keep the organization’s services of information and support, for both members and nonmembers, high quality. This is achieved if you have a member group highly committed to YEC’s mission and ready to help a fellow entrepreneur reach her goal. THE ARAB SPRING BECOMES THE ENTREPRENEUR SUMMER THE U.S. - DANISH YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR DELEGATION MENTORED EGYPTIAN ENTREPRENEURS AT THE NEXGEN IT BOOT CAMP IN CAIRO Interview with Scott Gerber, Delegation Member And Founder of the Young Entrepreneur Council GC Style Magazine features exciting news and topics about today’s global business trends, innovation, and professional development for today’s young entrepreneurs and young professionals. Throughout the second half of 2011, the GC - Danish Delegation of young entrepreneurs to help Style Global Entrepreneurship and Economic Report Series conduct and provide mentorship for a June 2011 reflected that mission by reporting on extraordinary efforts, entrepreneur boot camp in Cairo, Egypt. The NexGen opportunities, and news about the spread of - IT Entrepreneurs Boot Camp welcomed innovative and entrepreneurship and U.S. - global partnerships for enthusiastic Egyptian entrepreneurs to receive expertise economic growth. These stories all involve the leadership and advising on sharpening their business plans, startup and great contributions of young power brokers. These and business growth strategies, and presentation of plans. young power brokers are often young entrepreneurs or They also participated in a business plan competition, executives who are rising to leadership, driving the new which included prizes for internships and other economy, and making new rules for today’s work-lifestyle entrepreneur training programs. The week-long boot balance. camp caused a rush of foreign press attention and media attention in the U.S. as well (e.g., CNN interview featuring Past feature stories in the Global Entrepreneurship and Scott Gerber and Ryan Allis, also a YEC member and the Economic Report section included the Partners for a New CEO of iContact). Beginning (a partnership involving the U.S. Department of State, the Aspen Institute, and public and private sectors of Scott Gerber spoke to GC Style in July 2011 about his the U.S. and Muslim majority nations and communities for unforgettable experience as a U.S. delegate in this effort, stronger economic and innovation growth) and his organization’s place as a leader in young entrepreneur also the Global Entrepreneurship Program (a U.S. State growth, and words of wisdom for surviving the roller Department-led program that support and help spur coaster ride we call the new global economy. Fasten your entrepreneurship around the world with a particular seat belts boys and girls! emphasis on Muslim majority nations and communities). Christi Pemberton, Editor-In-Chief As explained in these previous feature articles, these GC Style Magazine innovative efforts and programs strengthen both the U.S. and global economies through building stronger global relations and creating a healthy environment that can result Photo Credit: Above Left - Co-Founder and CEO of in new business growth and trade for all parties involved. The Global Entrepreneurship Program and USAID partnered with the Government of Denmark to send a USA 13 iContact Ryan Allis, who is also a YEC member, served as a member of the U.S - Danish Delegation and mentor during the NexGen IT Boot Camp. The Boot Camp provided training for 38 young Egyptian startup entrepreneurs in such crucial areas as business plan development and strategy. Compliments of USAID/ECP. INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT GERBER U.S. - DANISH DELEGATION MEMBER FOR THE NEXGEN IT ENTREPRENEURS BOOT CAMP NEXGEN IT ENTREPRENEURS BOOT CAMP CAIRO, EGYPT Members of the delegation and Egyptian entrepreneurs at the NexGen IT Boot Camp. Compliments of USAID/ECP. 14 Originally posted in the July 2011 issue of GC Style Quarterly (formerly known as GC Weekly Magazine). Held in late June 2011, the NexGen IT Entrepreneurs Boot Camp Master Class was a collaborative effort supported by the U.S. State Department’s Global Entrepreneurship Program, the Government of Denmark, USAID’s Egypt Competitiveness Project, and TIEC, affiliated with the Egyptian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. During the week-long intensive entrepreneur training program, six young American entrepreneurs provided mentorship to help the 38 participating young Egyptian entrepreneurs with their business peer-to-peer entrepreneurship plans and strategies for investor mentorship, something that Scott presentations. Gerber has a special expertise in implementing. The young American entrepreneurs who led the training program are Gerber is the founder of the considered among the top Young Entrepreneur Council, entrepreneurs in the nation and the an organization that created the world. Participants included Alexis world’s first help desk for young Ohanian, one of the founders of entrepreneurs. The purpose of Reddit, Priceline.com Founder Jeff YEC is to provide the highest Hoffman, Co-Founder and CEO of quality of “peer-to-peer” advising, iContact Ryan Allis, and Founder of motivation, and expertise to other the Young Entrepreneur Council young entrepreneurs. When I and author of Never Get a “Real” Job interviewed Scott, I could tell he Scott Gerber. One thing that this was still bursting with excitement special delegation of entrepreneurs from that late-June experience in found, contrary to what the media Egypt as a U.S. delegation member has portrayed, was that Egypt for the NexGen IT Boot Camp already had a startup community. Master Class. This community was filled with young entrepreneurs who were One of the surprises I found from hungry to soak up the knowledge this interview was that many of the needed to advance and grow their young entrepreneur delegates were ideas and businesses. The result of also YEC members, which says a of this event was a perfect global lot about the gravity and influence of this organization and its commitment to advancing entrepreneurship for a new generation. The following interview was conducted by Christi Pemberton, GC Style Editor-inChief. All content written in black italics (not including photo credit labels) are the Editor’s notes. The Editor's questions are in red and Scott Gerber’s answers are in regular black type. How did you become involved in NexGen IT Boot Camp as a U.S. delegate and mentor? We (YEC Council) were contacted by Mike Ducker, Entrepreneur in Residence for the Egypt Global Entrepreneurship Program, and invited to become part of the American - Danish delegation for the NexGen IT Bootcamp. Ducker Photo Credit: Mentoring at the NexGen IT Boot Camp. Compliments of USAID/ECP. 15 had previous conversations with one of the YEC members prior to the invitation; therefore, he already had a knowledge of YEC's affect on the young entrepreneurial community. an app-solution for the major traffic congestion in Cairo. The startup developed an iPhone mobile application that allowed users to communicate the status of traffic. They accumulated 50,000 subscribers What was it like to participate in the right within a few months post launch. week-long startup boot camp as a Ryan Allis (a top entrepreneur from Durham/ Another one was Inkezny (Rescue Me), young expert of entrepreneurship and Chapel Hill, NC as CEO of iContact) stated a mobile application allowing for as a young entrepreneur? How did the that the “Arab Spring Revolution will bring people to get access to medical help young Egyptian entrepreneurs respond the Entrepreneurship Evolution”, this is a key anywhere in the world. Users can use to the expertise and information that point that will help strengthen the successful this application to make emergency you and your group offered? impact of the Arab Spring for the Egyptian calls anywhere in the world without citizens and economy. having to know the local emergency number. Users were also able to obtain It was an incredible experience! You were part of an "all star" team of access to the contact numbers for and What was so interesting to me was that young entrepreneurs including the directions to hospitals. you could tell that the “revolution” CEO of iContact, Alexis Ohanian, a (and impact of the Arab Spring) was founder of Reddit; Priceline founder You are a passionate believer in only the beginning. We believed that Jeff Hoffman, and others. entrepreneurship, and that young they (Egyptian citizens and the nation Did you and the rest of the Americanadults should seriously consider as a whole) are primed for robust Danish delegation discuss and becoming an entrepreneur as opposed entrepreneurship. It was an awesome to only sticking to the traditional job experience to see the level of talent in exchange innovative ideas amongst yourselves about business or global market. Give us the most compelling NexGen. We were blown away by the business development? reasons why you have this view? entrepreneurial ideas, and entrepreneurship, that were already We talked about how the different We in this nation have unemployment starting and were underway. challenges and opportunities that in double digits. Young people are entrepreneurs face today, and overall, constantly told to work hard and get They really appreciated the expertise we looked at ways we can further good grades to get a solid job. Now, the and knowledge-sharing we gave as a exchange ideas and help each other jobs are not available, and these young delegation. The entrepreneurs had grow as entrepreneurs and businesses. people do not have traditional great ideas for their businesses. What alternatives. You find yourselves with a we did as a delegation was to help The boot camp included a business serious lack of options for employment them with their business plans, plan competition. Tell us a little about and, at the same time, hurting your marketing plans, and financials. that. What really impressed you about financial future. You have to now be Through these elements, we helped the business proposals? them to strengthen their knowledge proactive. When you become an and strategy for product positioning entrepreneur, you can just start For the business plan competition and presentation of their businesses something simple, it does not have to there were four winners. The awards (i.e.,business plan competition). We helped be complexed. You need to take the included an internship at iContact for most valuable asset of your time and them to sharply pinpoint what were three weeks and a 3-month boot camp be productive. the unique reasons and elements for what made their businesses unique and in Denmark. The delegates voted and important. On the day of the business rated the business plans on certain We live in a world with a rapidly criteria including their overall plan competition, venture capitalists changing global economy, and we have presentation of the plan, the ability to other nations gaining momentum as and angel investors were present. execute the plan, and novelty of the the next world powers. To remain idea. On the point of finances, Scott stated that he competitive in a global market, what saw that there were financial sources in Cairo, are some of the most important skills but what was needed was a stronger ecosystem One of the startups that impressed me, or personality traits you feel young to provide an organized hub of these financial and they were one of the winners, was American professionals or young called Bey2ollack. Bey2ollack provided entrepreneurs need? sources. The delegation created a $125,000 16 investment pool to invest in the young Egyptian IT entrepreneurs through Flat6Labs, an investment vehicle for seed stage investment. Flat6Labs is part of the Egypt-based venture capital company Sawari Ventures. information and advice. Internally, for our members, we offer a high quality networking group. We do require that an entrepreneur is invited by a current YEC member, which secures the quality of business relationships that are fostered in this group and secures the high level service that our platform gives to our members. By YEC having this “extra layer” to be considered for inclusion in this group, in my experience and opinion, it is a good idea. It ensures greater consistency and participation of the members. Within the past two years, I have Photo Credit: Delegation at the NexGen IT Boot Camp. Compliments of USAID/ECP. contacted several young professional organizations located across the nation, to learn more about them and to interview their leadership and members to spread the word about what they offer to the local and national young professional demographic. Most young We now need to have an understanding business organizations, including young of the world around us. Most Americans professional organizations, don’t have an haven’t traveled abroad or even out of invitation only requirement. I do know, state. This is important because in order however, of two excellent young professional to compete as a worker now, you have to organizations that are open invitation and have a knowledge about our global located in my home state of NC. The society and global economy, and how organizations I speak of include the SynerG they work. Each thing that happens in young professional organization, which is housed the Middle East, whether it is big or under Action Greensboro in Greensboro, NC. small, affects us here in the United The other is the Charlotte (NC) Chamber of States (e.g., gas prices). The bottom line Commerce’s Engage Charlotte. is now you have to compete and be a player in this global economy to be On the flip side, what I have found in other successful. The days of us having the young professional organizations is that many of attitude of the “hyper local” world are them go through strong periods of inactivity, over. discontinued websites and websites that haven’t been updated in months, inconsistent or lack of In other words, the days of it “just being about communication with people who were interested our own backyard” are gone with the 20th in learning more about the organization, and century. other things that suggest a lack of consistency in operations and people attending or actively What does the Young Entrepreneur helping to fulfill their mission. This is not to be Council offer to its members. What can negative, but it does relate to how that “extra it offer to nonmembers who are also layer” of requirement that one has to go through young entrepreneurs? to get into an organization like the YEC can be a pretty good idea at times. For our nonmembers who are young entrepreneurs, the YEC promotes The YEC makes sure that when they bring in entrepreneurship as a viable career path. members, the members are there to actively We create content offline and online, contribute to the mission, and the people which gives entrepreneurs direct access organizing YEC content and activities are just to this knowledge. We offer “high as invested in the successful growth of this quality” peer to peer entrepreneurship organization. The result is a unique 17 organization and platform for quality young professional-entrepreneur support, mentorship, and opportunities for networking and growth. Everyone has a stronger investment in the success of the organization as “invitation only” members. When you look at who the members are in this group, it is very clear that YEC has future leaders who are passionate for helping and supporting fellow young entrepreneurs. You stated in a U.S. News and Report article that you wanted to expand the YEC internationally. Which nations are you considering at the moment? I am looking into Europe because some of the members already have established contacts in European nations. Right now, however, we are focused on building our American presence. On the YEC website, you offer a wide range of information and media that offers valuable tips and discussions on business development topics from how to negotiate vendor contracts to social media tips and marketing plans. Do all of your members write articles for and contribute their expertise to the YEC website? Many of the YEC members contribute to the website and to the help desk content. They create content for the site, and some of their work has been featured in major publications like Time Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. What has been the general response about your organization (what it is and its message about entrepreneurship) from the national business community. It has been overwhelmingly positive. The YEC has been in the New York Times twice. YEC also received mostly positive feedback from the public. Most people ask how they can help our mission. For those who are worried about the economy and say "where are the jobs", what is your best advice to them speaking as a young entrepreneur? We as a nation need to understand that now, we have to create a job to keep a job. Photo Credit: Mentoring at the NexGen IT Boot Camp. Compliments of USAID/ECP. 18 INVEST IN YOURSELF FOR 2012 the gifts that keep on giving year around CONFERENCE PASS (CAREER BOOSTER) Conferences are always a great way to keep abreast of industry trends, for overall professional development, and network with others who are in the same professional field or are fellow entrepreneurs. With our job market transforming into a global job market and our businesses competing on the global stage, it is crucial for everyone to prepare for a very different job and business environment than what many of us were used to. Conferences can offer the tools, networking opportunities, and the information to give us that edge in the global market. Giving yourself the gift of admission to a conference is an excellent investment in your career development. It is a gift that will keep giving, as the skills and information drawn from a conference can last and add value to your job or business growth for years to come. BOOST YOUR FINANCIAL HEALTH (WEALTH) One of the major New Year’s resolutions is financial health, or to have better habits in managing one’s finances. There are a variety of financial coaches and consultants to help you start, and keep, both your personal and your company’s finances on the right track. If you are determined to boost your financial health, investing in hiring or services from a reputable financial coach help you meet one of your most important life goals. Strong financial coaching can easily become one of those “life changing” experiences, which makes it a perfect gift for yourself. Photo Credits: Top Right: Business People. Compliments of Stock.xchng. www.sxc.hu. Above: Finance. Compliments of Stock.xchng. www.sxc.hu. 19 HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB (WELLNESS) Financial health isn’t the only type of health that can change one’s habits and lifestyle for the better. Physical health is one of the absolute top New Year’s resolutions that we make every year. It is astounding how much better we feel physically, and even mentally and emotionally, when we make fitness part of a lifestyle. Investing in a health club membership is ideal if you are who determined to make and keep fitness as a lifestyle. To kick off the New Year to better wellness, health and fitness clubs have special offers for memberships and consultations that satisfy a range of clientele from the newbie to the certified health nut without breaking your purse. Photo Credits: Top Right: Pink - A FitnessOne Initiative. Compliments of Stock.xchng. www.sxc.hu. Above: Tate Modern Art Gallery. Compliments of Brendan Gogarty. http://brendangogarty.com/photos. 20 1 YEAR PASS TO THE WORLD (LOCAL GETAWAY) For that artistic and cultural enthusiast in you, why not purchase a membership to the museum or other cultural institutions. A great example is the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art, NYC) gift membership, which currently offers an Individual Membership for $85. Benefits include unlimited free admission, member’s only gallery talks, and a host of discounts. Membership for the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC includes free admission, special event invitations, free admission or discounts to education programs and classes, and art-related travel opportunities. These memberships are not only a great way to experience new art exhibits and explore artistic culture, they can serve as a ticket to a very affordable or free getaway. Whether it is an “art-related travel opportunity” or a gallery talk, you will be able to take time out of your busy schedule to attend culturally-rich and enlightening events. Sometimes, our perfect getaway experience is just around the corner at our local gallery or museum. GC STYLE SUBSCRIPTION ONE ISSUE OF GC STYLE QUARTERLY $2.00 GC STYLE BASIC $7.00/year GC Style Quarterly delivered to your email inbox four times per year (four issues). 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