SelflessTee is a fashionable apparel company on a social movement. It is a place where a community of creative souls can band together and share their artistic talent for fame, profit, and most of all, meaningful change by taking action towards a better future. How it works: SelflessTee will hold design contests for their partners, non profits that you, the community, will choose. Winning designs get turned into apparel that SelflessTee sells on their site. You’ll see 1/4 of their profits from all purchases in action when you follow online or join them in creating a better world right alongside their countless partners. They want to be very clear. SelflessTee is not only about the delivery of any one idea (i.e. serve 30k breakfast meals to low income kids). Instead, they’ve created a company that will sustain itself to continuously attack social issues of a community’s choosing, YOUR choosing, across the globe. The company’s founder Danny B. (Danny Bocanegra) already took action on a single idea- we want more!

Nextvoice247 has been grateful to see this idea germinate and now would like to see it grow to its fullest potential. So take a minute and help an idea grow by voting for the SelflessTee at the Pepsi Refresh Project contest.

VOTE HERE:

http://pep.si/dBRSb9

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g

This post brought to you via the blog Generacion Y from award-winning Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez -

I have heard hundreds of times that the university – like a cemetery – could not be invaded by the demons of repression. I imagined them milling around the steps, without the power to enter this zone of letters and mathematical formulas where the students are sheltered. But this supposed immunity lived only in my fantasies, as Cuban history shows successive transgressions suffered by the universities in my country. Before the gaze of the statue of Pallas Athena, the ideological castigation has broken into these precincts dedicated to knowledge and scholarship countless times.

During the first half of the Twentieth Century, several student protests went so far as to demand the resignation of the president, bearing witness to the social force that emanated from the student desks. Painted on the walls around La Colina, where the University is located, you can still see the youthful nonconformity that later revolutionary purges reduced to apathy. The University Student Federation (FEU) has ceased to be a hotbed of ideas and actions that more than once shook the city, and become, to the students, a representation of power. Thus, the organization lost all its rebel character and its leaders are no longer elected for their charisma or popularity, but rather for their political reliability. The slogan, “The University is for Revolutionaries,” has contributed to imposing the mask as the safest way to achieve a diploma.

In these two years since Raul Castro came to power, expulsions for ideological reasons have continued – and are on an upward course – in the centers of higher education. When Sahily Navarro, daughter of a prisoner of the Black Spring, was prevented from returning to her classroom, I learned that the battered student league had gone from agony to necrosis. A few days after the headstone of sectarianism was placed over the remains of the FEU, Marta Bravo was expelled from her teacher training program for demanding reforms in the country. The notes of a requiem was composed by those who fired the teacher Darío Alejandro Paulino, after he opened a Facebook group to discuss issues with regards to the faculty of Social Communication. With these sad events, the federation – once led by Julio Antonio Mella – has confirmed its death at the hands of the dragons of dogmatism and intolerance, who now freely roam the university campus.

something to…

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Our good friend speaker and author, Ty Bennett is hosting a great series next week. He has had great success as an entrepreneur, a speaker, and an author. According to Ty, “In all of my experience I have found that business is all about relationships.”

With that in mind – he has titled the week of Valentines Day – Relationship Week and has invited you to listen in as he interviews a leading expert every day on an area of relationship building. These experts include bestselling authors Stephen M. R. Covey, Bob Burg, Mike Robbins, and Kevin Hall. I will also interview social and new media leaders David Riklan and Gilbert Melott, radio talk show host Laura Kennedy and CEO Dave Blanchard.

So take advantage of the great opportunity to join me, Ty and all of the other participants next week. It should be enlightening and help us all get to the root of all business – relationships.

Check out the LINK BELOW to register:

https://leadershipinc.infusionsoft.com/go/Relationship/gilbertmelott/

and join…

Bob Burg

Bob Burg, coauthor (with John David Mann) of the Wall Street Journal and
BusinessWeek Bestseller, The Go-Giver and the just-about-to-be-released
“Go-Givers Sell More” will discuss how the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success
can accelerate your sales success.” Best-known for his business classic,
Endless Referrals, Bob will show you how five seemingly counterproductive
Laws are actually the keys to becoming the success you desire to be.

Kevin Hall

Kevin Hall is the author of the newly released book Aspire! Discovering Your Purpose
Through The Power of Words. Kevin is a highly sought after business consultant,
speaker and coach. He has been recognized for his groundbreaking
approach to uncovering the hidden, and often secret, meanings of words.
Kevin will share unique insights into the language of relationships.

Stephen M. R. Covey

Stephen M. R. Covey is co-founder and CEO of CoveyLink Worldwide.
He is the author of The SPEED of Trust, a groundbreaking and
paradigm-shifting book that challenges our age-old assumption
that trust is merely a soft, social virtue and instead demonstrates that
trust is a hard-edged, economic driver—a learnable and measurable
skill that makes organizations more profitable, people more promotable,
and relationships more energizing.

Dave Blanchard

Dave Blanchard is the Chairman and CEO of The Og Group. In the last three
years alone, Dave has debriefed well over one thousand, five hundred
6 Advisor Assessment Reports (3,000+ hours), coached over
five hundred clients (7,000+ hours) and delivered well over 200 speeches.
He has acquired through vast experience a wealth of information regarding
how people think and the impact this can have on an organization. Dave’s
seven principles to connect with people are life changing.

David Riklan

David Riklan is the founder of the largest website of it’s kind www.selfgrowth.com.
As a recognized authority on social media and internet marketing
David has successfully built an email distribution list of more than 1 Million people.
He is also the founder of www.selfgrowthmarketing.com where
David teaches social media and internet marketing.

Gilbert Melott

Gilbert Melott is the Founder and CEO of Nextvoice247. Nextvoice247
integrates social media to build business, create product and events,
and develop the talent of emerging leaders and entrepreneurs.

Mike Robbins

Mike Robbins is an expert in teamwork, communication, and
the power of appreciation and authenticity. Mike is the bestselling author of
Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken and Focus on The Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation. Mike’s lessons on authenticity are refreshing and
impact both business and personal relationships.

Laura Kennedy

Laura Kennedy has lived a life of adventure and trailblazing. She uses those experiences to motivate others to reach for and obtain the gold ring. As a highly sought after business coach and radio talk show host, Laura impacts individuals and organizations with her wit and wisdom. Laura’s networking tips will have you networking like a pro.

listen. learn. share. repeat. ™

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emerging leader interview with Danny Bocanegra from John Exley on Vimeo.

My first emerging leader interview ever! My good friend the young entrepreneur Danny Bocanegra is a former all-star Wide Receiver at the University of Albany who has founded the company Selfless Tees. Selfless Tees is a lifestyle brand and clothing company on a social mission. The company crowd-sources its designs and gives a percentage of profits to partners, which are charities and nonprofits. Danny is a grad student and he spent the summer volunteering in Africa, which accelerated his dream to launch his venture.

In my interview, Danny talks about his awesome experience in Africa and how he sold t-shirts to fund the trip and donate mosquito nets to people in need. Finally, Danny talks about the reward and advantages he sees from starting a company in college. The way he has grown from and applied his leadership experience in Africa and as a successful football player to his entrepreneurial pursuits has positioned him as an emerging leader.

Danny Bocanegra, Founder Selfless Tees (Galatomi) in Africa

Audio interview with founder of social entrepreneur Danny Bocangera.
http://www.whistletree.com/public/play/4774UBI8T14N8G8Q

Danny Bocanegra, Founder of Selfless Tees (formerly Galatomi).

Follow him: http://twitter.com/DannyBoc

Email him: dan.bocanegra@gmail.com

It’s hereeeee….yes! The Holiday’s are fast approaching!  I challenge you to go into this season with a new plan, a plan to continue your path to success while having a joyfilled personal life too! It CAN be done!

By this time of year many of you are over-stressed, over-worked and UNDER joyed. YIKES! Let’s change that. With these 3 simple steps you will be able to relax, enjoy and love on those most important to you. Don’t worry it has nothing to do with taking a hiatus from work or stopping your cash flow.

Step 1. Be Planned and Prepared

Let me teach you how to be more planned and prepared than ever before. Take 30 minutes and brainstorm all of the things you personally have to do every year during this time to make the Holiday’s happen. Things like:

• Get your family Christmas picture taken
• Write thank you notes to your clients for Thanksgiving!
• Mail out Christmas and Holiday cards, including adding new people to your list!
• Mail out packages
• Hang the tree lights outside
• Get your hair colored and cut
• Make a list of everyone you are buying for this year; secretary, teachers, staff, friends
  
• Make reservations at the restaurant for your staff lunch/dinner

I seriously could make a list of a hundred things that you MIGHT need to get done. But the point is, brainstorm all of it…down to the last detail and then put a date next to each item.

Step 2. Put forth EFFORT

When someone applies effort to any situation it speaks volumes about how much they care! Have you messed up lately? Whether you have messed up in a project, at work, at school, or in a relationship it can be improved by EFFORT.  What better time than the holiday’s to apply effort? Go early to shop for your lover’s gift rather then two days before Christmas. THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.  If you are planned and prepared you will have more time to put forth EFFORT.  I promise.

Step 3. Set the right Priorities

Having success and cash is awesome! It allows us to do so much and give so much back to people. But we all know that all the money in the world won’t replace a hug or companionship.  The holidays are about IMPRESSING UPON THOSE YOU LOVE HOW MUCH YOU LOVE THEM…NOT ABOUT IMPRESSING PEOPLE WITH GIFTS.

You are about to embark on the best Holiday season of your life!

Until next time…FIND JOY!

Jen Lovelady

listen. learn. share. repeat.™

russell simmons & hip-hop change the world from VoiceBox | Nextvoice247 on Vimeo.



Courtesy

Global Grind

Russell Simmons has long been a hero of mine for what he has  accomplished on multiple business fronts. As an entrepreneur, it has been about nailing the things that would make a business successful. We are glad to bring you this post from blogger Sarah van Schagen.

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons is the co-founder of Def Jam Records, a sometime reality star, and an entrepreneur who’s launched a number of successful ventures including clothing lines Phat Farm and Baby Phat. He’s also a yoga-practicing vegan who’s hoping to use his resources to make change in the world of hip-hop—and the world at large.

Describing himself as “hip-hop to the bone,” Simmons is quick to hail the power of that community in influencing politics, pointing to a recent change in drug policy in New York State. “That was because Jay-Z and Puffy and Rev Run and LL Cool J and many other people came out to rally,” he says. “A lot of politicians joined them, but the artists made the noise and created the energy and made the change.”

Simmons has high hopes for rallying that same energy in the fight against climate change—an issue, he admits, the community has yet to truly embrace. But he’s harnessing more than the power of lyrics and videos to get the message out. He’s recently given birth to a new-media company called Global Grind—a hip-hop HuffPo, if you will—featuring news stories, video clips, and celeb blog posts on topics ranging from music and entertainment to “politricks.”

Simmons has also taken on the role of spokesperson for the America’s Greenest Campus campaign, an effort to get college students (a key hip-hop demographic) to reduce their carbon footprint. The contest ran through October and offered prizes to the school with the most participants, the school with the largest percentage of carbon emissions reduced, and the creator of an online ad for sponsor SmartPower.

During a recent phone call—and between bites of a Gardenburger-topped salad garnished with both salad dressing and ketchup (a combination his staff poked fun at, he says)—Simmons talked about his commitment to reducing his own footprint, the brand power of hip-hop, and the importance of well-informed consumers.

Q. Tell me about the America’s Greenest Campus contest. Why have you signed on to help publicize this campaign?

A. The hip-hop community has not been as concerned about the environment as they could be, so if I can loan my voice and my resources … into growing it very quickly, then I believe that companies can create more awareness on this subject. It’s something that I’m very committed to, so I want to tie this educational vehicle, Global Grind, directly to this “America’s Greenest Campus” idea, and I want to see how I can help others to lighten their footprint.

Q. What role can young people play in helping change the way we think about climate change in this country?

A. [This campaign] is an educational tool and an empowerment vehicle. People don’t understand what it is to lighten their footprint, what steps to take. So if we give them the simple steps and we tell them exactly how much it affects the environment if they make certain changes—being a vegetarian, doing other things that make a dramatic difference in how much weight they carry in the world—people want to know that. When they realize that by changing simple things they can make a difference, it’s an empowerment vehicle.

Q. You’ve said that you used to live a life of overconsumption and abundance—how have your priorities changed over time?

A. One thing is that I’m an animal activist. I felt very disturbed about the way humanity treats its species on this planet. It was a spiritual matter, and it was not connected, at first, to the environment. And then when I found out that your footprint is so much heavier because you eat animals—that’s [a bigger] cause of global warming … than all forms of transportation put together—it became a part of my discussion when I was trying to get people to stop eating animals and abusing themselves by eating them. I didn’t realize how much they were abusing the planet as well.

Q. Hip-hop culture definitely trumpets a life of luxury and overconsumption, and that message is going straight to the youth, so it feels a little bit contradictory to say “hey, green your campus, lessen your footprint” but also be telling them “have the pimpest car and the blingiest bling”—

A. I’m going to interrupt you. First of all, the abuse comes from the top down. The president’s flying around in a private plane. Stop playin’! Everybody’s abusive and every channel’s abusing us … All the people pointing the finger at hip-hop need to point at themselves.

If hip-hop decides to buy something that’s popular in culture and talk about it, that certainly doesn’t make them more abusive. They’re more conscious, not less. They’re less homophobic, not more. They’re less violent, not more. They’re less racist, not more. But it’s wrong [to say that] in general, they’re less concerned.

I will say that it is a community that needs to be enlightened more. But that’s not the issue—their mission of getting ahead. That’s a mission America sends on every network, in every promotion, on every channel, and every commercial.

Because they sing about the things that people buy? I think that’s a reflection of us. They are reflections of us, and our dirt is coming right out of their mouths …

Q. Do you think the hip-hop community can lead the charge to help shepherd these changes?

A. You’ve gotta hope so, because the biz is depending on hip-hop to pick which color diamond is popular. The only way [the Maybach] beats Phantom Rolls Royce is to get rappers to choose it. Tommy Hilfiger’s praying that hip-hop discovers him again. So is Coca-Cola; [they’re] worried what hip-hop says versus Pepsi.

We need them; they’re the best brand-building community in the world. If we can get a large number of hip-hoppers to take this on, then they will have a greater impact in lots of forms of media.

Q. Are there any artists in particular who have taken on this cause?

A. I don’t have a rapper that I can point to the way I can point to Leonardo DiCaprio. But I’m going to work now as an individual, and I’m trying to find some leaders in the community who can make a huge difference.

Q. Have you done any work to move along environmental changes in the music industry—or have you seen any promising changes in the way the industry is run?

A. I don’t know that they’ve done a lot of work yet. The reason I signed on [to this campaign] is because I felt they were not serving this initiative. They work on many things that are social and political, but this has not been one. It’s not been on the forefront in their minds, and that’s why I’m trying to make a difference now by joining on. I’m not joining on because they have a lot of hip-hoppers involved in the environmental movement. I’m joining on because they don’t, and I think that we can put it in their face and they’re conscious people and a lot of them will join.

Q. What about your clothing lines? Have you made moves to ensure they have minimal impact on the earth?

A. Not as much as I should. It’s something we’ve talked about a lot. In fact, we had a discussion about making a lot of organic cotton for Wal-Mart yesterday.

Q. What’s holding you back on that front? What needs to happen so that it makes sense from a business point of view?

A. You have to get customers to value it. Some of these choices we want to make—in order for us to be competitive and still make a difference, we have to be profitable. There is a resistance on the part of some consumers that is making it more difficult. We have to promote the value of organic choices to the consumers … We’re working on it. It’s a marketing exercise.

Q. Do you feel it’s your role as a public figure to use your status to promote change?

A. I try to go to work every day and make sure my businesses have a light footprint in every area. I stopped my licensees a long time ago from making fur; my new companies are not making leather. I’m trying, you know? I try to every day do a little better, but that’s for me to sleep at night. If you live by example, if you speak in a way that people can digest it and see the value in it, then you can get people to join in. I know that as [people] learn to do better, they do better, they feel better, and they sleep better as a result of making a good choice.

This article is brought to you from the Seattle Editor of The Grist.

by Sarah van Schagen

listen. learn. share. repeat.™

Jen Lovelady, the CEO of JOY IT UP! is an entertaining, savvy and insightful Coach and Mompreneur.

Bringing 12 years of motivational speaking and experience to the table, she is on a mission to revolutionize the way people run their lives and homes. She brings passion, creativity, fun and straightforward training to provide the best and fastest results-driven training on the market! We are very happy to welcome Jen to the Nextvoice247 team as an ongoing contributor discussing issues on home, work, family, relationship and women’s issues.

As entrepreneurs we are passionate and on a mission to change the world with our product or service. We are enthusiastic and driven to climb to the top! But as entrepreneurs we need to take our loved ones on the ride with us! It will be no fun to reach the top and look around and have no one there to enjoy what we have built!

I am a busy mom of 4 little ones, building 2 companies alongside my family. It can busy difficult to balance the chaos of kids and family. I know how hard it is to shut off my creative driven mind and BE PRESENT with my family when I am dying to work into the late hours of the night.

But I chose to be intentional in putting my kids and family as a high priority in my life. Their perception of how important my work is to me…is their reality! We do have some control over that by refraining from the ball-in-chain of your phone and computer during family time.  The people closest to us need to see us choosing THEM over WORK. SHOW them how much we care…

I teach women all over the globe how to get a handle on life and home by joining a Mom’s 8 week accountability program called JOY IT UP! And that my friend…is what life is about! Finding JOY in LIFE and BUSINESS!

Until next time… FIND JOY!

1. Can you very briefly describe yourself and list your contact information?

My name is Francis Dayamba and I am a junior civil engineer at Clarkson University. Despite my technical background, I have created a club that will allow me to cultivate my social engineering mindset and to express my concern about the lack of development in my continent of origin, Africa. The characteristics that I feel define me as a person are: well-roundedness, patriotism, enthusiasm and confidence.

Contact Information: dayambfo@clarkson.edu, Founder of D’AMUGE FUND Club.

2. Can you describe the organization that you started/helped to start?

The D’AMUGE Fund targets educational institutions, particularly primary schools, in an attempt to impact the dynamics of destitute communities in Benin. Education is becoming increasingly essential to one’s success in life. So, the logic behind this initiative is the more accessible education is the more of a chance students will have to succeed in life and the more they will be able sustainably help their country.

We intend to establish multi-faceted grass root level projects, in an attempt to address the causes rather than the effects of poverty. While these projects have been primarily established to increase educational accessibility, they also target entrepreneurship, infrastructure and health of the community.

An example of such a project is an initiative that builds a water tap in a school. While the water tap will be managed by both the staff and the students, water will be sold to the local community. Not only will this provide accessible clean water to the community but it will generate profit for the school. This profit is then to be saved until enough money is collected to build another water tap. This money would then be donated to another school to allow them to benefit from the same privileges and so the cycle would continues.

3. What was the process you followed to start your organization?

To begin with, I observed that in Benin there are industrious and honest people that are in  need of sustainable resources but do not know how to access them. Likewise, at Clarkson there is an interest amongst students to assist but lack the knowledge on how to do so. With that being said, the first step in the process of creating the club was to realize that both of these extremes existed. The club is merely a medium by which these two parties can benefit from one another.

The second step is to convert an idea into a reality by making your group officially recognized by an established authority, which in my case is the student senate. Before the D’Amuge Fund can be recognized by the student senate, a constitution has to be created which will be scrutinized. If it is approved the club is then officially recognized.

Thirdly, you must be willing to advertise your club in an effort to recruit members in order to build man power. At the same time, it is important to establish core members of your group that are dedicated to the cause.

This is currently the stage at which the club is at, but the next steps that the club anticipates to cover are:

Have a successful first meeting in which we will establish the direction of the club

Hold elections to determine officers throughout the year,

Build awareness on campus while following the mission.

At the end of the year, execute the plan that was designed in the beginning of the club.

4. Can you tell me the story of how you raised $650 and donated it to schools in Africa in person?

In order to build awareness of Africa, the club decided to sell West African bracelets to the Clarkson community while informing students, professors and faculty of the conditions that the average person faces in Benin. We created a brochure and a poster which we used at table in our student center between rush-hour times (12-1 and during the intermission of hockey games) and advertised for a total of 10 hours.  Out of curiosity, charity and concern the Clarkson community bought the bracelets and donated money. Overall, we were able to raise approximately 650 dollars.

The delivery of the donations to the school was the most rewarding aspect of the whole process.   We chose the School of Avossa because of the desolate conditions and its resilient and hard-working staff. The most challenging aspect was determining how we could distribute the funds in order for the money to be used as efficiently as possible. With much consultation with the director of the school district, an educational specialist and the director of a Non-governmental Organization (NGO), the money was distributed as follows.

The funds were used to purchase the cloth required to sew school uniforms, which were provided to all of the students of the primary school. We gave the cloth to the student’s so that the families do not become dependent on our help and are forced to contribute towards the expense of getting the cloth sewn. This will also help the local tailor, who will get an influx of clients from the school. We rewarded the top 10 students with merit-based scholarships and the poorest 20 students with need based scholarships. In addition they all received kits that consisted of a notebook, a pen and a pencil.

We decided to help the 20 poorest students because in this primary school it was found that there is a correlation between higher family income and success of children at school.

In addition to that, we donated Christmas presents to the school in the form of soccer and tennis balls, candy and cookies and various board games.

Along with that, the NGO called IFESH- Benin donated a variety of things from French work books to teaching manuals.

5. What is your ultimate goal for this fall?

Despite the impact that was made, more work is needed. So this year, we are going to set a goal to fundraise more than $2000 by seeking help from external sources such as NGO’s and co-operations interested in helping our cause. Once the money is raised, we would like to think of creative ways in which we can help schools whilst bolstering the economy of the local community. We would also like to build the cultural awareness of West Africa amongst the club and the Clarkson community.

6. What leadership qualities do you think you are honing from establishing and working with your organization?

Before I make any comments about my leadership abilities, I would like to mention that the group with which I am working is very laborious and consists of connoisseurs at particular tasks that they are doing to help the club. The most important quality that I bring to the group as a leader is my knowledge of the Beninese educational system and my interest in development. Both of these allow me to give a unique perspective on how the club should be run and what particular problems we should address. In a sense, I have an emotional attachment to both the club and the problems that we are trying to solve. The goal is to have this emotional drive resonate throughout the whole group.

7. How might people outside of Clarkson University help your organization?

At this stage, there are two ways in which people outside of Clarkson can assist in the clubs endeavors. Firstly, I would like people to brainstorm and find innovative ways to help the education facilities in small communities while positively affecting the economy of the community. Secondly, donations are always solicited and deeply appreciated. As the club develops out of its infancy stage, there will be a lot more tasks that can be accomplished by students outside of Clarkson. Hopefully, one day we can have the club grow to the point that we have more chapters all around the nation and they can help in their own way.

8. Can you tell me about any noteworthy accomplishments your club has had?

So far, the most noteworthy accomplishment has been the donated money to the school at Avossa. My father kept in contact with the school and apparently the following semester more students enrolled into primary school. This news in itself motivated me to continue the work that I am doing.

One of the main functions of this club is to change the mind-set of the people in these local communities. They must understand that they should not be content with their current quality of life. They must battle for better living conditions, better jobs and a better life. This fight begins with education, acquiring the knowledge to understand the circumstances of their situation and use this knowledge to improve their lives. When people in these communities are thinking along these lines, only then will I consider that the D’Amuge Fund has made noteworthy accomplishments

listen. learn. share. repeat.™

This interview was conducted by Clarkson University Junior, John Exley, contributing blogger and emerging leader interviewer for Nextvoice247.

John Exley | Netxvoice247 Blogging & Emerging Leader Contributor

THE SITUATION

Corruption. Greed. The global economy in disarray. The world we know today needs leaders, perhaps more than ever before. For the young and ambitious who aspire to careers of leadership in business, it is critical to develop leadership in college.

An article featured on Entrepreneur.com titled: “Developing leadership skills in college and early career positions” http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/186785392.html offered the great advice that “College students and early career workers can benefit from continual leadership development in order to prepare for the business world and their first foray into the challenging world of leading others.”

THE OPTION

There are two approaches to developing your leadership in college, in my opinion: join an existing club that interests you and take on a leadership position, or defy the status quo entirely and start your own club.

If you are in college, I am about to urge you to pursue the second approach and cultivate your own leadership. Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, this approach can accelerate your journey towards becoming the leader we need you to be.

THE REASONS WHY

Starting a new organization can give you some great visibility with faculty and staff at your school. And, if you start a club around something that you’re passionate about, it presents the opportunity to not only connect with students who share the same passions as you, but to lead them towards accomplishing the vision of your new club.

The skills you will hone (including delegation, communication, sales, and creating value) from starting your own club have many parallels to entrepreneurship and the fundamentals of business, and you will undoubtedly draw upon them as you enter a position of leadership in your professional career.

The lessons you learn (from how to deal with the inevitable conflict that will arise periodically, to persevering through the obstacles that face you as you attempt to build your new club, to how to motivate others) will be highly applicable in just about every career path you may choose.

HOW…? GETTING STARTED

Find a niche, preferably one that you love. What are you passionate about? It could be working out, or perhaps you are captivated by current events. It might be basketball shoes or surfing or beautiful jewelry. What isn’t represented on your campus? Start a club that fills the void.

Or, take another route. Think creatively about a difference you could make in society with the help of others. Maybe you could start a ‘volunteering club’ whose sole mission is to organize weekly community service events.

THE EXAMPLE

Meet Francis Dayamba. Francis is a civil engineering major at Clarkson University. He is a close friend of mine who created a club this year that enables him to nurture his social engineering mindset and to express his concern about the lack of development in his continent of origin, Africa.

He is the Founder of The D’AMUGE Fund, a student-run organization that targets educational institutions, particularly primary schools, in an attempt to impact the dynamics of destitute communities in Benin. During a brief two week period this past spring, his club raised $650, which Francis donated in person in the form of school supplies, merit-based scholarships, and Christmas presents to students at the School of Avossa.

Check back here tomorrow for a full interview with this emerging leader – where you can find out more about Francis, his new club, and how you can get involved in making a positive impact on communities in dire need.

THE PROCESS

It’s time to create a vision. Start recruiting a few friends with similar interests and complementary skills and offer them the opportunity to be on the founding team of your new club. Brainstorm together and determine your mission, the purpose of starting of your club. Write out your goals and what you believe it can accomplish.

Think big.

Think of a name for your club. Talk to your school’s administration to determine what you need to complete to officially establish your new club. Formalize a 1-page action plan (with your mission and vision statements, about us section, and goals) and include by-laws if your school requires you to do so. Research your school’s student government, as there may be funding opportunities for your club.

Now, the fun part.

You’re official, so start creating a buzz on campus! Get the word out. Seek out students with similar interests and sell them on your vision, convince them of the opportunities your group provides and the potential for growth and improvement your group would have if they brought their value to your club. Once you have established a core group of members, engage them by discussing your formal organizational structure. How will you organize your new club? What leadership positions? What skills and talents will you need to attract to grow? Then, elect officers and revisit your initial goals for the semester; this time, with all members brainstorming.

THE SEMESTER PLAN

Think of a cool event you could organize, a conference related to your club that you might attend, or a contest you could hold on campus to generate awareness of and interest in your new organization. Think of ways you might involve the community as well, perhaps by offering sponsorship opportunities to local businesses.

Invite a local expert or someone well known in your club’s ‘industry’ to speak. Invite faculty and staff. Create flyers and brainstorm creative ways of marketing your event and your club. Hold an event that informs, entertains, and generates buzz about the value that your group adds to the campus

This could increase your membership! Engage your new members by asking for their ideas, and empower them to lead new projects. There is so much value in taking a project from start to finish. Ask any recruiter.

THE IDEAS

Build a website for your new organization. Research if there are similar clubs at your school that you might hold events with together. Comb the Internet for similar organizations (whom you might learn from) at other colleges. Contact them! There are so many opportunities to network. Organize a community service outreach to make a difference and to further enhance your club’s brand.

Engage with people online who share your passions. Begin branding yourself as an expert in the field that you are passionate about, on the collegiate level and based on the relevant club you started at school.

THE REALITY CHECK

Worried about failure as a young leader? Don’t be. In his blog post “A Wish For Leaders” http://leadershipinc.com/a-wish-for-leaders/520, the renowned author Ty Bennett says that he wishes all aspiring leaders “could know how it feels “to run” with all your heart and lose – horribly” as he believes this to be an important element in the “experience of leadership.”

THE SUCCESSION PLAN

Don’t forget: you’re graduating sooner rather than later, right? Better plan for the future! Who will take your place of leadership? How will you transition leadership? How often? How will you ensure that the club not only survives, but prospers and continues to grow?  Remain involved as an advisor during your last semester at college and help the club transition.

After graduating, stay in touch. As the group’s founder, establish a network of alumni and reach back to the club to help out when needed. Hold networking events. Be a door to career opportunity for student members of your club. Help the group continue to live on after your departure and you will have established a legacy.

More importantly, you will have left an impact on your school, and created value and made meaning for your student body. And in the process, you will have cultivated leadership opportunities, both for yourself and for those who joined your organization.

THE LAST TIP

Are you an unemployed college student or recent graduate without a job? Check out the blog article “Graduate school for unemployed college students” http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/06/graduate-school-for-unemployed-college-students.html by one of the world’s most famous marketers, Seth Godin, for the secret to your future success as a leader.

YOUR HELP

What tips do you have for starting a club while on college and cultivating leadership? What critical steps did I leave out of the process for starting an organization?

listen. learn. share. repeat.™