Several people have asked me why I call myself a Purpose Ambassador. It was a title given to me by Aaron Hurst, author of The Purpose Economy. At first, I used it because it is a pretty cool title, isn’t it? Like most titles, they’re just words that we paste into our signatures and the
I did a lot of reading, learning and changing in 2014. There are a few things that definitely worked and other things that I know will work, but take more effort an will power on my part to make a true positive change. Some things were lessons learned through experience and conversations with my family,
10 Lessons I Learned in 2014 Read Post »
A couple months ago, I gave a presentation on the topic sales despite my aversion to sales. I cringe at the sound of the word and yet, in June of 2014 I found myself promoted to Director of Partnerships at CauseLabs, managing all of our relationships and, that’s right, sales. What I’ve learned in the
How I’ve Come to Love Sales Read Post »
The news is gruesome. I can hardly turn it on without hearing of death and destruction. I prefer to fill my brain with better things, though I can’t completely disconnect from current events. Earlier this year I found a email newsletter service called theSkimm, which sends me a daily recap of what’s going on in
Instead of The News Read Post »
Last week I was asked to share my relationship to poverty. I spoke about my childhood, one deeply impacted by economic hardship. Though truth be told, this was my mother’s story of poverty, not mine because as a baby, I didn’t recognize our suffering; I felt only her immense love for me. As we were sharing,
Our Relationship to Poverty Read Post »
This past weekend I gave my first WordCamp talk. I slipped away from my practiced talk several times, but I think that’s okay because it was fun and it spoke more to the needs of those that were in the room. Thanks to everyone who attended and made it a really amazing discussion. I do
Behind the Scenes of Project Scoping Read Post »
Interview by Frances Nguyen. What I found most admirable about Sheryle’s story was her bravery by the mere act of letting go. It’s hard to come to terms with the hard truth that something isn’t working, even when, in theory, it’s perfect. She had a great job, and because she was good at it, she
Taking a Leap of Faith Read Post »
When you can’t be face to face for a conversation, what’s the next best thing? Technology has opened up a world of possibilities and implementing quick, easy and reliable ways to communicate with our teams is crucial. In a world where remote working and telecommuting is more and more prominent, finding the right video conferencing
Tools for Video Communication Read Post »
I joined Twitter with the early adopters, but I never figured out what I wanted to do with it. About a year and a half ago, I looked at my nearly empty twitter account that had been languishing for I don’t know how long. I considered deleting it, but instead decided to use it as
Let’s Tweet in 3 Easy Steps Read Post »
To be truly productive, you must be selective. Which tasks are most important on your list? Reasons may vary, but focus on the task that accomplishes the most towards your goals. If several tasks are equally important, tackle the hardest one first and don’t move on until it is done. Despite how daunting it may
Productivity Towards Purpose Read Post »
Is there a difference between building engagement and building relationships? One leads to the other and there is a distinct difference, particularly in philanthropy. While simple engagement may be enough for your organization, it won’t necessarily lead to lasting relationships that help fund long term campaigns. Developing donors is often a relationship building activity, but
Building Engagement vs. Relationship Read Post »
In 2013 my New Year’s resolution was to learn to laugh at myself. Honestly, I took myself too seriously and needed to loosen up. I am incredibly reserved, timid, and socially awkward (no really, I am.) It took years of practice to become more assertive. I needed that skill as a leader. It also took
Do you take yourself too seriously? Read Post »
If you derive hope from the Field of Dreams story and recite the ever popular “if you build it, he will come” quote as your reasoning for building without logical rationale, you may be in for a disappointment. In a tech savvy, well-connected city of potential app users, you would think that your awesome app
Reality Check: If you build it, who will come? Read Post »
I had the great fortune of failing on my first project. Yes, you read that correctly and it was not a typo. I know it doesn’t seem like the type of thing one would be proud of, but I gained something from that experience that I continue to look for in other projects. I was
Reality Check: How Failure Can Lead to Long Term Success Read Post »
The key to productivity is planning and focus; to do one successfully you must also do the other. I’d like to share a presentation I gave last week representing CauseLabs at the Tech4Good meetup in Denver, Colorado. Download the Presentation Slides: Getting Organized If tools were all we needed to be more productive, we’d be
What is a social enterprise? Social enterprises are organizations whose primary purpose is to serve the common good, and whose strategy applies business disciplines and market-based strategies to achieve social or environmental missions. Social enterprise models There are two social enterprise models: Non-profits and For-profits. Non-profits utilizing business models and the power of the marketplace
Is your organization a social enterprise? Read Post »
I have a varied skill set due to the twists and turns in my career path. I started off in the U.S. Army as an Arabic linguistic specialist, then worked (mostly as a volunteer or board member) in the non-profit realm as I raised my children. When I was ready to re-enter the business world,
An Interview on Changing Careers Read Post »
Quotes are incredibly inspirational. Granted, we are taking a one liner out of the context of the greater conversation, but the motivation is there and the heart of message is clearly articulated. That’s why some of these quotes have been repeated a million times over and will continue to be tweeted, quoted, recited and shared
50 Inspirational Quotes On Leadership Read Post »
If you’ve been a project manager for a while, then you know that when a client says, “can you send me a scope of work?” that means, “tell me how long this will take and how much it will cost.” If you’re new to project management, then you have all of this to look forward to and whether you’re new or rather experienced, here are some pointers to help you along your way.
How to “Right-Size” a Project Read Post »
1. Your Audience is Mobile. Trust me.
Need proof? I can understand your need to crunch numbers since redesigning your website is a daunting undertaking. This Infographic makes the data more digestible: http://bit.ly/1dHrocV
The truth is, more and more users are viewing websites on mobile devices.
3 Reasons to Consider Mobile First Read Post »
Are you and agile project manager developing software for not-so-agile stakeholders? Perhaps you’re product owner wishing for a more agile manager or development team.
Here’s my advice: When all else is in question including the scope and the budget and the timing of milestones, put the people first.
Recently, I took course titled “Grow to Greatness.” The many case studies reiterated that growth and success require focus. This isn’t a big secret. For years, entrepreneurs and leaders have echoed the importance of focus. However, deciding to limit your services, products or market can be a scary decision and staying committed to this choice
Let’s Move Mountains Read Post »
We often look to other leaders for inspiration, guidance and motivation. Gandhi has always been one I quote often. One of my favorite quotes is: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi Depending on our perspective, there are a few ways to read meaning
Learning to Innovate Read Post »
It starts somewhere, right? Every story has an important beginning. If I ever write my story however, I think I would start in the middle because that’s when I understood just how important the events of my past had been to shaping my purpose. On the afternoon of July 4th, 2013, I sat content on
Do you have a Wonder Woman complex? You’re not alone; I too have a super hero complex and like anything, it can be healthy in moderation. However, your desire to do everything can become unhealthy for you and those around you. Celebrate your strengths and recognize your challenges. I feel like I can or should
Your Inner Wonder Woman Read Post »
USWP allowed me to be a part of a greater mission to provide clean water to everyone, everywhere.
U.S. Water Partnership Read Post »
Recently, I attended the Harvard International Development Conference at the Harvard Kennedy School, which was ironically titled “The End of Development.” The keynote speakers were inspiring, the crowd was eager to change the world, and the message was clear: International Development is at the beginning of a new era. It must adapt to new expectations, advancing technologies,
3 Challenges for International Development Read Post »
Recently, I’ve been taking on a lot more responsibility and the hours in the day just weren’t enough to get it all done. I take that back; I had enough time to do everything, just not enough time to do it all well. I found I was picking and choosing which things would get more
Identifying Your Job Description Read Post »
Working on mobile apps for use in Africa highlighted the importance of user testing and knowing our audience.
The most important thing about choosing a team name or title is ensuring it reflects your job both internally and externally. What’s in a name? At CauseLabs we have three core teams that make things happen: the Creative Team, the Tech Team and the Partner Solutions Team. While the first two are fairly straightforward, Partner
Partner Solutions: A New Paradigm for Digital Services Read Post »
