The good folks at EvanCarmichael.com -- a motivation and strategies resource site for small business and entrepreneurs -- invited me to join other bloggers in promoting a good cause to help small businesses in underprivileged countries.
They're launching a series of 30 Famous Entrepreneur Heroes trading cards on April 1st, 2010 to raise money for Kiva, a global organization connecting people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Their series will feature the likes of Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Peggy Short & Jane Saunders, Richard Branson, Craig Newmark, and Walt Disney, and many, many more big names. You can view the complete list here plus how you can order your own sets: http://www.evancarmichael.com/Heroes/.
Make fun if you want, but if you're interested in receiving a complimentary set of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak Entrepreneur trading cards, I've got a few I can give away to you. Just let me know.
Pretty fun marketing fodder if you ask me. And just in time for the NFL draft, Major League Baseball Spring Training, March Madness -- Kiva celebrates the rookie-wanting-to-go-pro business person in us all globally year round.
The entrepreneurial spirit of innovation, success and creating a better life for oneself, one's family, community, country and the world shouldn't be held hostage by lack of financing, investment and an open incubating environment.
Easier said than done in impoverished and unstable areas around the world, but an inspirational task nonetheless.
It's evident in the HR marketplace that this entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. At this year's ERE Expo in San Diego we were witness to many new businesses making a play. I've also met them online in social media networks and other events in the past year. Downturns spur the hearts and minds to action.
But beyond what Kiva does globally, locally we could do better in investing in and facilitating:
- Better science, technology and leadership education for our children and our children's children.
- Better education and job retraining programs for the unemployed whose jobs and industries are never coming back.
- Immigration policies and legislation that encourage new business ventures from outside the U.S. like Startup Visa.
- Small businesses in severely depressed areas (and everywhere for that matter) in the form of loans, investment, referrals and buying products and services from them.
Entrepreneurism: the great global economic elevator and job creator. Not everyone's going to make it, but we should encourage it, invest in it and believe in it. And don't forget to be a better me.
Buy those trading cards today! You might be on them someday.
Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!)
Labels: economics, Entrepreneurism, Evan Carmichael, HR suppliers, Kiva, startups
The good folks at EvanCarmichael.com -- a motivation and strategies resource site for small business and entrepreneurs -- invited me to join other bloggers in promoting a good cause to help small businesses in underprivileged countries.