Stepping Forward with Our 5-Year Vision

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

As I walk into the room, I am greeted by Nevada Jean Lane, our graphic facilitator for our one-day visioning retreat in San Francisco. I am the first to arrive. I locate my name tag and proceed to find a seat. I take one quick glance at the agenda and think to myself, "This is going to be one jam-packed day!" 

Just as I am starting to anticipate the day's schedule, Michelle Lapinski from the San Francisco Chapter walks in. Given that this would be the first time I am meeting the women from the different YWSE chapters, I get ready for a handshake. Except, Michelle flashes a huge smile, hugs me tightly and excitedly says, "It's so great to finally meet you!" Minutes later, the other women quickly trickle into the room. Before I know it, we are all greeting each other with hugs. I quickly learn that this is the "YWSE Way".

From that moment on, I knew I was in for a treat.

Eleven creative minds gathered from all parts of the U.S. - Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, New York, and DC - to take on the challenging task of developing a 5-year vision plan for YWSE. To start, we are reminded of the "YWSE Values" and how our core values are the key principles that guide our conduct and our relationships. They connect us to each other and make our successes possible.

The empty canvas is eventually populated with our brainstorming and mind mapping. Nevada was able to beautifully capture our thoughts and ideas through this visual representation:

Our vision inspires us to dream bigger, reach higher and expect more for the future.

While the visioning retreat accomplished the immediate goal of bringing Chapter leaders together to develop a shared vision for YWSE, it is important to understand that the retreat itself was merely the first step in a process. The key to its impact is in the follow-up.  The work that remains is that of empowering and supporting Chapter leaders to implement program ideas and of monitoring progress through regular check-ins and follow-up meetings. 

An important outcome of the YWSE Visioning retreat is the visual reminder of the stepping stones that will allow us to reach our 5-year vision.

As we continue to serve our local members with excellence, we will need your help in building national community and external visibility through increased and improved means of our funding model and technology.

If there is specific "stepping stone" that you are interested in learning more about and/or would like to serve on a committee, please email us newyorkcity@ywse.org.

You're Invited! "How She Does It" Dinner Series - Featuring The Adventure Project: Becky Straw

Register online: http://nywsedinnerbeckystrawtap.eventbrite.com/

EVENT DETAILS
Date: Monday, February 13, 2012
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Location: Crepes du Nord, 17 South William Street

New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) invites you to the NYWSE "How she does it" Dinner Series featuring guest speaker Becky Straw, Co-Founder of The Adventure Project.  

Join us for this evening of dining and conversation as Becky shares with us The Adventure Project and "How to set up shop: Practical steps to take a leap of faith and start your own enterprise."

About Becky Straw / The Adventure Project

Becky Straw is the Co-Founder and Chief Adventurist for The Adventure Project, a new nonprofit "adding venture" to support entrepreneurs in developing countries. In its first year, The Adventure Project helped create 190 jobs for people in India, Kenya, Uganda and Haiti.

Prior to The Adventure Project, Becky spent three years helping to launch charity:water, an organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. Becky has consulted for UNICEF's Division of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, and graduated from Columbia University with a Master's in Social Welfare.

You can follow Becky Straw on twitter at  @beckystraw @ad_venturepro and at www.facebook.com/theadventureproject.

 

From Dumps to Charities

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

As the saying goes, one woman's trash is another woman's treasure. And so it is with Film Biz Recycling, the not-for-profit organization, that diverted over 180 tons of materials from landfills and redistributed over 60% of materials to eight local charities. 

Film Biz Recycling, founded by Eva Radke, accepts donated props and materials from film, TV, theater, commercial and other media productions. Radke, a former art department coordinator, saw a void and decided to fill it. After years of seeing so much material waste in the media industry, Radke channeled her frustration into action. In 2008, a home, also known as the Prop Shop, was built for these abandoned items. 40% of those salvaged items become inventory for sale or rent at the Prop Shop and everything else goes to charities and local organizations.

"I want people to understand that we are not a store. We are a community center. Rather than be recognized as a great store, we want it to be very clear that we have a social and an environmental mission and hope to inspire people to take this business model and replicate it in their local neighborhood."

Film Biz Recycling's mission is to not only create socially responsible and sustainable solutions by using repurposed materials but also provide environmentally focused educational platforms. FBR often hosts seminars in their 10,000-foot warehouse space focusing on reuse and the media production and creative arts industries. "I want to be a conduit for the film industry and see it become a factory for art and learning." says Radke.

In addition to providing meeting and studio spaces to local community groups, businesses and individuals, FBR also runs an art gallery that features work from local artists (as shown below). "The workshops are free because I just want people to come in here and listen. Be encouraged. Be inspired."

 

     

 

To view the different charities Film Biz Recycling partners with visit: http://www.filmbizrecycling.org/about/partners-and-charities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As One Chapter Closes Another Opens

by Cynthia Hellen, Co-Founder of GIRLS WHO ROCK

On behalf of the New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) team, we would like to welcome you back to what we know will be a year of impact! As some may know, NYWSE hosts various events, panels, discussions and our "How she does it" Dinner Series throughout the year. Last month, we had the honor of featuring guest speaker Adelaide Lancaster, co-author of The Big Enough Company: Creating a business that works for you and co-founder of In Good Company in NYC.

Looking forward, we have an exciting lineup of events for 2012. Our very first event will be our “How She Does It” dinner on February 13^th. We will announce our first featured guest in the next coming weeks so stayed tuned!

         

We will also continue to highlight and celebrate the stories of extraordinary women in social enterprise on this blog. But, what does "social enterprise" mean to you? What comes to mind when you hear the words "woman social entrepreneur"? Who would you like to spend an evening with and share your thought-provoking ideas and/or discuss about sustainability or entrepreneurship?                                                                                                                                 

We want to know your thoughts and are taking submissions! Email us at: newyorkcity@ywse.org.

                                                                                                                                                             

We look forward to seeing all of you at our upcoming events!

NYWSE Appoints Kari Litzmann Chapter Leader

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, New York, January 9, 2012 – New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE), a professional network of women social entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, has appointed Kari Litzmann as its second Chapter Leader. The new leadership appointment is effective immediately and will be accompanied by NYWSE Founder and inaugural Chapter Leader Natalia Oberti Noguera transitioning into an advisory role.

Natalia Oberti Noguera founded NYWSE in 2008, grew the community from six to over 1,200 members within two years, and learned about the lack of funding for-profit social ventures face firsthand from NYWSE members. In 2011, she launched the Pipeline Fellowship, which trains women philanthropists to become angel investors through education, mentoring, and practice. Fellows commit to invest in a woman-led for-profit social venture in exchange for equity and a board seat.

Natalia Oberti Noguera said, “I look forward to remaining an active NYWSE member and supporting Kari Litzmann during this transition. Kari’s background as both a social intrapreneur and social entrepreneur creates an ideal combination of experiences that will resonate with the NYWSE community. Also, Kari’s dedication to supporting women innovators and commitment to sustainability characterize the values that NYWSE has come to be known for and I’m confident that she will lead NYWSE through new milestones as the network celebrates its four-year anniversary this month.”

Kari Litzmann is a graduate of Pratt Institute’s Design Management Masters Program and has spent the past seven years working as a branding and graphic design consultant, mostly for organizations that focus on the development of women like Women’s World Banking and Barnard College. In 2011, Litzmann founded her design social enterprise, Rubina, that will soon be launching a platform to sell unique, limited-edition products created by designer and artisan collaborations around the world that provide a sustainable income for marginalized women and preserve their traditional crafts.

Under Kari Litzmann’s leadership, the NYWSE community will continue to expand as a dynamic professional network for women social entrepreneurs and social intrapreneurs through panel discussions, “How She Does It” dinner series, and professional development events.

“There is something quite magical within the NYWSE community,” said Kari Litzmann. “Never before have I been a part of a group of women that want to help you as much as, if not more than, they want to help themselves. My goal is to lead this organization in becoming even more of a place where women who are passionate about creating environmental, social, and financial impact in the world can be inspired, connect with others, and gain the resources and tools they need to make their goals happen. I want NYWSE to be known as a place you can make ideas happen.”

Kari Litzmann has been a member of NYWSE since the summer of 2010 and has served on the Events Committee from the beginning. As a social entrepreneur herself, she hopes to use her experiences to inspire and encourage the NYWSE community. According to Kari, “We can make so much more impact when we work together.”


About New York Women Social Entrepreneurs

New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) is the NY-metro chapter of Young Women Social Entrepreneurs (YWSE). NYWSE’s mission is to provide a community, tools, trainings, and resources that women need to succeed as business leaders while becoming sustainability experts. Our vision is to empower women to effect change in society at all levels, as an individual, community member, professional, student, and entrepreneur.


CONTACT INFORMATION

Hannah Jang
NYWSE Chief Blogger
http://www.ywse.org/nywse/
newyorkcity@ywse.org

Jumpstarting 2012 with Inspiration

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

As 2011 draws to a close and we reflect on the past year, a panoramic montage of bittersweet memories unfolds within our minds. We begin to vacillate between excited anticipation of a new year and feeling angst for the pile of unfinished projects. Both ends of the emotional spectrum are natural and to be expected.  

But, how can we appease such an unsettled mind?  Read inspiring quotes. They are powerful nuggets of wisdom. Here are 12 inspiring quotes that will hopefully uplift and motivate you to greater heights:

 

"Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions." - Albert Einstein

 

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."                      - Margaret Young

 

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

 

"The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them."                         - George Bernard Shaw

 

"Every great dream begins with a dream. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." - Harriet Tubman

 

"I failed my way to success." - Thomas Edison

 

"He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying." - Nietzsche

 

"Inspiration and genius - one and the same." - Victor Hugo  

 

"To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first." - William Shakespeare  

 

"My mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general, if you become a monk you'll end up as the pope.' Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso." - Pablo Picasso

 

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." - Helen Keller

 

"When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Girltank: the "she" lab for social change

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

Are you a global changemaker or an organization looking for partnership? Meet girltank, a hybrid non-profit and for-profit social enterprise designed to empower young women changemakers. Spanning across six continents and over 30 countries, girltank is set out to change the world. Tara Roberts, Founder of girltank, shares why she started the organization and how you can get involved.

How did you get the idea to start girltank?

My job at CosmoGirl magazine came to a screeching halt in late 2008 because of the downward spiraling U.S. economy. But instead of looking for another 9-to-5 gig, I decided to pack my bags and use a friend’s buddy pass to travel the world and work on a book project I had been nursing for quite awhile.

My idea was to interview young women under the age of 30 who were making a difference for their communities, standing up for causes they believed in, and using their creativity and determination to bring forth something powerful in the world. So for a little under a year, I traveled to 15 different countries throughout Africa, Asia and Europe and captured the stories of 51 amazing young women.

Somewhere along the way, I began to wonder what would happen if these extraordinary young women from such diverse regions could pool their resources together and access a common collective of information and inspiration. Would their capabilities as leaders grow? Would their projects become stronger and more effective? Would they begin to work jointly and create even more powerful initiatives together?

At the same time, Sejal Hathi, who founded Girls Helping Girls (GHG) four years earlier when she was 15 years old, had just launched a program called the "Sisters 4 Peace Network" to create a global community for uniting, mobilizing, and advancing young women changemakers. She, too, was wrestling with this idea of how to form a successful single space that could serve as the hub and resource center for young women to create global projects for social change and to achieve their full potential.

So we decided to band our efforts together. We took the idea of a traditional think tank – a body that researches, solves problems and influences public policy - and turned it upside down into something active, creative, youthful and feminine – a “think” and “do” tank for young women.

And thus, girltank was born.

What makes girltank unique from other social entrepreneurship organizations?

We are unique because our mission focuses exclusively on empowering young women changemakers globally and helping bring their projects to scale.

We source young women from every region of the world, crossing cultures, religions, borders, languages and socio-economic statuses to prove that young women everywhere are capable of leading social change.

How does girltank plan to pursue sustainability?

We are a hybrid business with a non-profit and for-profit business model. Our for-profit business focuses on building educational multimedia (ebooks, workshops and events) in order to be a catalyst for a new generation of young women leaders and to generate a fresh understanding of young women's capabilities.

Can you tell us about some of the projects that members of girltank are doing around the world?

Sure!        

Noreen, Anne and Patricia, who run Jacinto & Lirio, make high-end, fashionable and sustainable bags from the water hyacinth with the help of rural Filipinos living in Pampanga. By using the water hyacinth, a pesky weed that causes over $3 billion a year in damage, J&L contributes to the sustainability of the planet and helps eco-friendly customers look stylish.

Grace helped launch the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change, which is a network of African youth organizations and individuals working on climate change and sustainable development. Grace, who lives in Kenya, helped AYICC establish chapters in 20 African countries.

Isabel hails from Germany, but she founded FonduPeru, which pays the tuition and expenses for youth from the Andean village of Chiuchin to attend college in Lima, Peru.

What are some ways people can get involved?

For young women under age 30 who have already created social change projects - nominate yourself to be a part of the fellows community (fellows@girltank.org)

For those who want to help young women in their communities learn about social change - contact us about doing a workshop at your school or organization (info@girltank.org)

For those who want to support young women changemakers - contact us about how to donate or volunteer for any of our fellows' projects (info@girltank.org)

For those who want to help us build and grow girltank hubs around the world - contact us about volunteer and employment opportunities (jobs@girltank.org)

What is your best advice to young people who are thinking of starting their own social enterprise?

Be bold and begin! Then utilize girltank's resources to support your efforts. We believe you are powerful and that you can be, do and have anything you desire!

 

Tara Roberts breathes passion and vision into her work as a writer, editor and publisher. Most recently, she launched girltank, a social enterprise designed to empower young women changemakers from around the world. Prior to this, Tara was the Senior Editor at CosmoGirl magazine and has served as the Lifestyle Editor at Ebony, Essence and Heart & Soul magazines. She has also published her own internationally distributed magazine, Fierce, a bold, pro-female and socially conscious magazine that encouraged women ages 21-40+ to excavate for their authentic, wild and powerful selves. Fierce was nominated by Utne magazine as one of the best new independent magazines in 2003.

Tara graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke College and holds a Master’s Degree in Publishing Studies from New York University’s Gallatin School.

Prosperity Candle: Give a gift, change a life.

Looking for a meaningful gift this holiday season? Now you can give a gift that gives back many times over. We have teamed up with Prosperity Candle this year so you can purchase holiday gifts that support our work while also helping women rebuild their lives. Every Prosperity Candle gift is handmade by women from some of the world’s toughest places. Each gift arrives with the name of the woman who made it, enabling you to connect with her directly through the Prosperity Candle website.

To learn more and shop to support Prosperity Candle visit www.prosperitycandle.com. Be sure to choose NYWSE in the “How did you hear about us?” section during checkout to send a donation to us!

 

 

 

Prosperity Candle helps women who have survived conflict and natural disaster rebuild their lives through candle-making. Every candle made and sold helps a woman from places like Burma, Haiti, Rwanda, Iraq and Afghanistan earn more than a living wage – enough to put food on the table, buy medicine, and send her children to school. Every Prosperity Candle gift changes a life. Make a difference today by sharing the light and changing lives!

 

 

 

A Little Goes a Long Way

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

"Helping people improve their health is what I love to do," said Betty Kyazike, the Branch Manager for Living Goods. This is a simple statement coming from an extraordinary woman. Kyazike manages over 60 female entrepreneurs who go door-to-door selling products that are improving the health of the urban poor in Kampala, Uganda. As one of Living Goods' first agents, Kyazike was invited by President Clinton to speak at this year's Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and share about the Avon-like model that provides affordable health and personal care items to hundreds of people in Uganda.

Given her midwifery background, Kyazike chose a profession that would be a natural fit for her. In 2009, Kyazike joined Living Goods, a San Francisco based social enterprise, as a Community Health Promoter and quickly became a top-performer and was promoted to branch manager a year later. However, this is only one of many success stories tied to the tireless efforts of The Adventure Project, a non-profit organization investing in entrepreneurs in developing countries.

Recently celebrating its one year anniversary, The Adventure Project rallies behind high-impact social enterprises to raise awareness and add "venture" to organizations that provide a solution to alleviating extreme poverty. After meeting through a charity: water fundraising event, Co-founders Becky Straw and Jody Landers decided to leverage their entrepreneurial skills and launch The Adventure Project by focusing on four key areas - water, environment, health and hunger. Their goal is to not only hire more "Betty's" in Uganda but also "mobilize ordinary Americans to get involved and create effective solutions to escape poverty forever."

People can get involved by creating their own fundraising page, donating directly to the organization or even sponsoring a health care worker. Since launching field operations in early 2009, Living Goods now serves over 35,000 families across Uganda but is not yet entirely self sustaining. Significant progress has been made, but much more needs to be done!

Join the tribe. Fundraise. Give. Sponsor.  

To view the year-end investment portfolio results, please visit:

http://theadventureproject.org/results

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Esther Havens (www.estherhavens.com)

 

 

(Left: Becky Straw; Right: Jody Landers)

 

 

 

 

 

The Story Exchange - Where Women Mean Business

by Karin Kamp, Guest Blogger

The Story Exchange is a new non-profit that inspires women to gain economic independence by starting and growing a business. Through the power of video, The Story Exchange profiles accomplished women entrepreneurs who speak candidly about why they began their businesses and the obstacles they overcame to achieve success. 

Deborah Olivo: A Simply Unstoppable Woman Entrepreneur

When Deborah Olivo lost her job she wasn't sure how she was going to pay her rent. This aspiring entrepreneur took the leap and started VidaAire, a line of environmentally-friendly sanitizers she created by mixing essential oils in her kitchen. Her products are now in Whole Foods as well as 50 other stores and she has just launched a new product.

Deborah struggled throughout her life but now she is a woman entrepreneur who will not be stopped. "I look in the mirror and I see the potential that I possess," Deborah told The Story Exchange.

 

Melissa Mowbray-D'Arbela: Business Woman and Terminator

Growing up below the poverty line, this woman entrepreneur learned to be resourceful early on. Today she runs a cutting-edge biotech firm based on ethical principles and disruptive ideas. The bio-mask she developed was used in the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Japan. Since September it is now available in Walgreens just in time for to flu season.

"Being a woman in business ... sure you're treated differently. So I decided 'embrace that', use it to your advantage," Melissa Mowbray-D'Arbela told The Story Exchange.

 

Puifung Leung: Social Entrepreneur Pays A Fair Price

Puifung Leung is on a mission to make trade more equitable and help improve living standards in developing countries. She is a social entrepreneur who pays farmers a fair price for their crops, which she uses to make drinks and snacks.

"The most important thing is to take risk. Where there are risks, there are opportunities" Puifung told The Story Exchange.

 

WHY? Video

See hard facts on the potential of women entrepreneurs.

 

About

The women behind The Story Exchange are inspired by the fact that women around the world are starting businesses at ever higher rates in an astonishing range of fields – from biotech and wine-making, to construction and cakes. Women highly value women role models and that’s what The Story Exchange is all about. It’s women inspiring women to live their dreams and uncover their full potential.

The Principals

The Story Exchange was founded by Victoria Wang, a former bank executive. After working three decades in the financial world, Victoria knew that women lack role models. Throughout her career, she had often wished there were more senior women for her to share experiences with, and to talk to about issues both business and work/life related.

Two years ago, she travelled to Singapore to interview successful businesswomen in Singapore for a research project. After each interview she went away thinking “Wow, what a great story to share with other women in business. What a wonderful role model she would be for someone who wants to start a business.”

She felt the only way to do this was to have these women tell their stories on video and that the filmmaking would have to be first class. She was lucky enough to find Sue Williams, a director and producer who has produced award-winning documentaries for shows such as American Experience and Frontline and was a Senior Producer on the series Faces of America.

The goal of The Story Exchange is to give women the confidence and strength to take risks, to take things one step at a time, to reach out to other women for help, and then to give back. 

As Victoria puts it: “I want The Story Exchange to get women thinking about what they love to do, how they can make a business out of it, and how they can impact others. I think a lot of viewers will identify with the individual women we profile here and they’ll say, “If she can do it, I can do it too.”

Links:

We are also actively looking for more stories for upcoming blogs and films. We are taking submissions through our website, where all the women's stories will appear. See the link:  http://thestoryexchange.org/category/yse/

Have a question about starting or growing your business. Ask an expert here and see other question and answers: http://thestoryexchange.org/ask-an-expert/

Find helpful advice, business trends and more stories on our blog: http://thestoryexchange.org/category/tse-blog/