@hcapriles mi propuesta, las 8 estrellas!

@hcapriles, Henrique, no se cómo llegarte... Pero espero que alguien en tu equipo le pare a esta propuesta.

Mucha gente propone ideas, y la mayoría pasan de largo. Hoy me senté a buscar inspiración en las estrellas... Y no tuve que mirar muy lejos, las conseguí en nuestra bandera.

Salgan con ideas de 8 proyectos grandes, denles nombres que resuenen y expliquen a niveles básicos lo que signifiquen.

Lo que veo es que hay un pueblo venezolano con hambre que se deja llevar por ideas que resuenan con ellos, no personas, discursos ni mucho menos política. Han visto, a pesar de corrupto, el ejemplo de un gobierno que les ha dado pan y techo a algunos, quienes jamás se sintieron parte de una sociedad. Esa categórica esperanza los hace creer que les viene más de eso, y diluye el ruido que provocase cualquier corrupción y negligencia por parte del chavismo.

La cantidad de "Chavistas con Capriles" que pueden existir es innumerable. La mejor manera de ganárselos es saliendo a la calle a darles ideas específicas de como ellos ganarán al elegir a Capriles: en panfletos!

Presenta un plan: Un proyecto. Algo por lo que sueñen- tangible y basalo en un símbolo nacional- la bandera!

"crearemos el METVEN. Movimiento para la Educacion de Todos" el cual promete que todo niño bajo tal edad recibirá acceso a programas especiales de educación avanzada con tal y tales puntos.

Usemos insignias como METVEN, y creemos 7 otros más: VESOTO, PAN, DEN... Etc que cada programa se enfoqué en un tema diferente, de manera que todo venezolano se sienta identificado con por lo menos dos de ellos!

Que el venezolano cuando vaya a votar se olvide de todo ese chantaje y ruido que producen nuestros medio y se acuerde: "Capriles me prometio mejor vivienda, educación pa mi chamo recién nacido, préstamo para microempresario (así que tengo chance de montar un negocio)... Capriles me prometio un futuro concreto"

Que los medios hablen y difundan los 8 programas que propone Capriles... Las 8 estrellas de nuestra bandera sirven de inspiración.

Esta propuesta, Capriles, es nacionalista y espiritual, por el progreso y el bien.

8 estrellas, 8 planes... Una Venezuela!

Cuenten conmigo,

David Akinin

How to live forever and other life lessons from Byron Wien

How to live forever and other life lessons from Byron Wien (Vice Chair, Blackstone Advisory)…Definitely worth reading

Market Commentary Supplement
Byron Wien

Blackstone is pleased to offer the following Market Commentary Supplement by Byron Wien.
Learn more about Byron.

Life’s Lessons
February 2013

I was scheduled to speak about the world outlook at an investment conference recently and shortly before my time slot the conference organizer said the audience was more interested in what I had learned over the course of my career than what I had to say about the market. I jotted a few notes down and later expanded and edited what I said that day. I have since been encouraged to share my thoughts with a broader audience.

Here are some of the lessons I have learned in my first 80 years. I hope to continue to practice them in the next 80.

1.
Concentrate on finding a big idea that will make an impact on the people you want to influence. The Ten Surprises, which I started doing in 1986, has been a defining product. People all over the world are aware of it and identify me with it. What they seem to like about it is that I put myself at risk by going on record with these events which I believe are probable and hold myself accountable at year-end. If you want to be successful and live a long, stimulating life, keep yourself at risk intellectually all the time.

2.
Network intensely. Luck plays a big role in life and there is no better way to increase your luck than by knowing as many people as possible. Nurture your network by sending articles, books and emails to people to show you’re thinking about them. Write op-eds and thought pieces for major publications. Organize discussion groups to bring your thoughtful friends together.

3.
When you meet someone new, treat that person as a friend. Assume he or she is a winner and will become a positive force in your life. Most people wait for others to prove their value. Give them the benefit of the doubt from the start. Occasionally you will be disappointed, but your network will broaden rapidly if you follow this path.

4.
Read all the time. Don’t just do it because you’re curious about something, read actively. Have a point of view before you start a book or article and see if what you think is confirmed or refuted by the author. If you do that, you will read faster and comprehend more.

5.
Get enough sleep. Seven hours will do until you’re sixty, eight from sixty to seventy, nine thereafter, which might include eight hours at night and a one-hour afternoon nap.

6.
Evolve. Try to think of your life in phases so you can avoid a burn-out. Do the numbers crunching in the early phase of your career. Try developing concepts later on. Stay at risk throughout the process.

7.
Travel extensively. Try to get everywhere before you wear out. Attempt to meet local interesting people where you travel and keep in contact with them throughout your life. See them when you return to a place.

8.
When meeting someone new, try to find out what formative experience occurred in their lives before they were seventeen. It is my belief that some important event in everyone’s youth has an influence on everything that occurs afterwards.

9.
On philanthropy my approach is to try to relieve pain rather than spread joy. Music, theatre and art museums have many affluent supporters, give the best parties and can add to your social luster in a community. They don’t need you. Social service, hospitals and educational institutions can make the world a better place and help the disadvantaged make their way toward the American dream.

10.
Younger people are naturally insecure and tend to overplay their accomplishments. Most people don’t become comfortable with who they are until they’re in their 40’s. By that time they can underplay their achievements and become a nicer, more likeable person. Try to get to that point as soon as you can.

11.
Take the time to give those who work for you a pat on the back when they do good work. Most people are so focused on the next challenge that they fail to thank the people who support them. It is important to do this. It motivates and inspires people and encourages them to perform at a higher level.

12.
When someone extends a kindness to you write them a handwritten note, not an e-mail. Handwritten notes make an impact and are not quickly forgotten.

13.
At the beginning of every year think of ways you can do your job better than you have ever done it before. Write them down and look at what you have set out for yourself when the year is over.

14.
Never retire. If you work forever, you can live forever. I know there is an abundance of biological evidence against this theory, but I’m going with it anyway.

Former Bolivian President, Goni, speaks about Venezuela, Chavez and Latin America

Goni, a Latin America democrat and political veteran, was scheduled to speak at YU's Latin American Business Club on March 5th, 2013 for weeks. Hours before his speech, news of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's (may he rest in peace) death filled media outlets. In the earlier hours of the evening, Nicolas Maduro, standing Vice-President under the Chavez regime, reported the President's passing and called the Bolivarian country to national mourning.

President Sanchez de Lozada was scheduled to speak about the cornerstone of democracy, his perspectives on the Latin American region, and prospects going forward. Notwithstanding, he re-engineered the begining of his talk to focus on the current Venezuelan situation, and what Chavez's death means to Cuba, Venezuela and the region.

I was able to record a video of most of the very eloquent and praiseworthy talk given by Goni. There's also a second part which you may find in Youtube!

More on Goni:

Familiarly known as "Goni", the University of Chicago graduate is a Bolivian politician, businessman, and former President of Bolivia. A lifelong member of the Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario(MNR), he is credited for using "shock therapy" to save the Bolivian economy. This measure was used by Bolivia in 1985 (when Sánchez de Lozada was Minister of Planning in the government of President Víctor Paz Estenssoro) to cut hyperinflation from an estimated 25,000% to a single digit within a period of 6 weeks. More broadly, he is credited with having engineered the restructuring of the Bolivian state and the dismantling the state-capitalist model that had prevailed in the country since the 1952 Revolution.

Sánchez de Lozada was twice elected President of Bolivia, both times on the MNR ticket. During his first term (1993–97), he initiated a series of landmark social, economic and constitutional reforms. His second term was between 2002-2003.

Currently Goni is a strong advocate of democracy, and speaks at universities and conferences nationwide giving his perspectives and sharing his experience.

Be Accountable: David Akinin at TEDxHavergalCollege

Here is the video of my recent TED talk at TEDxHavergalCollege!

Holidays!

Holiday season is upon us, pace is winding down... We get these few weeks of the year to look back at everything we've been through. We have a chance to explore the how's, why's or where's of the things that made us up in 2012, and delve deep into reflexion to explore how we feel long after the fact.

This is something that with the years, and amounting of experiences I have come to appreciate. One thing is to write a diary, but the other is to look back at your year and reflect with the confidence of the final result.

No reason why you should save this exercise for tax season, do it now and catch up on your dreams, aspirations and friends!

To a powerful 2013!!

Notes from Credit Suisse's 10 year Microfinance initiatives

Yesterday, I was honored to attend the Credit Suisse 10 year anniversary event led by Paul Tregidgo, Vice Chairman of the Global Market Solutions Group and Debt Capital Markets.

The room was filled with social entrepreneurs, bankers and traders, all with the same interests, the developing industry of Microfinance and the impact leading organizations are having with the technical and financial support of Credit Suisse.

Following are some highlights from the speakers:

Mary Ellen Iskenderian
CEO of Women World Banking, WWB
2.8 bn people with no access at all to financial services
Serve 26 mn clients, 80 percent women
Making a very clear business case to financial institutions that continuing to offer financial products that are designed for women is a profitable business.
Women tend to be more loyal clients.
thinking about products that meet women's needs is a strong focus of WWB


FINCA CEO:
Local currencies. And provision of services beyond microcredit to micro financial services.
Microfinance is interesting in that everybody is motivated, and collaborating with their clients. FINCA is doing a lot of consolidation.
FINCA came from Central America. Started with 5mm and 60k clients. Today they have 585mn.
They incorporated a bank in Ecuador and six entities taking savings. From village banking (30-60 women).

Local currency is critical
Fluctuation in FX can severely damage the process
Focusing on finding local currency instruments in each country
Local currency note Structured By CS using blending diversification of currency

Need to build capacity is a big challenge. We have been able to me risk management and institutional development from its nonprofit roots.
Developing today the FINCA developing academy in order to train staff and management capacity.


Michael Schlein, CEO of Accion: main problems I see today in the industry are over indebtedness, high interest rates, excessive profits,

Here's what we should focus on:
Consumer protection
Transparency
Social performance

Three metrics for solution

SMART CAMPAIGN global consumer protection campaign
in 2 years has more than 300,000 endorsers. Rate institutions on how they protect clients!

Transparency. If everyone prices products differently you can't see the real cost. Bolivia is very competitive and regulated.

There should be a Uniform way of measuring social performance


Vicki Escarra, CEO
Opportunity International
Running operations and marketing at Delta Airlines gives her a good edge in this industry. Strongly believes in our purpose in this world we live in!
Own 14 banks, 800 mm in aum. Find a way to use donor dollars very well!
20,000 people in the field working de the organization. Doing it well with technology-- cell phone tech can change the world we live in.
Expanding and understanding client needs by measuring impact. The only way to change jobs and people's futures is by understanding their particular necessities.

Ewallet and backend tech (cell phones, ATM banks,outreach)

Mobile penetration. 649 mm people that have cell phones.

If you want to build a boat!

"Si tu veux construire un bateau, ne rassemble pas tes hommes et femmes pour leur donner des ordres, pour expliquer chaque détail, pour leur dire où trouver chaque chose... Si tu veux construire un bateau, fais naître dans le cœur de tes hommes et femmes le désir de la mer." "If you want to build a boat, do not gather your men and women to give orders, to explain every detail, to tell them where to find everything ... If you want to build a ship, do arise in the heart of your men and women the desire of the sea "

Lessons from Joe Mansueto, Founder and CEO of Morningstar

Tonight, I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Mansueto, the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Morningstar, Inc. at the closing ceremony of the Chicago Careers in Business Program. The evening started with a cocktail reception, and followed with a delightful dinner. His talk was preceded by Keith Dipple, Director of the Business Program; John Boyer, Dean of the College of the University of Chicago, and Sunil Kumar, Dean of Booth School of Business, and two of our fellow students.

Mansueto is a graduate of the College and Graduate School of Business of the University of Chicago. An approachable and charismatic philanthropist, Mansueto laughed when I suggested that a few friends and I were starting "Eveningstar", a late night version of his company.

In this post I want to share the 5 lessons he left us with towards the end of his speech:

1- Be a contrarian. Look to where other aren't looking. Rousseau has a famous saying, "take the course to contrary to custom, and you will always do well". Mansueto sees great value in a person who doesn't follow the crowd when it comes to interests, career choices and research. After all, that is partly how he made his money.

2- Finish what you start. Plan meticulously and don't overreach. Napoleon once said: "If you start to take Vienna... Take Vienna". I guess what Mansueto was trying to say is, at some point commit and go really deep.

3- Work with people you admire. Find a good environment, and a "good business" (a Warren word). Mansueto describes this good business with a nice metaphor, insisting on the importance of its brand. Find a castle that has a moat (ditch around a castle), and from there learn to build your personal moat. Topping it he quoted Lynch "You want to invest in a business that an old idiot could run, because odds are, someday, an old idiot will run it".


4- Be patient. Take your time. Spend it with one, go deep and enjoy it.


5- Think independently. Analyze your sources independently. 

Lessons learned by Max Levchin, founder of PayPal

Max Levchin is the Founder of PayPal. I met him in California a few weeks back...

This is my rough note transcript of what he had to say. Enjoy!

To me entrepreneurship is about running a company.

I left PayPal to go cycling, and my fiend quit Goldman Sachs to solve a hydration problem, one we both faced when cycling, with an innovative water bottle... He flies to the Tour de France and runs dressed as a bottle. Crazy marketing.

In space no one can hear you scream. This quote reminds me of startup life

It's a lot easier to build a startup if you're not the only founder. Otherwise, when you say we're fucked, no one will respond "oh no we're not". And then you will be.

The reason you cannot hire a cofounder is because the level of honesty and connection, trust needed can't be bought!

You then need a team! Don't have that much diversity! Most people will tell you I'm wrong.  

There are lots of things in a startup that create friction. The only thing you can actually do well is move very quickly. That can only be impulses by education. Many times we go for it wrong. We had four techies from Urbana, and two businesseys from Stanford. We were all the same and could read our minds. Yet, we never fought!

The flipside, you will experience some problems perhaps adding the first woman on your team, or people of diverse backgrounds. But the first slope of similar people is worth it! We would yell at each other all the time, but we had a lot of respect for each other. Fight, fight but don't doubt each other!

At Slide, people would say "I really like you" and to me that meant "I don't respect you for shit". So when there's doubt, there's no doubt. It's time to runaway from the situation if there's lack of respect.

Best way to fire someone smart who screwed up is to ask them to resign. If they are unethical, improper or failed harshly, even worst a low performer, ask them to resign.

Why Silicon Valley? We have infrastructure. To find another place that is as conducive as The Valley is really hard. But just because you're not here, you posses knowledge of whatever happens on the valley that is typically lost once they come here. I was reassured of that after I saw a farming pitch.

Favorite lesson: a very common engineering fallacy is confusing the causality between difficult and valuable. Most things are valuable are pretty hard to do. It normally means you have to work hard. Yet if you are working hard, that does not mean you are creating value! 

Investors: the one thing hat is abundant anywhere is cash. It is so easy to get cash today. You will raise money. But the key thing is what will happen when you need more, who will bridge you when cash is tight, etc. that's when their true colors really come out. 

The other thing: you will hear many times how awesome they are. Yet you will probably be interacting with only one person. Try to make sure they help you with what you need. Identify their strengths.   Failure shpeel is bullshit. It sucks. No one rewards you, you're out of cash. The thing that's worth remembering is the lessons learned. Write up your failures. Type them, read them over, keep them. Keep a failure diary. Irrelevance. Your greatest worry is and should be to becoming irrelevant. That's the opposite of success. If you're thinking about go this way or go that way. Choose bigger and hope you succeed.

 Sent from an Akinin device.

Innovation engine: a few ideas from E-Bootcamp!

Tina Seelig, Professor at Stanford, gave me the following insights:

How do you come up with ideas? From problems? What kind?

Before the 1400s people didn’t know how to do scientific inquiry. Sir Francis Bacon came up with the Scientific Method, and we adopted since early age a method to discover how things work. But shouldn’t there be a process for invention? Seelig calls this the Innovation Engine

Here are some of the ideas a few friends are working on. Get inspired:

Start notes.

ORCHIVE by Francis Hinson

“At the end of the day, major media corporations are just still corporations”

There’s some bias in mainstream news

POWER to the user

Mission: Create a medium for crowd-sourced reports

Report it first yourself, and let the crowd decide

Follow them at www.orchive.com

@tryorchive on twitter

Myagroworld.com by George, the greek

The price of the raw material is 10 times that of a product made from it.

In Greece 20.2% of spending goes towards agricultural products

My Agro World is a social network that eliminates middle man in agricultural distribution

InGidio.com

Turn pictures into shops

Anything that has pictures, videos or media can have integrated ecommerce stores, camouflaged into their platform.

Imagine you’re playing a game. And there’s a little menu of pictures of products: a pizza, a sofa, a book. You click on it, and keep doing what you’re doing. That click placed an order for you.

Interesting… three tech guys to look after.

Skillhubs.com

Demand centric tutoring site

Video platform

Bid screening

Algorithm

Mobile app that does a microlesson on-the-go

Partners: Open-tok, When2meet

VTShiksha

Audiovisual system for rural communities

Sponsored by VillageTech Solutions

Partnerships with OLE Nepal

$908 projector, hoping to drop to @269

SafeSIPP

Sustainable innovative portable purification

Transports and purifies water

As barrel rolls purifies 114 liters of water

Cost $80

Competitor “Wello”, doesn’t purify

Or “Lifestraw” doesn’t transport and involves suction

MPHits.com

Chile, a different approach to music and the artist

Fans deserve a better way to interact with both!

They’re not willing to buy a CD, but are willing to spend a lot of money on concerts

Made online agreements with three giant Chilean record labels

5,000 active users

Hypemarks.com by Tim Sae Koo

Social discovery website, to make web discovery more efficient and meaningful

Make your friends your tour guides through the web

When you login first, a message says “Please wait while we grab links you've shared on Facebook.”

Amazing!

Meet4Lunch

App to find lunch buddies

Lunch nearby, with real people to connect and talk about things you care about

Solving problems: lonely lunches, mundane lunch conversations

Three easy steps

Better than SMSing (SPAM!)

Revenue model: provide restaurants with advertising and auto complete suggestions. Users can also create events!

Competition: Noonhat (through email). Wednesdays.com

Meet4lunch, casual and informal.

EcoZen

Micro Cold Storage

Indian startup to protect farmer veggies through solar panels generated fridges.

Unbound

A video resource platform

Video content online is disorganized

Learn about videos by browsing or topics

Hierarchical structure of video organization

190 million = video audience

Revenue stream: 70% premium content platform, 30% tutoring platform

Organizing TED talks, as well

Going in depth into topics!

ProFind by Roi Chobadi

Using your social network to do professional building

Enlaze (meaning link or connection)

Youth unemployment in Spain 50%, 23% total rate

Fernando has tried everything, is 25 yrs old, and can’t find a job

Maria can’t find someone to do a job she needs

No place in Spain to connect people looking to offer and receive services

There are 5.2 million Fernando-type people in Spain

enlaZe connects!

Petora

Who takes care of your dog?

Petora.com will help you find out!

Alkar

300 million women in India don’t use sanitary napkins

Lack of awareness, cultural taboo, affordability, male shopkeepers

Invented machine patent, low cost technology to produce 3,000 napkins per day for 1 rupee each!

Machine costs around $2,000, and they provide the raw material, made from natural sources.

3 pilots running

4Soils

Christian Mobile/iPad apps.

Cracking the church network, Kids/social.

look out for them!

End notes.