Hot Stuff in Miami..

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Why should you go to Miami from March 17-19?

Because.. its snowy almost every place else in the US this time of year and you need SUN?  Or because you can stroll on South Beach and see lots of thongs and muscled bodies?

Well, those reasons are always fun, (believe me, I’ll probably be doing a bit of that too.. why not??!!) but if you want to connect with world leaders in social venture capital and social enterprise.. AND attend the most important Haiti conference at the same time, Miami’s hot and the place to be.

The Social Venture Capital/Social Enterprise Conference, Miami-2010 Advisory Board is led by top professionals from Social Venture Capital/Social Enterprise organizations around the world.

Alvaro Rodriguez Arregui - Ignia
Jonathan C. Lewis, MicroCredit Enterprises
Daniella Levine – Human Services Coalition
Kelly Michel – Vox Capital
Rodrigo Villar – New Ventures Mexico
Percy Venegas – Solar Business Technology
Eric Leenson – Progressive Asset Management and Instituto Ethos
Raul Pomares – Guggenheim Partners

Also, Social Venture Capital/Social Enterprise Conference, Miami-2010 will be your best opportunity in 2010 to learn, network, and connect with hundreds of top social enterprise/financial leaders and organizations from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the state of Florida- in addition to organizations worldwide which have an interest in expanding to the region.

I’ve reposted some info from the conference website below for at-a-glance info on the conference:

The following groups will be attending SVC/SE, Miami-2010:

  • Venture Philanthropists
  • Social-responsible Funds
  • Venture Capital/Private Equity Investment Banks
  • Institutional Investors
  • Angel Investors/Individual Investors
  • Private Wealth Managers
  • Foundations
  • Multinational Corporate Executives
  • Development Banks and Agencies
  • Nonprofit Organizations Businesses with a Social Agenda
  • Social Enterprises and Social Entrepreneurs
  • Civil Society Organizations
  • Advocacy Groups
  • Government Organizations
  • Top University Leaders

Conference Goals:

  • Promote economic development within the region by utilizing Social Venture Capital and Social Enterprise.
  • Establish Miami as a capital of Social Venture Capital/Social Enterprise for Latin America, the Caribbean and the state of Florida. Contribute and support continued construction of the local social enterprise ecosystem.
  • Educate traditional finance (private banking, venture capital, and angel investment) about investment opportunities within Social Venture Capital and Social Enterprise. Leverage Miami’s reputation as a regional financial capital for the benefit of Social Venture Capital and Social Enterprise in the region.
  • Act as a primary connecting point to the Latin American/ Caribbean Diaspora, from whom it is believed some of the next great Social Enterprise leaders can come. The Diaspora may also represent a material source of capital for both existing and new Social Enterprise organizations within the region.
  • Work in collaboration with other organizations and conferences in establishing effective and standard investment metrics within the industry.

About the Haiti Conference:

Sustainable Haiti is a special “conference within a conference” taking place during Social Venture Capital/Social Enterprise Conference

Sustainable Haiti will contain 45 workshops/panels and over 100 speakers from around the world during its 3 days. Topics will include: Developing Haiti’s tourism sector, increased agriculture opportunities, microfinance for Haitian women, utilizing media to increase awareness to Haiti’s opportunities, job growth, and overall financing of Haitian development projects.  Not one to miss!

I4C A Better Tomorrow…

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I’m working on the coolest project right now which completely aligns with my passion and mission in life: use my skills, passion, knowledge and networks to make the world a better place for our children.. and their children..

I was recently retained to help Touchpoint Trust Group find 75 Triple Bottom Line (TBL) deals to review by January 22. That means, these companies have put PEOPLE and PLANET on the same level of importance of PROFIT. I’m speaking to incredible human beings about their work EVERY DAY, and I can’t wipe the smile off my face.

The Innovative Lilith I4C Campaign is a partnership with Sarah McLaughlin and the Lilith Fair, and TouchPoint! Trust Group. The goal is to select 4-6 ‘social enterprises’ or ‘people, planet, profit’ businesses to receive an investment and major promotion around the Lilith Fair, in June.  The selected companies will actually go ON TOUR with the Lilith Fair and the huge audience will learn about their business, and how they are changing lives.

Great story about this project here.

A little background on how I got here..

When I visited my friend Chandra Reddy Metzler during her Fullbright appointment in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2000, I was first introduced to micro-finance, micro-health and NGOs. I was incredibly inspired by the model, and it made an impression for the future when I would get introduced to the work of Acumen Fund.

I was head of fundraising at Acumen Fund in 2004 and 2005 and was more immersed than ever in the idea of ‘social enterprise’ and ‘social entrepreneurship’. I had dreamed about business models which generated social change before, but to see this group of MBAs, who could have been making a fortune in banking, putting their heads together to solve the world’s social problems.

I had a very successful time at Acumen Fund, and have been interested in the ‘Triple Bottom Line”  (TBL) space since then. To that end, in addition to this project, I recently joined the core team of w1sd0m, a network that connects entrepreneurs, investors and advisors in this industry.

You can do something too!

Please connect with the I4C Campaign on Twitter, and Facebook, and spread the word!!

2010 is coming on FAST and FURIOUS! Here's my take..

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Wow. I mean, wow. 2010 is coming on FAST and FURIOUS.  Here’s my take on what’s happening already:  Baggage gets dropped. New doors are opening. FAST. and the signs of what to do are really clear.

I’ve heard all kinds of stories about the new moon, the blue moon, and the lunar eclipse, and how powerful the night of new years eve would be this year.

Apparently whether you believe these things or not, what you thought of on New Years Eve is a big part of what your life will become in the next 2 years. You will be able to manifest the plans you set forth on New Years Eve.

So, I was at a great New Year’s party at my very good friend’s home with about 60 other people celebrating the coming year together.  I stepped outside to look at the moon, alone, at one point in the night, very late. I took a deep breath and put out what I wanted to manifest in the next 2 years.

Now, on January 4, the first work day of the year, It’s already happening. I mean HAPPENING. I am on the biggest rollercoaster ride I’ve ever been on. (I LOVE rollercoasters and screaming my head off!)

First, I found out one of the businesses I’m doing is about to implode and fall apart. Then, I found a new one to plug my existing partners into which is a much better opportunity and more legitimate in every way. Baggage, negative thing gone. New, valid and big opportunity presents itself.

Then, I find out that an idea in the Social Entrepreneurship space that I presented to a friend and colleague 3 weeks ago has taken off and we are going to have major backing for our project, and kick it off TOMORROW.

And on top of that, I have meetings tomorrow with two major social enterprises / Triple Bottom Line organizations based in Colorado. IDE and I4C.  They are going to lead to big projects in this area, which is where I’m being pulled in a BIG WAY in the last couple weeks of the year, and now 2010 is kicking in HARD to show me the way..

So folks it looks like this blog is going to have quite a few updates and announcements coming… and coming… and coming!

Stay tuned!

Love & Giving: Happy New Year!

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What is life all about? First answer that popped into my head: Love and Giving.

To That End, I have 2 videos for you!

1. Cuppari/Gould Slideshow – This holiday season, I created this slideshow for Friends & Family, and I thought it would be fun to share on my blog. It includes pictures of my children Summer (4 1/2) and Cody (1 1/2), and our families’ adventures in 2009 – Click Here

2. Want to do good this season? Why not do even better? Acumen Fund has a new approach to tacking poverty that actually makes a lasting difference. Acumen Fund | A New Solution To Poverty That Makes a Difference – http://budurl.com/Acumen

YOU can be a micro-loan financier!

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Wow – I’ve been following micr0-loans and micro-finance since I visited my friend Chandra Reddy Metzler, now a senior investment banker in emerging markets, when she lived in Nairobi, Kenya on a Fullbright for 6 months in the year 2000.  She was working at an NGO which explored the use of social collateral to secure micro-loans for small entrepreneurs in Kenya.

That was my first exposure to the concept of using business solutions to solve poverty problems. A loan is so much more powerful than a charitable handout. The borrower feels empowered, trusted, and respected.  The repayment rates of micro-loans are in the 90th percentile. Its working and its now spread all over the world.

Up until this point, if you wanted to support a micro-finance initiative, you had to give to an organization which then handed out the loans.

NOW you can fund small businesses DIRECTLY! I came across this cool organization on the Ode Magazine website, one of my favorite websites. You can read about the projects and the people behind the projects. Make your own decisions, and see how such a small donation can make such a huge impact on someone’s life.

Check it out!

United Prosperity, a new micro-loan service

"Everywun" makes giving possible for everyone!

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In my quest for learning and awareness around the social entrepreneurship space, and through my participation in marketing for the Angel Capital Summit in Denver which was held last week, I’ve come across some really cool stuff lately.

The Angel Capital Summit was a pet project of mine over the summer and in the fall. I worked with Investor and Advisor Partners to help them get the word out about the event, which was intended to bring together a community of entrepreneurs, advisors, investors, and service providers.  It was a buzz of excitement and the energy was high.

190 Entrepreneurs submitted their deals and applications to present, and 40 companies were selected. mShopper, the company I co-founded with  my husband David Gould, was one of the companies and I found out later was one of the highest-rated deals. Exciting stuff!

mShopper, although it is a mobile app company, has an element of ‘giving back’ and social consciousness . When you purchase a product through mShopper, you can save from 10-40%, and then we suggest that you give some of that savings back to charity as you are checking out with your mobile shopping cart.

Of the 40 companies selected to present, HALF qualified as sustainable/green/social businesses. How Awesome is that!!?? Colorado is becoming a hub for social entrepreneurs.

I’ll be reviewing each of the other companies that I came across that day, and since the event. One that I want to focus on for the purpose of this post is “EVERYWUN“.

I was lucky enough to be invited to meet with the founder, Dan Jacobs, and his very talented partner/fiance Eve Cowen, last week.

In addition to Dan and Eve, I was in the company of some other brilliant social entrepreneurs, committed to be world-changing activators of social consciousness applied to business models. We had the most exhilarating, deep, intellectual conversation which was so incredibly refreshing. Passionate, brilliant people.

We spoke about Everywun and how it could work with a new project we’re working on called W1sd0m. More about W1sd0m later…

Everywun has made it possible for you to give to charity just by taking actions on the internet via social media. Just by placing a badge on your blog (as I have one here), or facebook, or signing up for the newsletter, and telling friends, you get ‘credits’, and then you can choose what to do with your ‘credits’.

Here’s a little blurb about everywun and SIGN UP! PASS IT ON! world changin’ is on its way…
I recently joined an incredible new website called, Everywun.com. By having businesses sponsor advertising, they enable people to take fun, easy, cost-free actions on behalf of charities.

One of the easiest actions I can take is to enable my network of friends and family to do the same! Every person who joins will automatically receive 100 “Everywun credits” that can go towards planting a tree, feeding children, or donating books! If you use my personal invitation link provided below, I’ll also receive 100 credits to plant a tree!

Please remember to click on the unique URL below or I won’t get credit!

http://www.everywun.com/signup?i=3258088

You are what you think, you are what you believe

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Wow! I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW it!

Scientific and Biological PROOF that you are with you think.

As a student of personal development, I have been learning this and applying this in my business and my life. And everything is EXPLODING. I am manifesting all of the changes I want in my life. Its incredible how quickly its happening. And the more I give it attention and also acknowledgement, the more it happens.

Now, this may get a bit nerdy for some of us, but its GREAT stuff..

here’s a preview:

Biology’s central premise is that genes control life. “Not so”, says Lipton. “It is our environment and beliefs and not our gene driven hormones and neurotransmitters that control our bodies and minds”.

Click here to read the whole article!

Trash or Treasure? Upcycling is the hottest new trend..

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A new craze is sweeping the world. It’s called ‘Upcycling.” What a great name!

“Upcycling” is kind of like recycling, only with a lot more creativity: “Upcycling refers to reusing an object in a new way without degrading the material it is made from, as opposed to recycling which generally involves breaking down the original material and making it into something else, using more energy.”

I’ve been in touch with the very beginning of this trend through my friend Wendy Tremayne who started “Swap-O-Rama-Rama” years ago in NYC, which is a clothing swap and series of do-it-yourself workshops in which a community explores creative reuse through the recycling of used clothing.

I love that this movement has grown so big that it now has a name that applies to all of these brilliant people who are contributing to this movement.  It shows a great respect for everything we produce on this planet as human beings.

Every time I read about something like this happening during these economic times, I am filled with hope and optimism about the human spirit and our ability to reinvent ourselves.  How when tested and challenged, most humans turn lemons into lemonade. If we focus more and more on stories like this, we will be more inspired ourselves in our daily lives to make something great happen. One person makes a HUGE difference, and even if you don’t do something on a global scale, even in your neighborhood you are making an impact.

Click here to continue reading about the movement.

How the recession is HELPING people..

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Hello and welcome to my blog on optimism.. I”ll be posting good news and interesting tidbits I find from around the world. One of my favorite magazines is Ode Magazine, and I check their website a few times a week to see what wonderful news I can find.

Today I logged on and saw a story by an acquaintance of mine, Charles Best, who started DonorsChoose.org.  I met him  back in 2004 when he had just started this wonderful organization. I was working at Acumen Fund at the time, and he was seeking advice based on my experience on the Howard Dean for president campaign. As most people know, the Dean For America campaign really democratized political fundraising.

He felt his organization was democratizing charitable giving, and he wanted to build a similar community around his organization. We sat down and got into it. He was young at the time, around 26 or so, and very earnest, honest, passionate and driven. He struck me as the future of social entrepreneurship mixed with a really smart way to fund projects.  Donorschoose allows teachers around the country to post school projects which need funding, and then as a donor you can choose exactly which projects you want to fund. You can see the progress of the project as well and see pictures of the class you are helping. It’s awesome!

So, without further ado I will repost a bit of his article and link to it for your Optimistic reading pleasure!

The goodness of crowds

When large numbers of people give a little, they accomplish a lot. By Charles Best

The global economic recession is an opportunity to fuel social change. While financial instinct says philanthropy will suffer in times of economic distress, there’s evidence that the challenges we face are no match for collective action. I don’t think the road ahead is smooth. But we can’t underestimate the power of “ordinary” individuals in this age of connectedness.

Picture a nest of honeybees, where each insect makes a small but vital contribution. The result is greater than the sum of its parts. A large colony will produce far more honey than two colonies half the size of the larger one. As the colony grows, its efficiency increases.

People can achieve similar triumphs. One of the most promising models is “crowdsourcing,” through which an organization generates content, or gets work performed, by tapping the knowledge and creativity of members of the public. As with a nest of honeybees, each participant contributes a small piece of a greater whole. Zagat’s database of amateur restaurant reviews and YouTube’s user-submitted videos are examples. The more contributors, the better the results.

To continue reading, click here!

How to change the world one laugh at a time

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As a human being on this planet, I feel that my purpose is to spread happiness, one laugh at a time.  My ideal life and world is one in which there is no separation of work and home life, there is no drudgery or misery in our lives, and making money is not such a struggle. This blog is going to explore, learn and teach us all how to do this. The first thing that shifts all energy, I feel, is laughter. So i’m going to be posting a lot about laughter and its healing qualities, and how to let laughter be a part of your every day life.

So I thought it was appropriate to promote WORLD LAUGHTER DAY!!

World Laughter Day, held annually on the first Sunday of May, is designed to instigate premeditated hilarity around the globe. According to the World Laughter Day website, the goal of the event—started in 1998 in Mumbai, India—is to “change the world in a peaceful and positive way.” So mark your calendar for May 2, 2010, bring your best jokes and get ready to start changing the world—one laugh at a time. For information on how to join the fun, go to worldlaughterday.org.

World Laughter Day