WORKSHOP: Sustainable Innovation and Sustainable Families. Creating Models That Work.
After a blogging and commenting hiatus while focusing on my startup, I’m super-excited to be back to contribute with fresh insights from the startup trenches. Or, more specifically, with fresh insights from the intersection-of-startups-and-family trenches. There is a world of opportunity to untangle this beast. And I’m motivated to do it.
In my first dip in back to the comment boards, I saw Fred Wilson (@FredWilson) is hosting a fall virtual class (via @Skillshare) on Sustainability. In it, subgroups can workshop business ideas with a local IRL (in-real-life) component.
It’s inspired me to host my own ‘local chapter’, about the big sustainability angle I care about the most.
Here’s my deal. I’ve been in innovation for 20 years and a mom for 9. I’m passionate about three things:
(1) The only constant is change, which means innovation. And the pace is accelerating, so if you let off, you may get left behind.
(2) Innovation is the source of the “good” jobs of the future, so if you want them, you have to be part of it. It really is ‘innovate or die’, sorry to say.
(3) Innovation is a cycle and we need to be able to innovate WHILE raising our kids (our next generation of innovators!). Today, due to tangible, social, policy and fiscal barriers, it is incredibly difficult. Even with all the game-changing technology at our fingertips.
In the U.S., we view innovation and parenting as mutually exclusive. This is a huge problem — it delegates innovation to the young while leaving great ideas among parents and anyone over age 30+ stillborn. (I commented about this on CNBC here, when Marissa Mayer’s pregnancy was announced.)
Bottom line. We need to develop models, paths and tools to unlock this innovation, and the resulting jobs and joy they’d create.
I’d like to try!
And I have friends who’d like to as well.
I’m going to host a workshop group in my local area, which is the greater Stamford, CT/Northern Westchester area (e.g. the Starbucks on High Ridge Road). Kickoff is Friday, Oct. 12, 6pm. Sign up here. There are only six slots, so if we’re over-subscribed we can try a Google Hangout.
Every single parent I’ve ever met struggles with this. If you do, too, it would be a delight to have you to join us in person or virtually. You don’t have to be a parent, you just need to care about the topic. (In fact if you might be a parent someday, and don’t want to leave your innovation skills at the door when that baby comes out, then this is perfect for you.)
A few of us are involved and have access to various press and policy channels. Thus if/when we come up with something great, we don’t want to keep it a secret. We’ll be looking for ways to leverage our pretty great networks to push our vision and recommendations out into the broader sphere. It’s all about pushing the national dialog to the next level.
Time is precious. Why think small? Join us.
-Tereza (@terezan)
