A leading property portal http://www.real-estate-entrepreneur.com/ has unveiled it new list of Top International Real Estate Investors, Builders and Developers. Featuring Real Estate Entrepreneurs for over 100 countries around the world, real-estate-entrepreneur.com has detailed and far-reaching data on Individuals who are the true leaders and pace-setters in their chosen Real Estate fields.

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We offer competitively priced bulletins and outdoor advertising to value-minded businesses. Some of our best locations are on the secondary highways north and south of Billings. Our product is positioned to provide maximum exposure while costing a fraction of what an I-90 billboard costs. We currently are serving the greater Billings area (Yellowstone, Carbon, Musselshell and Stillwater counties) and the surrounding areas of Red Lodge, northeast Montana and northern Wyoming.

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Atlanta, Ga. September 28, 2009 - The Ezell Brown Center for Entrepreneurship at Morris Brown College is pleased to announce the development of courses in Graphic Design and Web Applications for its Interactive Marketing Institute. The Institute garnered immediate interest and support from the student population and the surrounding Atlanta community since its inception and the next step in its growth is to offer courses in the digital disciplines that will help ensure the personal and professional development of IMI students.

The courses will be taught by Maurice Novembre, Marketlinkx Direct’s Director of Web Design and Applications,Mr. Novembre is a veteran industry professional and former instructor at the Savannah College of Art. His previous career history includes the position of Creative Director at Hill and Company in Oakland, CA, as well as Modeling and Technical experience at Industrial Light & Magic ( ILM ), a Lucasfilm, LTD company where he collaborated in the production of motion pictures such as ‘Incredible Hulk” and “Van Helsing.”

"It is immensely rewarding to have the opportunity to develop these courses for IMI students” said Director Novembre. "The courses will contain both practical applications and interactive sessions with the goal of engaging the students and preparing them for further studies in graphic design and web applications such as Dreamweaver and Flash“ he added.

“ The development of the digital application courses clearly portrays our ongoing commitment to make the Interactive Marketing Institute a model facility where students can increase their skills, while earning income and furthering their educational and career goals” explained Ezell Brown, Chairman of Marketlinkx Direct Inc. “We look forward to the launch of the program, and we know it will prove to be a major step in the success of the IMI. ” remarked Chairman Brown.

About Marketlinkx Direct Inc.
Marketlinkx Direct Inc. is among the top call center outsourcing companies in the world providing a variety of call center services centered on Customer Relationship Management (CRM), customer service, customer acquisition and retention. Headquartered in Coral Springs, FL, Marketlinkx Direct Inc. currently operates 18,000 sq ft of facilities in the area, housing 300 Education Advisors and Enrollment Counselors, as well as Project Directors and Campaign Managers. The Company also features a full-service marketing department with Online, Promotional, Event and Brand direct marketing capabilities as well as a complete production and post-production studio which creates and deploys TV and web commercials on behalf of clients and partners. In addition, Marketlinkx Direct Inc. currently employs hundreds of full-time employees and independent contractors in offices throughout the world, including, Ft. Lauderdale, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and others. For more information visit: www.mlxdirect.com
About Morris Brown College: Morris Brown College is one of America’s most prestigious Historically Black Colleges. Founded in 1881, and located at the highest point of Downtown Atlanta, the campus is ideally situated to fulfill the mission of serving its diverse community. Morris Brown College offers a uniquely supportive family environment to students desiring to to further their education and is staffed by a full-time faculty of 88% doctorates and a part-time faculty of 50% doctorates. For more information visit: www.morrisbrown.edu

Press Contact:
Joe Mazon
3650 Coral Ridge Dr # 105
Coral Springs, Fl 33065
jmazon@mlxdirect.com
954-753-2201 ext 125
http://www.mlxdirect.com

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creativity in education - Creativity is not unique to the arts. Creativity in education is equally important in mathematics, science, technology, in business - indeed in all areas of life. Neither is creativity simply about letting go, after all creative achievement relies on knowledge, control of materials and command of ideas.

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A business symposium will be held in Ohio this fall and the event will likely attract MBAs, entrepreneurs and other businessmen and women.

The Northeast Ohio Procurement Technical Assistance Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Veteran's Business Council of Northern Ohio have come together and organized an event entitled Veterans in Business - Still Serving America. The conference will take place on November 10.

"Now in its seventh year, this conference has grown into one of the largest veteran business networking events in the country," said the event's spokesperson Rick DeChant. "Last year, we had 400 participants from a four-state area in attendance."

The event could be a good opportunity for younger businessmen and women to network with industry experts and for veterans to explore possible ways to expand their existing operations.

The business world can be a very exciting place to be, especially as an entrepreneur. You'll need knowledge of how startups launch if you want to be a business owner, so consider enrolling in an MBA program today. Once your company is off the ground, events like the one in Ohio could help you grow your business.

Find a Top Online MBA Program Today – Getting Your Online MBA is One Step Away!

http://www.mymbacareer.com/mba-news/2568-veteran-businessmen-to-meet-mbas-and-entrepreneurs.html

First-time entrepreneur Michelle White created a company with big potential. The next step is to bring in an experienced management team and raise venture capital

It's a classic dilemma. A first-time entrepreneur creates a thriving company from scratch with the potential to be The Next Big Thing, but her investors thinks she needs an experienced CEO and management team to take it there. They also bet future investors will want to see seasoned leaders in place. To make this happen, the first step, traditionally, is to forge a succession plan that keeps the company's momentum going and doesn't disrupt the culture the founder labored to create. This is one big challenge facing Michelle White, the founder of Leland, Mich.-based Michelle's Miracle, which makes a dietary supplement from tart cherries. White thinks her $800,000, four-person company, with its 2,200-plus regular customers who enthuse about the cherry concentrate's health properties, relieving arthritis and providing better sleep, could quickly become a $100 million company (think POM Wonderful) if it landed the capital necessary to hire a dream team to complement her existing team.

White is the founder of one of the women-led companies participating in venture catalyst Springboard Enterprises' latest venture capital forum, AllThingsLifeSciences. The forum, which kicks off on Sept. 30 in Madison, Wisc., is part of a mentorship program designed to improve women entrepreneurs' chances of securing equity investment. The forum pairs early-stage entrepreneurs with teams of experienced coaches who help them prepare to pitch their companies to a crowd of equity investors. (Last year's forum was limited to women-led companies in the media industry; this year's focuses on the life sciences.)

BusinessWeek is tracking a few of the companies at various stages in the coaching process. Michelle's Miracle is the first in the series.

The entrepreneur: Michelle White, 44, is the founder and president of Michelle's Miracle. She stumbled onto the idea of building a business to commercialize the health properties of tart cherry concentrate while working at a fruit processing plant as an office assistant. After doing research about the health properties of the fruit, she launched the company in 2001. Three of her four employees have been with her since its inception. The team has managed to create a market, get national distribution, and now sells in over 300 stores. A year and a half ago, White decided to look for equity capital. She landed an investment from an angel group earlier this year and is preparing to secure another by yearend. She's also seeking venture capital.

Her challenge: White wants to put together an experienced management team of individuals who have been successful in the consumer packaged-goods industry. She wants to raise venture money to hire a controller/vice-president of operations, a CEO, a vice-president of marketing, a vice-president of sales, and more sales people. Her challenge is to communicate this succession and management expansion to potential investors.

Says Michelle: "We've proven the demand and the market, and we've proven revenues, now we just need people to take it by the horns and roll with it. I know what the potential of this company is, but I also know I don't have the experience to do it. So as far as letting go of that control—I'm O.K. with that. I want to see the success of the company and if that happens whether I took or someone else—it doesn't matter.

"When we started the capital raise, the biggest question was, are you willing to let go of control? I'm more than happy to do so because I just want to see the success of the company and do what I love to do. Being buried under spreadsheets is not something that excites me in the slightest.

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/sep2009/sb20090929_350040.htm

Written by Resources for Entrepreneurs Staff

Published: 9/29/2009

To give entrepreneurs a voice in shaping the country's economic future, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has launched the "Build a Stronger America" movement.

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the world's largest foundation dedicated to entrepreneurship, has announced that the launch of its "Build a Stronger America" Movement, which seeks to unite, empower and inspire entrepreneurs across the country.

The movement seeks to give a voice to entrepreneurs, helping them influence the dialogue on the future of the country's economy, "so that entrepreneurs and their specific needs are at the forefront of the policy decision-making process," the Foundation announced.

The website, BuildaStrongerAmerica.com, will be a resource providing news for entrepreneurs, as well as a virtual forum for entrepreneurs to connect with each other and hear their stories.

"Entrepreneurs are the key to our country's economic recovery because they are creating the jobs and innovations that will bring us out of this decline and into sustainability and growth," said Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation. "As a group, entrepreneurs are the silent heroes of our economy."

Earlier this month, the foundation released the results of a survey which found that two-thirds of entrepreneurs believe the economy is heading in the wrong direction, while 69 percent believe the recession will last at least one to two more years.

About Our Small Business News

We publish news articles for entrepreneurs five days a week. Our small business news articles review trends in small business, analyze the impact of new government policies, present relevant entrepreneurial research findings, and cover many other topics of interest to small business owners.

http://www.gaebler.com/News/Small-Business-Startup/Kauffman-Foundation-gives-entrepreneurs-a-voice-in-shaping-economic-policies-19384772.htm

Looking to help and inspire philanthropists across the country, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has created the "Build a Stronger America," which will give entreprenuers a virtual space to discuss their various ventures while also helping them voice their opinions regarding the current economic climate.

The campaign, which officially went "live" at the recent Inc. 500 conference in Washington, will help entrepreneurs and business owners to convene at a website (BuildaStrongerAmerica.com) to discuss their various ideas and the problems that some may face to get them off the ground.

Additionally, "Build a Stronger America" will also look to influence the current political discussions underway to try and mend the economy by creating a "united voice" for independent businessmen and women to add their input.

"Entrepreneurs are the key to our country’s economic recovery because they are creating the jobs and innovations that will bring us out of this decline and into sustainability and growth," said Carl Schramm, the Kaufmann Foundation’s president and CEO. "As a group, entrepreneurs are the silent heroes of our economy, and their success is heavily reliant on many factors outside of their direct control. The Kauffman Foundation is proud to give them a platform for the first time to share their stories and amplify their voice."

Chris Gardner, the CEO of Gardner Rich & Co. and co-author of the book that inspired the film The Pursuit of Happyness, threw his support behind the Kaufmann Foundation’s initiative, praising the opportunity that the it will give entrepreneurs to "come together to make their voices heard."

The "Build a Stronger America" initiative is one of many programs set in place by the Kaufmann Foundation to promote entrepreneurship-friendly government policies and promote new business’ use of the most current technology available. Among its other initiatives that promote similar ideals are FastTrac and the Urban Entrepreneur Partnership.

http://www.thedailytell.com/2009/09/kauffman-foundation-launches-campaign-to-aid-entrepreneurs/

The state of New Jersey launched a new Web portal last week, designed to spur innovation and foster technology transfer between the state’s academic and business communities. Called the New Jersey Patent Bank, Governor Jon S. Corzine and Jerry Zaro, chief of the Governor’s Office of Economic Growth, said the tool would foster the kind of innovation to keep New Jersey relevant in the global economy.

“The Patent Bank gives users access to the wealth of cutting-edge research available all over the state, particularly in our academic and research institutions. This is the exactly the type of innovation we must encourage to remain competitive in the global economy,” Gov. Corzine said in a statement.

The New Jersey Patent Bank is a clearinghouse for technologies patented in the state. Users can post licensed or unlicensed patent information to market their intellectual property, as well as search for patents that match individual or business needs. The searchable Web portal scans the over fifty state institutions of higher education, New Jersey companies and individuals.

Every month, the Patent Bank will highlight some of the great innovations posted on the Web portal, the first of which outlines of the all-time great inventors, Thomas Alva Edison who did most of his work in Newark, Menlo Park and West Orange.

Mr. Zaro called the new online tool a “win-win” for the state’s inventors and universities. Meanwhile, Dr. Peter R. Reczek, Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology called it “necessary to foster technology business development…”

Created in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Economic Growth, the State of New Jersey’s Office of Information Technology, the Commission on Higher Education and the Commission on Science & Technology, the Patent Bank can be reached by clicking here.

http://civsourceonline.com/2009/09/29/n-j-entrepreneurs-academics-innovate-with-new-patent-bank/

Editor's note: This is a guest post by Vivek Wadhwa, an entrepreneur turned academic. He is a Visiting Scholar at UC-Berkeley, Senior Research Associate at Harvard Law School and Executive in Residence at Duke University. Follow him on Twitter at @ vwadhwa.

Everyone seems to be waiting for the next great discovery which will change the world. But, believe it or not, the next Internet, semiconductor, or breakthrough in MRI technology may already have been discovered. It?s just languishing on the shelves of the university research labs you drive by on your way to work every day. University researchers don?t know how to commercialize their discoveries and smart, hungry entrepreneurs looking to meet the next Larry or Sergey don?t know how to find them. These parallel universes rarely meet (well, except sometimes at Stanford).

In 2007, U.S. universities performed $48.8 billion of research and filed 17,589 U.S. patent applications. In that same year universities received back revenues for licensing and royalties on patents of less than $2 billion. Those revenues include ongoing royalties from all of the research licensed over the past 40 years. The implication is clear. An astonishing amount of promising research is left in the lab.

When I say this to university administrators, they get incredibly defensive (almost like the VC?s I pissed off with my last post.) They rightfully argue that the role of the university is to teach and to add to the world?s knowledge base. The real benefit comes from the students who universities educate, who go and start the Apples and Microsoft?s. No argument there. But we have a goldmine of knowledge and potential innovation locked in our research universities. This goldmine could fuel the next two decades of economic growth. It is time to mine this goldmine.

I?ll sketch out a little treasure map for you in part two on this topic, posting later this week, but first, you need to know more about the inhabitants of the other dimension. Some of the brightest people in the universe work in our universities. After getting a science or engineering Masters degree (which could earn them six-figure salaries in Silicon Valley) they slog it out for 4-6 years at close to minimum wage to get their PhD?s. Then they wait another decade to *maybe* become a full professor, usually by working at a series of lesser university jobs in less than optimal cities or towns. Even those PhDs who get tenure usually don't make anything near what senior tech guys make in industry.

Clearly they are not in it for the money. Rather their twin desires are often to acquire knowledge for knowledge's sake and to do good for the world. I know these are foreign concepts to some of you, but this is the academic world. And by the way, they often see the business world as the ?evil empire? that robs their discoveries of purity and puts a dollar sign on anything it can.

For those reasons, they are usually more concerned about disseminating knowledge and publishing academic papers than creating patents that limit how this knowledge can be used. (I have known many academics who refuse to file patents because they don't believe in them). These purists worry about the conflicts of interest that can arise when taking money from industry might be perceived to color their research. And they want to ensure that their teaching activities are not adversely impacted by the time spent on commercialization efforts.

To make things worse, the funding which universities received from the government usually only covers the cost of writing some papers. They don?t get enough to build a prototype or prove their technology. This is what most VC?s want to see at a minimum before investing in technology, to make sure they are not investing in a "science project," the industry term for leap-of-faith investments in lab science discoveries. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of university technology withers on the vine. This chasm between promising benchwork and investable prototype, between what professors and VCs can and are willing to do, is also known as the ?Valley of Death?.

The challenge is to create a bridge between these researchers and the VCs or idea-seeking entrepreneurs who know to turn an idea into an invention. Many of the ideas and breakthroughs are easy to exploit and just require enterprising minds to come together with inquiring minds. But others require the investment and support which only VC?s can provide. (Hey, I never said that venture capital didn?t serve an important purpose ? just that VC?s don?t innovate.)

Taking these types of hard science discoveries from bench to fab or factory is sometimes very, very hard work that often does require VC capital, fat Rolodexes, and regulatory and industry specific operational expertise. But someone has to take these discoveries into a stage beyond ?science project? ? and this is where the entrepreneurs need to step in again?to hand VC?s the ?technology on a platter? that they expect.

I asked a colleague at Duke University, Barry Myers ? who is considered to be one of the leading biomedical researchers in the world and also happens to work part-time at a VC firm (weird, isn?t it?), to help me create a guide for the adventurous entrepreneur. I must warn you that this isn?t going to be easy. In my next post, I'll walk you through what Barry said.

Yes, we?ve got a cliffhanger.

(Photo credit: Jon Sullivan)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/29/AR2009092902859.html

By Pui-Wing Tam

Former MySQL CEO Marten Mickos is joining venture-capital firm Benchmark Capital as an entrepreneur in residence, says Benchmark partner Kevin Harvey.

The move builds on Benchmark’s tradition of pulling in entrepreneurs, typically for a six-month or so stint, to help the venture firm evaluate new startup opportunities and dig into its portfolio of companies. Benchmark’s other entrepreneurs in residence, or EIRs, have included Silicon Valley techies such as Nirav Tolia and former Google engineers Bret Taylor and Jim Morris.

Mickos helped build MySQL into a leading provider of open-source software for enterprises and was CEO of the company for seven years. MySQL was bought by Sun Microsystems last year for around $1 billion, and Mickos stayed on with the company through its integration until earlier this year.

Mickos and Harvey go way back, since Benchmark helped lead a round of investment in MySQL and Harvey says he served as the company’s chairman. Harvey says he first talked with Mickos about coming into Benchmark when MySQL was sold last year, but neither got serious about it till this summer. Then earlier this month, the two talked again “and decided it made sense,” says Harvey, who adds that Mickos is “fantastic.”

Harvey adds that Mickos will likely help Benchmark look at enterprise software and open source opportunities, though he “definitely won’t be limited to that.”

As for Mickos, he tweeted that he likes Benchmark because the firm asks “What’s best for the entrepreneur?” And, Mickos noted, “they think big.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/09/29/former-mysql-ceo-joins-benchmark-capital/

CENTRAL JERSEY — The three gubernatorial candidates will speak of their plans to build and retain business in New Jersey at the first Entrepreneur Expose' on Oct. 24 at the Hamilton Park Conference Center in Florham Park.'

The event, hosted by two women entrepreneurs, Melissa Cloeter and Linda Wellbrook, is sponsored by Verizon Wireless. It is set to position entrepreneurship as one solution to our economic challenges and offer real options to help women start and grow a business.

Additional speakers will include Nina E. Moseley, senior director of the Division of Minority & Women Business Development for the state Department of Treasury; Denise Boutross McGlone, executive vice president/chief financial officer of Affinity Federal Credit Union; Nancy Michaels, a mother of three, a renowned author of five marketing books and a liver transplant survivor, and Mike Michalowicz, author of "The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur" and a three-time successful multi-million-dollar entrepreneur. His most recent venture is Obsidian Launch.

Representatives from the Division of Minority and Women Business Development will be on hand to assist attendees to register their businesses.

Attendees will have an opportunity to pitch their business or product to Angel Investors from HGH Holdings, as well as media writers from “NJ Monthly,” “Silk Purse Women Magazine,” “In Biz” and “Identity Magazine.” The best idea among five finalists will win a host of services, including an entrepreneurial class to help formulate a legitimate business plan, a Blackberry phone from Verizon Wireless and a professional makeover.

Break-out sessions will includes panel discussions on "Strategies, Information and Options for Start-Ups (Let's Get This Party Started),'' "Handling Your Business Finances (Money, Money, Money),'' "Recession Proof Marketing (I Will Survive),'' and "Strategies to Build Your Empire (Simply the Best).'' Each session will be taped for attendees to view at www.entrepreneurexpose.com after the event.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090929/BUSINESS/90929065/-1/newsfront/Gubernatorial-candidates-to-speak-at-women-s-entrepreneur-conference

Entrepreneur Growth: Determining What I am Good At In Business?

Successful Entrepreneurs Persevere in the FInal Lap
Uploaded by westonlyon. - Parties, dorm life, and other college videos.

Coaching Entrepreneur of the Year Award - kewego
http://www.coachingsupersummit.com In search of entrepreneurship in the coaching community, Coaching Millions Super Summit is announcing its 1st annual Coaching Entrepreneur of the Year award. We are looking for coaches and entrepreneurs who are using marketing, creativity, and entrepreneurial strategies to grow their business and make an impact in their niche. Everyone is invited to apply, it's FREE!

Keywords: coach coaching award entrepreneur business marketing conference

Video from milanal

At an event in Austin, Texas, Chris and Julien were the lunch speakers in the world of Marketing (the meeting was sponsored by the AMA). However, we asked Julien and Chris to focus on the topic Trust Agency for the Entrepreneur, within the environment of Small Business Ownership and success.

As you will hear from this shorter podcast episode, some key differentiators that can help the small business owner to get exposure and notoriety were:

- being different and unexpected (in a relevant and tasteful manner);

- planning the human interactive strategy of using social media tools (such as twitter, etc.);

- networking in a humanistic way without business cards.

The latter suggestion can best be served by a true case-in-point:

When I first met Julien Smith prior to the luncheon, I did not whip out a business card and start talking about my business or my entrepreneurship. Instead, we focused on two items– (1) His book (because I asked him to sign my copy); and (2) I had started a conversation at the bar about a drink (Old Fashion) that has gained notoriety because it is on a current TV series (MadMen). Since Julien had never tried one, I offered to him the one I had just ordered. That immediately set in motion a humanistic relationship model where we forgot about business for a few moments and we both earned the trust and respect for each other. And, yes, later on, I did give Julien one of my business cards–after he asked for it.

Note: in this brief interview, we had some ambient noise in the background, as we recorded this after the luncheon in the same dining area. Please forgive this background sound.

As both Chris and Julien had to depart to the airport literally within minutes, we recorded this discussion in a mobile manner and before they had to be shuttled to catch their flight. Thus, you may sense the feeling that we were a bit hurried. We thank Chris and Julien for their time and contribution.

Copyright (c) Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Articles Sources - http://strugglingentrepreneur.com/2009/09/29/102a-trust-agency-for-entrepreneurs-interview-with-chris-brogan-julien-smith/

What makes visionary entrepreneurs such as Apple's Steve Jobs, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Ebay's Pierre Omidyar and Meg Whitman, and P&G's A.G. Lafley tick? In a question-and-answer session with HBR contributing editor Bronwyn Fryer, Professors Jeff Dyer of Brigham Young University and Hal Gregersen of Insead explain how the "Innovators' DNA" works.

Fryer: You conducted a six-year study surveying 3,000 creative executives and conducting an additional 500 individual interviews. During this study you found five "discovery skills" that distinguish them. What are these skills?

Dyer: The first skill is what we call "associating." It's a cognitive skill that allows creative people to make connections across seemingly unrelated questions, problems, or ideas. The second skill is questioning - an ability to ask "what if", "why", and "why not" questions that challenge the status quo and open up the bigger picture. The third is the ability to closely observe details, particularly the details of people's behavior. Another skill is the ability to experiment - the people we studied are always trying on new experiences and exploring new worlds. And finally, they are really good at networking with smart people who have little in common with them, but from whom they can learn.

Fryer: Which of these skills do you think is the most important?

Jeff: We've found that questioning turbo-charges observing, experimenting, and networking, but questioning on its own doesn't have a direct effect without the others. Overall, associating is the key skill because new ideas aren't created without connecting problems or ideas in ways that they haven't been connected before. The other behaviors are inputs that trigger associating--so they are a means of getting to a creative end.

Gregersen: You might summarize all of the skills we've noted in one word: "inquisitiveness." I spent 20 years studying great global leaders, and that was the big common denominator. It's the same kind of inquisitiveness you see in small children.

Fryer: How else do you think the innovative entrepreneurs you studied differ from average executives?

Dyer: We asked all the executives in our study to tell us about how they came up with a strategic or innovative idea. That one was easy for the creative executives, but surprisingly difficult for the more traditional ones. Interestingly, all the innovative entrepreneurs also talked about being triggered, or having what you might call "eureka" moments. In describing how they came up with a product or business idea, they would use phrases like "I saw someone doing this, or I overheard someone say that, and that's when it hit me."

Fryer: But since most executives are very smart, why do you think they can't, or don't, think inquisitively?
Dyer: We think there are far more discovery driven people in companies than anyone realizes. We've found that 15% of executives are deeply innovative, meaning they've invented a new product or started an innovative venture. But the problem is that even the most creative people are often careful about asking questions for fear of looking stupid, or because they know the organization won't value it.

Gregersen: If you look at 4 year olds, they are constantly asking questions and wondering how things work. But by the time they are 6 ½ years old they stop asking questions because they quickly learn that teachers value the right answers more than provocative questions. High school students rarely show inquisitiveness. And by the time they're grown up and are in corporate settings, they have already had the curiosity drummed out of them. 80% of executives spend less than 20% of their time on discovering new ideas. Unless, of course, they work for a company like Apple or Google.

We also believe that the most innovative entrepreneurs were very lucky to have been raised in an atmosphere where inquisitiveness was encouraged. We were stuck by the stories they told about being sustained by people who cared about experimentation and exploration. Sometimes these people were relatives, but sometimes they were neighbors, teachers or other influential adults. A number of the innovative entrepreneurs also went to Montessori schools, where they learned to follow their curiosity. To paraphrase the famous Apple ad campaign, innovators not only learned early on to think different, they act different (and even talk different).

Professors Jeff Dyer of Brigham Young University, Hal Gregersen of Insead, and Clay Christensen of HBS further explore this topic in an article which will appear in the December issue of Harvard Business Review.

Articles Sources - http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/hbr/hbreditors/2009/09/how_do_innovators_think.html

Lorraine Howell

Lorraine Howell started Media Skills Training in 1998 after 12 years as a television news and talk show producer in the San Francisco Bay Area. She coaches top executives and professionals on how to be more effective when speaking to the media or making public presentations. Lorraine is a specialist in message development, presentation skills, and media interview preparation. In October, 2009 she will return for the third year to coach the five finalists in the Forbes.com national Boost Your Business Contest in New York City.

Her book Give Your Elevator Speech a Lift! (Book Publishers Network, November 2007 Second Printing) is a step-by-step guide through her proven process for creating a winning elevator speech. Lorraine’s method helps eliminate the verbal clutter when answering the question “What do you do?”

As the Senior Segment Producer on the top rated news show “Mornings on 2" at KTVU, the Fox affiliate in Oakland, she specialized in booking exclusive, live interviews with top names in the news, public figures and celebrities. She produced live broadcasts from the White House and from the Capitol in Washington, D.C., from the 1996 Republican & Democratic National Conventions, and from “Camp O.J.” during the Simpson murder trial in Los Angeles.

At KPIX, the CBS affiliate, she produced live, hour long programs featuring breaking news stories, controversial issues and emerging trends, and a long list of celebrities on the number one morning talk show “People Are Talking.”

She speaks on media relations and presentation skills at conferences and seminars. Her clients include Starbucks Coffee Company, Microsoft, Group Health Cooperative, Seattle Children’s Hospital, The Mountaineers Books, ZymoGenetics, Attenex, Avvo, Kibble & Prentice, People To People Ambassador Programs, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide.

She is a Cum Laude graduate from the University of Washington, Phi Beta Kappa. Lorraine is also a member of Women in Communications, Women Business Owners, Public Relations Society of America, the National Speakers Association, and the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.

Lorraine has received the national AWC Headliner Award for 2009 from the Association for Women in Communications. In 2008, she was named Chapter Member of the Year by NSA Northwest. Visit Lorraine's website at http://www.mediaskillstraining.com/

Articles Sources - http://womenentrepreneursecrets.blogspot.com/2009/09/women-entrepreneurs-secrets-of-success_28.html

Kuala Lumpur, Aug.22 (ANI): Government companies and government-linked companies (GLCs) in Malaysia have been urged to appoint more Indians as directors.

According to a Tamil Nesan report, the Social Entrepreneurs Network (SeNet) has issued this appeal.

The Star quoted its chairman Madhu Marimuthu as saying that it was disappointing to see only a handful of Indians occupying positions of directors in companies when the talent pool in the community was vast.

Marimuthu said SeNet would submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Department urging that eight to ten percent from the Indian community must be given jobs in the government sectors.

Indian representation in the government sector must be at all levels, he added. (ANI)