Blog Archives

Marketing Jesus way

19/3/2015

Today I attended an event at Brixton Impact Hub, organised by Tree Shepherd about marketing.

One of the main presentations was delivered by Georgina Wilson, founder of Bizbudee, Business Community Builder, also Property Consultant, Public Speaker, Coffee Shop Owner, Poet/Singer/Songwriter, Mentor.

Her presentation was very friendly. Bizbudee has the aim of being an online space for growth of small businesses, where people can interact and share their skills, growing together.

There were several powerful messages that came through her presentation, such as when thinking about your marketing niche, to think not only who they are, but to ask "How am I going to add value to him/her?"

I got other messages such as "Be yourself" (also when using social media) and "People want to engage with something". The topic of selling can be made easy when thinking that each individual has a personal story to share, a motivation, a reason to do what they do that attract others.

I remember that some people mentioned blogging as some type of commitment, when for me it is the opposite: it is a way of enjoying talking or thinking about topics I am passionate about.

Then when I went home I checked online about the book she wrote: "Marketing Jesus´ Way".

And then I started finding interesting links, such as the use of a powerful analogy "Marketing Jesus´ Way". In the book there are other analogies linking the bible with testimonials and referrals, the gifts, sources, beliefs, faith, mindset, being passionate.

A very refreshing approach to creative thinking, not only as something mechanical where ideas are constructed by doing research, changes and combinations, but also by the influence of inspiration, emotions and feelings who add the ideas the motivation to be implemented regardless their difficulties.

Colin Crooks is the founder and Chief Executive of Tree Shepherd. Tree Shepherd is a social enterprise dedicated to promoting local economies as a means to enabling all members of the community to participate in and benefit from economic development. Colin Crooks is also the author of "How to Make a Million Jobs"

Colin Crooks: how to make a million jobs. from Pioneers Post on Vimeo.

Tree Shepherd Start Your Own Enterprise from Lydia Gardner on Vimeo.

Learning revolution?

9/3/2015

Another great evening with Tony Biola, his graduates and Des O´Connor.
Yesterday I attended an event organised by Tony Biola in Crowne Plaza Hotel. It was on 8th March 2015 International Women´s Day:
"International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities."

Tony Biola (Empowerment Coach) and Des O´Connor (Relationships Coach) shared very interesting messages and experiences, as well as spoke in a panel with other people. I was very impressed with a young 21 year old lady, who related his participation in the GPS programme and his experience. When I think about how immature I was a that age... and how well furnitured is her brain at that young age!!!

As it was mentioned during the session, at school we are not taught about success or about relationships. While having some food, I met the mother of the young lady, who herself thought that that programme was good for herself and invited her daughter, her son and her son in law to do it. She explained to me all of them were self-employed and shared with me her experience and the concept of "Cash flow quadrant" from Robert Kiyosaki, author of "Rich dad, poor dad". VIDEO

I enjoyed the warm style of the session, something characteristic of Tony Biola, where more than a seminar it seems you are in a family dialogue. Going back to the question about where people learn about success (whatever it means for each individual) and relationships, I suppose that traditionally was learnt at home and through interactions with other people. But what happen when parents are working too many hours, without much interaction with their children and when many couples are separated, divorced or with frequent arguments?

I guess that´s why the raising of coaches and programmes like the one´s of Tony Biola and Des O´Connor.

And how is this related to creativity?
I think all is connected in a way that we don´t learn at school some of the most interesting, useful and practical things we should, such as success, relationships or creative thinking (problem solving etc.). We may learn somethings, but too little comparing with the pressure of achieving marks in key subjects.

Recently in Linkedin, Laura Morales asked in Linkedin:
How should education in creativity look like in the future?

You can follow the link clicking at the question. My answer was:

Creativity is a very big field. For some people it relates to arts, such as drawing, sculpture, media, etc. When thinking about subjects in education, there are many possibilities to explore creativity from each of them. Personally I would like to see a subject called "Creative Thinking" in which people learn to solve all kind of problems, generate ideas, implement life changes. Or if the curriculum is too busy, there could be just an addition to other subjects, including some idea generation techniques and problem solving that can be applied not only to maths, physics or chemistry, but to personal and professional development. These techniques could be used in subjects such as product design, marketing, poetry, story writing, employment techniques, social problems, hobbies, diy, decoration, business, ethics, debates, ecology, etc.

I think education in creativity could be first explored with their own hobbies and later applied to academic subjects and personal and professional development.

Success, relationships, creativity... interesting topics to discuss with anybody. An analogy could be made with relationships, as relationships could be not only with the partner, but with friends, parents, children, extended family, colleagues... and especially with ourselves. Relationship with our work, our hobbies, our body, our soul, our brain, our social life, our freedom, etc.

What about our relationship with our behaviour? Does our brain, our thoughts help to be well behaved or the opposite? Does our behaviour generate positive feedback that encourages us to continue behaving well?

Here I would like to highlight the work of Jose Aguiar, Educational Consultant and the work he does to improve offending behaviour.