Archive for category: Business and Workplace

Seeing Divorced Families in a New Paradigm

Rob and Family

The man with the funny hair has a name, and his name is Rob Pinna. He is the Team 1 Team Lead for the Denver/Salt Lake City based team in Landmark’s Team, Management, and Leadership program. Ask Rob who he is and he will tell you – dad, husband, entrepreneur.

Rob’s journey with Landmark began in 2007 when he completed the Landmark Forum after being introduced to it by Annie. Along with his wife, Katherine, Rob began the Team, Management, and Leadership Program in August 2013. Though Katherine chose to withdraw from the program after completing the first weekend, Rob continued on, both fully supporting each other in their choice.

As dad, Rob has not only brought the new model of communication to his three kids, Renee, Nicole, and Jackson, and step daughter, Peyton, he has also brought his kids to the new model of communication. Both Renee and Nicole completed the Communication: Access to Power and the Advanced Communication Course: The Power to Create during Rob’s first two quarters on Team.  Family conversations now show up inside the new model of communication, with authenticity and the ability to be straight with each other with no significance.

With Jackson, Rob has transformed his relationship to saying no, a gift for any parent. In the past, saying no to Jackson would bring up feelings of anger, guilt, and blame, as if to say, “How dare you ask me!?!?” Saying no to his son’s request was like saying, “No, I don’t love you.”

Now, he is able to say no powerfully by realizing he is responding to a request, and saying no does not diminish, alter or devalue his son or his love for his son in any way.

As husband, Rob is making a difference with his wife, Katherine, as well as ex-wives, Betsy and Arlene. Betsy completed the Communication: Access to Power course in Rob’s 2nd quarter.

As entrepreneur, Rob is making a difference for thousands of other families as the founder of Cofamilies – dedicated to helping divorced parents raise great kids. Cofamilies is a coparenting calendar and mobile checkin application that coordinates schedules, finances and joint parenting decisions.

Rob has also made Cofamilies his Game in the World, taking on a different aspect of building the business each quarter. In Q1, the Cofamilies’ iPhone app was created. Q2 saw Cofamilies become investor-ready. Now in Q3, Rob is creating a Cofamilies’ service for divorce coaching. Though Rob is no stranger to entrepreneurship, finding himself back in this particular saddle has been a challenge.

After watching his very successful business go belly up in the early dot.com days, Rob stopped seeing himself as someone who could run a large company or be responsible for other people’s money. He took himself out of the business creation game and became a business consultant, helping others successfully build their businesses. Though very skilled in this role, Rob realizes that without his entrepreneurial spirit, his ability to contribute is diminished. Through his first two quarters in the TMLP, Rob has seen the limits his past business experience imposed on the success of Cofamilies. Instead of being focused on building a successful company, Rob’s focus was on not failing, losing money, or letting anybody down. He was afraid to step up to the plate and swing the bat, all the while comparing his level of success to that of his peers.

For those who attended the February 2014 TMLP weekend, you may remember Rob on stage doing jumping jacks as he attempted to say and be the Denver Team possibility, being free to play. With fear of failure in the background, Rob was anything but.

Now, halfway into the quarter, Rob finds himself getting in communication anytime he is disempowered and using recreation in all his conversations which has him free to make requests and not make the response significant. There is no winning, no losing, no failing, just freedom; the freedom to play big and know, if he swings and misses, there’s another swing coming.

This is also showing up for other team members.  The team just completed a home run Communication: Access to Power course in Salt Lake City, where a number of Denver-based team members traveled over the mountains to coach and support the course, some stopping along the way to play on the ski slopes in Utah.  This represents a huge victory.  A few years ago there were no communication courses or team members in Salt Lake City. Now, Salt Lake City is adding new communication courses to the calendar each year and new team members each quarter.  With a near capacity Advanced Communication Course scheduled for June in Denver, the team is poised for growth and, like their Team 1 Team Lead, Rob Pinna, free to play.

 


 

Author and Interviewer: Brian Weinberg

Brian is an alumni of Landmark’s Team, Management, and Leadership Program and currently lives in Boulder, CO where he works as an electrical engineer in the aerospace field.  When he’s not sitting at his desk, he is usually sitting on a meditation cushion or bicycle seat, or writing poems and children’s books on the backs of napkins and receipts. Brian is passionate about organic food, real nutrition, and music, and is currently developing his skills as a songwriter and musician.

Brian Weinberg2

 

Back to Living-Peanut Game

Dan Clarke
Team Rocky Mountain Region

The Possibility of this game is to provide affordable and effective lower back pain relief to the world.

Dan was a hockey player and in 2004, he found himself having a lot of back pain and having to spend too much time and money going to a chiropractor. As he says, “I kept my chiropractor in business.” He set out to find something that was affordable and that would eliminate back pain.

He went online and discovered this device called the rubber cylindrical ball. It was made in China and was used on animals. Why couldn’t it work for humans?

This device is a rubber inflatable cylindrical ball. It comes with a pump and when pumped up it takes the shape of a hope chest or a child’s little wagon. You simply lay it on the floor, preferably a carpeted floor, and lay on top of it. You start out by laying on your stomach. You fully extend your body and stretch, then roll on your side, hooking your knees on one side, folding your body over the ball and using your forearms to block the ball, keeping it from rolling away from your body. Then stay in this position for 2 to 3 minutes or as long as you’re comfortable. 2 to 3 minutes is an adequate amount of time to stretch the body, as needed. Unfold your body and come back into compression SLOWLY and GENTLY! You do this as many times as you need to get your desired relief.

This device is inflatable and can travel with you, wherever you go. It is so practical, inexpensive and IT WORKS!!! He gave it his own Brand…Back Blaster. He shared this device with his Chiropractor, Massage Therapist and hundreds of friends and interested people.

It was on August 23rd, in San Francisco, that he declared this possibility of affordable and effective pain relief …His “Back to Living-Peanut Game.”

He set up a website and provided a link to the manufacturer, in China, so others can also order these devices. He shared his Back Blaster link with sports organizations, college sports and hospitals. There are two sizes: Back Blaster Extreme, for men and Back Blaster Petite, for ladies. Portugal and Spain became two of his biggest users.

He is now in the process of setting up a Lifetime Guarantee and determining pricing.

This Game in the World is the only one that he’s played this year that has inspired him. For the first time, in his year in the Team, Management and Leadership Program, he felt like he was offering something to others that was truly valuable and that had a positive impact on their lives. He had discovered the true meaning of enrolling people to play his game. Enrollment was not engagement. He was inspiring people to get involved, not hiring them!

It was the support of his team that gave him the confidence he needed in order to win. He was “Cause in the Matter” of his Game and brought Team to it. Team is “the source that makes everything work!”

What really inspired him was the fact that he never made a dime (and it doesn’t matter to him!!) on something that is such a great benefit to the world!

In his own words, he praises Landmark for the following: “You do the courses, grappling with yourself and it all eventually works out! I have much more compassion for my kids and everyone else in my life. Most importantly, Landmark has given me a life that I love; one of discovery–not experience but adventure!”

Good to Green – Healthy People, Happy Planet

Read this article in Spanish.

Good to Green is a holistic membership rewards shopping site which features environmentally and socially responsible companies. Consumers come to www.GoodtoGreen.com to learn more about companies that have made a commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and creating healthier products. If a customer chooses to purchase something, they receive a cashback reward, which can be cashed out or donated to an environmental cause. The possibility of Good to Green is Healthy People, Happy Planet. The outcome is the reversal of Global Warming.

It is important for consumers to recycle, compost, ride our bikes, etc., but these actions alone are not enough to shift the climate scoreboard. Green shopping may sound like an unlikely catalyst, yet it is incredible vehicle to shift our current climate crisis. Why? Consider the current reality of manufactured goods today:

  • Most consumer goods use 10-100 times the raw materials associated with the end product.
  • For every 1 pound of consumer waste there is an average 65 pounds of waste generated upstream.Source: Joel Makower

Good to Green exists to reduce the wasteful misuse of the Earth’s raw materials and the toxic by-products associated with many manufacturing practices.

It all started when…

Good to Green was born when Founder Sonja Price became fed up with her own guilt-ridden shopping excursions. She was tired of not knowing where and how many of our household items were made. She did some research and identified that shopping is America’s #1 past-time (2nd is watching TV, which is filled with many advertisements about what to buy when you do go shopping).

She found that many companies are starting to make positive changes, but most are still hesitant to commit resources to sustainable initiatives, and many have expressed concern the market is not yet ready to invest in eco-friendly products. Good to Green conducted some preliminary market research and found that 52% of consumers indicate it is difficult to find values-based data that would impact their purchasing decisions.

So it’s a chicken vs. the egg scenario. Which one comes first? Both. Good to Green believes that as consumers have access to the data that will better inform their green shopping decisions, their purchasing power will signal companies to respond to the market need.

Good to Green has invested numerous resources to provide that valuable research on what companies are doing to create a greener planet. They apply an Appreciative-based approach by placing more emphasis on what is working. They promote and reward companies who are doing good (vs. pointing blame at the companies who just haven’t joined the conversation yet). Good to Green asserts that if consumers build the need, the majority of manufacturing companies will eventually join in this movement.

The Good to Green team is also involved in many political actions to help introduce a carbon tax which will impose standards and enforce the largest offenders to pay taxes on greenhouse gas emissions. While we are waiting for government policy to be officially introduced and to take effect, Good to Green aims to reward the market leaders by promoting a plethora of earth friendly products including green cleaning supplies, eco-friendly clothing, travel accommodations and many more.

The 5 Year Plan

Good to Green will eventually begin consulting with businesses to help create and implement Sustainable Strategies which will encompass Manufacturing Process Improvements, Employee & Customer Engagement, and Change Management tactics. The ultimate goal is to aid companies in revitalizing their product offerings that will create a healthy future for the world and all of it’s creatures.

The Power of TMLP

Sonja joined the Team, Management and Leadership Program in August 2012 to provide structure and a support system to get Good to Green off the ground. As Sonja shared “TMLP has kept me present to an empowering context and has helped keep this game on track to winning in the marketplace. There is no possible way I could have launched this company on my own. I used to be a lone wolf, but because of this program I am continuously enrolling more people to join this project. We are having so much fun and I am grateful to TMLP for helping me understand the benefits of shedding my ego and allowing other people to contribute to this very important movement!”

“Our customers are just as much a part of our team as staff members. Every customer is invited to participate in our Advisory Committee. We understand that if we are to transform ‘Climate Crisis’ into ‘Climate Clarity’ it is going to take each and every one of us to create the change we wish to see in the world.”

You may remember hearing about this game under a previous name. This TMLP Game in the World, previously known as ‘Green To Your Mother Earth,’ was featured at the November 2012 Orlando weekend.

A “Reasonable/Unreasonable” Request

Sonja requests “Every person reading this article to be conscious of where you invest your dollars. Take little steps everywhere and anywhere. It is possible to reverse global warming, but it will take a concentrated effort of each and every one of us working together to invest our dollars wisely in companies that are doing good in the world. Through education and action, we can all be part of the solution, rather than being blind to problem. Thank You!”


Interviewee: Sonja Price – Team Seattle
Interview by: Michelle Santucci – Team New England

Micro Funding for Creative Women: “FunderWoman”

Written by Nathan Bennett, Team NY

What happens when you combine the super powers of Wonder Woman with fundraising and the dynamic leadership of Julia Molloy? You get Funderwoman! Funderwoman is Julia Molloy’s brain child and is a possibility that allows women to be successful and creative, while supporting a life they love.

Born in Northern California, Brooklyn-based architect Julia Molloy had a vision to support other talented women around the world in their quest for financial freedom. Having completed school at Barnard and Columbia, Molloy now proudly spreads her talented wings at the Guggenheim where she is currently the Design Associate for the Abu Dhabi project.

Architecture wasn’t Julia’s first passion. Her love for children gave her dreams of becoming a clown doctor. However, after living in Ghana and Italy during college, she decided that impacting the world and making beauty through building structures was the way for her. Julia was on a new path and committed to being an unstoppable force in the architectural design world.

Julia’s expansive knowledge has allowed her to teach Architecture Thesis on the University level for two years. She also credits Landmark Education for contributing to her growth and development. The most influential courses for her have been the Communications courses and coaching in the Self Expression and Leadership Program.

Embracing her love for travel, Julia has worked and studied in Caracas, Vancouver, Shanghai, South Africa, Istanbul, and Thailand/Burma, among other exotic places.

Nathan:  How did you select the women in your first class of Funderwoman?

Julia:  For Phase 1.0, our goal is to get our feet wet, so to speak, and to build a team and momentum. These women have been chosen for the first phase of campaigning and funding, because the diverse range of creative projects – from the practical – spice rack – to fantastical – twin world documentary (this is the project that the Manhattanite film maker created). It is beyond fascinating and a must see!

Again, the big goal is to create an online micro finance platform for female founded creative projects throughout the world.

Nathan:  What calls you to philanthropy?

Julia:  As a young business owner of a design firm, XLXS, at age 27, my partner and I did not know how to source and manage money. Yes, we were “successful,” winning international design competitions, building small projects, and exhibiting and publishing our work, but we didn’t know how to earn a living. The first racket was that design school, architecture school in our case, didn’t train us properly for the real world, and then I created the possibility of a different model of working.

I have won over $300,000 of grants and scholarships to fund my creative career, but at the end of the day, the money barely covers the project budgets, and sourcing and income out of this work is near to impossible.

Potentially, the Funderwoman Foundation will sponsor loans for a curated batch of artists each year, so the Funderwoman will not only have the opportunity to develop a creative project, but also a financially sustainable model for her work. She will be able to pay for her own project as well as future projects in her career. The hope is that she will also eventually be able to pay it forward and sponsor future Funderwomen.

I wanted to have a little fun with Julia, so I probed her with a few out of the box questions.

Nathan:  If you could choose a celebrity to endorse Funderwoman, who would that person be?

Julia:  Linda Carter – I guess. The icon of ‘having it all’ – fulfilling life while impacting the world.

Nathan:  So, you get this huge funder and are told you could have your headquarters in ANY building in the United States, where would it be?

Julia:  Tough question, most likely, I would want a network of buildings. The dream is to have field partners throughout the world sourcing artists and creative pitch videos predominantly in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Asia, as well as Europe, Australia, and North America – like the Kiva.org model. As far as the headquarters, I would love an old brick warehouse – adaptive re-use on the water for offices, event space for lectures, workshops, business planning and development women creatives. I would 100% like to be a part of the design of this facility.

Nathan:  What an even bigger dream of yours? What’s something that you’ve envisioned and would like to see it manifest itself?

Julia:  Funny you ask that question. March 13, 2013 is International Woman’s Day, on this day, I would like to have Funderball, which will bring together the foundation sponsors and sponsored, including the most extraordinary women in the world from creative to philanthropic – curators, artists, collectors, filmmakers, etc. The Fundraising Ball would be in the atrium of the Guggenheim. I can see Funderware being sold, Funderwomen rings for gold memberships and so much more. I plan to live and breathe Funderwoman someday, as it is what I am most passionate about.

Nathan Bennett writes under the pen name Nathan Seven Scott and recently published a novel  “My Turn.”

www.nathansevenscott.com

Micro Financiamiento para Mujeres Creativas: “FunderWoman”

Escrito por Nathan Bennett, Team NY

¿Qué sucede cuando usted combina los súper poderes de Wonder Woman con la recaudación de fondos y el dinámico liderazgo de Julia Molloy? Usted consigue Funderwoman! Funderwoman es la creación de Julia Molloy y es una posibilidad que permite a las mujeres sean exitosas y creativas, mientras que apoyan una vida que aman.

Nacida en el norte de California, con sede en Brooklyn arquitecta Julia Molloy tenía una visión para apoyar a otras mujeres talentosas de todo el mundo en su búsqueda de la libertad financiera. Después de haber completado la escuela en Barnard y Columbia, Molloy ahora orgullosamente extiende sus alas con talento en el Guggenheim donde actualmente es la asociada de diseño para el proyecto de Abu Dhabi.

La arquitectura no era la primera pasión de Julia. Su amor por los niños le dio sus sueños de convertirse en un médico payaso. Sin embargo, después de vivir en Ghana e Italia durante la universidad, decidió que impactando al mundo y haciendo que la belleza a través de estructuras de los edificios era el camino para ella. Julia estaba en un camino nuevo y comprometida de ser una fuerza imparable en el diseño del mundo arquitectónico.

El conocimiento amplio de Julia le ha permitido enseñar Tesis de Arquitectura a nivel de Universidad durante dos años. Ella también da crédito a Landmark Education por contribuir a su crecimiento y desarrollo. Los cursos más influyentes para ella han sido los cursos de Comunicaciones y entrenamiento en la expresión personal y el Programa de Liderazgo.

Abrazando su amor por los viajes, Julia ha trabajado y estudiado en Caracas, Vancouver, Shanghai, Sudáfrica, Estambul y Tailandia / Birmania, entre otros lugares exóticos.

Nathan: ¿Cómo seleccionaste a las mujeres en tu primera clase de Funderwoman?

Julia: Para la Fase 1.0, nuestro objetivo es conseguir mojarnos los pies, por así decir, y construir un equipo y impulso. Estas mujeres han sido elegidas para la primera fase de la campaña y la financiación, debido a la amplia gama de proyectos creativos – de lo práctico – estante de especias -para fantástical – Documental mundo gemelo (este es el proyecto que el cineasta Manhattanite creó). Es más allá de fascinante y una visita obligada!

Una vez más, el gran objetivo es crear una plataforma en línea de microfinanzas para las mujeres fundado en proyectos creativos en todo el mundo.

Nathan: ¿Qué te llama a la filantropía?

Julia: Como propietaria de un pequeño negocio de una empresa de diseño, XLXS, a los 27 años, mi pareja y yo no sabiamos cómo conseguir y administrar el dinero. Sí, hemos sido “exitosos”, ganando concursos internacionales de diseño, construyendo pequeños proyectos, y la exposición y la publicación de nuestro trabajo, pero no sabíamos cómo ganarnos la vida. La primera chantaje fue la escuela de diseño, arquitectura escolar en nuestro caso, no entrenarnos adecuadamente para el mundo real, y luego cree la posibilidad de una modelo diferente de trabajar.

He ganado más de 300.000 dólares de subvenciones y becas destinadas a financiar mi carrera creativa, pero al final del día, el dinero apenas alcanza para cubrir los presupuestos de los proyectos, y el abastecimiento y el ingreso de este trabajo es casi imposible.

Potencialmente, la Fundación Funderwoman patrocinará préstamos por un lote comisariado de artistas cada año, por lo que el Funderwoman no sólo tendrán la oportunidad de desarrollar un proyecto creativo, pero también un modelo económicamente sostenible para su obra. Ella será capaz de pagar su propio proyecto así como también los futuros proyectos en su carrera. La esperanza es de que ella también, finalmente, sea capaz de pagar hacia adelante y patrocinar Funderwomen futuras.

Quería divertirme un poco con Julia, así que le probé con algunas preguntas fuera de la caja.

Nathan: Si pudieras elegir una celebridad para respaldar Funderwoman, quien sería esa persona?

Julia: Linda Carter – supongo. El icono de ‘tenerlo todo’ – culminando la vida, mientras impactando el mundo.

Nathan: Así, obtienes esta enorme fuente de financiación y se te dice que podrías tener tu sede en CUALQUIER edificio en los Estados Unidos, en donde sería?

Julia: Pregunta difícil, muy probablemente, me gustaría una red de edificios. El sueño es tener asociados sobre el terreno en todo el mundo abastecimiento artistas y videos creativos de tono predominantemente en el Oriente Medio, África, América Latina, Asia, así como en Europa, Australia y América del Norte – Al igual que el modelo de Kiva.org. En cuanto a la sede, me encantaría una bodega vieja de ladrillo adaptiva a nuevos usos en el agua para oficinas, espacio para eventos con conferencias, talleres, planificación de negocios y desarrollo creativo de mujeres. Estoy 100% segura que me gustaría ser parte del diseño de esta instalación.

Nathan: ¿Qué sueño tienes aún más grande? ¿Qué es algo que te has imaginado y quisiera ver se manifiesta?

Julia: Es curioso que hagas esa pregunta. El 13 de marzo 2013 se celebra el Día Internacional de la Mujer, en esta día, me gustaría tener Funderball, que reunirá a los patrocinadores de la fundación y patrocinado, incluyendo a las mujeres más extraordinarias del mundo de creatividad hasta filantrópico – Curadores, artistas, coleccionistas, directores de cine, etc El baile para recaudación de fondos será en el atrio de el Guggenheim. Puedo ver Funderware ser vendido, los anillos de oro para los miembros Funderwomen y mucho más. Planeo vivir y respirar Funderwoman algún día, ya que es lo que más me apasiona.

Nathan Bennett escribe bajo el seudónimo de Nathan Scott y Seven recientemente publicó una novela
“My Turn”.

www.nathansevenscott.com

Leaving Apple, Pursuing a Dream

There are few people who leave a solid, productive career at Apple to start their own company.  Todd Beauchamp is one of the few, leaving Apple to fulfill the dream of starting his own company, In2Technologies.  That company has just come out with a consumer electronics home theater product called Unity, and it has already won an award for innovation.

Todd is a highly accomplished acoustic engineer. After working on projects for the US Navy, he joined American Technologies Corporation, ATC, in 1998.  At ATC, he was responsible for research and development of their advanced, cutting edge audio technologies.  Todd is the co-inventor of one of those, LRAD – Long Range Acoustic Device, which is one of the first devices  ever to project a concentrated beam of sound waves. It is used for hailing and signaling, and in the military and commercial sectors as a non-lethal deterrent.  It became famous for when it was used against pirates by the Queen Mary and other ships, and will be present with security forces at the London Olympics this summer.

At Apple, he ran the audio lab for the accessories group, responsible for anything connected to the iPod or iPad, and he worked on the final acoustics of the first iPhone.

He was responsible for the ubiquitous white Apple earbuds, the company’s highest shipped product ever at over 200 million units.

Todd completed two years of the Team, Management and Leadership Program in 2011 in San Jose. Kimchi Chow interviews him on his experience of the program and how participants can get the most out of it.

How did you come up with this business idea, and in which quarter?

The idea came from a dream I’ve had since 2004. I then faced some hurdles during that time, so I stopped. When I was in my 2nd quarter of Team, I brought this back as my project, and I pursued it throughout my 2 years of being on Team. Each quarter I reached a major milestone to fulfill my dream.

My project is about a product called Unity, a new home theater platform. It provides a great way for people to enjoy their audio & video everywhere in the world. As you know, music and  movies are a huge part of our culture, and cultures throughout the world. I see an opportunity to provide a way for people to connect with their music & video.

 When did you make the transition to creating a company that is now internationally  recognized?
In  April  2011  I  completed  the second year of Team and left Apple at the same time.  I started my own company and brought this product to introduce to the world. Now I have a small team working with me. We just won a 2012 Innovation Award from the Consumer Electronics Association. We were named number 8 of the top 20 companies in the world in innovation for 2012. There are about 30 articles written & published in Fortune Magazine, Business Week, USA Today, Fast Company, CNET, Home Theater Magazine (June 2012), etc. All that press has potentially reached 30 million viewers as of today.

You shared with Team San Jose recently that you want us to do a project that’s worth doing. A project that will impact thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people, for several generations.

Unity Home Theater System and Tv Stand

 

 What do you suggest we do to get in touch with that big vision, since most us tend to propose small projects that impact only our personal lives, or at most impact less than a hundred people?
Most of us when we come onto Team, we still see the world as we have to do things by ourselves. When you take on the Team Design Statement of “Building teams and teamwork in any situation”, what seems impossible when you do things by yourself will be possible when you build team around it. We have so many concerns that are getting in our way that keep our project small. One suggestion is to write down all of your concerns about your project on paper. Play the “what if” – let your mind wonder, “what if all of these concerns were gone?”  What would be  possible if you now create what you’re going to do from nothing. The most important part here is getting connected with the outcomes- visualizing the experience of people, the positive impact of your project in people’s lives. When you connect with the positive impact, it will help you deal with your concerns and get them out of the way. You will know when you connect to a project worth doing when you feel very emotional about the impact it can bring.

Once you connect with the impact, use the Team 1 & Team 2 Design statements to build teams and cause leaders around the world to fulfill that dream, and it will become a reality.

What is the process that you used to overcome the challenges or concerns that you’re facing while building this company? Could you give us some specific examples that worked for you?
My old way of my being would be to fire people who don’t perform, and find someone new. My new way of being is to re-empower team at all times, so that we as a team will get the dream fulfilled. By having the project that’s worth doing, it pushes me to use all distinctions from the Landmark Forum to the Communication Curriculum- when-ever or whatever is appropriate, to move the conversations forward and be successful. 

Understand that every person on this planet   has   a   story about the world that can get in their way. Once in a while, their story pops up and they are not at their top performance. This understanding allows people to be in their humanity. Just be with them, recreate the experience, and re-empower them.

Looking back on your journey, you were in the Team, Management and Leadership Program for 2 years. What are the top 2 or 3 things you would recommend team members get developed in so that they get the most out of this program?
Play the game that is worth playing in each quarter. Get every bit of coaching possible until you are touched, moved, and inspired by the game you are playing – your project.

Get coaching on connecting the dots between your project and your Development Opportunities, and take on all the Accountabilities for the Communication Courses. On each session of your Development Opportunity, look at your project and ask “Where am I stopped in my action items?” Then, bring those concerns to your coach, and bring it to each Development Opportunity session. Use each Development Opportunity as a place where you are trained and developed in the area you are stopped in project, so that you can have a breakthrough  and  are  able  to  move

what you’re doing forward. Take every opportunity to be accountable for something no matter how scary it is. The more you can take on, the more you grow, and that’s why you are on Team!

It’s not about what we have to do or to work at when we are taking on accountability, it’s about giving things up! Giving up the identity of who you think you are, and the conversation  “you are not good enough.” Just give up the poor and crappy listening we have of ourselves. When you give this up, your natural leadership will show.

In what way did the experience for being on Team transform your life?
With my company last week- rather than firing people who hadn’t performed, my old mode of operating, I re-empowered the whole team to play at a level that’s worth playing at.

With my family,  I have learned to master the distinctions from Landmark Education and bring those distinctions to effectively remove 35 years of anger & anxiety between two members of my family in just one conversation.

Todd’s company product, Unity, can be seen here:
http://www.in2technologies.com/engageunity/

Interviewed by Kimchi Chow, San Jose
Transcription and writing by Lindsay Tappero, San Jose
Alumna; writing also by Michael  Pettingale, Seattle
Edited by James Marchand, NY

 

Starting a Web Business That Connects Designers with People

Chi explains, “It has been my dream to join the Team Management and Leadership Program (TMLP) at Landmark Education to create a business, so this is a dream come true!” And when her love for both fashion and business resulted in a fashion business with a cause — to support designers and enhance women’s beauty — the dream was complete.

In addition, Chi also holds a full-time marketing job. Just how does she do it all? “Without the team structure of TMLP and what I’ve learned from Landmark’s communication courses, this definitely would never have happened,” says Chi. At one point, Chi and her partner had not heard from the web developing team based in another country for an extended period and multiple project deadlines had been missed. Before getting this training, Chi reports she would have just written off this team and angrily started interviewing new firms. Instead, she was able to see things from the other’s viewpoint and scheduled a conversation during which she learned about what was going on with the design team, cleared out what was in the background for each of them, and agreed on how best to communicate moving forward and created an appropriate timeline.

A concrete result of this conversation is the team agreed to add a web designer to aid the coding team by preparing the html files before sending them to coders, reducing the team’s workload and offering more options to the site.

Things are now moving forward smoothly and they are keeping to the timeline created in their conversation. Chi shares “I had it in my head that the communication tools I learned only work with other people in Landmark programs — it was a huge breakthrough to take this into my life and have it work!”

Since completing the first year on Team, Chi set out to be a successful entrepreneur and she refuses to stop there. Drawing on the structures she learned on Team to create effective results, Chi incorporated them into her business. One of the structures she employs is to have a business coach listen in on her weekly call with her business partner, creating an environment where each partner feels heard and is committed to collaboration and partnership. This has transformed their conversations, allowing them to communicate without drama or making things up about the other person, while maintaining their joint focus on their promised actions and results.

In August, Chi will re-join the Team, Management and Leadership Program for a second year dedicated to the practice of empowering leaders in her business and building the leaders of Team New York. Now that Chi is consistently connected to her business team, she is able to flow with the work process and not feel frustrated or that something is wrong. “I’ve got enormous peace and freedom to do what I love to do — both with MyRentDress.com and in my full-time job,” Chi concludes. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Chi Le’s Business will be at:
www.myrentdress.com

Chi Le, Team New York

by Lisa Cerqueira, Team New England

Creating from Nothing: Used Tires Become Roofing in AmeriSlate

Robert Cummins is a participant in Landmark Education’s Team, Management and Leadership Program. Robert is in his first quarter in the program and says he is “loving every minute of it.”

Kimchi Chow interviewed Robert, discovering how he got started on the project, what lights him up about the business, and how being on Team is supporting his success so far.

How long ago did you start with this business, what is your role in the business and what is the product?

I  got  started with the business idea a little over two years ago; the original idea came from my partner. I am essentially “productizing” it—putting the components in place to make it viable to sell, and creating a business plan. My titles are CEO and President. The charter of the company is to take stuff that is typically put into landfills, inert materials that don’t break down, and use them as building materials.

The current product is called AmeriSlate. It is a roofing material that,  in its first incarnation,  is  being  made recycled tires. Tires are ideal as a roofing material; they are engineered for longevity, provide excellent insulation, don’t allow UV light to pass through and are strong. I actually drove a railroad spike through our product, and it didn’t leak, it’s self-sealing! AmeriSlate is not damaged by hail, even the big stuff. Hundreds of millions of dollars in damage is caused annually by hailstorms in Texas alone. Insurance companies often offer rate reductions for this type of roofing. It also looks good; we can create a product that has nice depth and texture to it.

What inspired you to start working on this business with your partner?

It’s an awesome product. It aligns with things that are important to me and provides a solution to a number of problems: we are making something from “nothing” so it helps with a huge environmental problem. We are actually removing carbon from the environment so we  have  a negative carbon footprint.t A portion of the product goes to providing building materials for housing projects for people without homes—to organizations like Beautiful Day and similar groups.

Over 350 million tires are disposed of annually in the US alone. Tires don’t break down  so we are helping solve a big problem by making a useful product from them. We are also partnering with a company in Australia that produces roof coatings that have up to 91% thermal reflectivity, even on a dark material. In Australia, four out of five people develop skin cancer of some kind, due to the depletion of the ozone layer over their country that is letting in way too much UV light. When applied to AmeriSlate they have the added benefit of reducing heating and air conditioning needs, and lowering the associated electrical bills. One guy in Sacramento reduced his electrical bill by $200 per month in the summer.

Do   you  see  it   becoming  more popular than traditional materials?

Yes. It is much lighter than actual slate, at a fraction of the cost, it has better thermal properties, it is likely to last the better part of a century on a roof, it is a green product and it looks good!

What do you plan to accomplish with this project by the end of your first quarter in the Team, Management and Leadership Program?

I intend to have 1.3 million dollars in funding in place for the product. I currently have three investors I’m talking to. One is Erin, who I was referred to through another participant on Team in connection with a different project we started discussing our own projects as a sideline. It turns out that she had started Team some time back with the goal of raising half a million dollars by the end of her first year. Part way through  her   third  quarter,   she  had raised 1.4 million dollars and decided to leave the program to start her business. She then grew it into a 20 million dollar company and sold it. She has rejoined Team and her project this time is to help others starting companies to put the infrastructure in place to do that successfully.

The power of being on Team is this: in working with your Team, being related to the people on your Team, having the Team surrounding you—there is a light shining on your blind spots, on the areas where you “don’t know what you don’t know”. There is also a team of people there to support you in transforming those areas. Each person on the team has their own unique strengths, and you get to see those, and as part of the team structure you can try out those aspects yourself, and that’s what really empowers you in your project.

What would you recommend to others with a similar project, if they are stuck getting funds or investors?

Get involved in the Team, Management and Leadership Program! Share. Put your project out there. Talk about it.

We inspire other people when we share what we’re up to, and that makes them a part of your team!

You have had challenges building this business. What are some examples?

My biggest challenge is myself and me getting in the way of the things I’m doing. One example of this is I’ve always had to have everything figured out before I would take the first step into something new. That really limited what I could do. When I was taking the Landmark Forum I saw that clearly. I was able to start to let that go and get moving in the world.

Now, I take the steps without needing to have it figured out. By talking and taking action, things start happening around you to support what you’re doing. No one has to have it all figured out. Move in the direction you want to be going and watch things come around to support it.

How did you move yourself out of the way, so that this project could move forward?

I recognize my tendency to need to have everything figured out first, and when I see myself going that way, remember that I can get out of it and start taking actions. What’s really empowering is trusting in the relationships with my Team. Reaching out to the Team, using my Team members, remembering I have that resource, rather than getting stuck in having to figure it all out. When I talk with them about where I’m stuck, it gets me back into action.

What do you see as the value of the Team, Management and Leadership Program?

I remember when I decided to do the program; it was Todd [Beauchamp] who had me see the value that was available. I’m only in my first quarter, and I can say I had no idea what this program really is. It is an awesome experience and the way I see myself has changed. I thought I was OK the way I managed my time before, but now I see how much time I used to waste. [note that Todd is profiled in this newsletter]

Now when I have a block of time available, I think, “How do I want to use this time effectively?” Maybe that’s to do nothing, so I say, “OK, I’m not going to do anything”, but I’ve made that conscious decision. Usually, I’m thinking, “I could do this… or I could do that…I could slip this in here…” That mindset is very powerful, it has caused me to move more powerfully in my life and my projects.

Do you have everything you need right now to succeed at your project?

Had you asked before I did any courses with Landmark Education, I’d have said, “No. I don’t have what I need.” Now, having done the Landmark Forum, and the Communication Courses, I realize that I do have everything I need. I may not see it all right now, but I trust that by stepping out powerfully and speaking about what I’m creating, the things I need will be there when I need them.

What is the one thing you recommend people do to find their passion, as you have found yours?

Ask yourself what it is in your life that creates excitement, love and affinity. What is it that gets the juices flowing, that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning? What allows you to find meaning in what you’re doing? What is that thing? Then talk to people about it, get it clear, make it real; refine it, clarify it in talking with others. There is something there in the core of our being that wants to come out!

Interview by Kimchi Chow, Team San Jose
Written by Valri Castleman, San Jose Alumna
Edited by James Marchand, NY and Laura Miller, Seattle

Possibility Press

Anuj Singhal, a participant in Landmark Education’s Team, Management and Leadership Program in Vancouver, has created a project to bring a new context of possibility to the media, going beyond what he was ever capable of doing himself.

We Create Health

Imagine a world where energy is concentrated into the creation of health rather than in battling illness. It is time to move from a world of duality to a world of unity fusing to its inner beauty. Communing with our inner self opens us to a magnificent world of wisdom. Imagine a health centre reflecting our own inner beauty.

I have a dream that has lived inside me for a long time, I carry it preciously, and as the veil lifts I feel in my very inner self that it draws near to being a concrete reality. I have no longer any doubts. Moved by the vision of creating health, I registered in the Team Management and Leadership Program in February 2007.

My name is Suzanne Raynauld. I have been trained as a nurse in community health. The profound desire to take care of others has always guided my actions. Important health problems with my shoulders brought me to Reiki, a sacred art of transformation, letting life’s energy circulate within us. I became A Reiki Master in 1991. As the Director of the Centre de Santé-Reiki Lanaudière, founded in 1992, I am devoting my life to Reiki in the Japanese tradition. After so many years in nursing spent facing illness day-to-day, and with my desire to leave as a legacy a world of peace and love, I truly got that my mission is the creation of health. But how to realize that dream?

Then a vision came to me—that of creating a model centre for holistic health inspiring a world of health. What a vision! I have been working on this project since 2005 and I have gathered around me a team of 7 persons, a group of natural health practitioners and business people meets on a regular basis. The long term goal—within 5 years—is to implement a pilot project based on the Centre’s operations and to develop an extraordinary environment which will allow each and everyone to take charge of their own being and create their own health. We are currently creating a unique business model which can be franchised and exported. Our product is the creation of health at every level, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Our services include Reiki, massage therapy, reflexology, energy harmonization, memory integration, EMF Balancing technique, psychotherapy, life coaching, business coaching, human potential development, Yoga, MLC method, palmistry, herbal therapy, homeopathy, naturopathy; aromatherapy, health bistro, painting and works of art exhibitions, meditative gardens, library, light-therapy, meditation, healthMusic, sauna and others,…

I let myself be inspired by the vision of sacred space where individuals, organizations and the entire collectivity discover the access to their inner power. The moment has come when together we can build, when each of us is the carrier of this New World, when it is time to make this a reality first within us then letting it spread like a contagion of love to those around us and to the whole planet. Learning in each moment to celebrate life within us and around us is the beginning of endless beneficial change.What could be more marvelous!

— Suzanne Raynauld T1Q4 Team Montréal


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