“As entrepreneurs, too many of us end up working in our silos, getting bogged down with the technicalities of our businesses, and thinking way too much about our own problems! If you remember, we all started our companies to solve somebody else’s problems! Let’s get back to that core inspiration!”

I’m sitting outside Starbucks right now starting to read “Crush It” by Gary Vaynerchuck after spending the day downtown at Affinity Lab — DC’s local co-working space for entrepreneurs and startups. I’m in this whole transition process of my life figuring out what my next steps are going to be, and leaning towards launching a second business doing consulting work –> Crushing It! So needless to say, I’ve got a slew of thoughts and ideas running through my mind!

Today, sitting in this co-working space full of passionate innovators, I was reminded of that “fire” that comes with doing something you love. Passion, creativity, and a roomful of equally energetic and unbound personalities can lead to amazing possibilities. I think this is one of the keys to success: constantly surrounding yourself with creative minds that inspire you, motivate you, and guide you when you need it! As entrepreneurs, too many of us end up working in our silos, getting bogged down with the technicalities of our businesses, and thinking way too much about our own problems! If you remember, we all started our companies to solve somebody else’s problem(s)! Let’s get back to that core inspiration!

In fact, I think there is a lot of creative value that comes from getting out of our own world of challenges and taking time to help others think through their challenges! Take time out of your day to think creatively and problem solve outside of the context of your own work!

Some Lessons for Entrepreneurs…

Here are some lessons that have become clear to me in the last couple of weeks:

1. Do what you love, and the money will come! Too many people are making livings doing crappy business out there — there’s no reason you can’t kill it by doing better, so stop making excuses!
2. If you want to monetize on your passion, you need to sell it! I think this is the number one reason creatives struggle with business –> they think about everything BUT hustling and making the sale!
3. Don’t go it alone! Find at least one partner who compliments your strengths. If you’re a marketing guru or a creative, think about having somebody who can kill it on the business-end and operations. Your partner will also hold you accountable every day to do your best!
4. Get other people involved early on! Seed your idea and solicit feedback, get personal advisors and mentors, and keep them engaged over time — don’t lose or waste away those relationships! (Note: If you can’t maintain a continuous relationship 1-on-1, make sure they are on a mailing list and they can passively maintain that relationship — your name should always be on the top of their mind!)
5. Build your business first, then build your brand! If you’re just building a brand without the solid working business behind it, you are on an unsustainable track! Take all that early excitement and energy, and leverage to building the business and making money!
6. Get some quick and early wins under your belt! Momentum is great for any startup effort!
7. Spend more time doing than thinking! Evolve your business through client work — doing what your clients want, not thinking about what your clients might want!
8. Take plenty of time to better yourself as a person! The healthier you…the more clarity you have…the better you can serve your clients!

That’s all I have for right now (I actually got distracted from my stream of thought), but I hope there is some value in this!

In the words of Ricky Ricardo, I’ve got some ‘splaining to do! I need to apologize for being MIA lately here on the site! Let me share what I’ve been up to:

I came back from the StartingBloc Institute in Boston so inspired and motivated to really “take a chance” and move back to DC without much of a plan (eg. Job/Income/Home) and “make things happen”. The last couple of months living in Indiana have certainly been valuable in terms of my personal and professional growth — allowing me opportunities to explore this field that I love so much. But the time has come for me to turn what I have learnt into action. So I’ll be moving back to DC in hopes of finding employment and creating a self-sustaining lifestyle for myself. The most important factor of my return is to surround myself with inspirational people, a supportive foundation for both personal and professional growth, and opportunities of all shapes and sizes. I’m excited about restarting my life in DC, and hope to be as active as possible!

Having said that, I’ve been really busy with post-StartingBloc phone calls and preparing for my move to DC. I’m back on the job-market and intend on hitting the ground running when I get back to DC. On top of all of that, I’ll be visiting my boarding school alma mater, Culver Military Academy, this week meeting with some faculty and community members. In addition, I’ll be guest speaking in a class on social entrepreneurship! I’ll be sure to record it and put it up on the site! The following week, I’m headed down to Miami for the SVC/SE conference where I’ll be speaking on a panel about corruption. The week after that, I’ll be packing and preparing for my drive back to DC on March 29th!

So I apologize for the lack of posts on the site! I’m trying to keep active on Twitter, so be sure to follow me there! I promise to get back to posting to the site very soon!

Reflecting on 2009, it’s really been one heck of a ride and a transformational year in my life. 2009 was a year of new beginnings and new friendships. I started this blog, MarcoPuccia.com, back in January focusing the content on my personal passion: the interrelationship between business and global development. Through this site and Twitter I’ve made many new acquaintances, many of whom I now consider close friends. The site has grown dramatically over the last couple of months, now attracting readership from 70+ countries!

2009 // A Year of Many Conferences

In March, I attended the Global Engagement Summit at Northwestern University where, for the first time, I found myself in the company of fellow students from around the world interested in social entrepreneurship. We spent the week formulating new friendships and sharing our visions for a more just tomorrow. The friendships forged that week — based on a common foundation and passion — continue to this day. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting up with fellow GES alumni in San Francisco at SOCAP09 and New York at The Feast.

The Social Capital Markets Conference (SOCAP09) in San Francisco was an exciting experience – the coming together of many of the leading thinkers and driving forces of the social capital / social entrepreneurial movement. I met an array of absolutely amazing people doing amazing stuff. The nerdy side of my was thrilled with the opportunity to “talk shop” about many of the issues surrounding the field with some of the leading experts and practitioners from around the world! (See my blog posts from SOCAP here)

The final conference I attended in 2009 was The Feast in NYC.  Structured in a similar fashion as TED talks, I thought The Feast was definitely a conference model others should take note of. All Day Buffet did an awesome job organizing this event, and it was really a blast to hear from the lineup of speakers and engage with the awesome audience of attendees.

2009 // Transition From University to Real World

2009 marked the end of my undergraduate career, and what seems like the end of life’s certainties and securities! I graduated from American University in May, and have since moved home with my family in Terre Haute, IN. My plans to jump right into running International Transparency Solutions and moving to Kenya by June were put on hold indefinitely until the appropriate support can be lined up. My residency in the cornfields of Indiana has been extended, proving to be a challenging place to launch a career with my background and interests!  However, being free from the reigns of the syllabus-driven world that is college has proven quite relaxing and fascinating! I’ve been able to dive right into my area of interest, reading blogs and books that I want to read rather than need to read!

2009 // Trying to Launch a Business

Building on that, 2009 has been host to my ongoing struggle to get Transparency Solutions up and running. With the reneged support of my family, I’ve been forced to re-strategize and find funding to get our pilot moving forward. New challenges always present new opportunities when you know to look for them, though! And with this challenge I’ve taken the time to learn about Drupal as I built the business’ website from scratch. Furthermore, my search for support has taken me to many great places and introduced me to many interesting new people! Most importantly, I’ve gained a strong appreciation for what entrepreneurship is really about: following a passion when the odds are stacked against you.

2009 // Sharing My Passion With Others

Aside from the tremendous success of my online presence, I’ve had the opportunity to share my passion before several live audiences. 2009 afforded me two speaking engagements, the first at my recent alma mater (American University) where I joined two new friends on a panel discussion on the role of the private sector in global development. Just a few days later, in New York City, I stood up in front of a room of fellow entrepreneurs and a panel of venture capitalists to present my 5-minute pitch of Transparency Solutions at The Feast Kitchen. While the pitch itself didn’t yield the results I desperately needed, the experience was a whole reward in itself.

2010 // Looking Forward

As I look out into the yonder that is 2010, I have a lot to search for and hope to find! First and foremost is a source of income and the ability to become financially self-sustaining. I hope to move out of the cornfields of Indiana and enter a new and exciting environment that will bring both personal and professional success.

In the coming months, I will head to Boston to attend the StartingBloc Institute and I’ll be heading to Miami for the Social Venture Capital / Social Entrepreneurship (SVC/SE) Conference where I’ll be speaking on a panel about corruption. I’m awaiting word on the Echoing Green and Unreasonable Fellowships, either of which would provide a great deal of traction for Transparency Solutions. However, if the right opportunity for this business does not arise in the coming months I will need to reconsider the path that I am on. I’m anxious to go out into the world and start living my life! Hopefully something will come up soon, because waiting is becoming less of a viable option with every passing day.

As we close door on 2009 and begin our journey into the New Year, I want to thank everybody who has made this website the success that it has been! I continue to enjoy the relationships and friendships that have been born through this site, and look forward to new and continued friendships in the coming year!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Years!

I’m happy to announce that I was named a 2010 StartingBloc Fellow, and will be attending the Boston Institute (hosted by Tufts Fletcher School and Harvard Business School) in February.

StartingBloc is an awesome network of social innovators across multiple sectors, and I know I’m in great company! I look forward to sharing my experiences at the institute with all of you!

Here’s their promo video:

Two years ago I set off on a journey to unlock the investment potential of both the for- and non-profit sectors in Nairobi, Kenya by fusing local-level information networks with a global brand of credibility and integrity. I developed the concept, built the business model, and began the process of launching the business. After I finished school, I was forced to leave my cozy apartment in Washington, DC and to move back home with my family in the small cornfield-laden town of Terre Haute, IN (not the best environment for innovation!). As I pursued my job-hunt, I learned that all my hard work and ambition was in fact working against me! Who wants to hire somebody with his own business, right?

Those who know me know that I’m extremely ambitious and hardworking — easily capable of and willing to work all day and do my business in the wee hours of the night. It’s the life of a startup! And I’d like to think that the readers of this site have a pretty good idea of what I’m all about. So I’d like to turn to YOU for assistance in reaching out to your friends and colleagues, spreading the word about my search for employment! Please pass this along to at least 5 people! Retweet it!

Do it to help a friend. Do it to help a social entrepreneur. Do it help change the world. Because if those of us making the sacrifices to serve a greater social cause cannot sustain ourselves AND our ventures in the early stages, fewer of us will even attempt to take this road less traveled — which would be a real shame!

Thank you in advance for your support!

My Proposal / Cover Letter

To Whom It May Concern:

I’m writing to you today as a highly skilled and ambitious young professional in the social capital markets sector in a unique position. Two years ago I was in Nairobi, Kenya working for a local e-commerce company when I began an unexpected path to launching a new global social enterprise. Having recently completed school at American University, my company in the process of transitioning from refined concept to actuality. Startup coaches often tell entrepreneurs not to quit their day-jobs; faced with the hardships that come along with a startup, I am currently seeking out my day-job.

While my position as a startup entrepreneur in search of employment is unique, the times we live in are equally unique. Rather than ask you to break the mold of a preexisting position you may be trying to fill, I’d like to propose an opportunity where, together, we can build a more flexible and agile role in your organization that leverages my unique position to best suit your needs.

I’m offering an opportunity to hire a high-caliber, self-motivated employee that can effectively transcend traditional working silos to serve the organization wherever I’m needed, filling roles from administrative to technical. I bring a highly qualified background and knowledge in global development, social enterprise, and microfinance (My website attracts hundreds of readers from around the world, daily). Furthermore, in exchange for your accommodation of my unique situation, I am willing to negotiate a salary that is a steal for you and sustainable for me.

This is a chance to not only help a young entrepreneur get on his feet, but to cost-effectively fulfill the needs of your organization. I have a very strong foundation and can be a great asset to your team. You can review my credentials and get a better idea of my background by visiting my LinkedIn profile and my personal website. Thank you for taking the time to review my proposal, and I hope that we can schedule a time to talk on the phone or in person about how we may be able to help each other!

Sincerely,

Marco Puccia

Additional Resources:

• My Website
• My Company
• LinkedIn / CV
• Formatted Copy of Cover Letter (CoverLetter.PDF)
• Formatted Copy of Resume (CV.PDF)

My two week hiatus from blogging was consumed by a wonderful trip to Washington, DC and New York. I was on the road attending conferences on social innovation and promoting my business, International Transparency Solutions. Here’s a quick overview of my trip:

Panel Discussion at American University’s School of International Service

My first day in Washington, I spoke on a panel discussing Social Enterprise and Business in Development. I was joined by two wonderful new friends: Teymour Kooros and Kaakpema (KP) Yelpaala. Teymour has a really interesting background in the banking sector, having most recently worked for HSBC. He now has a consulting firm called Global Finance & Analysis and will soon begin work in London for South Africa’s Standard Bank. KP worked for the Clinton Foundation hopping across Africa launching new projects and now works as a consultant at Dalberg Global Development Advisors.

Our mission was to advance the understanding that the private sector can play a very instrumental role in effecting positive social change around the world. We’re at a crossroads in this space where the paradigm is shifting from the feel-good era of non-profits/aid/philanthropy to the era of sustainability and scale through the private sector. I hope that our discussion helped inspire students to look at the private sector as a viable means for doing good in the world.

Lunch with Dean Cowles, SIS

The following day I had a wonderful lunch with Dean Cowles of SIS. We discussed where the school is looking at going in terms of advancing social entrepreneurship and creating more opportunity for students interested in this field. It was very interesting for me to learn about the administrative challenges when it comes to creating something new within the university system. As with most good things, I believe the development of a strong program around social enterprise needs to start with the students.

Leadership for a Better World Conference

Through Twitter, I learned about the Leadership for a Better World Conference and managed to secure a last-minute ticket to the event. The conference served to kick-off the launch of the University of Maryland’s new Center for Social Value Creation. The morning Keynote speaker was Seth Goldman of Honest Tea – an awesome guy with an equally awesome business. It was really neat hearing his story about getting Honest Tea off-the-ground. One of the most important pieces of a product-based business is the distribution network. Honest Tea, in its early days, piggybacked off the distribution networks of what Seth calls the “3 C’s”: Cheese, Corned Beef, and Charcoal – all of which went to grocery stores and had extra room in their trucks. Eventually, they landed the “Big C”: Coca-Cola.

3 key points to take away were:

1. Pay attention to what resonates
2. Evolve / Adapt to the Market, and
3. Lead – Create the future you want!

My second favorite speaker was Rosabeth Moss Kanter, author of the book Supercorp. She shared stories of some of America’s vanguard companies built on core values and working for a higher purpose (or triple bottom line). I can’t wait to start reading her book!

Happy Hour with #SOCENTDC

For those that know me, I’m huge fan of Twitter and the communities/tribes that organically come together on the platform. As I was flying into DC I got a tweet from Chris Washington of SOLVE Coop about getting together while I was in town. Somehow, over the course of the next couple of days we managed to fuse multiple meet-ups into a gathering of DC-based social entrepreneurs (now known through the hash-tag #socentdc). We met up for happy hour at 6PM and before we knew it they were closing the bar around 11PM. It was one of those nights that reminds me of how much I love what I do!

In attendance were Ben Lyon from CreditSMS, Jospeh Scarantino from webstartAfrica, Allison Bassile of The Hub DC, Teymour Kooros of Global Finance and Analysis, and Christopher Washington of SOLVE Coop. If you’re a social entrepreneur in Washington DC, join the #socentdc gang on Twitter!

The Feast Conference

I took the bus from DC to NYC to attend All Day Buffet’s conference, The Feast. It was by far one of the best event’s I’ve been to yet! Jerri and Michael did an awesome job organizing the event. It was a very laid back and comfortable environments (something I think most conferences fail to achieve). I met so many amazing people, and just had a blast.

My favorite speakers included:

• Ken Banks (Kiwanja.net and FrontlineSMS)
• Matthew Bishop, Chief Business Writer of The Economist / Author of Philantrocapitalism
• Joshua Viertel, President of Slow Food USA
• Brian Bordainick, Founder of 9th Ward Field of Dreams

All of the video from the event can be found at: http://alldaybuffet.stream57.com/thefeast/

The Feast Kitchen Pitch Competition

On Friday I joined eight fellow social innovators in a pitch competition. It was a wonderful experience for me, and really awesome to see what other people are doing in the field! The winner of the event was Brett Beach of Madécasse Chocolates — a company that keeps the entire chocolate production value chain in the home country of Madagascar. This ensures that the country earns 4x what they would have earned had they just exported the cocoa beans as is normal practice elsewhere around the world. It’s an awesome business, and I wish him the best of luck! Anything I can do, I’m ready to extend my assistance!

I’ll be “out of the office”, so to speak, for the next two weeks. I’m on my way right now to Washington, DC where I’ll be participating on a panel discussion on social enterprise and the role of business in global development. I’ll be in DC until next Wednesday, when I’ll head up to New York for The Feast Conference being hosted by All Day Buffet on October 1st. The following day I’ll be presenting International Transparency Solutions in The Feast Kitchen pitch competition!

As always, I’ll work hard to deliver some quality posts while I’m traveling!

I just got news that I’ve been selected to pitch my startup company, International Transparency Solutions, at this years “The Feast Kitchen” event in New York City. Over 80 startups from around the world applied or were nominated, and only eight were selected to pitch — so it’s an honor to be among them!

From the website:

See what’s cooking in “The Kitchen” of the world’s most innovative and creative entrepreneurs looking to make the world a better place.

All Day Buffet will flip over every rock and boulder to find 10 startups who will have five minutes to pitch their ideas in front of 200 fellow entrepreneurs, investors, and press.

Here’s an overview of the other startups being featured (an awesome lineup!):

Michael Mossoba, Goodness500.org

Goodness500 makes it easy for people to learn which corporations are the most socially responsible.
Nicole Betancourt, Parent Earth
Connects busy parents to the newest and best ideas for raising healthy children on a sustainable and equitable planet.

Jose Serrano-Reyes, Trust Art
Trust Art is a social platform that is commissioning ten public artworks over the next year.

Monaqui Porter Young, Srina

Srina tea is 100% organically grown, hand-plucked, packaged and produced on a small scale farm in a rainforest in Sri Lanka.

Eli Halliwell, VotaVox
VotaVox collects opinions from voters around the world on issues that are meaningful to them.

Breatt Beach, Madecasse
Madécasse chocolate is the only chocolate produced bean to bar on the island of Madagasca.

Cynthia Koenig, Hippo Roller International

Aims to improve global access to water by making it possible to collect 24 gallons (90 liters) of water- five times the amount possible using traditional methods – in less time and much more easily.

The overall conference, dubbed “The Feast”, is put on by All Day Buffet, a NYC-based organization on a mission to “change the world through creativity and business.” The main conference will take place on October 1st, hosting an awesome lineup of speakers that includes:

• Annie Duke, Professional Poker Player (Yeah, and former Celebrity Apprentice finalist!)
• Joshua Viertel, Slow Food USA
• Uffe Elbæk, The Kaos Pilot
• Matthew Bishop, The Economist (And Co-Author of the Book PhilanthroCapitalism)
• William Drenttel, Winterhouse

Check out the website for more information! And I just got word that Kenyan musician Eric Wainaina is going to be performing in NYC that weekend as well! So I’m looking forward to an awesome trip!