Collaborative consumption by Rachel Botsman is anciently revolutionary!

I just finished reading this book “What’s mine is yours” and already sharing the essence gathered at a recent networking event with the group I co-founded “Paying It Forward-Women Edition”.

Concept like ”access is more important than ownership” and ‘modern lifestyle breeds temporary ownership’ are just some of relevant concepts to understand today.And these concepts were readily embraced by the women entrepreneurs who attended.

Collaboration and sharism are just some of the myriad of concepts and vocabulary that are already in these women’s DNA.
Bringing the content of the book by Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers up at this gathering seems to be one of the best things I did in a networking event.
Go ahead, get the book!

Hi Tea Dialogue with YB Datuk Mukhriz at MITI.High Impact I say:)

I bluntly said no at first.Simply because I don’t gatecrash any event.Still my date insisted I was going to be her chosen partner.I obliged with a disclaimer, “Do tell Tengku Faizwa (the successful organiser of MYFREN conference and this particular event) that I’m passed the age limit of young entrepreneurs.” And as fate intended, there I was, sitting at the spacious newly renovated hall of Dewan Zamrud on level 16 Bangunan MITI last thursday. The event is a post gathering from the much acclaimed MYFREN conference, a platform that gathers and celebrate young entrepreneurs.Young I mean 20 to 40 years of age.

Already there, two young people at the table we headed and boy aren’t we glad, me and my partner to discover they, Bernard and Zhen from Youth Works Asia are a bunch of brilliant and dynamic entrepreneurs.And friendly too.We learned so much from the casual banters we shared while waiting for Datuk Mukhriz, the Deputy Minister to emerge into the room at 4pm sharp.I now know how to download those lovable Korean videos, thanks to maaduu.com, info courtesy of Zhen from Youth Works Asia.

A good one hour of getting to know the people at our table was indeed a blessing! The cold, heavydownpour outside the old MITI building was contrary to the warm,casual atmosphere inside Dewan Zamrud.We were accompanied by Puan Hindun, the Head of Domestic Division of MIDA who while commenting on how nice the pulut hitam was, was equally sharing about the new policy, the famous ETP with us.She was very engaging, so too the rest of us.Yes…making me feel at home among the scaringly many very young people there.

Then the much awaited speech.In his usual casual manner, smile and all, Datuk Mukhriz enlightened us about ETP.He was smart in getting our attention, by asking questions off course from the floor.And the casual and friendly mood was set further.He shared with us the ‘short’ evolution of ETP and how the culture is transformed from a brief one to two page report by Ministry about a particular policy to a whole ‘3 feet deep’ well researched report.(Honestly this is the best part of the speech for me as I feel in order to have sustainability to solution, things must be well thought, well researched, so the policy can remain usable at least 20-30 years down the road and not confusing anyone in the process of its implementation).
I believe his approach to the Dialogue, to the Hi TEa was the main reason attendees were literally queeing up to either ask question and or to give insights.All very powerful and very helpful for entrepreneurs indeed.

It turned out to be not only a dialogue session for me,It was a bigger, better understanding on the biggest and most dynamic segment of our population, the youth.We can truly learn so much from their intelligence, dynamism and sheer energy. A good networking effort that week for me and my company.
And its a good antidote to old age too:)

I’m all for cross-generational networking:)
P/s I’ll blog on that topic soon.

Entrepreneurship, THE Social Solution for Malaysian Women Inmates

All doors open for all women in Malaysia, including inmates.

Good fortune came my way today as part of a group of women entrepreneurs heading their way to Kajang Women Prison.It was a first visit for all 8 of us, including Jimmy the ‘board game’ guy.
We couldn’t contain our excitement as we sat together in the plain white Toyota Hiace 10 seater, chattering away imagining curled barbed wire and scenes from 24.
The barbed wire I saw alright but no unbecoming scene…In fact we were politely ushered to a nice auditorium, still no criminal faces at sight.Instead, Malay women, almost 100 odd malay women in pretty scarves and colourful baju kurong filled up the seats.

They turned out to be the supervisors at different prisons that learnt about entrepreneurial empowerment! Cool stuff I say as I wade through inside my head the dizzying effect of entrepreneurship I am experiencing myself.

Many lessons I learnt today as I sat in the sprawling compound of this women Prison;

Entrepreneurship( the E word as I call it) is not a buzzword. It is not like some kind of fashion trend, here today gone tomorrow.It is a solution recognised as far back as thousand of years ago and it is still in fashion today.And smart for the prison authority to adopt it as a way to self-sustain their ever increasing maintenance cost.

In order to successfully adopt E, skill-building is no 1 priority and it is an ongoing exercise as I reflect on the neutral status of the market.The market does not care if the frozen karipap is made by inmates as long as they taste good, really good.That’s all the market ever cares.And I discovered the karipap tasted really delicious, fat with spicy filling with crusty skin to boot!

Then I realise with the empowerment of E comes C.The big C, Competition! Even inmates produce commercial stuff nowadays, more products will be offered to the market (they are already in Mydin) which is good news to consumers.
What’s in it for ‘normal’ entrepreneurs, the non inmates, non OKU, non women?
To survive and stay profitable is to buck up, my inner voice answered.

And Prison authority is thinking big, One Prison One Industry plus they are also polishing up on wellness industry, the ever popular Spa and salon business, call first to book they say! Batik chanting and Kain tenun which already received the Royalty of Pahang’s blessings and more industries to come, spearheaded by the prison officials and executed by the skilled inmates.I am totally at awe and beyond inspiration as I digest all this strangely unfamiliar data into my system in the solid 2 hour sharing.

A mistake is no longer a big mistake, a label no longer permanent for these inmates…..

We were quiet on our way home in the plain white van.Everyone’s reflecting on their own nuggets of wisdom as they carried this piece of information back to their friends and relatives.

I know I want something different, uniquely different to wrap up my 2010.Well I got it! and there, another lesson learn, only if you want it and want it badly, the universe will hear it and the Creator will allow it to have your way.
The prison people saw it, want it and grab it.

Adios 2010, Tafadhal 2011!

The Festival of Lights, the festival of renewed relationship.

I love festivals, any festivals.All malaysians agree with me.We celebrate various religious festivals as each festival is given a public holiday.

Open houses are a must come any religious festivals and yesterday was no exception.Deepavali was celebrated everywhere in Malaysia.The mood was set  by shopping cmplexes throwing big budgets on creative decorations way before the actual big day.

I can’t helped by feeling so blessed.Here in this multiethnic, multi religious country, social networking is hard to separate from business networking.

We are only liked as a friend, a business associate when our social quotient is high.And in this blessed land we have plenty of opportunity to increase that social quotient of ours.Better when we do it sincerely too.

So friends who are celebrating Depavali, I wish all of you a good time spend celebrating with your loved ones.For me, I’m enjoying munching on my favourite Indian delicacy, the spicy Murukku!