2010: Celebrating the Year of the Tiger

It’s been a long and rough ride through the past year’s economic upheavals and business challenges around the world. Although spending and investments are still on a conservative path, the Year 2010 brings a new decade, new hope, new aspirations, and new promises. With the Chinese New Year upon us, we can also look forward to the Year of the Tiger and its fearsome energy. Innovation initiatives embrace the traits of the Tiger in showing courage, energy, and engagement across cultures. In addition to great perseverance, the luck of the Tiger may help accelerate new opportunities for managers, teams, and organizations in 2010.

Fall 2009: Creating Vital Voices Around the World

In late October, the US NGO Vital Voices sponsored a Corporate Ambassador Program to Algeria where two American businesswomen and I were invited to serve in a mission for the North Africa/Middle East (MENA) region. The Association des Algeriennes Managers et Entrepreneurs (AME) organized the event in partnership with the US Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and Vital Voices Partnership. It was a great honor to join this initiative and to be offered this opportunity. Our mission focused on inspiring and developing local women entrepreneurs and managers to ‘go global’ in launching their products and services to international markets.

Summer 2009: Inspiring Innovation San Francisco Style

Spending the summer in the San Francisco Bay Area, California provided a welcome burst of sunshine, energy, and inspiration. The entrepreneurial spirit and creative energy is very much alive in Northern California with much activity from small and large companies with domestic and international aspirations. Moving from concept to execution, these players are making new paths within product design, social media, and green technologies.