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article in INC on definition of entrepreneurship by Howard Stevenson, HBS professor, captured in book Breakthrough Entrepreneurship by Jon Burgstone. "Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled."

Interesting article published 1/6/2014 on Second Acts for baby boomers. Quotes Marc Freedman, Elizabeth Isele (who lived in ME for a long time), and mentions Bevan Rogel. The Boomerworks online service for matching BBs with work opportunities is very interesting--wonder how they are doing? And whether we should try to ally with them? "In 1998, living in Maine, Isele created CyberSeniors, a multilingual nonprofit computer training company that eventually trained more than 28,000 seniors in 24 states. She's led numerous nonprofits over the decades and is now pushing public policy changes and forging connections between organizations to create an "entrepreneur ecosystem." That ecosystem is flourishing in Sarasota. Sarasota's Institute for the Ages, established in 2009 to change the conversation about aging as one of deficit and decline to one about enhancing lives, is a lab for companies and services that want to tap into the needs of older adults. In late 2013, the Institute launched Boomerswork.com, a web-based network to connect freelancers with companies seeking seasoned professionals for project-based work. The program started in Canada and the Institute is the first organization to bring it to the U.S. When the Institute convenes a national convention here in February, entrepreneurship and encore careers will be a large part of the agenda. In addition to a keynote address by Freedman, Isele is leading a workshop on entrepreneurship with Bevon Rogel, who runs a Freedman-related Encore Academy in St. Petersburg to help seniors find meaningful work. For Southwest Florida, which has one of the highest concentrations of seniors in the nation, the idea of an "encore" seems natural. As the rest of the country and world grays, branding this life stage as one that brings years, or potentially decades, more productivity and meaning to life has become an imperative."

"Something successful entrepreneurs should aim to have: Conviction. Being an entrepreneur is not the easy road to success. Sure, you're your own boss-making the conversation in which you ask for a raise far less awkward-but the hours are long, the market always crowded, the naysayers plenty. There will be discouraging news. But the ability to stand behind your decisions is essential. No one else can tell you what you want for your company, and don't let them try. Drive. As an entrepreneur, time is not on your side. The best-laid plans are those that are executed as swiftly as possible. Don't sit on an idea or wait until you've had a chance to "sleep on it." Act now. Innovation. The original brainchild might have been the thing that got you excited enough to take the leap into entrepreneurship. But longevity will depend on continually coming up with new ideas, from products to ways to market them to which audiences to target. Not all of these ideas will be winners. But having them is not optional. Inspiration. You may be your only employee. Or you might have a team that looks to you to engage them, foster their talents, and involve them in the bigger picture. Those employees who feel excited about, and part of, the overall vision will be encouraged to grow alongside you, and work hard for you. Focus. Establish your daily, weekly, quarterly goals and go after them. Connect dots on a daily basis. Avoid distractions, and distracting people. Independence. It's a lonely road, entrepreneurship. Though your goal is to foster community within your company, there will be days when you wish everyone else would be willing to work as hard as you are, to want it as much as you do. But realize that your company's success does mean more to you than it does to anyone else. Be willing to go the road alone on those days when everyone else has seemingly pulled off for lunch. That's what'll make the difference."

"Women's entrepreneurship has hit a media tipping point. The question is: Is it just a passing media fad that will soon be a blip on the radar screen, or is it actually a real, fundamental economic force that's reshaping the world? I think it's safe to say that it's the latter. Women-owned entities in the formal sector represent approximately 37% of enterprises globally - a market worthy of attention by businesses and policy makers alike. While aggregated data is often challenging to find, the recent Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) found 126 million women starting or running businesses, and 98 million operating established (over three and a half years) businesses. That's 224 million women impacting the global economy - and this survey counts only 67 of the 188 countries recognized by the World Bank."

Website on project in Germany, Turkey, and Poland that helps women use entrepreneurship opportunities to become involved civically, too.

Quotes from the eLearning Africa conference plenary sessions as reported by eLearning Africa News. "Under the general conference theme 'Opening Frontiers to the Future', the esteemed panel of speakers in the opening plenary addressed a number of vital issues that formed the core of the agenda for eLearning Africa 2014. Chaired by the Honourable John Nasasira, Minister for Information and Communications Technology, Uganda, speakers highlighted, amongst other things, the need to develop productive partnerships between the government and private sectors, as well as to create an environment that rewards entrepreneurship and encourages African-born innovation". Thought of our conversation with Susan about being an online leader, and incorporating eLearning into any leadership program.

Quotes from the eLearning Africa conference plenary sessions as reported by eLearning Africa News. "Under the general conference theme 'Opening Frontiers to the Future', the esteemed panel of speakers in the opening plenary addressed a number of vital issues that formed the core of the agenda for eLearning Africa 2014. Chaired by the Honourable John Nasasira, Minister for Information and Communications Technology, Uganda, speakers highlighted, amongst other things, the need to develop productive partnerships between the government and private sectors, as well as to create an environment that rewards entrepreneurship and encourages African-born innovation". Thought of our conversation with Susan about being an online leader, and incorporating eLearning into any leadership program.

Article by Pamela Mitchell for the New York Times Opinion Pages, 2.10.13 on creating employment and career growth opportunities for young and older workers. Excerpt below speaks to what older workers need to do to be more greatly valued. I do not think most middle to late career workers can afford to let go of the golden handcuffs (HI coverage) to take side trips into entrepreneurial ventures though. Nevertheless, the argument supports the need for WLStudio assisted learning online by women. Excerpt: "Conversely, older workers often need to develop the enhanced technology and communications skills necessary in today's marketplace. But the most important skill an older worker can learn from someone younger is that of continuous, conscious reinvention. Rather than fruitlessly searching for a "safe" job in a "safe" industry (neither of which exist), older workers must embrace the younger generation's flexible perspective. This means structuring their remaining working years as a latticework of skill-development opportunities with multiple employers, along with occasional side trips into entrepreneurship. "

Digital Overload? article in Entrepreneurship/Technology, NYT, by Jessica Kraft, July 20, 2012. new apps to relieve digital stress by helping us learn how to maintain better breathing habits and achieve healthier life balance

"The growth of women's entrepreneurship in the last few decades has been extraordinary. According to the Small Business Administration, women-owned businesses accounted for a mere 4.5 percent of all businesses in 1977. In 2008, more than 40 percent of all businesses are 51 percent women-owned. However, only 3 percent of these companies gross more than a million in annual revenue. The Center for Women's Business Research studied this elite group (those businesses grossing over a million in annual revenue) and determined some key characteristics that were common in all of the companies. These characteristics are as follows: "

"Neil Rhule, from the Caribbean's Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship..."Ive heard it said that entrepreneurs are born, not raised. This may or may not be true but I take some issue with this statement and the context in which it is used. First of all, what is an entrepreneur? An entrepreneur is defined as one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise. This basically means that you have a great idea or initiative and are willing to take the bold step to make it happen while considering the risks. To some, being an entrepreneur is just another word for being unemployed! Everyone is born with a talent and has the ability to learn a skill. I would like to share my three steps to becoming an entrepreneur that I believe is applicable to anyone. These three steps are: Step 1 - Have a talent or skill (be creative!) Step 2 - Offer a service based on that talent or skill Step 3 - Start a business from the service you offer

Interesting article on the age divide between new guard (Stripe) and old guard companies (Cisco) and why that is so, Yiren Lu, March 12, 2014

article by Gail Sessoms, Demand Media good definition of where silos may exist--one department, similar worker types, geographic,

beginning series on network entrepreneurs who thrive, by Jane Wei-Skillern, David Ehrlichman, & David Sawyer, September 16, 2016.  How should WLS embrace these four principles operationally in the networks we participate in?