“Justin, what do you think your lasting impact will be?”
That was, honestly, a question I had never mulled over. Ever. I wasn’t really sure of my answer either. I thought long and hard about it and I told the interviewer for Valley Business Front my honest answer.
I was sitting in the middle of my parents’ house, in the kitchen, and had just gotten home from work on a day over Winter Break. I was feeding Charlotte and getting ready for that night, and realized that I had never really been asked such an interesting, long-term question.
The following is the article that will run in the March edition of Valley Business FRONT, “a magazine that presents stories about people you know—and people you’d like to know”.
Attached are some screen shots of the article, but please do download the whole version of the magazine here and read about many other people who persevere through challenges of their own. I wouldn’t quite call mine a challenge – I’d call it a gift. But hey – it’s all about perception, right?
My friends, my friends, my friends. I am SO sorry but it took me FOUR days to finally set aside time to upload the pictures from the Kairos Summit. This week was absolutely fantastic. I’m hoping things will die down this weekend a bit. But, regardless, here’s my post and photos about last weekend when I was in New York for the Kairos Society Global Summit 2013.
If I learned one thing from the ENTIRE weekend it’s this:
My “field” of higher education is a great one – I’ve learned a lot as I study to become a student affairs professional but, in all honesty, in the higher education conferences I’ve attended I’ve encountered people that talk about their own research and themselves and what they want to do in the university context. I believe that the energy these people put into their jobs will change students and by virtue will change the world. That is why I love my field.
But I can’t tell you, in words, how much I love being a part of the Kairos Society because it offers me opportunities to engage, professionally with those outside of my field. I get to soak up so much information not about people and what they are studying but about what they are DOing. And I think that’s so fantastic. Young people don’t get a chance to DO a whole lot within higher education. When you’re talking to entrepreneurs, they make things happen for themselves. I can’t wait to combine these two aspects once I graduate.
To follow is the blog post I wrote on the bus back from New York last Sunday. I hope you enjoy.
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It was three days ago. We were in a gypsy cab on my way from the bus stop to the hotel in the middle of New York City, and I started thinking to myself – man, how excited am I for the next three days? Two VERY full days and three nights of connecting with some of the most interesting people in the world. It felt like it was an unlimited amount of time – Sunday was so far away. Well now I sit on the MegaBus at about 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, in Baltimore Maryland, on my way back to D.C. to pick up the car with the guys, and head back to Blacksburg. This trip was not nearly long enough.
How entrepreneurs prepare for a conference while traveling on MegaBus…
Incase you didn’t already know, I spent the weekend in New York City for an exclusive event called the Kairos Society Global Summit. The Kairos Society is a collection of a few hundred of the world’s most innovative, driven, and inspiring young entrepreneurs from all over the world. This exclusive society was founded five years ago with one very basic premise:
What if the CEOs of today were best friends 30 years ago, working together to solve the world’s biggest problems?
Thirty years ago we didn’t have as many ways to connect as we do now. The amount of physical separation between states and between countries and, therefore, between people, was something that was more of a challenge to overcome. The Kairos Society seeks to help limit those barriers. So, for the weekend 350 fellows from all over the world, some from as far as Pakistan, the Netherlands, China, etc., packed into the Yotel to experience some fantastic brainstorming workshops and networking events. We networked with 150 of today’s CEO’s, CFO’s, and other influential business men and women, from companies like Johnson and Johnson, Neutrogena, GE, Autodesk, and Forbes Media just to name a few.
A welcome letter that was part of our arrival gift bag (lots of great goodies in there from Kairos Summit sponsors).
This opportunity was one that I wasn’t immediately fond of. A great friend of mine, Caroline, recommended that I go out and apply for Kairos about a year ago. I thought she was crazy. I’m not an entrepreneur at heart. I’m not a co-founder of a company nor do I have a vision to create one.
BUT this weekend, one of the mentors gave me a great piece of advice. Rob Fiance, a board member at International Education Ventures Inc. and a partner at Edumetrix, shared his perspective that an entrepreneur doesn’t need to have a venture or a start-up. I had just finished explaining to him that my passion is for meeting people. Of course I have my goal for meeting one new person everyday, and I met over 300 of them this weekend (evidenced partially by the less than 20 business cards I have left out of the 200 I brought with me).
Even just being at the Summit this weekend, and being able to MEET, CONNECT, and ENGAGE, with so many amazing people, I realized – I, in fact, AM an entrepreneur. In the way that the ‘traditional’ entrepreneur has a passion for the solving the problem they are solving with their companies, I am solving one of the world’s problems through my own personal strategies one at a time. Through Actively Caring wristbands, through my cards that say “thank you for being the one new person I’ve met today,” and from realizing the beautiful, all-important connection of making meaningful relationships with the people that you meet. I realized why I was there.
When Caroline recommended I come to New York, I was nervous. When she recommended I sit on the Kairos DC & Southeast Region 2013 Kickoff event to speak on a panel of entrepreneurs back in December, I was even more nervous. What am I going to talk to all of those driven, successful, start-up working students about? I don’t have one of my own. When they say, “so what’s your venture, what do you do?” how do I reply?
Ernesto, Mikhail, and I at the Kairos Kick-Off Event for the DC/Southeast Region.
Well I replied with, “that’s the funny thing about me. I don’t have one. I just believe in connecting with people. I’m just here to network and engage with as many people as possible. I have a personal goal of meeting one new person everyday and I think that if we could all take the time to make more meaningful relationships out of that one daily interaction, the world would be a much better place.”
I can’t count how many entrepreneurs, both students and mentors, told me that they would take this general social rule and implement it into their own lives, in the context of their ventures and in their personal lives as well. In two words: mission accomplished.
Overall, this event was easily the best conference I have ever been to. I’ve been to many conferences – journalism conferences, student leadership conferences, higher education conferences, but the Kairos Global Summit, by far, blew any of those out of the water. Getting so many people in the same room, through the Kairos 50 (fifty of the most cutting-edge, innovative and forward thinking ventures by Kairos students), with incredible start-ups was a fantastic strategy to brainstorm some of the solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. For me, I’m starting to ask myself the question – why would I want to go to a higher education conference and network with people who are just like me and have similar passions? I got so much energy from connecting with people from numerous fields that are expressively different from my own, and talking with them about how we can all help make the world a better place in our own way.
From the GREEN Program to VirtualU, I sat in amazement on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange about what my friends were accomplishing. Some of these people were my neighbors at Virginia Tech years ago. Others were people I met in DC six weeks ago and immediately felt like they were my best friends. And others I met on Thursday and felt like a brother of by Sunday. All of them have incredible potential, and now have access to some of the most fantastic resources, to get their ventures off the ground, and really fill a void that the world doesn’t have.
Alcohoot has an iPhone breathalyzer. VirtualU, founded by Virginia Tech students and invested in my Virginia Tech alumni, is changing the game when it comes to 3D body scanning. Layer by Layer is changing the game in the field of 3D printing. The GREEN program is revolutionizing the term Study Abroad by putting students with different ontologies and from different academic programs all into the same experience and sending them to Costa Rica to learn about clean technology and renewable energies amongst other things. I’m so thankful that I was able to be present and connect, engage, and continue making meaningful relationships with the students behind such fantastic ideas.
To me, Kairos is fulfilling its mission of uniting the best student entrepreneurs from across the world. I can’t wait to look back in a THIRTY years and know that these people are my friends – people that I was able to connect with and make meaningful relationships with at the 2013 Kairos Global Summit.
Global President Alex Fiance kicking off the dinner festivities on Friday night.
Next year, I am happy to announce that Kairos will be following up on this year’s 3D printing and mobile healthcare breakout sessions by developing a workshop and challenge based in Education and solving some of the world’s greatest barriers to providing quality education across the world. This, along with the prospect of reuniting with so many fantastic Kairos fellows, makes me even more excited for the Kairos Global Summit, 2014. I wonder if the Yotel will be our place of stay again, even after it caught on fire Saturday night (that being said, if you EVER have the chance to stay at a Yotel in the future, do it – it’s a fantastic and truly one of a kind space-ship hotel property). ☺
FDNY moving in to take care of the fire on the 23rd floor that evacuated the entire building after dinner on Friday night.
Here’s to continuing the fantastic relationships that have begun in the heart of New York City this weekend. Thanks for reading, and if we met over the weekend – THANK YOU for being one of the new people I was fortunate enough to meet through this wonderful organization and even more wonderful opportunity.
A new friend, Joshua Jenkins, and I walking around the floor of the NYSE.
“You as Kairos fellows are ambassadors. You as Kairos fellows give me confidence that the world tomorrow is in good hands because its leaders will measure their success on impact and not just wealth. You all can truly make a difference in this world. Good Luck.
If I have learned one thing while working in higher education, it’s that everyone and their mother has a different opinion about what is best as far as Career Services is concerned. On most American college and university campuses, career services serves as the in-between between a student who has yet to graduate and their professional career after graduation. They provide resume workshops, career advice, and other tips and tools so that you’re successful after graduation.
What the heck is this purple suit…
When it comes to career services advice, I actually disagree with like…a lot of what some career counselors would suggest. For example color in your resume? YES PLEASE. Two page resume? YES PLEASE (as long as its all important and relevant). Elevator speech should be 60 seconds to get you hired? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
One of the fellows I met at the summit this weekend accepted a precarious challenge from me. He told me about his company, YouFolio. He just told me the name of it and I said, straight up – I’ve got 15 seconds, give me your best elevator speech about what YouFolio is. He delivered the perfect elevator speech. What made it so successful you might ask? It made me want to give him MORE than just an elevator ride. His ‘elevator speech’, or elevator pitch as some call it, made him more interesting to me. It made me want to ask MORE about his company. There was no end to the conversation immediately following his elevator speech.
And I think THAT is the key component of an elevator speech – using it to continue the conversation, not to get a job.
There will be a much longer blog post coming tomorrow (guaranteed – it’s already typed. I just have to put in some links and upload the photos) but I needed to share a few things, first!
I wanted to give a huge THANK YOU to Ankur, Alex, and their entire team for doing a fantastic job of organizing a fantastic summit. I had a great time connecting with so many of the world’s best student entrepreneurs, and it’s all because of the energy inside of these two men. To learn more about the top 50, the Kairos 50, check out this article.
With all the relationship building in the world that went down this weekend, I know that I can confidently look back on this weekend and say that I have a greater understanding of what some of the world’s biggest issues are. Not that I don’t love higher education anymore or anything, but as I’ve continued mulling a career in politics at some point, this event showed me that, truly, any problem is solvable – you just need the right people in the right place at the right time. And what do ya know, the word Kairos is actually an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment.
A great new friend of mine, Josh, and I went up to the podium to snap a photo during the after-party for the weekend, which was a first-of-its kind party on the floor of the NYSE (open bar and all), with Lady Gaga’s opening act DJ, Madeon! Photo credit goes to Ben Hider Photography.
A much longer post on my reflections of this year’s event will be posted on the blog tomorrow, but for now I need to get tomorrow’s school work done and some e-mails replied to that I have procrastinated for WAY too long!
The floor of the New York Stock Exchange, the site of a portion of the Kairos Society Global Summit.
here:
The YOTEL in New York City.
and here:
Times Square, New York City.
Too excited. Can’t wait to me so many international fellows and work forward solving some of the world’s largest issues through entrepreneurship and eliminating the boundaries that used to exist…before Kairos came along. Let’s #PushTheWorldForward.
Kristin, my wonderful girlfriend, has been recovering amazingly from a traumatic brain injury sustained back in November. Over the past few months we have been able to reflect, together, on ways that her accident and ensuing recovery have helped us grow closer at times that neither of us ever imagined that it would be possible. Even in silence we’ve both learned that there’s a certain (large) part of a connection that can be pressed and pressed until it’s really just a firm, solid connection. A lot of the time those connections are born from shared experiences, shared challenges, and shared values.
Last night, Kristin shared a quote with me that I just had to share with all of you. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had many-a conversation about ignoring a diagnosis, and working with your own agency to meet an end goal. Ignoring what people expect may happen and make what you want to happen, happen. That’s been the driving force behind my life. It’s actually somewhat embarrassing how much energy and motivation I get from wanting to prove people wrong. Now don’t get me wrong, most of my motivation comes from a love of helpig others, but there is that dark side of me that is constantly saying “Oh you think I can’t do this? Watch me.” It’s a bit elementary, yes, but I always tell people: take what ever gives you drive, put the keys in the ignition, and drive away.
The quote that KH shared with me is as follows:
In order to keep us awake to opportunity and to teach us equanimity, the universe throws us the occasional curve ball. Remember that curve balls are not only life’s way of keeping us awake, which is a gift in and of itself; they are also often life’s way of bringing us wonderful surprises. Next time a curve ball comes your way, take a deep breath, say thank you, and open your mind to a new opportunity.
Now, how amazing is that?
I have never felt a connection to someone that is feels so “right place, right time,” ever. To be as honest and transparent as possible, I feel like Kristin and I were placed in each other’s lives for more reason than one. For a while it was hard for me to see, but as time goes on, and we continue to learn from each other, push each other, and help each other grow, I’m surprised everyday by the insight, love, and connection we are able to share, even though I never expected it.
“Next time a curve ball comes your way, take a deep breath, say thank you, and open your mind to a new opportunity.” What a beautiful way to just, “Roll with the punches.”
I ordered some new business cards ahead of the Kairos Global Summit this weekend on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Late last week I realized I only had about ten left – so I had to head over to my trusty business card provider, www.moo.com, and started to dig for some codes to help me cut a good deal.
In a MOOSletter from two weeks ago, I found a fantastic promo code that would give me over fifty percent off of EIGHT HUNDRED BUSINESS CARDS. I thought long and hard about it – and realized what an investment it was – and I splurged. I did it. I can’t believe I did it…still. But I did it.
There better be some job offers attached to theses business cards. ;)
I truly believe in the importance of networking, and decided that I would be very intentional and diligent about doing so this weekend. I really want people to understand that I’m not all about meeting as many people as I can – I’m about CONNECTING with as many people as I can. I wish more people were that way, as well.
The se business cards tend to be very impressive to people – the quality of them (the print quality, their thickness, etc.) usually catches people’s eyes. I would definitely recommend using them as a provider if you’re looking to get some new business cards!
I’ve realized that a lot of people around me are very driven by what is the best decision for them, individually. I’ve realized that I have quite the difference in values – I’m trying to constantly make the decisions that benefit the greatest number of people around me.
In trying to be better about updating the old blog, I needed to share one of the most life-changing experiences I’ve ever had. If you read the blog faithfully, you know that I love my first graders at Harding Avenue Elementary School. It’s, by far, the favorite moment of my week. This morning, I didn’t have my homework done by 10:00 a.m. but I had to get to see my first graders – I just left it to be done later.
Instagram photo of my lunch this morning – steak nuggets, mashed potatoes, a roll, and TWO servings of fruit – apples and strawberries. :)
I met a mom in the classroom this morning who asked me why I was doing community service, and although i was a little offended regarding her tone (I was doing the community service out of my own personal desire, to be honest) I welcomed the opportunity to explain to her the background. I got involved with the YMCA at Virginia Tech during my freshman year at Virginia Tech and got randomly assigned to work with Mrs. Earles and Mrs. Day’s classrooms for the academic semester. In the next semester, I requested the same classroom.
The next year, I gained a leadership at the Y at a Program Leader. In 2010, I began to assign myself as one of the many volunteers that would work their classroom. After the second year of being a program leader, I decided to step down from two leadership positions in the YMCA, and continued my volunteer experience even though I was no longer affiliated with the YMCA.
The classic YMCA at Virginia Tech logo before 2011-2012’s rebranding. Always will be my favorite, Y-Guy and all!
So, I was able to explain to the classroom mom that for the past five years I have had the beautiful opportunity to see so many different classes of students come through this school. The students who are in the fifth grade now were first graders when I began at Harding – and now I am able to bond with the Kindergartners, even, and continue to connect with students that I mentored, and helped learn to read, in the past. It blows my mind how much my life has changed since those days when I first began.
All in all, my passion for helping others shine through when I talk about my students. I am impressed by them and humbled by them, all at the same time, every single time that I interact with them. I love them.
