Etsy gives any crafter on the planet the opportunity to run a booming business.
Kickstarter gives any entrepreneur on the planet the opportunity to get investors without big pitches and huge dollars.
TEDx gives great speakers from around the world the chance to make their ideas worth spreading viral ones.
Kiva gives everyone the opportunity to change lives around the world.
The keys here are that websites, groups, organizations around the world are changing the way we think, changing the way we innovate, changing the way business works. These companies are changing innovation, some much more so than even the “big innovators” in business – Apple, Virgin, etc. Why? Because they are harnessing, more than ever before, the power of the individual. Dorie Clark’s Forbes article “Why Kickstarter and TEDx Are the Future of Business” outlines it perfectly with this quote:
At an individual level, it’s an exciting time to be alive. If you and I no longer need to work for an organization in order to create value, we can look within ourselves and say, ‘what can I contribute?’ Suddenly we get a chance to look at our own calling without seeking permission from someone else. I think human beings have an amazing wealth of creativity within us, but we largely haven’t given ourselves permission because the economics didn’t work. For individuals, that creates boundless opportunity.
How can you harness the power of these kinds of businesses in your career? Start thinking in possibilities. Want to start a business? Think about planning a Kickstarter campaign. Ready to stage an idea? Apply to a TEDx conference. Want to make money with a new product? Put it on Etsy. Do it today! Because the beauty of living in this kind of exciting time for individuals is also the ability to pivot, learn, move, and back up when needed. The key is pressing START in your life.
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
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