Wed. June 25 – Join me for THE GIVE and learn more about StartingBloc

sblogoTwo months ago, I traveled to Los Angeles to attend the StartingBloc Fellowship program – which is a 5 day workshop for anyone who is interested in social innovation, creating change and becoming a better leader.   I learned about StartingBloc from the guys who run ReWork, a startup that is currently located in New York City, but was started by two Pittsburghers.

Kabira showed me some of the more vintage electronics that Isidore recycles

Kabira showed me some of the more vintage electronics that Isidore recycles

I loved my StartingBloc experience and returned to Pittsburgh filled with new ideas and a network of other changemakers from around the US. A few of the things I learned about at the StartingBloc Los Angeles institute include:

  • Polarity Mapping – a framework for looking at problems as polarities and something that can be helpful for a variety of situations.  I think that polarity mapping could be a great tool for Pittsburgh to use to think about how to work with UPMC going forward.
  • LA Kitchen @TheLAKitchen – an incredible business that is run by Robert Egger @RobertEgger, who is the founder of DC Kitchen and doing amazing things to feed more people healthy food.  I was lucky enough to be able to join Robert and some of the other fellows for dinner while I was in Los Angeles
  • Isidore Recycling @IsidoreRecycles – is another incredible business that was started by Kabira Stokes.  Kabira spoke at the StartingBloc Institute and was kind enough to let me and some of the other fellows take a tour of the warehouse where they are recycling e-waste and proving jobs for those who were previously incarcerated.  This is a model that I would love to replicate here in Pittsburgh (and I’ve already suggested Mayor Peduto stop to visit Isidore on his visit to LA.)

These are just a few of the things that I brought back to Pittsburgh from my trip to the west coast.

I feel very strongly that programs like StartingBloc are important to Pittsburgh for two reasons:
  1. Leadership Training – learning about leadership and best practices in leadership is very important.  I have learned so much not only about how to be a more thoughtful leader, but how to be a better team member.
  2. Sharing Pittsburgh’s story – these programs that bring together people from all over the country (and the world) provide a great place to let other young folks know what is happening here in Pittsburgh.  Lots of people have heard a little bit about Pittsburgh, but didn’t know much more.  It is so important to make sure we have some Pittsburghers at the table to continue to share the awesome things that are happening here.

StartingBloc Stops in Pittsburgh

My praise for Pittsburgh has paid off and I have convinced Cesar Gonzalez, who is the executive director of StartingBloc, to come to Pittsburgh to tell you more about the program.

I hope you will consider joining me on Wednesday, June 25 to meet Cesar, learn more about StartingBloc and learn some new things about Pittsburgh and giving.

Thanks to the StartingBloc alumni network – we will be hosting this event at the new offices for Repair the World, a nonprofit located on Broad St. in East Liberty (this is the same building where ThrillMill and AlphaLab Gear are located.

And on the suggestion of KivaZip’s Pittsburgh team – food will be catered by Salud Pittsburgh @PghSalud, a new Pittsburgh business that is making empanadas.

The GIVE: A StartingBloc Mixer for Awesome People

When: Wednesday, June 15, 2014 6-8pm
Where: Repair the World, 6022 Broad Street
RSVP: Please rsvp on Eventbrite HERE
Event Hashtag: #TheGivePGH

Join us for an evening of awesome people and making moves.

Learn how being a giver is not only fulfilling, but also one of the surest paths to success.  We’ll kick off with a short talk based on new research by Wharton’s youngest full-professor, Adam Grant.

Cesar Gonzalez will share what separates effective givers from push-overs, as well as strategies that successful givers use in their work life.  We’ll wrap up with a group exercise in giving and time to mingle with other awesome people.

Bring the challenges you’re currently working on, a pen and paper, and a new friend you think is a good fit for the StartingBloc community. There’ll be time to visit with old friends, to make some new ones, and to meet Cesar, the new CEO of StartingBloc.

This is event is hosted by StartingBloc, a national Fellowship organization for social innovators working hard across sectors to build a better world.

Apply to be a StartingBloc Fellow

The StartingBloc institute takes place in various cities around the US.  There are 2 more institutes in 2014

I am committed to helping to make sure we have more Pittsburghers participating in future StartingBloc fellowships and I will help anyone who is interested fund-raise so that they are able to attend.

Thread Needs Your Vote!

vote-for-thread-ledburyPlease take a moment to help this awesome Pittsburgh startup (yes, Thread is a business not a non-profit) win $25,000 dollars.

Thread, a social venture start-up headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, takes waste from the poorest places in the world and transforms it into dignified jobs and responsible fabric. This week, Thread is in the running to win $25K in theLedbury Launch competition with a public vote. Each vote brings us one step closer to the sweet taste of victory (and much needed capital to help Thread grow our impact in Haiti).

Here’s what you can do to help:

 TODAY, June 24, 2014 – is the LAST DAY TO VOTE!

moop-thread-bagOnly 1 vote per email address, so dust off those old AOL addresses to vote twice and share the link (bit.ly/voteforthreadbury) with your friends, coworkers and family.

Check out the latest bags, that are made in Pittsburgh by Moop with a lining made from Thread’s recycled bottle fabric.

I was going to write a long-winded paragraph about why Thread is awesome and why it is important to vote for them, but my friend and incredible Pittsburgh artist wrote this Facebook post that does a much better job of summing up the situation.

Hey Pittsburgh massive and outlying territories. As I understand it the purpose of living in large organized societies is that not everyone is doing the same thing to survive ie: having two cows and a garden etc.

This skill diversity enabled societies to go beyond subsistence farming and go right into artisan coffee shops and space travel. It took awhile.

In short: we pay and support people to do things for us that we are too busy to do or simply can’t do. Like hang drywall, fix an aorta and create the “smartphone”.

So I ask you to please consider support the local Pittsburgh company THREAD. They are doing things you don’t have time for and can’t do: employ people in third world countries to turn trash into fabric.

So yes we can use the same capitalist system of specialization to reorder the flow of cash, opportunity and dignity to individuals. This is important work and really is “maker recycling” on the next level.

They are up for a $25K award right now competing against just TWO other companies. While the other companies are surely good I am asking you to VOTE for THREAD.

Read more about Ledbury here…

Read more about the Thread + Moop partnership here…

Pittsburgh Screening of startupland – A New Documentary Series

startupland pittsburghRemember how last summer the awesome readers of this blog generously contributed to my project so I could participate as a passenger on the Millennial Trains Project?  We’ll this is one of the many good things that came out of the trip.  I was thrilled to receive an email last week from two of the people I met on the train asking if I knew anyone that would be interested in hosting a screening of startupland in Pittsburgh.  My reply – yes- of course, Pittsburgh would love to host a screening.  A few emails later, TechShop kindly stepped up as the location for the screening.

Thank you to everyone who made my journey on the train trip possible.  I am so pleased that my fellow train passengers continue to think of Pittsburgh.  One of the mentors on the train, who joined our group for the last part of the trip from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC is Jonathon Perrelli who (in addition to offering me some sage advice) is also co-producer of startupland.  If you are interested in startups be sure to follow @perrelli on Twitter.

Pittsburgh Screening of Startupland

On Tuesday, June 10, 2014, Pittsburgh will be one of the many cities around the globe that will be hosting a screening of startupland a new documentary series about startups.

Click here for the screening details.

Read more about startupland

Still looking for a summer internship? We’re looking for an Events Editor!

We’re looking for a summer intern (can continue into the fall as well) to take control of our events calendar.  There are so many amazing, awesome, cool events happening around Pittsburgh and we can’t keep up.

We’re looking for a blogging, social media rock-star (or wanna be rock-star) to take the rains of the events section of IheartPGH.

Event Editor Responsibilities include…

  • review and approve submitted events
  • clean up the events calendar – help make this page look awesome – you don’t have to know how to code, but a willingness to learn more about WordPress and wordpress plugins will be helpful.
  • curate event categories – what are we missing? what can be improved?
  • Explore partnerships with other organizations that are looking to promote events around Pittsburgh
  • attend 1 event per week and write a blog post about it
  • share photos on Instagram, Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest
  • help us build the ultimate guide to promoting your event in Pittsburgh
  • determine the best ad strategy for the events calendar
  • 1 meeting per week – you will work from home, your favorite coffee shop, and events around town

You should apply if…

  • you love Pittsburgh or you are new to town and want to learn more about Pittsburgh
  • you like meeting new people
  • you want to learn about social media, blogging, local media, event planning
  • you are ok being paid in coffee, free tickets and free sandwiches (past IheartPGH interns have used this opportunity to land jobs at some work places like here and here)

So you want to apply to be the first IheartPGH Events Editor?  Follow these instructions….

  1. Find an interesting event happening in Pittsburgh in June and submit it to the events calendar.  Take notes on the submission process.
  2. Like IheartPGH on Facebook and Follow @IheartPGH on Twitter
  3. Send an email to events@iheartpgh.com with your name, your favorite blog, 3 ways we can improve the events submission process, a link to your favorite Pittsburgh blog that is not IheartPGH.