JoelFoner.com

I have had the privilege of working with Nelson de Witt to help him develop concepts and project strategy for his newest cross-cultural project that will result in a book called “Ana’s Miracle”.  In Nelson’s words, “Ana’s Miracle is the story of how our family was separated during the Civil War in El Salvador, by death and adoption, and our journey to reunite.”
http://www.anasmiracle.com/ is the info site for the project. See “The Story” for Nelson in a live interview about his background a bit of his history.

Sunday night at 3:30pm Pacific / 6:30pm Eastern Nelson is hosting a live video chat with his family to talk in person about their family’s history, to connect in a new way for the holidays, and chat with anyone who joins in!

Please join us live at the Facebook Event page for the event Sunday night at 6:30pm Eastern (live video stream with chat):
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=344675100526

If you’d like to follow the project as it develops, you can Become A Fan of Ana’s Miracle: http://www.facebook.com/anasmiracle or follow Nelson’s Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/dewittn. Please feel free to share and pass this on.

Disclosure: Nelson is a strategy coaching client (and now friend) who has a surprising history and a total commitment to everything he does. I’m helping him to get the word out about his project. This is work that I find fascinating from many angles, his history, his family’s history, and the use of social media across cultures to illustrate and bridge the gaps.

Tonight I went to an event called “Pokin’ Holes”, “a podcast/live stream show for young people starting companies to get feedback from the most talented young professionals students and entrepreneurs in Boston.” (from the Pokin’ Holes web site).

This was an inspiring event from many perspectives, and I’d like to give a big callout to Cort Johnson and Jake Cacciapaglia for a great concept executed flawlessly.

Pokin’ Holes provides a forum for young entrepreneurs (under 30 years old) to present startup companies and get feedback from a panel of three guests (also under 30 year old entrepreneurs and professionals), as well as from the attendees in the audience, who were tonight in large part Bentley business students, on their business strategy and advice on next steps.

The session tonight was at Bentley University, and was the first time it had been held in a college setting (the start of a college tour). Cort and Jake’s goals for the event are to do everything possible to have people build real action-based relationships through these sessions, to both connect the entrepreneur presenting with people who can actively help achieve the next steps and to build a thriving community of young innovators. It sounds like the typical home for Pokin’ Holes has been a bar with a less formal atmosphere, but I’d have to say this more formal setting fit just as well.

The evening was set up with a while of general networking and open discussion before the show started. The show opens with an interview of the principal of a company in “the hot seat”, to understand the company’s goals and strategy, and present the company’s plan and current status. Tonight the Andy Watson of Greenergy Living had the hot seat.

The show then moves on to a panel discussion with three panelists, whose job it is to get going “pokin’ holes” in the company’s plans and execution. At the conclusion of the panel discussion, the audience is pulled in to have group commentary and discussion.

Tonight had strong attendance and lively discussion all around. I think it’s fair to say that everyone in the room learned some things, had a good time and gave some solid constructive feedback in a positive way.

Thanks to all the folks I met tonight and great work – hope to see you again soon!