News flash: ‘The world has Changed’!  We now live in a collaborative, co-created, agile, mobile, post-industrial economy that will be run by millennials/digital natives.  (I believe I covered most of the buzzwords in one sentence.)  In the U.S. we are experiencing a decline in the manufacturing sector and have become a part of a globally connected knowledge based economy filled with noise and information overload.

Today people are grappling with the harsh reality of unemployment, underemployment and/or a lack of job security.  Whether you are an entrepreneur, a corporate executive, athlete, Pastor, or startup founder we are all dealing with the same challenge of how work is being valued and redefined in unstable times.  Most of us were taught growing up to build resumes and were trained to think like an employee.  Today even an employee can’t afford to think like an employee.  It is the the end of mediocrity, the days of creating average stuff will get you fired, overlooked and render you irrelevant.

In October 2010 Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched Instagram a photo sharing mobile app and 2-years later was acquired for $1billion by Facebook.  How crazy is it that the New York Times a 162-years old media titan was worth $50million less than Instagram at the time it was acquired by Facebook? Have we done people a disservice by training them to think to work in an industrial society?  The great manufacturing jobs with low education requirements where workers put round pegs in round holes and get paid $60K are not as plentiful as they use to be.  We live in a capital gains driven society where making money on your money is valued higher than labor income.   People with a ‘Reactionary’ mindset will struggle with how work is valued in the new economy.  But the bigger question that each of us will have to address is:  Are you ready to ‘Reinvent’ yourself so that you can ‘Do Work that Matters’?

“Be nice to geek’s, you’ll probably end up working for one” – Bill Gates

When it comes to entrepreneurs you don’t know Jack!  Maybe you do, Jack Dorsey is the the Co-Founder of Twitter and Square which generated $350 Million in revenue and $5 Billion in transactions respectively in 2012. He now has set his sights on following in the footsteps of Mayor Michael Bloomberg.   He wants to become the next Mayor of New York City one of the fastest growing tech hubs.  So how would you define Jack?  Is he an Entrepreneur or an Intrapreneur?  Clearly Jack’s work history is one of a serial entrepreneur, but his future career goal is to be an employee for the city of New York.

The line between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship is blurring.  We once asked the question if a person was an entrepreneur.  In a ‘Post Industrial’ Economy this is the wrong question to ask because we are all entrepreneurs.  The real question is are you an entrepreneurs ‘Inside or Outside’ of the company.  This is a different paradigm opposes how we define entrepreneurs.  You are probably saying to yourself hold on a minute.  Put down your rocks and let me state my case.  Let’s look at the data which clearly shows that entrepreneurs are catalysts of economic change in the U.S., with small businesses and startups representing 100% of the net job growth in our country.

Today the training and development that a worker gets in a company is different than it was 20-years ago.  Companies are expecting workers to be self-trained, providing little to no mentorship, and expect these individuals to hit the ground running.  Is it possible to get people working on side projects and developing their entrepreneurial thinking chops so that they can add value to the organization they are apart of today?

Workforce Segmentation

At a macro level the workforce is comprised of two segments: people who are wired to be entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs.  Whether you are a large corporation, startup or a one person operation you are pulling from a highly competitive global talent pool that I coined as builders and leapers.

Builders (Intrapreneur or Employee):  Builders are individuals that build their resume while they build someone else’s dreams.  These individuals are also known as intrapreneurs which are workers that feel more comfortable working inside an existing organizational structure and is looking for the security it affords.  This structure has historically provided guaranteed checks at the end of the pay period even if the individual has underperformed.

Leapers (Entrepreneur or Employer):  Leapers are pure entrepreneurs, individuals who have made the leap and are working full-time on their own business versus moonlighting and working on their passion as a side project.  A leaper wants the opportunity that is connected with taking the risk and forgoing the security that come along with a steady paycheck. They are attracted to the unlimited opportunity and the reward connected with taking on the risk of launching their own idea.  Leapers ultimately falls into the employer category even if it is  initially a single person operation.

At the end of the day we are all entrepreneurs because we all have to invent, innovate, be curious and think outside the box whether we are entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs

“With Great power comes great responsibility” – Spiderman
“…to whomever much is given, of him much shall be required…” – Luke 14:28

Why do you do what you do?  Is it because it is safe?  Is because of fear? Is it because you were told you could make a lot of money doing it?  Every person whether they admit it or not wants to do something that matters and live a life of significance.  This post was written for those who bought the 30-year old lie that was told to every boy and girl who grew up during the industrial manufacturing age. ‘If you go to school, graduate, you will get a job and you will work that job until death do you part’, this statement is no longer relevant today.  At some point most of us woke up and you were unemployed, underemployed or our dreams were at risk because the world we once knew had suddenly changed.  We now live in a post industrial economy where job security, career reinvention, and globalization are changing the way we live, work and play.

If 44% of people are unsatisfied with their jobs (the remaining 56% = 19%-happy, 16%-Somewhat Satisfied, 21%-Somewhat unsatisfied), 32% of U.S. Employees want to find new work and 30% of the worlds job force is jobless then…

‘Why do you do what you do?’

Increase your odds of winning by ‘Getting Out of your Own way!’  With a show of hands how many people can say they have never gotten in their own way in business?  If you raised your hand then congratulation you’re a part of a select group of people who have probably never done anything.  As I look back over my brief entrepreneurial career I have recently spent time reflecting on what hasn’t worked.  There was one consistent theme that I keep seeing and it was this:  I was making life harder than it needed to be.

I ran through a list of projects that never made it through the battlefield of my mind. For example, in 2009 I had a great book idea that I never published because I got busy working on other cool projects that never saw the light of day.  The idea aligned with the financial crisis that was taking place from 2008-2009 which would have been extremely helpful for the community of people that found what I was talking about interesting.  I am now working on that book after sitting on it for 3-years.  How many of you have projects that you have been sitting on?

Perfection is the Enemy of Complete  

What separates me from everybody else I believe is that same thing that gets on my nerves and drives me out a wall which is my design taste.  Historically, I have spent so much time trying to make things perfect because I like well designed products that I don’t ship ideas as often as I should.  I have allowed ideas to be backlogged that are waiting to be produced because I want everything to be aesthetically perfectly.   My pursuit of perfection has forced me to realize there this a difference between ‘Excellence’ and being ‘Perfect’.

Perfection causes you hold on to projects longer than you need to and operate in fear and not bring things to market because you are overly concerned about what others will say when it hits the market.  Excellence is more about creating stuff that you are proud to attach your name to that can impact a world beyond you.

Case Study of the Slinky

The Slinky was invented by Richard and Betty James in 1943 it is an idea that most VCs, CEO’s of Major companies, and bean counter today would have shut down and never launched because the idea seemed pretty dumb.  There have been over 250 millions Slinky’s sold to date because Richard James saw a piece a spring coil fall off a table and he and his wife saw an opportunity.

Getting out of your own way is about seeing opportunities when others see nothing and acting on it by faith!  

I am very excited to announce that I have been selected to join Engine and Hattery in Washington, DC 02/26-02/27 for Startup Day on the Hill for the second year in a row.  Startup Day on the Hill is a mashup of startups, government, policy, and technology.

The focus of Startup Day on the Hill is to help forge an understanding and collaboration between the tech and policy communities. Startups from around the nation will meet with lawmakers to discuss and share how tech innovation and the startup economy is spurring economic growth in the economy and in communities in various cities around the nation.

Mission of Student Ventures

Student Ventures is 1 of 29 about companies selected to participate in Startup Day on the Hill.  Our mission is to expose middle and high school students to the world of entrepreneurship, mobile app development, digital technology and STEM education. Student Ventures is an initiative that was launched in Fall of 2012 by Brand Camp University to help address the technology gap that exists between mainstream America and black, Hispanic, females and other underrepresented groups.

The event will be highlighted by a trip to the White House to meet with Todd Parks, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the White House and assistant to the President.  While in DC we will be sitting down with Senators and Congressman to discuss:  immigration reform, creating tech jobs, and educating politicians on how technology is driving economic growth in the new economy.

For More Information:

Startup Day on the Hill Website: http://engine.is/startupday
Student Ventures Website:         http://studentventures.co

For my updates follow me on Twitter: @HajjFlemings

Are you looking for a speaker to talk ‘Tech’ or ‘Entrepreneurship and transform your next event or ‘Inspire’ your audience to live their dreams?   Well Hajj is your guy!   Hajj has spoken on the White House Economic Forum stage, he has been on camera with Soledad O’Brien and with U.S. Senators speaking on a variety of topics ranging from startups, entrepreneurship, technology and entrepreneurship.

Presentation Topics
The Workplace of the Future
The Startup You Economy: It’s Time to Think Like a Startup
Technology + Disruption
Reputation Economy
Living an Inspired Life
How to Develop a Brand (Personal or Business) that Matters
Personal Branding 101
Social Media for Small Business Owners/Entrepreneurs

Previous Speaking Engagements
American Marketing Association
American Marketing Association
Black Enterprise Entrepreneurship Conference
CNN’s Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien
Congressional Black Caucus
Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
Davidson College
Detroit Regional Chamber
Digital Hollywood
Faith Christian Center – Phoenix
Iowa State University
Michigan State University
National Urban League – National Conference
National Society of Black MBAs (NBMBAA)
National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA)
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
Ross School of Business
SXSW Interactive
TED Fellows Collaboratium
University of Detroit – Mercy
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Paralympics Leadership Conference
Walt Disney
Wal-Mart/Black Enterprise 20/20 Vision Job Forum
White House Urban Economic Forum

Download PDF of Speaking Topics: http://goo.gl/Dcwal

Contact Hajj Flemings:  
Email: speak@hajjflemings.com
Phone:  313-215-3513

So what did we learn from the 2012 Presidential Election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on November 6^th?  The past 24-hours was a social media frenzy with 327,452 tweets per minute being posted about the election.  The campaign was a year long national debate about job creation, social class, values and race.  In my opinion it was one of the most interesting presidential elections that I have witnessed in my lifetime.

It is now November 7^th post-election.   Most Americans spent time the day after reflecting on what they saw unfold the night before.  I personally thought about the parallels between the election and the startup ecosystem. The election felt like a ‘Tipping Point’ for our nation and our economy.  It was clear that the election wasn’t about blue states or red states but the sobering reality that the world is starting to ‘Become More Brown’.  Let me define what I mean by, ‘The World is Becoming More Brown’. We saw how the Latino vote impacted 11 battleground states and was critical in Obama becoming a two-term president.  According to the U.S. Census by 2040 Hispanic and African American will represent the majority of the U.S. population. These two facts show how the demographic of the U.S. changing and is going to impact small business, politics, product design and every sector of life.

The Four Lessons I Learned from the Election

1. The World is Changing:  The homogenous world that we grew up in is changing; it is ‘Becoming More Brown’.  The new economy won’t look anything like it did a few decades or for that matter a few years ago.

2. What Use to Work In the Past Won’t Work In the Future:  What has worked for the last 30-years won’t work for the next 30-years.  Change or be disrupted!

3. We Have to Think Like Immigrants: Immigrant entrepreneurs represent nearly 50% of the venture backed startup founders in the U.S. they are job creators in this economy.  They come to the U.S. with the believe that this is the greatest country in the world (which it is).  They work hard, value education and focus on ‘Creating Jobs.’

4. Market Size Matters:  In the industry that you serve you have to appeal to a broad enough market to be able to get your ideas launched, get elected or get people to invest in the idea you are working on.

Here are a few startups founded by people of color and women that are doing amazing work: Aglocal, Code2040, and Women 2.0.

In the final analyst, creating an environment that attracts diverse minds can produces creative solutions and amazing startups, but I leave you with this question?  Will the election be a catalyst of change in diverse thinking?

No one has an infinite supply of money (unless you are the Federal Reserve) and we all have 24 hours in a day. Which is more important, ‘Money or Time’? Without getting into a long philosophical discussion of defining money I will use the following definition. Money is a medium of exchange that can be used to purchase products, services, access and opportunity. The purchasing power of money can buy you access to the right network of people, expose you to ideas, resources and put you in circles and zip codes that create wealth. Those who don’t have it, have to work much harder to get it.

Everyday we exchange our time for money and the value of your minute determines what projects, assignments or things you invest your time into. As I travel around the country and talk with people I realize most individuals have great ideas they would like to work on but need the resources. As I personally look to change the world I have tossed around this question over and over. What is more important the chicken or the egg, money or time? Money can buy you time to work on ideas! Time can enable you to work on ideas that generate wealth!

So in a vacuum if I ask you how much time you needed to launch your startup, side project or idea what would your answer be?

How would you define an unstable environment?   Today we would call it the workplace or the new economy! What was true yesterday could be replaced by new information and big data that shifts an entire industry or how you launch a new business.

A new business idea or the framework for a startup can be built in 8-weeks and in 18-months the business could be sold for $1Billion. This is the story of Instagram a mobile app that is worth more than the New York Times (NYT), which was established in 1851 and has a market valuation of $950 million!  Now lets compare NYT and Instagram: NYT has 450K digital subscribers, a circulation of 1.6M weekly print subscribers and 2M Sunday print subscribers while Instagram has 50M followers. In a world where the consumption habits of people are more digital which company is more valuable or more relevant?

The New Economy Data

Now some data about the workplace in the new economy!

• 34% of employers have rejected a job candidate because of their social media activity.
• 36% of employers plan to hire contract or temporary workers in 2012.
• 54% of people under the age of 25 with bachelor degrees are unemployed.

How are you are going to compete in an unstable environment where everything is changing fast? You have to prepare yourself a workplace and economy that is in a state of flux where people are underemployed and unemployed? It is time to re-think how you define work! It is time to re-think your business model, the way you generate revenue! Whether you are an entrepreneur or an intrapreneurs you have to being thinking entrepreneurially! It is time to harness chaos and instability and turn it into opportunity!

With the JOBS Act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) of 2012 being signed into law on April 5, 2012, startups and government are two communities that need to know more about each other.  Engine.is is taking the first step in bridging that divide by selecting18-startups selected from across the nation to participate in the inaugural, ‘Startup Day on the Hill’.

Gokit will represent the Detroit startup community as part of this ground-breaking event.  Wayne Sutton, Gokit Advisor and myself (Hajj Flemings CEO/Co-Founder of Gokit) will meet with influential Members of Congress on Capital Hill at the U.S. Capitol Building, June 19-20th.

It is a tremendous honor to represent the Detroit startup community, share my startup story and demo our product.  The main focus of the 2-days is to discuss and create action items of how the government and startups can work together.

You can follow my journey via:

Twitter: @HajjFlemings
Google Plus: http://gplus.to/hajjflemings
Instagram: Hajj Flemings