Week 7: So, How Did The Pitch Go?

So...you've done "The Pitch". You created a killer brochure and shared your genius project idea with an audience.

How did it go?

As you sit down to write a new blog post, consider reflecting on doing "The Pitch". You may answer any or all of these questions below:

• How did you decide who to speak with?
• What was the overall impression of those you asked?
• How will their feedback help you improve your project? 

We are close to the halfway point in our #20time project and it's time to see what everyone is creating. 

Take a few minutes and browse through your classmate's projects. Leave positive comments of support and if you can help them with their project, let them know. 

Use this link here to see all the projects. (HINT: If you don't see your blog on there, that means you didn't submit it. Do so here. 

And last but not least, I need your help. I need help creating my #20time Project and am in between two ideas:

1. Create an affordable stand-up desk alternative for students and get students from another school to use them.

2. Write the book I've been holding off on called "The Hero's Journal."

What do you think I should do? Last year, I raised money for Charity Water and this year I'd like to ask your help to decide on my #20time project. 

Use this link to vote on which project you think I should do. 

And, last but not least, here's the poodle picture of the week. After all, it is Halloween.

Week 6: Are You Inspired? The Pitch!

Some food for thought (and what you could write about for this week's blog post) before we focus on your #20time pitch. Ask yourself...

Are you inspired?

The word "inspired" comes from two words "in" and "spirit". The word literally means "in spirit." In other words, when you are inspired by something, it means that you are living in line with your spirit. 

Yes, I know this is kind of spiritual and may make you uneasy, but think about. Are you inspired by your #20time project? If not, you may want to shift into something that inspires you. 

The idea goes that if you are inspired, you are walking your spirit's path, and that is when things just click. Work is easier. Coincidences happen that help you move further down the road.

It's just that simple.

On to today's focus....

You've spent several weeks mulling over an idea and now know what you are doing with your 20% Project. Now, it's time to pitch your idea to the public and get feedback. This feedback is vital to your project. It gives you holistic feedback on your project.

What to do

Create a tri-fold brochure and print at least six copies. Give one copy to me and the other five to other people asking for their feedback through a questionnaire (can not be students in Mr. Guay's class). 

Criteria:

• A quick summary of what you are doing
• Why you want to do the project
• How you are doing it (write down the SMART goal)
• What you want to accomplish from it 
• Include a few photos to show 

Print this questionnaire and give it to the five people you share your project with:

What to hand in?

Hand in the brochure and the five completed questionnaires to me on October 30th! Please staple them all together and make sure your name is on it.

Here are some helpful links to make a tri-fold brochure:

• Using Word
• Using Google Docs 
• Google Docs brochure template

You can do it! Remember to stand tall and proud! Posture can often say more than words. 

P.S. Yes -- you are writing a blog post this week and completing The Pitch. Embrace your inner awesomeness.

Week 5: Take the Leap and Face Your Fears

Thomas Edison once said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” 

Going with Edison logic, let’s talk a bit about fear. 

Enter the resistance… that scoundrel of a plague that stops creators from creating, stops writers from writing, stops changemakers from changing, and stops student entrepreneurs from launching.

What is resistance?

- Self doubt

- overthinking

- not knowing where to start

- questioning your purpose

- fear

- feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities 

- time 

The resistance is the voice inside that says, “Well, that will never work” or “That’s just stupid,” or it’s the friend who literally says that to you.

Resistance is the fear of failure, of falling on your face, of being told no, of feeling stupid.

When I was at Stanford’s design school where I learned the design thinking method, they had us jump on a little trampoline when we were thinking of ideas. This helped us think more like a little kid and shut the resistance down because well, when you’re jumping on a trampoline, you look ridiculous already so why not spout out any ideas that come to your head?

To help you all get over fear and push through to create something extraordinary, I’d like to introduce the #20time text:  Start Something That Matters. 

For a few weeks, I will ask that in your blog post you answer a few questions which are based off this book. The book is written by TOMS Shoes founder, Blake Mycoskie, and it’s one of the best resources for teens to create entrepreneurial projects. 

Today, take a look at chapter 3, called “Face Your Fears” (pg 45), read through it, and then answer these questions in your blog post:

1. When has fear prevented you from achieving a goal in school or in your personal life? In what form did this fear come up? How did you react to it?

2. What’s the worst mistake that you’ve ever made? What was the end result? Were the consequences as bad as you thought they might be?

3. If you had no fear at all, how would you live your life differently? Would you dedicate yourself to a favorite passion? Finally ask out that special someone on a date?

4. What are some strategies for dealing with fear while you are experiencing it? In what way is fear a good thing?

One last thing: Consider what Hamlet once said, “Conscience makes cowards of us all.” Conscience, Hamlet argues, prevents action and I’d have to agree with him on that.

Take The Leap