Business Lessons from sucessful entrepreneurs and business leaders: LunchLearning.com

Reading time: 2 - 4 minutes

Video Time: 18 minutes 36 seconds

Daniel Pink (@danielpink on Twitter)  is not only the author of some great recent books including:  Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need. He was also chief speechwriter to Vice President Al Gore (@AlGore on Twitter) from 1995 - 1997.

What you’ll learn in this video:

1. The right and wrong way (based on proven science) to motivate your employees
2. A glimpse into new “management” strategies like Google’s 20% model and Best Buy’s R.O.W.E approach
3. Why Microsoft’s Encarta failed miserably against the free, zero-reward model from Wikipedia

Enjoy this great super-quick  “Ted Talk” from Daniel Pink.  “No more carrots and sticks! and. . .maybe, maybe, maybe. . .we can change the world.”

Reading time: 1 - 2 minutes

Video Time: 15 minutes 27 seconds

A quick one today as my own lunch has been shortened due to some downtown Chicago client visits for Roscommon. And so, I leave you in the incredibly capable hands of Gary Vaynerchuk giving what is without doubt a “Vayniak” favorite, but also one that can speak to any professional business person or entrepreneur. In Gary’s Web 2.0 talk he talks about the importance of Personal Branding, and we can all learn a lesson about that!

Let ‘er roll, Gary!

Reading time: 2 - 2 minutes

Video Time: 43 minutes 52 seconds

Despite the high-production value and hype-factor of CNBC’s The Millionaire Inside, there are some really good lessons and motivational aspects of this show. This segment of the show features Keith Ferrazzi author of “Never Eat Alone,” “Who’s Got your Back?” and owner of Ferrazzi Green Light, Robert Kiyosaki of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” fame, Larry Winget, the “Pit Bull of Personal Development” and Harvard Professor, Laura Morgan Roberts.

I really enjoyed this panel discussion! Lot’s of boot-strapping lessons for everyone to capitalize on in life!

***Give the player a minute to load***

Thanks for joining LunchLearning.com today! Enjoy your Lunch!

Reading time: 2 - 2 minutes

Video Time: 21 minutes 59 seconds

I’m quite fascinated by the concept behind Tan Le’s “Mind Control” device — Emotiv, and if you’re even just a “wee bit” curious yourself, I’m pretty certain you’ll find it just as intriguing. The possibilities for the device are profound, and personally I look forward to seeing how the team supporting it’s development work toward it’s advantages in the field of medicine and patient care.

Here’s a great story from Inc. Magazine about Emotiv and Tan Le (her own story in an incredible journey!)

The demonstration of the device starts 10 minutes into her presentation.

Spend today in amazement at what is possible today and watch Tan Le.

Reading time: 2 - 3 minutes

Video Time: varies

Great informal chat with Guy Kawasaki (@guykawasaki on Twitter) of early-stage venture fund Garage Technology Ventures. In this chat, you’ll get a little bit of insight from Guy on his past career with Apple, his work with Steve Jobs, finding meaning in life and work, and instructive lessons on entrepreneurship, start-ups and venture capitalism.

Guy never fails to instruct and entertain, and his ability to combine his approachable and laid-back interpersonal style, with his sharp business acumen, is one of his greatest assets in my opinion. I even had the pleasure to engage his spirited side on Twitter one day after questioning a recent approach to Tweeting. His response to me was to pass along his cell phone number and ask me to ring him up. Which I did. Now that is taking the bull by the horns and communicating!

If you’re an admirer of his writing and entrepreneurial ventures, you’ll really enjoy this talk from one of America’s great entrepreneurial minds.

Reading time: 4 - 7 minutes

Video Time: varies

Keeping with Friday’s theme of a few different shorter videos as opposed to a single long video, I thought I would do the same today with a few vids from Tim Ferriss. Those of you who know me, also know that I’m fond of personal and business productivity. Some of the reason for this, I believe stems from certain work experiences I had in college (working at M&M Mars on various assembly lines, a series of kitchen jobs, and on a framing crew building condos in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty), for example.

As a result when I first read about Tim Ferriss in Transitions Abroad magazine back in 2007, and then listened to a webcast of him about a week or so later, I knew I needed to learn more about his work/play philosophies. Reason being, not only did he seem to focus on productivity, but he also covered how paying attention to productivity allowed him to not only perform well from a business standpoint, but also enjoy life at the same time. And that theme is exactly what I have built my own life and company around — even prior to reading about Tim.

Anyway, for those who don’t know about Tim and the Four Hour Work Week (4HWW) as of yet, these videos will serve as a nice introduction to his story and ideas. For those already in the know, with the exception of the first video, which sums up the philosophy behind the 4HWW, and the outtake from his interview with Loic Le Meur of Seesmic, each of the videos that follow are ones I haven’t seen myself as of yet, so there are some interesting gems in here.

Tim also continues to write on his blog, The Four Hour Blog if you’re further intrigued!

Reading time: 3 - 5 minutes

Video Time: varies

Today I thought we would do something a little different for LunchLearning, so I hope you enjoy the switch up! Instead of a longer video you can watch over lunch that speaks to certain business lessons worth learning, I wanted to shorten up the approach a little and share with you a few great videos from Tim Jahn’s (@timjahn on Twitter) BeyondthePedway.com.

Each week Tim gets the inside scoop from local Chicago firms that work in the creative space. . .doing things you often don’t realize are outsourced from larger clients to smaller boutique firms. So enjoy these few videos of great Chicago companies. . and let your mind wander toward all the really great things you can do for your company that you thought could only be done by the big guys!

THEN…call them up and help support your local entrepreneurs! Even if you’re not in Chicago. *wink* After all these local firms work with clients all over the country and the world.

Reading time: 2 - 2 minutes

Video Time: 30 minutes 04 seconds

Richard Branson hardly needs an introduction. He’s an entrepreneur’s entrepreneur, and, at least in my opinion, the embodiment of Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan. Seemingly unaware of risk, he pursues his goals with the passion of a child, despite numerous failures along his road to success.

In this rather relaxed TED talk with Chris Anderson, Branson shares some amusing anecdotes that occurred during some of his adventures, the challenges of life as a dyslexic, near death experiences and life on top of the world.

An insightful, enjoyable and inspiring conversation with Richard covering some of the important world challenges and how philanthropy can be among the most inspiring achievements in life.

Reading time: 4 - 6 minutes

Video Time: 38 minutes 05 seconds

Cisco Systems’ CTO Padmasree Warrior is among the most-respected female leaders in technology today. In this keynote, given in 2009 at a “Women In The Forefront Luncheon” sponsored by The Chicago Network, Padmasree speaks about the evolution of technology in our daily lives (with a particular focus on media and communication) and where it’s going in the future.

By listening to today’s LunchLearning.com episode, you’ll learn insight as to where Cisco feels the future of communication is, and how their R&D efforts might affect how we interact with one another in the next 10+years. I really enjoyed Padmasree’s engaging style, and she provides some great innovation fodder for technology newbies as well as those already in the business. She also tosses out a brief mention of Twitter (she is @Padmasree on Twitter) and emphasizes how companies need to enable these new collaboration tools entering the marketplace.

Make sure you stick around to the end of this one, she’s got some really great secrets to somewhat obvious lessons, but the application of these secrets are gems!

Great talk. Here are a few things you’ll learn in this presentation:

1. How millennials are already impacting the evolution of the “second” internet and the workplace in general
2. Asychronous vs. sysnchronous communication
3. Virtualization and cloud computing
4. Building/creating content to consume as a community (neat idea!) and interactive television
5. How countries are skipping the “fixed” internet and going directly to mobile communication and computing
6. Short mentions of some of science and technology’s trail-blazing women, including Ada Lovelace, credited as the world’s very first computer programmer.
7. What women need to do to continue to blaze trails using today’s technology AND old technology (communities), as well as the increasing role of listening, mentoring and transparency in life

From Padmasree’s Cisco bio: “Under Warrior’s leadership, Motorola was awarded the 2004 National Medal of Technology by the President of the United States, the first time the company had received this honor. Recently, the Economic Times ranked her as the 11th Most Influential Global Indian, and the United States Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce recognized her with its prestigious Excellence Award.

Warrior is also a strong and vocal advocate for women and minorities in math, science and engineering. In 2007, she was inducted into the Women in Information Technology International Hall of Fame, and received the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago Outstanding Woman of Achievement Award. She has been recognized as a role model by many organizations, including the Girl Scouts Illinois Crossroads Council, Notre Dame Girls High School, the South Asian Women Leadership Forum and as a Science Spectrum Trailblazer. In 2001 she was one of six women nationwide selected to receive the “Women Elevating Science and Technology” award from Working Woman magazine.”

Reading time: 1 - 2 minutes

Video Time: 26 minutes 43 seconds

Quick panel discussion with several Stanford alums who went on to do some pretty cool things as woman entrepreneurs. This one is from 2003. . .you’ll note that Gina Bianchini is now CEO of Ning.com. Panelists include: Jennifer Gill Roberts, Gina Bianchini, Melissa Parsons, Bette Pearlin, Varsha Rao.

The panel discusses work/life balance, challenges and opportunities for women in the workplace. Good panel discussion.