The Hero's Machete

[clearingtheherospath]

PLM stuff

Todd Lewis talking about the PLM process

Getting to engage with Market/Consumer insights (leverage my own language)

“Inspire” design to want to create, development to want to make.  B knows how to creatively inspire

“Meeting of the Minds” w design and development (post-brief) --> skills to navigate personalities, ego and build consensus, let out/grab leash

[clearingtheherospath]

Ideas for later

Science aspect of phys, biomech (Bowerman lab)

Scott from Columbia- global corporate responsibility

Columbia cross company opportunities, rethreads Columbia HK, Geneva I-CO - UK, Japan, German

[clearingtheherospath]

Brand week and Looptworks

In the first week we were treated to several presentation by Nike veterans around their early days in the company, often specific to defining the brand. There were a lot of amazing stories but what really stood out to me were two things:

The general excitement and emotions I saw in the faces of those people.  I could see they were looking back at their lives and careers and moved by what they had accomplished.  Furthermore, there seemed to be a parallel between this program and their experiences.  The much like in their early days, we don’t really know what we’re doing or what is going to happen...but we know we have an amazing new idea, and we’re doing SOMETHING special.  I literally saw them well up talking about it.  I want to be part of something like that, and this is my first opportunity in a long time to do so.  

More than anybody else, the story shared by Kevin Carroll was insipiring, this way and many others.  Our stories, while different in their details and intensity, run fairly parallel.  A ball too saved my life....or rather, when I lost it, I saw the effect it’s absence had on mine.  Conversely, when I found it the uptick was significant.  Like him, I want to inspire.

ACTIONS:

I will be reaching out Kevin shortly to share some of this with him and see if we can at the very least meet so I can pick his brain, and ideally, add him to my list of mentors in this.

The second instance of this spark (which will be mentioned at length in this journal) was when Scott Hamlin came to talk about his company Looptworks.  

I loved it because it was the perfect example of how business/industry can intersect with real innovation through simple ideas that can change the world, in this case sustainability.  Something scalable and translatable anywhere in the world and in a way that can truly make a difference, “move the needle”.

I took some notes shortly after that about what I was feeling and some ideas had.  I’d love to both meet with Scott personally and visit his shop.  Possibly for employment opportunities, but mostly to be inspired.  To be around people who think in this big picture way and in doing so, possibly catch wind of something similar through given degrees of separation.  I want to be inspired and the only thing keeping me from going all in on something like this is a winning IDEA.

ACTIONS:

I’ve got time with Nathan (professor who brought him in) to share some of those notes I took, some of the things I was feeling and find how how crazy I might be.  I’ll be sharing much of this with him and we’ll see what he says.

[clearingtheherospath]

Trying something new

This journal is at the suggestion of one of my amazing mentors.  She thought it would be a good idea to have a place to track the things that spark an interest, enflame my curiosity and get my heart pumping as I go through this program.  She’s also the person who pointed me in the direction of the Hero’s Journey as an outline for the path I now find myself on.  I don’t consider myself a hero, but there are parallels to be sure and ones that have stood the test of time, which in of itself is reassuring.  The title refers to the hope for how this journal might function.  To help clear the path as I walk it, illuminating the way through the weeds and brambles that nature has, and always will, provide.  It is up to me to watch my step and find the way through.  Buckle up, Frodo.