Exchanging Self for Others

It’s been exactly one month since Carrefour launched their No-Plastic-Bags campaign and we can safely say that 95% of customers are shopping with their own bags.

What made this program successful over there other attempts by supermarkets which failed.? What turned this program from an inevitable failure, the threat of shutting down the program to what we achieved to-date? It is ALL down to one simple practise and the insight of exchanging self for others. Let me explain why?

Most businesses work on the principle of looking at the bottom-line. They think along the lines of will it affect our profits? Will we loose custom as a result of this? Can we make money from this? In the case of Carrefour, like many other supermarkets or businesses for that matter, an altruistic intention like ‘Saving our Planet’ may be what lies in the hearts of of the managers and staff, but they still need to make sure that they don’t loose money and/or upset the customers. In Bali, where there customers are a mix of local Indonesians, expats and tourists, they response to this program was mixed.

The tourists from foreign countries where there is a massive government push on businesses to reduce their negative impact on the environment, they are already used to paying for plastic and/or bringing their alternative bag. This program is like home so for them they are non-effected by the program and for those who see the plastic waste everywhere, on the beaches, in the rivers, on the sides of the streets, they are happy to see the program with some of them saying that the program should have come in sooner.

For the expats who have made a move to the paradise island of Bali, and have realised the rapid destruction of their new home and have seen what little to no impact any Government legislation has had on inspiring businesses to take action, they are most relieved to see the program in action and are in strong support.

But for the locals who have such a positive emotion associated with plastic bags, and who use the free plastic bags for everything including storing things, cleaning up accidents (food spillages, construction hazards and the sort) and for throwing away their daily rubbish or garbage, it is a massive inconvenience. Plastic has been such a benefit to their lives, an evolution in the way they do things, from plastic bags for takeaways food such as soups and drink, to almost anything you can think of including, the most bizarre, adding a plastic bags to the deep-fry of their pisang goreng (fried banner) to make it taste better! Plastic has taken this society to a level of commerce that has been more than warmly welcomed. For this reason there are many positive feelings and emotions associated with it. And even though many people are aware of the negative impact it has on the environment, the positive feelings far outweigh this hence this market place took quite negatively to the “Stop Plastic to Save Our Environment” campaign.

What was needed was to find a way to enlighten the marketplace to the negative aspects of plastic to such a point that it would outweigh the positive aspects. This required the simple education of the fact that ‘Most plastics used in our daily lives contain additives which release toxins’ these toxins, as explained by World Health Organisation and other leaders from around the globe give a sever risk of cancer’. With this information almost all (though not ALL) were ready for an alternative and further more they we’re prepared to pay for it! And this is where we came in.

After months of engaging shoppers from Hardys and Carrafour supermarkets we surveyed and interviewed over 8000 shoppers to educate them on this fact and to find out exactly what alternatives they would like and the price they would be willing to pay for them. Once we came in to Carrefour, who were on the brink of closing down the program a feel in to it from all the aggressive and negative response they had from the marketplace, and we started enlightening shoppers to this fact, the customer complaints dropped by a massive 90%. The feeling now was more disappointment that the plastic once thought so useful, is a serious threat to their wellbeing. It still left the question not just “What’s my alternative?” but the questions “What are my alternativeS??” and “How much does it cost me?”

The journey is far from complete, and in response to this customer feedback, and in a step to engage and motivate the residents on Bali, Carrefour launched two programs:

1- The “New Green Bag Design” which has gone out to 50 international and national schools in a commitment to engage the marketplace to start thinking of alternative shopping bags when going out shopping to replace their use for plastic shopping bags.

2- “Create and Innovate” the Next Generation plastic in an attempt to get everyone thinking of the alternatives that can be used to replace ALL plastic use in their daily lives. the best and feasible ideas will be presented to head office for implementation.

They have also committed to a third program to enlighten people further of the value of the plastic they are throwing away and will be hosting a Green Eco treasure hunt day, where the rubbish collected from all areas, beaches, rivers, streets, will be sold for cash.

How did the ideas for all of these promising programs come about? Because for the first time in the history of these programs were based around the insight gained from ‘exchanging self for others’ and determining how to best help, benefit and truly benefit people on numerous levels.

For more information on how to help, benefit and truly benefit people and as to how your company, business or charity can create similar effective programs for that triple bottom-line experience visit http://www.regeneratingearth.net and http://www.mindfulbillionaire.com

 

The Proposal to End Poverty

The opportunity We have the cutting-edge technology and design program that can eliminate plastic waste in Badung within 1 year. This program will give birth to a cooperative organization who will maintain the holistic cycle of managing the plastic waste in Badung. 

The way to tap it to integrate a community-based waste collection program with a waste-to-pellet machine that increases the value of waste by 23% on currently recycled plastic waste but also creates a profit stream for ALL the remainder plastic. This means that the waste, which is currently not sellable and remains untouched by pumelungs can now be removed. This ability to sell the additional plastic is a sufficient process of waste collection at the moment making this community-based collections program a one-stop shop for the end of plastic waste on the island. This additional revenue that is made will go towards raising their salaries to around the minimum wage in Badung thereby alleviating poverty in the region.

The Current Situation. waste collectors get 2000-2500/kg of bottles and 1000 for motor oil bottles. For all other plastic including plastic bags they get 0 rps/kg

 

The Solution is the Machine. The machine is a waste-to-pellet machine that extrudes ALL plastic and forms pellets from all-plastic. These pellets can be sold at a higher price on the market than current waste per kilogram. 

– It is Korean made, twin cylinder extruder.

It requires standard maintenance once a month for 1-day downtime.

It manages ALL plastic, it produces more money and is 100% clean

 

The Solution is in the Co-Op  

 

As a Co-Op they get to benefit from bulk sales. Together with the machine they can sell all additional plastic including plastic bags (over 6million per day in Badung region alone). These exra, untapped monies will go to do better things including salaries.

 

1- From this not only do co-operasi members get monies for better salaries but they also they get to purchase uniforms, protective equipment, insurance. This will help raise to raise their image and personal dignity as they turn from regular pumulung to professional waste managers.

 

2- They also get top life-skills and entrepreneurship training so that they can maximize their abilities in the waste management sector, becoming more efficient and effective waste operators., collecting all the rogue waste that ends up on the beaches and near the temples. Once they are fully trained in this field, the same monies can be used to further develop their skillset in to organic farming sector. All training and management will be handled by successful Indonesian-British experts.

 

The potential of this program is that just from the same untapped funds the additional plastic the members of the co-operasi of other members of the poor can be taught further community-based activities,  such as organic farming, which benefit Badinage 

 

The Plan

Stage 1

To form a co-operasi build end destination for the plastic waste to be clean and processed in to pellets for export. This end destination building will be uniquely located on a major road and/or route and will have a drive-through so public could drop-off (hub) their plastic on the way to work or shopping.

 

Stage 2

To engage and direct plastic waste to the drop-off (hub) to support the clothes, life-skills training and increased salaries.

Media campaign for households, public, Banjar and society to engage in program.

 

 

Stage 3

Expansion drop-off (hub) locations, form other co-operasi including interested parties such as desa. And seek micro-financing with good returns to interested business people and investors for additional units 

 

What we need

A location for plastic management – 3000 m2 location to build a house for the machine/pelleting unit near a major road route to work and shopping

Clean water access

Electricity to run machine

Influence of government to private sector for legislation to participate in this program.

Waste plastic donations from companies and businesses who can use this program as part of the CSR program

Facilitation of program and support

2 LPG Trucks

 

  

The suggestions include

Drop-off locations on major routes to work and shopping thereby giving people ample opportunity to drop-off their waste plastic while daily transit. The trucks could collect from here and transport to the main collection facility.

 

Coupon as incentives to drop-off plastic Incentives include coupons from companies for food, clothes, books and stationary. Restaurants and hotels are also included here.

 

Better coupons for the already cleaned plastic as an incentive for the public to clean their own plastic

 

Coupons incentive for co-op members for food, clothes and school books

 

Uniforms and hygiene training for collectors so the image of waste collection is positively maximized and health risk is minimised

           

Zero entry co-op model so underprivileged people across the world can be instantly inspired to adopt similar models. Making this program instantly replicable across the world

 

Investment model for return so businesses, investors and the middle-class can make waste management an interesting viable investment

 

Training to International standards with the option for online training so the rest of the world can be inspired to take up waste management instantly.

 

The result will be well-trained waste management and Mindful Entrepreneur experts who can train other underprivileged people to earn the minimum wage and more, with the entire country having a genuine interest in managing their waste properly. The world inspired to manage waste and regenerate the planet.

 

The exciting stuff The same individuals with increased salary can reinvest monies they earn in to other pressing issues on the island to tap additional markets such as community based farming, community desalination of seawater and community clean water programs.

 

 

 

 

 

Who we are

 

Regenerasi Bali Yayasan is a foundation set-up to tackle pressing social and environmental issues on Bali in engaging and profitably motivating models for sustainable success – Mindful Entrepreneurship.

 

H.H. Ida Pedenda Sebali as the Head of the Committee

 

Bapak Agus Mantik former Chairman of the World Hindu Parisada comes onboard as Co-Founder as the Spiritual Elder for the programs success.

 

Bapak Amir Rabik Honorary Consule of Spain in Bali, Lombok and Leser Sunda, Foudner of Alam TV focusing on Environemntal Media. Amir comes on-board of this project as Co-Founder for Strategic Development

 

Alan Bywaters former CSR adviser and leadership trainer to businesses on how to turn problematic CSR expenses in to profitable revenue models. Alan comes on board the Yayasan as Commander.

Alan Bywaters is responsible for team and leadership trainer to empower regular waste collectors to become successful sales and marketing agents for plastic waste management

 

 

“From Badung We FREE Bali, From Bali We FREE the World”

Waste Plastic to Profits From Zero Co-Operation

What if I told you that you could make money right now? Good money. What if I told you there was a new resource available right now that can be tapped? What if I told you that it is a $100 Bn dollar market? Would you be interested?

Now that I have peaked your attention, let me share with you what the modern gold mine is right now waiting to be tapped……….WASTE!

That’s right the waste from the organic material and all the waste plastic that we create is available right now to be tapped and cleverly directed to make a considerable amount of money. This waste can literally end poverty around the world! It’s just that it needs to be done in a clever way. In the following paragraphs I will share with you the program that is rapidly changing the face of Bali where our pilot project lies.

The current situation in Bali is that the waste plastic is already being collected by the lowest of the low Indonesians (outside of the class systems). They collect about 10kg each a week and earn themselves a mere 300,000 – 500,000 rps (less than $30 -$60) per month! If they stop collecting so does their wages and they perish. What if there was a system that could create an automated, residual income that cleverly collects all the waste and gives them a near minimum salary profit.

There is such a system! It is called the waste co-operation to alleviate poverty.

It involves the collaborative efforts of many waste collectors and the engagement and motivation of an entire society to support the program. With money, with skills with effort I hear you cry, actually only with the simple choice of giving them their waste. Let me explain further….

A collective of well trained waste collectors

We are in the process of bringing waste collectors together to channel their waste through one organisation. They can sell this waste per kg. The first step is that they get sales and negotiation training so they can generate stream of waste plastic coming to them. They sell this plastic directly to a waste buyer. The difference here is that they can make 100% more profit in bulk and can save the difference they would make compared with selling their 10kg.

Why save the money? Because they can make more money if the plastic is converted in to a different format. The money saved goes towards this machine. 

Once the machine is bought and owned by the community co-operative they can benefit from the higher rates of the plastic to play for higher salaries. These salaries work out close to the minimum wage of 1.2m rps which is 300% increase in their salaries.

Now for the sexy part, these same sales and negotiation staff are trained in further skills such as leadership and mindful entrepreneurship (sustainable profits from tackling pressing social and environmental issues) such as this program. This not only gives them valuable skills to grow and develop a mindful business, but it is the ultimate attractor of waste for corporate CSR programs. Meaning that they will win over waste plastic deals from businesses on the island. This can double and triple their waste collection! foreigners on the island are also very eager to support this program. Though we’re still left with the 98% of locals who are still trying to break the poverty line and are only motivated if there is some benefit for them.

This is where the additional profits go, towards this incentivisation through coupons and deals for needed products such as food, clothes, books, electronics etc. Where do we get this from? The same businesses who want to support this program through their CSR marketing sector.

With the inclusion of programs such as strategically drop-off locations waste will start to come to the collectors as opposed to them having to go out and collect it meaning that the amount of staff needed for the program is required, and existing co-op members get to benefit from the same wages with less working effort. Easy money!

This program also leaves them with powerful skills to tackle other pressing social and environmental issues in the same way. Green skilled workers and investors!

The beauty about this program that I like, is that ANYONE, I mean anyone can start this program and from ZERO money investment. Just the power of choice and creative thinking!

Alan Bywaters

Mindful Entrepreneur

Mindful Entrepreneurs and businesses are the future face of business on earth!

Alan’s Seven Stages of Life

“At first the infant incapable of satisfying self or fending from fear,

And then the annoying schoolkid who wants more and develops even more fears

And then the lover yearning to be held with passion and desire, or just have fun 😉

And then the businessperson eager to succeed and ready to fight for pride and honour

And then the successful businessperson feeling something is missing in life, no money can fill

And then the giver only that person knows not how to give having spent a lifetime of taking

And then the trainer, ready and willing to impart precious wisdom and knowledge

And then then contentment, inner peace and happiness when their students become masters and go forth to do good business

And then the fullest realisation, a genesis of mind as the person sees their once students become empowered to pass on skills that benefit all. The deepest state of inner peace – of mind (and body) no other state can surpass.”

People are at different stages of development. A great leader, mentor and coach knows how to help, benefit and truly benefit each person at each stage or at least that’s what I’m told.

It’s difficult sometimes especially in a country where a different system rules. It’s even more difficult to get the support of the 4 million people that live on this island to take care of an island, knowing that if they don’t it will collapse. Perhaps in months!

Two months of the ‘Help ME Save Bali’ and we got 300 supporters. ‘ME’ in this case refers to the businesses who are part of our donation program. They give us a small donation for everyone on our card who supports their business. A referral scheme only in the form of a donation. ‘300’ People! Come on! Bali is on the brink of melt down. With disease on the rise from the over 26 illegal dumpsites, hotels illegally tapping water off the system and sewage being pumped directly in to the rivers, Bali once in the top 5 of holiday destinations worldwide has turned in to the largest dump and no-one seems to be doing anything about it. Any efforts seem to be just a blimp in the big picture.

So a change of tact was important. a lot of research and one more month later we have our answer. The general take on the problems are two-fold: 1- they love plastic because it’s an innovation, they can do so much more with it than they could back in the day of the banana-leaf wrapper; and 2- they are two bothered with their day-to-day survival than they are of caring for their environment. A stage of evolution we were at probably 60 years ago. It’s not that they’re backward, it couldn’t be further from the truth, it’s more accurate to call it a time-warp. A step in to the mind’s of those who are just starting to have the opportunities to enjoy electronics.

Understanding this and finding a way for them to support requires a different incentive. One much more like a competition, “Eat and Win” to be specific. Every time they eat at a participating restaurant, on a particular day, they get a chance to win a blackberry, or iPad2 or iPhone, you get the gist. How does this save Bali, well it doesn’t directly, but the restaurants who participate in the program have to commit to using 100% Biodegradable bags instead of plastic bags. Since 98% of the garbage comes from waste from these ‘warungs’ (Indonesian style restaurants).

So in summary: The people who realise that they have the choice and can support a business that helps the environment refers to those at one stage of evolution. And the people who only care about what’s in it for them and are motivated to support a business on the off-chance that they’ll win a highly desired piece of electronics, are at another stage.

So far, in Bali I have identified at least five different stages of evolution people seem to be at, and each of these people need one of five basic programs to motivate them to do something positive for the environment. These stages are not too different from those of a businessman only slightly more complicated.

Alan

The Mindful Entrepreneur

The Co-Op as a Regenerative Force

Imagine working 10 hours a day for less than a dollar. Imagine having to fend for yourself without the luxuries of accomodation, food or clean water. Imagine society not even giving you a class status because you’re simply that low.

Welcome to the world of the majority percentage of people I’m living amongst. Yet these are the very same people who are responsible for collecting the waste. the very same waste that’s threatening life on Bali.

The program in a completely incentivised program for people to improve their living conditions and go through the hurdles of learning in order to achieve the dream they want.

This is how it works (it’s current stage of development)

Our system promises that people can make a lot of money, a considerably more than the current collect and sell model they are subscribed to at the moment. This system not only promises but encourages subscribers to find their own way of attaining the promise.

We then provide the system, the tools, the experts to coach and mentor the participants to realise and develop powerful skills to what can effectively tackle any social and environmental problem sustainably. The market is over $100 Billion. And it’s leaders will be people who truly care for the earth.

How this can be done from zero. In the proposed system, we start off by offering the same rate as a traditional waste buyer. There is a critical earning point which most people aim for, that just enough to eat, sleep, and perhaps save a very little. By winning contracts and the support of the local people within the class system who clearly feel for the situation these people live in, they can get easy collection options which give them their basic sustenance. With the same amount of effort they are able to get the same amount of money and even more, thereby giving them money to save.

This saved money is banked to by a machine that will process more types of plastic in to another commodity which can be again be sold. Result easier job, more waste collected, more money made.

The next stage is to buy another machine that process the same amount of plastic in to items that have greater value than what can be made per kilogram. Result, even more money made and banked.

The final stage is to save up to buy a machine that can process all waste* (exc metals, glass, ceramic and stone)

End result, poor become richer, more middle class take concern over the business of waste, people are self motivated and self educated, the land in cleaned 100%. Ok 99%.

With the precious mindful entrepreneurship training, these same people can go out to tackle other pressing environmental issues and save the planet and people on it. Expected time frame to regenerate the planet? As immediate as people get wind of this program.

The Mindful Entrepreneur

Help, Benefit and Truly Benefit Others for the type of success you truly imagine

Time To Surf

There is something to be said about the times we are living in. It’s interesting to see how great creative ideas gather traction for a short while then seem to fade out like a shooting star in the midnight sky.

It doesn’t mean that the ideas are any less good than they we’re before. Instead it’s the mindset that needs to go with it and how I choose to focus, tune in and ride the star. Perhaps a bit like the way a surfer catches the wave, performs his/her magic, before the wave changes form on the beach and returns back to the sea mass.

There’s no doubt that the range of creative ideas and projects that are happening in the Regenerating Earth (RE) program are REAL. They are more than just ideas thrown around a table, thought about and admired. These are real actionable activities which will aid the change making.

Perhaps I’m missing forgetting the approach here. Everyone is trying to educate, inspire or muscle change. Perhaps my approach though considerate , engaging and minimal effort as it is, is nothing more than the same as asking people to adopt change. And if my Tibetan Buddhist teacher is right and though everything changes, people very rarely change at there core, then maybe it is I who is approaching this all wrong.

Maybe I need to see people as waves, and it is I who needs to catch them with my surf board as the activities of RE and my knowledge and skills to navigate the environment.

What does that mean in practical terms? It means I need to find the movers and shakers and get them onboard the program. It also means I need to find a way to plug in to people’s life’s. I have always had the Karma of people running off with my ideas.

If I could get people running off with the ideas to benefit the people and the planet and that somehow helps save the world then great! Right? From a business perspective I need to find a way that it all points back to the core ‘Mindful Entrepreneurship’ because that’s where the real magic lies. All the rest that is the projects within the Regenerating Earth program are creative ideas around a mindful framework that less than 1% of the population know and maybe less than 10 people in the world use, including myself.

I know you’re wondering how out of 6.8 Bn people on the planet I could have come up with that statistic, and you are right to wonder. I go from the 200,000 + people I’ve met in person, and I can honestly say that I’ve met less than ten people who I can say are truly selfless – (probably not even that much). The mathematicians amongst us will quickly see that that works out to much less than 1% from my experience. considering I haven’t met everyone in the world I’m in hope that I will be proved in seeing this figure and a gross underestimate.

Anyway whatever the figure is, it’s time to surf!

The Mindful Adopter

 

Just need to do it a Million Times

Today we make $3.5 dollars in commissions from four of us who ate at a restaurant for lunch. Minus what will be 10% commission for the moment, that $3.15 towards a a pressing social and environmental issue.

In Indonesia that’s the equivalent of a day’s wage. I could have approx three meals (without drinks) or one and half full tanks of petrol or one meal and a tack of petrol on that. As far as donating the money to the needed billions to tackling pressing social and environmental issue, it doesn’t make a dent. Come to think of it, donating billions makes a substantial dent but it doesn’t solve problems.

People changing their outlook and they way they behave based upon what they believe makes a lasting sustainable change. And in many cases this change cannot be forced. It needs to be self-realised. Though it is important to keep in mind that while people are going to be busy self-realising they are going to need to support themselves and their families.

So the projects we need to undertake are:

1- Provide jobs so they can sustain their livelihoods.
2- Provide funds for pressing issues
3- Offer programs for them to become self-realised
4- Offer programs for them to generate Mindful Profits.

Where to get the finances from?

1- For the jobs we can get that from the production of Mindful goods, Banner Bags; Bags for life etc
2- For the education we can use the funds raised at the supporting businesses
3-Provide opportunities for those with the entrepreneur instinct

How to get the money? Do the same activity just did, 1m times over in short order.

Easy :S

Small Steps To Move Mountains

I know it’s been over 3 months since I last posted and I can only ask for your forgiveness and patience. There has been numerous occasions where I have  wanted to or felt the urge to post but haven’t been able to summon the mind space or energy. I only hope that i can at least give you an entertaining and inspiring update since my last post and I will summarise in various areas of my life first before telling you where I am to date.

In the field of love and relationships: I have to say it hasn’t been easy but pulling away from what was practically hell has been necessary more than what I wanted to do. I have no doubt as I did then, that I love her. But it reached a point where I couldn’t trust what she was telling me. She was highly abusive towards me and she chose to go to Hong Kong to have sex for money than to stay with me. It wasn’t easy but the logic won and I pulled myself away from her never having once contacted her though I have thought about her often. In the last month I took up Chi Kung again and I have been able to reground and centre myself. The last week I can actually feel the ability to love and care for people again. The conclusion I now rest in is that one should develop unconditional love for someone, and let the head determine the best way forward. There was no doubt I was conflicted with her (my head telling me that she isn;t fit for a real relationship and that she doesn’t love me and my heart telling me that she’s the best feeling in the world) and conflicted when apart (my head telling me this feels better but my heart missing her so much). Today I rest in thought that I should love, just don’t fall in love.

In the field of TEDxMtAgung. It developed from an idea to jsut bring over top speakers in to a four part program which starts with gathering the voice of the leaders on the island and ends with a Future of The World in Bali Expo. The first event went very successfully. We even managed to get an after hours bar sponsor though only five us turned up. To think of the response a free drink with canopies would have yielded in London. We would have had to hire extra security just to keep those who got wind of the free drinks out! I will work to encourage more people to turn up next time with some earlier promotion next time.

In the field of Regenerating Earth. We successfully launched our first tourist engagement product and over 85% (855 people out of 1000) positively responded to the product and said they would definitely support the businesses. Report from businesses was that not one person handed in the coupon! Could it be because people couldn’t find the locations? Could it be because there were no numbers on the coupons? Could it be that they just got whisked away in the atmosphere in Bali and forgot about it or just felt it was easier to go to the next restaurant to eat??? The truth is I don;t know, but all areas of possible failure points could be improved and enhanced to make better. One great thing that came out of this was that it set me thinking how we could support these businesses while we work through the bugs, and thats where our next program was launched. Introducing……

The Local Support Program. OK so we’ve asked businesses to give 10-30% of the profits from the groups of people we drive to them back towards a pressing social and environmental cause -to which they have agreed! We now will drag people over to their facilities to enjoy their products and services and the afternoon around the pool. We just enjoy ourselves and any freebies thrown in then from whatever we spend monies go to a pressing cause! At the small numbers this can have a small impact on the large scale it can generate enough money to eradicate all the problems on the island and regenerate it to the No.1 destination spot perhaps globally!

On the note of giving money to tackle pressing social and environmental issues. Throwing money at issues does not solve problems. We know this. I say we, many people know this. When I was helping the Dalai Lama’s Library of Sound and Archive in India 8 years ago I was assist with the archiving process.

The process that was currently in place was the storing of data on standard compact discs. From experience I knew that the information on CDs degenerates over the space of 2 years and are extremely prone to damage. So after contacting the experts in the field we came up with a system that would yield the magic and give us best chances of survival of the data. I put a proposal together for close to $350,000.

The existing sponsors associated with the Prince’s Trust were worried about the black holes charities create. The more money they put in the more money that’s needed. So we were asked to find ways to seal black holes. We came up with revenue streams of products that could support ongoing needs i.e. a self-sustaining charitable organisation. The money we would raise would in effect become seed capital.

Since then I have been able to develop the model in to more than just that, but a model that not only generates profit for sustainability, but creates profits that can be used to ‘invest’ in to other pressing social and environmental issues to generate profits for the investor and self-sustaining profits for the organisations. A Pay-It-Forward method of profits from positive social and environmental activities. This has become the Mindful Entrepreneurship training we know offer as a program to any of the organisations we work with. We also offer the same training for businesses which focus on improving and optimising CSR and marketing activities for profitable returns as well as internal processes which maximise team performance and generate greater profits.

In the field of regrouping and time for self: After the major activities TEDx, tourist engagement program, local support engagement program, and avoiding the conflicting feelings of my recent break-up I needed time to let steam off. The business nor my wallet could afford it, but nor could either afford me to continue on the way I was now rapidly disintegrating. I took time out in my room most of the time, went running, climbing, did Chi Kung and regained my own spin. Feeling better it was time to push on!

In the field of Creativity & Innovation: There are loads of programs I am working on simultaneously with a number of different people. I am getting people to own the concept of Regenerating Bali. I know that in Asia, and Bali is no exception, that people will steal profitable ideas. This project has been designed with that in mind, in fact I want people to take on the project and feel they own it. A lot of different applications of the overall programs owned and replicated. End result, Bali is Regenerated. My interest in all of this work, people are trained to become Mindful Entrepreneurs.

The programs so far: ‘End Poverty now’ a program focused around Community Based Tourism and Mindful Entrepreneurship. I have introduced the model of how Poverty on the Island can be eradicated with the investment of just one bamboo house for an investment of $3000 US. The ME program provides the model for that to happen.

Creativity & Innovation program to take the existing Bali Clean & Green Road Map and determine the best, ideal and possible solutions to implement on the island.

The Future Leaders Program: A social media creativity & innovation program to engage minds to contribute to ideas for possible solutions to make these visions come alive. The results of these programs are highlighted at the TEDx MtAgung event.

Current Programs: Bin your butts; recycle your banners; business cross-promotion ‘no to plastics’ campaign; Balinese Back to the Front; Balinese Capitalism (Entrepreneurship); University Interns Program- Mindful Entrepreneurship; Eco-Tourism program.

Programs to come: The Best Workplace campaign; ‘The Future of Medical Services campaign’; ‘The Future of Education –University & Schools’; ‘Traffic pollution – Electric; Air compressor; hydrogen’; ‘Clean Water’; ‘Marine Program’

The good news about all of these programs, is that as long as we do something about it all of these programs can be realised just a small step at a time.

Exciting days really! To think if I had stayed down the last 5 times I was knocked down.

Slow and gradual. Each day is a step closer. To the top of the mountain.

 

So Close Yet Moving Further Away By the Minute

Almost tow and half months ago now, I was in the middle of a personal life catastrophe with the promise of a book to be published this September.

Today I am so far away from completing the book it has me questioning am I on the right route?

Let me break it down for you. Two and a bit months ago when I was told that the book was a go, I sat back in my room, lying on the hard-tiled floor challenging myself, “If the book really is what it’s worth I should be able to apply the techniques in it and get myself out of this hole.”

By shifting my focus I started to ask the questions how can I think outside of my own suffering and start exchanging myself for others and their needs all with no money.

It let me on to interviewing, writing, editing and designing a magazine by myself in four days. This developed in to one of the first value-added pamphlets which worked exceedingly well as a market engagement tool and CSR marketing opportunity for companies to get involved in. This further developed in to a recyclable carry bag, rucksack and biodegradable plastic to offer to large businesses who through the purchase of these products

The next steps are to design an innovative infrastructure to run the entrepreneurial activities at the moment while raising funds for pressing social/environmental needs. As no social entrepreneur rating or business classification exists out here there is only the option of setting up a business to charge for products and services rendered plus a charity (or Yayasan) to manage some of the revenue models.

The revenue models are two fold:

1- A percentage share option much like an agent would get and diverting some of these funds at this stage to a pressing social/environmental issue of the companies choice, or

2- to charge for the publication in a threefold manner: 1/3 for the actual printing costs, 1/3 for the charity, and 1/3 for the company to grow and train people.

Either way there are little profits for the main company at large, at the moment, but the key here is to profit in large numbers, many businesses involved with many commissions and sales coming in.

Which ever way the company goes the accounting will become complex and so the challenge will be (and there is a duty upon the company) to keep all financials clear and transparent.

After further collaboration with businesses we have had some quality recommendation and found a market niche/ further business opportunity.

The pamphlets themselves will become a waste burden. Though reduce from a 38 page glossy magazine, the idea here is to be fully congruent and rise to the challenges.

Ideas of recyclable bags, biodegradable plastic and cardboard butt bins have all bin suggested. Plus a need to recycle banners which lots of companies use here to promote their business. Once used these banners end up in the illegal dump.

In response we are so far ahead with the design of the pamphlet and almost extinguished our good will factor so we need to print these glossy value-added units which will later contribute to the growing waste problem -potentially 10,000 little additional problems. As a compromise I have committed to clean up 1 million waste products while we work diligently on pushing the more eco-friendly bages.

We will also work to implement the phase of marketing that will be a keeper amongst the market. This will not only be super beneficial for the client but will also give further reach of marketing for the businesses. Triple win.

In an effort to stop people throwing their cigarette butts on the beach/on the floor I have found a cool simple butt bin specially designed for the beach and we can start marketing with those until the butt bins I worked with Green Police at Glastonbury come out here to reproduce.

Also in an effort to recycle the banners, I have approached a local Balinese business and asked them to present this to their Banjar in an effort to create bags which will be sold back to businesses and sold on to customers. This will create entrepeneurs and help adjust the social economic welfare of the local villagers.

Together with an incentive program for businesses by offering the ‘Mindful Entrepreneur Approved’ Award we can start to build a system that businesses can work towards achieving within their business to create the ideal workplace culture for success in today’s climate.

After having done this extensive market engagement/research program I have also identified a number of green business opportunities.

It might be time to clone myself. Anyone in to stem cell research?

The Mindful Loner

A New Form of Capitalism

From what started out as a magazine for the working girls, poor and homeless to use in order to make a descent living has turned in to something very different. Here lies an outline of it’s evolution.

Once the first edition of the magazine was completed the level of social and environmental impact was readdressed as was the level of the value it has to the customer. As a result it was determined that the amount of glossy paper involved only contributes to the overall waste problem both around Bali and globally and that market research with tourists would be necessary to see what they want.

The result is a one page pamphlet with offers from local companies and useful everyday info for the tourist out and about on the one side. And on the other eco-tours with examples of products being made by villagers together with campaign promotions.

With this businesses were engaged to give the value-added offer. A simple discount and/or revenue share was agreed with a number of prominent companies along the main tourist track. With this further market research was done as well as further exploration on the social environmental impact of the pamphlet.

The result an enhanced pamphlet with a greater product offering, a giveaway hand-made shopping bag with the logos of the participating companies on the side, a giveaway butt-bin so people don’t throw their non-biodegradable butts on the beach and a distribution model that gets to every tourist on the island.

During the process, there has been identification of gaps in the marketplace which can generate some considerable money.

These monies will go directly to operational costs and the profits that come out of the business will in part go to further grow the business and the other portion will go to pressing social environmental issues. This profit share will vary from either a 1-99% going to the business and visa-versa. This scale will be dependent on the pressing needs at the time as well as the needs of the business. In an ideal world, both are equally as important.

As the process is a continual one the engagement and implementation of people’s suggestions and ideas, development, creativity and innovation hasn’t stopped there. But for the time being this is where it’s at.

How’s it going in your part of the world?

The Mindful Innovator