Wednesday
27Jan2010
My Journey from "Immigrant Success" to a "Broke American"...
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 4:38AM Ever since I made that video, I couldn't stop wondering: How did I manage to subside from this successful immigrant to my current state of a broke and unemployed american? What did I have then that I lost along the way? I would love to tap into "me" 18 years ago. That "me" inspires me to this day...
I started to look at what was before the success.
In Russia I was a director of a Youth Center.
My first job in America was a janitor at the YMCA...
My Russian friends - turned new entrepreneurs - parents of the kids from my center - called me for help with all sorts of requests since I was their trusted ally in the West...
One of such requests was to find a training program for freshly baked Russian businessmen. A crash course in Western Business, an EDP (Executive Development Program) of sort. I did.
It turned out to be a Mega success - with real contracts signed and a need to manage those... I opened an International trading company to assist my partners/clients. I lived in a tiny city in Upstate New York with a population half the number of my twitter followers. NOT an international hub of any significance.
Everybody, from my ex-husband to an attorney who incorporated my new company, was sceptical, but didn't try to talk me out of it. My ex's only words were - as long as it doesn't require any investment on your part - you can do it.
I guess compared to my last job, a nurse's aid, this adventure would at least make me feel more utilized... And it did. For 3 years.
The economic cataclysms in Russia caused my Russian partners to shut their businesses. Finding new clients proved impossible. I went to get an MBA.
The keys to success of my first venture were:
- people who trusted me fully
- people who fully RELIED on me - these two points were incredibly empowering
- my ability to "run with it"
- my ability to persuade and inspire western professionals to "give it a shot" and work with us
- NOT knowing what I wasn't supposed to do or say or be afraid of
- feeling like an important link, a part of a great team
Getting an MBA was the first of three major factors that I credit for stripping me of my natural abilities to make things happen, to "Manifest", to create circumstances where everything works out perfectly in spite of slim odds.
There was no way I could have created a business plan for my company like I was taught during the MBA program. It was not a pre-concieved venture. It was just a commitment to provide whatever assistance that was needed for my partners and clients. That WAS the business plan.
MBA teaches to Cover Your Assets. To justify every move - to convince investors, to convince the board, your manager, your customers. It teaches RISK Aversion. It teaches to talk the talk. I just love to listen to fresh MBA grads - they are dripping with "niche penetration strategies" and Porter's five forces analysis... They do talk a good talk - and that often what gets you hired.
"How to lead and inspire" is not a part of the curriculum. They do teach Leadership course - but reading case studies about great leaders is not teaching how to lead. "How to trust your gut" and "how to serve your clients as if their life depends on your service..." - how do you even teach that?
Only twice in my corporate career I engaged those skills. The last time was when Xerox put a freeze on all marketing spending - it was the best thing that happened.
Have you ever been in a city after a major snow storm, when everything is closed for three days - schools, roads, stores, businesses... A magic time when all the neighbors pull together and start helping each other to clean the snow, when they take turns hosting potluck meals...
When we got all the funds cut off, it felt like we were in a city after a snow storm. The group pulled together, we did a total "guerilla" stint, tapped into everybody's talents (regardless of job descriptions)... Our marketing collaterals looked nothing like an ad agency would produce, although we did comply with a thick branding guide... we generated leads and buzz... it was a highly spirited operation and the results were mind blowing...
And it wasn't enought to keep the group alive - we were all let go during the job cuts that followed...
So, back to an MBA, my first "stripping" agent - one way to descibe it - it teaches students how to be good square pegs that fit nicely into square holes. And there is nothing wrong with it - unless you are a round peg, that is.
I'll tell you about two other "agents" in my next posts. Be well - and please do share your thoughts and experiences... Thank you!
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