Creating Creators Internationally, part 3

Sergio, August 25, 2019

Creating Creators is hard work, but it’s work worth doing. The weeks of prep leading up to Festival Ñapita was not without its obstacles. One of the bigger challenges was building a relationship with the young aspiring entrepreneurs that I have come to adore. It turns out that youth are essentially the same regardless of where they live. 

Betzy and her crew from Dandelion Media quickly got to work with our workshops on branding, marketing, and investment. Of course there were levels of interest and disinterest. It was the disinterest that captured my attention, of course. Many liked the idea of coming up with their own brand, logo, and concepts, allowing them to stretch their creative muscles. But, when it came to the communication and investment portions of the workshops, there were a lot of furrowed brows, confused looks, and frustrated tempers.  When I asked why they felt this way, more often than not, it was because they didn’t know how to explain themselves. They didn’t have the words because they had never experienced the opportunity to

1. create something on their from their own interests
2. communicate in a way that allowed them to express their ideas
3. understand the value in explaining themselves to others and how that can benefit them.    

It was like pulling teeth to get them to speak. Most were able to overcome through coaching, and once given the incentive of more cookies, they started to step up to the plate.

As we progressed throughout the week, I realized another factor that contributed to the waxing and waning of interest. Our young entrepreneurs are accustomed to living in the now, as most youth are, but especially our young entrepreneurs whose lives are day by day, moment by moment. 

How can we utilize their “live in the moment” perspective as an asset? How do I take their ephemera, harness it for good, and begin to create creators in this group?