Ignite

IGNITE is having the opportunity to manifest your Purpose and your meaningful achievements as a living story that sparks the evolution of a larger story.

When we IGNITE, we recruit others in service of a compelling purpose and our Vision.

Breakthrough happens when the alignment of the IMAGINE, IMPROVE and INSPIRE stages consolidates as a new set of empowering behaviors, allowing the follower to become a Leader who recruits by example to IGNITE.

This path to recruitment seems to works for causes, religions, social movements and corporations (through their brands and social behavior). Their purpose and goals might differ, but it seems that the Human Mind needs IGNITION: to see the larger vision and then the stepping-stones to engage, follow, support and ultimately lead in concert with others.

IGNITE is doing more for others, creating a path for others to follow.

As INDIVIDUALS, we can devote ourselves to a craft, create important and valuable contributions and at the same time develop a sense of being an inspiration, of mobilizing others, of creating a legacy. Our behavior IGNITES others to act.

As CORPORATE LEADERS, we can ensure that the corporate values invite everyone in the organization to promote social responsibility internally and externally, focusing on how we project “Who we are, What we do, Why and for Whom and Why it matters.” The corporate behavior as a citizen and as a neighbor is what can IGNITE the belief that generating profits is as important as the loyalty and wellbeing of those we serve.

As ACTIVISTS or members of a MOVEMENT, we can be the catalysts of awareness, activation and mobilization to IGNITE change. Think of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Cesar Chavez, Betty Friedan, Susan B. Anthony, Greta Thunberg and many others through history who took a stance and considered that it was time for them to act. Thousands and millions of others, shifting the way they felt thought and behaved on behalf of positive change, gradually shared their personal convictions and values.

AN EXAMPLE CLOSE TO HOME:

As Guillermo Vilas and Gabriela Sabatini accomplished their extraordinary records as tennis champions, they ignited the desire and aspirations of thousands of Argentine children who, for the first time, considered tennis as a tool to pursue excellence, travel the world and explore a career in professional sports. They became inspiring references about the power individual ambition and commitment.

• Vilas and Sabatini ignited a conversation in Latin America about talent development, possibilities and allocation of resources to create a path for many youngsters to be able to play. Tennis became a vehicle for personal and collective progress while the economy allowed it. The tennis market in Argentina went from 300,000 players to 3 million players in a few years.

• I was part of that generation: Guillermo Vilas’s success encouraged me to train harder and become a teaching pro. Delusional or not, my decision to quit Medicine and emigrate to the United States to restart my life as a tennis pro had a lot to do with Vilas’s standing in the world. Later, being part of Gabriela’s greatest success (her victory at the U.S. Open in 1990, her only Grand Slam Championship) was the pinnacle of my teaching career. Her achievement ignited the passion of many women for the game around the world.

• They both led by example, doing what they did best: competing at the highest level of excellence. They showed the way and many followed for over four decades. The positive and negative lessons of the “tennis boom” in Argentina are applicable to other initiatives in other industries where enthusiasm and desire require the support of systematic planning and consistent investment to endure.

Beyond What You Can Do: Recruiting Others

Your story of personal transformation is your greatest tool. By becoming a leader who ignites, you can have impact on others beyond your record of achievement:

• You can design New Breakthrough: The result of seeing that The Glass is Full and Half is the alignment of Achievement, Fulfillment and Meaning in your life. The framework of Designing Breakthrough enables your positive results. Once you learn it, you can continue to analyze the present, imagine the future, manage your ideal performance state and execute your new Breakthrough Blueprint to attain extraordinary goals. It’s a process that never ends.

• You can build Your Legacy: Most of my clients latch on to Peak Performance Training (doing the right things, doing things better), yet ultimately evolve into leaders who IGNITE action and leave a powerful legacy. Like them, you can create a pathway or concept that transcends time and engages others to participate in positive change.

IGNITE - Inviting others to join a worthwhile Quest

Between the 4th and 12th centuries, Christian religious leaders understood how to recruit towards a vision of eternal life by engaging followers with a framework: the cathedral.

I've always been fascinated by the architecture of the ancient cathedrals and temples I've visited in Europe. Despite their intimidating exterior, (I don't like tall buildings of any kind), I find most of them mysteriously welcoming and enthralling on the inside. However, I find the Vatican oppressing, and this contrast in feelings has always intrigued me.

According to a variety of historical studies, the builders of the cathedrals focused on specific numbers with Biblical significance at the conceptual stage to calculate the proportions (such as 144 - the celestial number, the DNA of the building).

Their intention was to construct a vehicle to connect people to the concept of God through a sensory experience, as many could not read, write or understand Latin. The height, shape and materials - such as the incredibly thin and enormous stained glass windows and the vaulted ceilings - allowed ordinary people to experience Heaven on Earth, impacting all their senses through light, sound, chants, incense smells and ritualized movements.

The experience sought the submission of the ego to the sense of something greater than the individual. American scholar and mythologist Joseph Campbell suggested that if we can go beyond the imposing exterior, sculptures, gargoyles and enter a cathedral, we've interpreted the message correctly: "Go beyond the fear. Venture forth and embrace your spiritual journey of transformation."

From one to the many, forever

Catalonian architect Antoni Gaudi was a genius and a rarity in every sense: as an architect without blueprints, as a man of deep faith and as a passionate innovator who sought to IGNITE by leaving an extraordinary legacy to the world. La Sagrada Familia is an allegory of the power of the creative spark that ignites thousands of others sparks to sustain the message of community and collaboration in service of the sacred in all of us.

When he died suddenly in 1926, the building remained unfinished. It will be completed by 2026, thanks to the effort of multiple generations and hundreds of people who’ve contributed in service of the vision. Leaders who IGNITE understand that they might not see the result of their impulse in their lifetime. It takes a gripping and precise Vision, a design and a sense of Legacy to make such invitation.

There are many spectacular examples of sacred buildings designed with similar purposes in the major religions: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism. Their architecture speaks to the visitor and invites contemplation, reflection, engagement and action. These buildings IGNITE the hearts and minds of people through an experience that can transform their identity and way of being in the world.

Caveat: I'm aware that there is a parallel interpretation of the imposing presence of religious temples. It considers them “totalitarian architecture,” for its purpose might be to intimidate the visitor into surrendering to the deity, for the ego to submit to the concept of a superior being. Some people might admire the ornate art and offerings displayed in temples through centuries, yet they might be turned off by the expense involved in maintaining them, as well as the controversial history of organized religions.

IGNITE - Become a temple of resilience for others

I will always remember the North and South windows of Notre Dame that took my breath away. The ancient cathedral partially burned down on April 15, 2019. The fire destroyed a portion of the building but not its essence nor the symbol.

The burned structure now resembles Humanity's quest: constantly devastated by uncontrollable forces, yet always aspiring to survive and reassert itself.

Notre Dame will be rebuilt, hopefully as an updated symbol for our times and future generations, so its message endures: the invitation of spirituality, wholeness and holiness has always been to become a full human being in proximity with others and those whom we don't yet know. In other words, a call to become an even better civilized society.

Nearly 900 years after it was built, what has the Notre Dame fire ignited in the collective hearts and memories of the world?

• What deeper understanding helps us move forward beyond the physical presence of the building?

• How do we answer to Who we are, What we do, why and for whom… and Why it matters ?

• When a catastrophe hits the world, such as the 2020 pandemic, what helps us survive, bounce back and rebuild and overcome? Where are our core factors of resilience?

The Notre Dame fire could be interpreted as a call to embrace the impermanence of life and for each human "to be a cathedral" - a temple of sanctuary and resilience for others.

We can be such refuge in a variety of ways:

• Understanding how we are a contribution every day is the first step

• Having clarity about how we create new value through our services and products generates trust and confidence

• Inviting diversity and educating the public and clients on how to live better and prosper promotes community

• Promoting dialogue and creative interactions to solve critical social problems at the local and regional level

• Donating time and money to causes, as well as investing personal time in mentoring, teaching, networking and supporting political leaders who can be temples of sanctuary and resilience for others themselves, at a larger scale

• Funding entrepreneurial initiatives and supporting philanthropic causes ensures that more people can come from the periphery to the center of society

• Aligning the corporate values with contributions to social development and justice fortifies the belief of others in our vision and recruits them to proudly continue our work

• Acting as a fully engaged citizen and ensuring that governments and administrations remain free of corruption and respect the Constitutional and Civil Rights of all people is also being a temple of sanctuary and resilience for others

How are we an Invitation to IGNITE?

IGNITE highlights the concept of recruiting towards a Vision through a framework and achieving transcendence into the future.

How do we invite IGNITION in others? What type of transcendental experience does our promise involve? Those who say “Yes” to the Vision must have clarity about the Purpose, the Direction, the Task, the Results, the Impact and the Rewards.

Inviting others to IGNITE means making everyone we recruit towards the Vision feel safe, engaged, participating as a contribution, having a stake in the result.

We must help IMAGINE a better future, elicit the desire to IMPROVE by developing empowering habits and ultimately INSPIRE through positive actions to provide new value and better serve the needs of the world.

Stepping into such journey is not easy: it requires leaving our comfort zone, our tightly held prejudices to learn and to confront our limitations. Yet, the payoff are growth, empowerment and the opportunity to lead by example - and we might not have to do it alone.

The Power of the Marginal

The following is an excerpt of an essay by Paul Graham from June 2006.

“You're on the right track when people complain that you're unqualified, or that you've done something inappropriate. If people are complaining, that means you're doing something rather than sitting around, which is the first step. And if they're driven to such empty forms of complaint, that means you've probably done something good.

If you make something and people complain that it doesn't work, that's a problem. But if the worst thing they can hit you with is your own status as an outsider, that implies that in every other respect you've succeeded. Pointing out that someone is unqualified is as desperate as resorting to racial slurs. It's just a legitimate sounding way of saying: we don't like your type around here.

But the best thing of all is when people call what you're doing inappropriate. I've been hearing this word all my life and I only recently realized that it is, in fact, the sound of the homing beacon. "Inappropriate" is the null criticism. It's merely the adjective form of "I don't like it."

So that, I think, should be the highest goal for the marginal. Be inappropriate. When you hear people saying that, you're golden. And they, incidentally, are busted.”

IGNITE - Change happens when you reach Critical Mass

The change adoption curve reveals the Power of the Marginal. Change progresses from the left margin of the curve to the center, gradually approaching critical mass.

Critical mass is the minimum amount of something required to start or maintain any project or venture. Any movement or venture has to reach critical mass to carry on and succeed.

“A new study about the power of committed minorities to shift conventional thinking, designed and led by Damon Centola, associate professor in the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania, sought to determine what percentage of total population a minority needs to reach the critical mass necessary to reverse a majority viewpoint. The tipping point, they found, is just 25 percent. At and slightly above that level, contrarians were able to “convert” anywhere from 72 to 100 percent of the population of their respective groups. Prior to the efforts of the minority, the population had been in 100 percent agreement about their original position.” [Adapted from from Scientific American online]

Your commitment, persistence and conversion rate might persuade the large chunk of the population, after which the process gains momentum.

In business, critical mass is market influence that attracts investment and provides respectability. Once critical mass is achieved, it attracts more to it: what was once extreme is more likely to be normal.

Your opponents and doubters (the ones who called you “inappropriate”) now recognize your idea, product, company or movement as “a market” and they want to be a part of it (or control it). Now you’re certain you are in the IGNITE stage of your quest.

IGNITE - Significant Examples in History

Social Transformation

• Women’s Right to Vote

• Civil Rights Movement

• Women’s Liberation Movement

• LGBT Rights Movement

• Anti-Apartheid Movement

• Environmental and Climate Strike Movements

• #MeToo Movement

• Black Lives Matter

Business and Economic Transformation

• Labor Movement

• Cooperative Business Movement

• Conscious Capitalism

• Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainable Brands

• Circular Economy

• New Economy Movement

• Impact Investing

IGNITE - Trust as a CoRe Factor of Exponential Power

Over many years contributing to Leadership Development programs at some of the best corporations in the world, I’ve had to address the topic of “Trust in Teams.” The first hurdle is always to define Trust. The second one is to align the factors that allow working teams to become High Performance Teams formed by individuals who commit to train as Peak Performers.

My definition of Trust among individuals and in Teams is as follows:

Trust is Co3Re3 = [Communication x Cooperation x Commitment] x [Reciprocity x Results x Rewards]. Trust evolves from one element to the other: Communication leads to Cooperation, which leads to Commitment… and Reciprocity (trust but verify, keeping it fair) leads to Results and Rewards. The impact is exponential (to the cube).

The alignment of these CoRe factors makes Trust in Teams exponentially powerful. It allows people to create a common languages that IGNITES high positive energy and pride to attain meaningful achievements. Each individual becomes a Peak Performer, which focuses the team on their collective High Performance and frees their energy to accomplish the task by going “beyond personal best.”

The best leaders are the ones who ignite High Positive Energy in others by aligning the Trust factors in the team to work in service of the mission safely and feeling fulfilled. The best teams are clear about their vision, purpose and mission and design their framework collaboratively. This frees energy for them to sell the vision to others and engage clients. The measurable results are team loyalty and client loyalty, demonstrated in recurrent revenues and profits.

IGNITE - Take the Trust Test

1. Consider each of the C3 elements of Trust: Communication x Cooperation x Commitment. How good are you and your team at each of these? Grade your efficiency and effectiveness in each element from (1) Poor to (5) Excellent. What specific factors justify your grade? What are your Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats and Opportunities for Improvement?

2. Consider each of the R3 elements of Trust: Reciprocity x Results x Rewards. How good are you and your team at each of these? Grade your efficiency and effectiveness in each element from (1) Poor to (5) Excellent. What specific factors justify your grade? What decisions, behaviors and mindsets improve or erode these your outcomes?

3. Based on the evaluation of the C3 and R3 elements of Trust: How good are you at IGNITING? What fuels your power to IGNITE? What blocks or diminishes it? What small and immediate steps can improve your power? What short-term steps can dramatically increase your power? Who will benefit most because you commit to change? What will be the impact when you truly IGNITE?

4. Make a list of your Commitments for improvement and transform them into S.M.A.R.T. Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound). Assign goal monitors and owners. Take the Test again on the Completion Date.

Enlightened People who IGNITE:

The Yellow Boat of Hope

Jay Jaboneta from the Philippines once shared with me a wonderful quote: "A candle does not lose any light by lighting another candle." He knows this well, as he lives every word of it.

I met Jay online, when he was writing his “Hungry People” blog and asked me for a written interview. I was impressed that he had gotten responses from internationally renowned authors and that he was intrigued by my Peak Performance coaching for executives and athletes.

His background is marketing and he was working for multinational companies in the Philippines. Later, he moved to governance. While working for Atty. Alexander Lacson’s Senatorial campaign under President Aquino, Jay traveled his country and became face-to-face with extreme poverty and social inequality.

One day, he saw dozens of children swimming across a dangerous water crossing with books on their heads, and afterwards walking for miles to reach their school. They did this every day, facing great risks. They belonged to fishermen families who lived in floating villages, like in many areas of the Philippines.

Distraught by this reality, Jay shared his concern on Facebook. One posting, just one time. The response was both unexpected and enormous. His friends and their friends, as well as people from over the world started donating money to what later became the "Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation."

When he visited the U.S., I organized three presentations in North Carolina in 2013: at Duke University, at Packard Place and at TheSircle Executive Club dinners. We also met with the Foundation for the Carolina’s staff, who were impressed by Jay’s creativity in launching the Yellow Boat ventures.

Jay ignites change and focuses on what he does best: trailblazer, storyteller and being an inspiring source for others who can’t get past the idea stage. Today, Jay Jaboneta is Managing Director of NEXUS Innovation Labs at De La Salle Lipa as well as a founder of several social entrepreneurship ventures, while the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation continues to grow its influence and impact to help children have access to education and opportunities in life.

Ten Million Pairs of New Shoes

Manny Ohonme grew up in Nigeria without shoes. One day, an American missionary visited his village and gave him a new pair of shoes, which allowed him to avoid dangerous parasitic diseases and ultimately play basketball. He got a scholarship to study in the United States, joined Information Technology industry, got married and had a family.

Manny is a profoundly religious man, and one day he heard the call to leave his profession, start a foundation - Samaritan's Feet - and travel the world providing new shoes to children in need. His charisma and extensive relationships have gotten the attention of all major U.S. sport leagues and commercial brands, for whom Samaritan's Feet is now an opportunity to engage in social impact.

I met Manny as one of the speakers at TEDxCharlotte in 2011, where he closed the event with a high energy, vibrant presentation, barefoot and clad in an elegant suit. He has an impressive presence and engages with his inspiring personal story and his dedication to his mission. I visited his foundation’s facility and later he spoke at TheSircle dinners with his wife.

Manny's goal is to donate 10 million pairs of new shoes, celebrating the ritual of washing the children's feet as an act of service and recognition of their potential, passing on the opportunity that he had when he was an impoverished child. Manny’s book “Sole Purpose” describes his journey.

Samaritan’s Feet believes that a new a pair of shoes and the act of foot washing can: Provide a tangible foundation of hope and the opportunity for a better life. Prompt children to focus in school and families not to worry. Protect feet and decrease the possibility of getting a foot-borne disease. Since its founding in 2003, Samaritan’s Feet and its partners have distributed over 7.5 million pairs of shoes in 108 countries and over 420 U.S. cities.

Telling the Stories that Must be Told

Gabriel Seisdedos is the President of Centro PEN in Argentina, a branch of the prestigious PEN International, at a time when Democracy, journalism and independent thinkers are blatantly under attack by the Authoritarian mindset and its enforcers of the socio-political and economical status quo.

Gabriel and I met at St. Patrick's Church during one of my visits to Buenos Aires to do research for my play. Gabriel, whose family is of Jewish origin, had never been involved with the Catholic Church but the massacre's story and its long-time cover-up captivated him.

The massacre had initially investigated by Eduardo Kimel, also a journalist of Jewish background. He had written the book "The Massacre at St. Patrick's" and a federal judge involved in the investigation who felt accused of inaction and negligence prosecuted him. An international court acquitted Eduardo after a long time. He died in 2010 as a hero of the defense of freedom of expression.

Instigated by Father Thomas O'Donnell after a chance encounter, Gabriel decided to investigate further and revealed crucial elements of the conspiracy to kill the five martyrs. Father Kevin O’Neill became his guide. During the investigation, and moved by the commitment of the five martyrs, Gabriel was baptized as a Catholic and contemplated becoming a priest, opting for working on inter-faith understanding and cooperation and later as a promoter of the arts.

In 1996, we collaborated in the production of my theatre play "A Voice Screaming to Heaven - La Voz que Grita al Cielo" in Buenos Aires (a titanic effort by Gabriel to make it happen on the 20th anniversary of the massacre at St. Patrick's). The play was also produced in Tampa and London. We also collaborated the production of his TV Documentary "The Honor of God - El Honor de Dios" based on his book of the same title (shown in Tampa, New York, Boston and Buenos Aires). Gabriel wrote two other books while working at official inter-faith organizations and in culture and literature initiatives.

PEN International is a worldwide association of writers, founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. PEN originally stood for "Poets, Essayists and Novelists", but now stands for "Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists and Novelists" and includes writers of any form of literature, such as journalists and historians. The association has autonomous International PEN centers in over 100 countries. Its goals aim to emphasize the role of literature in the development of mutual understanding and world culture; to fight for freedom of expression; and to act as a powerful voice on behalf of writers harassed, imprisoned and sometimes killed for their views.

Tennis Industry Leadership and Beyond – Making Tennis Grow

Jolyn de Boer is the former Executive Director & COO for the Tennis Industry Association and has led the TIA on many levels. She focused on the business of tennis, key marketplace and industry research, including leading a global approach to measuring the State of the Tennis Industry and the development of industry networking forums - including the NY Tennis Forum, Future of Tennis Forum and Innovation Challenges. She also developed the Tennis Owners & Managers Conference, where she collaborated with the world's largest event organizer, Reed Expo, to create the Racquet & Paddle Sports Conference and Show aside of the annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida. De Boer has also been involved in the development of collaborative initiatives (Tennis Welcome Centers, Cardio Tennis, Youth Tennis and PlayTennis.com) with the USTA and major industry partners.

With a passion and focus on innovation and technology, she founded the Racquet & Paddle Sports Alliance earlier this year to collaborate with all groups to help increase the education and adoption of resources that can enhance consumer experiences and engagement.

Jolyn and I met in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina in 1985, working for Dennis van der Meer. I’ve witnessed her quiet and persistent rise as a leader in the industry, applying her understanding of the market, its constituents and the different audiences it serves. She has a remarkable capacity to integrate different viewpoints and execute, from publications to events to large-scale promotional projects. Tennis is a global sport but politically very conservative. Jolyn’s capacity to interpret future trends and ignite new ideas in the stakeholders’ minds constantly aims to accelerate change and improve the state of the industry.

“My journey in tennis has been a long one and while I have been a product of the tennis boom of the 70s (albeit late 70s). My love for the game of tennis, and in particular, the business of tennis has given me amazing opportunities, driven me to share my passion and focus on platforms to create more players, more fans and more consumers during my time in a leadership role at the Tennis Industry Association (TIA).

IMAGINE

It all started with my humble beginnings in Reading, PA, one of the poorest communities in the U.S., actually declared the smallest poor city in the nation in 2018. I will never forget begging my parents for a tennis racquet after I saw Billie Jean King come to my city as part of the Apples vs. Oranges tour.

Fortunately, when I lived in Reading we had tons of public tennis courts throughout the city and I took that $10 racquet my parents bought for me and hit against the school building, until eventually I found a group of friends to play with and that’s how we spent our time after school, nights and on the weekends. While my efforts on the high school and college team are of minimal note, tennis did bring me into new circles of thought and attitude and finding like-minded friends, as we aspired together to be the best at school and the best in life.

After graduation, I headed to New York City, continued to play where I could find a court, and Club Med hired me to plan the launch of their first retail office in Manhattan. Exciting times living in the big apple, traveling with Club Med, and working directly with the leadership team to create a new customer experience in the heart of the city.

I met my husband, a Dutch airline pilot turned tennis pro, and we left NYC for the sandy shores of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina for jobs with Dennis Van der Meer. Every lunchtime I sat with Dennis and he mentored me on the art of the marketing deal, he was charismatic, a true innovator, and delivered a customer experience like no other. During this time, I also had the opportunity to get to know Carlos Salum, and while many pros, thousands or more, passed through the famous Van der Meer TennisUniversity, Carlos was an exception, and I am so pleased that our paths reconnected several decades later during my time at the TIA.

IMPROVE

After many years at VDM, I was ready to launch and formed my own agency, mostly serving the tennis community including the PTR, South Carolina Tennis Association, TIA, Stan Smith Designs, tournaments and retailers, I became more involved with the TIA and in 2003 became the Executive Director.

Working for a not-for-profit trade association was exciting and challenging, as all the different sectors in the tennis industry were part of the umbrella of the TIA. Supported by an encompassing board involving the main stakeholders in the industry, including the racquet manufacturers and their top leaders and founders, the teaching groups, the tours, the court contractors and the alphabet soup, because of all the different acronyms.

TIA’s mission was to “promote the growth and economic vitality” of the tennis industry and I was fortunate to play a key role in many grow-the-game initiatives with our industry partners, including the U.S. Tennis Association. Among the programs, I helped develop and prioritize were 10 and Under Tennis, Cardio Tennis, Tennis Welcome Centers, initiatives that promote and grow business for facilities and retailers, and importantly B2C systems including the portal PlayTennis.com and TennisConnect.

One of my major roles at the TIA was the development of key industry research, as it was important to have benchmarks and insights to understand where we needed to go as an industry and what programs/initiatives could help guide the course. I helped develop a global assessment to monitor equipment sales, which assisted manufacturers and created state of the industry reports on participation and global marketplace.

As the industry was starting to face financial struggles with a changing consumer and inability to adapt to new processes to address the issue, we also saw a rise in alternative sports including pickleball, which at the time seemed to be a cannibalization of tennis courts and players. Our industry was also aging, the average age of a teaching pro, whom I like to call the ‘touchpoint to the consumer’ was 55, and little was being done to address the need for better ways to retain players. Tennis never had a problem attracting people to try it; it has always been a highly aspirational activity. However, it has a problem retaining players, as it can be a frustrating if not learned correctly. Typically, 5 million people try it every year and another 5 million stop playing every year. Unfortunately, tennis’ leaky bucket syndrome has and continues to be a major issue.

INSPIRE

In efforts to address this problem, we developed playtennis.com and sought SaaS (software as a service) providers. I created the Tennis Owners & Managers Conference (TOM Conference) to bring together stakeholders at facilities, share best practices, and encourage the adoption of new software products to help them run their business. I also started Tennis Industry Forums every year during the U.S. Open and other majors to help bring the industry leadership together and work towards greater unity and collaboration to help grow more players, fans and consumers.

Also recognizing the need for the industry to start to adopt technology to reach players and retain them, I started Innovation Challenges to help identify new products and services to help move tennis into the 21st century. Traditional industries are by definition, not open to change.

Fortunately, during this time, I reconnected with Carlos Salum, and together we worked to try to find ways to introduce new products/services to the tennis industry through an expansion of the Innovation Challenges and thought leadership during the TOM Conferences. It has also been important to recognize the consumer research, which showed that millennials, as the largest generational cohort, were mainly interested in experiences. They didn’t want to join clubs, they weren’t interested in the perfect backhand, they wanted to be with their friends, try a lot of different activities, and they wanted convenience and fun!

IGNITE

I had always admired how the PGA structured their education, business, and developed one of the largest conferences in the U.S., a mega innovation event in Orlando at the annual PGA Show. After knocking on their door for several years, they let me in as I worked with Reed Expo to develop the Racquet & Paddle Sports Show. In year one, we brought padel to the U.S. with a show court at the Orlando Convention Center, alongside the other racquet and paddle sports and an educational conference focused on innovation and new business models.

In early 2020, I left the TIA with a new opportunity and formed the Racquet and Paddle Sports Alliance, unaware that COVID was about to shut everything down. Fortunately, tennis is resilient, safe to play and it’s very possible that we are in a new tennis boom. One of the unseen benefits of the pandemic is that the industry is being ‘forced’ to adopt new tools to manage and communicate with their customers.

My tennis journey continues and my efforts for the Racquet & Paddle Sports Alliance center on creating a resource network of like-minded, future-thinkers, problem-solvers to provide solutions and insights to help grow more players, fans and consumers. I am excited about the future, thankful for my experiences and those leaders and mentors along the way who supported and encouraged me.”

Jolyn and I collaborate in the next phase of the tennis industry’s growth. The Ignition we envision will be shaped by a deeper understanding of the ideal experience of the customer, better services, technology-enabled experiences and the appropriate use of data to generate large-scale growth. We do it for tennis and through tennis, for the world. When more people can play, tennis Ignites social change.

Raw Science and the Art of Not Giving Up on Your Vision

Keri Kukral has lived at the crossroads of art, science, and engineering. She is a former professional ballet dancer and got a full scholarship to the Ruth Page Foundation after being hand selected by Ruth Page from the Arie Crown Theater stage at 10 years old. She was invited to the professional school of Royal Winnipeg Ballet, awarded an apprenticeship with Joffrey Ballet, and was a soloist with Oklahoma City Ballet. She has a degree in bio/electrical engineering from Purdue University and worked for fifteen years in the medical device industry.

Keri won an entrepreneurial pitch competition through The Design Accelerator (Caltech, IdeaLab, and Art Center College of Design) to create the media company Raw Science. The mission is to humanize science and bring fact-based experts to the forefront of popular culture and Hollywood by celebrating the best science storytelling in the world. It includes a video-on-demand platform, blog, podcast, and the annual Raw Science Film Festival, which showcases best-in-class films globally. The National Academy of Sciences and the Science and Entertainment Exchange first made the festival possible. Top winners are eligible for theatrical Oscar qualifying runs.

Keri and her sister are the first in their family to attend college. The ability to have a professional career in the arts, engineering, and entrepreneurship is due to access to the internet, education, and supportive resources. It is a goal to collaborate with others to cultivate access to the same globally.

Keri on Breakthrough: “It was a personal breakthrough to win an entrepreneurial pitch competition in 2013 thus funds and resources to start my own company. Prior to that time, I was funding my own science media from personal income as a biomedical engineer simply out of curiosity and for fun. While I changed careers drastically before from ballet to engineering, there was a fairly clear and defined path to step into that realm. Entrepreneurship is more fluid and requires the ability to navigate many foreign, new, and ambiguous concepts. I learned that the skills and core principles that drove me since childhood, including passion, preparation, and discipline, could translate into any creative endeavor. The word "renaissance" is a French word meaning "rebirth." Indeed, it is always possible to be reborn.”

Keri on Peak Performance: “In my youth, peak performance was more physically reflected through dance and choreography. Presently, it has manifested in measures of spirit. The Raw Science Film Festival has happened year after year through the force of will, perseverance, and cultivation of a shared goal amongst many. The "show has gone on" in the midst of the largest California wildfire in history, at the end of an unprecedented US government shutdown, and most recently through a global pandemic.”

Keri’s advice to Entrepreneurs: “The greatest insight that I’ve had so far is if you have a vision, and if you don’t have immediate tangible trappings of success then hang in for the big picture. I had a struggling period where we didn’t have large revenue for a time. Rather than quit, I focused on what were the long-term goals for impact. This helped us to stay afloat and get to where we are. So do not give up when things don’t work out immediately.”

I met Keri online and participated as a judge in the Raw Science Film Festival in 2019, as well as a speaker at the Santa Barbara, CA event. Her capacity convene luminaries is impressive, as well as the range of activities she performs during a calendar year. Keri ignites by focusing on promoting science and entrepreneurship and showing how women, diversity and international cooperation can overcome limitations and expand opportunities for growth.

Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship Everywhere

Louis Foreman is the founder and chief executive of Enventys, an integrated product design, engineering and marketing firm. He is also the founder of Edison Nation, and Edison Nation Medical. Over the past 30 years, Foreman has created nine successful start-ups and has been directly responsible for the creation of over 20 others. He is the inventor of products holding 12 U.S. Patents, and his firm is responsible for the development and filing of well over 700 more.

A university adjunct professor, Foreman was the creator of the Emmy-Award-winning PBS TV show “Everyday Edisons.” He currently serves as chairman of the Board of Directors of the James Dyson Foundation, board member of the Intellectual Property Owners Association and New Dominion Bank, and is the past president of the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation.

Louis has participated as a Judge in the Tennis Industry Association Innovation Challenge I co-created and managed from 2018 through 2020. We met in 2009 and since then he’s supported several of my events, particularly the Richard Saul Wurman lectures in Charlotte and The International Sircle in Ancona, Italy.

His passion for innovation and entrepreneurship has benefited many inventors who have found success thanks to the open product development pipeline at Enventys. An inventor can bring an idea on a napkin, a prototype or a product in need of marketing and the company can develop a plan for its successful launch. Enventys’ TV program “Everyday Edisons” promotes innovation and entrepreneurship as opportunities for prosperity, organizing nationwide competitions to select the finalists.

The most important aspect is the product’s patent, where Louis has shown his commitment to “the little guy” over the years, defending the inventors’ rights by serving during the Bush and Obama Administrations on the Patent Public Advisory Committee and is currently Chairman on the Small Business Administration’s SBDC National Advisory Board.

I’ve always enjoyed touring Enventys’ facility with guests I’ve brought for different purposes, including two Swiss delegations. The success stories hanging on the walls represent the accomplishments of both the inventor and Enventys’ creative teams, all of whom dared to see the glass as full-and-a-half in service of delivering new value to the market and fulfill a need. Louis’ enthusiasm as an innovation evangelist is evident when he presents. He ignites the desire to create in the audience and makes it easy for them as inventors to close the gap between the napkin stage and the final product.

IGNITE invites you to design Your Legacy

What I do for my clients has evolved from their interest in Peak Performance Training (doing the right things, doing things better) to helping them evolve into leaders who IGNITE action and leave a powerful legacy. The result is the alignment of Achievement, Fulfillment and Meaning in their lives.

The Breakthrough Blueprint framework facilitates the results, which allows my clients to analyze the present, imagine the future, design their ideal performance state and execute their plans to attain extraordinary goals.

Those who reach the IGNITE stage evolve from "If - Then" dynamics to live "on Purpose," focusing on meaningful achievements that make a significant impact. They don't achieve to be happy - they are fulfilled as they focus on meaningful achievements.

Some of the stories of my clients’ personal transformations and the projects they ignited include:

• developing smartphone apps to teach literacy and numeracy to African children

• leaving an executive position at a foundation to help wealthy families expand their social and philanthropic involvement

• exporting a successful concept of Preparatory Academy to create international sites for more academies

• redesigning the wheelchair and environments for individuals with physical disabilities

• expanding an art exhibition into a therapeutic experience

• investing in the production of inspirational sports films for young adults

• writing a memoir of extraordinary success as a business leader to inspire a new generation of leaders

• investing in social ventures focused on medical technology

• developing a media platform for African American culture and arts

• merging the benefits of pediatric care with therapies involving horses

• leaving the financial industry to steer a sustainable energy start-up and lead new initiatives related to climate change

• in-between jobs, starting a YouTube channel for a Spanish-speaking professional audience, demystifying French Cuisine by making classic recipes understandable

• producing a documentary film to promote the scientists and innovations bringing water to Palestine, who are currently doing it despite the political, racial, religious and economic conflicts in the region

• establishing a service for people to invest in high-yield real estate opportunities as a group

• mentoring young entrepreneurs from economically disadvantaged families

• developing smart phone technology for instant diagnostics of sports movements for parents and coaches to engage more children in sports

IGNITE - The Fundamental Questions:

• Does your current Vision inspire you? How does it inspire others? How do you know?

• How far into the future can you see today? Do you live today as if you already have accomplished your Vision?

• How do you recruit others? What's the compelling story that invites them to follow and co-create with you? Do they believe what you believe?

• What funds, tools and resources do you need to propagate your story and IGNITE change - and perhaps a movement?

[Return to Index - Table of Contents] [Read Chapter 6 - Lessons Learned]