28 July 2008

Rebuilding to Launch

We are finally getting to the countdown steps of being able to launch the user site of 2BalanceU. It has been over two years since the idea of a better way for knowledge sharing struck me. The last two years have been devoted to building a global network of organisations and network leaders, designing and developing a user friendly tool, traveling far and wide speaking with and (more importantly) to listening to women. The journey has just begun in many ways, but we are getting closer to the major milestone of launching to the member level. It is time for me to sit down and write to all the wonderful people I have met in this journey to tell them the time has come to share with their communities. We shall reconnect over the conversations we held whether in living room, a conference hall or an airplane aisle.

We are sure there will be cause for celebration as well as more fires to put out. I, for one, am quite looking forward to using 2BalanceU for a way to get to the resources I sought when this all began. Of course, the resources I seek are slightly different now. I no longer am "in transition" in the sense of going from inactive in the workforce to active. I still have transitions of my own to seek guidance for. I have learned many lessons through building 2BalanceU, but finding competent people both willing and able to commit to the vision has been the greatest challenge.


Reconnecting with our advocates and building our organisation while we get through the final stages of development and launch is more than a full time endeavor. I do hope you will bear with us as we may not be as prolific on the blog. But we are far from quiet. We are just focusing our energy on developing the core one to one quality relationships that make a network work (both personally and professionally). You may hear the buzz as far apart as China or Chile. Feel free to pass it on. We are here, we look forward to launching full and strong with a site that will exceed your expectations and hopes.

18 July 2008

Finding Home

For those of us with a nomadic existence, whether global or otherwise, finding "home" can often be challenging. Whether this characteristic comes from experiences that separate us from our clan, whether our clan is itself nomadic or whether we are just free spirits, the concept of home is often quite different. Cliché expressions like "home is where the heart is" translated into many languages, not simply for use in rhyme.

Every year my extended family gather in the place of our forefathers to reconnect. All airs are set aside, we leave business cards, blackberries (in theory), elevator pitches (many entrepreneurs in the bunch), suits and often watches for the time. When surrounded by people who have known you through every milestone from walking to first blemish to first kiss to graduation and first job to marriage, parenthood and life's unfortunate dramas, there is little room for pretending. There is something freeing about just "being" and not having to be "on". I have never lived in this place for more than two months at a stretch, but it is the only place that I have consistently returned to throughout life. It is "home" to me.

The extension of this experience has been that no matter where I am in the world, I meet people that are connected to this home. It provides the base we need to feel free to live a nomadic existence. Many of my family work and live around the globe. I believe that is because of this foundation that I have understood the true meaning and value of knowledge sharing through a network. I love having the opportunity to find ways to connect people with the answers they need and the answers to the people that will find them useful. It is as if it was a seed planted in me as a child in this place. Following the tradition of my ancestors who were involved in the China Trade, American Railroads and telephones, connecting cultures and places seems second nature. It is when I am home that I feel this connection the most.

The philosophy of our family was defined by one of our ancestors, Ralph Waldo Emerson:

To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.
This is to have succeeded.

10 July 2008

Combatting a Joe Job

Thanks to my great team, we seem to have the situation under control. I would like to share with you some of the articles that helped me understand the how to combat the joe job and avoid another one in the future. I recommend you take steps to avoid having the same thing hit you or your organisation.

According to:
SC Conspiracy

Sitepoint

tech dirt

08 July 2008

2BalanceU attacked by Email "Joe Job"

Quite frankly until this morning, I did not know what to call the act of falsely using a third party's email domain for spamming (junk mail) purposes. Well apparently 2BalanceU has been victim of a joe-job and now we have to clean up the mess. This is very disconcerting because our credibility lies in the quality of our communications. I do apologise if there is anyone that we know that has received any of this spam (although it seems to have been sent out rather randomly, be obnoxious but not harmful and they do not have access to our mailing lists or data).

We are attending to it in the most expedient way possible and hope to have it fixed shortly with additional safety measures installed again further attacks.