Alfredo Santos was expelled from school at 10th grade for punching a teacher. He landed in San Quentin prison at age 24 for selling heroin. In order to qualify for parole, an inmate had to work, so he entered the dining hall contest that led him to paint a 12 feet tall and nearly 100 feet long mural. The prison is now a museum and many are captivated by the unexpected epic mural within its wall.
At age 81, Alfredo Santos' work is still sought after. Go to his gallery to see if you have any of his unique work of art as he paints and create sculpture out of wood or found objects. Anyone would think that life in prison would have been a very bad experience for him. But that was where he decided that he wanted to become an artist.
The next time you have a problem or a bad experience, may be the time you would like to reflect on what you can do to make your life better instead of wallowing in self pity.
Just think about it. Will you be what you are today if not for the experiences that you have been through?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
What can you get before paying?
While other companies are slashing prices to kill their competitors, what are Jake Nickell and Jacob Dehart at Threadless doing in their design and T-shirt business to stay afloat?
They find ways to give and keep giving so that you will return for more. At time of writing this article, these are what they are offering:
1) Submit a slogan on their website and you get a chance to win USD200.00.
2) Submit an idea and stand to gain USD2,500.00
3) Each time your design gets reprinted, you gain USD500.00
4) Buy Threadless tee and submit a photo of yourself wearing it to win 10 points=USD15=1 Tee if your photo is picked.
They pick high scoring designs every week from the archives to print, so, there is no stopping you from submitting your ideas whenever you are so inspired.
Not artistically inclined or words savvy? Then be a member to their newsletters and be amused by entries of the artful hopeful. Take time to email your friends the designs you think they may appreciate and stand to earn USD3.00 in points each time they make a purchase. There is also a chance for you to earn 2 StreetTeam points when you link Threadless to any of your blogs and refer a sale.
Want me to be your customer? Make me feel that I am getting more than what I have paid for. Better yet. What can I get from you before I make any purchase?
I am not Threadless' customer yet but I love the opportunities they offer and do enjoy being amused by the entries posted.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Nothing is small till compared.
Have you ever had an idea that died because you shared it with the wrong person or maybe at the wrong time? Have you ever look at a business and think why didn't you think of starting it yourself in the first place?
No idea is too small to work on or too big for you to consider starting until you start making comparisons. Garett Croft Stenson was broke until he started selling wallets he crafted out of duct tapes as a hobby. Small home business venture you think? His work is sold in stalls and at art shows nationwide. With a loan from SBA and some helpers, he is now selling his product globally and on his website. Just take a look at the publicity he has received for his duct tape wallet business.
Looking at it now, you would think that it is too big a venture for someone who was broke to start on. Likely, when he was broke and feeling low, he have compared himself with someone worst off to make himself bigger to have such an aspiration.
No idea is too small to work on or too big for you to consider starting until you start making comparisons. Garett Croft Stenson was broke until he started selling wallets he crafted out of duct tapes as a hobby. Small home business venture you think? His work is sold in stalls and at art shows nationwide. With a loan from SBA and some helpers, he is now selling his product globally and on his website. Just take a look at the publicity he has received for his duct tape wallet business.
Looking at it now, you would think that it is too big a venture for someone who was broke to start on. Likely, when he was broke and feeling low, he have compared himself with someone worst off to make himself bigger to have such an aspiration.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Giving more than sun light in the dark.
Light at a touch of a button, is something unheard of at a refugee camp in Fugnido, western Ethiopia until Mark Bent came into the picture. Through his visits to volatile countries, rural villages and his research, he realized that many people have nothing to light their homes, schools and clinics at night. This led him to invest USD250,000 to develop and manufacture a solar powered flashlight that gives up to seven hours of light.
While we think of light only as a mean to enable us to see in the dark, for these refugees, the light provides security for the women against sexual abuse and violence and scares wild animals away. It helped to lead the way in the darkness during emergencies and frightened would be thief away. Most importantly, these refugees do not have to rely on wood, charcoal, candles and kerosene for lighting when they study. These traditional fuels when used for lighting in their small homes are health hazardous as many of their children suffer from upper respiratory problems.
While Mark Bent is able to donate his solar powered flashlight to UN refugee camps with the support of Exxon Mobil, you can do your part too by buying from his company SunNight Solar as he has a “Buy One, Give One” programme running on his website.
You pay USD25.00 for one flashlight and he will ship the second unit to Africa and donate USD1 to one of the aid groups he works with.
Mark held images of people living in darkness in his mind and attracted light in his business. Do you want to be as successful as Mark Bent? Think about what it is in this world that is bothering you and figure out how you can make it better. What would you like to attract in your life?
While we think of light only as a mean to enable us to see in the dark, for these refugees, the light provides security for the women against sexual abuse and violence and scares wild animals away. It helped to lead the way in the darkness during emergencies and frightened would be thief away. Most importantly, these refugees do not have to rely on wood, charcoal, candles and kerosene for lighting when they study. These traditional fuels when used for lighting in their small homes are health hazardous as many of their children suffer from upper respiratory problems.
While Mark Bent is able to donate his solar powered flashlight to UN refugee camps with the support of Exxon Mobil, you can do your part too by buying from his company SunNight Solar as he has a “Buy One, Give One” programme running on his website.
You pay USD25.00 for one flashlight and he will ship the second unit to Africa and donate USD1 to one of the aid groups he works with.
Mark held images of people living in darkness in his mind and attracted light in his business. Do you want to be as successful as Mark Bent? Think about what it is in this world that is bothering you and figure out how you can make it better. What would you like to attract in your life?
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