Baba Amte dies - 9th February 2008

The world today lost a truly great man. The man Gandhi dubbed ‘the conqueror of fear’ and the His Holiness the Dalai Lama describes as ‘compassion in action’. Baba Amte died this morning at 4.15am. Baba starting the MSS, the parent instution to the charity I run Take Heart (http://www.takeheartindia.org/). Baba was a bit like a grandfather to me. I was fortunate enough to spend many of my Christmas holidays with him in Anandwan since I was 9 years old. My Father was Baba’s oldest international supporter, visiting Baba and the MSS every year for the last 45 years. Baba affectionately described my Father as his ‘spoilt son’. It was through Baba’s inspiration that my Father Founded Take Heart in 1963 and it was through Baba’s inspiration that I took over the running of Take Heart in 2005 (see http://www.takeheartindia.org/).

For the last 55 years Baba Amte has been India’s most prolific social worker. He taught me many great things about life. His whole mission in life was the ‘work builds, charity destroys’. Rather than giving we should empower people. Baba did not preach these words but lived them. Anandwan is now the world’s largest leprosarium and as received global fame for its unique approach to empowering those in need.

Baba has been recognized internationally, receiving numerous awards such as the Gandhi peace prize, the Templeton prize (The Nobel prize for religion) and the U.N. Human Rights award. Today the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh condoled the death of Baba Amte describing his as a ‘saint’, ‘a legend’ and a ‘true Gandhian’ who committed his life to the welfare of the destitute. India as a nation today is mourning the death of Baba Amte.

For more information on Baba see - http://www.takeheartindia.org/mss.htm

I thought there was not a better way that to end on some of the inspiring words Baba has said over the years:

1. I believe in leading series of Lives in one life.
2. We utilize all sorts of wastes except waste of time.
3. Add life to years rather than adding years to life.
4. Action speaks louder than words.
5. Love alone can resurrect a man in agony.
6. Work builds, charity destroys.
7. Give them a chance not charity.
8. Happiness dies when it is not shared.
9. The greatest joy comes in life when you invest in others.
10. To live for others is the most fertile pleasure in the world.
11. Let your sympathy find expression through love backed by action.
12. Youth is he who plods through victory and defeat alike.
13. Hope this world will listen to the deafening sound of my silence…
14. The smile of a man who is oppressed or a child who is suffering is what I covet more than any award.
15. National integration cannot be legislated through an act in parliament.
16. Words and principles are not enough to take the place of deeds. Attempt defining both by words and deeds.
17. Yesterday is a cancelled cheque. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is ready cash.
18. Ration your words but nourish your deeds with dedication, determination, & devotion.
19. The most frightening disease is not of losing your limbs, but losing your strength to feel kindness & compassion for other human beings.
20. I have experienced the drowsiness of every autumn & passion of every spring; hence I don’t seek dust in shame and loneliness.
21. Tree is a symbol of liberty... (A pole of liberty)... Every bird occupying its twigs is messenger of love, faith, equality, & courage & every fluttering leaf is a national flag.
22. We cannot carry the struggle of life with the voice of reason alone.
23. You may forget with whom you laughed, but you will never forget with whom you wept.
24. All services to be truly effective and of permanent values must be wrought in love.

The fear of failure

Fear of failure... Many people say when informed that I have set up a business at the age of 23 'that is very brave of you'. Every time I enjoy replying 'Thank you, that's the name of my business'. I run the startup Brave New Enterprises and yes at times it is incredibly scary to swim against the tide and start up alone. There are good and bad times but the ride is fantastic fun. The opportunity costs of starting a business are huge - it just so happened that they were too much for me to resist!

I feel fear holds so many people back. So much of modern society live in constant fear. I heard a statistic that more people die falling off ladders than are killed by terrorists. This point goes to show that at times the fear we all feel can be both exaggerated and irrational. If only more people could give starting a business a go they will see its a bit like riding a bike, we all fall off a few times to start but then we get the hang of it. The only difference is most people will spend a lifetime getting better at riding the bike and falling off many times along the way.

Something bothers me about British societies approach to failure which probably gives root to most people's fear of starting a business. In Britain I feel the attitude to failure, although improving, still has a long way to come. In the States failure is seen in a more positive light as a learning process.

There is a saying 'Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment'. As entrepreneurs I feel it is important to recognize the fear of failure and strive to face it, overcome it and build our dream businesses. For me 'dreams are not what I have in my sleep, they are what prevent me from sleeping!'

A Brave New Story

Name: Lucian Tarnowski
Age: 24
Company: Brave New Enterprises

Position: Founder
Websites: http://www.bravenewenterprises.com/, http://www.bravenewu.com/, http://www.bravenewindia.com/, http://www.bravenewthinking.blogspot.com/, http://www.takeheartindia.org/
Location: London

Summarised profile:

Lucian is an award winning young entrepreneur and the face behind all things Brave New. He is optimistic about the role of business in creating positive social change. He has focused on the disconnect that exists between the next generation (Gen Y) and the corporate world.

Lucian’s entrepreneurial talents have been recognized from a young age. He was the first undergraduate entrepreneur in the UK to receive EU financial backing and Edinburgh University support. He graduated from Edinburgh University in 2007 with a strong academic record.

Lucian’s past achievements include growing the charity, Take Heart, into one of the UK’s only entirely student run charities. He is on the advisory board for Next Generation India with the UK India Business Council. Lucian is currently developing Brave New businesses in both the UK and India.

A Brave New story:

I started with my ideas just testing the waters of entrepreneurship. I have always had business ideas throughout my childhood, some I followed up, others I dropped. However, Brave New Enterprises was the big leap. I was in my penultimate year at Edinburgh University when I began looking at career opportunities. I was going to start work as a management consultant. However, I could not find the perfect company to work for. I decided to create it myself. I recognised that there were huge opportunities in the responsible business (CSR) market. I began Brave New Enterprises at university that year. We got off to a fantastic start; I became the only undergraduate student in the UK to receive EU financial support and Edinburgh University backing. I then was one of the national business plan finalists.

However, I was still doing many things wrong. My plans were far too ambitious and somewhat unachievable. It took me sometime to realise this. I re-focused the company primarily on the disconnection that exists between the next generation and the corporate world. This was an area I was both passionate about and had some experience. The disconnection between Gen Yer’s (born 1980-2000) and the corporate world is a problem that many have recognised but very little has been done about it. At Brave New Workplaces we work with clients to attract, retain and motivate the top talent possible.

However, the main focus of the Brave New business is a graduate recruitment social networking being launched in both UK and India. Monster jobs will meet Facebook through the Brave New brand. This is a hugely exciting project and is sure to revolutionise the way graduate recruiters engage with their potential employees. Students can stay up to date and informed about their potential employers and give themselves a better picture of who they would like to work for. On the flip side, companies will be able to delve into a larger pool of global talent with astonishing ease.

One might ask ‘Why India’? For me the answers lies predominately in my history to India. My Father is Baba Amte’s longest serving international supporter and stared the charity Take Heart. He has been to India every year for the last 45 years. This gave me the opportunity to visit India most years since I was nine years old. At nineteen I felt it was time to take a more proactive role in running the charity Take Heart. I took over the charity from my Father, rebranded it, created the website http://www.takeheartindia.org/ and turned the charity into one of the UK’s only entirely student run charities. We had 36 committee members at different universities across the UK. We have expanded on this now with a youth focus with our committee members being made up of the leaders of both today and tomorrow. Sam Branson, the son of Sir Richard Branson is just one of our 36 committee members. Take Heart is still rather unique in charity sector as we do not employ a single person meaning that 100% of our proceeds go straight out to India. We have built an entire English Language and IT school in rural India with the proceeds. The school is one of three in the whole of India that trains blind students in IT skills.

Since running Take Heart I was asked to join the advisory board for Next Generation India with the UK India Business Council. This role has given me the opportunity to see many of the challenges India is facing with its graduate recruitment. Furthermore, I have come to understand the extend of the graduate recruitment market need and size in India. It just simply dwarfs that of the UK as India has the world’s largest population of Gen Yer’s. With Brave New India we are certainly entering India at the right time. It appears to me that India is in need of two things: 1. Quantity of talent 2. Quality of talent. Brave New India is looking at ways to marry these two needs and involve the private sector in the practical education of graduates. We are also involved in a number of other businesses in India – we plan to run the UK’s first innovation trips or innovation holidays to India and we also run an outsourcing business from the UK to India. Watch this space...

Press quotes:

The Times - 06/12/07: "The workplace that graduates join could look very different if Lucian Tarnowski, 23, the founder of Brave New Enterprises, gets his way".

For full article see: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/career_and_jobs/graduate_management/article3004234.ece

Chief Executive of the UK India Business Council Sharon Bamford says: 'It is significant that an initiative such as Brave New India exists to raise awareness of the gap between young people, business and politics. The future of UK India trade and investment lies with the next generation of entrepreneurs and professionals and therefore UKIBC is delighted to support such an important enterprise’.

'BBC 2 ‘Dragon’, entrepreneur James Caan says, 'For almost twenty-five years I have supported people with passion in business and I can certainly see this passion behind the Brave New brand'

Sir Richard Branson says ‘Best of luck to Brave New Enterprises’.

Launch of Brave New Blog!

Brave New Thinking is here... I am a blogging virgin so here we go. People have been telling me start blogging for a while. I am still not 100% sure what people use blogs for. For many it seems its a personal diary but for others its their mouthpiece to the world. I imagine Brave New Thinking will be a mix of the two.

Like every good project I feel I should start with a project aim...

Brave New Thinking aim: To colate my thoughts and gather anyone elses thoughts as I develop the Brave New Brand and ride the startup rollarcoaster.

Starting Brave New Enterprises has been one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. I am often asked what I will do if it does not work. This is an impossible question to answer for me - I often compare entrepreneurship and self employment to the god's ambrosia - the milk of life that once tried nothing else quite matches up. I certainly have got a taste for self employment so lets see where this leads...

Here's to loosing my bloging v-plates...