Don’t know if you’ve seen this project on Kickstarter? It’s incredible how this has been funded – 17,194% of the amount they’ve asked for how cool is that?

This to me highlights the focus that the world now has: instead of only the cool gadgets as in for innovations and improvement of self, work and other stuff, ‘entertainment’ is now more in focus than ever!

That’s not the only thing in focus – have you heard about the virtual meetup rooms found here? It’s literally amazing what I’ve encountered in this meetup location: tons of resources but most of all – kindness. A thing that seems even ancient is emerging: people look out for one another. Even if they are miles, oceans or continents apart! Isn’t that amazing?

I would like to urge everyone to keep going at this exact pace. Let’s just be kinder to one another, help where you can and most of all? Don’t panic. 

What would denote successful projects to you? Drop us a comment below as usual, and stay blessed peeps!

These past few months I have been asking myself some hard questions to which I don’t have answers to yet.

One of these is: where do I want to be five years from now? Where do I want my businesses to be in five years?

I have admiration for people who have a clear vision and who are pursuing these relentlessly. Go tiger go!

My personal core has always been: I want to help people. Simple. No gimmicks, no hidden agendas. Just that: helping others.

Now as it just do happens that one of my skills is providing training, adding another skill which is, that I’m technically savvy, provided the solution at the time to start and develop ADG. And it just so happens that by providing people with tools they need to Excel (yes, pun intended!), I was helping others. Yay!

Now, however I find my motivation lacking. Seriously lacking I ain’t kidding! There was one project that I put my heart and soul in during these last 3 years but lacking business sense (and other senses), I had to park that project (Mi Tambe Por) until it’s clearer where we want to go.

One thing I know for a fact. The training landscape as we know it, is going to change. On one hand, I would love to drive that change, because if I look at the hard trend, it is imperative for me to take action now.

Using trends is an excellent way to drive your business forward. I haven’t found my formula yet. Have you?

Feel free to let us know your comments below!

Carnival is over

Photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels

what pressure can produce

Have you seen the first Iron man movie? Tony Starks is captive. Has a medical problem, which he solves with only scraps available to him while in captivity. Of course, he is a brilliant man so brains definitely have something to do with what he produced. 

But this has me wondering what pressure does to people. There’s a saying in Dutch which translated goes like this: “A cat driven to extremes makes weird jumps”. Sounds horrendous but you catch my drift. Does this apply to new shiny things as well? 

When you bring something new to the table (like this), you are solving an existing problem. Then it’s considered innovative. So what pressure can produce might also fall in that category, right?

What are your thoughts? Leave them in comments below!

Photo by Viktoria Goda from Pexels

Bits and pieces of innovation

It’s not only technology which drives the innovation wagon. Look at these cool bits and pieces of innovation as well:

• Into fashion? Then this might interest you – AI stylists!
• What do you know – dancing a night away can give you electricity! 
• Ever heard of Thrust of Service? Jet engine is now being leased instead of bought, new way of selling!
• There are also new things happening in construction. Self healing concrete anyone?
• Even Human Resources have some things happening in their corner. Did you know?

There you have it. 5 totally different areas where innovation is also present. Happy new week!

Thirst for new developments

Picture this: it’s April 2016. The scene is set: Kingsday in city center – Pop of Flavor is born. Combining my passion for feeding people, popcorn and getting into something totally new, totally fresh. The night before Kingsday, my popcorn machine arrived. All shiny and sparkly. Can you tell I was in love? 

Fast forward to today. I can now say, that I had no idea what I signed up for at that time. Hard work, dedication it takes to maintain and to also bring new things to life. Would I have done anything differently? No. Because it is through working the machines, doing the actual grunt, sweat and grind that the company was founded.

Now here’s the challenge that I can’t seem to solve. Before presenting the challenge, let me set the scene:

1. We live on an island that is largely dependent on import. 
2. Money money money.. (hear this as a song). 
3. Knowledge gap on certain items. Think of for example humidity making popcorn soggy.

What’s the challenge? PACKAGING. That’s it: nothing more nothing less. As you can see here, we have had different packages when we started: and

The only one which can keep them fresh for 3 days or more is the plastic. But we want to move away from the plastic as that’s a one-use plastic bag and that’s pollution. Right? We even designed our box which we are very very VERY proud of, but we can’t use them yet because who would want soggy pops?

And that’s where innovation needs to come in. Or creativity. Or better yet: both! There’s a thirst for new developments in this area and having the criteria as can be seen above makes it even more challenging to solve.

Does any of you have the magic answer? If so, let’s talk! Please send me an email and we’ll see where we can go. Any other comments – feel free to leave them below!

Can innovation be taught

Depending on how innovation is defined, what education is like, and how the individual’s mindset is, I really believe that innovation can be taught. Hmm. Seems like a lot of contingencies right?

Numerous debates have taken place over this question due to some people’s belief that innovation cannot be taught and is instead ingrained in a person. It still goes back to: what is innovation then?

This article outlines creativity against innovation: Despite what people think, creativity and innovation are not the same thing. Creativity is an ability each person is born with. It is creative thinking which assists a person to come up with new and brilliant ideas. Innovation, on the other, is the process of bringing these ideas to life. It should also be noted that innovation is used strictly for organizational purposes, whereas creativity can be used in any context.

So if we take the innovation to being the process, then there’s hope for everyone after all! Everyone can be an innovator if they want to, that is. Now, what skills do innovators then need to posses, in order to get them from just being creative, to being an innovator? Forbes indicates that to be an innovator, you would need these skills:

• • Questioning skills allowing innovators to challenge the status quo and consider new possibilities;
  • Observing skills that helps innovators detect small details;
  • Networking permits innovators to gain radically different perspectives from diverse backgrounds;
  • Experimenting prompts innovators to relentlessly try out new experiences;
  • Associational thinking — drawing connections among questions, problems or ideas from unrelated fields.

These are all things that we can learn, regardless of which background you come from. It all goes back to your mindset, because, do you want it enough? 🙂

So what do you think: can Innovation be taught? Let us know in the comments below!

Photo by Juhasz Imre from Pexels

Criteria for innovation

You got it! THE idea of the century! You are SURE, CERTAIN that this is going to be it! The market is SO waiting on your idea. The people will be gushing about it and asking themselves .. but why? WHY didn’t I think of that before?

And then comes the time you need to actually take that idea, break it down into actionable steps in order for you to plan out it’s phases. What are you going to do with it? Are you going to do it ALL yourself, are you partnering up with people or are you just gonna see where the wind blows you?

But wait. Wait, wait, wait UP for a second will y’a? Let’s start first with defining what innovation is first! Let’s not pop the champagne just yet. Merriam Webster gives this definition, which fits the above perfectly. But when applying this to a business for example, it might need a little more tweaking. 

Innovation: creating and implementing a new method for result-oriented work; a way to make things better. 

Did you know, that there are criteria for innovation? 

Photo by Aaron Kittredge from Pexels

Governmental progress

Don’t ask me why I’m writing about government, as I’m the last person to know anything about politics and government in general. I’m told that it’s my duty to know. I’m also told that government is representing me if I vote for the current governmental body. You guessed it. In my head I hear: “Blah, blah, … blah”.

It’s not that I’m disrespecting anyone who wants to be in the government. Be it high up the chain or lower. The whole system (on the island, but I do think it’s world wide), is corrupt. Notice what I said. The system. So I did not nor shall I start to point any fingers.

But where I do draw the line is where the government has any say in the ‘comfort of my living’ so to speak. The way things are structured – or lack there of most of the time – can get on my nerves.

I’m at least happy that some things are now possible online for example. Not everything… and I hope that I can insert the word “yet” here. Therefore, instead of focusing on all the things where governmental progress has not yet arrived, let me focus on the good stuff shall I? For instance: it is possible to make an appointment to get a new passport online. It’s also possible to submit tax information online. That’s a humongous win right there! Or what about the fact that the garbage service has improved over the last 20 years! I do realize that these are not innovations. By far. Because they have been adopted elsewhere and are proven methods already. 

That brings me to the crux of my question: how possible – or not – would it be to drive innovation within the government?

Personally, I do think size matters in this case: the bigger your government, the more people you’d need to convince that whatever it is you want to implement would be worth their while. Discounting the fact that personal ego’s do sometimes stand in the way of that too I”m afraid.

Does this mean that we cannot hope for progress? Because if I see the word progress for the government that in itself is already an innovative move :D. Thank God that there are instances where I’m proven wrong as can be read here.

What do you think? Is it possible to have innovation in our (local) government? And if so how do you envision it? Let us know below!