Gina Rudan's Blog

On The Lawns of the White House

Yesterday I had the great honor and privilege to visit the grounds of the White House for a welcoming ceremony for his Excellency, Felipe, Calderon, and the President of Mexico. 

 

When my best friend Katina invited me to venture to the White House with her for this event, I immediately envisioned an intimate breakfast of 100 Latinos enjoying huevos rancheros with a side of grits with the man who inspires me most, Mr. President Barak Obama and his amazing genius of a wife, Michelle.

 

As the date neared I began to prepare accordingly, which for me meant: rereading parts of Dreams From My Father, getting a haircut, listening to the Sound Track of Black Orpheus (President Obama’s mother’s favorite movie as well as mine) and having my image guru, Tonya Evans, find me the perfect White House dress.

 

Yesterday was the big day and of course it was a completely different experience than I imagined. The 100 guests were more like 500 and the only access we had was to the White House lawns.

 

Although we were literally corralled by ropes limiting our access, we did enjoy a beautiful ceremony and the savvy bilingual remarks from both men. As I listened, watched and enjoyed every drop of the experience, I realized what a privilege it is to be alive at this point in our history. From the energy felt from the crowd, they probably felt as I did and it was there that the greatest experience happened.

 

As Katina and I made our way to what we thought was the front of the ropes, privately praying for the off-chance that the President would be “working the ropes,” we met an amazing group of young men from the fraternity, Sigma Lambda Beta who had traveled from NYC for the event. We immediately adopted these young men and engaged them with insight, advice, support and encouragement as we waited for the event to start. This small but meaningful encounter quickly reminded me of the power of young people and the importance of encouraging them even if they are at first a group of strangers.

 

The second surprise encounter on the lawns was  meeting Mr. Chris Simmons, an executive with Pricewaterhouse Coopers, a great soul with a passion for dance. We bonded with Chris, spoke of cultural connectivity and during our “keep it real” encounter, learned that Chris is a major salsa dancer.  This to us was a classic moment, which we will never forget. Picture this. It's 7:30 in the morning; we are on the lawns of the White House networking as we wait; and we meet an amazing man who loves to Salsa. We shared Salsa stories, corporate stories and after the event continued the story telling over breakfast. What an awesome day.

 

While I didn't get to meet President Obama my willingness to open myself to this incredible experience led me to some amazing people doing amazing things. God is good.

Top 5 Lessons I learned from Oprah

This past weekend I celebrated mother’s day with 6,000 women in attendance for O Magazine’s Live your Best Life Weekend and of all the lessons I learned from Oprah and her tribe which included my favorites, Martha Beck, Suze Orman, Adam Glassman and Nate Berkus, the following were the greatest insights.

1.    Live boldly. Not one but three of the speakers, including Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray Love all shared the importance and power of living boldly and I couldn’t agree more. In the last 15 months, I have taken risks, conquered fears and have realized the more chances I take, the bolder my life becomes and the bolder my life becomes the greater the rewards.

2.    Fill your cup first before you fill the cup of others.  “Wow,” I thought to myself, as I listened to Oprah share this simple yet profound piece of advice at Radio City on Saturday night. Both men and women suffer from this but women are the biggest culprits..  Why is it that we take care of our mothers, our husbands, our children, our cats and dogs before we even begin to think about our own needs? Why, why, why? If I could stress one insight the most, it’s this one. Fill your cup first ladies. And remember you are really doing a disservice to everyone you love by continuing the role of sacrificial lamb, so stop.

3.    Your work needs to be your play and your play needs to be work. It’s a simple lesson that I am finally living   and it’s so true. My work is my play and my play is my work and I can’t stress how life changing it is when you experience this shift. This may mean that you have to make a career change and I know that’s scary. But what scares me most is not living my very best life.

4.    Be the master of your own destiny.  In the novel of your life, remember you are the author and no one else. Instead of allowing others to write the next chapter in the story of your life, begin to write it yourself. We give our futures away and leave it in the hands of others. Take your destiny into your own hands and make the choices your intuitive side knows is best. And if anyone tells you otherwise, send them to you know where.

5.    Find time to be still. This year Oprah decided to practice the art of being still and has grown significantly because of it. Yes, I know, Oprah still has room in her life for growth.  Like Oprah, most of us are living a mile a minute life and it really is too much. I am a victim of this overextended disease and am here to invite you in joining me in a “be still” crusade. Every morning I have decided before I start my day of insanity to practice stillness and quiet.  For it is only when we are still that a new idea can be born.

This post is dedicated to my best friend, Katina Rojas Joy and step mom, Melba Olmeda who attended with me.  Ladies, we will never forget that experience. Enjoy the photos

The Mystery of Mind and Spirit

Although I am not religious I have always been a very spiritual person and recently I find myself cultivating the spiritual side of myself more than ever and I know this isn’t just happening to me. The connection between mind and spirit is a strong one and when you carve out the time for either of the two, the other is directly impacted in many ways, which makes me wonder....

Is my genius development work actually making me more spiritual or is my spiritual growth activating my genius? I’m not sure, but I do know that the connection between the two is surprisingly powerful, present and accessible to anyone.

Regardless of your religious affiliation, you can find the connection between spirit and mind and allow one to impact the other in a whole new way.  The spiritual essence that runs within each of us is actively feeding the mystery of who we are and rather than compartmentalize that side of yourself, allow that mystery to flow into your work, your writing, your projects and your service.

Super religious folks, both of the Eastern and Western beliefs, do this well but the rest of us, especially younger non-committals, really struggle with their spirituality and accessing the positive mystery it offers the mind. I find comfort in knowing I can accept my contradictions and enjoy all sides of myself, including the spiritual side, and I encourage you to consider the same. Take time for prayer, meditation chanting, whatever takes you closer to that well inside you.

And like Kahlil Gibran said, “I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit.”

18 Geniuses X 3 days + a Ranch = Life-Changing Experience

 

 

What do you get when you gather 18 kick-ass entrepreneurs with one common interest—to change the world—and have them spend three intense days together on a Texas ranch without Internet access? I’ll tell you what you get:

Tears from a pilot, inspiration from an energy expert, scalability advice from a video producer, collaboration techniques from a master connector, encouragement from a serial entrepreneur, laughter from a China expert in storytelling, management tips from a sassy democracy guru, comfort from a gentle sky diver, etiquette tips from a political strategist, compassion from a gorgeous dentist, furious excitement from a leading Gen Y expert and transparency from them all.

On top of all that, you get an opportunity to see yourself clearly from the eyes of another and more introductions than you could ever dare to wish for. 

I started my genius development practice, Genuine Insights, 15 months ago and I must say what I recently experienced at the Meeting of the Big Minds, a retreat for “treps” trying to make a difference, was bottom-line life-changing.

So what exactly is the Meeting of the Big Minds?

It’s an intimate, laid back, multigenerational gathering of outstanding entrepreneurs at a family ranch in Richards Texas. The creator, Dan Lack, the 25-year-old genius behind pushing beyond.com, decided a year ago he wanted to spend a weekend twice a year with what he defines as “kick-ass bootstrapping entrepreneurs” that are doing great work.

The agenda: Allow each to present their story in under 19 minutes followed by feedback from the group, accompanied by one-on-one time, cooking time, fishing time, bonfire time and endless conversational time. 

The outcome: An invisible thread of electric connectivity. Over three totally unplugged days, we sat, shared, brainstormed, coached and advised one another around the clock.  For me, it was like instant adoption by a family I never knew existed; an accountable board of advisors, mentors, friends, and nurturers—brothers and sisters who were in one way or another a reflection of myself, which was weird and amazing all at once. The three key takeaways of the weekend?

Get undressed

It’s okay to emotionally undress in front of others. When you share your personal truth, people’s hearts and minds open with outrageous generosity. Who doesn’t love that? Take a risk and offer your truth to a stranger this week. 

Tell your story

The ability to tell an outstanding story is your billion-dollar proposition. Nothing today matters more than strong communication skills. Work on it. Master it and be clear, it makes all the difference in the world.  And yes, your story should be told in under 19 minutes

Huddle up

There’s power in numbers—literally. It’s critical to collaborate on projects and ventures. Many “treps” go at it alone for far too long. Take a risk, find big minds that compliment you and your venture and hook up.

 
 

Become a Master Connector

Who?

This week I connected a group of cultural modernists together in what seemed to be, at minimum, a good idea for my Tedx MiA efforts and what actually transpired was two hours of collective stream-of-global-genius-consciousness.  As everyone generously shared ideas, resources and perspectives in response to Stan Stalnaker’s 18-minute TED-style talk on the social impact of globalization,  I sat in silence, feasting on the banquet of future-focused ideas being served at the boardroom table we sat at over breakfast.

Why?
We all know it's important to connect people with other like-minded folk but many of us fail to realize the greater positive sociological impact connections actually have, not only on our lives, but on the development of our communities, cities, countries and ultimately on our world. It's worth taking a moment to think about how your connections old and new, offline and online, are all actually part of one big global tribe. The more meaningful connections you make, the more you are actually contributing to collective progress.  

How?
There are three main considerations when working towards your connector mastery. 
1. Connectors should always strive to connect with other connectors. Ultimately groups of people will connect but it always starts with building a relationship of trust, transparency and intimacy with one person who is on your frequency. As that initial relationship solidifies, the introductions begin and before long, it’s a busy, bustling  two-way street. 

For example, Julie Woods Moss, an amazing British strategist and Master Connector who lives in London, connected me electronically via email to Stan Stalnaker, who I then connected to my TEDx MIA tribe.

Connect connectors to other connectors within your network and be selective. I always play matchmaker when in connecting mode and try to connect people who I know will complement each other’s projects, expertise, or curiosities.

 2. Lead your connector efforts with your most valuable currency—your ideas. It’s always best to attract and engage someone intellectually. And this doesn’t mean you have to go into “super nerd” mode. No offense to the sexy nerds who read my blog, but really your mindful consciousness of ideas is your intellectual currency and can be presented in a simple yet profound way, especially when it comes from a pure place—the heart.

3. Last but not least, connections aren’t always achieved and sustained in real time. Modern connectivity on a global scale happens online in real time. Now I know some people think they’re already on digital overload, but let’s be honest: the future is now and you have two choices—to adapt to the changing landscape of how human beings connect or be left behind.  If you haven’t lost your social networking virginity yet, go on now, get it on!

Identify socially conscious minds online and begin to build upon what you are already working towards. Whether it’s LinkedIn, Twitter, hubculture, Ning, or Facebook, get out there and start making big, bold, powerful human connections, one person at a time. And remember it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, so forget the shortcuts and cultivate with meaning.

This post is dedicated to Julie Woods Moss and my TEDx MIA tribe: Evelyn L. Greere; Caroline Macdonald, Matthew S. Greer, Suzanna Valdez, Matt Haggman, Geneva Spigner, and Stan Stalnaker (www.hubculture.com).

 

Eva Longoria on Latina Genius

This afternoon i had the great privilege of interviewing Eva on Latina genius. Enjoy the Speed Interview.

Daniel Pink on Motivation and Genius

Daniel Pink once again tickles my brain with yet another masterpiece, Drive. In his latest book Drive, Pink offers up a paradigm shift for looking at what really motivates us as professionals, as children, as overall autonomous beings walking this planet. The book grounded in science and research  is a game changer also filled with yummy practical advice for contemporary professionals.

Enjoy this 5 minute speed interview with Dan where i asked him 3 critical questions.

  Always genuine, Dan and I continue to support one another.

Suze Orman and I bonding our mutual passion for all things water, Sea Ray and women at the 2010 Miami International Boat Show.

Amazing Day at the Miami International Boat Show with my favorite Financial Guru Suze Orman and my favorite boat company, Sea Ray. Enjoy this interview on Suze and her passion for the water.

7 Laws to Building Relationships

Recently I had dinner with a circle of new friends that have come into my life in the most unexpected ways. In a short time, I have learned a few things from these friends and others about how to grow and sustain your global tribe.  In the spirit of passing it forward, here are seven great insights to consider when building substantive new relationships.

1. Intimacy first. 

Rather than date your new friends, I say go straight into emotional intimacy mode with them. Because this is rarely done well, especially in the United States, you will seem more open and available, which is appealing.  So rather than picking off the leaves of the artichoke layer by layer, go straight for the heart.  

2. No transactional behavior allowed. 

I have said this before and will say it again, no transactional behavior allowed. When meeting new, interesting people, don’t come to the table in a transactional frame of mind. This means no pitching, soliciting, or posturing allowed.  What works best is sharing the quest for a good time without any expectations of returns. Your job is to focus on the connection and to provide meaning to the experience.

3. Your stories are your currency.

 I find this law to be especially true when meeting people of great wealth or power. Instead of shying away from these potentially rewarding relationships because of class hang-ups, dive right in and know your portfolio of life stories is all you need. This is tried-and-true.

4. Bring your partner along on the journey. 

Many of us meet amazing new people and keep them all to ourselves never bringing our partners into the fold of newfound fun. Be mindful to include your immediate tribe early on into the relationship so they feel included in your relationship-building journey. Many of us grow apart from our partners because we don’t bring them along on own growth experiences. It doesn’t have to be that way.

5. 14 days is all you have. 

If you meet someone amazing, be sure to follow up and have lunch or dinner with that person within 14 days of meeting him or her. Take risks, get intimate, share your whole self quickly (soft and hard assets) and reach out sooner than later.

6. Be a connector. 

When you meet new minds find out what they love, what they hate, what inspires them and what keeps them up at night and be proactive to add value early on. The best way to do just that is to broker new connections on their behalf. Introduce them immediately to other new friends and constantly add to the tribe as you are cultivating it. Don’t wait to make introductions after a year, do it early on. For example, If you know someone is heading to Japan and you have friends there, make a call, send an email and connect your new friend with an old friend.  Be proactive and the value of these friendships will grow exponentially.

7. Sustain the connection.

I think the greatest challenge many of us have is when we meet interesting people is that we start to get close and then we don’t do the work necessary to sustain the relationship. Relationships are like gardens, they need lots of love, sunlight, water, fertilizer, and sometimes they need pruning. Be mindful to water your garden or another gardener will come along and take your place.

 And that’s one to grow on!

Scratch Your Entrepreneurial Itch

Yesterday, Genuine Insights celebrated its One-Year Anniversary and in honor of this milestone I want to share a few words of encouragement to those readers who hope one day to actually just do it and become a “trep” (Internet slang for entrepreneur). If you spend your days daydreaming of starting your own venture, fantasizing about being your very own boss or have written a business plan and are just sitting and waiting for a sign from God to start doing something about it—this is your wake up call.

When I set out to launch my training and advisory practice a short year ago, many said I couldn’t do it, I shouldn’t do it and that the timing was all wrong, I naturally—rebellious by nature—ignored the naysayers and dove in head first, literally. And thank God I did.

It’s a year later and I am not exaggerating when I say I have learned more this year than I have learned any other year in my 38 years on this planet. Being in business for yourself is a journey of self-study where you are both the professor and the student. It’s an empowering, pleasurable experience, filled with an electric level of intensity that is not only addictive but more importantly a manifestation of your pure internal genius.

What I have learned and what I encourage you to consider is to decide what truly motivates you and begin to obey—Yes, obey!—these motivating passions, values and important curiosities.

I am motivated by multi-sensory experiences, new ideas and spreading genius. And I’m also motivated by living my life centered around activities that allow me to honor these intrinsic values and this is what has made this year the best year of my life.

It’s not about the money. I repeat, it’s not about money. You have heard this a million times but it’s only when you walk away from a fat salary and start with zero that you realize money isn’t the be all and end all. Yes, it’s important to sustain your life and family, but what’s more important is filling your life’s portfolio with those activities you adore and can’t live without. Life is too short to live any other way.

So if you are reading this and thinking out loud to yourself, “I really need to get off my ass and do something.”  My reply is “Yes, please get off your ass and do something—it’s long overdue.” Do something different this year, take a risk, and obey your values and passions and find comfort that your expertise, skills and experience will guarantee your success.

If it did for me, it can do it for you.

Below is a list of 15 books that helped me move from vision to venture mode. I honor these writers and thank them for leaving a trail of their genius to inspire others. 

1.     Escape from Cubicle Nation by Pam Slim

2.     Screw it, Let’s Do It by Richard Branson

3.     Rules of the Red Rubber Ball by Kevin Carroll

4.     A Whole New Mind by Dan Pink

5.     Start Up Nation by Jeff Sloan and Rich Sloan

6.     Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert

7.     On Becoming Fearless by Arianna Huffington

8.     Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

9.     Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath

10.   Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck

11.   Who's Got Your Back by Keith Ferrazzi  

12.   Cirque Du Soleil by The Spark

13.  Tribes by Seth Godin

14.  Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk

15.  Drive by Dan Pink