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.
What a gift! Shows gifts and opportunities are there when you seek them and take advantage -- sounds like a wonderful experience. I like the take-a-ways too -- vulnerable disclosure in particular - hard but certainly worthwhile
Posted by: Dara | April 14, 2010 at 08:02 PM