FuckUp Nights Basel Vol X

It is hard to report from FuckUp Nights Basel: I want to rave about every evening and it might sound cheesy to you already. But it is true, every evening is different and unique with a new mix of people and experiences connecting over a good glass of wine or beer.

THANK YOU to all 60+ participants for coming and contributing in our “Defining failure …” session.

The three untold fresh stories came from three women this time. There was no intention to make it a Ladies Night. It just was! Here are the three speakers you had the honor to meet:

Claudia Raine

After 30 different jobs and professions she tried out, she now owns a degree in International Relations and is a committee member of the Professional Women Group in Basel. Being able to really tell how it feels to be in the wrong job, she helps people stop feeling like they are doing time at their job and move to a job that they love.

It is so cool!

On her way she learned that embracing change and not forgetting to do her research despite a lot of enthusiasm is really the best recipe to reach her goal.

She also became an escape artists and escaped from over 50 escape rooms in 17 cities to date.

Connect with Claudia

 

 

Sina Mehl

“As in everybody elses life,” she says “my life is full of ups and downs and setbacks.” However, her curiosity for the things life has to offer, made her come up with a new plan B for every failed plan A. She decided to do only jobs or projects which excite her the most and feel right in that moment. This is how she experienced many different jobs and found out what she truly wants to do. Embracing the fear of not being perfect doing something you do the first time was her hard lession to learn on the way.

You do need to start!

Organizing self-development events, being a trainer and coach Sina loves to bring like-minded people together who learn from one another, and through that tap deeper into their own truth as well. This is where she does this –

Inside Out Movement

 

Olga Quesada

Olga has a passion to inspire others – in different ways and forms. She did that as a teacher for many years, before she decided that there is more to her life than teaching. Today she is a writer, producer of the Know-how Podcast Series for the Professional Women Group Basel, an Instagram magician and part of the cast in the Vagina Monologues 2018 to empower women. The key question she asked all of us that evening is

Do you really want to spend all this energy to be fighting with your business partner or rather invest it in something new?

A modest, powerful and fun person to be around. She will continue to support FuckUp Nights Basel on our way. Immensly happy about and looking forward to moving mountains having fun on the way.

Connect to Olga

We are looking forward to see you in April 2018

The Organiser

Jutta Jerlich
​www.fuckupnights.com/basel

 

LINKS

FUN Basel Vol X 15.2.2018

Photos at our Facebook Page

Read about previous @FUN_Basel evenings

Launchlabs Basel

#FUN.Basel @FUN_Basel

FuckUp Nights Basel Vol 10

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The thin line between the meanings of words

The selection of the words you use to introduce a new product depends on your viewpoint and attitude: it is a discovery, an invention or a creation that happened by accident or because of a failure on the pathway towards your original goal.

A thin line.

How do you interpret the meanings of the words around failure, mistakes and errors? Which ones do you use?

The story of the microwave: Percy Spencer accidently discovered the revolutionary process while experimenting with a new type of vacuum tube called magnetron in 1945. First available for home use in the early 1950s, it was very unpopular because of its bulky size and high price (said to be $5,000). Only in 1967 a 100-volt countertop version was introduced to the market at a price of $495.

Does your company have the ressources to afford such a long time to market these days?

My parents still have the first microwave, no not as a post box. Believe it or not, it is still in use.

It was about that 3.000 Austrian Schillings when it was bought.

I love this particular use of a microwave … my grandfather was working for the Post and would have loved it.

Your answer to this question alone, is the reason for why you should join a FuckUp Night near you.

Join our FuckUp Nights Basel Vol VIII

 

Special guests and speakers you have the honor to meet in Basel

Join our FuckUp Nights Basel Vol VIII

LINKS

Read about previous @FUN_Basel evenings

Launchlabs Basel

#FUN.Basel @FUN_Basel

It started with a … match

How did the quest continue?

Here is how the story started:
It started with a match …

On the quest to understand what value is:

Over the road was a small independent florist. My strategy, as it emerged was to target business owners rather than franchises or chain shops. On the way in I noticed some small plants outside for between 12 and 18 francs.

A birthday card for a small plant? Now that has to be a good deal (for me). It was nice and cool inside but as I entered I noticed the 4 women who worked inside, and fortunately one of them was the business owner. She patiently listened to my story, delighted in my feature and benefit sale of the new and unused birthday card, revelled in the banter and did the deal on a real lavender plant. Onwards and upwards.

Success breads success and bored with my own I entered a gift shop that had a sale on. This time the owner was not in the shop and would be away some time. However, on hearing the story it was clear the two ladies in this shop wanted to help.

Besuch beim “Cirque Noël”

CIRQUE NOEL 6.Jänner 2016

Jedes Jahr unternehme ich mit meinen Großnichten und Großneffen in den Weihnachtsferien etwas Gemeinsames. Sie kommen dann aus verschiedenen Himmelsrichtungen zum vereinbarten Treffpunkt – diesmal die Landeshauptstadt Graz – mit dem Zug, was allein schon was Besonderes ist. Wir beginnen mit einem Essen beim McDonald’s – ein Vergnügen für die “Kinder” im Alter von 6 bis 15 Jahren – eine Herausforderung für mich.

Dieses Jahr habe ich den Cirque Noël unter der Regie von Adrian Schvarzstein ausgewählt, ein “Ein Zirkus-Theater Stück” wie er es selbst nennt.

Eine zauberhafte Geschichte mit so vielen Eindrücken, dass man sie zweimal sehen sollte, um ja nichts verpasst zu haben.

Nina, 14 Jahre alt und unsere Fotografin hat stimmungsvolle Bilder gemacht, die ich hier einfüge. Saskia, 11 Jahre alt und Moritz, 8 Jahre alt haben ihre Eindrücke sogar niedergeschrieben!

… mit Ihren eigenen Worten:

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Am 6.1.2016 sind wir mit dem Zug nach Graz gefahren. Als erster sind wir zum McDonald’s gegangen um Mittag zu essen. Es waren drei Erwachsene und zehn Kinder.
Nach dem McDonald’s sind wir zum Zirkus Cirque Noël spaziert. In diesem Zirkus gibt es keine Tiere. Die Zirkuscrew bestand aus Musikern, Schauspielern, Akrobaten und Artisten. Die Vorstellung war spannend und lustig zugleich. Am Ende des Stückes durften einige von uns auf die Bühne.
Es war wie jedes Jahr ein ganz toller Ausflug.”

Saskia, 11 Jahre

“Am Anfang war ein nackerter Mann, der Cello gespielt hat. Wie er gegangen ist haben alle seinen Popo gesehen.
Es war so schön, dass ich auf der Bühne hab helfen dürfen. Ich hab mit Adrian an einem Seil gezogen und künstlicher Plastikschnee ist auf die Bühne gefallen. Dann hab ich noch mit einer Frau getanzt, dafür hat mir Adrian seine Kappe auf den Kopf gesetzt. Saskia und Chloe haben dann auch mitgemacht.
Am Schluss haben wir uns mit allen Künstlern verbeugt.”

Moritz, 8 Jahre

 

LINKS

Cirque Noël

 

27 Teams at the Creativity Engineering Semester Start

Have you come across Whataventure ?

An Austrian Startup that believes in empowering teams across the world to execute new tech-based business ideas with success. Their Innovation Platform guides you through a state-of-the-art process to grow your ideas to investment readiness.

This year’s CREATIVITY ENGINEERING class has the privilege to use their tool along the process of growing their ideas.

The CE class this WS2015/1016 is the largest ever since its starts 8 years ago. This lead to 27 teams that formed on the start of the semester.

G01 Smart Home
G02 BioFuel
G03 AccoMobile
G04 Mobile CRM for Therapists
G06 Education Games
G07 Research Finder
G09 Ski Boots
G10 ReTroCycling
G11 CommunicAPE
G13 Automated Hail Protector
G15 Independent Tire Sensors
G17 Keep it GREEN
G18 Reliable Delivery
G19 Retro Market
G21 Parking Lots
G23 EcoCrowd
G24 ABC
G25 Sorting BIN
G27 Hexagon

… updates to come

Hello 2015

On a very cold note I am saying Hello to 2015 in an icy world full of beauty and sparkle.

I want to say Thank You Universe for

• inviting two new friends into my life
• let me re-connect with old friends
• exchange thoughts from the soul with a few very special people

Thank you for the rich and fruitful discussions, work and time spent with

• my Creativity Engineering students
• my Top Talent Club Members from Cisco Networking Academy Austria
• the Wings for Life World Run NetAcad Team
• Netriders and Skills Participants I had the pleasure to meet or communicate with within the Networking Academy Program
• all educators, colleagues, partners, friends and family

Looking forward to the pathway ahead with all of you, meeting new individuals on the way and coming together for an amplified impact on causes we care about.

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year 2015 with health, love and happiness in abundance !

Olivenernte 2014

Gedanken von Karin Todeschini

Sanft strahlt die Sonne heute (17. November) vom Himmel. Nicht aggressiv wie im Sommer, sondern mit der milden, schmeichelnden Wärme, die man so schätzt in dieser Jahreszeit. Mein Körper beginnt sich langsam einzurenken. Die Schultern sind wieder beweglicher, der Nacken lässt schon eine zaghafte Drehung des Kopfes zu, die Finger schmerzen nur mehr so wie sonst üblicherweise auch; der Normalzustand ist fast wieder erreicht.

Der Regen der letzten Woche ist nur mehr in der Erzählung wirklich, das Bächlein, das mir in den Ärmel rinnt während ich so sanft wie möglich die Oliven vom Baum streiche, ist versiegt. Da war am ersten Tag, wie immer, das Gefühl der Ohnmacht angesichts der Anzahl an Bäumen, so viele sind es, wie sollen wir diesen Olivendschungel bewältigen?

Aber dieses Jahr ist alles anders. Ein Teppich verfaulter Oliven bedeckt den Boden, manche Bäume haben nicht eine einzige Olive an den Ästen. Die Blüte war so reichlich – was ist nur geschehen? Wir breiten also die Netze aus, –„pull, pull” lautet der Befehl und so zerren wir an den beiden Enden, legen die Netze ordnungsgemäß an den Baum, „nageln” sie zusammen, packen die Leitern – ganz groß für den Padrone, etwas niedriger für den Gesellen (Kurt in diesem Fall) und ziemlich klein für mich, die ich die weibliche Hauptrolle (diesmal in Abwesenheit anderer Frauen) im Olivendrama spiele. Es regnet. Auf die Leiter, fertig, los … Die Plastikkämme kämmen, die Hände streifendie Oliven von den Ästen, besonders hartnäckige Oliven werden mit dem Stock zu Fall gebracht. Die ganz Schlauen unter ihnen verharren still hinter einem Blatt versteckt. Entdeckt man sie doch und greift zum Stock, wehren sie sich erst und fliegen dann meist in hohem Bogen vom Baum, über das Netz hinaus, in die Freiheit! Und wenn sie trotz alledem unentdeckt bleiben, so findet sie das prüfende Auge des Padrone bei der abschließenden Kontrolle und sie werden zu den anderen in das Netz verbannt.

Ab und zu erklingt zaghaft die zarte Olivenmelodie, wenn die geernteten Früchte auf ihrem Weg zum Boden die Leiter streifen… Ein Scherz hie und da, ein Ruf von Baum zu Baum, jeder arbeitet still vor sich hin, wir bedienen die romantische Vorstellung von den fröhlich singenden Erntehelfern nicht. Die Regentropfen, das Blätterrauschen machen taub und hemmen den Enthusiasmus. Die Kirchturmuhr schlägt jede halbe Stunde unerbittlich – schlägt einerseits Hoffnung auf die mittägliche Pause, erinnert andererseits daran, wie wenig Früchte am Boden liegen… schnell, schnell, die Zeit drängt, der Regen wird stärker. Ich klettere in die Krone des Baumes; vor nicht allzu vielen Jahren gelang  mir das noch ohne Zuhilfenahme der Leiter, in diesem Jahr bin ich schon wesentlich demütiger, die Kräfte lassen nach. Ich fühle mich frei da oben, genieße den Ausblick trotz der Nässe, bin mir aber der Gefahr bewusst, die von den schlüpfrigen Ästen ausgeht. Die Vernunft sollte eigentlich siegen, aber hier oben ist alles leicht, sanft wiege ich mich in den Ästen! Nun ist es an der Zeit, die Oliven einzusammeln. Ein kleines Bächlein an Früchten rinnt in die Mitte des Netzes, wo sonst ein rauschender Bach  an bunten Oliven zu einem großen See zusammen läuft. Diesmal rauscht nur der Regen.

Die Prozedur des Netzeauflegens wird wiederholt, wieder wird genagelt und die Ernte beginnt von vorne. Dann ist es schon Mittag, dann früher Nachmittag, wir wollen die Stunden des Tageslichts nützen und arbeiten weiter bis wir die Oliven nicht mehr von den Blättern unterscheiden können. Schluss.

Eine warme Dusche, Claudio macht ein fulminantes Feuer im Kamin, wir sind stolz auf das Tagesergebnis, wenn es im Vergleich zu den Jahren der Vergangenheit auch recht mager ist. Aber morgen ist wieder ein Tag, es wird wieder regnen … Ein Glas Rotwein tröstet schon heute. Und dann gute Nacht. Morgen … same time, same station, um ein Viertel nach sieben treffen wir einander wieder zum Frühstück, immer wieder – bis Kurt am Samstag abreist und nur noch Claudio und ich zwei weitere Tage gegen die Elemente ankämpfen … Donner und Blitz, sintflutartige Regengüsse und der Mut der Verzweiflung sind unsere Begleiter.

Acht Tage Ernte schließen wir am Montag bei strömendem Regen ab. Wir haben weniger als die Hälfte eines „normalen” Jahres geerntet, gearbeitet haben wir um kein bisschen weniger! Freuen wir uns auf nächstes Jahr?

 

Wings for Life – Uplifting Experience

#netacad
#worldrun

The Wings for Life World Run is the first time ever that a global race took place in 33 countries and 34 locations at the same time. For me it was the proof that we can all do something together at the same time. It was the proof that the technology we have at our fingertips can actually bring us together and unite our minds and spirits for one cause.

This is just wonderful and a very powerful realization.

How did the idea for participating in this event get started?

Having worked with teachers and students for many years, I started to hear from teachers over and over that students do not read their study materials any more, everything is too long or too much. There is no motivation to learn. There is too much information out there and it is hard to choose. In contrast, in a conversation with a friend, he was telling me about the motivation – no actually much more than that – the dedication of Iron Man competitors or Marathon runners. I started to think about how I could find a way to put such kind of passion into learning. I went on a quest to discuss this with students and they told me that it would be great for them to see real life implementations of networking technology they can study and learn from.

Then the Wings for Life World Run project was presented to me and it made “klick”.

In technical terminology the technology that made this event possible is called nowadays called Internet-of-Everything Technology and Networking Technology is at its heart. I am supporting and promoting the Networking Technology Education Program for the IT Solutions provider Cisco Systems, the Cisco Networking Academy. This Education Program is in 165 countries and with its 1.000.000 students worldwide it is called the largest classroom of the world.

Such an event happening was the invitation from life, the unique opportunity to connect people with passion to learners by allowing them to take a look behind the scenes to understand the technological solution and see in front of their own eyes what it takes in terms of team work and leadership to implement a global race. To have this opportunity alone is great but there was another challenge I added. We shared the information and knowledge gained with the larger international network of learners in the Networking Academy program in many countries.

Here are my reflections about how it all went:

Did the experience prove true to your expectations?

The answer is a definite YES.

It is actually more than a Yes, because it exceeded my expectations. Being able to meet the people who had the idea of a World Run and the huge team who made it reality is more than I could imagine. Each single person is fully committed to making the event a success with his or her heart and mind. This energy will touch you. It will inspire you.

Every group member took his own time to feel the energy in its full power.
“Wow, this is exactly what I would love to do as a job …”
“… you started your company with 25?”
“I need to plan for this next time … .”
“ … thanks … it is great to be here.”

It is so exceptionally motivating to see a world that is doing the run together as ONE. Being part of this effort by making it a learning experience adds another level that should help to unite the youth in making the world theirs.

Did the students really learn what you expected them to learn?

Our group with Felix, Maximilian, Ivica, Nathan and Kevin was just great. The group was diverse – they were all from different backgrounds, with different interests and skills, at different stages in their life – and at the same time they were all ambitious, open to each other’s views and ideas which helped immensely to quickly find a way to work as a team. It was amazing to feel how sad we all were when our time together was over, including me. They all learned to communicate and share their knowledge in a team and for a larger network. A skill that is so important for any job in life, but rarely ever taught in school or university.

What was the most important for me: I could see the spark in their eyes when they fully understood the essence of my message. How do you know when that happens? Usually a person is rather quiet at that moment and you can literally see this moment of understanding, this insight in their eyes and facial expressions.

What was not so good or needs further improvement?

My real world learning activity was not that easy to explain. It is a complex collaboration on more than one level between five stakeholders who could not have done this alone. It is only possible to be successful if all partners bring their part to the table. Multi stakeholder partnerships are hard to explain and require not only the right attitude but also the ability to recognize an opportunity at the right point in time and in the fitting context.

It is just hard to explain to someone. It is hard to put in a few words. We live in a time of information overflow and people do not (have the time to) read any more. Marketing and Communication have to be short, precise and if possible, less than 140 characters, to be used in twitter messages to catch the interest of readers. Well, this is extraordinarily difficult when trying to explain a project that requires a multi stakeholder partnership to realize.

It seems that people are not able any more to identify opportunities and projects that are worth their time and effort. Continuing this work I will have to find better ways to explain the opportunities or find different words or images to make people understand their significance.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH
I want to thank each and everyone who did take the time to read the materials and to speak to me. Each single person who involved him or her in this project did so because of a personal relationship with me or another person I personally know or work with.

Thanks for trusting in me and my initiative.
I will build on this foundation we created for future collaboration and the next Wings for Life World Run on the 3^rd of May 2015.

My Austrian experience

OFF TO A NEW PLACE

I traveled to Vienna, Austria in July, 2012 with a heavy heart and with a purpose that seemed more important to me than continuing my job in my home land.
I was sent to coordinate a project that my company executed for an Austrian company. My company had booked my accommodation and I was living in a hotel close to the new office.

The day I arrived in Vienna, it was a dull day with grey clouds and rain. It seemed that they were representative of my life at that point in time and it will remain this grey for the rest of my time in Vienna. The hotel staff hardly spoke any English and apparently, I did not know a single word of German. But, they spoke to me in English with a unique accent and since I have had experience of interacting with people from different nations before, I could manage to understand their part of conversation. But, when it came to my turn to speak in English, the hotel staff would look at me disgusted as if I have just lost my way from the planet Mars and accidentally landed in front of their hotel and requesting them for directions to my planet again. My English is actually not that bad and the very purpose why my company sent me as a coordinator is that I had good communications skills.  The hotel staff was often rude except for one employee, who was the only relief for me in that place. The fact that the receptionist offered me cold water when I complained about the hot weather in July must tell you something about their hospitality. I at least deserved a fan for the 90 Euros I paid daily for the entire month. More about my stay, later.

The first day I entered the office in Vienna, I was greeted well by the manager and was waiting for the engineer with whom I would have to work daily for the project. He arrived at about 9

When, I arrived there were no colleagues whom I recognize in the new office. I did not have any friends that I knew in Vienna at that time. I was all on my own.

to be continued …