“Mentoring is like holding up a mirror to someone- but it’s a magic mirror that shows them things they didn’t know about themselves. Mentoring is not about judging, it’s about support. [...] Listen with every square inch of your body and you will be a better leader.”

Michael Payton spoke at the event in support of Mowgli’s mission: “I believe very strongly that entrepreneurial spirit is alive in most people and many would love to run a business and need encouragement and – above all – they need to be mentored. In my view the opportunities today for would-be entrepreneurs are as great as ever they have been and certainly the need for them is greater now than ever before. With some exceptions, how to be an entrepreneur – how to undertake or control a business or enterprise – is not something that appears in the curricula of universities or schools. There’s a gap and – vitally – Mowgli seeks to fill it. I’d like to wish them all very the best in their enterprises in this country”.

Mr Payton’s full speech can be seen in the video below.

Our thanks to EcoMedia Collective for their support in filming and photography at this event.

Tony Bury, serial entrepreneur and Mowgli Foundation founder, was honoured to be asked to speak at TEDX Bristol 2011. His talk is a very personal reflection on his past and how mentors helped him through the course of his life. He also describes how to find yourself a mentor – and how to make sure you use your mentor to best advantage.

Tony would like to thank the TED team for giving him the opportunity to share this with Bristol and the world.

The TEDX Bristol event brought together some fantastic speakers, including Mowgli Mentee- and sustainable buildings expert- Tia Kansara. We recommend you check out the rest of the speakers and performances at http://www.tedxbristol.com.

By Tony Bury- Founder of the Mowgli Foundation

This week, I and my daughter Kat attended the World Economic Forum’s Special Meeting on Economic Growth and Job Creation in the Arab World, in Jordan. It was a stimulating event with a vast range of ideas and research discussed- regarding how the Arab world can move forward in this time of heightened political and economic insecurity. However, there are three main points that were made which I found particularly important and I would like to share with the Mowgli readership.

The first was that many senior figures at the WEF called for an “Arab Marshall Plan,” which would respond to recent upheavals across the region. After decades of corruption, mismanagement,rulers rather than leaders  there is a new sense of optimism, with the public hoping for significant economic improvements. The current model of relying on big projects and state employment is no longer viable; a huge injection of cash is needed to narrow the inequalities that led to the uprisings. Ibrahim Dabdoub, Chairman of the National Bank of Kuwait suggested that as there is little hope of funding from Western countries facing their own economic problems, the proposed ‘Marshall Plan” could be funded by Gulf petrodollars and regional development banks. Advocates of the plan said that it should be carried out in close cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to gain access to their expertise. The main goal is to solve the huge unemployment problem in the region, with Dabdoub emphasising the need to create 85 million jobs. This is a sentiment that was mirrored by Hassan al-Boraei, Egypt’s labour minister, who warned that “The Arab Spring could turn into an autumn if social justice is not achieved.”

The second important discussion was about venture capital and the need for investment  for entrepreneurs, being made available at various stages of their development which is obviously a huge issue across the region.  I was interested to see that the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Abraaj Capital- Mowgli’s regional partners- jointly announced the launch of the US$ 50 million Jordan Growth Capital Fund to provide long-term capital and institutional support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Jordan. The goal is to prepare Jordanian companies for global competitiveness, increasing exports and export opportunities to targeted regional and international markets.  I look forward to watching the development of this initiative, since the SMEs who can access this fund  will be the engine that drives so much of the social and economic development the region needs.

The last discussion point- obviously one close to my heart- was about mentoring.  In the session on Accelerating Entrepreneurship in the Arab World, it was pointed out that entrepreneurs need a supportive ecosystem, ranging from financial and technical support to incubation to personal mentoring support- but this eco-system is still patchy in many Arab states. 10 recommendations were made to remedy this, in a report produced by Booz and Company with the WEF Forum of Global Young Leaders.  I hope that leaders in the region take note. The key point for me is that so many of the region’s enterprises have so much more potential than they are currently reaching- more than 80% of MENA entrepreneurs have enterprises worth about $15,000, but think of the impact if they were all to grow and succeed. Support for these micro-enterprises could turn them into engines of job creation. I urge you all to read the report which they produced which is truly fascinating.

To emphasise the role of mentoring, in this vision for Arab development shaped at this WEF, I leave you with this- a filmed session on “key imperatives for accelerating economic growth and job creation in the Arab world”. Maurice Lévy, Chairman and CEO of Publicis Group noted that the Arab world is waiting now for ‘RESULTS’ and ‘RECIPES FOR CREATING JOBS!’.  In his talk (23mins in) he emphasised the role that mentoring can have in harnessing the energy of the region’s youth, and urged those with successful track records in business to contribute their time and expertise.

I fully endorse his words that this is the way to “plant the seeds which will generate a fantastic new generation of leaders in this region.” I hope that Mowgli can be the Foundation he called for!

We are currently working on a concept paper to create a regional mentoring foundation so that we can gauge the level of  interest and support in such an initiative. We will keep you advised!

The Power of Mentorship A Wamda Webinar with Tony Bury from The Mowgli Foundation on Vimeo.

He made this and sent it to us all to “help us remember this wonderful experience”! We are really touched and wanted to share it with all Lebanese entrepreneurs and mentors, past and present.

If you want to find out more about Mowgli Mentoring Experiences, please visit our About Us pages and learn how mentors like Jade are helping entrepreneurs throughout the MENA region!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tQRWLZLaKY

Key points we want to applaud:

• Enterprise is for everyone- that’s the great thing about it! It doesn’t matter what school you went to or what gender, race or religion you are- you can succeed in business.
• The UK government is aiming that 25% of their tendered contracts will go out to SMEs…be interesting to see how that pans out!
• Exports should be a key focus of all SMEs and is more accessible than you think (if you want to think about this a bit more check out the opportunities available through the UKTI)

The Pitch 2011 is a UK wide competition for small businesses. Winners get a prize package worth £50,000- this year, all four nations in the UK were pitched against each other. For more information visit http://www.thepitch2011.com.

Check it out here (Mark Prisk begins speaking at around 3.10)

UPDATE: here’s the new version with English subtitles!

The video includes interviews from mentors, entrepreneurs, the CEO, Ian McKay and Mowgli’s Founder, Tony Bury.  It gives a great overview of the benefits for both mentors and entrepreneurs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rawCX70MRyE

The prompt for this blog was a tip about one of Wamda’s great webinars (they are a fantastic resource for innovators, educators, and SME entrepreneurs). The webinar we’re getting excited about (see video at the bottom of this post) is the upcoming talk by Samih Toukan, an internet entrepreneur and one of the most inspiring success stories to come out of the Arab world; famous for signing a multi-million dollar deal with Yahoo in 2009 worth approximately US$164m as the founder and CEO of Maktoob.com. He’s now chairman of Jabbar Internet Group, a company housing the online businesses that Yahoo didn’t buy (including the search engine araby.com) and continues to consult for Yahoo in the region.

The use of internet businesses as a tool for growth and development in the Arab world is an important topic of discussion. In many developing countries, the internet is both a source of inspiration and a path to wealth- but is also a cause for concern. A 2010 article by Deborah Wheeler: ‘Does the Internet Empower? A look at the internet and international development‘ captures this mixed outlook. Wheeler notes that while optimistic visions of the interconnected future see a world in which “networked communications erase social issues like race, gender, class; a world where change makes it possible for the marginal to have a voice”, that on the other hand, the ‘digital divide’ carries implications that the internet will only provide change for those on the right side of it. Critics worry that an ever-growing gap between rich and poor worldwide will be hastened, as the poor are shut out from access to information superhighways. She asks, “Does the internet empower? If so,  whom, what, when, where and how?”

We don’t have all the answers, but Mowgli can’t help but think that the key to  positive development through increased networks is the responsibility of everyone in the business community- not just the governments at the forefront of it. A 2003 report on ICT development in the ‘Arab World’ (PDF) notes the push from most MENA states towards developing technology incubators, interregional connectivity, coherent ICT strategy and educational initiatives. However, the report also notes the poor spread of ICT use to the mass population, citing English illiteracy and poor connectivity rates as well as basic obstacles like lack of online payment tools and technological illiteracy amongst some communities. The key, the report implies, is not only in better infrastructure and policy change, but in encouraging the integration of mainstream Arab businesses with the take-off of e-commerce and internet business; ie, in getting more traditional businesses to embrace the online. It states:

“Arab small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) shy away from technology despite the anticipated benefits. Due to security concerns and linguistic barriers, most SMEs rely on personal interactions and have not moved their operations online. Banks, the traditional business facilitators in the area, are poor technological mentors[...]. Underprepared for the ICT revolution, few offer transaction platforms, security features, and credit facilities for SMEs to acquire access technology. Most Arab business websites remain informational, offering at best online cataloguing.”

Now this report was released 8 years ago, so the Mowgli team would like to add that we feel the world has moved on somewhat; every day we speak to tech-savvy entrepreneurs from across the MENA region who know only too well how to harness the power of the internet (though it’s entirely possible some banks still have to step up-what are your thoughts?). And there are amazing initiatives being developed all the time, like Yamli.com- a  free online tool to help users type in Arabic with an English keyboard (their mission is to ‘empower Arabic users on the web’). But could there be more? What are your thoughts on the power of the internet to push Arab SMEs to the next level? And how can the rising tide of internet super-entrepreneurs lift all boats in the world of Arab business?

..A point which brings us neatly back to Toukan, whose upcoming webinar should be an interesting listen for everyone- not just the techies. We recommend you have a listen and spread the word- and perhaps a think about how your business can take advantage of all the internet has to offer and help in a small way to bring your community online. Something worth quoting at this point: ”Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

For example, check out this list of 10 TED talks that will transform your career; or have a listen to Mike Rios discuss how to get over a quarter life crisis and use your skills to change the world.

However, today I want to highlight a great TED resource which is of interest to both entrepreneurs and mentors- this talk by Dan Pink about motivation. It’s particularly helpful for those who are new to managing staff and want to learn more about motivating others and inspiring them to success.

“Career analyst Dan Pink examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most managers don’t: Traditional rewards aren’t always as effective as we think. Listen for illuminating stories — and maybe, a way forward.”

Let us know what you think and if you have any other great resources about motivation, let us know by tweeting @mowglitweets!

A helpful way to become focused on your physical presence is to experience your body through yogic postures. Not only is this a relaxing way of tuning out the outside world for a few minutes and concentrating on how you feel physically- excellent for mental wellbeing and to ease bodily aches and pains- it also helps you become more attuned to your physical presence and learn how to connect with the world around you.

The video below is a helpful resource. While it is suitable for beginners, Mowgli advises that you consult your doctor before attempting yoga for the first time and that you do not try these postures if you are pregnant or have back problems.

Don’t worry if you can’t achieve all the postures- it’s really just about experiencing a range of physical movements and becoming more aware of your breathing- notice the way your muscles and ligaments flow to create actions.

Done with positivity and energy- and more importantly, with total commitment to the moment- every conversation, sales pitch, and presentation you do can be ten times more effective. Got any more great resources on communications skills? Let us know by tweeting at us @mowglitweets!

You can find more of these mentor videos by using the tag Mentor Videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCOg8Qce7oU

We have a number of videos on our YouTube account and I’d like to share just a few with you in some posts over the next few weeks.  You’ll be able to find all the posts through the tag entrepreneur videos.

This is an interview between Roula Salim Shallah and Hala Keichour following the Mowgli training that took place in Syria in October 2010.

http://youtu.be/PBPX1A9EklA