A cracking send-off in London at Stanford’s map and book shop means that the starting whistle has been blown for Speednetwork the Globe!

Global Entrepreneurship Week is on its way!  From the 17th-23rd November this year, people and organisations across over 70 countries will take part in this inaugural event, encouraging young people all over the world to connect with each other, to have ideas, and make them happen.

One of the signature activities of the week, (founded by the Kauffman Foundation and Make Your Mark and with global sponsors including IBM, Ernst and Young and NYSE Euronext) is going to be Speednetworking, because it’s an incredibly simple way to get people sharing ideas and connecting with each other, fast!  With just 2 months to go, it’s time to start encouraging people to either attend or host an event in a city near you. 

The only challenge I have found in over 5 years of hosting Speednetworking events is that the experience tends to be a LOT more enjoyable than it first sounds.  Recent feedback has included;

“It’s like going to a party where you don’t know anyone, and discovering you’re the most sought after guest – suprisingly refreshing”

“Speednetworking is the most fruitful business tool I have ever come across. I met someone who introduced me to a significant investor in one of my productions; as well as meeting the most wonderful cross section of people I would never normally have the pleasure of bumping into in everyday working life.”

“As an owner of a fast growing and dynamic business, I find SpeedNetworking incredibly useful for a few reasons 1) you can meet a lot of new people over a short period of time 2) it doesn’t allow you to be nervous 3) it’s short, so if it isn’t a fit, you don’t get stuck with them 4) you meet people you might not naturally connect with or meet and finally, 5) it fits in well with a busy agenda/timetable”

So instead of sitting here in London telling people about how useful and fun Speednetworking can be, I’m packing my suitcase and heading of on a Whistlestop Tour!  In the style of a SpeedNetworking event, where you meet lots of people in quite a short period of time, I’ll be travelling to TWELVE different countries in just TWENTY TWO days.

Wish me luck as I try to connect with people across the globe.  Here’s my schedule, and the dates show the actual day of the event;

1. Monday 15th September – London, UK
2. Tuesday 16th September – Toronto, Canada
3. Thursday 18th September – San Francisco, USA
4. Monday 22nd September  – Mexico City, Mexico
5. Thursday 25th September – Santiago, Chile
6. Monday 29th September – Sydney, Australia
7. Tuesday 30th September – Singapore City, Singapore
8. Wednesday 1st October – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
9. Friday 3rd October – Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
10. Monday 6th October – Gaborone, Botswana
11. Tuesday 7th October – Johannesburg, South Africa
12. Wednesday 8th October – Dublin, Ireland
13. Thursday 9th October – London, UK

Reader, do you know people in these cities who might be interested in getting involved or in finding out more about Global Entrepreneurship Week?  If so, drop me a line, follow my Whistlestop Tour on the main site or on Twitter, or leave comment after this post.

In the meantime, keep in touch, and I look forward to connecting with you again soon!

I may have discovered (and certainly not mastered!) two recipes for hyper-productivity.  The trouble, they don’t exactly go hand in hand;

Method One;

1) Make yourself a cup of tea. 

2) Close down every web browser window and open your email client

3) Physically disconnect your computer from the internet completely

4) Turn your mobile phone off

5) Open up a blank word (or notepad) document and have a proper notepad next to you.

5) Work at full speed for two 45 minute bursts, with a 15 minute (complete) break in the middle

Method Two;

1) Make yourself a cup of coffee

2) Open up Facebook, Twitter, Google, Addictomatic and BBC News

3) Make sure your computer is reconnected to the internet

4) Turn your mobile phone on

5) Spend 15 minutes unleashing a flurry of emails to people who you really want to make stuff happen with

6) Allow yourself to get massively distracted by the first people who come back to, surfing the top of your inbox with delight.

7) Allow yourself to scurry off down hyperlink rabbit holes not knowing where they might end.

7) Make long shot random calls to people and companies you feel you just have to connect with

8) Continue this process for no more than 2 sessions of 45 minutes.  Allow yourself a break from your working area during this time, however don’t slow down during that break.

I think that if you are able to crack one of each of these hyper-zones per day (total 3 hours), you’re on to something amazing.  The rest of the time, you’ll be blending techniques, meeting people, working ‘normally’ etc.

What do you reckon?  Do either of these resonate with you?  Have you got other techniques?

Once in a while, I’m quizzed about whether I’d consider going into politics.  Well, there’s something I should share with you;

h/t Stewart Townsend at Sun