It isn’t often we get good news from Afghanistan.  So you can imagine my delight when reading a rare exception, as reported in this week’s New York Times.

Meet Meena Rahmani, a 28-year-old Afghan woman who recently opened the country’s first bowling alley.  And while much of the country’s businesses are closing, Ms. Rahmani’s six-month-old business is booming.

All in a country which has been riddled with extreme violence since before she was even born.

Rahmani came up with her business idea soon after returning to Kabul from living in Canada. She noticed there was almost nothing for people to do affordably to have fun and unwind.

Thus Strikers was born.  Hidden off a main road in Kabul, with security guards and systems in place to keep people peaceful and enjoying themselves, Strikers has quickly become a hotspot in Kabul for the locals.

Most of who previously knew nothing about bowling.

What is particularly unique about Strikers is the fact it was created by an Afghan, not a foreigner.   It was built with Afghan money, not foreign aid.  And perhaps most significantly, it is owned and run by Ms. Rahmani, directly challenging the country’s deep bias against women.

In fact, she manages 25 of her all-male staff, whom have learned to respect her.

Yes, Meena Rahmani is achieving the UnReasonable. (Read more…)

I was nervous as I rounded the corner heading to John Jay Criminal School of Justice in NYC last week.

I was invited to mentor and coach a group of 30 or so entrepreneurs just completing a major part of their training.

But these weren’t just any entrepreneurs.

These were men who completed serving 1-20 years behind bars for serious crimes.

Defy Ventures, a new non-profit here in New York City, whom will be showcased in Inc Magazine’s June issue, works with men recently released from prison.  To have made it into Defy’s program, these guys were screened heavily for their potential of being successful as an entrepreneur.

What I learned is some of these guys spend their many hours behind bars reflecting on what they had done in their past.  And are very motivated to turn their lives around and doing something positive when they get out.

But the odds are against them.

In fact they are mostly unemployable… not because they don’t have an education or skills, but no one wants to hire someone with a criminal history.

As a result, many turn back to crime, because they don’t see a choice.  And they don’t have the necessary support to get re-integrated into society.

So within six months, over 60% of them find themselves back in prison.

But not these guys, where my initial nervousness didn’t last long.

Last Week's Defy Entrepreneurs with founder Catherine Rohr

(Read more…)

George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin

In late February Trayvon Martin, a 17-year old black male, was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old Hispanic, in Central Florida.

And while recent evidence suggests Zimmerman did not act in a racially-motivated way, this tragic story has our nation up in arms yet again over the issue guns and race.

Zimmerman claimed self-defense, which immediately kicked in Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, the broadest protection of self-defense in the country.  Which, so far, has prevented Zimmerman from being arrested for the killing of unarmed Martin. (Read more…)

Last Friday, I sat among others in the waiting room of an incredible organization that helps people with hearing loss. The Center for Hearing and Communication is a century-old not-for-profit that has been instrumental in helping me hear and relearn to communicate after my near-death experience in 2002.

Disturbing the quiet of patients waiting to be seen, a woman stormed into the reception area, and proceeded to lecture the receptionist about some perceived service inadequacy.  Evidently she’d received misinformation from the organization’s website.

The woman demanded to speak to the supervisor and wrote down the names of everyone at the reception desk. As employees worked to calm her, those of us in the waiting room did our best to ignore the scene and not judge how she was treating the staff. Because we’ve all been there. At those times when you feel someone else’s stupidity has cost you something, you’re angry, feeling entitled, and entirely wrapped up in your drama.

The woman had barely left before another dramatic scene started.  This one much more profound. (Read more…)

Even before I opened my eyes, I knew I was screwed.

Opening them only confirmed it.  The guy I was traveling with had drugged and robbed me of everything I had.

I was in a dangerous city in a foreign country, didn’t speak the language and now with no passport, travel visa or money.

And of course, he left me with the hotel bill for the room we had been sharing for almost a week.

The next two weeks were rough. (Read more…)

I wrote this article a few years ago.  Thought I’d update it a bit and resend.  Very timely message.

My wife came home last night all misty-eyed.  She had quite an amazing thing happen at the office, where she works for one of the top acupuncturists-chiropractors in New York City.

A very humble woman had come in to pay cash for a previous visit she had with the doctor.  Evidently there was a problem with her insurance not covering her visit and she scraped up the money to pay the doctor herself.

The woman explained to my wife that she has had back pain for five years and her regular doctor was recommending surgery.

My wife knew the woman was a recent immigrant from Africa and gently explained to her that not all doctors are honest or have her best interest at heart.  She recommended the woman get at least two more professional opinions before making a decision.

The woman said, “OK” and thanked her for the doctor’s time as she felt much better for the first time in a long time.  And unfortunately she would not be coming back since her insurance didn’t cover it.

My wife said she understood and told the woman if anything changed to please call back and make an appointment.

After the woman left, a man who was waiting in the sitting area, walked up to my wife and as he pulled out his wallet said, “I heard that discussion and I would like to pay for that woman’s next five visits.”

Amazed, my wife thanked him and called the woman.  The woman soon returned to learn what had just happened.  As she was thanking the man, he humbly waived her off by saying it was nothing for him to do it.

The woman’s beautiful smile showed her immense gratitude as she sat down to wait for the doctor to see her, while trying to hide her tears. (Read more…)

Hope you’re about to have an UnReasonable Thanksgiving!

In case you were not able to make our call earlier this month, we’re doing it again.  We had almost 300 signups, so we figured it was important for some entrepreneurs.

Next Friday, December 2^nd, at 12noon PST, 3PM EST, we’re holding a teleseminar Smart Funding– Entrepreneurs Don’t Need Wall Street!

Marissa Feinberg* from Green Spaces will interview me on:

• Why Wall Street and banks are not equipped to fund small businesses
• What are the five crucial components that do into a smart capital raise
• How entrepreneurs can take matters into their own hands for getting funded
• What are the key stumbling blocks to raising capital and how to avoid them
• What goes into an action plan for raising smart capital
• Tips to keep focused and held accountable to raising capital while running your business

Interested in learning more and signing onto the call: Smart Funding Teleclass:  Why Entrepreneurs Don’t Need Wall Street!

Hope you can make it.  And until then, always be UnReasonable!

Stefan

PS:  Know others who may want to join us to learn about smart capital, feel free to:

Tweet This Announcement

Share on Facebook

Share on LinkedIn
 

*– Marissa Feinberg– if you are not familiar with her, is a major player here in NYC for green small business owners.

Ever since I was a small child I remember my grandmother being there for me during many of my most challenging moments.  From typical childhood stuff like not doing well in school or a girl I had a crush on rejecting me to more intense things later in life like when I took company #2 into bankruptcy or divorcing of my first wife.

The message was always the same, “Stefan, never give up!”

She should know.

Oma (German for grandma) was born and raised in Munich just before WWI.  And by her early 30’s she watched her life tear apart, piece-by-piece.

During the early part of WWII, Oma and Opa (my grandfather) helped hide and get their Jewish friends out of Nazi Germany.   In 1942, during the second bombing they had endured since the beginning of the war, Opa was killed.  It was also the second time she had lost virtually everything they owned.  Oma told me she is glad Opa died that way because she was sure he would have ended up in a concentration camp for refusing the Nazis’ request for using his thriving business to supply German troops on the eastern front. (Read more…)