myanmar
2008-05-08
Yeah for Growing Teams | Sadness for Myanmar
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There really is nothing like building up a good team. I have been struggling the past few months in India essentially alone, and I'm overjoyed that we are hiring great people to re-enforce our Indian and Chinese teams. To me, this is really what its all about - with great people I feel like we can make anything happen! On another note.. Myanmar is a country dear to d.light's heart.. and the current events have deeply troubled us all. We are looking for a way to support the efforts there when the time is right and with the right partners.
I am in good spirits lately as our Indian office and company 'set-up' chores decline and selling begins! The last year has been a struggle no doubt. Sometimes I feel like my d.light path resembles a long mountain climb. I keep seeing the top of false peaks. However - I know the summit is up there - and we're only getting closer each day.
The greatest joy is that after months of interviews we are starting to form a killer d.light team. I know our investors and supporters have invested in us as individuals and a team - and not just in 'the idea'. I am glad to be bringing on teammates who complement, improve upon, and strengthen our ability to communicate with customers, design products, build out distribution channels, and market our products. Its been really interesting to see how d.lights HR needs have shifted in the last year - and I feel my greatest challenge is going to be transitioning from 'doing-it-all' to being able to best manage, encourage, and entice current and new talent. I am indeed excited to be working with high performers.
On another note: I'm deeply troubled by Myanmar and the stream of worsening news. Our whole d.light team has previously traveled in the hardest hit areas, and we have good friends and supporters who live and work amongst the population. I personally spent several weeks in Dec/Jan 2006/7 in villages in the Ayerwaddy Delta, which is the region directly struck by the cyclones. The families there remain embedded in my mind and I am dearly hoping they survived. These families were in such stark poverty and drastic need even back then for basic housing, water, food, etc, and I am desperately worried that the current destruction is going to require serious international efforts to reconcile. They were by far and away some of the nicest, most gentle, honest and endearing communities I have ever met. At d.light we are looking for partners who can help us provide mini solar lights to groups of families in need. We can do this at cost once we find the right implementing partners. I realize that food, water, and shelter are the immediate order of the day - but having seen the electricity situation pre-cyclone (almost none) I am sure that even for many months ahead the skys will be dark - and many families will be eager to illuminate their nights as they plan for the future. Light is a very important part of the cultural and religious life of the families I visited - and I'm hoping d.light can, at least, provide a positive tool there.
The greatest joy is that after months of interviews we are starting to form a killer d.light team. I know our investors and supporters have invested in us as individuals and a team - and not just in 'the idea'. I am glad to be bringing on teammates who complement, improve upon, and strengthen our ability to communicate with customers, design products, build out distribution channels, and market our products. Its been really interesting to see how d.lights HR needs have shifted in the last year - and I feel my greatest challenge is going to be transitioning from 'doing-it-all' to being able to best manage, encourage, and entice current and new talent. I am indeed excited to be working with high performers.
On another note: I'm deeply troubled by Myanmar and the stream of worsening news. Our whole d.light team has previously traveled in the hardest hit areas, and we have good friends and supporters who live and work amongst the population. I personally spent several weeks in Dec/Jan 2006/7 in villages in the Ayerwaddy Delta, which is the region directly struck by the cyclones. The families there remain embedded in my mind and I am dearly hoping they survived. These families were in such stark poverty and drastic need even back then for basic housing, water, food, etc, and I am desperately worried that the current destruction is going to require serious international efforts to reconcile. They were by far and away some of the nicest, most gentle, honest and endearing communities I have ever met. At d.light we are looking for partners who can help us provide mini solar lights to groups of families in need. We can do this at cost once we find the right implementing partners. I realize that food, water, and shelter are the immediate order of the day - but having seen the electricity situation pre-cyclone (almost none) I am sure that even for many months ahead the skys will be dark - and many families will be eager to illuminate their nights as they plan for the future. Light is a very important part of the cultural and religious life of the families I visited - and I'm hoping d.light can, at least, provide a positive tool there.
