A company merger isn’t exactly an inspiration point for most, but for Phnewfula it was the perfect opportunity. She was working at MCA records when it went through a merger, which provided her with about a month of downtime. She decided to utilize the time and pursue her plan of opening a clothing store. Instead of going out and looking for real estate for her store, Phnewfula started a website. Her innovative approach is what made her business a success. The Red Lemon Store is a one stop shopping destination with clothes, beauty products and great gifts. Phnewfula shows that with a little ingenuity, determination and style you can achieve your goal.
Like many college students, Andrew Gordon participated in a study abroad program. The experience changed his life and led him to create Diversity Abroad. Diversity Abroad is a non-profit that is aimed at increasing minority, and low income, student participation in Study Abroad. Andrew believes that in a world that is becoming more global every day, it is imperative for students to have an understanding of different cultures. He works on a daily basis to bring Diversity Abroad programs to schools so that minority and low income students can learn more about going abroad as well as how to finance their trip. To learn more about Diversity Abroad please read on in this week’s Nonprofit Spotlight.
During his time as an entrepreneur, William Choi learned from experience that even people with a high degree of business acumen still need a “right-hand man” to give them trusted advice that will take their companies to the next level. With that realization, William, 32, founded CB Williams Business Advisors Group, which provides firms with the wise counsel they need to be successful. He assists businesses that include start-ups, companies in distress, and firms that want to expand. Whether the company needs help executing a strategy internationally or changing something within the firm itself, William’s consultancy is there to meet clients’ needs. To learn more about William, his consulting firm, and the personal travels that have taken him from Damascus to North Korea, check out this week’s Young & Professional Profile.
Creative Director Jaime Salm of MIO, a sustainable design lab based in Philadelphia, is living proof that the “trend” of green living is more factually a deeply rooted lifestyle. As designer, researcher, and manufacturer, he fills his days inventing feasible ways to merge the concepts of environmental utility to every day practicality. Jaime and his co-founder/brother, Isaac, focus on projects that develop wares which are easily recycled, shipped, disposed, and dissembled. Some of these products to date include wallpaper, lighting, shelving, and flooring, with tables and seating in the pipeline of developed products. Growing up with a hankering to tinker with objects around the house, Jaime never really foresaw that this everyday past time would become his sustaining career; but with business booming monthly, the pieces are in place for many professional sucesses to come. For more information on Jaime Salm, read on in this week’s The Latin Connect to learn how MIO makes green design accessible, affordable, and fun!
Providing healthcare in developing countries often poses unique challenges: Electricity comes and goes; Internet access is unreliable; and various resources are in limited supply. Addressing these challenges is where Dr. Vikram Sheel Kumar, 30, has found his niche. As co-founder of Dimagi, Vikram leads a team that creates technologies specially customized for the conditions encountered in the developing world. For example, it has co-developed an open-source electronic medical records system in Zambia. Patients have smart cards that contain their medical records. This technology gives healthcare workers access to patients’ information in places where telecommunications are limited and paper records aren’t working. Another innovation is Ca:sh, a mobile electronic medical records system. Outreach workers that visit patients have a handheld device, and the Ca:sh software application on it lets them access patients’ information and enter updates. To learn more about Vikram and Dimagi, check out this week’s Young & Professional Profile.
If you are interested in attending a conference with influential speakers, useful and practical workshops, Career fair, and interesting people from all over the globe then NASALSA is the place to be. Come out February 15-17 to Los Angeles and learn about the Legal South Asian World as well as make great connections.
Many publications in the United States target adults of specific ethnic groups. But surprisingly, until recently no publication targeted children of a specific ethnic group. Three years ago, though, Kahani magazine became a one-of-a-kind publication by offering contemporary stories, features, and illustrations especially for children of South Asian heritage. The quarterly magazine aims to entertain, educate, and empower children ages 6 to 11 with content that speaks to their day-to-day experiences. Additionally, kids can feel less isolated in knowing that other kids share their life experiences. The magazine is printed on thick, glossy paper with brilliant colors. It contains no advertising, in keeping with the belief that kids don’t need to be exposed to even more ads than they already are, and none of the staff or contributors are paid. Kahani just won a Parents’ Choice Award, the ultimate seal of approval for children’s media, so learn more about the magazine in this week’s Nonprofit Spotlight.