September 2008 Archives

Blog Action Day 2008

The only way that we can begin to solve today's problems is to talk about them. That's why we are such big fans of Blog Action Day. On October 15, 2008, thousands of bloggers will talk about poverty. We'll hear commentaries, ideas, stories and solutions. We probably won't find a solution, but we'll be that much closer. To help facilitate the conversation, KivaB4B is donating $10,000. We're looking to the blogging community to help us determine which poverty-related charity will be the recipient of these funds. So, join us in the discussion!

The Next Lehman?

It's easy to bash Lehman Brothers for the events of today, but a look back to its beginnings provides a more inspirational story.

On my drive home from work yesterday, I heard a story on NPR about the early days of Lehman. It went like this - two immigrant brothers set up a general store in Montgomery, Alabama. Flash forward - it is one of the Big Five investment banks. Do you think they ever imagined? Where did they get their idea and first dollar? When they were selling soap, do you think they knew about derivatives?

The point is, as I look around the B4B community, I realize that every business has the potential to become something spectacular. It could be the restaurant owners, accountants, plumbers and goat herders. It could be the U.S.-based small business that is helping an entrepreneur get started abroad, or the Kiva entrepreneur that is scraping up money to start a business. We don't know what they will be one day or the impact that they will have on society. That's pretty powerful!