IMPACT: Anderson University SIFE

SIFE WINS AWARD!!!!!

2011-01-21T12:10:00.002-05:00

Surprisingly, the Anderson University SIFE team won the 2011 Dulaney award in a highly contested competition for favorite SIFE team within 2 miles of exit 26. "There was a lot to consider," the judges said, "but in the end, AU's SIFE team pulled it off once again."

Global Impact

2009-09-30T13:26:00.002-04:00

I think its about time that the global side gets a little recognition over here ;) my fault entirely. This year is going to be such an awesome year for global we have two really solid projects that are already under way. Tonight is the third meeting for our TAPP project. TAPP is a grassroots organization that helps people with AIDS in Africa. Tonight we will be discussing how to get TAPP beads into stores and how TAPP can better market themselves. We had a meeting with Scott the director of TAPP last week and he is so excited about all the projects we are doing with TAPP this year

We also just had a meeting last night for Mulunda Miaka Orphanage which is an orphanage in Zambia Africa. I am excited to announce that the logo competition is going to begin October 10th at encore! This competition is going to be the begining of the branding process for the orphange which is so exciting becasue its one step closer to them opening!

Tune in for more about the upcoming events and updates in global
-kristina

2009-10 Here We Come!

2009-08-24T13:12:00.001-04:00

Though many involved in SIFE have spent many hours over the summer working on the events for this upcoming school year, others are just getting back into the swing of things. Personally, I am excited for the year ahead of us. We have a strong team, as always, and I can't wait to hear about all of the fantastic ideas that have materialized over the past few months. Watch out, world! Here comes AU SIFE!

A New and Exciting Year for AU SIFE

2009-08-18T13:53:00.003-04:00

Hello!
Our SIFE team is excited to be starting a new year of projects and opening up new opportunities. It will be a lot of work and a lot of fun. There are many great opportunities for students across the whole campus to get involved in positively impacting the community!

As the Vice President of Competition for the 09-10 school year, I'm looking forward to the new and unique ways we will display all the wonderful projects AU SIFE has instore for the year. I can't wait to see all the planning that has taken place so far be put into action. We are all looking forward to impacting those is our community as well as across the globe!

There are ways for everyone to be involved! I can't wait to see AU students building relationships with business men and women in the community while simultaneously having a positive influence on those in our community and abroad.
It's going to be a great year!

First Impressions

2009-08-11T09:09:00.003-04:00

This is my first year as a Sam Walton Fellow with SIFE. I have been blown away with the entire SIFE organization and with AU's SIFE program specifically. The competitions last year were my first exposure to AU's SIFE, and I was so impressed with the level of professionalism of the students and with the impact that this program makes. SIFE impacts the adults, high school students, children, non-profit organizations, and for-profit businesses in the local community in addition to international organizations. There is a huge amount of work that gets done by lots of people doing their part. AU SIFE makes a significant impact and everyone is having fun and feeling good at the same time. The relationships that come out of this group are life-long and life-changing. That may be the biggest impact of all.

Seeing the achievements of this group makes me proud to be at AU and involved in such a worthwhile organization. I'm really understanding the "Changing Lives" theme from last year. I'm looking forward to a great year this year!

Community Impact Update

2009-08-05T00:02:00.005-04:00

Greetings,

My name is Pam. I am the 09-10 Vice President of Community Impact, and I am very excited to get this school year started and our projects into gear. I began my SIFE career with the First Steps project 3 years ago, the first year we implemented First Steps. It was a busy time trying to get everything to work together just right to make that first year a success.

So far this summer my project managers are getting materials gathered, great team members recruited and scouting some new ventures. We are looking to possibly expand First Steps to go into more schools in the Anderson area.

With Second Chance, we are just looking to gather more information together to make the people involved even more marketable in today's economy. We are currently not working towards expanding this project, but that doesn't mean we can't or won't, we just want to gather materials to give a stronger presentation and have the ability to effectively expand.

Unfortunately, Community Impact has had a little set back this summer. My project manager for the Barter Game and CYNCY projects stepped down, feeling he would not be able to give 100 percent to the projects or SIFE. This year we are wanting to combine all aspects of CYNCY and the Barter Game to help make both more effective in the community. If anyone is interested in being involved as a project manager in SIFE, feel free to contact myself or any of our other great SIFE officers.

For now, I hope everybody enjoys the last few weeks of summer before we get back into the swing of classes, homework, and different activities.

Pam Fairall
pmfairall@anderson.edu

I Corinthians 10:31

SIFE gets mention in HB article

2009-08-02T10:19:00.002-04:00

The Herald Bulletin ran an article on the Entrepreneurship Business Camp in the Sunday paper and spoke quite favorably of SIFE. You can find the article here and the winning video from the camp here ( or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLZlhIT_ReE).

SIFE Reaches Out

2009-07-29T18:36:00.000-04:00

Tonight I am going to be speaking about SIFE and some of the business plan competitions that I have been able to be a part of while at AU, to a group of high school students that are on campus for an Entrepreneurship Camp. When it comes to SIFE, I will be able to focus on our Flagship Enterprise Center Consulting Services program and our work with Think 60! Each of these programs reach out into the community to help grow or develop existing businesses.

Kyle
CEO

When you least expect it....

2009-07-24T11:48:00.002-04:00

I had to stop at Men's Wearhouse this week to use up some Wearhouse Dollars before they expire. If you are not familiar with this chain, they have - in my opinion - the best loyalty program of any in existence today. About twice a year, they mail you certificates that can be used like cash for any purchase in the store. I always stop in intending to only spend that amount (which was $100 in this case) and end up spending 2 or 3 times that before I can get out of the store.

As I was checking out, the salesman asked me where I was from. Disappointed that I had already spent more than I intended and not wanting to make much small talk for fear of finding myself buying even more, I just mumbled, "Anderson." At that point, he came alive like I've not seen in many a year and said, "Did you know the university up there has a fantastic SIFE team?"

Convinced that he must be an AU grad from the FSB to say something like that, I asked what year he graduated. It turns out that he didn't go to AU at all and has never been in Anderson. In a previous career, he worked for Finish Line and was present when the team gave their presentation at the national meeting last year. It had made such an impact on him that in short order he told me as much about the AU SIFE program as any member of SIFE could (he knew the University of Arizona had beaten us in the first round, and more). We talked for quite a while...

Don't ever think that SIFE is only important to those currently in it, or find yourself being surprised time and time again.

eadulaney@anderson.edu

New Executive Staff for 2009-10

2009-07-13T21:47:00.002-04:00

Going into the 2009-10 school year, the AU SIFE team is very excited about the new staff that will lead the way in changing the world.

For our complete executive staff roster, view our contact page on our team's website. You will find pictures and email addresses for each member.

Kyle

The Simple Way to Close a Balance Sheet

2009-07-13T21:40:00.003-04:00

Through the naration of one of our Sam Walton Fellows, businesses can take advantage of Heb' XYZ Approach to Balance Sheet Closing. This tends to be the one area that catches people off guard, and this short video should coach you through the process with a few examples to lead you along.

Kyle

SIFE Brands Itself

2009-07-13T21:38:00.000-04:00

In the midst of all the work that SIFE does for companies at the Flagship Enterprise Center and throughout the community, our team has recently undergone an effort to rebrand ourself. We set down and asked ourself the tough questions about who we are and how does the community and campus see us.

This led to a variety of designs but all centered around the idea of "lead. serve. impact." -- three words that we feel represents our team's mission of "developing passionate leaders who are positively impacting the world."

Stay tuned for a release of our new image this fall when school gets started back.
Kyle

Annual Report Released

2009-07-08T20:35:00.001-04:00

If you haven't seen our annual report yet, take some time to look it over. Designed by senior graphic design major, Rachel Riley, this annual report is one of our best.

View it here: http://sife.anderson.edu/ar

Success at National Competition

2009-07-08T20:30:00.001-04:00

We recently finished as a 2nd Runner-Up in their opening-round league at the SIFE USA National Exposition held in Philadelphia on May 11, 2009. We also qualified for two of seven individual topic competitions when they competed at the SIFE USA Regional Competition in Cincinnati, and received third place trophies on each of these entries in Philadelphia. These included Market Economics and Entrepreneurship.

Collectivity Results in Greater Impact

2009-07-08T20:29:00.000-04:00

What is great about the SIFE program is how far it reaches. Not only do we have a program on our campus that involves over a 100 students, SIFE can be found on campus and colleges all across the world. We all work with the same end goals in mind: changing the world.

From the community impact to the environmental impact branches, out team is working on all different fronts. The combination of students on our campus, under the guidance of our faculty, and supported by community and business sponsors of our team, we are making an impact in Anderson, IN and abroad.

Feel free to contact me for further information about our team and what we do.

Kyle Schroeder
CEO, Anderson University SIFE
kmschroeder@anderson.edu

New Year for AU SIFE: Sustainability

2009-07-03T19:23:00.006-04:00

I know that it’s summer break and no one wants to think about anything to do with school right now, but there’s no better time than the present to kick off a GREAT year for SIFE! The Executive Staff and several project managers have already started planning for next year—and there are plenty of opportunities for YOU to get involved! For the next 7 weeks, each member of the Executive Staff and the Sam Walton Fellows will be updating you on what they have planned for their branch and how you can get involved.

For Sustainability, we are focusing on two very important components of our group’s long-term sustainability: volunteers (internal) and community (external). Look for regular blog updates by SIFE members, website and Facebook updates, Twitter tweets and e-newsletters! You can also plan on all-SIFE meetings and chances to network with our Business Advisory Board members. To sum it all up: expect a great year for SIFE!

Do you enjoy working with top business leaders? Are you interested in public relations and promoting SIFE positively in the community? We are still looking for a Director of Business & Community Relations. This position allows you to work with our phenomenal Business Advisory Board and puts you in direct contact with local business leaders and provides great networking opportunities.

If you aren’t already following us on Twitter, do it now! auSIFE on Twitter
Check out the Anderson University SIFE fan page on Facebook.
Take a peek at our website: sife.anderson.edu
And if you haven’t been getting emails from SIFE, let me know!

If you are interested in getting involved in any area of SIFE, shoot me an email at asdavidson@anderson.edu and I’ll help you get connected with the projects you are interested in!

~Ambrosia

Infusion of Two Projects

2009-03-22T17:18:00.002-04:00

We are planning on infusing two of the longest running projects that we have. The Barter Game and Cheat Your Neighbor Cheat Yourself (CYNCY) are very important projects. The Barter Game teaches students market economics and the importance of free markets through a hands-on activity that involves trading resources with other students in order to get the materials needed to build a candy airplane. CYNCY teaches students through fun worksheets that stealing and cheating hurt everyone including them. By adding the fun and excitement of the Barter Game to the life lessons of CYNCY and pooling the two projects resources together, we will have an even greater impact.

Second Chance

2009-03-17T13:41:00.002-04:00

Second Chance is a project under the Community Impact branch. It is a workshop program that is designed to teach adults the fundamentals of financial management. On March 12th, Second Chance went into the Christian Center Rescue Mission (CCRM) to work with adult males willing to learn. This first workshop covered the basics of planning, setting goals, and budgeting. At the end of the session, it was apparent that this material was very needed, but some of the men seemed at times to have more debt or expenses then income. Yes, budgeting is fundamental to stable finances, but if you do not have the skills to go out and make an income then budgeting does not seem practical to help your current position. So, we opened up the last part of the workshop to hear what really would be beneficial for these men. In almost all of the men's goals was the desire to obtain a college education. These men desire to learn how to get the funding need to pay for college and get the skills needed to succeed. This is where SIFE is made great. We have projects that are able to change and adapt to the needs of those we wish and do impact. Our next workshop will be completely devoted to the steps and resources needed to secure college funding.

Flagship Enterprise Center Consulting Services Showcase

2009-03-05T21:45:00.005-05:00

Five Flagship Enterprise Center firms and Anderson University Students in Free Enterprise will celebrate their work with twenty-five students at the Flagship Enterprise Center Consulting Services Showcase on Thursday March 12, 2009 at 5:30PM. The event will be held in Reardon Auditorium where five teams of five students will present the consulting work they have performed to a panel of business and community leaders.

“This event will serve as a capstone to the marketing, accounting, and website development projects that our students have completed,” says Bethany Masters, SIFE Vice President of Entrepreneurial Impact. “This program is beneficial to the students because they are able to pair practical experience with their classroom learning.” The program has been in existence for five years and has impacted a total of twenty-four firms in the Madison County area.

Flagship clients involved in the Showcase include Community Networks, Global Student Solutions, ID Graphics, Point of Service Technologies, and SecureWebManagers. These firms were chosen to participate in the program because of their willingness to work with students and their potential for success in their business.

Community Networks is a company that provides a link between advertisers and companies looking to use digital signage for promotion. Second, Global Student Solutions works to set up a support system to serve and equip international students during their time in the United States. Point of Service Technologies offers a unique drug testing system to provide a quick, accurate, and cost effective way to determine if a patient is using illegal or prescription drugs . SecureWebManager, LLC and owner Mike Kovaleski have developed a state-of-the-art system to provide a more secure way for users to manage log-in names and passwords for the various internet services they use. Finally, screen-printing company ID Graphics will be utilizing SIFE’s consulting talents for the second year in a row.

This event is open to the public. For more information or to RSVP, contact Bethany Masters at bfmasters@anderson.edu or visit sife.anderson.edu/showcase for more information.

SIFE.org Scholarships

2009-02-13T15:05:00.001-05:00

If you have been an active member in SIFE, you should consider looking at one of the available scholarships. Log into your SIFE.org account and click on the link on the left.

The deadline is quickly approaching for most of the scholarships. Make sure and check it out today.

Register for the SIFE USA Regional Competition

2009-02-13T15:04:00.002-05:00

Instructions are on our website at: http://sife.anderson.edu/regionals.htm

The Job Fair

2009-02-11T16:44:00.002-05:00

The project Finish Line First Steps held a job fair for local high school students in Mounds Mall from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. this past Saturday. Seven local companies came out to help critique as well as potentially hire students. Fifty-eight students came and had the chance to interview with each of the companies as well as get tips on their individual resumés. This job fair was held after SIFE students went into Anderson High School and Highland High School and taught interview preparation and etiquette, resumé building, and how to properly fill out an application. Anderson high schools have a graduation rate around 54% which is 23% lower then the state average. These students are in desperate need of practical skills and knowledge on obtaining a job that fits them and their needs. The job fair allowed this, and the companies did a great job of bringing the interview to the students level. I have to say a thank you for all the local companies that attended and Finish Line for their sponsorship of this project. It is because of their commitment to see the community grow that made in impact in the lives of local high school students.

The Office of....

2009-02-05T14:54:00.003-05:00

Some great things have been happening this year in our new section of SIFE, Environmental Impact. We have 3 projects this year that are committed to helping students, citizens, and businesses make more environmentally sustainable decisions. Our key project for this division is "Print Less Anderson". The name of this project is a bit deceiving as one might think that this project is about using less paper (or really printing less). But this project is much much more!

Under student leadership and direction, this project is creating its own Environmental Standard. An environmental standard is some type of policy or initiative that regulates how people and organizations treat the environment. There are standards that are unique to states, our country and some standards that are accepted globally. So we are making our own policy of how our local businesses here in Anderson can treat the environment. We are calling this standard, "The Anderson Green Seal of Approval".

One might think that creating this Seal of Approval would be an extremely difficult task and that getting businesses to change based on a student initiative would be near impossible. Well do not fret; our SIFE team has the FULL support from Kris Ockomon, better known to the community as Mayor Kris Ockomon.

Creating this standard is very exciting and we are almost complete with our initial phases. Soon we will be taking our new Environmental Standard to the community and we expect to start seeing certified green businesses becoming visible as soon as next semester. What is even more exciting is that this project has job creating potential. And when I say potential, I actually mean that one job has already been created....so we expect a few more :)

At the recommendation of our SIFE team, the Mayor has created a new department in his administration, "The Office of Environmental Sustainability". The Mayor is setting aside an office space within City Hall, providing a couple of computers, and a printing accounting for this new department. The Office of... will be staffed by SIFE students and a City Official Task Force. In addition to this new "Office" the Mayor approved our proposal to have an internship position created for the project manager of "Print Less Anderson". That’s right; the project manager next year will be on city payroll and play an essential part in not only developing and furthering the Green Seal but also an important role in the new partnership that SIFE now shares with the city.

If you're interested in getting involved and having an economic and environmental impact in the businesses which we recruit, shoot us an email!
tlbaden@anderson.edu
ajtaylor2@anderson.edu

The Best Business Books Ever

2009-01-29T13:03:00.002-05:00

...at least according to one website.

If you are looking for a good book to keep you interested in the business sector, you might want to check out this list.

http://blogs.bnet.com/ceo/?p=1705&tag=nl.rSINGLE

Some of the books included are:
Built to Last – Jim Collins and Jerry Porras
Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman
One Minute Manager – Kenneth Blanchard & Spencer Johnson
The Great Crash 1929 – J.K. Galbraith
When Giants Learn to Dance – Rosabeth Moss Kanter

If you do get to read some of these, you'll have to let us know what you think.

#1 Globally Savvy or Internationally Challenged?

2009-01-29T13:01:00.000-05:00

by Jennifer Kushell, co-founder YSN.com

This past year, YSN decided to get a closer look at SIFE students around the globe to better understand the next generation of young people launching their careers. In case you haven’t heard, you’re not alone: Over the next 10 years, over 1 billion young people will enter the workforce. Think of them as your peers, or even as your competition, but either way, it’s time to ask yourself if you’re ready. Are you globally savvy or internationally challenged? Are you ready to join the new world order?

The Global Career Mindset Study was the first of its kind, surveying students from 50 countries. The most compelling finding? 55% of students are looking abroad to launch their careers. Only 20% were planning on looking for work locally. What’s more, they’re skilled, they’re ambitious, they’re hungry for new opportunities to show the world what they can do, and they’re savvy — about politics, geography, world affairs, culture, and the business skills that the top employers are looking for in young talent.

Between the recent economic turmoil and the workforce crisis, finding and keeping great jobs is going to require a lot more of you.

My best advice: Think like an economist, act like an entrepreneur and set your sights globally.

It’s time to expect more from yourself if you want to give yourself every possible advantage as you launch your career. The rules are changing fast, and it’s not enough to keep up with them — because they’re being re-written as you read this.

Do All Entrepreneurs Want to Make Money?

2009-01-27T11:58:00.006-05:00

As VP of the Entrepreneurial Impact branch of AU's SIFE, I have met many entrepreneurs with some really unique ideas about how to make a living. Their ideas run from selling coupons to solving complex political and social issues such as drug abuse. However, one unique company that SIFE Consulting Services has worked with this year is Global Student Solutions (GSS) affiliated with the Anderson Business Incubator. Scott Martin, the president and founder of GSS seeks not primarily to make money, but to help students from abroad who plan to study in the United States for college. Scott's passion for students, mixed with his international experience, birthed the idea that he can help international students all around the country through technology to provide support for those students as they encounter a new cultural and academic experience.

When Consulting manager Nathaniel Boggs and his team began their project with GSS in late September, Scott was just starting to make his dream a reality. With the help of the Consulting team, Scott has begun to set up an accounting system and research opportunities for funding his venture. Although helping students in Scott's first priority, SIFE students have been able to help him get the financial side of his organization in order. Our students have learned that nonprofit organizations must be financially successful so that they may be successful in fulfilling their purpose. For more information about GSS and Scott Martin, the founder, visit Global Student Solutions' website here.

Mulunda Miaka Orphanage Accounting

2009-01-23T00:40:00.004-05:00

The SIFE Give a Chicken Campaign has been a great success, and is directly benefiting Mulunda Miaka Orphanage in Zambia, Africa (www.mmorphanage.org). Over Christmas break I met with an accountant, Jeremy, who was traveling to Zambia with his wife, a doctor who was to work at Mukinge Hospital, located near Mulunda Miaka Orphanage. Jeremy was concerned that he would not have much to do for their month long stay, but I quickly assured him this would not be the case. Though Mulunda Miaka Orphanage has been in development for several years, a solid accounting system has not been put in place. Jeremy is meeting this need, training Pam, the founder, as well as several board members, in how to effectively use QuickBooks to keep track of their financial records. Jeremy is also implementing a double back up system to ensure that if one computer fails, the financial data will still be safe. Thanks to Jeremy's work, Mulunda Miaka Orphanage has taken another step towards long term sustainability.

-Chad Schubert

Vice President of SIFE Global Impact

#2 Your Industry, Your Playground

2009-01-21T15:28:00.002-05:00

by Jennifer Kushell, co-founder YSN.com

Early in my career, after I'd helped my first few hundred people discover new career paths, businesses and organizations to launch into, I found myself wondering why different industries fascinated me so much. It didn't matter whether the topic was entertainment, finance, apparel, aerospace, publishing, technology, food service, fitness or stranger stuff like neutraceuticals, biofuels or nanotechnology! Every industry was a totally different world that had different experts, jobs, media, events, publications, education centers, trends, definitions of success, terminology and even dress codes! And every single one was packed with opportunities as limitless as your imagination.

As if all that wasn't intriguing enough, there were endless ways you could find or invent opportunities in any combination of industries. For example, take animals. With a traditional eye, you'd probably think your career options might include pet stores, veterinary medicine, breading and boarding. But cross a love of animals with all the other ways you could serve them and their owners and you get clothing for pets (apparel), gourmet pet bakeries (food service), organic health supplements (neutraceuticals), magazines and books (publishing), animal tracking devices (technology), and so on. With a little creativity you could have a field day coming up with ways to play in this world.

Then one day, my good friend Bob Cohen from the Harvard Office of Career Services explained to me the difference between "function" and "industry." Simply put, function is what you do, industry is where you do it. Your industry, he explained, is your playground. It's the world where you can have the most fun doing what you do best.

I realized right then that one of the biggest things holding people back from loving what they do is not knowing what industries they should (or should I say want to) be in. And the simplest way to figure this out, if it isn’t already obvious, is to get someone to think about what they love doing. If you love playing video games, consider working in the video game industry. If you love music, there’s a whole other industry to play in. What you do in that industry is a question of function. You can be a writer in any industry, right? You can be doctor in any industry. An accountant. A teacher. A marketer. A salesman. The world really is like one big candy store of options and opportunities! You just need to find your industry…then dive in.

Once you’ve identified your playground, it’s just a matter of getting yourself into the middle of all the action. Join the trade associations, subscribe to the blogs and newsletters, buy the top magazines, attend the conferences and events, follow the hottest experts and stay on top of the trends. For more information on how to Master Your Universe, check out the 10-minute podcast from our NY Times Bestseller, Secrets of the Young & Successful.

Think of your industry as your playground and this powerful secret of the young & successful will cause a paradigm shift that can instantly turn your career exploration into an adventure.

#3 Google Yourself!

2009-01-13T14:55:00.002-05:00

by Jennifer Kushell, co-founder YSN.com

Let’s face it, we’ve all done things we’d prefer to keep private — from embarrassing 6th grade photos of your “awkward stage,” to that crazy weekend that really should NOT be documented, but instead go to the grave with you and your best friend.

The Internet offers many amazing opportunities, but the reality is, it can also take them away from us.

Have you ever tried to google yourself? You should! It’s not just a vanity thing either. Today, investigating yourself online is what we like to call an ONLINE AUDIT.

Think about this: You’re in the process of just launching or building your career. Maybe you’re in your own business, or the officer of an organization. Maybe you’re in the midst of pitching yourself as an applicant against a sea of others eager for the same opportunity. When you’re looking to learn more about someone, you look for them online, right? Well, so do most other people!

What do others find when they search for you?

NOTHING
If I go to google someone and nothing comes up, my first thought is “haven’t they done anything notable in their lives?" At the very least, I expect to see sports photos, or school photos, or an online profile (business or social) that says they’re engaged in the outside world. If they’ve reached a certain level of success, I assume I’ll find a bio, a web site, or something that acknowledges their career, their journey so far. Finding nothing doesn’t even really say NOTHING. In some instances, it actually says a lot.

STRICTLY SOCIAL
If someone is only visible via social sites and party recaps, you’d better bet I’m going to look a lot more closely for any signs of what they do on the professional side. Who knows what I’ll come across then!

SCARY STUFF
I don’t think we need to go into too much detail here, but anything that could possibly be construed as inappropriate, rude, mean, indecent, incriminating, or in poor taste can become a big problem for you. It’s not just your friends who can see this stuff (unless you’re profiles are set on private – but that’s no guarantee either.) People lose important opportunities and potential relationships every day because of what people find. If you’re not sure how others may interpret something about you, share it with some close friends to get their impression. Then pull it down, or beg your friend to remove anything questionable. Write to companies that post information on you that’s too personal or erroneous. Clear the record, and make a real effort to clean up your image online.

In every one of these instances what’s missing is your PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY. Who are you and what have you accomplished? What are you aspiring to do with your life? What do you really want recruiters, your employer, colleagues, educators, mentors, big contacts, and even your family to know abut you? This is the information that people really should find about you.

#4 Get Your Priorities Straight

2009-01-06T16:10:00.002-05:00

by Jennifer Kushell, co-founder YSN.com

“Get your priorities straight!” is typically a comment or barb that comes hurling towards you in the heat/fog of bad judgment; but at YSN we rarely hear it talked about as a tool to empower you, make you happier…and of course, make you more successful. If you really think about it, having a clear sense of YOUR priorities, at any point in your life, is critical to making the right choices to keep you on the right path for YOU.

Think of your priorities as your own personal decision-making filter. Any time you have a decision to make that involves allocating your time, money or energy — from where to spend the weekend to how to spend the next few years of your life — run the idea through this PRIORITY FILTER.

Take the next 3 minutes and a pick out your top 5 priorities from the list below.

ACHIEVEMENT (sense of accomplishment)
ADVANCEMENT (promotions)
ADVENTURE (new and challenging experiences)
AFFECTION (love, caring)
COMPETITIVENESS (winning, taking risks)
COOPERATION (working well with others)
CREATIVITY (being imaginative, innovative)
ECONOMIC SECURITY (financial stability, independence)
FAME (being famous, well-known)
FREEDOM (autonomy, independence)
FRIENDSHIP (close relations with others)
INTEGRITY (honesty, standing up for one’s beliefs)
INVOLVEMENT (participating, belonging)
LOCATION (city/country, near family/friends)
LOYALTY (duty, respect, obedience)
ORDER (tranquility, stability, conformity)
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (use of potential)
PLEASURE (fun, laughs, leisurely lifestyle)
POWER (control, authority, influence over others)
PRESTIGE (reputation, image, status)
RECOGNITION (acknowledgement of worth)
RESPONSIBILITY (accountable for results)
SELF-RESPECT (personal pride, identity)
VARIETY (diversity of projects, newness)
WEALTH (making money, getting rich)

Now you’ve got your own PRIORITY FILTER. Keep the list in your wallet, on your wall, in your desk…wherever you can see it often and refer to it quickly. But first, take it for a spin. Test it out on your current job. Or if you’re a student, test your current life against it. It should tell you a lot!

400 Chicken Goal Reached!

2009-01-05T12:14:00.001-05:00

December 22, 2008

Anderson University SIFE’s global impact project and key project for market economic, Give A Chicken, has reached its 400 chicken goal four months ahead of its original, seven month timeframe. Under the direction of Ambrosia Davidson, project manager, and Chad Schubert, Vice President for Global Impact, the Give A Chicken project is designed to provide financial sustainability for the Mulunda Miaka Orphanage in Zambia, Africa.

A goal launched in September 2008 and set to run through March 2009, has recently received a $1200 donation from Purdue University’s Organizational Leadership and Supervision (OLS) program (through a partnership with their SIFE team), under the supervision of Dr. Scott R. Homan.

The Applied Leadership course, OLS 274, is an introduction to applied leadership in the context of organizational functions, structures, and operations. The course intends to teach professional habits of mind that are critical for all organizational leaders such as a daily consumption of global business news. In a salesmanship exercise, 600 students had the opportunity to go out and sell the idea of sponsoring a chicken or portion of a chicken on the behalf of Give A Chicken. Through their hands-on promotion of the orphanage and the Give A Chicken project, students raised $1200 toward the Give A Chicken project.

This $1200 donation is in addition to a $450 donation raised by the IU Kokomo SIFE team on a two-day fundraiser earlier in the semester, and the donations of over 50 people during the first four months of the project.

In light of the early success of the project, the SIFE team has decided to expand the goals of the Give A Chicken project. What started as providing the two full batches of broiler chickens will look to provide chicken houses and layer chickens in 2009. Further details will be unveiled in mid-January of what specific goals and opportunities will be available for donors to assist the Mulunda Miaka Orphanage in Zambia, Africa.

Please visit www.giveAchicken.com for more details and for donation opportunities.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T13:48:00.001-05:00

Continuing to make an impact into 2009!

Goals. Got Any?

2009-01-01T13:43:00.003-05:00

Tip #5: Setting Goals
by Jennifer Kushell, co-founder YSN.com

Before you head out to your New Year’s party or start popping the champagne, make sure you take a little time to contemplate what you hope to accomplish in 2009. Sure, this year hasn’t ended quite as well as any of us had planned, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t give ourselves every possible advantage moving into this next one. And, after all, that’s what YSN is here for – to help you find the success you’ve only dreamed of…without waiting a lifetime!

You’ve heard it before – people who set goals for themselves consistently achieve more than those who don’t. So, let’s be frank, do you have them or don’t you? Vague thoughts and half-baked answers don’t count. Writing down our goals is something we all know will make us more successful…but somehow we don’t always get around to it. Let’s change!

Don’t put it off, start the process now. If this ends up being all you do — hey, it’s something, which is always better than nothing. If you want to take this to the next level - consider using our “GOOD to MASTER Goal Setting Guide” below!

GOOD: List 3-5 Goals
If you could only choose a few things that would make or break your next year, what would they be? What would you like to accomplish beyond all else? Make them as detailed as possible.

BETTER: Now Add Timelines/Deadlines
Attaching deadlines to the things you’d like to accomplish is an even better tactic to achieving what you want in life. Break your goals into the following increments: 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years. Keep going if you feel inspired! Include no more than 3-5 goals under each category to keep it manageable.

BEST: Categorize By Topic/Area of Life
None of our lives are one dimensional, so why should our goals be? Your life is complicated, with lots of priorities and demands on your time and energy. If you’re not making the progress you’d like to, or you want to ensure you can optimize your success in every area, then break your goals into your biggest life categories/areas: Work, family, finance, education, health, happiness, social, spiritual, love, etc. Again, focus on adding 3-5 goals to each category that matters to you.

Jedi Masters: 188-Year Plan
Ever consider your 188-year plan? Our friend Curtis Estes does! Seriously! Curtis is the author of Your Life By Design and one of the top financial advisors in the US who counsels some of the most successful people out there on leaving their legacy. He claims that the average person can’t remember their great grandparents’ names…let alone what they did with their lives.

That means in 188 years, most people won’t remember any of us…unless we do something about it. Building a 188-year plan sounds insane at first, but Curtis swears this is the key to building a lasting legacy, and we just love the idea of that! Try it for yourself, or check out Curtis’ plan to see goal setting from a real master.

Build A Killer Network

2008-12-16T13:28:00.003-05:00

Tip #6: Build Your Contacts
by Jennifer Kushell, co-founder YSN.com

Having a great network of friends and contacts can totally change how happy and successful you are. When you’re in trouble, struggling, or experiencing a rough patch, your network will be there to help you get through it.

Check out 5 great tips on how to build your network from our speaking tour with American Express.

A few ground rules for savvy networking:
- Realize your life will get more interesting as you expand your network.
- Have fun.
- Don’t always have an agenda.
- Make it a point to meet interesting people everywhere you go.
- Make sure you surround yourself with successful people. Collect a broad mix of great mentors along the way who can teach you about a variety of areas.
- Keep a list of people you want to meet (or the types of people i.e. entrepreneurs, doctors, MBA grads, non profit leaders) and share it with your more connected friends who may be able to refer you to people in their networks.

Always try to help others whenever you can. Just do it because it’s good to do it. Wonderful things do sometimes come back to grace you too. Allow me to explain.

In the Podcast of our book Secrets of the Young & Successful we spoke about How to Meet Anyone.

Here are the audio links in two sections:
Manage Your Network

As you start to meet more and more people, the biggest piece of advice we can offer is to make sure you capture all of their critical contact info right away, keep it in one place, and make sure it’s digital. Then keep it up to date and back it all up regularly.

Spend the time and money (if you can) to invest in a simple online database, PDA (personal digital assistant) or mobile device that can hold all the information you collect on your contacts (from name to birthday, cell, city/state…whatever is most appropriate).

Then make sure you stay in touch, taking good care of your people and treating them well. Check out our tips on how to Create Your Own Networking Event. Make sure you take care of your network too, and show them ongoing love and attention. We've got some tips on that too with our blog post on how to Keep Those Contacts.

Meet Powerful and Influential People

In every business, industry and society, there’s a group of people who are considered the power players -- the movers and shakers. They make the decisions that affect hundreds, thousands, sometimes millions of lives. Having access to them can get you a voice in their circles. Building relationships with them can get you in the game and make you a part of the action. Getting to almost anyone you want to meet is possible, you just need to know a few secrets, and a new perspective on the whole thing -- what we like to call the House on the Hill (audio podcast).

When you finally get the chance to meet someone really great, make sure you don’t blow it! Check out our top 5 tips (from TONS of experience!) on how NOT to miss another opportunity.

And whatever you do, don’t forget the gatekeepers!

SIFE Competition Preview

2008-12-15T10:54:00.002-05:00

Significant to what SIFE does throughout the year, is our regional and national competitions that takes place in the spring. We work all year to develop the strongest and most impactful program in our community. We take that information with us to compete against top SIFE programs at colleges and universities throughout the country.

SIFE has a uploaded some video to YouTube of what these events are like. Check out these videos here.

Here is a presentation made by Graceland University, the 2006 USA National Championship team.

SIFE.org

2008-12-07T22:14:00.002-05:00

Have you taken a few minutes to check out SIFE's official website?

Log onto www.sife.org to see what the bigger SIFE organization is about. While you are there, take a minute and register as a SIFE student. This is necessary for our team and for competition purposes.

There are a lot of great resources and content if you take the time to look it over.
Kyle

Build Your Competitive Edge

2008-12-04T10:46:00.002-05:00

Ten Tips for the Young & Successful

#8: Build Your Competitive Edge
by Jennifer Kushell, co-founder YSN.com

In this economy, you need every possible advantage to survive—let alone find success—in your
job or career. So what can you do to build your competitive edge?

1. Beef up your bio or resume. Challenge yourself to keep adding notable experiences to your repertoire. Take advantage of weekends, vacations, or evenings to get active in industry associations, volunteer, intern, work part time, or pick up some consulting work.

2. Become invaluable. Whatever you may be doing for work, be someone your bosses or partners can’t live without.

3. Be someone people want to have around. Particularly in rough times, a great attitude can make all the difference between people wanting to work with you, go out of their way to help, or cut you loose.

4. Help as many people as you can. Go out of your way to be a good person and make lots of friends…especially with people who can help you with your career. Be a resource to them. Offer to help, even work for free.

5. Network like crazy. Stay well connected to your existing network and keep those relationships strong. At the same time, expand your contact base and make an effort to surround yourself with new, interesting and successful people. Your exposure and your access to opportunity will increase dramatically.

SIFE is seeking Business and Community Leaders

2008-12-03T19:17:00.002-05:00

SIFE is great for students, that is apparent through our projects, but did you also know SIFE is great for business and community leaders?

I'm the VP of Sustainability and one of the biggest part of my role in SIFE is working with business and community leaders. It is one of the best parts of my role as well!

Here at SIFE ee are always looking for ways to partner with leaders in Anderson, Madison County and Central Indiana. If you are looking for a new way to get involved in the lives our students and make an impact partnering with SIFE is your chance. We are looking for mentors to help guide students on career paths and the projects that we are working on.

Some specific needs:

-Teachers - we have programs for the classroom and we are looking to expand those
-Consultants - A big portion of our projects is consulting. We work with growing business in Anderson and are looking for people who are willing to help students grow in their consulting skills
-Attorneys/Lawyers - As our SIFE chapters grows we need someone on board who can help guide us in any legal decisions that could arrise. Also, we are trying to establish a 501(c)3 status for the orphanage that we are working with in Africa.
-Business leaders - We are always looking for use to promote SIFE and any business leader that would be willing help in the promotion is always welcome our team!

There are so many other ways to get involved. If anything you see on this blogs sparks your interest just let me know and I will find the spot for you! You can e-mail me directly at kakaiser@anderson.edu or reply to blog post.

Enjoy the start of the Holiday Season,

Kelly Kaiser

SIFE Welcomes Ron Ernst

2008-12-02T00:18:00.004-05:00

Monday, Indianapolis' Ron Ernst joined us for our executive staff meeting. He shared from his book and his experience working with leaders and entrepreneurs. To view a copy of his newest book, stop by the SIFE office.

About Ron from: http://www.ronernst.com/

Ron Ernst is an executive development coach, seminar leader and professional speaker based in Indianapolis. As president and founder of Leadership Horizons, he has coached first, second and third generation entrepreneurs in a variety of industries - service firms, manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers through various stages of growth. The executive development workshops based on his first book "RealTime Coaching" have been attended by more than 3,500 managers in the US and Canada. His new book is "The Conscious Entrepreneur."

Save a Turkey. Give a Chicken.

2008-11-28T01:16:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving from SIFE!

2008-09 Presentation Team Named

2008-11-24T21:49:00.003-05:00

As of 11/11/08, SIFE is proud to announce the presenters for this year’s team:

Todd Baden
Ashley Casterline
Bethany Masters
Philip Martinez
Leah Samples
Jason White

Brandon Deaton will be the Executive Director of the Presentation Team and will be ultimately in charge of all SIFE Competition dealings.

Ryan Ray will be the SIFE Competition Media Coordinator and will oversee all media related content.

Bryce Woodyard will be working with Ryan Ray on the SIFE Competition DVD and other graphic design projects.

Rachael Riley will continue for a second year as director of the Annual Report.

This is an excellent team containing a diversity of talents and skills to make our competition team as strong as it can be.

Wyatt Bales, Vice President for Competition, has done a tremendous job of coordinating this selection process. Contact him with any questions.

Chickens Top 200!

2008-11-24T14:10:00.000-05:00

As of today, SIFE's Give-A-Chicken project (http://www.giveachicken.com/) has sponsored 209 chickens, topping our Thanksgiving goal of 200.

Ambrosia Davidson has done an excellent job leading these efforts. Contact her for more information.

Thanks to everyone who has worked on this projected and/or sponsored a chicken.

Code of Ethics Implimented in Anderson Chamber of Commerce

2008-11-24T12:40:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday 11/18/08, the Anderson/Madison County Chamber of Commerce voted unanimously to amend its mission statement and accepted a code of ethics into its bylaws. Also on Thursday, December 4, Ethics Advancement is on the agenda at the Fishers Chamber of Commerce for a similar recommendation.

Their mission statement now finishes with the phrase "...through ethical business practices".

GREAT JOB to the entire Ethics Advancement team led by Erick Russell. Contact him for more information.