A 10-Year Old CEO, Twitter Decline, and Mindfulness in Business
This 10 Year Old CEO Can Teach You How to Inspire Entrepreneurialism in Your Kids
Some kids start lemonade stands or sell girl scout cookies. Not Samaira Mehta. She’s the CEO of CoderBunnyz, a board game designed to teach children how to code. Oh, and she’s 10 years old.
Mehta is proof that young people can think big. In addition to running the show at CoderBunnyz, she’s also a public speaker around Silicon Valley and the founder of Yes, 1 Billion Kids Can Code, an initiative that allows donors to buy and donate CoderBunnyz to a school of their choice. Mehta then visits the school and conducts a coding workshop with the students.
Mehta says she is inspired by former first lady Michelle Obama and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, as they both encourage young girls to strive for excellence. She’s clearly become an inspiration herself, as a kid who understands business and the business of helping others.
Twitter Loses 9 Million More Users (And Why That Could Be Good for Your Business)
Last quarter marked another decline in monthly Twitter users (down to 326 million from 335 million) as the company continues to crack down on bots and fake accounts. This is the second consecutive quarter of declines — and it comes as no surprise. Twitter said that it’s prepared to lose another “mid-single-digit millions” as it continues this crackdown over the next few months.
Twitter is an appealing platform for certain types of small business: media, advertising, service, retail, branding, etc. Unfortunately, its credibility has been damaged in recent years as millions of fake accounts have artificially blown up follower and engagement numbers.
If you’re a small business owner using Twitter, know this: you may lose some followers over the next few months. The good news is that this type of purge will also make the service more reliable moving forward.
Do Mindful Entrepreneurs Get More Done?
Mindfulness is having a serious moment right now. It may seem counterproductive when you have a business to run, but numerous studies show that we actually achieve more by doing less — or at least slowing down. This is especially true for entrepreneurs, who are notorious for working long hours and putting extreme pressure on themselves to succeed.
By embracing the practice of mindfulness, you’ll be able to slow down, improve your focus, and concentrate on the task at hand. As a result, you’ll feel well equipped to handle the demands of work and you will become more productive.
Internationally known productivity consultant Mark Ellwood presents the following tips in The Calm Manifesto, which is meant to help entrepreneurial personalities adopt mindfulness practices and maximize their productivity.
Try not to rush. Frantic energy builds when you’ve got a to-do list a mile long and you’re trying to do everything yourself. Remember that doing things hurriedly often leads to careless mistakes or accidents, which can end up costing you more in the long run.
Stop working long hours. Studies show that shorter work days actually increase productivity. Taking sufficient time to rest and relax will improve your productivity while you’re at work.
Walk instead of driving. Try to walk whenever possible. Exercise and fresh air help clear your mind, which frees up mental energy for creativity.
Stop surfing the Internet. It’s important to take a break from screens (text messaging, checking email, phone calls, etc.). Unplugging from your devices will help you stay present and focused on the task at hand without constant distractions.
Make time for friends and family. Spend time with the people you care about, whether it’s sitting down for a family meal or meeting up with friends. Taking a break from work will help you escape the mental clutter of work demands.
Stop procrastinating. When you put something off, it continues to occupy your thoughts. These thoughts then prohibit clear thinking about other priorities you need to accomplish. It’s better to just complete the task and move on.
Delegate more. Entrepreneurship is not a one-man (or woman) show. Keep the tasks you’re best at and delegate the rest. You’ll accomplish much more and build a solid team in the process.
The bottom line: people who are mindful understand that they need to take care of their physical, mental, and spiritual needs. If you’re working long hours and not taking care of yourself, it’s almost impossible to be creative or productive in your business.
Carve out time to relax, de-stress, and watch your business soar.