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Greetings!

 

There's a freshness and vitality that comes with spring weather.  So it seems appropriate for us to launch a new feature in our May newsletter called simply "Five Questions."  Each month we will feature a woman leader who will share what inspires her, her purpose and lessons we can learn from her stories.  

 

To kick off this feature, we have asked Irene Lane, founder of Greenloons, a premier online eco-travel resource -- dedicated to inspiring people to think different, be different and travel different, in ways that help to ensure a more sustainable planet -- to share some of her insights with us.  Irene is also a thought leader in the developing eco-tourism industry and a contributor to Huffington Post.  You'll find her latest blog post about how women can lead in solving some of the world's most complex problems in our "Resources and Inspiration" section.

 

As you read about Irene's mission and purpose and how she made a dramatic shift from her technology career to launch Greenloons, we hope that you will take time to reflect on your own purpose.  Are you living in a way that honors your values, gifts and passions? We hope that you will find some inspiration in our book review of Richard Leider's The Power of Purpose, and other resources that we've included in our newsletter this month.

 

Warmest regards,

  Nancy signature

 

 

 

 

Nancy Lamberton, 
Leadership Coach
Facilitator for Nebo's She Leads

Please send comments and suggestions to [email protected].
FIVE QUESTIONS
with Irene Lane
 
Irene Lane, founder of Greenloons
1) What inspired you to change careers and launch Greenloons

 

I came up with the idea for Greenloons during the Spring of 2010. At that time, I had been a stay-at-home mom for five years. But, with a soon-to-be Kindergartener, I realized I was going to have some more time to devote to my professional aspiration.  So, I began taking some online courses offered through George Washington University and while completing my Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management, I realized that there was a lot of misinformation about eco-tourism and very little transparency within the industry. Given my academic credentials, professional background, passion for travel and personal achievements, I felt I had the skills to make this idea a reality.

 

Our mission is to educate travelers about eco-tourism and easily connect them with eco-certified, vetted and just plain awesome vacations around the world.  Greenloons makes it easy for travelers to book vacations with guiding companies and lodges that have gone the extra mile in terms of social responsibility, environmental accountability and economic transparency. 

 

2) What is your vision for the eco-tourism industry and what are you doing to help reach that vision? 

 

Along with the rise in globalization, unfortunately there has also been a rise in fearing other cultures. My vision for eco-tourism is for travelers to establish deeper, longer-lasting connections with the regions they are visiting, thereby not only learning more about themselves, but about how they can make a more positive impact on the world. This can only happen if there is enough demand AND supply. Therefore, I am contributing to the eco-tourism industry in two specific ways. 

 

From the demand perspective, Greenloons has made it easier to book authentic travel experiences and, through partnerships, has created an effective ecosystem of customers, suppliers, regulators and non-governmental organizations all working toward what travel is supposed to be - social, economically and environmental beneficial to local communities.  

  

From the supply perspective, I've developed a financial / return on investment (ROI) model that tourism businesses around the world can use to anticipate the specific bottom line financial benefits from implementing eco-tourism certification standards, thereby potentially increasing supply of such businesses.

 

3) Why should we, as travelers, support eco-tourism? 

 

Eco-tourism has the power to help communities AND help create unique travel experiences that benefit visitors. For example, staying at a rainforest lodge that is built using locally-sourced sustainable materials, that links its natural resource capital such as landmarks, ecosystems and wildlife with financial capital, and that is locally managed or owned can help communities by increasing their standards of living, their collective pride and their likelihood of preserving their surrounding ecosystems for generations.  The resulting travel experiences provides visitors with opportunities for authentic cultural immersion.  

 

4) What advice do you have for women who are thinking about starting a business?

 

1. Start by answering the following question, "Without being in any way practical or logical, what would you love to do for a career?" Once you have an initial idea, see if it ties back to a social, economic or environmental problem in the community and how you can make a difference given your professional background.

 

2. Put together a business plan or at least an executive summary of a business plan and seek out at least two business-minded people you trust to read it and give their honest opinions about the idea and its financial viability before you invest your own money (or ask someone else to invest their money into your company.)

 

3. Consider building partnerships with other successful businesses instead of seeking outside investment. This approach helped me to a) realize that I did not need to do it all on my own and b) have a sounding board for ideas 

 

5) What motivates you to give back to the community? 

 

As former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright once said, "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women." Seriously though, I don't give back because I am fearful of some karmic retribution, rather I believe that women are the backbone of any community and if we worked together, we'd find that we have the capabilities to solve complex local, regional, national and international problems. I give back to Girls in Technology, for example, so that perhaps, it will spark the imagination of an aspiring high school student who is interested in computer science or chemistry to chase her dreams and not be fearful of failure. 

 
To find out more about Irene, read her biography on Greenloon's website. For more interesting reading from Irene, check out Greenloon's blog  or a piece Irene authored in Huffington Post on "How Women Can 'Lean In' To Solve the World's Social, Economic and Environmental Disparities."
 She Leads: Resources and Inspiration
 

 

Warren Buffet, legendary investor and mentor to Katharine Graham (deceased CEO of the Washington Post) is a supporter of Sheryl Sandburg's Lean In movement.  He encourages women to demand equal pay and negotiate for themselves; make themselves known by raising their hands and being heard; and not to underestimate themselves, rise to their full potential.  Buffet says that if we fully tapped into the potential of women, the economy would benefit - and he would have had a lot more competition in his career.  


Sleep On It: Why Sleep Health is a Cause Corporations Need To Champion

Julia Kirby, Harvard Business School Blog Network

 

sleepy office woman

Julia Kirby, editor at large for Harvard Business Review, argues that it is time for sleep deprivation to get its day in the sun.  Evidence shows the lost productivity and harm to our health due to even a minimal amount of fatigue is worth creating practices in the corporate world to encourage better sleep habits.  Using examples of other causes such as smoking cessation and exercise, Kirby makes a case for enlisting new ways to change our corporate culture and encourage a good night's sleep.

 

Irene Lane, Huffington Post Impact



While there is much discussion over gaining equality in corporate world these days, blogger Irene Lane shares what she sees as a higher calling for women.  The fact is that there are "many deep-rooted global problems that have not been solved including hunger, poverty, access to quality health care, human trafficking, human rights, fair trade and biodiversity." Lane urges women to consider using their natural organizational, contextual thinking talents, compassion and sense of community to lead the efforts to solve the world's social, economic and environmental disparities. She demonstrates how real women are making a difference with some practical and moving examples. 

May 2013  
Join Our Mailing List
In This Issue
FIVE QUESTIONS with Irene Lane
Resources and Inspiration
Sign Up for Fall She Leads Courses
Bite-size Book Review: The Power of Purpose
Life Reimagined
Sign Up for Fall She Leads Courses!
Business woman laughing with coffee
 
Couldn't take our She Leads course this spring? No worries! She Leads: Proven Strategies to Inspire and Succeed is now open for fall registration. For dates and more information, click here!
 
Also coming this fall:
Nebo CEO and founder Kate Ebner will deliver Nebo's signature visioning process in a 6-part web class beginning September 19! Don't miss out on this opportunity to create a vision for your life and career and learn how to make it real. Sign up here!
 
We're also offering two great classes in October with registration opening soon- Smarter Not Harder: Sustainable Strategies for Managing Work and Life and Building Vital Connections: The Path to Your Success.
Bite-size Book Review

  

The Power of Purpose, by Richard Leider

 

The Power of Purpose

by Richard Leider
  

Many of us go through our daily lives just trying to get by and dealing with the obstacles that come our way.  There comes a point where we ask, "What is the meaning of all this?" or question the purpose of our life.  This best-selling book by Richard Leider, a leadership and vitality expert, is a guide to discovering the purpose that is already within you.  By exploring what has meaning for you - your values, your gifts and your passions - the exercises, stories and tips help connect you to your purpose in life.  As the author points out, there is a direct correlation between living a life of purpose and living a long, healthy life. 

 

Kate Ebner interviewed Richard Leider on her radio show Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life- click here to listen to the episode. To read the book, click here.
Additional Resource: 
Life Reimagined logo 

Life Reimagined is an innovative online project by AARP. The Life Reimagined Institute houses the world's leading experts - including Richard Leider and Nebo's Kate Ebner -- in personal development, aging, transitions, and reimagining life at any age. It's free to sign up and benefit for the ground-breaking Life Reimagined programs, services, content, and tools, which provide a six step process to navigate the change in your life. 

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