The students immediately jumped into a vibrant conversation. The teachers who had been observing the session were dazzled. That led to many such demos
followed by explanation to the teachers of how valuable it was to let students do the thinking and talking.
SK: You and John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, co-created a non-profit, FLOW. How social entrepreneurs solve the world problems?
TB:FLOW provides a big picture perspective: Many regular for-profit
entrepreneurs are making the world a better place by means of creating jobs that result in goods and services that people want. But sometimes the full cost of the goods being produced isn t included in the production cost of the goods - pollution would be one such example. In such a case, a social entrepreneur may create a similar good that is produced in a more environmentally conscious manner. In other cases, a mission-driven entrepreneur may create a business in order to create jobs in situations in which there is too much uncertainty for
conventional entrepreneurs.
SK: What would you say to a young person who wants to change the world?
TB: Get started - just do it! Become involved in a startup, help a small org. grow into a bigger one, learn how to brand, market, and sell, create your own company. Most of what one needs to learn in this world is learned by means of actually working on a project. The need to be flexible and work under conditions of great uncertainty with crucial
deadlines cannot be replicated in the classroom.
SK: Who influenced you the most?
TB: Intellectually, Socrates and Hayek. In terms of their personal example, Paul Heyne, Gary Becker, and John Mackey.
SK: What makes your heart sing?
TB: Seeing children being happy and well, especially during their schooling.
I want to see all children liberated from school situations that make them miserable.
Michael is currently the founding director of KhabeleStrong, an Incubator for students Age 11-18, as well as the CEO of StartupLearning.Me, a consulting firm that helps parents personalize educational options for their children, including creating small, personalized schools designed for their children.
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