Daniel Lubetzky

A friend forwarded me an article that Malcolm Gladwell had written in New Yorker Magazine about entrepreneurs.  Like many of his pieces, it had provocative insights that were quite interesting as headlines (Entrepreneurs are "predators", not "risk-takers") till you realized that they were not very well thought out and that his own article contradicts itself numerous times along the way.

Here is what I wrote back to my friend:

I finally got a chance to red this Gladwell article. As I suspected, while I enjoy Gladwell’s writing, he is prone to simplify everything into a caricature and overlook the true essence of the issue in the process. Entrepreneurs are neither predators nor brave dummies. They of course have the capacity to see an opportunity in the marketplace that may have eluded others (that is part of the DEFINITION of what is an entrepreneur – not sure how Gladwell turns this simple truism into an epiphany). But they also possess the guts and determination to stay with it, and there are NEVER any guarantees that their analysis will prove right, certainly not without excellent execution – and often additional outside factors that the entrepreneur hopefully has taken into account but which can change course.

Gladwell’s piece works because he analyzes some of the most successful entrepreneurs, who in retrospect seem almost wily. He gratuitously says that failed entrepreneurs are the risk-takers but successful entrepreneurs are just predators who take no "risk." What a dumb simplification – one that you can only make in hindsight. Had Gladwell been by their side when they started on their journey, when they were sweating along the way, it is not as clear as he makes it out to be that they were guaranteed greatness from the outset. There are too many entrepreneurs who are not dumber or smarter than me or you whose circumstances get the best of them, and vice versa. Sheer analytical firepower may be a valuable ingredient in the composition of an entrepreneur. Guts, work ethic and determination are certainly another. Vision and a good sense of where things are going in society is probably another. But LUCK, just hard cold luck, is part of the mix too.

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Derek Sivers shares fantastic insights at TED based on a seemingly trivial video.

According to an article in the New York Times, a 600 page government report was recently released from secrecy, revealing that at times, the US Nazi hunting effort simultaneously harbored Nazi’s on American soil, creating a safe haven of sorts. The shocking details of the report reveal that in many ways the post wart effort to prosecute Nazis was very successful, but in many ways it was a huge failure as it was undermined by opposing efforts to provide for the very people the country was supposedly hunting.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, redacted by Adeena Schlussel

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Below is an amazing story that I received from my sister illustrating true KINDNESS and that one KIND act inspires another:

Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. ‘I’m glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,’ I thought. Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. ‘Where are you headed?’ I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. ‘Petawawa. We’ll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we’re being deployed to Afghanistan. 

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time… As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. ‘No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn’t be worth five bucks. I’ll wait till we get to base.’ His friend agreed.I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch.

I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. ‘Take a lunch to all those soldiers.’ She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. ‘My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it’s almost like you are doing it for him.’ Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, ‘Which do you like best – beef or chicken?’ ‘Chicken,’ I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. ‘This is your thanks.’

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. ‘I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.’ He handed me twenty-five dollars. Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane.  When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, ‘I want to shake your hand.’ Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain’s hand. With a booming voice he said, ‘I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.’ I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.  When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!  Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base.  I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. ‘It will take you some time to reach the base.  It will be about time for a sandwich.  God Bless You.’

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.  As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little… A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to ‘ Canada’ for an amount of ‘up to and including my life.’

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.’

The National Post recently featured a great article by Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada.  PM Harper stressed the importance not only of never forgetting the evils of the Holocaust, but of proactively speaking out against intolerance and persecution that exists today.  PM Harper’s words are in response to a wave of anti-Semitism that has swept Canadian campuses, and on a larger scale, worldwide. According to the article, the fact that Israel’s right to exist is questioned by other recognized nations is a blatant display of “new” anti-Semitism and that he, and others, must take the “solemn duty to defend the vulnerable, to challenge the aggressor, to protect and promote human dignity, at home and abroad,” very seriously.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, redacted by Adeena Schlussel
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The fierce entrepreneurial spirit that founded KIND, really shines true in this segment from Entrepreneur Magazine.  In this video, Daniel does a great job capturing KIND’s spirit and vision and we are so proud to call him our CEO! Check it out here:

Innovator – Kind Snacks from OC Creative Media on Vimeo.

by Adeena Schlussel

A recent New York Times Magazine cover article promoted many self starters working to fill voids in the developing world who embody the old slogan “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” By quoting stories of D.I.Y. volunteerism (as in, Do It Yourself), Nicholas Kristof makes it clear that a passionate and determined individual holds tremendous power.  Although Kristof reveals that many of the self starters who set out to do good, run into many obstacles along the way, and although he the large possibility of failure in tackling the world’s largest problems, the reason this article is so inspiring is because it presents the possibilities that exist for those with a open heart and creative mind.  This article is really worth a read; the philosophy that one person can change the world through KINDNESS, is exactly what we believe in here at KIND.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, redacted by Adeena Schlussel

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An article in today’s Haaretz reveals a recent trend in the Israeli Army: Palestinian Leadership has been addressing Israeli soldiers and officers “to inform soldiers and officers of the nature of recent changes in the West Bank, and of the complexity of their mission when operating within the Palestinian populace.”  This unique cooperation between the Israeli army and Palestinian official is unprecedented and completely amazing! This story shows that even in the most unlikely of places, peace can flourish.

“Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, redacted by Adeena Schlussel”

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Dennis Ross, the Special Assistant to the President and friend of OneVoice, addressed AIPAC at their Florida Summit this week.  In his remarks, Mr. Ross spoke about the dangers of Iran and the effect that the Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act has had on Iran’s relationship with the world.  Mr. Ross concluded his speech by reiterating the need for peace, and the specific importance of moderates remaining engaged in a proactive peace process.

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The German Historical Museum has a new exhibit featuring household items emblazoned with the Nazi logo, depicting how wide spread Nazi support was in Germany during World War Two. According to an article in the New York Times, these items emphasize how crucial the support of the people was in bolstering Hitler’s power.  Without society, Hitler was nothing, but with their support he was all powerful– a scary thought with an obvious lesson in thinking for one’s self and standing for what is right.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, redacted by Adeena Schlussel

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