Sha Nacino I’m currently in the province vacationing and celebrating my little siblings’ birthdays.
I’m surrounded by greenery. My eyes are feasting on nature’s beauty.
I’m so grateful to my Mama and Papa for planting those mango trees almost two decades ago.
Yesterday, I saw a group of ducks pass by.
As I’m writing this, I can see chickens and goats roaming around.
I feel like I became friends with these farm animals. Hehe!
That’s why I’m slowly turning to a vegan lifestyle. For now, I still eat fish.
But that’s a story for another time.
Let’s dive right into our Story, Highlight, and call to Action for the week 🙂
I have an exciting story to share with you today.
STORY
In February 2018, Sun Life Foundation and The Spark Project called for project proposals for programs that promote financial literacy.
From more than 50 entries, we were one of the 20 finalists. One member from each of the 20 finalists had to pitch for 7 minutes. From there, a panel of judges from Sun Life’s top management will choose the 10 winners.
Now imagine being one of the judges. You have to listen carefully to each and every person who will pitch their project.
By the 10th person, you must be mentally and physically tired. Imagine if you’re listening to the 20th person.
By drawing lots, I was the 20th person to pitch!
Thank God I already had lots of training and experience in speaking. My 7-minute pitch won us Php100,000!
A little backstory
In October 2017, I went to Bacolod to attend the Toastmasters Convention. Since I was going to be in Bacolod anyway, I told our then-marketing manager, Clarice, who was based in Bacolod, “I’d love to give a pro bono talk to a public school in Bacolod.”
Clarice and her husband, Val, then organized a whole-day event for the children of sugarcane farmers who were students at that public school. Their stories touched me, but at the same time, I felt sad for them.
For instance, the valedictorian dreamt of becoming a helper in Manila. Others aspired to be janitors or baggers.
While these are noble jobs, I believed they had so much potential, and we wanted to help them realize it.
So, I told Clarice, “Let’s think of more ways to support the students.”
Fast forward
We used 100% of the Php100,000 we won from the SunLife Foundation to return to Bacolod. Together with my team, we taught the students how to dream big and how to manage their finances.
Today, some of those students have become artists, call center managers, store supervisors, etc. They were likely the first in their community to assume those roles. Their younger siblings, cousins, and neighbors now have examples of what is also possible for them.
HIGHLIGHT (Lesson)
Our words have power. Speak up and raise others up!
Call to ACTION
During team meetings, I encourage you to share your ideas with your leaders and team members.
As a leader, speak words of inspiration to your team. And be brave also to call them out when necessary.
For students, raise your hands in class.
Maybe you’re saying,
“Sha, I’m scared to speak up.
What if I forget my lines?
What if I don’t know what to say next?
What if I’m boring?”
These are valid concerns.
I addressed this in my recent TEDx talk. I also shared one powerful idea that will change how you see public speaking.
Good news! It’s now out on TEDx’s official YouTube Channel.
You can watch it here:
Here are some of the comments from those who watched the video:
Here’s the link again: https://www.shanacino.com/tedx
I wish you fearless possibilities!
Sha Nacino
Keynote Speaker l Author l Adjunct Faculty, Asian Institute of Management
P.S.1 The Manila International Book Fair is coming up and I and some of the graduates of The 90-Day Book Writing Challenge will be there. Thanks to our partnership with Central Books and Great Books Trading for making this possible. Shall I see you there?
I’ll be there on September 16, Saturday, to give a talk and to sign books.
Central Books organized a seminar on “How to Write a Book.” Limited seats only. You can register here.
P.S.2. Here’s my TEDx talk again. I’d love to hear from YOU!
After watching, please give it a thumbs up and leave a comment on YouTube sharing which part resonated with you the most. And, if you think it could inspire or help someone you know, please consider sharing it. Thank you!!!
