Soulaima Gourani, E-MBA

Far too long, aspiring leaders grow all by their own best efforts. Far too long, too many of us have “connected” with each other only through online meetings. Let’s connect IRL and lift each other up through in-person interactions at the upcoming SVLC (Silicon Valley Leadership Community) Summit on Nov 3rd at Q Bay Center in San Jose. Learn from the thought leaders and prestigious executives who’ve seen or done the type of things we want to do. Learn from each other on what works vs what doesn’t. Plus, come and unwind among a tribe of fellow leaders who share our point-of-view and can potentially become our future business partners.

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In the competitive landscape of technology sales to the state of California, building relationships is key. As a new player in this tight-knit community, I've focused on adding value and fostering connections. One principle I stand by is not giving credence to hearsay or past conflicts. It's impossible to judge fairly based on one side of the story. If you have good ideas that can help the state solve problems, I'm all ears. #TechnologySales #Cybersecurity

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✨ Elevating Consciousness, One Leader at a Time ✨ 🧠 Mental health investors, entrepreneurs, advisors, and advocates: As a proud board member of the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), I’m deeply committed to educating current healers and future leaders to create more compassionate, inclusive, and impactful communities. I’m delighted to spotlight an inspiring interview with Kini Chang, LMFT, Chair of the Community Mental Health Program at CIIS. In this piece, Kini highlights the transformative potential of community mental health (CMH) and the vital role it plays in addressing mental health challenges in marginalized communities. Did you know? Community mental health services have been a cornerstone of equitable care since the Community Mental Health Act of 1963. From that shift away from institutionalization to today’s integrated approaches, CMH graduates are now stepping into leadership roles in community-based organizations, bridging gaps in care with empathy and expertise. Mental health is a critical frontier, with 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experiencing mental illness annually. In a world grappling with rapid societal change, lingering pandemic effects, and a growing mental health crisis, leaders like Kini—and the students she mentors—are essential to shaping a better future. 🔗 Curious to learn more about how CIIS is preparing professionals to drive this change? Check out the full article featuring Kini’s insights—click the link in the comments below! 👏 Well done to S Brock Blomberg Chip B. Goldstein, EdD and the team. #MentalHealth #Leadership #CommunityWellness #CIIS #EducationForImpact #PsychologyMatters #ElevateConsciousness

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Had such a great time at https://innov8rs.co/socal/ last week! Between sessions (so thoughtful and interesting!), and hallway conversations (my favorite!), I heard #corporateinnovation leaders highlight three interconnected areas of effort that felt both familiar and newly salient. 🗺️1. Identification of strategic, intentional _whitespace_: How do you decide which parts of a gloriously/terrifyingly infinite and uncertain universe you're going to spend time and treasure exploring? How much do you invest in core improvement, adjacent spaces, wild imaginings? And how do you make the case that these are areas worth pursuing? 🤝2. _Handoff_: Once something wonderful happens in the innovation group, how does it get into production? What would make the core business truly take it up? Core staff face critical obstacles to adoption, even when they mean well -- how can we make those obstacles visible and address them? 🏠3. _Silos_: Left hand doesn't know what the right is doing, key people don't know each other. As a result, there's lots of the wrong kind of redundancy is going on while at the same time interesting and important work goes ownerless. What's an innovator to do? Many thanks to Hans Balmaekers, Andy Wilson, Steve Gilison and the other organizers for bring folks together. ☕️Felipe Negritto and I are developing an absorptive capacity offering to address these and other challenges. Open innovators and open-innovation-curious folks, we'd love to hear your perspective and test our ideas. Please reach out to discuss, we'll buy the coffee!

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#Startups need to be using all #ExO #attributes - https://lnkd.in/giwtu5J2 #askmehow you get to become an Exponential Growth Organization (ExO) OpenExO

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Drop In Venture Funding To Black-Founded Startups Greatly Outpaces Market Decline Chris MetinkoGené Teare February 27, 2024 Venture funding to Black-founded U.S. startups last year totaled only $705 million — marking the first time since 2016 that the figure failed to even reach $1 billion, Crunchbase data shows. The decline in capital to Black-founded companies greatly outpaces the overall decline in startup funding. While total venture dollars in the U.S. fell 37% last year, funding to Black-founded startups dropped a staggering 71%, according to Crunchbase data. Last year’s total investment in Black-founded startups in the U.S. marks the lowest amount since such startups raised only $582 million in 2016. The drop in total dollars also meant Black-founded startups received their lowest share in the venture market since at least 2016, per Crunchbase. Black-founded startups received less than 0.5% of the $140.4 billion in venture funding all U.S.-based startups received last year. In 2021, Black-founded startups received 1.4% of all U.S. venture funding. In 2022, it was 1.1%.

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In the age of AI, idea curation will eclipse idea creation Innovation starts with great ideas, but how can leaders consistently identify and implement the best ones? This recent piece from #Vistage dives into the art of idea curation and how CEOs can harness this process to drive business growth and operational efficiency. #Innovation #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #CEO

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 "Life in Motion" There is no set it and forget it. It’s a constant balancing act, shaped by our choices, challenges, and dreams. That’s what this new feature from UCLA Anderson Women "Life in Motion" is all about. We'll explore the insights and stories of some of the most accomplished women in our alumni community. Their reflections on everything from defining success to navigating leadership and life are inspiring. Listen to Satiya Witzer's perspective on "What is Success?" 👇 📌 Follow us at UCLA Anderson Women for more and to join the conversation. #LifeInMotion #AndersonWomen #Leadership #MBA #SuccessStories

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So proud of all the ladies and the work we do! As a health-tech investor very excited about our latest investment in Rocket Doctor. A couple of reflections so far: 1️⃣ The Learning Curve: It's been fantastic being an LP and getting involved with startups that not only aim to prosper but also seek to bring substantial benefits to society. Rocket Doctor exemplifies this with their commitment to making healthcare accessible and affordable. 2️⃣ The Importance of Innovation in Healthcare: Innovation is vital, especially in sectors like healthcare where the impact goes beyond economics to affect real lives. Rocket Doctor’s work, particularly in collaboration with Medicaid, is paving the way for necessary reforms in healthcare accessibility. 3️⃣ Empowering Women on Cap Tables: A critical part of our mission is to ensure that more women are represented on cap tables!!! 🔗 Learn more about Rocket Doctor https://lnkd.in/dAzB8XzV #femaleinvestors #startups #founderjourney #digitalhealth #HealthcareInnovation #Telemedicine #PrecisionMedicine #HealthTech

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I'm thrilled to announce the release of my latest book, "The Visionary Pragmatist." This book was written for all the leaders, dreamers, and doers out there striving to make a tangible impact while navigating an ever-changing world. https://lnkd.in/gsCJmqPK In "The Visionary Pragmatist," I share insights and strategies honed from years of experience balancing bold vision with actionable, practical steps. This book is more than just a guide; it’s an invitation to embrace the dual nature of leadership—dreaming big while also doing the work to make it real. Video Overview - https://lnkd.in/gtvCzEfj In these pages, you’ll find tools to: - Ignite curiosity and imagination for breakthrough innovation - Develop a strategic vision grounded in actionable goals - Build and inspire resilient, high-performing teams - Embrace data-driven decisions, mitigate risks, and execute with excellence This book is for those who believe that great leadership isn’t just about thinking ahead but also about rolling up your sleeves and bringing those ideas to life. If you’re ready to lead with both vision and pragmatism, I invite you to explore "The Visionary Pragmatist" and join me on this transformative journey. Thank you for your support, and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and experiences! Warmly, Gabriel Navakas #Leadership #VisionaryPragmatism #Innovation #StrategicLeadership #GrowthMindset #NewBook #TheVisionaryPragmatist #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveStrategy #BusinessTransformation #ResilientTeams #GabrielNavakas #NavakasAdvisoryServicesLLC #Opentowork

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Governments play a pivotal role in shaping innovation ecosystems. By establishing regulations, providing funding, creating enabling environments, and influencing innovation priorities, policymakers set the stage for technological and economic advancements. While federal policies often guide the broader framework, state and local governments are critical in driving equitable outcomes. To build true equity within the innovation ecosystem, we must engage directly with governments—not just as recipients of services but as decision-makers and partners—ensuring access and opportunity are shared by all. What are your thoughts on how we can strengthen these partnerships to create a more inclusive future?

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To innovators and entrepreneurs: Take a read of The Innovation Imperative for the New Administration from Steve Case, founder/CEO of Revolution and co-chair of the National Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship #NACIE. "In two years, America will celebrate its 250th birthday. It’s worth remembering that our country began as a startup — a risky idea that raised skepticism around the world. But America led the way in the agricultural, industrial, and digital revolutions — constantly reinventing itself. That reinvention was the work of entrepreneurs with bold new ideas and a policy environment that allowed them to flourish. We can — we must — continue that work and maintain America’s lead. That’s the opportunity in front of us — and the opportunity I hope the new Administration and Congress will embrace." Check out the four recommendations in Steve's post below. They are all important to our nation's inclusive growth.

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This Covid tech crisis is a blueprint for ESG reporting woes The HQ of California Employment Development Department is a 90-minute drive from the Headquarters of OpenAI, Google’s Mountain View campus. Yet, when the Employment Development Department (EDD) faced its biggest crisis during the COVID-19 lockdown, none of the latest tech could bail them out. The California state was decreed to provide financial assistance for people who were unemployed or had reduced working hours during COVID. EDD was tasked with implementing this. However, it was not smooth sailing for the department. While it did pay assistance to many beneficiaries, there were plenty more who were left hanging. For example, something as simple as the total number of applications for assistance that were yet to be processed by the department was initially estimated to be 239,000. However, after weeks of effort, it was discovered that the actual number was close to 1.2 million. This was only the beginning. There were discrepancies along the entire pipeline; decisions about who is to be included, who is to be rejected, and why, and where additional information is required. Jennifer Pahlka’s “Recoding America” provides deep insider insight into the situation. It also explores why, despite hundreds of millions of dollars and the best tech skills available on demand, the mess was not easily resolvable. In short, it was due to layers of software systems built on top of one another since the 1970s. Each new layer had to accommodate the nuances and idiosyncrasies of the previous one. Given the patchworks and shortcuts this required, specialized knowledge of the operations resided within multiple individuals. There was no simple way to overcome this. This issue is not uncommon in enterprises as well. Now imagine, facing this scenario across multiple business units, functions, and even external systems. It is a nightmare, to put it mildly. Yet, this is what sustainability analysis and reporting entail. In addition, most of the required data is not even captured along the value chain. So, sustainability reporting, which is important for setting and achieving ESG targets, depends on efficiently handling this data complexity. In a sense, the less glamorous, often overlooked handling of this could be an important problem that needs to be solved this decade.

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Could this be the biggest technological revolution, sparked from San Francisco’s chaotic time? 🚀 Is your business prepared for a shakeup as monumental as this?" Article Summary: Pull up a chair folks, because we've got one of the most substantial tech tales brewing right here in San Francisco! Amid an incredibly tumultuous period, an SF tech startup has inked its name in gold by wrapping up what is touted to be one of the largest fundraising rounds in U.S. history! 🇺🇸💵 In true underdog fashion, through immense adversity and upheaval came a spark that ignited into a wildfire of success. This revolutionary startup cashed in on the chaos storming around it and turned it into astonishing returns. This Silicon Valley gem remained resilient amidst great socio-economic setbacks to keep pushing boundaries and redefining technology's potential. This achievement just goes to show how even periods marked by turmoil can yield unexpected opportunities - all you need is big dreams powered by harder work. For fellow entrepreneurs out there – sit up straighter because learning from their grit may just reshape our future narratives! But wait...don't just take our word for it! Click on this link (https://lnkd.in/dYHUM72b) to read about their incredible journey for yourself! PS: Don’t forget that with empowerment comes responsibility. As we continue sparking conversations about innovation let's not forget about accountability and inclusivity in tech adoption 💪✨ #SFTechStartup #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #TechNews #FundingRound#Resilience #SiliconValley #BiggestFundraiser #DisruptionInTech #ChaosToOpportunity

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Episode 25 of the Spiritualogic Podcast is now Live! In this discussion, I'll dive deeper into how to transform your mind and soul from a practical approach. xploring Non-Dual Tantra: The Infinite Light of Awareness I'll share how awareness, or 'prakasha,' manifests and perceives all cognitive experiences, challenging the scientific view of an independent objective reality. The episode covers key concepts such as the five holy acts of awareness, the processes of forgetting and remembering (Nigraha and Anugraha), and the inseparability of subject and object. The discussion emphasizes awareness as the fundamental essence of existence, independent of religious frameworks, and highlights the inherent bliss (Ananda) found within one's own consciousness. I invite you to listen with a sense of self-awareness, equanimity, and continuous learning to embody this knowledge in a way that'll have the greatest impact. Let me know in the comments below, which parts resonated with you the most!

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Hope to see you in Santa Monica this week for TECH WEEK by a16z! DM if you'd like to schedule a 1:1 to ask questions about scaling your business, journeying through M&A, or how you can empower your industry with a strategy that works. 🚀 🚀 🚀 #techweekla #techweek #tech #saas #founder #founders #startup #startups #investors #YC #VC #PE

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