Finding Your Village in Our Modern Society
The African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”, can elicit memories of child rearing in times past. Children were raised by their parents, grandparents, extended families and neighbors. Families gained varied knowledge in all aspects of life from people who were invested in their wellbeing, growth, and success. They benefited from the experience of those who had already raised their children and the support of those who were in the same boat.
This created a balanced system in which questions could be asked, challenges faced, and everyone could lean on those around them with confidence to gain peace of mind. A “village” adds a buffer to making all the tough decisions involved in new ventures.
Often, I tell people that I have 3 children- my 4-year-old daughter, my 3-year-old business, and my 2-year-old daughter. The middle child is the neediest by far. When we founded Underminer Studios in 2016 we did so with several things in mind.
First, we wanted to be our own bosses. Second, we wanted to control our future. And last, but not least we wanted to do groundbreaking things with technology. We have accomplished all of these in their own time and they continue to morph regularly. You may ask yourself what do parenting and owning a business have to do with each other? I am here to share that both are a labor of love and will consume you in the best and worst ways. You must have a strong understanding of yourself and be willing to learn, every day, to undertake either.
As a parent and a business owner, I have considered the question when is the “right time” to start. I am of the belief that there is no right time. Each and every journey will be unique. Raising a business baby comes with a lot of unknowns but finding your village in our modern society is the key to maintaining sanity in our busy fast paced lives.
Having a network of family, friends, mentors, advisors, other business owners in the same phase, and anyone else who is a trusted and knowledgeable to guide, support, and commiserate with you is priceless. By today’s standards we operate as lone islands without the extra hands and differing frames of reference to pull from. Unfortunately, important information gets lost in the mix and can be shrouded in mystery until you are already in deep water. A lot of misperception surrounds the adoption of technology including decisions on how and when to incorporate technology, pitfalls or shortcomings of hardware or software choices, and opportunities that are obvious or may fit in imperceptible ways.
Undertaking these choices is regularly wrapped into project planning or fiscal year end planning which could limit this critical research phase. The ability to find resources and cultivate an understanding of new technologies allows companies to gain confidence and empowerment in a long-term strategy around technology adoption which is imperative to making informed decisions. In order to reclaim a culture of innovation, decision makers must rely on competent professionals that have made it their focus to bridge the information gap.
Important collaborators in this arsenal are tasked with focusing on organizational health and strategy creating growth from novice to mastery. Invaluable support can be sought from experts in emerging technology fields.
From the Internet of Things (IoT) for smart devices into Artificial Intelligence (AI) used in everything from predicative analysis to image capture, more commonly robots and chat bots and data cultivation for a purpose. Our world is evolving to adapt new super powered technologies into uses that are beyond imagination for some. So it is time to lean on the experts in these arenas and advance your company now.
Our focus has been on enabling companies to leverage the power of immersive visualizations as tools using XR: augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR) which are interactive and immersive alternate realities tackling issues from the imaginative to the necessary. Some use cases we have developed are shared virtual conferences to view data, a medical device that can capture accurate sizing data for post-surgery recovery clothing, a wheelchair driving simulation using the chair drive controls used as a therapeutic tool, training on a complex mechanical system and viewing remotely, or even actual humans from video captures used in any digital media platform for entertainment or training or something else entirely.
The possibilities are endless the retention of information is significantly higher, and the time is now.
Allowing yourself to ask with an open mind how can we apply these technologies to enhance our work, our workforce, our lives, and the lives of the next generation may spark something great.
Truly improving growth as a company, a partner, a parent, or any other role you may take on in life. Everyone should welcome these experienced and knowledgeable allies into their “village”.
About Blog Writer :
Alexandria Porter
CEO & FOUNDER
