What would you do if you were given $1,000 or more to start a project? Yes, you read that right. $1,000 or more.
You could start a business or start a movement that could impact hundreds of people or more.
Do you have a dream that you want to make a reality with some money and help from successful people along the way?
It’s possible with this amazing opportunity to earn a scholarship to help turn your dream into a reality.
All it costs is $100 to be a part of an amazing program where you’ll be inspired from some of the brightest minds around the world. Before you think that’s a lot to invest, first read more about it below.
At the end, read about me investing $100 in one of you.
What would you do with $100?
That’s what Chris Guillebeau asked at the end of this year’s World Domination Summit in Portland.
He then gave each attendee a $100 and said, “Hey, take this and have fun with it, surprise someone or start something special.” I remember reading the tweets when it happened and reading blog posts about it afterwards.
That gesture left everyone surprised. Some even in tears.
Who gives $100 to 1000 people and use it however they want? Many of those attendees felt a huge responsibility to put it to good use.
Natalie Sission attended World Domination Summit and felt like she wanted to create something special with her $100.
Natalie is a suitcase entrepreneur. That’s the name of her blog and that reflects her lifestyle. She’s been traveling the world running a business while living out of a suitcase. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
If you don’t know her yet, I highly recommend learning more about her.
Natalie used her connections to create something that can impact your life and the lives of others. It’s called $100 Change.
Natalie sums up the program as:
$100 Change is a program empowering you to start your dream project or business in 100 days for $100.
I know many of you want to start your own business and wake up every day feeling excited about what you’re doing.
If you’ve ever needed motivation, advice, and support, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.
What do you get for $100?
100 Daily Prompts of wisdom, insight and coaching, via email, from 100 change makers, to ensure you take action and start something special during the course of the program.
3 Live Webinars to ensure every person participating can turn up for a value packed Q&A style get together, with key change makers, and come away invigorated, enthused and on track to getting that idea, project or initiative out to the world.
4 Exclusive Video Interviews - Prepare to tap the brains and smarts of Chris Guillebeau, Pam Slim, Jonathan Fields and Jenny Blake
1 Beautiful Digital Guide - You get this at the end of the program and it contains all the 100 days of wisdom, the interviews, audios, and bonus content, plus gifts from some of the change makers.
This is Not for Profit
I just wanted to make this clear. Natalie isn’t making any money off this. I don’t make any money referring you. She said a tiny bit is covering the cost of design, production and shipping. That’s completely fair.
Nearly 100% of the money goes to help create change and turn dreams into realty.
Now I’ve gotten that out of the way, here is the best part.
10 Scholarships Awarded
Everyone’s $100 will be put together and will turn into 10 scholarships that each participant can apply for.
The amount of each scholarship will depend on how many people apply. If 100 people apply, then each scholarship is worth $1,000. If 1,000 people apply, then each scholarship is worth $10,000. Wow!!
In late November you can submit your idea or project for one of the scholarships. Then in December the public will vote on your project and the group will be narrowed down. Then the final round will judged by a group of change makers who will select the winners.
The winners have an opportunity to impact even more people and create serious change with their idea. The wisdom from the past 100 days will no doubt help them with his great opportunity.
The winners will also get mentoring from key change markers and a business framework for getting it done.
What if you don’t get a scholarship?
You’re still gonna get a heck of an education for 100 days. I believe you’ll change for the better after 100 days.
Every day you’ll get advice and insight from some amazing people from all walks of life.
Natalie has structured it so after 10 days, you get a summary of what you learned, plus a call to action for you.
You’ll then post your key action to the private Facebook group where you can find motivation and work with your fellow aspiring entrepreneurs and action takers.
Plus you’ve got the webinars, interviews, and bonuses to help you throughout.
Honored to Contribute to this Project
Natalie asked me to share my experience from creating iPhone apps for this project. I feel like maybe she asked the wrong Benny Hsu, but I don’t believe there is another Benny Hsu that blogs and develop iPhone apps.
But in all seriousness, I am honored be a part of a special group and share what I’ve learned with everyone who signs up.
I think it’s the best idea I’ve heard in a long time, and Natalie has executed it so well.
Here’s an Infographic That Explains it Well
A Great Investment for Yourself
If you think about it, it only cost $1 a day. Some of these change makers answers are worth much more than $100 if you hired them for help.
Plus you get the video interviews, special audios, amazing answers, webinars, access to a private Facebook group, and chance at a scholarship.
If you do all that, I guarantee you’re not going to be the same person in a 100 days.
If I haven’t convinced you enough that is a great opportunity, head over to the $100 Change and learn more about it.
You can sign up and start anytime, but why wait? Decide “I want to be inspired to make a change.”
I’m Investing $100 in Someone
I believe in this so much that I want to cover the $100 for one of you to join this program.
It’s my way of giving back and helping one of you begin to start something special.
What do you have to do?
1) All you have to do is to Tweet this post AND like it on Facebook. (See box below to tweet and below the orange box for the FB button). That takes a few seconds. This is the easy part.
It’s mainly cause I want you to help spread the word about $100 Change.
2) Then in the comments below, tell me why I should choose you. What would you do if I invested in you? Why do you want to be a part of the $100 Change? How will this help you? Do you already have an idea that you want to turn into a reality? Tell me a bit more about you. Tell me anything you want.
If you don’t have an idea for a project yet, no problem. I’m looking for passion more than ideas right now. Your idea will come.
I’m not looking for a lazy person or someone full of excuses. I’m looking for a person who will absorb 100 days of wisdom, put the lessons into action and create something amazing out of this $100.
But most importantly, I want someone who is serious about this. Someone who’s not going to quit half way. Someone who’s not going to waste everyone’s time.
These requirements might scare some people off, and that’s my goal. It’s great for those who do apply.
It doesn’t matter what happened to you in the past or your current situation. What matters is what you’re going to do from this day forward.
This could be the change that’s been waiting for you.
I’ll be available to help you along the way, if you need, and you’ll have tons of support from the community and the resources Natalie has put together.
I’ll select the winner based on their answer, and my gut instinct. If I can’t decide, I’ll get some people smarter than me to help with their input. I might even follow up by email with some more questions for you.
Deadline for entries is Monday September 17th at 11:59PM EST. I’ll select a winner sometime that week. I’ll contact the winner by email.
(Update: Congrats to Gary and Janet. Hard to choose so I chose both of them!)
So start writing your entry!
If you can’t wait, are super excited, and you’re ready to get started right away to join the $100 Change, head over to the main page now to sign up.
Hello,
I really enjoy reading your blog, I also want to thank you for your kindness and generosity as well as believing in us.
I am the youth pastor of http://connectlifeministries.com and I really want to impact our communities in Santa Ana, CA. We want to reach youth that are suicidal, depressed, and in gangs. This is something that is just killing our communities over here in Santa Ana.
I want to do something very practical like this http://beforeidie.cc/site/townsvilleaustralia/
I believe that if we do something like this we can have an opportunity to step into our communities, learn what they think, know what to pray about, and connect with them. It’s a way to have people express what they feel, what they want, and what they don’t want to publicly say. I have found out that there are three things that are killing our young people; Identity, purpose, and relationships. We also believe that if you want to change the world, it starts with small steps, and it comes down to changing our communities first.
If we do this project I believe that it will give us a good prospective in what we need to do for our people in our community.
I need the $100 to start this project and take this portable “Before I die” wall to our weekly youth gatherings.
If I get the $100 I will finish this project, document everything, gather the information needed, and create resources -with the information that we gathered- to better serve our people.
If I don’t get the $100 I will still make it happen some how, but I would really appreciate it if we are considered for this opportunity to win the $100.
Thank you for everything that you do, I really appreciate it, and we are praying for you and a better society.
Let’s get busy `ideating’ here - love this Benny. Such a generous act of yours and a great one for getting people to take action so fire away - let us know your ideas
Benny! Natalie is right, you DO write about this SO well! I’ve been following the $100 Change initiative since Natalie first introduced it and the more I read and hear about it the more I am inspired to be a part. You’ve written an amazing call to action here. I’m PUMPED haha I have ideas for my business, A LOT of them really. Sometimes I’m bouncing back and forth between all these wonderful ideas, not sure which to start with first, and often feel a little stumped in the financial area. It’s been a few years of touch and go, I spread myself thin in order to keep this all going, and I will not give up! I know this program and the Change Makers involved with it will provide the motivation, education, skills and new ideas I’ve been seeking to get me moving forward, upward and onward in the right direction. Thank you for posting this… you’ll be hearing more from me 🙂
Crazy stuff Mandy - we posted at exactly the same time. Benny and I just discussed your exact dilemma in our podcast interview today. Pick one and focus on it. If you need to conduct a kind of matrix of which idea will bring you the most happiness, profit and cost the least and then put the other ones to the side. You can always do them later. So long as you start on one idea right now.
I noticed that too Natalie! My biggest challenge has been Focus; as a creative I tend to have a lot of ideas dancing about. You are exactly right, I need to stand in front of
a big whiteboard to clearly see them all before me, then weigh out the pros and cons like you’ve listed. And I LOVE that you listed “Happiness” first! I’m gushing (not exactly sure why? haha)! Thank you!
@Natalie Sisson, what an incredible idea, takes kickstarter but with a Pay-it-forward mentality. This post also lead me to your website that has an outstanding design that is quite refreshing so i decided to signup for your newsletter.
@Benny That is very cool of you to take cover $100 for a reader. Giving a helping hand will only create goodwill within the community. This is the type of action and support we should have more of.
Well triple thanks to you Zach - great to have you in the community and so glad you like this movement. Hope you will be a part of it too.
Yo Benny! I’ll definitely be sharing this with others, Natalie did a BRILLIANT JOB in putting this together. I can already see the great success and impact this is going to have on all that participant. The advice alone will be worth the $100, not the mention the impact of a scholarship. Cheers on being selected to contribute to the project. I’m looking forward to how this project is going to grow and spread. Kudos Natalie!
Wow thanks Roberto - this is so lovely to hear - I’m stealing it and putting in a blog post so people can read that as I entirely agree. The value in the program is worth thousands considering the change makers who’ve put forth their insight and advice. I really hope it does move people to start something today
Amazing idea to pay it forward. WOW. I swear i don’t know how Natalie does it..
Natalie, i swear you and i are two ships passing in the night. we keep missing one another. I’m back in france now in a tiny little town. I miss Berlin it reminded me of the San Frncisco bay area only they spoke German LOL..
We need to set a schedule for our ships to set sail together! I’m back in Amsterdam in October, London for a few days in week 3 of that month and then Barcelona in Nov, Miami (Caribbean) and UK again. Will I see you anywhere there? Thanks for your support on this. Would love you to keep spreading the word!
I’d like to enter. I’m Monique, a single mom of 6 and 8 year old girls. I would like to purchase an RV and travel around the country with my daughters starting in June 2013. In order to prepare for employment while traveling, I’ve purchased a website (http://writerista.com), although the transfer hasn’t occured yet. I’d like to market my website and skills (writing, travel writing, content writing, etc.), gain new skills (ed2go.com online training courses), and earn a living writing while traveling.
I’ve worked for myself before (I had an insurance agency), so I’m not new to this, but I am new to online marketing.
Thanks for offering the opportunity to one of your readers.
Hi Monique! Great to meet you! I love that you have a goal for next year and finding a plan towards it. Thanks for entering!
Wow Benny, what an offer!!! And I’m so inspired by Natalie.. Such a brilliant idea.
I’d like to enter even though I really would just like to buy it.. But I’ll see what you end up doing first.. And, if its OK with you, if I win, can I just purchase it anyway and gift it to someone else like you’ve done?? I also believe in it so much, that I’d love to make that impact for someone. I would credit you with the original idea and inspiration.. And as Natalie has mentioned, the people who have less are often the people who give more..
I hope that’s me. I’ve been kind of an off the grid minimalist. Nothing too crazy like Colin, though. But I’ve been living ‘frugally’ *or not* because its hard to live with less and not constantly bounce my checking account. I live this crazy life in the Manila slums to slowly build my business/dreams. I JUST posted on my blog how I want to finally take myself seriously and THINK BIG and GO PRO. I want to make $69k in a year. Lets say, for the year of 2013 since 2012 is almost gone. Now its a lot easier to say this than DO and I’ve been known to cry fowl.
I have a LOT of ideas on what I can do. But the main thing is that I’d like giving to be the backbone of my biz and I’d like to become a giving powerhouse, and be known for inspiring people to courageously go for their dreams by following their intuition and marching to their own beat.
Hazy ideas on starting a non-profit or social entrepreneur biz involving traveling the world and teaching art workshops (to kids??). It sounds crazy cos I’m currently not ‘doing art’ even though that’s my background.
I’m not sure what my scholarship application would be though. Between all my ideas, I still have to think on it 🙂 Though it’s not a bad ‘problem’ to have.
Oh so love this Janet. And your post today on it. I definitely would love you on the program and perhaps between the two of you you can inspire others to step and gift a spot too. Hang on I see a whole new movement happening here …:)
This is an excellent post and I am going straight over to Natalie’s site to check it out, sounds like a wonderful opportunity for someone and a fantastic gesture to the community.
Looking forward to seeing you there Steve and hope to have you on the program!
Hi Benny, Firstly thank you for a very generous and motivating act, and I really want to get you to sponsor me the $100, and its not for the money. The real reason I want it is to motivate me to action, to take action, to know that I am accountable. I will not waste your time. So here’s the deal Benny if you sponsor me the $100, I will complete the 100 days, knowing that you are in the background, and when I complete it I will give back the $100 to who ever you decide is worthy of it. You could call it the virtual $100 support. Gary N.B. Thanks for the link to Natalie’s awesome site.
Love that commitment to action! And of course your lovely comment re my site 🙂
Delighted to meet you Natalie, looking forward to the challenge.
The fact that you are willing to sponsor someone in this program demonstrates the commitment and concern that you have always shown for others to succeed. I would LOVE to work more closely with you and others to learn how to perfect my plans. I have several iPhone app ideas as well as websites and ebooks that I would like to develop and complete but feel as if I’ve been “swimming upstream” without any daily assistance. Being part of this group would allow me to organize and streamline my ideas and allow me to move forward.
Great to see that there are people still interested in helping others!
I hope the scolarships will be there soon!
I missed the deadline for this but it’s a great idea. I’m not sure why didn’t see the box to get your e-book till after I’ve left my comment? I’ve done it twice now, now ticked!
I’m sorry about the ebook! I sent you an email about it.