Emile Emiabata, Social Impact Businesses and HowDoYouDo

Emile Emiabata is a social impact entrepreneur. I first met him a month or two ago, when Chris Macrae set up a meeting in London related to Mohammed Yunus' book "Creating a World Without Poverty". Emile and I have been engaged in lively debate since then and I was looking forward to the second meeting of his HowDoYouDo group. However it was on Thursday 20th November, and clashed with New Ideas for Africa, so Emile and I met in the afternoon for a pre-meeting meeting at the British Library Business IP Centre to work through the agenda together so I didn't miss out.

When Emile first started talking about his ideas I had lots of questions about how things would work in practice, but the more he fills in the details the better I like it all. I can see how being part of HowDoYouDo would benefit Dadamac in building up the business side of what we do.

Over the years, working from home, and collaborating with people far away, I have learned how to achieve a considerable amount at a distance. But contact by keyboard does impose some uncomfortably linear disciplines on the sharing of ideas. I know there are mind-mapping tools and interactive whiteboards, but for me, nothing beats face-to-face with pens and paper and evolving diagrams. During our pre-meeting meeting Emile roughed out plenty of diagrams, and I was able to point to bits of them and quiz him about precisely what he meant and how various things would fit together.

I won't try to outline the objectives and structure of HowDoYouDo yet - but once there is more information out on it then likely tags will be SocialImpact SocialIndicators Business Collaboration BusinessStart-ups BusinessServices Network CompetitiveAdvantage Brand. That list gives some idea of its scope and focus. HowDoYouDo will be much easier to explain once there is something in place to show how it works. I am enthusiastic about it and see it as a truely 21st century way to do business.