Category

Digital Transformation
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Enabling Global Transformation: YPO Gold Transformation Bootcamp

Argo Ventures is gearing up for the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) Transformation Bootcamp. The YPO Gold Member event is set to take place over the weekend, November 9 & 10, 2018, in Berlin, Germany. After the success of the February event, YPO will be engaging more than forty guests from over ten countries to share and integrate the four key aspects of Digital and Cultural Transformation.

Argo Ventures has a long track record of marrying digital disruption and innovative entrepreneurial practices. Over the course of more than 20 years of experience as Venture Builder, Argo has had a chance to optimise its knowledge and experience to provide only the best and most successful learning practises to entrepreneurs at any level. In the past two years, the venture building firm has blossomed to its full potential, and it still has many exciting updates due in the near future. The event style aims to give back to YPO by sharing knowledge that we have been gathering for the past 25 years.

How does it work, one may ask?

Argo Ventures developed a survey that appealed to YPO members. Three percent of members around the world responded to a series of specialised questions geared towards planning an custom-made event. The questions gathered information on what members already knew about digital transformation. Then, they collected information on their agility in business management areas such as design thinking, innovation, culture, and more. The result is a two-day bootcamp combining all relevant methods and knowledge to help entrepreneurs become masters in their fields.

Relevant methods and thinkers whose ideas we will pull from include:

  • Rockefeller Method
  • Peter Drucker
  • Simon Sinek
The event will be supported by Coaches and Consultants from the Argopreneurs Platform.

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Source: Nina Fischer

Some of the best and brightest in the business, from all areas, will present on their experiences, including:

  • world-renowned thought leader, angel investor, and startup expert Christopher Maire
  • Head of Business Development at startup firebrand MoBerries, Mo Moubarak
  • forward-thinking and strategic developer for corporate venturing, Dr. Julian Kawohl

Origins of YPO

YPO is an exclusive international community of chief executives. It invites only the most influential and successful entrepreneurs on the planet. Originating in the United States, the group has expanded to cover over 130 countries. It boasts worldwide membership of over 24,000. The Berlin chapter is chaired by Argo Ventures founder and seasoned entrepreneur, Stefan Beiten.

During this session, the Argo Ventures team will simulate the full life cycle of an entrepreneur’s journey in the digital age. With a comprehensive palette of challenges, inspired by challenges real companies face, participants will have the chance to navigate these difficulties in teams. They will prepare for future challenges in their own businesses and develop a toolkit to guarantee entrepreneurial success. With guidance, participants will experience a facilitated preparation for the world of digital transformation and develop skills to apply it to their own business ventures.

„A great combination of coaching, practical application, and inspiring presentations. We spent two wonderful days at the Transformation Bootcamp. We learned a lot, put even more into practice and look forward to starting the future. Perfect location and atmosphere, lots of fun, delicious catering and last but not least: A very professional and supporting team. Thank you, dear team: Great Job!“
– Ralf Puetmann
  Ex – Vice Chairman at Galeria Kaufhof GmbH und Managing Director Peek & Cloppenburg KG
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Source: Nina Fischer

Features

Among the many exciting features of the event that make this gathering unlike any other this year, the event boasts an exclusive guest list, limited only to 50 of the most elite members of the YPO organisation. This exclusivity implies a familiar atmosphere, in which guests will foster an intimate community over the course of the two-day summit. The event is international, attended by visitors from over 10 countries.

Next, with a holistic approach to ensure mastery of entrepreneurial skills in every facet, and team building practices to better integrate the skills they will learn, the bootcamp guarantees a system that is immediately feasible. Guests will be able to immediately implement their newfound skills in their own businesses. Thus, the environment responds to the current challenges of the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Finally, comprehensive digital app ensures that all learnings can be logged and customised for later use.

Experience

The learning experience consists of:
  1. Eye-opening Keynotes
  2. Demanding Coaching
  3. Interactive Workshops
  4. Comprehensive App Support
Participants will enjoy a blend of engaging speakers and coaches, with ample opportunities for networking and teamwork. The structure of the event helps participants meet each other, search for synergies in their fields, and deepen their knowledge.

Themes

The event covers four key area of successful venture building, including:
  1. Disruptive Technologies
  2. Innovation
  3. Scaling
  4. Culture & Team
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Source: Nina Fischer
As part of a state-of-the-art, tested programme, the event zeroes in on the ways in which successful ventures develop over time. Using technology to meet this end is just the first step. Once we have a better understanding of the ways in which technology can disrupt traditional business operations, there is more space for innovation on all levels. With this foundational framework, the event will tackle scaling techniques, evaluating different perspectives for venture growth, and analyse how to optimise company culture to foster a happy, satisfied team. These concepts will get members on their way to enhancing the performance of their ventures.

With a full two days ahead, the excitement is high. Live updates can be followed on Twitter.

Sound like something you want to incorporate into your own business model? Argo Ventures offers two-day bootcamps to entrepreneurial long term engagements, learning materials, and digital disruption solutions. Get in touch and find out what’s possible today.

Co-authored by Kaitlynn Buchbaum, Marketing Manager

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What AI Can Do For Your Company

Where are you right now?

Perhaps you are in a café, scrolling through your social media feeds before you head into work. Perhaps you are researching our company (and we welcome you!) during office hours. Maybe you’re even putting us all to shame, reading this article on the stationary bicycle at your gym.

No matter what the context, artificial intelligence (AI) has in some way brought you to this page. Whether Siri gave you directions to get here, or your LinkedIn account suggested this article, based on an algorithm of your specific interests. AI is responsible for getting you here, to this moment, now.

Office Goals

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Source: rawpixel (unsplash)

The modern office, especially, the modern start-up, has a great challenge to confront. The challenge: to utilise digital transformations to pioneer innovations in their businesses.

Although this challenge can be quite menacing at first, the prospects inspire hope for the future of workplace operations. AI presents a critical technological innovation, whose roots date back to more than a half-century, but whose modern implications are more ground-breaking than ever before.

For the new-age entrepreneur, at any step of their career, the acquisition of knowledge in this field can be a game-changer in their path. Let’s learn what exactly this powerful tool can do.

AI: What exactly is it?

According to HubSpot, AI “is a broad area of computer science that makes machines seem like they have human intelligence.

Is it really that simple?

Actually, yes.

Despite the extensive media portrayals of robots taking over the decision-making process for communities, artificial intelligence simply expresses the capacity of computers to be trained to interact with humans. Full stop.

The implications of this relatively simple field are excitingly complex, especially for your business. “Smart” computers can help increase the efficiency of company operations and help you focus on what’s really important. From spam filters to automated dictation of notes, AI can help you keep your eye on the prize.

Chatbots are an excellent example of established computer programs lifting the burden of repetitive business activities. While bots take care of fielding customer concerns, your employees can advance outreach methods and collect valuable data to improve the impact of your business.

Models such as these increase the value of any successful venture. However, it is important to remember that learning about these processes is as essential to your business as utilising this cutting-edge technology.

Lifelong Learning: A Love Letter

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Source: bluehairphotog (unsplash)

So: how do you invite artificial intelligence, and recognition of its abilities, into your life?

The first step is simple. As with any stable relationship, you must put forward an effort to get to know it.

Some ways you can engage your team through learning have already been explained in my colleague’s recent post. You can do even more:

  • team workshops
  • retreats
  • available learning opportunities (my team presents new learning every Friday)
  • classes

These simple options can increase the productivity of your team and get you on track to the next great breakthrough.

Recent years have sharpened the skill set of AI programming to a previously inconceivable, and somewhat spooky, level. Developers in Australia and the U.S., for example, designed a program called the “Nightmare Machine”, which first identifies fear and can then produce it.

First, they fed the machine visual material, which the team then responded to, to discern what imagery provokes the neural networks that are psychologically traced to fear. Finally, the program then created imagery based on this learning to simulate nightmares.

The takeaway of this program was to better understand the psychological partnership that is possible between humans and machines. Good work produces good results, and if you invest time to learn about how AI can improve your life, you can drive excellent advances in your field.

We have the power to shape digital transformations to make them work for us, not the other way around. If we open ourselves to the possibility of growth, we can make wonderful things happen.

Feeling inspired? Subscribe to our newsletter for news, tutorials, and exclusive interviews with the best and brightest of the business world.

The Great Challenges of Entrepreneurship 2/2

In the first part we spoke about competitive pressures and customer demands as two major challenges for leaders in the digital age. Now, let’s take a look at new business models on the rise, a modern company’s responsibility in a cultural context and the resulting need for a holistic approach to leadership. (mehr …)

The Great Challenges of Entrepreneurship 1/2

What are the hardest things a human can do?

Most people would come up with a list that looked like this:

  • Competing in Olympic sports
  • Battling a life-threatening disease
  • Forgiving somebody who has done you a great wrong

To the benefit of entrepreneurial ego’s everywhere, I’d like to add one more to that list. (mehr …)