In July earlier this year, our two co-founding directors, Wandile Tshabe & Claudia Jones, took part in a Global Accelerator Program: Ingenious Faces, in Delhi India. The program spanned over a period of 10 days where our two co-founders immersed themselves in the Indian Startup eco-system.
Ingenious Faces is a program dedicated towards disrupting the perception of success by redefining learning models. They do this by helping individuals accelerate their growth and knowledge by interacting with a global network of entrepreneurs, mentors, startups and universities.
The July program was split up into three main areas of learning and opportunity.
1.We travelled across Delhi, learning about the startup ecosystem and entrepreneurial culture.
2.We interacted and connected with mentors across the various fields that made up the delegates.
3.We were put through various situations and challenges and tasked to find solutions to what we face as No.Land Farming, as well as act as a consultant to a business that is also in our field of agriculture called The Prodigal Cook Farms.
We also got an opportunity to immerse ourselves in the Indian Culture as well as experience exquisite Indian cuisine. We must say, that India has one of the most amazing arrays of flavors in food. Site seeing was also a part of our learning journey with visits to places like the famous Lotus Temple & India Gate, where our Lemon Cordial also ticked yet another famous attraction and country travelled.
One of the highlights of the program was the different workshops we engaged in, that helped us understand our unique entrepreneurial journey. This was particularly valuable to us as we got to explore in depth, the reason why we exist as No. Land Farming, as well as refine how we do what we do. This is quite important as the business environment has become quite agile and in order to keep up and stay relevant, you need to know the very essence of your existence.
No.Land Farming was also very fortunate to have Claudia Jones celebrate her birthday during the program. This was quite a special occasion as we got to share an important part of, one of our own’s, personal life journey.
The last of what we can highlight about the program, that really left an impression in our hearts, was participating in the program’s “Joy of giving back” challenge. Here we visited a children’s orphanage and were tasked to give back to the children of India, by creating a memorable experience for the children. This, we had to do in an innovative way, breaking the boundary of language. It was definitely an amazing way to end off, what was DEFINITELY a life-changing experience in our lives as entrepreneurs.
We are really grateful for the opportunity we were given and would definitely encourage each “No.Lander” in their lifetime to travel. And what better way to do this but by purposeful & meaningful travel.
Food for Thought:
“The real voyage of discovery consists not only in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes”- Marcel Proust