What do you think is the most important factor in becoming successful? Is it intellect? Execution? Your network?

It seems to me this question is subjective and doesn’t have an absolute answer, but it would be hard to argue the tendency for “successful” people to share many of the same qualities. Perhaps the most universal quality in these people is a thirst for knowledge. They are obsessed with continuous self-education and they crave the opportunity to their new found knowledge to use.

Another phrase used to describe this thirst for knowledge is having “a hungry mind.” This blog post from our partners, Feed The Children, helps us all to understand the gravity associated with global hunger. We cannot forget that before a child can have a “hungry mind” or a “thirst for knowledge”……they must first no longer be hungry or thirsty:

- Benjamin

A Hungry Mind (posted by Feed The Children on August, 10 2009)

Hunger for knowledge. It’s a phrase that teachers and academics throw around. It is meant to inspire, to impress, to make learning sound tantalizing … and irresistible.

But a hungry mind—in the literal sense—it is a terrible thing, and one with very real biological consequences on brain development in children. Lack of adequate nutrition can:

• Damage brain and cognitive development (Ages 0-3)
• Delay school readiness (Ages 0-5)
• Impair academic performance (Ages 6-17)
• Stunt mental, physical, and social development (Ages 0-17)

Even worse, the effects of childhood hunger can last well into adulthood, impacting the ability of an individual to further his or her education and hold a well-paying job.

So go ahead, glorify a “hunger” for knowledge. But let’s be sure we place equal emphasis on providing for the physical requirements of a child’s mind: nourishing food to help them excel in school and in life.

The more we learn about world hunger, the more apparent it becomes that we MUST do our part in solving this devastating problem. Our ever-growing sense of urgency landed us on a New York bound plane last weekend.

The trip turned out to be incredible. Among the various meetings we had were three that really made us confident that Dare To Give is not alone in our quest to make a difference through business:

Rooster Group (Thursday): Rooster Group is a firm who has done some incredible branding work – work that made us anxious to meet with them as soon as we touched down. We shared our vision and bounced ideas back and forth with their creative team.

What was so comforting about the meeting is that Rooster Group was genuinely engrossed in the Dare To Give mission. They understood that during the course of the meeting, hundreds of children were dying of starvation and malnutrition. They understood that this is unacceptable and CAN be changed. This is important for two reasons. First, it lets us know that people care about the problem and what we can do about it. It gives us the strength and support to continue pressing forward. Second, it confirms that there ARE companies out there who are about more than just the bottom line. Rooster Group goes through an extensive discovery phase with each of their clients and gets to know them on a personal level. For us, that means our passion for solving the hunger crisis. Their genuine passion for “focused solutions” and “big ideas” oozes through Rooster Group’s work. If you want a team who takes Design, Marketing, and Branding seriously – Rooster Group is a good place to start.

James Elbaor (Thursday): Thursday evening we had the privilege of breaking bread with an old friend of mine, James “Chris” Elbaor.

James is a team member at Do Something, a non-profit whose aim is to “inspire, support and celebrate a generation of doers.” James helped us make significant strides in the formation of the Dare To Give Foundation – a foundation that compliments and enhances the mission of our company, Dare To Give LLC. James has been an irreplaceable mentor as Dare To Give continues to grow. Upon our return to Dallas, he was offered the most recent seat on our board, and we are ecstatic to have him on our team.

With his new board position, his continued impact at Do Something, and his new project KR Student Loans – James is quickly becoming an individual of tremendous influence in the area of businesses that make a difference.

Nekisia Davis (Sunday): On Sunday morning we had a three hour meeting with our friend Neki. Given her experience in The NYC restaurant scene, to call her a food expert would be an understatement. She has a wealth of knowledge about food and is hard at work finalizing the granola. But what has us excited about working with Neki is not her addicting granola, it’s her values. She is dedicated to making sure that the food she creates is a byproduct of ingredients and people that align with her values. Neki understands that business is a vehicle for change, and she is doing just that. We can’t wait to get her culinary masterpiece in stores and as a result, feed millions of children in need.

- Benjamin