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About Me

Jodie is an MIT engineer turned entrepreneur, who founded Global Cycle Solutions (GCS) and co-founder of the AISE initiative to accelerate innovation and social entrepreneurship in Tanzania. She and her team of 11 full-time Tanzanian employees at GCS build and sell simple bicycle-related products that create opportunities in rural communities and help farmers climb out of poverty. She has developed a platform in which you can “plug” various technologies onto a bicycle. For farmers, her bicycle-powered maize sheller is 5x faster than traditional methods and turns maize shelling from a chore into an easy and enjoyable task. A strong believer in co-creation and creative capacity building, she is teaming up with a local Tanzanian NGO to construct AISE’s first collaboration center by the end of this year.

Location:
Tanzania, Arusha
Current organization:
Global Cycle Solutions
Past organizations:
AISE: Accelerating Initiatives and Social Entrepreneurship
Gender:
Female
Areas of expertise:
Mechanical Engineering, Rural Economic Development, appropriate technology, Bicycles, Micro-enterprise
I am:
Athlete, Business leader, Connector, Global soul, Idea generator, Inventor, Potential employer, Project manager, Social entrepreneur, Technologist
Languages:
English, Swahili
My website links:
Global Cycle Solutions
Universities:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.)
TED conferences attended:
TEDGlobal 2011
Member Picture

TEDCRED 50+ TED Fellow

More About Me

I'm passionate about

technology, bicycles, engineering, the great outdoors.

An idea worth spreading

Bicycle attachments to bring us back to the future!

Talk to me about

collaboration, partnership, investment, social entrepreneurship, new ideas.

People don't know that I'm good at

football/American soccer, baking carrot cake in homemade ovens, and playing piano.

Comments

  • TEDCred score: +52.50 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

  • +1

    A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: You're not going to remake yourself. Your just metamorphosing. Just follow your heart and your passion, and I think you'll find happiness.
  • +1

    A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: Focus on what's working and what's not working on your current product. It could be a marketing problem where people just don't know about it. Or, it could be one little thing you need to change. Get as much user feedback as possible before doing anything else!
  • +1

    A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: And those entrepreneurs will definitely have a ton of stories of the ups and downs! And most of all, they'll be ready to help. You just need to jump in first!
  • +2

    A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: Assuming that they know everything, and their model is the only one that works. Go in and learn first. Then figure things out.
  • +2

    A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: I'd say let it grow organically. Start it on the side, and then when it starts taking off, then you turn it into a business. I started GCS with intentions of going back to grad school after 6 months, but then an investor came in, and I was like, I'm not doing this halfway...I'm all in! I bet you'll hit a transition point like this when the time is right.

  • A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: For-profit vs. non-profit is just a tax status. I think if you're in education, stick to non-profit and find revenue-generating models that allows your model to be sustainable beyond donations. Plus, if you're non-profit, I'm sure there's lots of people who'd love to give to keep your organization alive. You just have to continue to inspire.
  • +1

    A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: And the ideas that spread are the ones with great marketing. After HR, this is the most important aspect...marketing and creating a movement!
  • +1

    A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: Every company does this differently and it depends on what you're looking for. For long-term commitments, creating a club that supports your organization's mission is good.

    But if you're just looking for skilled people, talk to department heads. Find a way for these college students to get funding to come join you.
  • +3

    A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: As the saying goes, build a cathedral. Gather a following, inspire, and then mobilize to build something that lasts a lifetime. For sure, your first hires are some of the most important. Don't be afraid to interview well over 100 people just to find the perfect person.

  • A reply on Conversation: What advice can we offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?

    Jan 12 2012: Of course you can jump into the tangible product industry! It's one of the hardest things because once you do have the design, you have to think about manufacturing, quality control, distribution, and even pricing!

    It's tough, and it depends on your markets. Kickstarter definitely is a good way to launch your designs towards production.

    If you're already in consultancy, talk to the people that you consult and get their advice on the product industry. They probably know where you can find OEMs in the like.

    For sure, you're going to have to think about the scale you hope to achieve (will your own small workshop be sufficient or do you need to go to the big guys abroad?)
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