Via Ushahidi.com

Welcome to the “Work It!” column, where we take a look at business innovation of every kind.

Being an innovator in your field can be as easy as K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple, Sis. A singular vision focuses your efforts on becoming the best at what you do, and reduces your chances of being sidetracked or scattered. Ory Okolloh’s rise from blogger activist to policy manager for Africa for Google is a perfect example of the difference having a vision can make on your career.

Watch Vision Work

Okolloh realized early on that her true passion was using technology to ensure African voices were heard.

In 2006, Okolloh co-founded Mzalendo.com (“patriot” in Swahili) to track the Kenyan Parliament. The country’s TV and print media took weeks or months to sort through legal developments in the country. Meanwhile, Okolloh’s blog meticulously tracked the actions of political leaders and kept records of parliamentary bills in real time.

During Kenya’s controversial 2007 presidential election, which was marked by outbreaks of violence, she co-founded another site Ushahidi (“Testimony”). This time she focused on helping citizen journalists report incidents of violence and peace efforts. Before the experts dubbed the process “activist mapping, ” Okolloh’s site leveraged web, mobile, e-mail, SMS, Twitter, and Google Maps to visualize what was happening on the ground.

Ushahidi evolved from a website into a nonprofit tech company developing software platforms for citizen journalist initiatives. The organization was called on to launch humanitarian efforts in the aftermath of earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, a wildfire outbreak in Russia, and snowstorms in Washington DC.

via Twitter

The Perks of Being An Expert

Okolloh’s success in online activism allowed her to move on from blogging to become a spokesperson for citizen journalism, youth activism, and technology in Africa. In a world where non-experts are championed, Okolloh is an anomaly.

The trend of the moment is to know a little something about everything. It’s true; non-experts are able to pull from a variety of sources to come up with creative solutions. However, the old-fashioned approach of focusing on what you’re good at still has its benefits.

Thoroughly understanding the space where you work allows you to recognize needs others wouldn’t.  Working where your passion and strengths intersects, ensures that you enjoy what you do, and won’t mind putting in the extra work required to be the best.

“One of the best pieces of advice I received while I was at the university was to get paid to do what you love to do, so that’s my philosophy, and much of the time you find it’s not mutually exclusive and your natural talents is what you end up loving to do. But passion – you spend so much time working, ideally you want to love it.”

- Ory Okolloh, “Africa’s Most Successful Women: Ory Okolloh,” Forbes

A clear vision for your career begins with looking inside. Start thinking about what you love, and how you can use your strengths to pursue it.

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C. Cleveland covers professional development topics and entrepreneurial rebels who blaze their own career paths. She explores these stories and more on The Red Read, Twitter (@CleveInTheCity) and Facebook (/MyReadIsRed).

We’re highlighting Pioneers in the Game every day here on Madame Noire. Click here to meet all of our salutes.

What’s your Klout score? If you don’t know, you should, because potential employers are following the scores for job candidates.

For those who haven’t event checked their score yet, you should. Klout is a “company that provides social media analytics to measure a user’s influence across his or her social network.” Your score can range between 1 and 100 and is based on various factors such as  how many Twitter followers you have, how many retweets you receive, the number of “likes” on your Facebook status updates and recommendations on LinkedIn, among other things.

These scores may seem arbitrary, but employers are taking them into consideration when interviewing candidates. According to The Root, “San Francisco-based company Salesforce.com recently came under scrutiny for a job listing that required, among other things, a minimum Klout score of 35.” According to TechCrunch, Klout is reaching out to employers encouraging them to use Klout as a consideration when hiring.

To get your Klout score, you have to register and create a profile with Klout.com. The site even gives tips on how to boost your score.

Whether you’re popular in your virtual life seems to be an odd way to determine your capability of doing a job, and some have taken issue with just how scientific Klout’s measurements are. But this may be the wave of the future in this age of social media.

by R.Asmerom

As we all know, the online space provides a world of opportunity for tech specialists who know how to generate traffic and command eyeballs for advertisors. But what we are less aware of is the idealogy that governs decisions by advertisors and how they handle the “urban” markets. Through their years of experience, Dawn Ali and Curtis Love understand how the playing field is not equal when it comes to how advertisers handle different demographics, which is why they teamed together to create IncreaseTraffic.co to cater to Black businesses online.

The idea for IncreaseTraffic.co was created when [Dawn] noticed that black websites/publishers weren’t treated or paid the same. The idea ascertains that black websites with higher traffic than websites that appeal to white individuals are not paid as much by advertisers, and it has become increasingly a challenge for anyone to profit online…especially black sites.

Ali is an internet marketer and website administrator who is best known for The Dawn Ali Network and the forum Loving My Sistas. Curtis Love is a website designer and programming specialist whose specialized in SEO techniques. IncreaseTraffic.co includes its own ad server and caters specifically to the African-American market. The teams’ goal is to increase the money-making opportunities for Black websites and blogs. According to BlackNews, the site is already ranked in the top 100,000 websites in the world based on Alexa traffic ranking site.

Read more about this new venture at BlackNews.com

by R. Asmerom

Are African-Americans opting out of tech careers? Dr. Maya A Beasley says yes. In her book, “Opting Out: Losing the Potential of America’s Young Black Elite,” The University of Connecticut assistant professor contends that self-segregation is discouraging African Americans from accessing the networks that lead to tech careers.

She drew upon 60 interviews with black and white college students at UC Berkeley and Stanford for her research. The impetus for the book stemmed from the fact that while she was a graduate student at Stanford, she noticed the lack of Black people in Silicon Valley overall although there was a relatively substantial amount of Black students at Stanford University. “I thought this was really odd because I went to college with really brilliant black students,” she told FINS. “And I knew that Stanford had a high proportion of black students so I was surprised to see such a disparity between what I saw on campus and what I saw on Main Street.” She wanted to understand how those students didn’t get filtered into the Silicon Valley infrastructure.

She noticed that some students were discouraged from STEM classes and that many others opted to hang out in exclusive cultural circles. “There’s a danger in completely segregating yourself,” Beasley told FINS. “When black students only interact with each other it really inhibits the information they’re getting. White students are getting advice from their parents and summer jobs through their connections. If you’re limiting the number of times you’re spending with white people, you’re also limiting the types of information you have available to you.”

In addition, Beasley notes that the composition of STEM courses (Science, Tech, Engineering and Math), which are dominated by a white and Asian males, also deters African-American involvement.

So what’s the solution? It seems that self-segregation will naturally take place but making a conscious effort to integrate and acknowledge the cultural dynamics surrounding Silicon Valley would help a Black student’s transition, if he or she desires, into the tech landscape.

by Cynthia Wright

The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Sprint was entering into an agreement with Apple to purchase over $20 billion worth of iPhones over the next four years. While neither company has confirmed nor denied this recent news, it has reverberated significantly (both positive and negative) within the technology community as consumers wait with baited breath for Apple’s product event later on today.

Jonathan S. Geller from Mac World also confirmed the same on his site yesterday afternoon:

“I have been told that Sprint will be getting the iPhone 5 — yes the real iPhone 5, not the iPhone 4S — as an exclusive. And it will be a 4G WiMAX device. AT&T and Verizon would launch the iPhone 4S and get the iPhone 5 some time in the first quarter of next year as an LTE device. Globally, the iPhone 5 might be available as a 4G HSPA+ device.”

If this all comes to pass, the iPhone will now be available on three service carriers, which would be good for Apple, since for the most part, they would be the only one to directly benefit from the alleged Sprint acquisition at the beginning.

At the same time, when it comes to the iPhone being offered on Verizon, AT&T and now Sprint, some analysts see this as a win for the brand, if it positions itself correctly. Especially when it comes to the data plan, with Sprint being the only company out of the three advertising an unlimited data plan – if they keep that option available for the iPhone, it wouldn’t be surprising if customers began to switch their services over. Although, while both Verizon and AT&T lack when it comes to the data plan, they make up for when it comes to customer satisfaction and product breadth, which unfortunately enough for Sprint, they are not known for. Still, with no apparent knowledge on whether Sprint will price the iPhone competitively – who will benefit the most within the trio is anyone’s guess.

Still, others are still not convinced that Apple would “lower” themselves to ever extend iPhone 5 exclusivity with Sprint. Jack Gold, an analyst at J. Gold Associates weighed in on the plausibility of the Sprint deal and the likelihood that underdog carrier would be able to pull something this huge off.

“If the iPhone 5 is released on the HSPA+ network standard, it won’t help Sprint, which offers its CDMA and WiMax networks, but not HSPA+. That means Sprint would have to sell an older version of the iPhone that could run on its networks,” he commented.

However, with neither company talking, it is hard to see how the unveiling of the iPhone 5 will impact iPhone enthusiasts, just yet.

Cynthia Wright is an avid lover of all things geeky. When she isn’t freelancing, she can be found on her blog BGA Life and on Twitter at @cynisright.

Recently I had a discussion on Facebook regarding technology integration in our schools. Many people still wish to hold on to this idea that our schools should not focus on technology and just focus on the basics. They are mistaken. These attitudes are why the digital divide still persists. I am so tired of hearing this silly argument.

This mindset must be changed. And to be honest I spend a great deal of time trying to do just that. I do not want the next generation of our young people to be the designated serfs of the information age. What exactly are the BASICS? Most folks would define the basics as reading, writing and arithmetic.

So, the idea is that we should not teach our young people about technology but focus on the basic subjects. Here is the problem with that. Do you think those subjects are taught without using technology? What exactly do these folks think a chalkboard, a pen, a book, a pencil or an overhead projector is? These things ARE technology.

What do you consider the basics? What do you consider technology? There is no such line between learning the basics and using technology. This is why I used the word INTEGRATION. It should all be one and the same the way it was when I was in school. I was not taught ‘the basics’ sans technology.

Technology was all around us while we learned the basics. Technology is now part of the basics. Those who are unable to navigate technology will be locked out the same way that years ago those who could not read or write were locked out. Remember we did not learn our basics without technology. A book is a form of technology.

No one said learn how to read, and you can use the technology (book) after you learn to read. No. You learned to read from a book. And now you may learn to read an ebook or an electronic book using an e-reader. Please tell me what is the difference?

Take a look at the comments from a PhD student in Carnegie Mellon’s Computer science department regarding the teaching of computer science in our schools. These comments are from a recent study:

The point is not that every student needs to become a computer scientist, but that all students have the basic knowledge they need to understand an increasingly technological world, said Leigh Ann Sudol, a PhD student in Carnegie Mellon’s Computer Science Department and another study co-author.

What is considered basic has changed and technology is the new basic!

 Kai Dupé is a doctoral student at Pepperdine University where he is conducting research on Why African American Males Are Underrepresented in Computing. Kai can be reached by email at kai.dupe@kaidupe.com or by visiting his website at www.WhereAreBlacksInTechnology.com or follow him on twitter @KaiDupe

Part of the NBC Comcast merger involved Comcast providing a certain amount of support to Black representation in the media. Well, months after hearing about Comcast’s $20 million investment initative, we’re seeing some progress.

DreamIt Ventures and Comcast have created the Minority Entrepreneur Accelerator Program and have selected five programs to participate.

According to Black Web 2.0, the startups include:

ElectNext, a company that works like a dating site, for your elections. Clients can compare candidates and find the perfect fit.

Kwelia, a company that produces quantitatively derived analytical tools that will facilitate decision-making for residential real estate.

Metalayer, a visual search company that turns the real world into sortable data.

Qwite, a location-based service, taking clients where they want to go — from intent, to experience and memories.

ThaTrunk Inc., a company that uses mobile commerce and geocast technology to help digital creators resonate with their fans and potential consumers.

The program will provide mentoring, office space, as well as accounting, legal and administrative support for three months. At the end of the program, the participants will pitch their ideas to investors at a demo day in Philadelphia.

by Cynthia Wright

New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo has made it known that the International Business Machines Corp. and Intel Corp. plan to invest $4.4 billion over a course of five years in order to create a hub for the next-generation computer chip technology.

After the official announcement, the New York Stock Exchange reported that IBM shares rose to $4.84 (2.8%) to $179.35. Prior to the announcement, the shares were up by 19% this year. At the NASDAQ Stock Market, Santa Clara based, Intel rose 60 cents (2.7%) to $22.84 in trading.

IBM is believed to be contributing $3.6 billion to develop computer chips using 22-nanometer and 14-nanometer process technology. In layman’s terms, a nanometer is one billionth of a meter and measures the size of transistors in a chip. The lower numbers are thought to be an indicator of a more advanced technology.

On the other side of the financial equation are Intel Corp., IBM, Globalfoundries Inc., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., and Samsung Electronics Co., which will focus on transforming a 300-millimeter water technology into 450-millimeter technology, with the end result of producing twice the amount of chips.

During a press conference in Albany, senior vice president and director of research at Armonk, John Kelly stated this recent conglomeration is about the “computing systems IBM and others will construct using advanced technologies.” He continued, “This will create computers that will help doctors diagnose advanced disease.”

To prepare New York with the abilities for taking on such a monumental project, the state plans to invest $400 million into the State University of New York College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. The university is located in Albany, a city in the northern part of the state.

Although, the $4.4 billion investment is a substantial amount of change given today’s economy, this project is believed to have created an estimated 6,900 jobs in the state, with 2,500 in the technology sector.

“This unprecedented investment in New York’s economy will create thousands of jobs and make the state the epicenter for the next generation of computer chip technology,” Cuomo said in a recent statement. Money will also be invested into the research and development facilities located in Canandaigua, Utica, Yorktown Heights and Fishkill.

Cynthia Wright is an avid lover of all things geeky. When she isn’t freelancing, she can be found on her blog BGA Life and on Twitter at @cynisright.

How many times has it happened?  You’re in your car, you reach a certain shopping destination; and you’ve forgotten the store’s reward card or worse yet, the actual credit card intended for use on this trip.

Rewind.

Now, imagine soon being able to make your life easier by moving from the physical wallet to complete and utter elimination of carrying cash, credit/debit cards, coupons and transit passes, all thanks to carrying nothing but your mobile device.

This is the ultimate concept behind the mobile wallet, and a future concept just made a major leap earlier this week thanks to one of the latest developments from a little company called Google.  That’s right, Google has just announced the official launch of the Google Wallet which will allow users who have NFC-enabled phones to pay for products with just a tap against a compatible card reader.

But what is NFC, and what is the story with this Wallet?  Here’s the brief:

First, NFC stands for Near-field Communication  The chip, which is already being scheduled to be inserted into your upcoming phone model, enables a contactless payment-of-sorts at the point of sale. Think tap and go.  Now, the Google Wallet is a bit limited initially, but a major first step. Ideally you could try this out  (in theory – more and more will be enabled across the country in the coming months) at any MasterCard PayPass terminal.

But a few words about the phone: currently, Google service is only available to you if you’re carrying a Nexus S 4G phone on Sprint to activate the app (if this isn’t you, then you’ll also want to have a PayPass enabled MasterCard issued by Citi or fund Google’s PrePaid card).  Interested users would also need to update to Android version 2.3.7 as well.   After launching, users will need to create a PIN code as well. After a few other steps and hardware requirements, you’d be good to go.

Sound like a lot?  Perhaps, but a bit to keep in mind:  since Google just recently purchased Motorola would one assume these handsets will coming up for use soon as Wallets. Google is also in talks with others cards aside from MasterCard.

We are only at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mobile payments, folks.  The main thing is to know that this is happening and the premise behind it all.  By the way, these limitations also help keep things managable so Google can monitor the system and act accordingly.  And role models for tweaking may come from overseas where a lot of such payment activity is already taking place!

There are certainly conisderations for consumers such as privacy, but watch for issues such as this and more to be worked out as this ramps up in the U.S. over time.

Essentially, I think this is an important step for Google but certainly not the last by this company nor competitors.  In fact, watch the financial transaction terrain become almost completely unrecognizable in 1-5 years once all the players and game pieces have been introduced and fully implemented. Indeed, bet on it.

However, the game will become particularly interesting given that since African-Americans, particularly those from the 18-34 demographic out-index across mobile usage from talking, to texting to feature usage; it’s almost a no-brainer that we will lead the mobile transaction pack as well.  Couple this understanding with the fact that most African-Americans are under-banked, and one finds a real gold mine of potential.  The question will be, how much of this new arena will we actually control or benefit from finanically rather than simply take the position of the consumer pawn?

Lauren DeLisa Coleman is a writer, speaker and thought-leader specializing in the diverse segment of the Gen X,Y demo, tech and its convergence with socio-economic concerns. Follow her @mediaempress

by Cynthia Wright

Even though Groupon was one of the sole pioneers when it came to providing a way for companies to provide discounts over the Internet, even when others jumped on the discount bandwagon – Groupon’s brand seemed to remain intact.

So, it wasn’t that much of a shock in early June when Groupon announced their decision to go forward with a highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) that would be finalized in late September. Unfortunately, for the discount brand – that wasn’t to be the case. Especially, since the company recently released a statement saying that they were postponing the IPO due to the market downturn and concerns brought forth by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

While some companies such as LinkedIn and Zillow have had shaky IPO starts, others like the music company Pandora have had it relatively easy – leaving some to wonder – is Groupon’s hesitation a sign of a bigger issue?

After all, the company’s missteps have been well known and documented since the awkward-bordering-on-insensitive advertisement that was broadcasted during the Superbowl. Outside of that, the company has also come under fire for its unusual accounting metric, the Adjusted Consolidated Segment Operating Income, which is seen as an unfair to measure their financial worth. Which, the SEC asked them promptly to remove prior to the company submitting their IPO application.

On top of that, the high marketing costs coupled with their unprofitable business model have potential investors raising their eyebrows. Although, some view Groupon’s business model as unreliable – it didn’t help that soon after, a memo penned by CEO Andrew Mason for his employees was “leaked” to the masses, which many saw as a violation of the SEC’s silent period mandate.

Surprisingly, it still wasn’t the first time Groupon had come close to breaking the quiet period rules. Especially, since the day after the company filed for the IPO, Groupon’s chairman and one of its biggest investors, Eric Lefkofsky, told Bloomberg that the daily-deal company was going t be “wildly profitable,” once the company officially went public.

Although, Groupon has yet to come out defending their case and with no apparent signs of road show on the horizon – it is hard to estimate how long it will be before the public hears Groupon’s take on the situation. In the meantime, it hasn’t been determined what effects this will have (if any) on investors when Groupon decides to eventually move forward with its IPO process. Either way, they are slowly emerging as a poster child for burgeoning entrepreneurs by showcasing the best way not to go public.

Cynthia Wright is an avid lover of all things geeky. When she isn’t freelancing, she can be found on her blog BGA Life and on Twitter at @cynisright.