Get Inspired with Startup Weekend Perth's Team Gainspiration

 How do you get inspired?

 Is inspiration random and accidental? I don't think that it is. I think that if you can create a structure, or a source, for finding inspiration, you can then expose yourself to a potential inspiration, or inspirations, every day. 

 At its heart, an inspiration comes from matching a historical occurrence with someone experiencing a moment in the present, especially if during that moment the individual is struggling to complete an action, or find enough energy to carry him or her over the hump to success. 

 You are an entrepreneur looking for an idea. You are a business owner driving for greater sales. You are a mother raising a family while holding down an executive position at a law firm. But finding yourself pinned between the odds you are set 

 against and the goals you want to achieve, there is little room there for variance and for straying off the committed path. It would be great if there was a way to mainline inspiration. But how can you do that without really artificial means?

 It turns out, that what you need is exposure to another person's story. If you were able to find someone else who has also suffered, achieved, set out against great expectations or difficult circumstances, would you reach out to that person? 

 Would you readily consume that story? A Startup Weekend team out of Perth seems to be grappling with this idea, and they are building something very interesting that you might find valuable, especially if you are also a startup looking for inspiration. Aren't we all?

 This blog post was written by Douglas Crets, Community Manager, Microsoft BizSpark.   Microsoft BizSpark is a global program offering free software, massive support and high visibility to startups at early stages of growth. 

 The secret ingredient that drives inspiration is its human element. It's a person's story. it's not really about the goal. The goal is a figment. It's an abstract notion that you create out of the expectation of completion of that goal. But the truth is, the human animal doesn't really know 

 until it has something tangible to know. 

 If you thought of people in a purely mechanical way, you might think this is true. People's stories are actually entry points into knowing someone deeply, and knowing yourself in a way that you can't imagine on you rown. 

 We're really excited about Team Gainspiration, led by James Mitchell.  James and his team Gainspiration were at the Startup Weekend in Perth in September of this year. We caught up with them to ask them a few questions about how they wish to interact with other entrepreneurs out there, and to find out what is the driving force behind their app.

 You can follow Gainspiration on Twitter. This very brief interview with James is a way of introducing the team to you, and to exposing you to what they are working on, in the hopes that you can help them, connect with them, and encourage them. 

 
BizSpark: What kinds of people would you like to meet in the network?  

 I would love to meet influential people who truly believe in the concept enough to share there experiences that made them who they are today and become evangelists to help the mainstream user see the value in a service like this

 
BizSpark: Who inspired you the most this week, and why?  

 While we were conducting market validation of our concept on the street i decided to speak to an older gentleman who's name was Keith. He was in his 70's and when I told him what the team and I were building. His eyes started to well up as he said "Thankyou" and "You need to do this as
I don't want my story to die with me" He continues on to tell me about his life. I left completely awestruck and totally inspired by what I had just heard and was now more motivated then ever to make sure that people like Keith have a place to be able to share there story and inspire others. 

 BizSpark: Who would you like to be your mentor, and what would you ask him or her?  

 I would have to say James Sinegal, The former president and co-founder Costco. His get the job done mentality, morals and the way he treats other people really sit well with me and if i could emulate anyone it would be James. As for questions i wouldn't know where to start, but i would certainly ask if he thought
when he was packing at fedmart, that he would be the cofounder of one of the largest retail chain in the world. I would also ask what were the defining points in his life that help him get to where he is today