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Reflecting on Identity, Resources and Innovation with SINGA Factory Coach Dominik Scherrer
Cycle 3 of the SINGA Factory program has officially started. The SINGA Factory kick-off week took place at jenseits in Zurich 1st – 5th April 2019 and the full week of workshops was led by the SINGA Factory coach and founder of ecloo, Dominik Scherrer.
In an interview with Rossana A. Ammann, Dominik talks about his why as an entrepreneur and explains the importance of the Golden Circle and Effectuation terminology. He believes in creating small impact in small places, and he thinks that the potential of newly arrived immigrants or refugees must be leveraged in Switzerland. He is passionate about diversity, and connecting people to work better – together.
Rossana: Tell us about your work at ecloo.
Dominik: The name ecloo comes from the French word éclosion, which means opening up. It’s the basis for what I think is a condition to truly collaborate and work together. It is about people being willing to open up to others and being vulnerable at the same time. I work in different partnerships, mostly doing consulting, training and coaching for different organizations, for example, for NGOs like WWF, or for large companies like ABB, Allianz, Novartis etc.
What motivated you to get involved as a coach in the SINGA Factory?
Dominik: I am interested in diversity and how you make it work in different places to create positive impact. I am particularly interested in SINGA and the kinds of professional backgrounds people have. We are not leveraging enough the potential of people who come to Switzerland with different migration backgrounds. We are seeing it too much as a burden to society rather than as an opportunity and I believe that the participants of the SINGA Factory program already have a lot of experience that can equip them to become entrepreneurs.
What do the SINGApreneurs have in common with other clients you coach?
Dominik: They have a lot in common. One thing is maybe the struggle and inspiration they sometimes have to search for something meaningful. Their vision and mission. I notice that – not only in the non-profit sector, but also in the corporate or government world – people struggle with that desire. Nowadays, companies look for “entrepreneurs”: people with this kind of drive and spirit of creating.
Immigrants are taking risks leaving a world that is known to them and coming to a new one where they have to start everything from scratch.
What is your why? What do you want to do with your project? What is the impact you want to have? These are some of the questions the SINGApreneurs face at the beginning of the program, and coach Dominik Scherrer agrees that, regardless of the sector or project where people are working, everybody is searching for their why.
Dominik supports the SINGApreneurs in aligning their personal brand with everything they say and do. He compliments people who take risks, who really work towards their dreams and aren’t afraid about not fitting into a system. He refers to people who have an inner passion and inspiration.
How would you describe the SINGA Factory kick-off week in 3 words.
Dominik: Identity, in the sense of getting to know who you are. Resources, as using them to create something new and reflecting on those. And innovation.
In your opinion, why do people need to get familiar with (the words): Effectuation and Golden Circle?
Dominik: It’s linked to the three words I said before.
Effectuation is a way of creating and becoming creative by trusting your own resources. It’s like cooking – when you open the fridge, see what’s inside and ask yourself: What can I do with that? It encourages people to dream with what they have, rather than with what they don’t. In the SINGA Factory, it is done in terms of competencies, skills, experiences, networks, passions… but also money. Of course, the SINGA Factory is also a place where the participants can create a community.
The Golden Circle is linked to purpose. People who have a purpose are more successful because they are more inspired. It answers three basic questions: why you do what you do, how you do it, and what you do. It’s tough. It is not about making money or having a salary – which is also important – but about their inner motivation. What is behind their idea? What is their passion? The Golden Circle is there to make sense of the business idea not only in terms of becoming rich, but in terms of the impact you want to have with it. Businesses and social projects should both have a positive impact on people.
Successful entrepreneurs are often people who know what they have and who are able to translate and transform it into something meaningful.
What is your why?
Dominik: I want to have a small impact in small places – wherever I am. I want to help people connect and work with me to have a small impact and I think I want to innovate my life to stay at that small level. I believe that by making small changes and creating small impact, something bigger can be created. Make changes wherever you are: use the opportunities you have, in conversations, in a small workshop, in a coaching session. Plant your seed.
What is your daily mantra?
Dominik: I think it changes on a daily basis (laughs), but at the end of the day it does stay true to the heart of ecloo. I like the African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” It’s nicer and more joyful if we do it together.
Good to know:
To get in touch with Dominik Scherrer and to know more about his consulting, training and coaching services for different organizations, visit his webpage ecloo or email him at dominik.scherrer@ecloo.ch
This interview was held in English by Venezuelan journalist, storyteller and volunteer Rossana A. Ammann, who is passionate about multiculturalism, people’s stories and organizational talent development. You can find her work and more about her via LinkedIn
