Medellin; A community of resilience

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Medellin, Columbia with several Entrepreneurs and Business Owners from Austin.?While we were there, we got to meet with technology companies and other local business owners who are playing a vital role in the emergence of the business and technology community.?We visited co-working spaces that the Columbian government had funded to promote the entrepreneurial spirit.?We saw the colleges that have emerged for continuing education.?We met with software development business owners who grew up in a drug-war torn community, and who are now?teaching the next generation how to earn a living in tech and business.?I found myself moved to see the resilience of the people, and the genuine interest they had to learn and grow.

A short 20 years ago, Medellin was in the midst of a violent drug war between rival Cartels.?Men, Women, and innocent children were being gunned down in the streets and bodies were left piled up on a nearby mountainside.?We visited that part of Medellin called Comuna 13 and heard all the stories.?Today, it is a community thriving on art, music, and technology.?We met some of the most vibrant, friendliest people who were more than happy to share their story.?All I did was listen and learn; I learned that’s it’s possible to completely change a culture when everyone commits to it.?I learned how we can rally behind a vision, and how important it is in life to lift each other up and not work to bring each other down.?I learned that life truly is what we make of it.?It’s amazing that some of the best lessons in life and business came from a group of people that were just happy to be alive.

We all have challenges in our businesses and lives, and these times are trying for many of us.?Companies are having to downsize, and I see how it takes a toll on people and cultures.?But if you find yourself feeling down or part of a culture that might not feel like what it used to be, just remember the people of Medellin that changed the entire direction of their city through purposeful commitment.

Today, Medellin sits at 3 Million people and is one of the fastest growing tech communities in the world.?What a change in 20 years!

You can find a life lesson in just about any situation, but this one will stay with me for a long time.?One of the greatest examples of resilience I’ve ever seen.?Well done, Medellin!?