Whilst at the YAMBUKA launch party, several months ago, I was approached by 2 gentlemen, both easily over six foot tall, sports jackets, jeans, jewelry & expensive looking 'gators'.

Shoulder tap, whisper...request for a quick meeting, I downed my cognac & put my game face on. Outside, in front of the Nomad Lounge in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, we bumped fists, exchanged pleasantaries and made quick, awkward introductions. "Wil & Dee" they said. Dee spoke eloquently and with purpose.

"We heard about your YAMBUKA initiative and felt it was imperative we meet."
I looked down to the business card Dee had handed me, intrigued by this normal sized business card with just the simple name Dee & a local phone number in bold black lettering on a glossy white card.

Nervously i asked, "..what do you do ?"

With a right tilt to the head and an overly serious look, Dee responded, " Everything, I do everything... I am an entrepreneur!"

The ten seconds of silence that followed seemed to last a full minute. I nodded slowly in understanding, they stared purposefully. Wil finally spoke and said , "..there is nothing we dont do, we are businessmen."

I fiddled with my thumb ring for a few more moments but no other elaboration was offered. Not a smile, not a grin, not a shift. I was hesitant to meet the two brothers for lunch when they called me the following day, but punctually made it to the rib BBQ shack in an interesting part of the low income neighbourhood where, curiously,they seemed very familiar with. The meal was hearty. Their proposition was simple.

I will not presume to judge my brethren, nor express an overdeveloped or undeserved sense of entitlement. I politley declined their investment offer and explained why I would not be seeking business partners in management areas they were eager to control.

The lesson I learnt from this interaction (and from various versions of the same, from a diverse group of people, from all walks of life) was PRICELESS. Impactful. If I was overly dramatic, I'd call it life changing. Although we differed on moral, ethical and legal perceptions and interpretations, I understood.... choice. Entrepreneurship (and the dire need for it) is choice. Now, whether its the life they chose, or if its the life that chose them, I say.... to each their own, and thats for them to live.

It is imperative to take value away from each interaction: their attitude towards their success was undeniable. The silence, audible between the prolonged pauses, their sales pitch was cryptic but effective, they knew their financial goals and they had already made life choices that would always ensure spinners on their Escalade. They were decorated soldiers, in the war for wealth, fighting for entrepreneurship, ownership, equity. Wil & Dee communicated to me, within minutes, the need to take on a life or death attitude/approach towards entrepreneurship. Not the disingenuous modern capitalistic entrepreneur with frat boy lingo pseudo business skills, a quasi life understanding or the ego driven, celebrity seeking but overly mediocre wanna-be. The real entrepreneur.

REAL entrepreneurship: WEALTH- Dont talk the talk, walk the walk.

Through out my 8 years of higher learning, at no point had I appreciated fully, the full gravity of the need for us (as a generation) to succeed.

My intent , with this BLOG, is to share my expreinces, my lusty affair with entrepreneurship. Allow me to effectively communicate the elements of the YAMBUKA movement, the development of the YMBK BRAND and hence MY purpose.

MY BLOG will analyse, cover , highlight and discuss all relevant issues of launching an international t-shirt Brand, entrepreneurship:including financial motivations, geo-political challenges, socio-economic obsticles,cultural opportunities, by dissecting our growth as a generation, our infactuation with music, this neo-creative (or otherwise)fashion sense, our appreciation (or disregard) for value adding relationships, the role of sports (YAY South Africa 2010 world Cup) and entertainment on this optimistic ( or pesimistic depending on how many drinks you have had today) journey called life.

I will consistently post several interviews and facilitate numerous profiles of different entrepreneural efforts, musicians, poets, artist, professionals, radio & t.v personalities, social workers, DJ's, business men & women, from all continents, all races, ages, lifestyles and backgrounds.

The unifying theme will be to OVERCOME (YAMBUKA) challenges, highlighting our interviewee's personal triumphs. I will not only define the truisim of entrepreneurship but shout out the dire NEED (as a generation) for individual and communal wealth. The posts will discuss a wide range of topics including the transition from scientific knowledge to specific knowledge, pop-culture, current news, political sores, the friction between growth and obligations, hope and realisim.

Entrepreneurship:what role does RACE play, LOCATION, personal QUALITIES (which competencies and skills) and RELATIONSHIPS, play. I will consistently post pictures/photos, music and videos of relevent issues and hopefully fully maintain a value adding BLOG.

I am blessed with this opportunity to mash my imperial roots, murky incentitves, my impuned sense of self and my hope to build a community of geniuine soldiers ,driven (As my Man Bob Marley would say)"...to forward this generation triumphantly."

Onwards.Upwards. Always.

Farai