Pimp My Ride Vatican style, Sheryl Sandberg responds to critics (aka women), a cellphone that doesn’t kill people, breaking bread with brilliant people at SXSW, Ashoka’s Bill Drayton on charting your own path, Shaq on being a geek and tips for startups… This week’s notable news and tantalizing tidbits for young treps:
1. The new world Pope’s new ride: Catholics welcomed Pope Francis (former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio) as their spiritual leader this week. Though known as a simple man, the new pontiff can expect to ride around in a $500,000 souped-up Mercedes. Here’s a look at the popemobiles throughout the ages. (CNN)
2. Facebook’s Sandberg leans into criticism: Sheryl Sandberg defends her new book Lean In on 60 Minutes with Norah O’Donnell. Facing flak from critics and women alike this exec stands behind her book and her controversial comments about success. (CBS News)
3. An eco-cellphone? In an attempt to create the world’s first socially responsible, environmentally friendly consumer cellphone, FairPhone opens itself up to scrutiny and tinkering, which stands to potentially revolutionize the relationship of manufacturers, designers and consumers. (Fast Company)
4. Show you care, with criticism: Matt Galligan, co-founder of Circa, a mobile-news app, explains the importance of criticism and how taking it gracefully, is just as important as giving it. (Venture Beat)
5. Breaking bread at SXSW: At SXSW Interactive the brainstorm never stops, not even for brunch. Get an inside look at the Brilliant Brunch videos with Tumblr’s David Karp, MakerBot’s Bre Pettis, GE CMO Beth Comstock and a host of other tech and entrepreneurial luminaries. (Txchnologist)
6. Shaq’s insights on business and life: Former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal sat down with Wired magazine at SXSW to share some tips on owning your geekiness and starting up. (Entrepreneur)
7. Create your own path: Social entrepreneur and founder of Ashoka Bill Drayton talks about education and ditching the “static world” approach to learning. He also emphasizes ‘changemaking’ skills and finding your own path. (LinkedIn Today)
8. Finding freedom from fear: In this essay, former Google staffer, blogger and Bold Academy graduate Kristen McKee shares her journey from fear and panic attacks to falling back in love with life. (Revolution.is)
9. Is paid search worth it? Slate asks hard questions about paid search marketing — highlighting the enormous sums wasted on potentially unsubstantiated practices and begging the question, is paid search worth the price tag? (Slate)
10. The consequences of compromise: According to Eric V. Holtzclaw, founder and CEO of Laddering Works, compromise could be the most dangerous business mistake — or as he described it, a slippery slope that “grows like cancer” and could land your team in the dreaded doldrums of averageness. (Inc.)
