Unicorn

20.03.2017

According to Wikipedia, “the unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead.”

I encountered the unicorn during my childhood. I remember collecting stickers and swapping a number of small stickers with a friend for one colorful unicorn sticker. It was a rare find and its rarity, more than its colors, made me want it in my collection.

I encountered another unicorn a few years after. I remember reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and learning about the unicorn and the power of its blood. Seeing the book come to life and catching a glimpse of the unicorn that “was” (it was slain by Professor Quirrell), I understood that there was truly something special about the creature no matter which universe it was in.

And today, I encountered another unicorn – the modern-day startup company at over a billion dollars. I thought Andre made the term up (sorry, Andre), but the image of a unicorn still excited me at this age. I got excited because our work in Ignite Founders allows us to look for these unicorns and to help them “enchant” society with their meaningful ventures. Although I have no experience in managing a stable of modern unicorns, I readily agreed because caring for modern unicorns (or transcendent ventures in our Ignite Founders vocabulary) is a great opportunity to make an impact on society.

Actually, working with a founder is very much like encountering a unicorn. There is excitement and there is mystery. There is fear – in the uncharted lands of the founder’s mission – and there is hope – in the destination of the founder’s vision.

However, we hope that in Ignite Founders, these unicorns will not be as rare as the myths and the books make them out to be.

 

– Audrey B. Arayata

Audrey Arayata March 20, 2017