Thread by @richardsved

Hi I'm Nikki, and I'm a massive loser"
I'm here at #PizzaForLosers a new event hosted by @CharityNikki sharing and learning from our charity sector failures. Also here for the pizza, of course.
(Thread)

"We are conditioned to talk about our success by social media and on the make believe world of our CVs. We don't talk about our gaps in employment, our failures or our mental health. It's not healthy."

First up at #PizzaForLosers is @henryrowling of @weareflyingcars.

"Failure will help you realise what path to go on."

You need time and space and permission from the top to fail and budget.

You need resilience, persistence, courage to vulnerable, and curiosity to innovate.

@henryrowling #PizzaForLosers

Learning about courage and vulnerability from the founder of @Airbnb ...

One potential investor just got up and left mid meeting.

"No one wants to be the first person to try something like this..."

@henryrowling
#PizzaForLosers

"I like to call myself the queen of failure. I was almost a pop star once. Failure happens to all of us. It happens to good people. You may be on cloud nine right now but it will happen to you."
@alexisstrum is next up at #PizzaForLosers

"I did then try and become a spy. That's a true fact. But I can't tell you about it. But it's literally true.

... I realised I could connect to people by writing about my failure.

Flip your story. Own your failures."

@alexisstrum is a brilliant speaker at #PizzaForLosers

"We're not losers. We're pre-successful. Be the cockroach. Keep trying. Keep persevering."

Hilarious and inspiring @alexisstrum
#PizzaForLosers

"I'd got used to uncertainty. I didn't have the answers but I was learning the questions to ask..."

"Then I was signed off after burnout. I always thought 'you shouldn't need to ask for help.'"

I was so scared of failing I didn't look after myself.

@Skipinder #PizzaForLosers

"It's ok to have feelings. You can't hide this stuff.

Sometimes it's ok to say no.

It's ok to say 'this role isn't right for me.' It might be a dream on paper but not IRL.

Find out who your inner critic is. Mine is pretty loud and a bit of a cow."
@Skipinder #PizzaForLosers

"I haven't talked for as long as i was meant to but i didn't want to pad out my own mental health issues. Come chat to me afterwards if you want to. I'll be the one at the back having a gin.'

Absolutely loved @Skipinder's honest and moving presentation at #PizzaForLosers

"My achievements weren't a reflection of what I could do. They were a reflection of my parents. I became expert at quitting and not taking risks.

Avoiding failure keeps you stuck where you are."

@shonali_r at #PizzaForLosers

"It isn't about me."
Failure mainly hurts because we make it personal.
@shonali_r at #PizzaForLosers

Next up at #PizzaForLosers is @andykingraising on three times he's failed... but "I'm still here!"

Lesson 1: learn how to back up the statistics you quote. What are the follow up questions you could be asked and how would you answer them? What are the stories you can tell? What examples of impact in practice can you give?

@andykingraising #PizzaForLosers

Lesson 2: get people's names right! It's the word people most like to hear. Don't muck up mailmerge!

@andykingraising #PizzaForLosers

Lesson 3:

Think more clearly about your long term goal. If your goal is always just to survive, then you need something to strive for once you've helped them to survive, or the cycle will repeat. You might need to take more risk.

@andykingraising #PizzaForLosers

This is so important. It all starts with "why?".

@andykingraising #PizzaForLosers

"The first thing I did was Google what a Trustee was. They all seemed to be middle aged, white and male. We put the whole project on ice. We didn't know anyone like that."

Next up: tech consultant and trustee Daniyal @frkgillz talking about setting up a charity.

#PizzaForLosers

"I thought like I'd failed when we took the decision to ice it. One thing that I learned four years later is that you don't have to go full steam ahead. I've now become that trustee I was looking for back then."

@frkgillz #PizzaForLosers

Love this.
"He once wrote an organisational strategy that was one word long. That word was "Merge". Introducing the next speaker: @WayneTheMurray #PizzaForLosers

"I failed because I didn't give the channel the respect it deserved. I sacked the agency. I thought I was the audience. I ignored what had gone on before. I was destructive in a vacuum. There was little empathy... time to pick up the pieces."
@WayneTheMurray #PizzaForLosers

"How did I do that?
Rehired agency I fired!
Vision, strategy, teamwork: it's true that culture eats strategy for breakfast
Test, Learn, Scale: takes time

That cockup defined me. It gave me a strategic framework. Disruption is necessary but be bold & not stupid.
@WayneTheMurray

I'm going to talk about times when my strengths really haven't helped me."

Finally @KateCollinsUK who I've long admired. Very excited to hear her in real life.

#PizzaForLosers

So true.
@KateCollinsUK #PizzaForLosers

"There were two jobs I should not have got. I resigned swiftly with nothing to go to.

I thought "I can do that. I'll be fine." I was naive. Arrogant. I needed to be needed and I was unaware of that."

What are your drivers? What are your strengths costing you?"

#PizzaForLosers

"Recruitment goes both ways."
@KateCollinsUK #PizzaForLosers