Subject: Startup Grind Lost an Icon in Somalia
From: "Derek Andersen" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2018 13:50:33 +0000
List-Id: 946fd51cebcdd26a2b32a7af5mc list <946fd51cebcdd26a2b32a7af5.77049.list-id.mcsv.net>

Startup Grind - Global Family

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** SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

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** Our Friend
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Friends across the world,

It is with great sadness that I share the passing of Mohamed Sheikh Ali, our beloved Chapter Director in Mogadishu Somalia (https://startupgrind.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=946fd51cebcdd26a2b32a7af5&id=511b82bf13&e=f9f5555a44) . Mohamed joined Startup Grind in September 2015 and was not only a great entrepreneur himself, but founded of the most diverse and beautiful Chapters we have ever seen in the 7,000 events we have hosted. He was gunned down and murdered on August 2 in Mogadishu.

Quartz shared a beautiful tribute (https://startupgrind.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=946fd51cebcdd26a2b32a7af5&id=06e03d3d5b&e=f9f5555a44) of him rightly saying, “Mogadishu has been deprived of one of its best advocates, one who knew that it was more than the sum of its occupants, businesses, and new structures. Mogadishu has lost an icon.”

Many (https://startupgrind.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=946fd51cebcdd26a2b32a7af5&id=38dfcb3d0f&e=f9f5555a44) , many (https://startupgrind.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=946fd51cebcdd26a2b32a7af5&id=98d0f721b4&e=f9f5555a44) , many (https://startupgrind.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=946fd51cebcdd26a2b32a7af5&id=6df35802c9&e=f9f5555a44) times he personally inspired me to be a better person and reach higher. At our global conference in February he joined us in Silicon Valley. I remember well the moment I met him with his big smile that radiated all the potential of young Africans in one tall beautiful personality. He invited me to Africa to experience the change that was happening.

He embodied our values as well as anyone I have ever seen. He gave first bringing entrepreneurs and hundreds of people together in Somalia. He helped others by founding a dry cleaning and flower shop business in Mogadishu – one of the first in decades – at great risk to himself. He made friends across the world and now it is his life that will inspire us to continue helping fellow entrepreneurs everywhere.
May 2018 event in Mogadishu Somalia in support of “Female Leaders Month”
Though his tragic death prevents us from continuing life together, we will not forget him. We will not forget his smile. We will not forget his courage to stand for others and try to make a difference in the face of danger and terror. What humility I feel that Startup Grind was a small part of Mohamed’s impactful life. Last month Startup Grind lost an icon.

Till we meet again – keep grinding.

Derek

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Our Values
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We believe in
making friends, not contacts. We believe in giving, not taking. We believe in helping others before helping yourself

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