By Adam Denison
Stephen Covey is donating the loafers he wore while writing 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.' Dale Murphy, former major league baseball player, is donating his mountain biking shoes. David Copperfield, a world-famous magician, is donating his performing shoes. Even Stan Lee, creator of comic book heroes like Spiderman and the Incredible Hulk, is donating his walking shoes.
These men are just a few of the many celebrities and successful business people that are shedding their wingtips and tennis shoes and donating them to the International Mentoring Network Organization''s 'Get in Their Shoes' campaign. The celebrities donate their shoes and 30 minutes of interview time to be bid on in an online auction.
IMNO is a local non-profit foundation with the purpose of giving youth the chance to interview a successful individual in the field they are trying to pursue.
'The goal is to empower youth and aspiring leaders to be able to go out and interview individuals they emulate,' said Patrick Tedjamulia, co-founder and executive director of IMNO.
BYU alumni Tedjamulia and Chris Deavers and current BYU student Jetmir Hysi founded IMNO two years ago.
Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric Co., had long been one of Tedjamulia''s heroes. A few years ago Tedjamulia heard Welch was going to be speaking at the World Business Forum in Chicago.
'I used my personal savings and bought a $1,200 ticket to the conference and a $250 plane ticket,' he said.
Upon arriving at the forum, Tedjamulia was able to obtain a press pass and go backstage to interview his hero. Following the interview, Welch put his arm around Tedjamulia and told him he had a bright future ahead of him, Tedjamulia said.
'That really changed my life,' he said.
That experience, as well as serving as a missionary for the LDS Church in the South Africa Johannesburg mission, helped Tedjamulia decide he wanted offer people around the world the same chance to interview and receive mentorship from a successful individual they looked up to.
Deaver, who served in the Peru Trujillo mission, saw many of the international missionaries gaining invaluable skills and experiences, but not having an opportunity to use these skills upon returning to their native countries. Deaver discussed the issue with Tedjamulia while they were serving together in their ward''s elders quorum presidency.
Hysi, a native of Albania, was working as a teaching assistant for a class Tedjamulia was in at BYU when Tedjumalia approached Hysi with the mentoring idea.
Though the three have been able to get significant monetary and labor donations from various organizations such as Altrius and FranklinCovey, most of the financial support for the organization has come from the founders'' pockets.
'So far we''ve just bootstrapped the whole thing,' Deaver said.
The 'Get in Their Shoes' campaign is the organization''s first fundraiser. Interested individuals can log on to the Web site at www.getintheirshoes.org and use eBay''s online auction services to bid on the famous shoes and interview time. All the proceeds from the auctions go directly to support the foundation. Deaver said this fundraiser would further the efforts they have made so far.
The campaign was divided into two different areas: the auction and a contest. Those who wish to participate in the contest conduct as many interviews as they can and then post them on the Web site for others to view. The three contestant who interview the most people will win a PalmOne Treo PDA, a pair of Birkenstock shoes, a FranklinCovey Planner, a 7 Habits workshop and a personal image consultation.
IMNO has already had a number of success stories. Deaver recalled the experience of a man from Africa who wanted to become an information technology professional, but due to his financial and social status it seemed to be a nearly impossible goal. The man decided he would interview the top IT professional in Africa. After doing so he got many referrals and now is very successful and is able to support his family.
Ellis Mnyandu has not only benefited from the organization''s mentoring efforts, but has become a mentor himself. Mnyandu got the chance to interview Isaac Larian, the founder and CEO of MGA Entertainment, which produces a line called Bratz dolls. The interview, Mnyandu said, was a great experience for him because he was able to learn how Larian went from a humble background to his current position.
'I could relate to that story,' said Mnyandu, who himself comes from a small black township in Durban, South Africa.
One of the biggest successes in the campaign, however, has been the amount of confidence it has helped youth to build, Deaver said.
'The message that we are trying to send to young people out there ...is that you can do it,' Hysi said.
(For comments, e-mail Adam Denison at adamdenison@byu.net)