The Genesis

November 22, 2019

Isabel Treidl

CEO - Founder 0f Ideas Dispenser

This is the Genesis of something I started creating a few years ago. One day I was at the cafeteria of my alma mater, EAFIT University, a prestigious private university in Colombia where I studied and later taught classes. I remember students and professors kept approaching me, asking for ideas. In that moment I felt I gave a lot of ideas to many staff and students and I realized I was an idea dispenser. That was the origin of my book. I started writing the book using the experience I gained from my students and clients in the private sector while working as a consultant in Colombia. At that moment I was involved with many different fields, including working with engineers, lawyers and musicians in a class that wanted to promote the entrepreneurship spirit. We wanted our alumni to create jobs, not just to graduate and find one. We wanted them to be the source of our economy.

Nowadays, EAFIT is a great pioneer of creativity and innovation, not just in Medellin but also in Colombia. The city’s reputation was built on the cartel and drug dealers. I grew up during Pablo Escobar's time. And yes, I experienced the horror and injustice during that time. When I came to the U.S. every time I mentioned Colombia, people starred at me implying oh, yeah, I know Colombia, Colombian drugs… Medellin, right? After dealing with this stereotype for years, finally the city is reviving and rebuilding the image of a new and reinvented city that has a lot to offer. We, survivors of critical times, use our creativity and ingenuity to become one of the most innovative cities in Colombia.

Today I think of my school, my campus, and city. The city that shaped my resilience and built a passionate spirit. Thanks to my past, I am what I am today. I found purpose and I decided I want to bring more ideas to life and share with others a creative, better way to live.