What is America’s singular superpower? The one value that, if taken away, renders the country indistinguishable from her other developed nation peers.
I have recently been asking this question of Americans, both to hear their perspective and to confirm my own. It has proven to be fertile ground for meaningful reflection and engaging conversation.
A can-do spirit is optimism in action—a departure point from the status quo. Without it, nothing new or risky may be broached, and the familiar stands tall, holding court while the horizon remains unexplored.
It is often easier to see things more clearly from an outside-in perspective, and as such, every immigrant can attest to the fact that like no other place on the planet, America is suffused with that precious can-do spirit coursing through her veins.
While this is the traditional view among both her citizens and foreign observers, an unflattering competing narrative has recently taken centre stage—one that in truth is not representative of most Americans’ point of view. Over the past three decades, the country’s brand has suffered, becoming synonymous with neocon sabre-rattling, preachy neoliberalism, and failed regime change excursions. And yet, America’s greatest export has always been her ideals and her optimistic, problem-solving spirit.
As an immigrant, I possess an outside-in perspective, and it is obvious to me that for those willing to embrace America’s superpower—that indefatigable can-do spirit—the world is filled with opportunities to make a difference. Reclaiming and sharing this spirit is not only a way to transform lives but also an opportunity to rebrand America globally in a way that resonates with the hearts and minds of people worldwide.
Our world is in desperate need of leaders with courage, heart, and wisdom—leaders capable of stepping up and standing in the gap. And while currently, an inward-facing mood has captured the nation's attention, pulling back is not in America's nature.
The global stage is shifting. Our competitor-in-chief is making moves abroad, building roads and bridges in far-flung places, winning hearts and minds, rebranding their story and positioning themselves to lead the century. They are exporting their influence and values, while the world waits to see what America will bring.
The world beyond our borders is teeming with unbridled opportunity, yet what is often lacking is the precious can-do spirit that has made our country great. This spirit is a rare resource, and it is our patriotic duty to share it, not only to uplift communities but to reclaim and renew America’s image on the global stage. By rekindling that mother spirit at home along with her twin offspring; innovation and entrepreneurship, and sharing them in corners of the planet where they are sorely needed, we show the world the best of America—our good neighbourliness, our resilience, and our drive to apply pressure to the long arc of the moral universe so that it may bend towards justice.
To entrepreneurs and business leaders who have walked the path to success, this is a call to go out into the world and share your heart and wisdom. Spread that can-do spirit because greatness is defined by how many lives are better off because we live.
In my life, I have been fortunate to have spent nearly two decades ensconced in the engine room of America’s innovation economy, living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area between 2001-2018, a period that is arguably the most vibrant epoch for that ecosystem. I had a front-row seat to witness entrepreneurs changing the world, and drank deeply from the unique lessons of that unparalleled experience.
In 2018 I made the decision to pursue my purpose, moving back to the city of my birth, Nairobi, to immerse myself in the economic development challenge via the dissemination of that singular, inescapable element necessary for transformative change, a can-do spirit, which America and Silicon Valley had so indelibly planted in me.
I set up Impact Africa Network as a startup studio in Nairobi with a mission to ensure that young, talented Africans have a chance at participating in the digital transformation of Africa as creators and owners.
To do this we must shift the mindsets of the young people participating in our Fellowship programs and we do this by engaging successful entrepreneurs and global business leaders in highly impactful fireside chats designed to inspire and shift the mindsets.
For those ready for a more immersive, hands-on experience our ecosystem tours are a fantastic opportunity to combine impact and adventure in one life-changing experience on the frontlines of the development challenge.
The world desperately needs leaders who see legacy in terms of lives impacted and opportunities created. We invite you to join us and be part of this legacy, not only to shape the future but to reimagine the spirit of America abroad.
Mark Karake
Founder, Impact Africa Network
