Can you remember a time when you witnessed the birth of an idea? Or a time when you created the environment that allowed for really good brainstorming? Moments like this are powerful and are often the beginnings of “good trouble.”

Over the last week, I experienced this in real time…twice. First during our Fall Reset Workshop  and then again five days later at the Black Founders Exchange Kickback hosted by Google for Startups and the American Underground. In each instance, questions, doubts and curiosities hung in the air. But rather quickly, walls were broken down, genuine connections were made and ideas flowed. 

It was cool to have a front row seat to this magic. It was like watching fireworks appear out of nowhere – and the formula was simple:

• First, to create the magic at all, someone has to take the initiative. If you want to be a part of something special, you might need to be the catalyst. In my case, I set up...