I met Manny Hernandez, Founder and President of Diabetes Hands Foundation, on Twitter. He started to follow me on Twitter and when I took a look at his profile, I realized he'd be a perfect fit for this column. From the personal challenge of being diagnosed with diabetes, Manny has grown his foundation and the two social networks (tudiabetes.com in English and estudiabetes.com in Spanish) to help people who are also grappling with this disease. Like so many successful social entrepreneurs, Manny took his skills of web product management, on-line community building, and writing, and combined them with his personal passions to find a cure for diabetes and to help people living with the disease manage their lives.
I was honored to get to interview Manny about Diabetes Hands Foundation, his personal connection to diabetes, and his leap of faith into entrepreneurship.
Christa: You have a collection of companies, organizations, and published materials that you work on. How did you get started as a writer and social entrepreneurship?
Manny: My background as a writer goes back to when I was a kid... That sounds a bit presumptuous, perhaps...
I used to "publish" a newspaper in our home, which my parents gladly bought from me (I only did single editions). My love for writing continued to grow during my college years. I joined my university's newspaper back in Venezuela (where I am originally from) and eventually became the editor of the Opinion section. When I came to the US for grad school, the Internet was "coming out of the oven" (so to speak): it was 1994 and I fell in love with it. The web bug bit me then and I started to create and maintain web sites which I also loved populating with content.
In 2000 I started writing reviews in Amazon.com, where I eventually became a Top 100 reviewer. Though I don't review as many items as I used to, I still write about the books I read and a few music albums I really enjoy (or dislike).
In 2002, shortly after I became diagnosed with diabetes, I started blogging at askmanny.com. I wrote about daily happenings, music, books, current events and just about anything [including diabetes]. I kept blogging all these years, always with an eye on new media trends. When MySpace came about and Facebook entered the landscape a bit later I found the social media space fascinating: over time I tried a large number of social networks and ended up "settling" in a few. Besides the social networks we run, nowadays I spend most of my "social media time" on Twitter (@askmanny), Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Discovering social media and being diagnosed with diabetes were two big influences in the decision to start our two social networks for people touched by diabetes back in 2007. The other drivers were reading the book The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman and being a part of a local club of insulin pump users (insulin pumps help automate most of the insulin delivery process for people with diabetes that use insulin as part of their treatment). Friedman's book made me think about the potential for taking social networking as a platform and applying it to a higher purpose, something beyond simply socializing. Being a part of the insulin pumpers club made me realize the importance of connecting with other people with diabetes, as a way to learn and share experiences and not feel alone. All those things together resulted in the start of my research at the end of 2006 for the best option to run a social network focused on diabetes.
In March 2007, I landed on Ning, a platform that lets you create your own social network and created TuDiabetes.com within minutes. In spite of the name ("tu" means "you" or "your" in Spanish), TuDiabetes.com is actually an English social network for people touched by diabetes. Later that same year, I started EsTuDiabetes.com in Spanish. With my wife's help and the support of a few volunteers (many of whom have continued to be there) I ran the two sites as a side project, with the goal of connecting people touched by diabetes and in early 2008 we formed the Diabetes Hands Foundation, a California nonprofit, to house both networks along with a number of projects we'd developed to help raise diabetes awareness.
My most recent experience with writing was the publication of my book Ning For Dummies in April 2009. It was an incredible (though exhausting) experience that I look forward to publishing again in the future... not too soon, though!
Christa: Could you talk about your decision to be not only an entrepreneur, but a social entrepreneur?
Manny: I was an entrepreneur (on the side) for several years. Between 2004 and 2008 I had my own consulting firm with my wife, while I worked full time. Naturally, it was a "safe" endeavor, since it wasn't something I was doing full time, but it was something that gave me the freedom to pursue projects and ideas that were beyond the scope of my day-to-day work. It also helped me break outside the egg shell that you live in when you work for a company, sheltered from certain kinds of interactions and not necessarily forced to make decisions that are more common when you are an entrepreneur. Pricing a product or service, for example. That would be where the entrepreneurship seed got planted and started to grow in me.
Reading the Friedman book in 2006 was a very important influence in terms of seeking to go beyond my immediate surroundings, beyond benefiting our household alone and seeking to make an impact in the lives of others. For the past two years, I've gotten my hands on every book, publication, and blog I could find about applying social media to the greater good. I've learned a lot from the nonprofit social media community as well as from a number of other social entrepreneurs who are doing incredible things, going out of their way to help others. Joe Solomon, Peter Deitz and Christine Egger (from Social Actions) and folks like Tori Tuncan (from Lend4Health) and Nina Rosete (from Dare to Dream Fund) are great people doing inspiring work in social media.
Christa: Some of your work focuses on servicing and writing for Spanish speakers. Do you think the Spanish-speaking market is one that needs more attention from entrepreneurs?
Manny: Yes. A recent video I saw with Seth Godin comes to mind. He spoke at a recent TED event about the concept of tribes. The "Spanish-speaking tribe" (of which I am a part of, as a native Spanish speaker) needs more leaders, more people who will take the baton and find creative ways to solve the problems and flip the dilemmas we are facing: in the US, for example, we face a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes among Latinos compared to the total incidence. This may very well be a dilemma (a problem that cannot be solved) but one that is waiting for creative entrepreneurial minds that won't take no for an answer.
There are many unique cultural elements to the global Latino community that can play in our favor or against us, depending on the situation. Acknowledging our unique culture is the key to finding solutions to serve the needs of Spanish speakers in a way that simply translating a working solution won't.
Christa: Could you share your personal experience with diabetes?
Manny: I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2002. In early 2003, it was clear that the treatment I was undergoing was not working, so I was referred to an endocrinologist who found that I actually have type 1 diabetes (which meant my pancreas was no longer producing insulin, a hormone that is required for the body to be able to absorb the energy stored in foods). So I was put on an insulin treatment from that point on.
For a few years, I donated to charitable organizations searching for a cure to diabetes. (There is currently no cure for it.) [In 2006, I decided that I needed to do more.] Today, TuDiabetes.com has almost 10,000 members and EsTuDiabetes.com has over 4,000 members. Both are growing at a rate of nearly 10% every month which [is] cause for celebration. But when you realize how many people with diabetes are out there (250 million worldwide and more than 24 million in the US alone) and when you see as we have seen that people with diabetes tend to keep their condition to themselves, which leads them to feel very lonely, you realize that there's much more to be done.
Christa: Did you feel any fear when starting your own organization and publishing your writing? If so, how did you overcome your fear?
Manny: I am not sure if I would call it fear but rather a sense of "when will this be ready for others to see it?" As someone with a background in web product management and online communities, I spent a few months thinking through what I wanted the experience to be like for others, how I wanted it to look and then working in the direction of that initial vision. Many weeks passed before I felt comfortable enough to invite people (friends and family first) to join and give me their feedback. Eventually, I felt I could reach out to others in the online diabetes community so that they could join [my network] and help me spread the word about it. They were very supportive of the work we were doing and seeing people join and describe how the community made them feel "no longer alone" was very reassuring. We saw testimonials like this over and over again, and to this day we continue to see them. That makes it all worth it!
The concerns that cross my mind these days are of a different kind:
* How do we maintain the member experience, in spite of the larger size of the community?
* How do we extend the reach of the network, to tackle other problems and dilemmas in the "diabetes tribe" that need our attention?
* How do we sustain our work over time, in spite of the bumps of the economy?
Christa: What advice would you give to people interested in starting their own businesses, particularly in the current economy?
Manny: [Very recently] I was driving and saw a billboard that said something along the lines of "Remember that Bill Gates started Microsoft during a recession..." There is something to be said about the determination required to start a new venture of any kind in tough times. Even when things improve with our economy there will challenges of some kind and leaders need to be ready to face these challenges head on.
There is a book I am reading now that I highly recommend to anyone thinking of launching a new project in the coming years. It's called Leaders Make the Future by Bob Johansen. He is a Distinguished Fellow with the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto. In the book he presents ten new leadership skills (dilemma flipping being one of them) he considers critical in a world that is certain to be characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. A phrase from the introduction stuck with me: "One of my jobs as a forecaster is to help people learn how to be comfortable being uncomfortable - but certainly not passively comfortable." That kind of balance will be critical for anyone wanting to launch into a new endeavor in the years ahead.
For more info: Diabetes Hands Foundation; In response to some of the comments to this piece, the Board of Directors has made the following statement: http://tudiabetes.com/
Comments
Thrilled to see Manny receiving well-deserved attention for all he's doing, and honored to be mentioned as a source of inspiration. Easy to understand how we're all inspired by Manny, too!! :)
You might be interested in a new social entrepreneur resource that Social Actions is involved with: "The Skoll Foundation, PopTech, ideablob, and Civic Ventures (sponsor of The Purpose Prize) [and the Draper Richards Foundation now, too!] are pooling their data to create an open database of social entrepreneurs scheduled to launch in late July 2009.... Will be the first open database of information about social entrepreneurs who have won fellowships and awards from social enterprise funders. The tool will allow philanthropists, investors, press, and fellow entrepreneurs to find social entrepreneurs based on keyword, location, cause area, population served, and a variety of other factors."
More info at socialentrepreneurapi dot org!
Christine Egger
christine@socialactions.com
Hi Christine! Thrilled to hear about the new social entrepreneurship database. I'd love to so a story on it for the launch!
I agree that Manny's story is so inspirational. I'm honored to feature him in my column.
All best,
Christa
I am curious how Mr. Hernandez earns a paycheck. With the many social networks that he has, that I have seen, all ask for donations. What percentage of donated money goes into his own pocket when people donate?
Interesting point:
( put the www in front of it) diabeteshandsfoundation.org/Diabetes_Hands_Foundation/Diabetes_Hands_Foundation.html
If you go to the site and any site of Manny's he is asking for donations. If you do not see where then check for the Mastercard/Visa Logo.
We all have the right to earn a living but not off the people who think that they are donating for a cure.
His organizations are FOR PROFIT with non profit only pending (this may take years). In the mean time he is making a pretty good 'for profit'.
Diabetes Hands Foundation is in the process of applying for an exemption from income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Please consult with your tax advisor on the deductibility of your donation.
(from his websites)
Because they are just applying for this status it could take years. So basically he is living well off of about 10 social networks that all ask for money donations. This causes GREAT concern to me. I for one would like to see financial disclosure.
Christine Egger and Manny Hernandez work together. Google their names together and get a good thousand hits that I got on google. Dig deeper and see that she is a groupie: (Quote)
Comment
Comment by Christine Egger on March 19, 2009 at 5:13pm I'm looking forward to moderating the Ning for Nonprofits call. Don't hesitate to post questions, feedback, or comments of any kind here prior to the event so we can be sure to cover all of the content YOU want to discuss!
I would like to see a NON BIAS review here and NOT someone who works with Ning with Manny so that when he makes a cash profit off of his "charities" that she is making her profit off of him. Thanks to the world wide web it takes only the apptitude of a 8 year old and 20 minutes to find out who is working with whom.
Once more why is it that EVERY ONE of Manny's dozen social action groups are asking for cash donations? Someone is making a sizable Paycheck off of people's donations to Diabetes. Financial Disclosure NOW!
I was reading this and noticed:
10,000 people have joined his site. My questions is that how many are active. In any online community one can join dozens of sites under dozens of names. I think that the numbers of active people are about 150 or so. But that is easy to check. Just putting my 2 cents in.
Also with no disrespect but an "Amazon reviewer? I am as well and so is my 16 year old". I just thought that would not be something that I would put on a resume much less a professional article.
I think that this is a fantastic article and am so happy that Manny advertised this on his site that we all read this.
Great outreach at Tudiabetes. The people make it a warm community. However I have one problem. As this is trying to become a non-profit organization how is it that they diabetic religious groups (go into the site) ex: Christian Diabetics that are based on religion or faith and are not spiritual only but promote religion.
This is illegal for any non profit organization and perhaps someone should be monitoring this. I wish Manny all the best there is but I think that he has too many social groups to handle and should really see what is going on in this. Best of luck!
The board of the Diabetes Hands Foundation has issued a statement addressing some of the issues brought up among the comments in response to this interview. It can be found in TuDiabetes.com, if you search for "Statement from the Board of the Diabetes Hands Foundation".
Here's a link to the statement from the board of Diabetes Hand Foundation: tudiabetes .com/profiles/blogs/statement-from-the-board-of. Manny is a great guy and his team is doing wonderful thing. It's a shame to read disparaging remarks from people who could easily have picked up the phone and called the organization for clarification.
Three points from a member of TuD--having joined at 900 members after being diagnosed and sent home with 1 pathetic little pamphlet. Tu D helped me go from a 6.5 A1c to my current 4.9--adding years to my life free of complications.
1. I have friends at TuD of all religious traditions, from Wicca to Islam to Christian. I am an atheist, hyper-sensitive to religious proselytizing. I haven't ever encountered it. References to one's spirituality are always tendered with kind and open hearts---hardly objectionable--or illegal.
2. Jill---how do you think writers learn their craft? They write anything that gives them experience---from reviews to essays to cereal box covers! Many a now historically-studied author wrote movie reviews, for instance. It can also help pay the bills.
3. Ms. Clarkson---You demonstrate a profound ignorance about how nonprofits operate. I realize we live in a time when ignorance is displayed with pride all over the internet, but I always hope for better.
Number ONE in Response to this FAKE Board of Directors which is Manny Hernandez because it is NOT a non profit organization and he is his own board of directors at his kitchen table:
1)It states that it is NOT non profit. Manny get your lies STRAIGHT. You write:
Diabetes Hands Foundation is in the process of applying for an exemption from income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Please consult with your tax advisor on the deductibility of your donation.
2) You wrote:
75% of the money is used to maintain our social networks ..."
All I can say is OH MY GOD you are pocketing 75% of the donations? SHAME ON YOU!
Judith no matter WHAT your beliefs if this WAS a non profit organization which it is clearly NOT yet, they could NOT promote religion. This is the LAW. Yet they are.
Only NON Profit organizations have Boards of Directors!
MANNY HERNANDEZ WHO ARE THESE BOARD OF DIRECTORS? YOUR ADMINS? YOUR WIFE? Please do NOT give your money to fill his pockets unless he tells the truth. This is NOT a non profit organization and the truth is since it is still private he can and does fill his 75% profit off of donations. But do not feel bad. He is doing it with other social networds too.
Manny Hernandez writes:
Last, the Diabetes Hands Foundation runs only two social networks: TuDiabetes.com and EsTuDiabetes.com
Truth? This is true. BUT Manny Hernandez has many MORE social networks other than Diabetes related that are all asking for donations! How many letters does S C A M have?
MANNY WRITES:
The salaries paid to the foundation’s full-time employees were approved by the compensation committee of our Board of Directors, in line with nonprofit salary surveys published for 2007 and 2008 for the San Francisco Bay area.
HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU PAYING YOURSELF AND WIFE? BECAUSE THOSE ARE YOUR ONLY FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.
So ironic that he is his own board of directors and has decided to pay himself and his wife from the pockets of diabetics who think that they are donating to awareness.
You are paying for his iphone and other gadgets that he flaunts on his page.
HOW MUCH MONEY DID YOU AND YOUR WIFE GROSS in 2008?
I think some serious points were brought up here. I think that we all need to take a step back and perhaps Mr. Hernandez could address them here.
I never really thought about it like that, however I do know that people do disclose finances. I would never do this for the public, but to make us all feel more comfortable before we donate, perhaps something as simple as know who makes up the board.
Also I did read what was said and went to the tudiabetes page and indeed there is a conflict. The Diabetes Hands Foundation does say that they are non profit but the greeting when you come in says that they have only applied for this status (I guess that makes them 'for profit'.
I am sure that the members are upset as I saw how the Diabetes Hands Foundation was inciting them, and understandably so, perhaps let us understand the structure of this organization so people will feel that they are donating for diabetes awareness and not into the pocket of their founder. Just my 'tu' cents :)
Everyone DOES have a right to earn money but not when donated money goes into the pockets of a person and his wife when people think they are giving it in hopes for a cure!
I have written to 20/20 and other investigative media. I think it's time that the DHF's 2 social networks and the other 6 that Manny runs is looked into and deeply investigated and brought before the people and aired. What Manny does not disclose there are many people who will fins out. It is now ONLY EASIER since he has done a Hallmark spot, so now we can find out how many networks he really has and how much he and his wife gross.
MANNY Discloser now! How many social networks have you found?
Folks we could have Jum and Tammy Baker incarnate here. Either way I now leave it to the media.
I wanted to know why there is such a push for the No Sugar Added Book and Calendar and art. No I am actually feeling nervous a bit.
Where ARE the profits for the book that is going to be published going? If this is the place to be honest then I would like to say that I feel in light of all this going on very uncomfortable that on the site all that Manny and his wife talk about is getting a book and calendar and merchandising this site.
Also Manny does show a lot of his new electronic gadgets on the site. Its like sticking it in our faces that during this economy we cannot afford all these things.
I may be just a bit uncomfortable over this but perhaps this might be the time to nix the book and calendar and put your best foot forward.Scary thought that if this is true and the merchandise takes off who is getting rich off of this. Just thoughts. I know people are saying that there are 9000 members but there are no more than 49 MAYBE active. Too much deceptive information here.
Wow! Somebody seriously has their nose out of joint for reasons that only they know. The vitriol towards a safe haven for diabetics is astonishing. Why the ill-will? It seems over the top and decidedly irrational. I truly don't get it.
I have been around 501C3s since I was 7 (I am 59 now), including founding and directing 2 of them with every single legality accounted for.
I don't get why one wants to go this direction with them. Perhaps you should arrange a conference call and clear the air! I know who the directors are. They really do exist. They must or the applications wouldn't go anywhere. And if they know the founders, well, just how do you think any brand new nonprofit gets started if not with competent people who have some knowledge of the folks whose dreams of a better world they must support and assist.
I do wish you well, though that thought seems difficult for you to grasp.....
Judith I expect nothing less from you than defending this. Manny did not change your A1c. You did! Protection of Manny goes with the marks of a cultlike behavior. You did it. Not Manny and not Tudiabetes. I am gravely concerned about mismanagement of money and let
20/20
Primetime
Nightline/This Week
World News With Charles Gibson
Good Morning America
take care of it. Dont you want to know that DHF is on the up and up? Then why worry?? Why?
Judith you ONLY know who the admins are as everyone else does. You also know that Manny and Andreina are the only 2 fulltime employees who are paying themselves salaries. You do not know something that everyone else does not know.
You have to thank yourself for good management. Give yourself the credit where it is deserved. I do not understand why you do not want Manny and the DHF to reveal the truth. What are you afraid of? He would not be the only person who people demand reveal money you accept in charity. Wouldnt you feel better? Protecting him is a very cultlike behavior.
Well I think that there is an easy fix. DHF can simply give us their tax ID number for a non profit organization. Simple. That would be the end of that..if they have one....and to make sure that it is run by legal residents of the United States of America as well. That was something no one thought of....
Just wondering...nowhere in this exchange was Manny's wife's name disclosed, yet Ms. Clarkson has knowledge that her name is Andreina.
Methinks I smell someone who knows more about the community than she is willing to admit, yet feels there are some sour grapes here?
Please - tell us about yourself, Ms. Clarkson.
Tu diabetes and es tu diabetes never had said that they were using the money for a cure, I think you are beyond ignorant if you consider that was even in the plate, they always said they were a comunity for awareness, wich means that they will try to HELP people to understand diabetes. I think people think that because they donate 5 bucks someone can just stop working and living a very expensive life.
Just to let you know if someone if working a full time job to keep 2 comunities for awareness working they have to make some money to live!
People don't eat air and Manny and Andreina work everyday (including weekends i imagine) to keep this comunity working.
Now i wonder if this people, Savannah or jill have a life and do something else than just trying to opick apart a comunity that is there to help.
Stop on hatting because the comunity helps people and if you don't like it just leave.
It helped me... and I bet you it has helped other people.
Go to the name "Savage" and you will see Adreina telling him that Tudiabetes is a non profit organization. Then go back to the front page of Tudiabetes and you will see that it states that it is NOT a non profit organization. I think that this is a case of the wife enchanted with the husband's status so much so that she is writing false information. This is fine however it does state that she is co-founder. If she has the status of co-founder I HUGHLY suggest that she represents Tudiabetes truthfully and not how she hopes it to be.
Ah Questioning.....er Manny's wife is CO-FOUNDER of tudiabetes. This means she is CO RESPONSIBLE if there is corruption and lies.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!