Silicon Valley, here I come.

When this email hits your inbox I will be getting ready to network with some of San Francisco’s brainiest inventors and investors. I have been invited to take part in Google’s Cloud Next conference.

It’s exciting, and more than a little bit surreal. And it all started when I had a Eureka moment a few months ago.

I shared my bright idea with a friend who happens to be a strategist. He then talked to someone who knows the ins and outs of technology. Connections were activated, and all of a sudden we’re heading to California to meet some big names in the digital world.

Who knows – we could be sitting on the next Xero or Uber. Or perhaps nothing will come of it. But right now we have the opportunity to get Silicon Valley on board with our venture, and that’s exciting.

As well as being an incredible adventure, this episode has reminded me of the importance of acting on ideas.

How many time have you had an intriguing idea, and then the voice in your head pipes up and says, “Don’t be silly!” That’s one way to guarantee it will come to nothing.

Or perhaps you’ve hugged your ideas to yourself, afraid to share them with others? That can be a big mistake. As someone once told me, it’s better to have 50% of something than 100% of nothing.

Interestingly enough, I find young people understand this. They think in terms of collaboration and start-ups. They’re energised by the possibility of changing the world, and they embrace its possibilities with an open mind and open heart.

I hope you feel inspired to act on your own ideas and share them with the talented people around you. Who knows what great things you might achieve?