This 200 Buck "Club" or team evolved spontaneously at one of the "Tuesdays" session.
The following (small font) comment trail is the WIKI discussion that was generated after the session.
We have since revived the idea of this fund in a subsequent "Tuesdays" regarding Places by Design (4/27)... The thought is:
How could we raise awareness for the desire and creation of an "Entrepreneurs' Place"?
- What could we do with $220 to raise awareness?
- How could we turn the $220 into something more?
- What else should we consider?
Please feel free to add your thoughts and ideas ... Click "Edit" above and enter your comments in the window that will open ... then click "Save" to post your comments ...
'Add your thoughts here:'
How about having a "co-op cafe"? The word co-op has positive connotations. It suggests collaboration not exclusivity. Anyone could be a "member"; the only requirement would be of time or expertise or equipment or.... I know that in New York state any group that wants to officially use the term co-op has to incorporate. I'm not sure about Ohio's requirements, but there are always ways around such possible stumbling blocks. Until we have our own venue we could use existing spaces(coffee houses/pubs etc) in different cleveland neighborhoods to build critical mass...or is it necessary to stick to downtown so as to create relatively equidistant travel for potential participants? martha eakin
Previous Comment Trail
Comment from C. James:
On March 9th, spontaneously, a "$200 team" evolved.
The concept is that those who attended on March 9 committed $10 to $20 each to do "something" about helping create a risk-taking environment here in NE Ohio... no matter how small...
The "$200 team" may be talking with contacts of their own to help grow the $200 into something more than $200.
We aim to come up with ideas on what could be done with $200 to $1000... a gathering, an ad... who knows!
Please suggest ideas here... Thanks! Craig
Craig's On Fire. Let's taunt the funders to get radical ...let's leverage the $ a thousand times, put the "leverage factor" up for auction and invite the funders and all the local heavies to outbid themselves in a "high touch" auction. Let's get the newsmedia, radio and the TV to cover the auction.
We'll need to know what the second stage, i.e. the leveraged/expanded funds are going support.
Stick that idea in your pipe and FUND IT!
Jeff Buster
COMMENTS FROM ADELE DIMARCO KIOUS:
I like the idea of leveraging! Great thinking/doing combo Jeff!
And...CRAIG..thanks for "pushing" us to blogging via email.
I've heard that Chicago was mistakening named the WINDY CITY and that Cleveland actually has more wind!
Cleveland can be the WINDY GREEN CITY ON A BLUE LAKE!
I can't help but bring attention back to the fact that EVERY group had a theme of "space" as something that could foster an entrepreneurial environment. This theme continued in conversations that happened at Lopez Y Gonzales on Friday afternoon with Bill Sheele, Lisa Hong, Susan Orenga, Eby, Liz Sheele and myself. There is a desire to have a lounge/coffee bar/pub/art gallery/meeting room environment happen somewhere. It should have great atmosphere, excellent lighting, tables and sofas, good beer, excellent coffee, wireless internet service, rotating art from local artists, and white off boards. Maybe it could even have more advance telecom services. The DESIGN of the space is KEY! Sustainability would be integral: green building, renewable energy, local foods, waste to energy,
It seems to me that a place like this AT LEAST needs to exist in University Cirlce...if not also close to CSU as well. The Making Change team can't even find a decent place to hang out after Tuesday & Wednesday meetings! Maybe it could be a public/private venture with the following funding sources:
* our $200
* money from Case
* money from Peter Lewis
* money from the restaurant entrepreneur who will run it ( I have 1 in mind)
* money from TEAM NEO
* plants from Cleveland Botanical
* designs from CIA
* weekend performances from CIM
* etc, etc, etc
It could be called something like the "Integral Cafe" or the "Catalyst Cafe" since that would be the point of it all....to bring together great minds from a VARIETY of backgrouds to Catalyze new ideas!
Adele DiMarco? Kious
Adele, I'll show you my proposed real estate if you show me yours!
FIRED UP WINDY GREEN CITY ON A BLUE LAKE
Will David Beach buy this expanded slogan?
This site needs to be set up with threads like the message boards for the stocks on Yahoo Finance, go to this link for example (how come links aren't active in this blog?) http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mb?s=ESLR come on you software geeks, give it to us!
Jeff
If above link to thread example doesn't work try this more specific link
http://messages.yahoo.com/bbs?.mm=FN&action=m&board=
1601151189&tid=eslr&sid=1601151189&mid=3131&thr=3131&cur=3131
Jeff
Shasta Clark's farewell article (http://neohio.craintech.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?articleId=3634&a=a&bt=farewell) documents Cleveland's well known "self loathing attitude". I believe that changing our collective attitudes is a crucial first step to improving our region. If the typical person on the street doesn't believe, why would outsiders? And what better way to sway attitudes than through the media?
I propose that we start by leveraging the $200 into the maximum $ possible (matching funds... whatever). Then use those proceeds to offset incidental expenses in producing a weekly 1/2 hour TV program. The program will highlight the many positive aspects of living and working in our region, toot our own horn whenever possible, educate viewers with bragging rights trivia, and be decidedly positive in tone. A perfect ***positive*** antidote to the typical local news programs.
Can we produce a TV series for just $200, or $1000, or whatever??? I'm talking of an ongoing series; not just a one time 15 second spot. Yes, we can absolutely do it on this budget! Here's how: Every cable network is required to provide public access channels. In exchange for being awarded the monopoly for a particular area, they must provide:: airtime, equipment and basic training :: to community members who request it. There's probably some fine print and approval process, but with that kind of resource, some hard work and a bit of publicity... who knows!
Mark Maslar
Mark is right about local cable access TV. I've worked as a grip on the set of my local community cable channel when I was in Mass. This is a good way to leverage media exposure. We can find out which local channel can send a crew to the Tuesday meetings on a repeat basis. We can check with Cleveland, Cleveland Hs, Shaker Hs, etc. Some stations will lend the camera gear for outside the studio work. I live in Shaker and will contact Shaker's community cable studio next week to see what's going on...Who has a cable compatible video cam? Let's go get some footage! Next stop, prime time and sponsors!!!We can have Craig as the fluid tongued talking head.
If you heard Bill Scheele's Tuesdays at REI presentation a month or so ago regarding art, entrepreneurs, and community, you may be interested in Richard Florida's similar outlook at:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0205.florida.html
JeffBuster?@ClevelandOnFire?.com
I was so excited after the 3/9 meeting. My first thought was that $200 wasn'tenough money. Then I thought THINK POSITIVE! Make it exciting, make it fun.Use resources at hand. Think of ideas first, money will come later.
These are some ideas that I have that came from thoughts and observations.We should make INFOCARDS that have different information on them.For example one needs to made listing web sites that promote Cleveland and surrounding area.They need to reach audience. They need to be where people are. The Visitors bureau station at the airport is at the luggage check out terminal. It should be, but Cleveland NEEDS KIOSKS INSIDE the terminals where the people are.Literature and information needs to be accessable. Cleveland NEEDS KIOSKS in the Convention Center also.There was no literature there. No information.Anyone know anyone at the Visitors Bureau?There was a convention last week OHIO Promotional Advertising Association. I read about it after the fact. Did anyone go?The Convention Calendar that the Convention & Visitors Bureau lists does not give enough information. No Contact name or phone number for more information. No connecting web.
The City of Cleveland Convention Center Calendar is not up to date. Contact name and expanded information needed here also. Cleveland Convention Center needs to fix Public Address System. Was there Sunday, and could not hear any announcements.
We need to participate in the Parade the Circle event on June 12. There are other events that we can do projects.
I think the City of Cleveland had a workshop once for people in contact with the visitor industry. There should be one on how to promote the Cleveland area.
Karen K
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