Morning Thoughts

Fundraising with Local Discount Cards

What we do at The Knechtel Group is invest in young startups with great ideas. We think our first great idea is Local Discount Cards. LDC provides fundraising opportunities for any group that needs it, as well as gives back to the local communities we were fortunate enough to get business from. 

Fundraising is one of those necessary projects that no one enjoys planning, and very few enjoy being solicited for. The biggest reason for this is because the process hasn't evolved much over the past few years. It's an intrusive, annoying beast that not many want to be a part of. Worse, I'm amazed that we still have kids wandering door-to-door selling magazine subscriptions, candies, candles, chocolates, water, etc. etc. etc... Maybe these were good ideas many years ago (though I don't know if they were ever safe), but the only ones that really benefit from these types of fundraisers are the companies providing the products. Local Discount Cards has a better idea: Provide an earning opportunity that will benefit the organization raising money, the local community, and the fundraising provider - safely, and in that order.

We think we've come up with the correct formula at Local Discount Cards. Fundraising, especially when working with kids, should be about leadership, team building, and personal development. To us, fundraising is a meaningless process when not fully taken advantage of. All fundraising organizations have an opportunity to provide members with a tool for maturation and growth, yet very few of them take advantage of it. 

Moving to Seattle, Catching Up, and Being Copied

Well, I've finally made my move here (to Seattle), and have been enjoying each day. I feel so relieved being away from the hell that is Las Vegas. I haven't been writing any blogs, nor in my journal for that matter - just been too busy. Coming up this next week:

• First on the list is the final part of my Hyperlocal series. This week I have received a few emails asking if or when I will post the last part of my Hyperlocal series. I'm going to work on that this weekend, and have it posted Monday or Tuesday. For the last part, I asked Shields Bialasik for his input on where he thinks Hyperlocal is going. He started Locals Guide, a Hyperlocal Media Machine in Ashland, Oregon - a truly hyperlocal community. The site is great, they have an accompanying magazine, and it continually gets better and better. 

• Web 2.0 is great, but companies aren't making much (if any) money in it. Everyone is jumping on the 2.0 bandwagon, but no one has come up with a viable formula for creating profits. 2.0 is cool, but Web 3.0 is what I'm more interested in. I'm hoping Justin Says will fit in with the 3.0 model. 

• Justin Says is my new startup, and the biggest reason for coming back to the Northwest. According to a few friends, there are some people trying to copy my idea and launch a business of their own both here and back in Las Vegas. Sounds fun, I can forward my business plan if needed.... More on this later.

Those are some of my upcoming posts, but today I'm doing work right now and for the next few weeks on Local Discount Cards, one of my companies. Currently, I help youth programs with fundraising opportunities that benefits the kids, local businesses, and the local community in general. The business has been going for nearly two years, and now I'm looking into the next stage of growth - working with corporations. The idea is still in its infancy, and I only have one client so far, but you need to start somewhere! I'm also looking for a web designer/developer to update my Discount Card website. I created the current one, which was a fun learning experience, but I'm looking for a professional now. If you know anyone, send them my way!

I need to get back to work, there are people out there that need my ideas!

- Justin

The Defining of Hyperlocal, Part 2: Small Business

In PART 1 of my quest to define hyperlocal, I talked briefly about the history of business in the US during the colonial days. As colonies began to work and trade with each other, the business of retailing began to take form as nomadic peddlers traveled from house to house trying to make a profit. The vast majority of these hawkers would make a few 1,000+ mile trips with packs of goodies on their backs (either by horse or foot).

In the colonial era, the retail business was a vehicle out of poverty. While most of us relate peddling to those scheming entrepreneurs selling magical potions off the back of their carts (everything seemed possible in those days), many significant inventions (like the steamboat), enterprises (Stanley Tools), and prominent leaders (Lincoln, Edison) came from the colonial day peddling.

Social Entrepreneur: Kjerstin Erickson

A while back I was trying to launch a non-profit that would help build schools and clean up communities in poverty stricken Indonesia. I was full of ambition and determination to meet my goal, but soon realized the sheer magnitude of such a project was overwhelming. I was also struggling to find supporters to help launch the project, "too big and ambitious" became a phrase I now hate to hear. Frustrated with empty promises of help and support, I finally gave up. I saw an opportunity to help people, but I quit because I "lacked the resources" necessary.

I'm a very ambitious person, but am not afraid to fall. While morally devastating, there are benefits from every failure. I actually learned that successfully trying is just as important as achieving your goal. For example, I may not be helping people in Indonesia (yet), but I learned how to network and ask powerful people for things you want, which isn't as easy it seems.