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ALAP Meets 6PM Thursday, JUN 14 @ MLUI

Hello all,

Just a reminder that ALAP will meet this Thursday, June 14 (6pm @ MLUI) for a potluck and a full session devoted to group business including strategizing on outreach to both entrepreneurs and potential new group members and rotation of administrative duties.  Bring your ideas and enthusiasm!

ALAP May Meeting Recap

May ALAP Meeting Recap

We are an informal group of Northern Michigan citizens seeking to have more local impact and connectedness with our money.  We gather once a month for a potluck and to meet local entrepreneurs and learn about their projects.  During our meetings, we also share ideas for how we might keep more of our money locally and invested for triple-bottom-line returns (financial, social, and environmental). This is an experiment of sorts with exciting offshoot possibilities, including the spawning of a more formal local investing club.  For now, though, those interested in pursuing local investments with other group members or presenting entrepreneurs may do so independently of this ALAP group.  Our meetings are open to any individual, although we request that you RSVP so that we can assure sufficient meeting space. We blog our progress @ www.aslocalaspossible.blogspot.com.

May 10 was the date for another fine ALAP gathering @ MLUI.  The potluck was top notch and the discussion engaging.  We heard two brief updates from Paul Murray (LifeHouse project) and Bruce Odom (Odom-Reuse) and then spent forty-five minutes with local agripreneur Nic Welty of 9 Bean Rows. 

Nic spoke to us about a project he is working on to better connect small Leelanau county farmers with institutional buyers like restaurants.  He is developing a software app that can run on smart phones and PCs and streamline communication, commerce, and logistics between farmers and direct wholesale purchasers of any size.  Nic hopes that by enabling system efficiencies he can reduce waste, improve farmer recordkeeping and improve traceability and local food safety.  He envisions a one-year trial for the app and expects to allocate funds raised for the project to initial software development, farmer incentives, and technical support.  Several group members expressed initial interest in following up with Nic and will make arrangements for a subsequent meeting.

ALAP will meet next  on June 14 (6pm @ MLUI) for a potluck and a full session devoted to group business including strategizing on outreach to both entrepreneurs and potential new group members and rotation of administrative duties.  In the meantime, all ALAPers are encouraged to help identify and reach out to triple-bottom-line minded entrepreneurs who might benefit from speaking with our group.  

Looking forward to keeping the momentum rolling and wish you all a fine Northern Michigan weekend!

Zach

ALAP MEETING 6PM THIS THURSDAY, MAY 10 @ MLUI

Hello As Local As Possible!

This is just a reminder that our next ALAP investment group meeting is Thursday, May 10 at MLUI headquarters (148 E Front St, Suite 301).   We will try a slightly different format this month.  Our potluck/social time will begin as usual at 6pm.  From 6:30, there will be up to three, 10-minute slots for those who would like to make a mini-pitch of a project to the group.  At 7pm, our featured entrepreneur, Nic Welty of the artisan farm and bakery 9 Bean Rows (http://9beanrows.com/), will have the floor for forty minutes to discuss a project in the works that involves farm-direct ordering via mobile devices and the internet.  We will break @ 7:45 to clean up the potluck and reconvene at 8pm to discuss amongst ourselves the night’s speakers and group business.

Nic is one of the rising stars of the local good-food movement, so please spread the word.  We encourage RSVPs (reply to this email is fine) so that we can make sure we have sufficient space.  I look forward to seeing you all Thursday!

Zach

April ALAP Meeting Recap

April ALAP Meeting Recap

We are an informal group of Northern Michigan citizens seeking to have more local impact and connectedness with our money.  We gather once a month for a potluck and to meet local entrepreneurs and learn about their projects.  During our meetings, we also share ideas for how we might keep more of our money locally and invested for triple-bottom-line returns (financial, social, and environmental). This is an experiment of sorts with exciting offshoot possibilities, including the spawning of a more formal local investing club.  For now, though, those interested in pursuing local investments with other group members or presenting entrepreneurs may do so independently of this ALAP group.  Our meetings are open to any individual, although we request that you RSVP so that we can assure sufficient meeting space. We blog our progress @ www.aslocalaspossible.blogspot.com.

MLUI hosted another fine As Local As Possible (ALAP) Investment Group meeting on April 12!  We changed up the format a bit this month to discuss group business during both the first (in between yummy bites of potluck goodness) and third hours.  Here’s a quick summary of these topics:

*Membership:  with several months under our belts, we are now confident it is time to more openly spread the word about ALAP.  We will work on some basic content to help with this (including a combined hand-out (paper and/or electronic) that appeals to prospective members and fund-seeking, triple-bottom-line entrepreneurs).  Such content will help us get the word out to our respective social networks, local media like the Express and TCTicker, and sustainability-connected groups like ISLAND, SEEDS, and MLUI.  In order to manage logistics, we will strongly encourage RSVPs to make sure our current meeting space is sufficient.

*Speaker Sourcing:  In addition to the combination member/entrepreneur recruiting noted above, we will get the word of what we are doing out to other organizations that regularly interface with entrepreneurs (such as Northern Michigan Angels, SCORE, community bankers, etc).  We will be sure to emphasize that ALAP members are focused on making loans to triple-bottom-line-focused local entrepreneurs.

*Meeting Format:  we talked quite a bit about this including frequency, structure, etc.  For now, we’ve decided to skip the May meeting as many of the regular ALAP members will be getting together in the weeks ahead to work out an operating agreement for a local investment club.  So our next regular ALAP potluck will be June 14.  We also discussed taking July and Aug off and then from September alternating the ALAP potluck and ALAP investment club (once formed) meetings.  Depending on our speaker sourcing efforts, we may alter the 7-8pm hour to include two 30-minute entrepreneur slots rather than the current format of one 60-minute slot.  We also liked the idea of mixing in a local Pizza order from time to time to give the potluck preppers a break.  Generally though, we like the 3 hour format of (6-7pm) networking/potluck/5-minute quick pitches, (7-8pm) featured entrepreneurs, and (8-9pm) group business.

After our “working” potluck hour, we heard a five-minute talk from ALAP member Paul Murray who continues to develop a business model for his Life-House Eco Living System.  Paul’s current concept includes a 20-room healing lifestyle center with year-round greenhouse food growing, living-foods nutrition on-site, and ultra-green construction. 

Following Paul, we heard about the new developments underway at Selestial Soap.  Joining Ruth were her new CEO/investor Stephen Ezell (www.eha-ventures.com), COO Bob Selkirk (sorry about the spelling Bob) and guest Tom Krause who is helping the Selestial Team with a possible commercial real estate deal.  Ruth gave a product overview of Selestial’s surprisingly deep product line which includes surfactant-free liquid laundry detergents, softening rinses, stain sprays, household cleaners, and even an all-natural insect repellent.  Stephen who runs a venture-capital advisory and joined the Selestial team only a week ago, walked the group through his assessment of Selestial’s potential and the introductory steps the new team is taking to quickly ramp up growth.

Those interested in learning more should follow up with Stephen (Stephen@eha-ventures.com).  He mentioned that there may be a near-term real-estate investment opportunity in “Phase 1” of Selestial’s restructuring as well as a possible equity opportunity later this year.

For ALAPers interested in working on the planning of the investment club, our next meeting is scheduled for 7:30 pm Wednesday April 25 at Barb Tholin’s home in TC (directions will follow for those on the investment club planning group email list.)  As mentioned above, our next ALAP potluck will be Thursday, June 14 with the invited entrepreneur TBA. 

Have a great weekend everyone,

Zach

PS:  Here’s a link from Paul Murray on the self-directed IRA front.

http://www.irallcpartner.com/download-free-e-book

ALAP Meets This Thursday, April 12 @ MLUI

Hello ALAPers,

This is just a reminder that our regular ALAP potluck is scheduled for this Thursday, April 12 from 6-9pm at MLUI HQ (148 E Front St). 

This month, we have a slightly different format in mind as we attempt to catch up with some group business reflection/discussion time.  We will begin at 6pm sharp with a “working potluck” rather than our normal informal networking time.  During this first hour, we will discuss group business including membership, virtual participation options (recording, live-streaming, etc), meeting format, speaker sourcing, and local alternative investment education.  So please bring your ideas!  Should we have any folks interested in making a 5-minute speed-pitch on an entrepreneurial project they are working on, we will allot time for those at the end of the first hour as well.

From 7-8pm we will hear from the local natural cleaning product extraordinaires of Selestial Soap (www.selestialsoap.com).  I learned a few days ago that Selestial is undergoing some exciting new structural changes which we will get to hear about first-hand.  A new investor/CEO, Stephen Ezell of EHA Ventures, LLC (http://eha-ventures.com/1.html), has joined Ruth and the Selestial team and will share with us his top-down overview of the company and the vision he has to lead it to the next level.  Stephen has also agreed to spend a portion of his presentation introducing his venture capital firm and how he approaches the analysis of opportunities like Selestial.

In our third hour we will regroup and discuss the Stephen’s presentation and spend remaining time revisiting topics raised during the working potluck. 

I look forward to seeing you all this Thursday.  We have much to discuss and much to learn from each other!

Here’s to a great start to the week!

Zach

March ALAP Recap

March ALAP Meeting Recap

We are an informal group of Northern Michigan citizens seeking to have more local impact and connectedness with our money.  We gather once a month for a potluck and to meet local entrepreneurs and learn about their projects.  During our meetings, we also share ideas for how we might keep more of our money locally and invested for triple-bottom-line returns (financial, social, and environmental). This is an experiment of sorts with exciting offshoot possibilities, including the spawning of a more formal local investing club.  For now, though, those interested in pursuing local investments with other group members or presenting entrepreneurs may do so independently of this ALAP group.  Our meetings are open to any individual, although we request that you RSVP so that we can assure sufficient meeting space.

March 8 was the date for another terrific As Local As Possible (ALAP) Investment Group meeting!  We gathered at Michigan Land Use Institute HQ (thank you MLUI!) for a good mix of food and networking and discussion focused on community-based investing. 

After our opening potluck hour, we heard a five-minute talk and product sampling from Dennis Bean-Larson.  Dennis is a fixture (pun intended) at The Mercato which serves as the home for the eclectic retail shop and brick and mortar base for his Fixed Gear Gallery, one of the country’s largest websites devoted to fixed gear bikes.  At our meeting, Dennis introduced his ERG! energy bar project, which he hopes to take to the next level with product introductions at several upcoming bike events.  Those interested in learning more about ERG! can reach Dennis at fixedgearwizard@yahoo.com. 

After Dennis, Scotty Bruce of mifarmmarket.com took the floor.  Scotty gave us a spirited overview of his family business which has already become a success story in Ellsworth.  Mifarmmarket.com adds value to both local farm/food entrepreneurs and discerning consumers with its gourmet food baskets of All-Michigan-Made products.  The company mixes live events and the latest in search engine optimization/social media techniques to drive revenue growth and economic benefit to the region’s boutique food producers. Scotty discussed several of the exciting growth initiatives the company is targeting in the years ahead and invited those interested in his company to follow-up with him directly.  Scotty can be reached @ scotty@mifarmmarket.com.

During our final hour, the group discussed the evening’s speakers and planned for our next meeting on April 12 which will feature Ruth Smith of Selestial Soap.  We plan to have a “working potluck” at this meeting from 6pm sharp and will attempt to make a dent into a growing backlog of ideas produced by the group (including the possibility of recording meetings, the merits of boosting the group’s membership, leading triple-bottom-line “cash mobs”, building in investment education into the meeting mix, etc).  Several group members also expressed an interest in pursuing an investment club format for those who would like to pool funds and make joint investments.  Anyone interested in joining the steering committee for this, please contact me and I will forward details and information for a meeting we will hold on April 5 to get the ball rolling. 

Thanks again for your continued interest and participation and I look forward to seeing you in the weeks ahead. 

Zach

PS:  Two upcoming educational events related to community capital to put on your radar:

1)       Balle’s Accelerating Community Capital series hosts the latest on the topic of Community Supported Enterprise March 13 @ 1pm EST.  More details of this event (with $25 fee) can be found here.  For anyone in the Elk Rapids area Tuesday who would like to join the webinar (and save the fee), please let me know as I have already subscribed to the series and would welcome you to join me at Goldeneye HQ.

2)      Orion Magazine call on local investing with the author of Local Dollars, Local Sense Michael Shuman Thursday, March 22 @ 7pm.  Info on the call can be found here (thanks for the tip Maura!)