Cash Mobs

Evan Smith passed along this link to an article on Cash Mobs - an interesting development in the buy local movement.

http://www.clevescene.com/gyrobase/original-mobster/Content?oid=2855327&showFullText=true

February 2012 ALAP Mtg Recap

February 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.

February 9 was the date for another inspiring and thought-provoking As Local As Possible (ALAP) meeting!  We gathered at Michigan Land Use Institute HQ (thank you MLUI!) with several newbies in attendance and potluck quality that was once again tip-top. 

Towards the end of our opening potluck hour, we heard five-minute talks from both Paul Murray and Andrea Maio.  Paul is heavily involved in the local raw foods movement and shared some ideas he is working on related to a housing concept that combines healthy living options with green design and construction (dubbed the LifeHouse Eco-Health Living System).  Paul also shared his green smoothies made from local ingredients he grows in his home year-round.  Andrea, a film-maker exploring new online media formats and crowd-funding platforms, shared her latest project titled Back to Your Senses.  Andrea successfully raised initial capital with crowd-funding platform Mobcaster.com to fund the first episode in her series which she describes as “an episodic video series about people who leave the safety of what they know for the sake of what they love…”  Cinematographer Jeff Morgan joined Andrea and gave our group a sneak peak of the first mini-episode which can also be viewed here.

After Paul and Andrea, we turned the floor over to our main speaker/entrepreneur for the evening, Mark Moseler.  Mark, introduced to ALAP by Andrea who is featuring him in her Back to Your Senses project noted above, is in the process of opening Northern Latitudes Distillery, a craft distillery in Lake Leelanau.  He hopes to be open by Memorial Day after three years of planning.  Mark’s business model calls for “hitting as many palates with local ingredients as possible” and will utilize a custom still from Christian Carl, one of Europe’s oldest still manufactures, that can produce any distilled spirit.  Mark enthusiastically communicated many of the ideas he hopes to deploy as his distillery opens for business and the positive impact he expects to bring to the Lake Leelanau community.  To date, Mark has raised money for the project from personal resources, friends, and family and expects to finalize his initial funding needs in the next few months.  For those interested in following up with Mark, he can be reached at 231-352-4895 or mark@nldistillery.com.

During our final hour, the group discussed the evening’s speakers and planned for our next meeting.  Ruth Smith of Selestial Soap was chosen as our next speaker, but a conflict in her schedule will push her back to our April meeting.  For March 8, Scotty Bruce of Ellsworth-based MiFarmMarket.com has agreed to present to us.  I heard his “pitch” at a Northern Michigan Angels meeting and expect that our group will enjoy hearing about his rapidly growing company.  MLUI generously offered their space again, so we will meet at 6pm for our potluck with Scotty scheduled to begin his presentation @ 7pm.  In the days ahead, I will circulate updated Entrepreneur/Speaker submission forms and an initial ALAP member roster so that we can continue to build our speaker pipeline.  

Thanks again for your continued interest and participation and I look forward to seeing you all again in March!

Zach

Reminder: Next ALAP Meeting February 9 @ MLUI

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.

Hello all,

Just a reminder that our February ALAP meeting is just around the corner.  We will meet again at Michigan Land Use Institute headquarters with a potluck beginning from 6pm on Thursday, February 9.  Our main guest speaker, Mark Moseler, will speak from 7pm about his business, Northern Latitudes Distillery, which plans to open in Lake Leelanau this Spring.  We are also finalizing plans for one or two five minute “blast” announcements from local entrepreneurs for the last ten minutes of the six o-clock hour.  After Mark’s talk and Q&A, we will spend the 8-9pm hour discussing group business with a focus on planning for future speakers.

Looking forward to seeing you all next Thursday.  Have a great weekend!

Zach

January 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.

Thursday, January 12 ALAP Recap

Thanks to all who attended last night’s As Local As Possible Investment Discussion Group meeting and a special thanks to our invited guest speaker, Steve Smiley of Heron Wind.  After another delicious potluck, we gave the floor to Steve who introduced us to his wind turbine manufacturing and wind project development company, Heron Wind.  Steve then discussed a Solon Township wind project, now in the development phase.  The proposed project has a budget of roughly $7m and would consist of 4 Heron Wind-provided commercial wind turbines with a peak capacity of 3MW (about enough to power 1,000 homes).  A variety of investment opportunities are likely to emerge with this project including higher risk funds to complete the development stage (expected to be in the $50k-$100k ballpark).  This phase entails securing all necessary permits and the all-important power purchase agreement with a utility company.  Future investment structures to facilitate construction and installation of the wind project depend on investor preferences, available tax benefits,  and funding options from traditional lenders.  Steve emphasized that community support remains a key success factor for projects like this given reduced regional utility appetite for wind projects, and he was excited to present to a group of new faces.  Steve keeps an office at the Commons in TC and is a wealth of knowledge in the energy economics and renewable energy spaces.  For those with an interest in learning more about Heron Wind and possible investment opportunities with regional wind projects, please contact Steve directly (smiley@heronwindmfg.com).

Other news announced during our meeting included:

*Maura relaunched her Sustainable Living Traverse City website.  Check it out @ http://SustainableLivingTC.com

*Zach will be participating in a Farm and Food Investment Work Group Breakout at the Farm Route to Prosperity Summit on Feb 17 @ MLUI (http://foodandfarmingnetwork.org).  Those with an interest in possibly attending the session, please let Zach know (zach@gldneye.com). 

*Barb said to keep an eye out for February’s Edible Grande Traverse which will feature a mention of ALAP.  Thanks Barb!

*Bruce announced a successful “match” after his presentation made at our January meeting.  Interest on the 1-Year note will be made 100% in Bay Bucks!

February Meeting:

MLUI has graciously offered us their space once again for our February 9 meeting which will begin with a potluck at 6pm.  Speaker TBA.  For those who have potential speakers in mind, please send them along the presenter submission form (if you need a copy email me at zach@gldneye.com).  It was nice to see everyone last night and for those who couldn’t make it due to the snow we look forward to seeing you next month!

Have a wonderful winter weekend,

Zach

Reminder: January ALAP Meeting This Thursday @ MLUI

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.

Hello fellow ALAPers,

Just a reminder that our next As Local As  Possible Investing Discussion Group meeting begins with a 6pm potluck this Thursday, January 12 @ Michigan Land Use Institute headquarters (148 E Front St, Suite 301).  Our invited speaker/entrepreneur is Steven Smiley, President and CEO of Heron Wind Manufacturing.  The format will be potluck from 6-7pm followed by 5 minutes for any “speed pitches” and then a 55 minute slot for Steven’s discussion/Q&A.  The 8-9pm hour will be available for any group business including a discussion of future entrepreneur/speaker possibilities.

Looking forward to seeing you all Thursday!

The New American Localism

Take a look at this NPR piece on the shift to local everything.
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/13/143538472/home-sweet-home-the-new-american-localism

As Local As Possible Meeting #2 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.

A BIG thanks to all who played a part in our second monthly As Local As Possible (ALAP) meeting!  We took a first stab at our new format at Michigan Land Use Institute HQ (thank you MLUI!) with several fresh faces in attendance.  Our meeting kicked off with an opening hour of networking and potluck yumminess after which we heard presentations from two local entrepreneurs.

Up first was group member Bruce Odom of Odom Re-Use.  Bruce provided us with a snapshot of his successful reusable building materials business based in Grawn (www.odomreuse.com).  He described possibilities that he is framing for local investors interested in 1-year promissory notes where interest would be partially (or fully) payable in the regional currency Bay Bucks.   Those with an interest in learning more should contact Bruce directly (reusebruce@charter.net, 231 276-6330).

Following Bruce was Susan Shields of Good Harbor Farm.  Susan discussed a variety of ideas she is considering for her beautiful operation in the heart of the Sleep Bear Dunes National Park.  She is particularly excited about expanding a successful day camp there (www.explorerdaycamp.com) and is interested in bartering for legal work (501c3 formation), and other supplies that would allow her to serve a greater number of campers in 2012.   For those who would like to follow up with Susan, she can be reached at GoodHarborFarm@gmail.com or 231-866-1079.

During our final hour, the group decided that for our next meeting on January 12, we will revise our agenda to feature one “main event” entrepreneur-presenter preceded by a ten-minute window for folks interested in making a 2-3 minute “burst” pitch on a project or business idea they are working on.  The first hour will remain potluck/networking time with the third hour allotted for group discussion of the entrepreneur presentation and planning for the next meetings.  During this planning time we will prioritize the review and selection of future entrepreneur-speakers.   

A revised entrepreneur-presenter submission form is attached with the hope that anyone with a prospective presenter in mind can have the forms filled and submitted to Bruce or Zach for redistribution to the group.  The goal is that we will have several such submissions to review during our January meeting. 

Thanks again to MLUI, to Barb for moderating last night, to each of the potluck-chefs, to our entrepreneur presenters and to all who joined and have an interest in ALAP.  The momentum underway is terrific!