Link to Google Hangout - August 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSHMfAnZFr8
MamaRed: Wow, definitely sounds like you were noodling darlin' ... looking good to me and had an interesting call with a 30 year old woman today. I'm beginning to realize my gifts may be well utilized for the 25-35 yr old market given what is being brought my way.
One thing I'll say, from a marketing perspective, is that I'm not fond of the term "marginalized" youth. Not sure if there is some better or if it is only me that has the challenge with that wording.
I was talking to my son Matt (age 27) last night about projects, options, careers, etc. and he feels so trapped. So stuck. Because he knows he has skills he could offer, loves to learn, does well with a mentor who shows/explains what he wants and listens to Matt's ideas (usually good, if a bit "rambly.") He truly isn't the "college type" and I believe he would do well with the type of things we've talked about. I'm not sure if he is disciplined enough to do the work from home thing or whatever and we're discussing how he could do some projects with/for me and, potentially, our collaborative group. Maybe because this is so personal to me, I would love programs to support young men and women like Matt...and I don't know if that is what you mean by marginalized or not. I know he isn't your traditional "smart guy with the patience so sit through 4 years of school!.
Celia Gates: My thoughts following the brainstorm are:
· WIN – WIN – WIN – WIN – have we lost the trifecta?
Susan M Davis: Re: "Trifecta" - that's Brendon's word, and though I love the concept of Triads, in context of The CCC, it's more that there are WINS for ALL working/playing in the Co-Creative experience. With fewer, it's easier to manage. With more, there are more Gives/Gets.
Celia: Need to simplify dramatically – both in terms of initial goals and work load – and should consider aligning existing goals rather than setting new ones??!
Susan: Simple is always best - and yes, goals need to be clearly expressed and aligned - those of the 'Whole' as well as each participating in this particular 'experience'. And work-load for the 'whole' (the 'Gives) distributed equally/fairly, and not infringe on the 'work-load' of each of our individual businesses.
Celia: I saw a headline for the “Purpose Parachute™ Project” and although I had clarity after Susan’s first presentation I now think Im more confused than before… J
Susan: Sorry for the confusion! I just loved the sound of this, and also the visual image I got when you briefly described the strategy. Using it as the title was presumptuous of me. We talked about needing a 'Grabbing Headline', so I ran with the first thing that came to mind in my 'brain-dump' Nothing much has changed from what was first presented - just more juice from you all put into the mix - I had hoped that explaining it this way would clarify rather than confuse. The Give/Get from each of the four 'Communities' is the important part, and that the CCC Champions are a 'Community' in this strategy - doesn't really matter how many Champions there are.
Celia: My launch for the local youth program is tomorrow at 10:30am and at 9:00 am I’m burying a really close friend who sadly passed away a few weeks ago - a 39 yr old lady, suddenly so all very sad and tomorrow is going to be a full on day. Can’t think about much else till after then…. And then there’s the launch of the WF training… and then it’s global brainstorm time.
Now an idea comes anyway…
How about we start with a small test project – don’t even necessarily need to crowd fund (but could get paid each of us individually… if we’re clever):
Susan: This sounds like a great idea - it's a DIFFERENT project than developing the Co-Creative Crowd Funding Strategy - or a campaign using the strategy. It could be a way to extend credibility and reach for when we do develop a pilot campaign or project to implement the CCCFS.
Celia: CCC TEST PROJECT SUGGESTION
WHEN: Delivery date: 20th November 2014
WHERE? Live online using G+ hangouts and twitter stream…possibly for a 24 hr period… a blog-a-thon style thing
WHO?
WIN 1 = Co-creation community – us as individual (credibility, connections and cash)
WIN 2 = A local school near you (or more than 1 school) – kids aged 11-15 in your area.
WIN 2 = Global Entrepreneurship week (which is that week in November) and the Global Brainstorm.
Susan: This part is really interesting to me, since I've been looking into local non-profit organizations with aligned 'causes', programs, etc. to our CCCFS. One, Catalyst for Youth, was particularly aligned (and they are a Funding Sponsor organization, too) has a program in San Jose's Juvenile Hall, and is an art-based program. 35 years ago, I taught Juvenile Court School, which was run by the same County Office of Education that partners with Juvenile Hall and Youth Authority (kids prison). So . . . I'm really excited about connecting with them, and having a mini-project/experience to offer sounds like a great idea!
Celia: WHAT: Fresh thinking – turning inherent fears into new ideas – the collective brainstorm with young people around the world.
WHY: “Get connected” – the key to co-creation and innovation generation. Stimulating ideas that change the future for years…
#TBD – this is just a quick thought with a full head… not sure how it fits with your plans but it’s what I’ll be up to around then. Feel free to share thoughts openly – what do you say? Am I drifting us away from Susan’s vision?
Susan: I know I'd need guidance and help to make this succeed (good thing I'll have the WF training by then!. I'm definitely open to going down this path. I see it converging with the original vision for the CCCFS, and paving the way for what's to come. I do want to keep moving forward with the CCCFS, too.
Just thinking - Would it be helpful or more confusing to set up either a Facebook or LinkedIn Private Group to use as a forum for these conversations? Or maybe an Asana project. I don't want to make this too cumbersome for anyone, and get too many tools going in too many directions, with too much of a learning curve for everyone to handle.
Thoughts?
Esther Coronel de Iberkleid: I listened to the recording and these are my comments after integrating what I heard together with my experience with youth and what I am listening today about all the related problems with them
1- We must land the ideas and be concrete for people to connect
Susan: Agree. We need to clearly define the Vision (the transformation we can make re: the Cause) , Mission (WHAT and HOW we can contribute to the Cause) and WHO will benefit from this Project.
Esther: 2- The offers today are huge and prices are in all ranges and spectrum
Susan: I think we need to focus less on 'prices' and more on the Cause and the WHO. There are those who will support worthy causes, no matter what the 'price'. They are not concerned about the money, more the effects and the connection to the Cause. We do need to be clear, though on where the money is going. I liked the pie-chart in the Simon the Cat campaign, and that it is backed up with a web-link to more detailed information.
I do think that partnering with an Organization already recognized with the Cause is a way to sift to the top of the huge pile of Offers.
Esther: 3- I do agree with Celia about a first PILOT project that we can refine to work and from there replicate the work
I've been thinking a lot about this idea, since it's really kind of where we started with this concept of a Crowd Funding campaign - it IS the Pilot for a Co-Creative Crowd Funding Strategy that can be repeated over and over by us or anyone else plugging into the strategy.
Susan: So by PILOT, I guess it's more of a Pilot PROJECT we are looking to create. This can be either of two things: Hitching our train (or 'trainings') to an existing Project in a non-profit organization, which is already defined, has momentum, and which we can add to with our 'offers' (this is how I originally envisioned this strategy working) OR we can build a new, collaborative Project, pilot it on a small, doable, level to build later into something bigger and more far-reaching.
There may be a third alternative, too, which is a hybrid of the other two.
Esther: 4-We MUST find a very specific NICHE and go for it, this is fundamental to succeed
Susan: Niche is the 'Cause': Self-Building. Biz-Building. Success-Building For 'Marginalized' Youth
Esther: 5- We MUST find specific ORGANIZATIONS that support the cause
Susan: This is critical to the Co-Creative strategy, as the Organization is one of the 4 Communities brought together to ALL benefit from the Crowd-Funding model, AND it is the non-profit organization's existing 'Cause' that will give the rest the credibility and the reach. (not to mention that in the U.S., at least, we may need a 501(c)3 'Fiscal Agent' to collect and distribute funds raised, to keep this all legal and above-board.)
Esther: 6- I have been speaking with people in Bolivia and here in Uruguay about what works and why it works
Susan: Great! Can't wait to hear what you've learned.
Esther: 7- What is clear today to be selected by potential clients follows:
Bring the solution to a problem they address as a CAUSE of the organization
Susan: Yes. I see the four Champions in this Project having definite adds to the solution to the Cause. (Self-Building. Biz-Building. Success-Building For 'Marginalized' Youth) as I outlined in my previous email and will attach a Word Doc. to this email.
Esther: Do the work to solve the problem for them, not exactly with them but more for them
Susan: This is where we might hybridize # 3 above. We each have well developed programs (and experience/expertise demonstrated over many years) that can enhance existing programs already in place that the Organization either backs or has developed. We need to be able to articulate HOW we can do this FOR them and WITH them.
Esther: Bring them money doing it
Susan: Yes, all Organizations need funding, whether they are 'for profit' or non-profit, government or NGO's. I've learned this from my Executive Board positions on ALL the non-profit Organizations I've been part of, as well as in running a 'for-profit' biz. Fundraising is the #1 priority to keep the Organization sustainable, so the Cause (Vision/Mission) can be fulfilled. Crowd-funding is a new strategy that some existing Organizations are now using. I've seen very few, if any, use a Co-Creative strategy where there are multiple Winners or Communities that benefit.
Esther: They have no problem about win win win win if one of the win’s is them
Susan: EVERY community must WIN - that is the whole premise. It is also a Give/Get relationship. (see attached - and these are just MY thoughts, I'm sure there are many more GIVES and GETS for each community!)
Esther: We may be philosophers still we have to understand this is business and for it to work we have to make them WINNERS and do the work instead of bring them headaches
Susan: YES! And make it FUN to be part of, too!
Esther: 8- People do not READ
Susan: Totally agree there. This is one reason I particularly liked the Simon the Cat campaign. I found myself reading the HANDWRITTEN-looking font, rather than the regular copy, and looking at the drawings and cartoons. I found it interesting that they included BOTH, though, since some people need to read to understand, others see, others listen, and others touchy-feely. I think this is especially important when you look at our 'Cause', as it's certainly been my experience that 'Marginalized Youth' often don't read, much.
Esther: 9- People do not want more work to be added to their agenda
Susan: YES, we need to make it 'Do-able' not complex. And focus on PLAY rather than WORK.
Esther: 10- People do not want to have more things to think about
Susan:Agree - again, it's up to us to make it Do-able and take responsibility for the success - WITH their support with the 'GIVES' that are already part of what they DO.
Esther: 11- Our proposal has to be easy and clear for them to get their WIN
Susan: YES. Agreed. Simple, direct, clear, engaging - FUN
Esther: 12- Again we have to go down and simplify all to be able to reach an organization and win
Susan: Reading my mind!
Comments re: email sent out on September 4th & 6th
Esther's Comments bold and italics:
Model Campaign'
- to act as an illustration of how the strategy works.
Makes sense
- the name,'Elevating Youth Catalysts'
OK
- the organization in the SF Bay Area, which is aligned in Cause, has programs already in place, and is also a Fiscal Agent, is called Catalysts for Youth.
OK
We may or may not launch this exact campaign,
OK
though I think it's a good one and can see it working with some additional tweaks.
We have to talk about the tweaks according to the tribe and target market
I'd like to add links to the specific programs you would be offering - the opt-in pages that you have at the beginning of your normal sales funnel.
OK
Also you'll see in the Mindmap, for the lower Contributor Levels, the Champions' ebooks are given as 'Gifts', so we'll need to have you think about which of your ebooks will be appropriate for the Cause,
I will think about this and as well the fact my EBooks are in Spanish and in English so I can reach both populations
and mesh with the Programs we are offering and the Organization is offering. I have to listen more on how you plan to do it
Remember - you get PAID for your offers - the amount that you normally charge in a your regular sales funnel.
OK
Esther:
I think that to move forward we first have to all understand what is the CCCchampion program and as well say what we are committed and engaged to do each one for the development of the group.
As well say what is the program we offer and the gifts, we have tol and and state what you need to have to move forward
Regarding Cause we have to think and say if we agree and how our programs will benefit that specific cause from where we are and globally
As the cause is
· ‘Marginalized’ meaning youth not on the ‘mainstream’ path –
· Examples: Youth in juvenile court system, those attending alternative schools, unemployed youth, gang members, economically disadvantaged youth, youth with learning differences, etc.
I am wondering if our programs are for them or not?
It is very difficult to deal with them and programs have to be addapted according to different populations
In many cases in many different countries they did not have the possibility of being educated.
How will they react to our programs?
Who will investigate this topic? "There are several Crowd Funding Platforms to investigate: Kickstarter, Indigogo, MoolaHoop, Rally.org, GoFundMe, RocketHub, etc."
So till now this is my conclusión:
We must know who is a real true member of this group
We must know what each one is offering and will commit and engage with
We need to organize the work and who does what and as well establish dates and dead lines
Till all these things are not defined Susan I do not believe this will move forward
