October 2006
Unless non-profits start using Web 2.0 tools from the bottom-up, and by first exposing themselves to what it takes to work with social media, their attempts to upgrade and optimize their communication efforts will only appear a utopian dream that finds little match within their organizational culture. more
Web Worker Daily
Entrepreneurship is a craft. But given the risky nature of starting one’s own business are there opportunities to practice the skills involved? Absolutely. Below I’ve taken five online opportunities that would be a natural extension of a web worker’s daily routine. Each does require certain skills and, in some cases, a small amount of capital. However, all are purposely picked to have the lowest barriers to entry. The goal is to learn. If something doesn’t work it’s possible to iterate until it does; the only major cost is the time invested. The exercises below probably won’t make you a Rockefeller. However, they will help hone those entrepreneurial chops and give you a greater appreciation for the issues and effort involved.
The experiments:
1. New Media Producer
As reported on New Tee Vee last month Ask a Ninja, a popular comedy video blog (or vlog), signed a six figure advertising deal. Ask a Ninja could be summarized as a rapid fire series of non-sequiturs, a funny premise, and not much else. Production for another notable vlog, RocketBoom is equally as sparse. For as little as a webcam, the free editing software that comes with your OS, and a YouTube account, a person can produce their own show. You do need something to say and better production does require better equipment (cameras, microphones) and time (post-production editing). However, the number of places to distribute (YouTube, MySpace, iTunes, etc.) and sources of monetization (pre-roll, post-roll, product placement, revenue sharing) has never been greater.
2. Clothing Label Crafter
Third party fulfillment services for items like t-shirts are nothing new: Cafepress launched in 1999. But given the explosion of blogs dedicated to the subject and the now universal acceptance of purchasing things online, small boutique shops can thrive. And a degree in graphic design isn’t necessary to make something that sells. The Lactivist is a T-shirt shop founded by Jennifer Laycock as part of a 30 day business experiment (a recap of her experience is available in a free PDF). The shirts that you’ll find there are text only. Jennifer is able to sell them because of her wit and unique audience. The fulfillment behind this type of site - companies like CafePress, SpreadShirt, or even Threadless - handle the mundane things like printing and shipping. This leaves you free to focus your entrepreneurial energies on the bigger business picture: finding an audience and best serving them.
3. Micro Investor
When most people hear the words ‘investing’ they think of power ties, ticker symbols, and wads of cash usually reserved for lotto winners. However, there are web sites that allow geographically diverse investors to aggregate small amounts into meaningful returns. Prosper.com and its U.K. equivalent, Zopa.com enable direct borrowing and lending on a person to person level. Thousands of dollars aren’t required to get started. A person can take a tax return or unexpected bonus and begin creating a unique investment strategy. This entrepreneurial experiment does require more capital to start than the others listed here. However, the time investment is less and you’ll be learning about diversifying portfolios and acceptable risk while funding people that you can believe in.
4. Publisher
The web is a publishing medium. However, reading a full length novel on a laptop is still a sub-optimal experience. For those that have something to say LuLu.com is a solution. LuLu will print and ship your treatise for a percentage revenue cut. Can’t think of what to say? Intimidated with the prospect of writing a few hundred pages? Take an example from Carolynn Duncan’s most recent business experiment: in exchange for stories about entrepreneurship the contributing authors are getting recognition in a highly publicized way and a free copy of the finished product. It’s just one way of building both an audience AND a product. Your experiment may find others.
5. Community Curator
The final entrepreneurship example is to build a community. While not directly creating a product, by providing the impetus for people to come together you can create opportunities for monetization. Whether it is incorporating appropriate affiliate advertising or facilitating transactions between members, this is probably one of the most difficult and time-consuming projects to pull off. However, if done successfully, it can be the most rewarding. Sites like Ning.com simplify the software setup for your social network. All that’s left is creating a site that’s sticky; a place where what’s shared is valuable and worth coming back to again and again.
The web is not only revolutionizing the way we work; it’s also creating opportunities to experiment with what that work might be. Have you tried any of these five things in your time online? What was your experience? More importantly - what have I missed?
Community Media Review - Spring 2007 (PDF)
The ground is shifting beneath us. We are entering a new communications era, an era dubbed by some as “web 2.0.” More content is moving to the internet. “On-demand” media is growing by leaps and bounds. Consumers are spending less time on their couches watching TV and more time on the move with mobile media devices. Anyone with a digital camera can produce and post their own media for a global audience. And, nearly a quarter of the nation’s internet users say they participate in online social networks.
What does all this mean for public access channels and community media centers (CMCs)? This issue of CMR addresses the questions that arise as we shift from our well-worn “TV-centric” (one-to-many) model to a “network-centric” (many-to-many) model of communications and social influence.
NTEN March 2007
Is the web -- many small pieces loosely joined - making old grantmaking practices in advocacy and democratic engagement obsolete? What does grantmaking in an interactive world look like? This is a world where we operate in communities of practice and affinity, in fluid social networks, in a public with increasing transparency and a high degree of public accountability. It is a world where media, corporations, and the political establishment are no longer sacred but subjected to thousands of people with a camera cellphone and an online voice, and where the democratization of innovation as well as everyday-people-generated content changes how we conduct ourselves not only as consumers but as citizens. more
Nonprofits Using New Media to Engage
With technology more widespread and easily accessible, nonprofits are finding innovative ways to use it to spread their message and engage constituents in fundraising, advocacy and the delivery of services and information.
The spread of viral fundraising
Based on the passion and energy of one individual, an idea can catch on and spread like wildfire – with minimal help, or control, from nonprofits. That’s the power, and potential, of viral fundraising, experts say.
Online mobilization magnifies voice
Whether through dynamic, multi-media web pages, networking in online social communities, or leveraging the latest wiki and widget tools, nonprofits are using technology to engage their supporters and dynamically transforming their capabilities, experts say.
Capitalizing on the human network
Dow Bauknight and Chris Meade of NPower Charlotte Region offer tips for smaller nonprofits contemplating the world of social media.
Harness the social web before it harnesses you
Change is afoot in the nonprofit sector, with new tools connecting users to powerful applications and, perhaps more importantly, to one another.
The three greatest lies about technology and philanthropy
Ongoing investment in the right technology can advance a nonprofit’s mission.
NTEN
December 2006
I couldn't be more excited about the increasingly participatory nature of the Internet and its benefits for nonprofits. It's not just that these Web 2.0 technologies offer new and powerful tools for nonprofits to engage people in the all important activity of two way conversations (as if that wasn't exciting enough) - it's who can be reached this way. more
NTEN
December 2006
There's something different about these campaigns. Take a closer look. You'll notice that marketing staff and professional graphics designers didn't create the content - the organizations' supporters did. All of these campaigns use Web 2.0 tools like tagging and social media websites to reach out beyond their known constituent base to raise awareness and in some cases dollars for their causes. more
Alan Rosenblatt
May 2007
True leadership can sometimes feel like a balancing act that requires the all the skill of a tightrope walker. One of the many lines to walk is weighing the need to act boldly and take advantage of new opportunities with the imperative to be a responsible steward of your organization’s resources. This can be especially hard when making decisions about resource-intensive technology projects. more
