Part 3/4: A Social Business Plan for Serving the #socent Community: Collaborating to Build a Values Driven Collective

A vision is (and can only ever be) a framework for anchoring our thinking. What becomes "real" from a vision is always (and can only ever be) a reflection of how it resonates with others, especially with people who have the will to make what they see in it real.

Since I began writing about the Consultancy idea last month, some interesting people I know have shown an interest in moving forward to make it real. Some I reached out to, some got in touch when they read my posts here, some already know each other. Instead of writing a blog post to share with them the next bit of info about this vision that I'd planned to share, I've turned to prezi for help.  It's embedded below.

The inspiration to serve

Every vision is initially selfish - sharing it starts with admitting what I want. What does my mind's eye see in my dreams of what I would love to be able to be a part of on a daily basis? What kind of legacy do I want this endeavor to leave on me as a person, as I eventually transition again and keep moving on into my old age?

So I admit it - if I am going to be building something new at this point in my life, I want to be investing my time in something that helps me to achieve an alignment between my core essential values and my professional life. I would also like to work with others whose personal values and professional integrity I have reason to trust, and who are also seeking alignment with their personal values in their lives as innovators.  In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that kind of alignment really needs to happen more if we are going to maximize the potential effectiveness of deploying social entrepreneurs as a cross-dimensional workforce in the world.

Last week, I managed to gather 7 amazing people together on a group call, and shared some thoughts on how we might structure and finance the start-up of a member governed Consultancy Collective that would help it's members - Social Entrepreneurs - to build dynamic careers that are strengthened by nurturing our core personal values.

Of course, the challenge in sharing a vision is to articulate it in a way that others will be able to see clearly enough, to be able to find that they want it too. The blog post I was trying to write wasn't working. I am still not sure the prezi captures everything I needed to say at this point, but it's out of my head and some next steps are already planned, so things are moving.  

And what about you? Do you see anything in the prezi that resonates with what you want? if yes, feel free to reach out.

The Big Idea

Consultancy Collective on Prezi

Where to now?

Space for the emergence of whatever should happen next is now open around all of the people who have already been involved in discussions about these ideas.

Present on last week's call and tentatively on the list of potential Builders are Sharon Bylenga, Simone Poutnik, Jean Russell, Christelle Van Ham, Bonnie Koenig, Cheryl Cooper and me, Christina Jordan. (Disclosure: yes, I have tweaked the prezi a tiny bit more since I shared it with the group.)

I will also be sending the prezi to former colleagues in consulting Marie-Astrid Corbisier, Michel Cervesato, and Walter DeSchepper (whom I have spoken to but who were not present on the call), as well as to Antonella Notari, Yann Borgstedt, Jennifer Milliken, and Jonathon Hirons, who all represent potential partnership opportunities I have been nurturing, and who should - for the sake of transparency - be aware of the bigger picture emerging behind the ideas I will be proposing to them in the coming days & weeks.

If you have a prior working relationship with any of the people noted above and you find the idea of getting involved as a "builder" worth discussing further, please reach out through your personal channels to get connected, and we'll talk.

Part 1/4: A Social Business Plan for Serving the #socent Community: Developing a Commercial Consultancy Practice

The inspiration to serve

The real inspiration for this component of the Evolutionize It business plan came from the amazing group of late stage social entrepreneurs I had the honor to work with when I led the WomenChangeMakers Foundation launch workshop last spring. The purpose of the workshop was to let social entrepreneurs in the field of gender equity inform the newly forming foundation about how they should conceive of a great fellowship support package. We all learned a lot, and my hat goes off to the WomenChangeMakers foundation for how they are incorporating what they learned into the new support programs for social entrepreneurship in gender equity that they are developing.

One of the most intense moments of the workshop came when the participants and I collaboratively coined the term “post-late-stage social entrepreneur,” and started revealing, crying about and discussing what that meant as a condition we all shared. Collectively, these 8 women from around the globe had impacted the lives of over 10 million people. They had all won multiple awards for their work. They were awe inspiring in their abilities to make magic happen in the world, and in their persistent effectiveness for the security and wellbeing of others. At a certain point, they all understood, however, that they all shared a really terrible and serious set of professional and personal weaknesses in the structure of their lives:

• Not one of them was financially secure.
• They all knew that they would have to transition away from the projects for which their lives had gained some recognition in the public eye, and yet, not one of them could visualize a plan for what was next for themselves.
• Those who had ideas about new projects they would like to start were not finding any resources to back them.

And of course, there I was right in that spot they were afraid of finding themselves in. Starting over after having stepped away to allow what I had started in Uganda to continue growing on it's own, and completely dependent on just my own creativity to figure out what was supposed to come next. For me, it was a transformational moment of realization that our experiences represented a critical gap in the social change space that needs to be filled. 

While I will be forever grateful to my delightful WomenChangeMaker friends for being the first to so bravely help me start to see and understand our professional condition, ventures further abroad in the social enterprise sector have confirmed that this condition extends beyond just women who are changemakers, and beyond just social entrepreneurs who are working for gender equity. It’s a sector-wide phenomena among the best social entrepreneurs that we must transition, that we have skills that are extremely valuable to society, but that we find ourselves in need of support in making “what’s next” happen.

Embracing that even the most committed social entrepreneurs must eventually transition out of the primary leadership role in the projects they create in order to rightfully claim the term "sustainable," the primary aim of the commercial consulting practice I am now collecting partners to co-create, is to identify and develop relevant and useful career building opportunities for social entrepreneurs - starting with those who have been vetted and recognized as noteworthy by the growing number of social enterprise support networks and agencies around the world.

The big idea

From 25 years of experience in the international development aid industry and as an occasional consultant in the corporate sector, I am 100% certain that there are many interesting commercial opportunities to source short-term consultancies for governments, corporations and international aid agencies from among experienced & acclaimed social entrepreneurs, on competitively tendered and paid assignments related to:

• community event facilitation, 
• stakeholder engagement strategies, 
• facilitation of community dialogue & decision-making processes, 
• the use of online communication tools for social change, 
• project development, assessment & feasibility studies, 
• proposal writing and specialized text editing
• innovative approaches to assessing and leveraging the impact of ongoing development projects and programs,
• etc.

I have some concrete ideas about how to find assignments like this. One of the things I used to do professionally was sell & manage international development consulting services to multilateral and bilateral aid institutions. Lately I have been making some unanticipated but interesting inroads into the world of CSR, which lead me to believe that there could be a broader range of potential clients to explore for the kind of expertise that (especially) late stage social entrepreneurs have to offer.

Who benefits, how?

The opportunity to engage in the kind of short-term consulting assignments I believe we can find will allow social entrepreneurs to:

• penetrate and influence thinking in diverse sectors of the global economy with their experienced innovator skills and social insights,
• gain practical experience working together collaboratively
• take planned breaks from their projects to gain new perspectives on their interests in new contexts 
• practice leaving others in charge of their projects for short periods, with support from other social entrepreneurs who've done it;
• earn meaningful personal income with low levels of annual time commitment,
• invest in developing a personal long-term and global professional value that will outlive their role as leaders of their current projects, and offer some long term financial security.  

Of course, all of that assumes that clients will actually benefit from the expertise that social entrepreneurs have to offer.  To that, all I can say is that personally speaking, through my interactions with Ashoka Fellows and likeminded #socent groups in countries around the world, I have become convinced that social entrepreneurs are among the smartest, most cross-dimensionally thinking people on the planet. I nurture a personal belief that within the minds of our systemic thinking changemakers lies our greatest hope for the future of our global development systems. Enabling ways for talented social entrepreneurs to influence projects and systems beyond their own projects feels like a noble and worthy pursuit. 

A commercial, for profit practice? Oh my!

While this will operate as a commercial practice, Evolutionize It is a non-profit making association, which means that profits are not distributed among owners but are reinvested into mission related activities. The net revenue that Evolutionize It earns thru successfully developing this commercial consulting practice will be reinvested in, for example:

• creating jobs related to building the practice, including a solid consultancy marketing and global management support structure, 

• developing a broader range of professional coaching & career development support services for social entrepreneurs,

• establishing a start-over seed fund for post-late stage social entrepreneurs who have transitioned away from their original structures and are now starting new projects.

Where to now?

Key in making this work will be getting the right people and partnerships on board to help grow it operationally - I’m not talking about starting something that Christina can run from home, but that will take on an organizational form of operations early on.

There are a couple of current and former business partners that I have scheduled discussions with in January to discuss ways we might work together in mutually beneficial ways to get this idea off the ground at an appropriate scale. At least one short term contract for a team of wisdom crowdsourcing experts to be recruited by Evolutionize It is already in late stage negotiations for late 2011.

The development consulting firm I used to work with has also recently been in touch - in a small assignment to review their web copy I livened up the descriptions of their experience with new language from the social change sector, and was inspired to think about how doable it could be to deploy social entrepreneurs on the kinds of EU funded projects that they bid for.

Explorations continue - I should have further news on this component by the end of January.

Introduction: A Social Business Plan for Serving the #socent Community (4 parts to follow)

During the last month of 2010 I went decidedly offline and did some reflecting on how to re-frame everything I've been investing my energy in during Evolutionize It's start-up year, into a coherent business plan for a diversified social enterprise model that serves the emerging social enterprise sector in meaningful ways.

As 2011 begins, I am excited to feel my entrepreneurial spirit restored. Last year's explorations in facilitating supportive relationships between social entrepreneurs are connecting with my decades of other professional experience in new and exciting ways, creating a pathway to Evolutionize It's future as a social enterprise support institution that feels comfortable, and easily within reach.

Under my continued leadership for the next 1.5 years, Evolutionize It will be pursuing a diversified and growth oriented social business plan for serving social entrepreneurs in some very concrete and practical ways, including:

1. Development of a commercial consulting practice that sources global teams of short-term consultants from among seasoned social change agents
   
2. Co-creative leadership on designing a cooperatively owned platform of premium business building services for social entrepreneurs, specifically targeting (but not indefinitely limited to) self-identified social entrepreneurs who are vetted members of the global Hub co-working space communities.
   
3. Modeling the establishment of effective, trust based online support networks for groups of social entrepreneurs with specialized needs, and
   
4. Establishing career development services and a "start-over" seed fund for accomplished social entrepreneurs who are transitioning from one brilliant project to another.  

In the coming days, I will be using this blog space to share where I'm currently headed on each of these components with the plan that's in my head and real conversations that are already taking place. 

What's most exciting to me is that while this reframing of my eclectic collection of professional activity since Evolutionize It was incorporated feels new and ambitious, things are already rolling in these directions, and these have been activities/ideas that I have fantasized about developing for quite some time (no - this list is not exhaustive!)   Identifying these 4 components of a plan that's tangibly doable right now is making it easy for me to see how I can build on everything I've already got in place to be able to get Evolutionize It where I'd like it to go. 

What I'd like it to be - what I have always hoped it would be - is a new kind of social enterprise model that meaningfully serves the growth of the social enterprise and grassroots innovation movement worldwide. 

Stay tuned for details.

First impressions welcome in the comments! 

#cosi10 - Evolutionizing Collaboration (virtual co-creation transcript)

The following is the transcript of an **AMAZING** virtual planning session with cosi10 hosts on Monday 9 August, using the group text-chat function on skype. I borrowed this format from the session I facilitated at Radical Real Time, and with very satisfactory results. The extraordinary level of energy in the conversation was really exciting to be a part of, and the collaborative output was top-notch!

Thank you and KUDOS to all of the cosi10 event hosts who participated across timezones from around the world: Pallavi Keshri (India), Christian Vanizette (Paris), Danielle Lanyard (New York), Matt Nathan (Denver), Jean Russell (Chicago), and Mark Grimes (USA). I coordinated the the chat around a framework of questions related to press release messaging that consultant Bonnie Koenig helped to develop. 

The cosi10 event hosts in Australia, Africa and Brussels weren't able to make it, but hats off to Pallavi India for staying up late to remind us all about how important it is to strategically level the playing field in the social innovation space.

During the chat we got to the core of our messaging strategy by exploring two headline topics for press releases that are now to be written: 

Connecting a global sector, and
Are you building a better world through innovative entrepreneurship?
A tip if you ever want to try something similar: key to making this virtual collaboration format work was having paste-ready text prepared in advance.  I then invited everyone into a group IM chat on skype - as you can see at the end, Australia was eventually able to see what had happened. What I love about using text chat instead of voice for this purpose is the rich archive we are left with that captures the group's globally collaborative thought process. 

More virtual co-creation sessions are planned leading up to the kick-off of the cosi10 webbed event series experiment in September, and I am so excited about continuing to work with this wonderful group of likeminds. If this level of energy is what's coming together to make Connecting Social Innovation 2010 happen, I have a feeling we're all in for a heck of a transformative experience between now and December! 

Enjoy ~

Who and How: toward co-creating cosi10 messaging strategies
---------

[09/08/10 19:11:20] Christina Jordan: Just a friendly reminder that today's important skype chat about cosi10 messaging & promotion will happen at:

1pm Portland/LA

2pm Denver

3pm Chicago

4pm New York

8pm Bamako

9pm Edinburgh

10pm Brussels/Paris

1:30am New Delhi

6am Australia

If you are not able to join us, hopefully you will be able to see the transcript here later of the chat between those who did.

Please share these instructions with any others you would like to involve:

"To join the chat, connect with christina_jordan (Brussels, Belgium) on skype between now and then to let her know you'd like to join the cosi10 chat, and she will add you into the chat group."

See you then!

Christina

[09/08/10 19:17:55] Christina Jordan: http://www.ned.com/group/cosi/ws/pressreleases/

[09/08/10 22:00:50] Christina Jordan: Hey folks - Not seeing many in the group online yet but HELLO to those who are here!

[09/08/10 22:01:12] tahitian_coconut: hello ! :)

[09/08/10 22:01:24] Pallavi Keshri: Right here

[09/08/10 22:02:18] Danielle Lanyard: hello

[09/08/10 22:02:48] Danielle Lanyard: (sun)

[01:33:40] Christina Jordan: Hi everyone!

welcome to our first cosi10 virtual planning chat.

So glad some of you could make it!

Maybe those of you online could introduce yourselves briefly to each other.

WHO ARE YOU, and

WHERE ARE YOU involved with hosting a cosi10 event?

[01:34:54] Pallavi Keshri: Hi everybody! I am Pallavi founder for eyaas.com. I am hosting Cosi in Delhi, India

[01:35:38] tahitian_coconut: hello my name is christian, we are creating a web-app for social entrepreneurs http://www.makesense.org and want to organize a cosi event in Paris

[01:36:16] Danielle Lanyard: Hi All. Danielle Lanyard here. In New York City. I am a serial entrepreneur, founder of Travelcology and Third Rail Ventures, which is hosting the cosi NYC event. hey christina christian and pallavi!

[01:36:46] Pallavi Keshri: Hey Danielle... Great to meet you

[01:37:02] Pallavi Keshri: Christian... Are you making any Tahitian Coffee?

[01:37:32] tahitian_coconut: not right now :) Helle Danielle, nice to meet you

[01:37:48] Christina Jordan: I think Bonnie is here too somewhere....

[01:39:00] Christina Jordan: bonnie if you see this try typing something in here

[01:40:52] Christina Jordan: and matt nathan from denver is finding his way here too

[01:41:31] Danielle Lanyard: here. some entertainment. underground skype emoticons: mooning

[01:41:38] Christina Jordan: LOL

[01:41:39] Danielle Lanyard: drunk (drunk)

[01:41:52] Pallavi Keshri: hahaha... (finger)

[01:41:55] Christina Jordan: Matt and Bonnie are you with us yet?

[01:42:14] Danielle Lanyard: last one: is that too much information? TMI (TMI)

[01:42:27] Pallavi Keshri: Mooning is my fav. ...lol

[01:42:28] Bonnie Koenig: Hello everyone. I am here now. Bonnie Koenig. Consultant to NGOs on international engagement. Helping Christina with Cosi10 organizing.

[01:42:53] Matt Nathan: Hi! Matt Nathan, social venture strategist/catalyst, Ashoka's Youth Venture and Change Your City initiative, member of w1sd0m. I'm in Denver, Colorado, USA -- cosi10 host here for Sept.

[01:42:56] Pallavi Keshri: Hi Bonnie. Connected with you on Twitter. This is Pallavi from Eyaas

[01:43:04] Christina Jordan: Yay! It's so great to see you all. Thanks so much for being online at this hour!

Could you all just type in WHAT TIME IS IT IN YOUR PART OF THE WORLD NOW?

[01:43:21] Pallavi Keshri: Hahaha... It is 1.45 AM India Time

[01:43:29] Danielle Lanyard: nyc. 4pm.

[01:43:41] Matt Nathan: Denver, 2pm

[01:43:48] Bonnie Koenig: Yes, Pallavi, nice to see you here as well as Twitter!

[01:44:11] Mark Grimes: Mark from Portland, Oregon 1:00PM

[01:44:12] tahitian_coconut: paris 10 PM

[01:44:12] Bonnie Koenig: I'm one of the lucky ones, also 'business hours' here - 4:00 p.m. in Vermont

[01:44:21] Matt Nathan: Pallavi wins the dedication award!

[01:44:33] Christina Jordan: just after 10pm here in Brussels - hats off to Pallavi!

[01:44:34] Pallavi Keshri: LEts talk again on Sept 13th.

[01:44:38] Christina Jordan: Wonderful!

It's been such a pleasure to get to know some of you over the past couple of months. I hope that these cross-timezone sessions can encourage us all to appreciate and understand each other's richness even more, as we lead up to the cosi10 events.

DISCLAIMER - this is the first time we're doing this so of course the format remains open to refinement. Depending on how many of us show up online at this hour, we might end up inviting discussion to linger over 24 hours instead of an hour…

We're NOT going to attempt to chat by voice tonight, as Skype (and other tools) just aren't as stable for voice as they need to be to make that happen smoothly.

Everyone ok so far??

[01:45:29] Pallavi Keshri: On board!

[01:45:33] tahitian_coconut: on board :)

[01:45:51] Bonnie Koenig: Yes, so far, so good :)

[01:45:51] Danielle Lanyard: this sounds good, though i must mention, i've heard great things about www.tinychat.com - used by open source developers for real time video collaboration around the world

[01:46:12] Christina Jordan: Great!

The OBJECTIVE of tonight's chat is to work together on some "wordsmithing" that can hopefully help all of us to convey the cosi10 concepts in our local/regional environments.

As we all know, the language around social innovation and social entrepreneurship is often ambiguous. On top of that, the cosi10 event concept is new.

Luckily, Bonnie has helped to develop a framework for us to think about the shape of some promotional press release messaging. (Thanks Bonnie!)

The basic idea here is that I'll post some questions and you type the answer that comes to your head, based on what YOU think/imagine the cosi10 event series can be.

In other words, there is no right or wrong answer… this is an exercise in harvesting collective wisdom about the words we use :)

Ready?

[01:46:17] Matt Nathan: Yes, and thanks for your leadership, Christina. Visionary + practical + empathetic = gr8

[01:46:34] Christina Jordan: interesting Danielle - thx for the link. Will check it out!

[01:46:53] Danielle Lanyard: and i'd retweet Matt's comment if i could! :) thanx christina!!

[01:47:17] Pallavi Keshri: SO far so good! I agree with Matt! Great work getting us altogether Christina

[01:47:17] Bonnie Koenig: +1 RT - Big thanks to Christina!

[01:47:25] Christina Jordan: aw thanks guys :*

Headline topic 1: Connecting an emerging global sector
------------------

[01:47:50] Christina Jordan: OK here goes...

Proposed Headline topic 1:

"Connecting an emerging global sector"

PLEASE TYPE THE FIRST WORD THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND NOW

[01:48:09] tahitian_coconut: twitter

[01:48:49] Pallavi Keshri: Cosi

[01:48:57] Jean M Russell: just landed at a place with wifi... waves hello

[01:49:10] Pallavi Keshri: Hello Jean. Welcome

[01:49:13] Christina Jordan: hello Jean! Welcome!

[01:49:17] Danielle Lanyard: hi jean!

[01:49:21] Matt Nathan: hey Jean!

[01:49:23] Bonnie Koenig: Creating systems, processes, forums that allow for meaningful connections

[01:49:30] Jean M Russell: global brain

[01:49:35] Danielle Lanyard: deep ecology

[01:49:52] tahitian_coconut: Hello Jean :)

[01:50:18] Christina Jordan: Danielle what does deep ecology mean to you in the cosi10 context?

[01:50:33] Matt Nathan: Christina, pls clarify the direction we're springboarding toward, eg this is about messaging, right?

[01:50:54] Christina Jordan: yes Matt - sorry if that was unclear

[01:51:07] Danielle Lanyard: taking tenets of ecological frameworks and infusing them into community foundations. more than biomimicry, but actual whole systems theory, for enterprise and innovation - put into action. breathe.

[01:51:08] Christina Jordan: we're aiming at creating the input for some press release writers to work with

[01:51:16] Christina Jordan: they have asked for broad outlines and bullet points

[01:51:30] Christina Jordan: there's a briefing on ned at http://www.ned.com/group/cosi/ws/pressreleases/

[01:51:57] Pallavi Keshri: knowledge sharing

[01:52:43] Matt Nathan: OK, here's mine:
Connecting an emerging global sector to strengthen and accelerate new solutions.

[01:53:24] Christina Jordan: Great - good stuff!

Now, in YOUR words, Who is the emerging sector you hope to connect at your cosi10 event?

[01:53:38] Pallavi Keshri: Social Enterprises

[01:53:52] tahitian_coconut: Social Innovators

[01:54:22] Jean M Russell: Social innovators. :)

[01:54:25] Danielle Lanyard: 'we' are the emerging sector. the 'we' is now open to all how seek to improve their world and others through innovation and hopefully collaboration.

[01:54:53] tahitian_coconut: +1

[01:55:03] Matt Nathan: Changemakers (Ashoka's term, but catching on more broadly - useful in that it can include all across the spectrum...)

[01:55:05] Danielle Lanyard: in nyc, we have killed previously beautiful terms like 'green', 'organic', 'social enterpreneur' due to who have used them. probably very different in different regions.

[01:55:19] Christina Jordan: are SOCIAL ENTERPRISES and SOCIAL INNOVATORS different groups?

[01:55:35] Matt Nathan: Yes, social innovator is broader

[01:56:01] tahitian_coconut: same as Matt, Social Innovator is broader with experiments etc

[01:56:03] Jean M Russell: agreed Matt

[01:56:07] Mark Grimes: Wish to connect social entrepreneurs, enterprises and innovators building scalable, replicable and sustainable market driven solutions that will grow to impact over one million people and one million dollars in revenue in under five years.

[01:56:17] Matt Nathan: social enterprise is a sub-set of social innovation, and can in many instances be quite a narrow slice

[01:56:25] Christina Jordan: Danielle, yes I have learned there are definitely regional variances! How does the "we" in NYC describe itself?

[01:56:40] Jean M Russell: (y) Mark

[01:56:45] Danielle Lanyard: it doesn't. there is no unity here, to be honest. this is why i am so looking forward to cosi!!!

[01:56:52] Jean M Russell: although I am not a fan of scalable

[01:56:59] Jean M Russell: not everything needs to be scalable

[01:57:02] Pallavi Keshri: +1 Jean

[01:57:07] Pallavi Keshri: I agree with that

[01:57:17] Danielle Lanyard: jean, i agree. most social innovation does not need to be scalable to see it's mission realized. most social enterprise, different story

[01:57:43] Jean M Russell: right, but other than that, I really Love Mark's language

[01:58:02] Pallavi Keshri: Even a social enterprise, as long as it is serving the purpose of its existence within the community it is serving

[01:58:03] Mark Grimes: Personally interested in scale as to growth towards overall larger impact

[01:58:18] Danielle Lanyard: Mark, also really like your language. where are you located?

[01:58:28] Pallavi Keshri: A social enterprise can be replicable... it need not be scalable.
[01:58:36] Christina Jordan: Terrific - and remember, we don't need to achieve consensus here... the main thing is to understand the words that we can use to be effective in drawing participants to the events.

ok, so THINK PRESS RELEASE: What's creative about how cosi20 is connecting the sector?

[01:58:46] Jean M Russell: scale can be one org growing in size - but sector scale can be achieved through many orgs, none scaled up, just well connected

[01:58:48] Christina Jordan: oops *cosi10

[01:58:53] Danielle Lanyard: time machine!!

[01:58:54] Mark Grimes: Portland, Oregon (in Nairobi for Maker Faire Africa in two weeks)

[01:58:55] Jean M Russell: which is what this is for - to connect together and inspire

[01:59:04] Bonnie Koenig: For those not familar with your definition of social entrepreneur or social innovator how will they know you are targeting them?

[01:59:05] Pallavi Keshri: +1 jean

[01:59:18] Mark Grimes: and thank you Danielle

[01:59:29] Pallavi Keshri: With Jean on this... I think with Cosi10 we are talking sector scalability

[01:59:35] Matt Nathan: Mark, I like that AND what if cosi10 helped someone launch a key innovation that was policy driven or donation driven (not market driven) YET IT WORKED? I'd like us to be open to whatever works and can scale!

[01:59:57] Pallavi Keshri: and we can describe the sector as Social Innovation to incorporate all definitions including social enterprise

[02:00:07] Jean M Russell: Thank you Pallavi

[02:00:24] Matt Nathan: oops, sorry I fell behind - was referring to something Mark said upthread.

[02:00:37] Christina Jordan: no worries Matt!

[02:00:41] tahitian_coconut: For me what is creative about the COSI10 event is that it is experimenting a way to connect people worldwide at the same moment on the same problematic using collective intelligence mixed with information technologies

[02:00:51] Christina Jordan: repeating: THINK PRESS RELEASE: What's creative about how cosi10 is connecting the sector?

[02:01:36] Mark Grimes: Matt, for me (personally) policy stuff is too wanky, and donation stuff is too focused on the money, not the results. But heck, I’ll offer any assistance I can to anyone trying to make the world a better place.

[02:01:50] Christina Jordan: same moment, same problematic, collective intelligence + info technologies. Nice set of words Christian

[02:02:19 | Edited 02:03:41] Jean M Russell: there are several hurdles to the network of innovators flowing smoothly - innovating and collaborating. 1 is being connected together strong enough to remember each other and have enough trust to reach other. and #2 is that the network of this sector starts to function with some intelligence. that is dependent on us (at least regionally) speaking some of the same language. the COSI event helps with #1 and 2

[02:03:56] Pallavi Keshri: Just a voice from the other side of the world... Christian you might be able to throw some light on this.... I think with Cosi10, the whole social innovation space is allowing the world to become equal. It is allowing people across the development spectrum to speak on the same platform from their own perspectives and channelize global wisdom

[02:03:57] Danielle Lanyard: big thing here is how to make space for everyone, from all different fields, and how to really support each other. support of the network, knowing that differs by region, innovation, etc. - this is what i see making cosi different

[02:04:45] Matt Nathan: what's creative about cosi10:
-- Connecting grassroots to global
-- experimenting to mix in-person & online collaboration in new ways
-- forwarding real work from event to event around the world, innovating and strengthening it as we go
-- outcomes will be co-produced and decided via global participation

[02:05:17] Matt Nathan: (y) Danielle

[02:05:18] Jean M Russell: high functioning coordinated bottom's up approach.

[02:05:24] Christina Jordan: You folks rock! (dance)

Another important question:

What ‘VALUE ADDED’ do you think PARTICIPANTS will gain by being part of this event and network?

[02:06:42] Matt Nathan: Build real working relationships locally/globally that will carry forward in mutual support toward shared goals.

[02:07:27] Christina Jordan: (handshake)

[02:07:28] Pallavi Keshri: Said it right Danielle. How to really support each other, knowing what differs by region

[02:08:10] Matt Nathan: Also perhaps key point: some amazing local innovators/innovations will likely DISCOVERED and showcased / connected up globally.

[02:08:12] Jean M Russell: opportunity for new or expanded relationships with people working on similar things or with a similar purpose
find social support for your efforts
learn what is going on around your effort
co-create the future of the sector

[02:08:13] Danielle Lanyard: value adds could be answers/solutions to how regions can be value add to people and vice versa - in the social innovation space. localized innovation with global support, input and collaboration.

[02:08:34] Jean M Russell: visibility ;)

[02:08:55] tahitian_coconut: mmm i think the added value each participatn would have is the collective intelligence shared worldwide , a reputation beginning on a global network , an action trigger for the projects of the participants

[02:09:00] Mark Grimes: what do participants want?

[02:09:50] Danielle Lanyard: in nyc, we need to innovate because our city is truly on its last legs. were it not for tourist money...the startup and innovation boom here is driven by genuine need. is it similar in other cities?

[02:10:01] Jean M Russell: get what you want and give what you have event.

[02:10:13] Christina Jordan: ;) Mark, my question was initially worded as what do you think participants want to gain... want to give a stab at answering?

[02:10:32] Christina Jordan: (I changed the wording at the last minute!)

[02:12:26] Jean M Russell: (my daughter insists that I say something to all of you now that I explained who I am talking to and why. Waves from Zoe Anne)

[02:13:01] Christina Jordan: LOL Hi Zoe Anne! (hug)

ok one last question on "Connecting an emerging global sector" as a headline topic:

In a word or 2, what's the really sexy part of cosi10 - to you?

[02:13:07] Matt Nathan: (Waving back)

Participants want to gain:

-- support in all forms

-- better understanding of big picture / movement and where/how they can best contribute

-- energy and connection to sustain themselves in their efforts

-- feedback and learning to be more effective

[02:13:23] tahitian_coconut: I think they also want TED stuff....not sure they could all be open to collaborative approaches only, perhaps they might think that it s too disruptive as a conference format.... just a tought

[02:13:36] Pallavi Keshri: BIG WAVES Zoe Anne!

[02:13:43] Mark Grimes: Participants at Maker Faire Africa want increased product distribution, marketing education, access to investment capital, exploration of business partnerships

[02:14:10] Jean M Russell: hi Christina and Pallavi from zoe (hug) (F)

[02:14:16] Jean M Russell: hi Matt

[02:14:20] Danielle Lanyard: oh. lovely people, & zoe, speaking of TED. i just found out TED EAST is held on November 5th, the first day of the Nov. cosi events. can i have your feedback on this?

[02:14:39] Christina Jordan: That's one of the reasons why the hosts design one 1/2 day session Christian!

[02:14:44] Pallavi Keshri: The SEXY... Children and THAT WORD In the same breath...puff..... Now that I have used it, the sexy bit about Cosi10 is that it allows you to break through to the global community from a local perspective

[02:14:55] Jean M Russell: what makes COSI sexy is the AMAZING people involved with a track record of innovation

[02:15:08] Matt Nathan: Sexy part: taking collaboration to the next level, to work on innovative solutions together from grassroots to global

[02:15:26] Jean M Russell: globally networked, locally active and locally led

[02:15:51] tahitian_coconut: @christina roger that :)

[02:15:57] Christina Jordan: Wow! powerful stuff (clap)

[02:15:59] Danielle Lanyard: is cosi NYC still sexy if it's date conflicts with TED East on Nov 5th? sorry to be annoying, but would like your input on if u all think this matters.

[02:16:40] Matt Nathan: Also: it's a grand experiment to work across distance and difference to save the world!

[02:16:45] tahitian_coconut: sexy part : feeling of being part of the same movie

[02:17:05] Christina Jordan: Danielle - one of the organizers of TED in Phnom Penn (sp?) is wondering if it might be possible to deliberately plan cosi10 alongside their Ted event... it's still in my inbox from last week to explore
[02:17:11] Christina Jordan: lets talk later?
[02:17:19] Jean M Russell: I wouln't worry about it too much Danielle. In places like NYC and SF, there are always several events to choose from. People who want to be active come to COSI and people who want to passive hear inspiring stuff go to TED

[02:17:22] Matt Nathan: Also: taking action together, not just another talk-fest.

[02:17:25] Danielle Lanyard: yes. i'm game. i just found out on friday and was waiting to tlak to you all about it

[02:17:33] Danielle Lanyard: jean. word :))

[02:17:34] Pallavi Keshri: LOL!!! Jean

[02:18:15] tahitian_coconut: agree with jean :)

[02:18:36] Christina Jordan: WOW WOW ok this is great stuff. I'm going to work from the above to give the press release writers some quotes and bullet points from you all.

Can we try to quickly do another one please?

[02:18:36] Jean M Russell: in fact, I think it helps remind of us of part of our edge to push in our marketing

[02:18:46] Jean M Russell: yes

[02:18:51] Christina Jordan: +1 Jean

[02:19:08] Jean M Russell: really enjoying the interchange with everyone. All have great comments

[02:19:48] Jean M Russell: #gratitude. so glad I was able to get online in time to catch some of this.

[02:19:51] Matt Nathan: Thanks all -- honored to be in this with you!

[02:20:31] Danielle Lanyard: i think cosi and TED have a shared ethos, but cosi is all inclusive, grassroots, globally connected, but localized - and intended to disrupt...but not from an individual voice, but from all our voices at the global roundtable.

[02:20:38] Pallavi Keshri: Good one Christina. Helps to hear wha I can say to people to come to us

Headline Topic 2: Are you building a better world through innovative entrepreneurship?
--------------------

[02:20:39] Christina Jordan: Headline Topic 2.
Are you building a better world through innovative entrepreneurship?


Headline Topic 3.
Social innovators band together to shape the coming decade


Headline Topic 4.
Many timezones, many cultures, many plans for a better world

PLEASE TYPE THE NUMBER OF THE TOPIC YOU'D LIKE TO EXPLORE IN OUR REMAINING TIME

[02:21:08] Bonnie Koenig: Danielle - that's great language "intendedto disrupt", now that's different!

[02:21:12] Jean M Russell: #3

[02:21:18] Christina Jordan: THAT'S WHAT I WAS HOPING WE'D ALL GET OUT OF THIS PALLAVI. JEAN THX FOR GOING THE EXTRA MILE TO BE HERE!

[02:21:18] Pallavi Keshri: #3

[02:21:47] Danielle Lanyard: topic 2. why innovate, if not to disrupt the complacent fabric to bring about needed change.

[02:21:54] Christina Jordan: oops sorry for shouting (chuckle)

[02:21:55] Jean M Russell: We all made it a point to be here....I just got gliched noticably.

[02:22:01] Mark Grimes: #2

[02:22:17] Danielle Lanyard: is gliched a hybrid of glitch and cliche?

[02:22:44] tahitian_coconut: #3

[02:22:45] Pallavi Keshri: hahaha... wonderful learnings... gliched = glitch + cliche

[02:22:53] Jean M Russell: lol

[02:23:23] Jean M Russell: can we talk about #2 or #3 for 5 minutes?

[02:23:48] Pallavi Keshri: I like the whole idea that this is meant for "disruption"

[02:23:49] Matt Nathan: LOL - "gliche" is a keeper. ANd I vote for 2

[02:24:06] Pallavi Keshri: Why innovate IF NOT for Disruption

[02:24:23] Danielle Lanyard: (handshake) to you all!

[02:24:27] Jean M Russell: okay, so what I like about #2 is that it invites the reader to consider whether they are one too.... so I expect to read about what the qualities of an innovator are

[02:24:31] Christina Jordan: I also think number 2 addresses bonnie's earlier question:

[22:29:05] Bonnie Koenig: For those not familar with your definition of social entrepreneur or social innovator how will they know you are targeting them?

[02:24:41] Christina Jordan: ok so...

[02:24:54] Mark Grimes: +10 Pallavi

[02:24:54] Christina Jordan: What is innovative entrepreneurship as we are using the term? (is there a better term that encompasses social enterprise and innovation?)

[02:25:13] Danielle Lanyard: e

[02:25:20] Danielle Lanyard: oops. 'enterprise for social impact'

[02:25:21] Jean M Russell: (what I like about #3 is the decade outlook)... and what I didn't like about #4 is that it sounds scattered

[02:25:35] Pallavi Keshri: Thanks Mark

[02:26:01] Jean M Russell: well entrepreneurship itself is supposed to be innovation, so it sounds a bit redundant, right?

[02:26:03] Danielle Lanyard: also, back to bonnie's question. these terms do have different connotations by region. is there a globally accepted lexicon?

[02:26:54] Christina Jordan: no, danielle, there really isn't. That's why we need to think about all of the terms we are using globally and strategically use them all to our maximum advantage if we can

[02:27:02] Jean M Russell: as far as I have experienced, there isn't a gloabl one Danielle. When I was in Sweden, they really didn't get "social" entrepreneurship... and they spoke to "public" instead

[02:27:06] Pallavi Keshri: I am not so sure about that Jean... Not all entrepreneurship is Innovation...

[02:27:07] Matt Nathan: yes to disruption, AND I think a lot of what's different and promising about cosi10 is that we aim to go BEYOND disruption, to co-construction

[02:27:13] Jean M Russell: and they thought it was a bit obvious...

[02:27:25] Mark Grimes: All great VCs and angel investors are looking for disruptive new business models. And those are the models we should be exploring as well.

[02:27:38] Danielle Lanyard: co creation. love this. 'whats the opposite of war? creation"

[02:27:41] Christina Jordan: nice headline material Matt!

BEyond disruption to co-construction

[02:27:42] Jean M Russell: BINGO Matt. Yes, not just to disrupt, but to erupt with something new

[02:27:52] Jean M Russell: co-creation +10

[02:28:03] Pallavi Keshri: Co-creation is great!

[02:28:40] Christina Jordan: NOT JUST TO DISRUPT BUT TO ERUPT WITH SOMETHING NEW

[02:28:44] Christina Jordan: I like that too.

[02:29:18] tahitian_coconut: Creative commons entrepreneurship, there's a good philosophy of co-construction in the creative common movement

[02:29:22] Pallavi Keshri: Can I throw a spanner in the works??!!! Going to be disruptive

[02:29:38] Jean M Russell: yes, please

[02:29:42] Mark Grimes: not sure what a spanner is, but sure

[02:29:44] Matt Nathan: "entrepreneurship" itself is tinged with Western worship of individualism, Ayn Rand etc. Personally, I think what's most needed is a mode of innovation and production that is still emerging. Bill Drayton talks/writes about "collaborative entrepreneurship"

[02:29:48] Jean M Russell: just no spammers, ok?

[02:29:55] Matt Nathan: spanner = wrench

[02:29:59] Mark Grimes: thnx

[02:30:12] Christina Jordan: LOL - what is it Pallavi dear?

[02:30:25] tahitian_coconut: in france Social Entrepreneurship is perceive as only NGO and associative stuff, nothing to do with business...it's sad

[02:30:26] Pallavi Keshri: LOL:) Ok so what we are essentially talking about is ways of making this world a better place...

[02:30:29] tahitian_coconut: go pallavi :)

[02:30:51] Christina Jordan: Yes - leading to my next question - PLEASE ANSWER: How will innovative entrepreneurship help to build a better world?

[02:30:53] Pallavi Keshri: So if we are talking making people economically stringer so that they become empowered to build themselves a better world

[02:31:09] Pallavi Keshri: Does it all have to be "innovative"..."disruptive" "new"

[02:31:10] Matt Nathan: Funny watching all those little animated pen icons moving at once!

[02:31:12] Bonnie Koenig: Matt - That's important, the more you can break down terms that don't mean the same in all places to more commonly used English terms, the more globally understood they will be.

[02:31:47] Matt Nathan: bonnie, that's part of why I like "changemaking" & "changemaker"

[02:32:11] tahitian_coconut: Innovative Entrepreneurship will help build a better place if they take into account their social impact in their business models

[02:32:22] Christina Jordan: I've always been partial to "Better World Builders"

[02:32:32] Pallavi Keshri: For places like India.... It is important that people get the basics... which could be something simple.. something done before... something "easy"... maybe something which can be copied.

[02:32:33] Jean M Russell: Collaborative entrepreneurship will change the world by (excuse me being such a theory-head) = working at a more complex system level than the problems it addresses. ;)

[02:33:06] Christina Jordan: @pallavi I don't know that "economically" better is the only form of a better world I am personally talking about

[02:33:06] Mark Grimes: +10 Pallavi again

[02:33:06] Danielle Lanyard: i'd like to also throw in global social justice movement lingo. social justic through enterprise and innovation. empowerment

[02:33:47] Mark Grimes: Pallavi, that's why one org I like is Drishtee...biz models in a box for rural India

[02:33:50] Christina Jordan: webbed empowerment = WE

[02:33:51] Pallavi Keshri: Agree Christina, product & service aimed at a better quality of life

[02:34:01] Jean M Russell: +1 Christina

[02:34:08] Christina Jordan: aimed at building a thrivable world

[02:34:09] Pallavi Keshri: unfortunately the discussion on "alternative currency" is still on

[02:34:19] Matt Nathan: Status quo is taking us all to extinction -- so yes, something needs to be NEW. Personally, I think what's need most is PROCESS INNOVATION -- we've got product innovation and it is not enough to get us to thrivability.

[02:34:37] Jean M Russell: agreed Matt

[02:34:39] Danielle Lanyard: jean - there is a big drive here to 'formalize' collaborative innovation so that this can be profitable for the innovators who are freely sharing their brain and ideas to make something great.

[02:34:54] Matt Nathan: (that was in response to Danielle's early Q re whether we need "new"

[02:35:08] Christina Jordan: redefining the currencies that connect us is a huge part of the equation, I think. Can't wait to see what the Brussels event brings on that front

[02:35:42] Pallavi Keshri: Mark, I like Drishtee to

[02:35:46] Matt Nathan: oops I meant Pallavi's Q

[02:35:49] Jean M Russell: i we understand that innovation is risky... and that not all of the process can give rise to income...I am open to formalizing some of the process to help support those doing it.

[02:36:05] Danielle Lanyard: re: redefining currencies: http://www.greenamericaexchange.org/ - is there a global version?

[02:36:06] Mark Grimes: and Honeybee Network in India is GREAT too

[02:36:09] Pallavi Keshri: My point is such organizations in these conditions are far & few... so are we to focus only on those?

[02:36:19] Christina Jordan: GREAT - now.... let's drill down on this:

What ‘value added’ can innovative entrepreneurs expect to gain by being part of this network?

[02:36:55] Jean M Russell: Danielle - if Chris Lindstrom is in NYC this summer... I suggest you meet him (currency guy)

[02:36:57] Christina Jordan: This network that WE (all of us chatting here) are daring to attempt to create.....

[02:37:10] tahitian_coconut: all your remarks make me think about this idea for the press release, cosi is like an attemp to create an Open source operating system for social innovation apps !

[02:37:18] Jean M Russell: and thank you Christina for bringing us together

[02:37:23] Mark Grimes: It seems they would want, more sales, more product distribution, more capital, more social impact

[02:37:30] Pallavi Keshri: So can we then say we are ONLY looking at "innovations" either processes or products or services etc.

[02:37:38] tahitian_coconut: +1 mark concerning the honeybee network, great grassrotts innovators !

[02:37:55] Mark Grimes: thnx TC

[02:38:13] Christina Jordan: projects - even of an experimental nature, should also be in that mix...

[02:38:31] Danielle Lanyard: i think ideas can come to market quicker if they know how they can integrate with other existing technologies, improve in both directions. cosi can bridge this, the world over.

[02:39:01] Danielle Lanyard: jean - can u connect me to chris, if you know him. thx.

[02:39:07] Jean M Russell: sure.

[02:39:10] tahitian_coconut: yes, we should experiments of create workshops where we hacks business models and innovation to give them a bigger social impact

[02:39:17] Pallavi Keshri: Agree Danielle

[02:39:22] Matt Nathan: yes to open source, but I think what we're about here with cosi10 is pre-OS... more exploratory, experimental. Perhaps more like web standards, think early days of Berners-Lee and W3C

[02:39:32] Pallavi Keshri: I think thats a great output

[02:39:42] Mark Grimes: Good one TC!

[02:40:14] Pallavi Keshri: Nice one Christian

[02:40:26] tahitian_coconut: Danielle gives the idea of iteration in innovation +1

[02:40:43] Jean M Russell: I gotta take my kids to their dad... sad to leave you all. Thank you for the amazing chat!

[02:40:53] Mark Grimes: see ya Jean

[02:40:56] Danielle Lanyard: i'd also like to focus on regional resources. NYC has tons of untapped resources that we could share with the world, that we can't even interconnect locally. how to harness this, is a constant question of mine, to raise via cosi 10

[02:40:58] tahitian_coconut: As cosi events happens regularly it's also a place to iterate social innovation to fine tune them event after event

[02:41:01] Danielle Lanyard: bye jean

[02:41:04] Jean M Russell: (wave)

[02:41:05] Pallavi Keshri: Grt stuff Jean.. Thanks for coming by

[02:41:12] Christina Jordan: EXACTLY - that's what I would LOVE the case-study building breakout sessions turn into - hack the business models and rebuild them stronger through the crowdsourced wisdom - refine the plan through the process and then fund the best of in December

[02:41:46] tahitian_coconut: bye jean

[02:41:54] Matt Nathan: Agreed re all the above -- and thanks Jean

[02:42:13] Christina Jordan: nye Jean - thank you SO much for being here, and for adding your talent to the mix

[02:43:31] Matt Nathan: Re experimentation, iteration, meshing efforts and bizmodels locally / globally -- I think it is crucial that we differentiate cosi10 from all the variants of a pitchfest that are burgeoning.

[02:43:59] Pallavi Keshri: yes thats important

[02:44:05] Pallavi Keshri: +1 Matt

[02:44:12] Matt Nathan: Pitchfest approach is mostly atomistic / competitive / one-off

[02:44:31] Matt Nathan: We want holistic / networked / collaborative / ongoing

[02:44:55] tahitian_coconut: ...quantic ! :)

[02:45:18] Christina Jordan: Which leads to my final planned question for this topic:

Which cosi10 activity highlights will excite potential participants the most?

- In-depth conversations about socila impact in the sectors they are reaching
- professional skills exange fora
- the crowdsourced planning/resource matching/financing opportunity
- the networking
- the ......

[02:45:39] Danielle Lanyard: i agree with nathan. pitch fest model uses competition to drive enterpreneurs, but does little to foster innovation

[02:45:50] Christina Jordan: The topic: Are you building a better world through innovative entrepreneurship?

[02:45:53] Bonnie Koenig: I am going to have to sign-off as well. Great skype chat and good to "meet" you all.

[02:45:54] tahitian_coconut: the Hacking Sessions ;)

[02:46:02] Pallavi Keshri: hacking it is

[02:46:07] Pallavi Keshri: +1 TC

[02:46:08] Mark Grimes: See you Bonnie

[02:46:16] tahitian_coconut: see you bonnie

[02:46:16] Christina Jordan: thx for joining us Bonnie! we're wrapping up soon

[02:46:31] Pallavi Keshri: Thanks Bonnie

[02:46:40] Danielle Lanyard: Bye bonnie!!

[02:47:00] Christina Jordan: and THANK YOU for helping to add structure to this process!

[02:47:11] Christina Jordan: Yay Bonnie (clap)

[02:47:27] Pallavi Keshri: (y)

[02:47:35] Matt Nathan: thx Bonnie - great to v-meet you

[02:48:07] tahitian_coconut: (flex) --> bonnie

[02:48:09] Mark Grimes: One challenge, most entrepreneurs don’t know what they don’t know. So it’s hard for many entrepreneurs to then explore the things that are keeping them from getting to their next level

[02:48:25] Mark Grimes: Hacking Session will help them

[02:48:27] Christina Jordan: REPEATING:

Which leads to my final planned question for this topic: Are you building a better world through innovative entrepreneurship?

Which cosi10 activity highlights will excite potential participants the most?

- In-depth conversations about socila impact in the sectors they are reaching
- professional skills exange fora
- the crowdsourced planning/resource matching/financing opportunity
- the networking
- the ......

[02:48:31] Danielle Lanyard: great point mark.

[02:48:58] Mark Grimes: thnx DL

[02:50:16] tahitian_coconut: hacking sessions

[02:50:24] tahitian_coconut: crowdsources ressource planning

[02:50:35] tahitian_coconut: Wow moment when discovering innovations

[02:50:37] Pallavi Keshri: I think #1 & #3 Christina

[02:51:48] Mark Grimes: I agree, #1 and #3

[02:52:06] Danielle Lanyard: i think cosi participants will want something that is a cross between a pitch fest and a fail faire, where they can both incubate, know what they don't know, and still launch/expand/scale - openly, and with local help and a global network

[02:52:34] Christina Jordan: #1 actually excites me the most personally... I think when we can shift our focus to thinking about the impact we are planning - and momentarily away from resource scarcity issues - then suddenly things tend to become much clearer in this field

[02:52:40] Matt Nathan: Yes, Mark -- so we need to emphasize that it is hacking-with-a-purpose, to help them get their own venture to next level, and to move collectively to next level of solutions.

Also, I like "hacking" and it doesn't necessarily resonate with non-techies. "Building" "Experimenting" "Strengthening" are some alternative words...

[02:53:53] Christina Jordan: love the hacking analogy! would like more reasons why that's important - what it can lead to - ....

[02:54:35] Danielle Lanyard: hacking also connotes that you are going to find something you didn't necessarily expect! like the guy who tried to make superglue and hacked his way into inventing ice cream.

[02:54:54] Pallavi Keshri: We will have to be careful with the hacking... though we need it... We should "lead" people into solutions as opposed to "providing" solutions.... could very well be the mentoring that is required

[02:55:09] Mark Grimes: Hiow do I say this without sounding mean. Some business miodels should simply just not launch. Just because the entrepreneur likes their own idea, it still may be, well, not a great idea. All good entrepreneurs understand the demand for their product/service. Heck, myself and 6 people spent a weekend years ago asking if SnapNames was an interesting idea, or an actual business model. We could have decided to kill it

[02:55:50] tahitian_coconut: mmm perhaps not decide to kill it or not but to transform it

[02:55:57] tahitian_coconut: this could lad to a lot of experimentations

[02:56:05] tahitian_coconut: concerning the social impact

[02:56:23] tahitian_coconut: cosi could be a place where we share the lastest research in this field

[02:56:27] Christina Jordan: co-creation is what I'm after

[02:56:44] Pallavi Keshri: and innovations... most entrepreneurs also see the opportunity and should reach for it in terms of modifications to existing plans

[02:57:08] Mark Grimes: We decided it was disruptive and created a secondary market for domain names. Co-creation towards...better, quicker, measurable socail impact?

[02:57:13] Danielle Lanyard: co-creation, yes! and with mark's point that create solve problems, not to impose solutions.

[02:57:13] Christina Jordan: I think we may well be the latest research in this field, of this deep qualitative nature anyway

[02:57:17] tahitian_coconut: evaluating to social impact in different sectors : it's only the beginning of the research , so perhaps cosi10 could be a really cool place for searchers in this field meeting with practitioners

[02:58:15] Christina Jordan: yes, TC

[02:58:28] tahitian_coconut: co-creation / co-piloting / co-evaluating

[02:58:40] Christina Jordan: exactly - I so want what we're able to harvest from cosi10 to be valuable to researchers

[02:58:42] Pallavi Keshri: I am going to keep playing devil's advocate. I apologise for that.... but we have to understand that we are trying to make a LEVEL PLAYING field here..... the distance between the worlds is way too much...some pits have to be filled

[02:59:45] Christina Jordan: PLEASE SPEAK TO PALLAVI'S COMMENT:

How will cosi10 contribute to levelling the playing field?

[03:00:08] Mark Grimes: +10 for one thing (again) to Pallavi

[03:00:18] Matt Nathan: Message to entrepreneurs:
Explore options, get feedback, learn, strengthen your venture -- and connect it with others in practical ways for greater impact.

[03:00:28] Danielle Lanyard: 'enterprise' as vehicle to level the playing field. enterprise as vehicle to bridge divides through empowerment.

[03:00:45] tahitian_coconut: by structuring knowledge

[03:00:49] Pallavi Keshri: Define Enterprise.

[03:00:59] tahitian_coconut: and working with researchers ( answer to pallavi )

[03:01:09] Mark Grimes: Maker Faire Africa is meant to empower local African solutions to local problems with local innovation...we're (the MFA team) is just the organizing body

[03:01:12] Danielle Lanyard: 'innovation' as opposed to enterprise?

[03:01:45] Christina Jordan: needing to wrap up in Brussels soon but (inlove) deeply in love with this conversation

[03:02:13] Mark Grimes: innovation, inventions, amd makers...most of whom are selling something, so enterprise, yes

[03:02:50] Pallavi Keshri: When we say "enterprise" as a vehicle for levelling the field... brings me back to economics...They way I see it the two co-exist... but might be mutually exclusive!

[03:03:17] Christina Jordan: To wrap up on topic 2

PLEASE SPEAK TO PALLAVI'S COMMENT:

How will cosi10 contribute to levelling the playing field?

[03:03:34] Matt Nathan: This is like Maker Faire Global -- aim of cosi10 is to organize fora and processes for makers to learn, connect, sell, collaborate to solve probs

[03:03:46] Mark Grimes: Pallavi, can you ellaborate please?

[03:04:51] Pallavi Keshri: This was in respect to Christina;s earlier comment on how we might lok at economics as the only means of social impact..but in my mind when we speak enterprise as Danielle just mentioned it connotes economics

[03:05:00] Mark Grimes: And what we found wit MFA is some ideas are very local, some regional, and some global...and most people could not really evaluate their own idea (as often happens in US as well)

[03:06:05] Pallavi Keshri: Hence my question... can what is the defining line... Isnt the basis of an enterprise economics? If yes then no questions but if no then how are the two separate from each other

[03:07:22] Christina Jordan: organization = enterprise = venture = idea = level playing field?

[03:07:35] Danielle Lanyard: Pallavi - I think this question is importan to ask for the big picture, but it differs by actual venture. I personally don't work on a venture that isn't aimed to 'level the playing field', and then i ask the questions Mark raises, to as many experts possible. This process, is like an open collaboration, and part of what I'd like to see all ventures do when they are seeding things.

[03:09:11] Pallavi Keshri: @ Mark: With MFA when you assess or evaluate an idea what is the benchmark? global or local?

[03:09:22] Mark Grimes: Nice one Danielle

[03:10:37] Pallavi Keshri: Thanks Danielle. So I would in that sense say anyone who has an idea with respect to levelling the playing field is welcome on board!

[03:11:25] Danielle Lanyard: it seems this great group KNOWS what questions to ask, on how to level the playing and what this looks like. but what of the people who don't know? how can cosi10 be a community to ask? and how does 'levelling the playing field' differ in meaning, globally?

[03:11:45] Christina Jordan: re: "enterprise" economics - i guess at the end of the day, the word we use to describe it is not as important as simply "finding ways to make good things happen." Revenue based, crowdsourced, alternatively jump-started through resource matching and hacking sessions with other smart people... finding innovative ways to make things happen that maybe are neither pure enterprise or charity models

[03:11:54] Mark Grimes: Good question Pallavi. That's exactly what we're doing this year. Last year was to see if innovators, makers and inventors even showed up. This year the team will work closely with all makers to evaluate their "invention" from an overall business model perspective. Helping with milestones, and deliverables for them to get to the next level (assuming, that is what they desire)

[03:12:25] tahitian_coconut: agree with Christina

[03:13:48] Mark Grimes: a very good entrepreneur Paul Graham put it like this...and I love it..."make stuff people want"

[03:14:17] Pallavi Keshri: aaah... thanks Christian.... so then we come down to forms of existence of an organization be it for-profit or non-profit or hybrid 3LCs(???) in the US?... Just wanted to check how we would like to define who participates...

[03:14:35] Pallavi Keshri: Sorry that was Thanks Christina

[03:14:58] tahitian_coconut: perhaps we can focus not on their legal status but on the vision of the entrepreneurs

[03:15:10] Danielle Lanyard: pallavi - people here in NYC want to focus on corporate structuring and 3LCs/finance. will definitely be a focus of the NYC event for sure.

[03:15:10] tahitian_coconut: do they want to tend to a sustainable kind of approach

[03:15:16] Mark Grimes: great point TC

[03:15:32] Pallavi Keshri: Absolutely TC... that point is what I needed... sorry to get to it in such along-winded way

[03:15:41] Christina Jordan: we talked earlier about making sure we remain open to the different interpretations of the terms

[03:15:48] Christina Jordan: whoever shows up is the right people

[03:16:03] Matt Nathan: Here's my mundane response -- not addressing the enterprise definition aspect:

cosi10 helps level playing field by being:
-- open in eligibility and process
-- affordable
-- in-person as well as online (and not dependent on broadband connection)
-- transparent
-- emergent & continuously improved
-- iterative (sufficient time and slow enough pace to be inclusive, help good people / idea / ventures not get lost)
-- facilitated (by a diverse team with knowledge/skill re issues of power/equity etc)

[03:16:25] Mark Grimes: Lately I've suggested to people, start your business under another existing entity, then inorporate LLLC, LLC, s-corp whatever...only after you have $10,000 in sales

[03:17:05] Pallavi Keshri: Thanks for your answer Mark. I asked the question because like you said first it is important that people should show up and then to see what they need

[03:17:16] Mark Grimes: zactly

[03:18:07] Mark Grimes: MFA the first year was not event a registered org, it was just 5 people doing something interesting

[03:18:17] Pallavi Keshri: Got round-up Christina. Thanks a ton people. This might seem like goin back a few steps for you....but I am trying to level the playing field :) Thanks for holding up

[03:18:34] Christina Jordan: Wow - what a bundle of energy this group is. Thank you thank you thank you for all of your input tonight!

(clap)

I will be posting the transcript of this chat in the host backchannel space, and will be sending it to the press release writers

[03:18:48] Christina Jordan: I would also love to post it on the Evolutionize it blog if y'all are agreed.

[03:18:56] tahitian_coconut: agree :)

[03:19:02] Christina Jordan: What a wonderful discussion t's been!

[03:19:03] tahitian_coconut: Thanks a lot everyone

[03:19:06] Pallavi Keshri: Sure Christina...

[03:19:06] Mark Grimes: fine by me

[03:19:31] Danielle Lanyard: yes. thanks to you all. big kudos to christina, and thanks to our mothers for birthing great open minds! :D

[03:19:33] tahitian_coconut: it was cool to talk with you on skype :) it changes from corporate kind of conf call hehe :) thks christina for the animation !

[03:19:41] Christina Jordan: y'all rock, and it thrills me to think about rocking the world just a little bit with you all!

[03:19:41] Pallavi Keshri: Mark, would like to discuss MFA a little bit with you sometime... It might be a format we look at for cosi10 local paticipation

[03:20:00] Christina Jordan: (ninja)

[03:20:09] Matt Nathan: OK, great to think together about what we're trying to help happen with cosi10 -- thanks everyone!

[03:20:09] Mark Grimes: happy to chat

[03:20:23] tahitian_coconut: bye :)

[03:20:26] Pallavi Keshri: Thanks a ton.. whenever conevenient for you....

[03:20:33] Christina Jordan: I'll send out a roundup note first thing in the morning

[03:20:59] Christina Jordan: The next virtual planning session is Thursday - esp important for the September event hosts if you can make it

[03:21:02] Danielle Lanyard: and we all owe pallavi 1 good night's sleep - trooper winner of the group!

[03:21:14] Pallavi Keshri: LOL... I dont think I am sleeping now

[03:21:16] Pallavi Keshri: Its 3.30

[03:21:25] Pallavi Keshri: And am way too charged up to ge any sleep

[03:21:38] Christina Jordan: yes Bravo Pallavi - you deserve a good night's (morning's) sleep!

[03:21:49] Mark Grimes: Sleep deprived = good creative time

[03:22:01] Christina Jordan: Thursday AUGUST 12 - 6am PST | 9am EST | 1pm GMT | 11pm NSW
Introduction to the ned.com platform features & host backchannel space

[03:22:03] Pallavi Keshri: hahaha... I think so... definitely more productive time

[03:22:12] Matt Nathan: We need to level the sleeping field!

[03:22:28] Pallavi Keshri: mmmmmm!!! Go Go Mark!

[03:22:39] Danielle Lanyard: thanks again all. off to level the sleeping playing field bye

[03:22:43] Christina Jordan: http://www.google.com/calendar/render?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=OHJtMDdmMXAyY2FqMWh0dXJyYXVzNG4wZWMgY2hyaXN0aW5hc3d3d29ybGRAbQ&tmsrc=Y2hyaXN0aW5hc3d3d29ybGRAZ21haWwuY29t&sf=true&output=xml

[03:22:57] Mark Grimes: see everyone

[03:23:04] Christina Jordan: Thank you soooo much to everyone - look for a roundup message from me tomorrow with the links to this transcript

[03:23:13] Matt Nathan: bye

[03:23:17] Christina Jordan: (clap)

[03:23:21] Christina Jordan: (yawn)

[03:23:23] Mark Grimes: thnx all

[03:23:29] Christina Jordan: (F)

[03:23:52] Pallavi Keshri: Good morning everbody! Have a nice day.. .

[03:24:01] Pallavi Keshri: (sun) Cheers!

[03:24:20] Christina Jordan: So very lovely to speak with you all! Bravo to all on a job well done. I feel great about what we accomplished tonight. Kudos!

[03:24:20] tahitian_coconut: cheers !

[03:24:53] Christina Jordan: (o) gnite

[03:25:08] Mark Grimes: be well

[03:25:20] Pallavi Keshri: Mark trying to add you on skype unable to

[03:25:39] Mark Grimes: I will try to add you again

[06:34:15] Jean M Russell: gratitude all. Caught up on this thread and so amazed at the conversation. Can't wait to see Christina's brilliant synthesis. (clap)

[07:13:53] Luke Grange: Thank you for including our Ubuntu Australia group on this and look forward to planning more with you all (handshake)

Event planning project update

Things are heating up a bit for Evolutionize It. Plans to launch a 6-month global event series concept I've been working on with some allies since the first ned.com unconference are now starting to shift gears, toward making 4 launch events happen in July. As Matt Nathan from w1sd0m in Denver said this morning in a call we had at 5am my time, "The train is leaving the station, and it's a cool train to climb aboard, cuz we're all laying tracks as we go."

The webbed event series concept as it currently stands here has evolved (and is still evolving) through practical experimentation and conversation with Mark Grimes at Ned.com, Matt Nathan at w1sd0m , and Alex, Antoine and Simon of the HubBrussels team. As usual, Jean Russel at Thrivable has also been super helpful. The event name keeps changing, but the concept seems to be becoming increasingly clearer as I work to massage the feedback from each conversation into the concept framework.

I am now trying to pull these US and European voices together with contacts who've indicated an interest in holding events in China, Kenya, Uganda, Haiti and Brazil in a group call sometime within the next week. Feedback from them also needs massaging into the concept before I'll feel comfortable promoting the events worldwide as "global."

This evening I will meet with the Ashoka Support Network in Belgium and present this event series as the concrete project that I could use their focused expertise and support in. My 3 slide presentation to the ASN is here (excuse the formatting which may not have saved well in conversion to a google doc).

I'm reaching out with intent through this blog post to the Evolutionize It board and to some other really smart people who I hope will weigh in here with thoughts, feedback and advice :-) There's even an image sandbox if you'd like to play. The next big push will be to build a social media campaign infrastructure for the local events and finding all 20 event hosts. Exciting stuff! Here's hoping that it works well.

Draft Notes: first General Meeting of the Evolutionize It Board

16 March 2010, 10am - 12pm @ the "siege social" of Evolutionize It

Introductions

Present were Christina Jordan, Olivier Gaillard, Walter De Schepper, David Ewaku (on speaker phone).

Olivier is an Ashoka Fellow, also active in collaboration int he social change sector. He met Christina for the first time 1 year ago shortly after her arrival in Belgium. Is leaving Belgium end March for 1 year in the USA, working with Ashoka's Youth Venture project in Washington DC.

Walter is a private development consultant, who worked with Christina professionally at 2 consulting companies 1994 - 1998. Walter looks forward to understanding more about what social enterprise is.

David and Christina have worked together periodically since 2002. David is Ugandan, and once served on the Board of Life in Africa Foundation while Christina was chairman.

Christina's intention in founding Evolutionize It is to create a structure through which a number of project ideas to facilitate social sector collaboration might be realized.

Operational Logistics

1. Evolutionize It Blog - Christina introduced the Evolutionize It Blog and proposed that it should be used as a main tool for Board communication. Others will see it, but content written with the board as a primary audience in mind. The blog will also be seen by others - the suggestion is to stay as completely transparent and interactive with others as possible in building the business model. Everyone present agreed with the idea.
2. Titles/Bios/Contributions: We looked at the bios posted on the blog and discussed titles. Christina's title changed to Chairman. Walter & Olivier changed to Board Executive Member; David & Sarah changed to General Member. All members of the board have author access to post at the Evolutionize. It blog on issues relevant to the topics of Social Enterprise, collaboration for change, and/or Evolutionize It's development (posts might also include questions from our board members who are not yet well versed in this field). Christina suggested that all Board members should have a LinkedIn profile.
3. Christina's Volunteer Status - Christina will not receive a salary this year. Any income earned by Evolutionize it will be used to help pay operational and travel expenses. Income earned beyond expenses will be budgeted in 2011, and may or may not include any salaries. In order to be registered as a non-paid worker in Belgium, Christina and Evolutionize It will sign an official volunteer agreement to be registered with the proper authorities. Olivier to forward the relevant documents.
4. Bank Account: the suggestion had been made earlier by email to consider opening a bank account for Evolutionize It at Triodos bank, who is known for their sustainable investment practices. Christina presented the forms for an online professional account, requiring signatures by Christina and Walter as designated operators of the account. The forms called for us to determine the maximum amount any individual could authorize. Euro 5,000 was agreed upon.
5. Meetings: While the Evolutionize It statutes call for annula meetings, the Board agreed to periodically meet via pre-scheduled conference calls using skype, as needed.

Income Opportunities:

1. Life in Africa products: while at Life in Africa, Christina purchased a stock of paper bead jewelry. Investment in one social enterprise feeds another - Evolutionize It is now selling the jewelry via a display at the HubShop in Rotterdam. In addition to what they have already received 10% of Evolutionize It's sales will go back to Life in Africa; 90% to the Evolutionize It account. We need to talk to an accountant about how to reflect the jewelry stock donation to Evolutionize It. Walter will make introduce the idea to his accountant to see if he can work with us.
2. Internet4Change training: Christina is developing a social media curriculum for social enterprises, which she will schedule into the summer school series at HubBrussels. Each class in the course will have a fee, with a discount offered for following the complete curriculum.
3. Collaboration Event Planning: Following success of the Feb Unconference experiment in Portland, Christina is discussing the development of a replicable event series with several potential partners. The model for this and other events should be self-sustaining, with event proceeds priced at levels that finance online media coordination and local partner facilitation.

Partnerships:

1. General: we agreed that partnerships/collaboration frameworks should be formally documented when possible. Those agreements are assets to the organization. David suggested that we separate out financial agreements from work agreements, giving room for money flows to grow/change in the future.
2. Ned.com: looking at possible co-branding agreement re: unconference series collaboration that includes more than ned.com user agreement.
3. Thrivable: is also a start-up, not yet formally incorporated. Memorandum of understanding can be enough for collaboration between Evolutionize It and Jean (Thrivable project founder), but if there are money flows then Evolutionize It takes the management lead.

(David left the meeting)

Long Term Projects

1. Micro-Success: income generating model for social enterprise collaboration. Objective for 2010 is to create, participate in and document collaboration experience; objective for 2011 is to develop/launch incentive systems that draw on lessons learned this year. Currently in progress: 6 month local social enterprise start-up support group (Brussels), planned for July-Dec: online social enterprise support group, possibly to work together toward commonly established objectives.
2. Internet4change: collaboration Agent/Agency concept for underconnected regions, to be developed by David/Christina for simultaneous implementation in Asia and Africa late 2012.

(Walter left the meeting)

Learning/Leadership Opportunities

Christina briefed Olivier on current learning/leadership opportunities, including

1. co-hosting the #4change chat
2. Participating with Radical Inclusion in planning of a Virtual Unconference
3. exploring potential collaboration with OpenKollab
4. presentation opportunity at OxfordJam

Other Business

Olivier had some excellent advice & observations to share.

1. Board Books: Need to start a file with all official documents and board meeting notes signed by 2 Exec members. Don't forget to include a signed page stating that the Board resolved to incorporate the organization.
2. Project selection process: if we want Evolutionize It to be a platform for launching collaboration-related projects, we will need to have a process through which projects are chosen, and a clear framework for project management work undertaken by a project's initiator. We will need to think about financial agreements and performance risk issues, in particular.
3. Performance Indicators: It would be useful to identify indicators for the various activities so that it will be easier for the Board (and others) to assess organizational performance. Indicators can be simple, like how many participants, trainees, events, partnerships, countries, etc. Set goals for the year and keep count; at a glance we'll be able to see what we are achieving or not achieving.

(meeting adjourned at 12:15pm)

What next? Board members please add your corrections in the comments section below. Comments from non-board members are also welcome, but will not be included in the printed notes included in the Evolutionize It Board books.