Doing is essential to the Wise Economy Workshop model — pontificating on these issues without working on them would provide little value, and at best, pretty stale insights.
In recent years, the Wise Economy Workshop’s Doing has shifted away from conventional consulting work, and toward initiatives that have the potential to move the needle on community resilience in ways that I couldn’t accomplish as a consultant — or without great partners.
Here’s some of the Doing that I have been working on:
Trep House
Trep House is an emerging virtual superhub for New Majority founders and small business owners (New Majority means Black or other minority, Millenial and GenZ). Trep House offers members worldwide a range of learning, community support, services, coaching and mentoring, evaluation and venture-raising resources in a comprehensive, wraparound system designed to accelerate business growth and wealth creation. Della serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Trep House.
Trep House is looking for communities, universities and businesses that are ready to support their New Majority founders. Interested? Let me know.
Power Plant
The Power Plant platform is a service of Econogy. Power Plants are innovation hubs that combine local students with community members to accelerate innovative products and services, grow the local economy and retain highly qualified young people at the same time. Learn more about the Power Plant model here. Della is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Econogy.
→ We’re looking for a community/higher education partnership that’s ready to pilot this model in the post-COVID world. Let’s talk.
Advantage Development Systems
ADS is a curriculum for facilitated peer groups of small business owners to help them work together on continuous improvement of their business operations. ADS circles can operate in any industry, and they can consist of business owners in the same community, or business owners in different communities who are in the same industry. Circles are facilitated by an experienced business leader who is trained on the materials and the process. Members can participate for multiple years and get benefit from it every time.
ADS ran several successful circles in the independent garden center industry pre-COVID.
→ We’re looking for organizations that would like to support the creation of ADS circles in the community or industry you care about. Let’s talk.
Local Tech Emporium
For a couple of decades, I’ve been interacting with, guiding and occasionally trying to build online technology that enables community leaders to find and select the software solutions they need. I’m currently developing a central site for people who are looking for local software solutions, whether for buying conveniently from local businesses, engaging residents in local decisions, or more. When completed, the site will have unbiased information on the product and the company, a product-matching system, and customer reviews.
→ We’re looking for sponsors interested in supporting the build-out, as well as informed local decision-makers for the Advisory Board. Let’s talk.