The Squidoo Difference

Are you Squidoo-ing?

If you're not familiar with the concept, here's a quick rundown. Your write about and link to stuff that interests you. This is called your 'lens' and is so named because it's how you see the world, and what you see when you look out there in all of the craziness.

Once you set up your lens about, say, baseball, John Larroquette, or the best practices for growing tulips, others can use your lens as a resource on the topic. The idea isn't that all of the info is contained on one page, but that your lens shows people where they can go for all of the info.

The best part is that ads run on your page, and you get to share the revenue from them. And, it's easy to earmark a part of your earnings for charity, which was one of the main reasons Seth Godin set it up.

Of course, we've set one up, dealing with changing the world.

Check us out.

The Collide

Rebecca Ryan has a great blog post about the Establishment vs. the Movement. As you can probably guess, the Establishment is used to refer to the old guard, who has the money and connections to get things off the ground and make them successful. The Movement is the renegade group of folks who have great ideas and energy for the next big thing. Ideally, these groups need to work together in order to get things done.

I bring this all up, because the collide of these two groups is interesting to watch. When they don't get together, they seem to have some sort of unhealthy animosity. But, when they can get together, the result is awesome. Rebecca cites Good Magazine and Cleveland’s Civic Innovation Lab as two good examples.

In today's economy, these groups will be meeting one another more and more. Sometimes, the meeting will be subtle, and at other times, you'll sit up straight and take notice.

Today, I had to submit a resume for some award thing. I don't really have a resume. I mean, I've worked places and done stuff, and I have put it all on paper at some point. In fact, just a few short years ago, I was firing off these puppies to any job opening I saw that looked halfway palatable as I desperately tried to escape my hotel gig. But since I landed in the nonprofit world, and especially since I started CoolPeopleCare, the search for work has ceased.

But, if for some reason I needed to begin applying and interviewing, I would hesitate to get the resume in order, unless I was applying for a gig that couldn't be showcased with the current tools of technology that serve as evidence of who I am, what I’ve done, where I’ve been, and what I could do for an organization.

Instead, I'd simply point them to what I’ve created. I'd send them links to my blog, my MySpace, my Facebook, and my Newsvine. A quick half hour spent looking at these sites will give someone an idea if I'm right for a creative position (again, if you want a rundown of my AV skills, you will need a resume).

So, because the Establishment (the award) and the Movement (me) were meeting, which would it be? Would I send a resume? Or would I send four links and possibly disqualify myself? Fortunately, the application allowed for bios, so that's what I sent. I told the story of where I've been, where I'm headed and why it matters.

From time to time, folks ask us as CoolPeopleCare if we're hiring. It's a funny question, because we're not exactly at a point where we can (or necessarily need to) expand staff. But, we're open to the possibility of any given moment and the reality that a very talented person could come across our path who can make us better at what we do. So, we usually tell folks to tell us more about themselves, send a resume if they want, and direct us to their Facebook and MySpace pages.

Employers already look at social networking sites (read Thomas Friedman's article in the New York Times today). And, many applicants get canned because organizations don't like what they see.

And, while many are quick to judge the Establishment for not understanding the Movement, the bigger reality is in the positive collision of the two. Instead of being upset that someone looked at their MySpace, the Movement needs to realize that their MySpace is their new resume (which is want a lot of them want anyway). So then, use the free tools of today to get that job or gig. The Movement isn't the Movement just because it complains about the hand the Establishment dealt. It's the Movement because it knows how to leverages its chip position to go all in.

And then the Movement wins the pot and becomes the Establishment, but we'll leave that for another post.

An Example of Good Feedback

I assume you know people who give terrible feedback. I don't mean that they give feedback that is bad. If we do something bad, we should know it's bad so we don't keep screwing things up. However, there is a way to give good feedback that is bad. Here's what I mean.

Bad feedback is:

That sucks. It will never work.

Such a comment, while possibly true, gives no corrective recommendation. If something sucks, please tell me. But, please tell me why.

Here's an example of good feedback, taken from CoolPeopleCare today. We wrote an article about refilling things around your house in order to keep trash out of landfills, mainly soap dispensers, ink cartridges, and water bottles. One of our users wrote:

Hi, Thanks for putting together such a great reminder every day!

I just got your email update today. Great idea with the refilling things!

However, I wanted to let you know that antibacterial handsoap, like other antibacterial things, are potentially creating a health-care crisis. Bacteria is becoming increasingly more resistant thanks to the surge in use of anitbacterial products, and a potential health crisis looms in the distance. It is also harmful to our watershed--please check out the Center for Disease Control for more infomation.

Again, thanks for such an encouraging website. Please keep the tips and suggestions coming!

Here's why this is awesome.

• The reader starts with a compliment that is honest. The writer is not blowing smoke - she genuinely likes what we do, and most days doesn't have issues with our suggestions.
• She clearly highlights the specific part of our article that may be incorrect.
• She clearly articulates what's incorrect and points to a source with the correct information.
• She closes in the affirmative again, reminding us that despite a small setback, we're doing a good job.

How do you give feedback? It's better for the giver and receiver if you're detailed and accurate.

What Generation Are You?

Penelope Trunk says to ignore your birth year and instead look around at what types of media and technology you use.

She's got a neat little quiz for you to try and figure out if you're a Boomer or an X'er.

I'm a Y.

We'll Hire Anybody

An article in the Palm Beach Post this morning discusses the difficulty that often ensues when a nonprofit tries to hire a top manager or executive director. According to this article, there is a shortage of quality leadership in the nonprofit sector, especially in southern Florida.

Consider this quote:

Nonprofit executives blame the leadership lag on several factors: the need for cultural sensitivity; finding people willing to work for less than what they would make in the corporate world; and the lack of succession plans, which often take a back seat to running the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit organization.

The best thing the nonprofit job marketplace has going for it is that is doesn't have to limit itself to only finding talent within the sector. If you're hiring for the top spot at a mid- to large-sized company, you going to have to have someone with years and years of business experience. But in the nonprofit world, you can take someone from another nonprofit, from the for-profit world, or even from the military, as one nonprofit did in the article.

This is possible because nonprofits are structured and operate today in ways that allow the nuances of the organization to be managed by a board (one of the few benefits of a board of directors). A new leader doesn't need to know the ins and outs of a 990. A new leader just needs to know how to lead, and leadership skills can be found anywhere.

If I were hiring for an executive director position, I would look for someone who can clearly articulate a vision and lead others to accomplish this vision. That's it. I'd require a one page resume, detailing an example or two of how this person did exactly that in the past. Then, for the interview, I ask each applicant to tell me the vision of my organization, and what they'd do in the next 36 months to take our board, employees, and clients there. Most inspiring vision and plan wins.

Good luck.

Rewind: Week of 6/18-6/22

Monday, June 18: Like an Old Box

Don't buy new boxes.

Tuesday, June 19: Juneteenth

No, it's not how your teenager plans meetings.

Wednesday, June 20: The Digital Workload

Here's how to really make your computer work for you.

Thursday, June 21: Soak Up Safety

A quick review of water rules keeps everyone safe.

Friday, June 22: Sports 4 All

Your old gear is a welcome gift for someone else.

That's What a First Draft Feels Like

I'm an outgoing, extroverted guy. That means that when I'm around people, I gain energy, as opposed to being drained. What drains me is when I'm alone, especially at a keyboard, plugging away.

But, finally, the first draft is complete. There's a still a ton of corrections/changes/edits to be done, so I'll be back, alone, typing away soon enough.

However, the official completion of a first drafts means that the countdown to the release of New Day Revolution: How to Save the World in 24 Hours is on.

130 days to go, and the first draft is DONE!

Will Young People Keep Wanting to Work at Nonprofits?

Ryan Healy writes today about why more and more young people don't want to work for a large, bureaucratic company. He makes very valid points that I agree with, many of which I saw during my brief stint at a very large company.

He suggests that while his peers may not all start their own companies, lots of them will opt to work for smaller businesses. Is the same true for large vs. small nonprofits?

Part of what led me to start CoolPeopleCare was the nearly daily occurrence of people who told me they wanted to work in the nonprofit sector. While many people were simply tired of the very things Healy points out, others wanted to feel like they were making a difference while making a living.

And I knew of several people who left the corporate world and now hold similar jobs at nonprofits. They took a pay cut, work a few more hours, pay more for insurance, and don't have a retirement plan. But, they couldn't be happier.

The nonprofit sector has had the highest job-growth rate since 2000 (as much as 10% by some accounts). People are donating more money and nonprofits are being started and are growing at an alarming rate. Will this sector fall into the same, bureaucratic trap that plagues large companies from attracting and retaining young talent?

It is entirely possible.

As any organization grows, there is a tendency to systematize procedures and policies so as to effectively manage budgets and people. But we all know this can be done badly and actually hinder progress. And this frustrates young people to no end.

When someone wants to get his or her job done, and doesn't have the right tools, or it takes too long to get the right approval, or when the age old excuse is thrown out of, "That's not how we've done it before" and a dream or good idea is shot down before it can be explained - that's the kind of crap no one can deal with. And it doesn't matter if your business is saving baby whales or clubbing them - no one will stand for that kind of inefficient crap.

(I sincerely hope you don't make money by clubbing baby whales. If you do, I hope you go out of business.)

So, nonprofits will rarely win the pay battle for young talent. But they can win the battle of independence and efficiency. If you create a working environment that allows young talent the change to grow and develop, if you provide this talent with the best tools for them to do the best work, then you'll be able to keep them, at least for a little while.

Until they go start their own thing.

Can Facebook Make Your Nonprofit Rich?

Erin Teeling at The Bivings Group has done a great analysis of the new Facebook Causes application in terms of its ability to raise money. While the application is still very new, Teeling wonders whether this tool is or ever will be a viable fundraising option for nonprofits or other organizations.

Teeling cites a few reasons why the application may not be a great tool to raise funds. One of these is the reality that the Facebook set doesn't have as much disposable income as say, someone twice their age who's been climbing the corporate ladder the last 20 years. While this might be true, and while a college junior won't write your organization a $50,000 check, I think this assumption is one that nonprofits don't need to make.

At CoolPeopleCare, we've found that people like to give, and like to feel passionate about something. We've found that people who make the least often give the most. If our recent user survey, folks in the bottom 40% in terms of income were in the top 20% of givers in terms of total amount donated to charity.

There's lots of reasons people give, and simply joining a Facebook group may not motivate anyone to donate dollars. But, if you can get a young person to believe in your issue and your cause, you just might have them for life. $20 may not be what you need to cover this fiscal year's shortfall, but if you get someone to a place where they're a loyal donor, your advocate and bought in at every level to what you're doing, then they'll be there down the road.

Unfortunately, lots of nonprofits focus on older, richer donors. What I think the Facebook application shows is that such a focus is shortsighted. As Teeling points out, advertisers and companies have been working hard to figure out how to get their products in front of Facebook's demographic. And that's why you may not make bundles trying to raise money on Facebook - you're competing for someone's $10 not just with other causes, but with iTunes, new releases, and The Gap, all of whom I assume have larger marketing budgets than yours.

My advice to nonprofits is to use Facebook, but to not rely on it to bring in dollars. Connect with the younger set, and get them on board in terms of awareness. These people communicate like no other generation has, and if they like what you're doing, they'll tell everyone of their online friends. What you won't make in dollars, you'll reap in awareness and recognition.

All the Latest Data

I read quite a few statistical reports from time to time, especially related to philanthropy and nonprofits. I'm even more intrigued when these discuss the relationship of technology or business to either of the above. Here are to examples from today:

• And from USC's Center for the Digital Future:

  Participation in online communities leads to social activism. Almost two-thirds of online community members who participate in social causes through the Internet (64.9 percent) say they are involved in causes that were new to them when they began participating on the Internet. And more than 40 percent (43.7 percent) of online community members participate more in social activism since they started participating in online communities.

• The Cassandra Report suggested that 29% of folks bought a product that donated a portion of the proceeds to a charitable cause. While pure consumerism isn't an alternative to philanthropy, it can help make the world a better place.

• You've got to be online. While this should be a no-brainer, your nonprofit must have an online presence of some sort not just in terms of a user-friendly Web site, but also in the worlds of online networking. But, don't spend a lot of time or money in this arena. Have a MySpace profile, but don't pay anyone to make it for you. Friend people you think may be interested in what you do, but don't use time that is better spent interacting in person with prospective donors or volunteers. People can and will find you through an online social network, so you need to be available, but you don't need to put all of your digital eggs in one electronic basket.
• The competition to be one of those charities that benefits from the purchases folks make at the mall is fierce and will only get fiercer. Red Campaigns are rare. But, you can align yourself with cause marketing initiatives in your community. Find a local restaurant or store and see if they'd be willing to donate a portion of sales on a particular day to your organization. You'll in turn promote what they're doing and help drive people to them. Even if it's only 5% of profits during happy hour, you'll have a little extra money and the beginnings of what could be a great relationship. Especially if people enjoy the experience and get online to tell others in their social network.

Rewind: Week of 6/11-6/15

Monday, June 11: Darn Roots

Getting to the root of the problem is the best solution.

Tuesday, June 12: What a Turn Off

As in what a turn off can mean for the environment.

Wednesday, June 13: Sit Down, Trade Up, Help Out

Goodwill and OfficeMax team up to reuse old chairs.

Thursday, June 14: They Are the World

They are the children.

Friday, June 15: Know Your Valve

Familiarizing yourself with your shut-off valve will save you bunches.

Rewind: Week of 6/4-6/8

Monday, June 4: Spare a Dime

Stop the cycle of poverty before it starts.

Tuesday, June 5: Hunger Awareness Day

Spend a day hungry.

Wednesday, June 6: Don't Pass Grass

It pays to be lazy.

Thursday, June 7: American Wasteland

Look at what we throw away.

Friday, June 8: A Box of Shoeboxes

Ship your shoes via Soles4Souls.

Book Review: A Slice of Organic Life

As soon as I took this book out of the mailbox, I wanted to read it. It looks good from the outside: bright colors, interesting pictures; clever title. There's at least enough there to make me want to open it and see what's inside. And when I did, I was taken aback by the beautiful photos and I was inspired by the informational content. All in all, A Slice of Organic Life is one of the best how-to's I've read on how to make the world a better place.

What I like most about this book is that it removes the excuses. There is no shortage of reasons why one can't make a difference, change the world, or help others. But, this book proves that no matter where you live, what you do, or how you like to live, you can (and should) think about what you're doing and how you're doing it.

For example, if you think you need to move out to a farm and take yourself off the grid to 'green' your life, think again. You can stay all nice and cozy in your 400 sq. ft. of an apartment and have an organic herb garden, make your own house cleaning products, or forage for wild greens. In short, you can keep living your life, make a few decisions differently, and voila! You've got a life that is good for the environment and your health.

But, if you do want to take the next step, keep reading. The book cleverly shows you how to leverage your living situation, your family size, or your own passions to be more organic. So, whether you bake bread or rear your own cows for milking, whether you make your own baby food or raise chickens, whether you collect rain or set up a windmill, this book shows you how to do it and what it means.

Ultimately, for any of us to change our behavior, we've got to have a compelling 'why.' And it's often easier to change if we know the 'how.' Luckily for us, A Slice of Organic Life gives both the how and the why with each idea offered. You've got detailed steps and photos to show you how to grow tomatoes in a pot, create a pond for wildlife, or make a smoothie.

A Slice of Organic Life is the perfect tool for anyone who wants to live greener, cook healthier, or try anything organically.

With a Little Help From Our Friends

We appreciate the help from everyone as we continue to add COOL cities all across this land.

We want to extend a special thanks to Jeff Rossini, who penned today's Five Minutes of Caring. Jeff contacted us in May and let us know how caring Phoenix is, so we added it to the launch list. And, we're glad we could feature his piece on the day we added his community.

As always, if you're interested in writing for us, just shoot us an email. We'll feature you're piece and send you a sweet decal for your car.

Rewind: Week of 5/28-6/1

Monday, May 28: Memorial Day

Take a moment and celebrate.

Tuesday, May 29: Jealous Much?

What a time waster.

Wednesday, May 30: Bake Free

Turn some cookie dough into some smiles.

Thursday, May 31: Solar Defense Mechanism

Also known as sunscreen.

Friday, June 1: Genie in a Bottle?

Water is magical.

We're a Needle

Marketing guru Seth Godin posted about the concept of markets yesterday. It'll take you about 4 minutes to read the post, and is worth it.

Go read it. We'll wait...

...

...

Cool.

So, the question we ask ourselves here at CoolPeopleCare is, to whom are we currently selling our site/philosophy and do we foresee that changing?

Our answer, is as follows:

Currently CoolPeopleCare is marketing to the "one." We are the "needle" and the potential audience is a vast and prickly "haystack."

With each city we roll out, we're tossing our ever-self-sharpening needle-self into the haystack that is a new community of potential believers and "CoolPeople." And as is the case with the corporeal needle/haystack simile, it will take some time for individuals to find us.

We will employ some standard marketing techniques (advertising and press releases) but also rely heavily on the viral push from friends and recent "cool" converts. And short of being mentioned on dailykos.com or lifehacker.com, the search for the needle will be a slow, steady journey.

We can "shun the non-believers" all along the way and carve out our "exceptional" existence regardless of our target. And hopefully by doing so we will move surely from an audience of one, to an audience of a few more, and maybe, just maybe, one day an audience of most/all.