Future Story Lab

10/31/2024

I wrote this on October 31 2020...

Dare to step into your true story.
Dare to hold the door open for others to do the same.
Dare to move past the outrage, transforming it from fiery anger into welcoming warmth.
Dare to look at the grief underlying the outrage.
Dare to see yourself in others.
Dare to commit to a shared story of future for all, no exceptions.
Dare to allow everyone to dream.
Then wake up and do the work.

Regardless of the outcome, the morning after is when the real work begins.

10/26/2024

I wrote this in January 2021, and brought it up at Hanae Bezad's book signing last night as we were all discussing how to create shared value from transformation. Places of engagement come in many forms ranging from the local grocery store, to 'third places' and books or poems. It's anywhere that we exchange wealth in its many forms with others.

"We have been entrained to reduce our interactions with each other to economically measurable transactions, e.g., monetary capital for goods and services. This devalues the additional, invisible capitals in play that brought us to that point: attention, relationship, time, trust and wisdom, aka the ‘keystone capitals’ in our economic ecosystem."

We need places of engagement to grow community health & wealth

10/25/2024

I wrote this in April 2018. Long before the poetry journey began in 2021, leading to The Awakening Story, Fears to Feathers, the Garden of Poetic Delight, with many more to come.

The most surprising part of this journey has been the recent opportunities to work with Outlier and GTG.Online.

"We are shaped by experiences both internal and external and the story of what’s next comes through us in many forms. All are valid and needed so bring forward your words, share your vision and don’t be surprised when you find yourself in a whole new story of what’s possible."

During my wanderings on the internet I found the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis which backs up my theory:

10/21/2024

Community Renaissance Market logo made its facebook debut 13 years ago today. Created by Kelly Blanscet and Liam Kernell, it perfectly embodied the mission of CRM and continues to inspire the community economic solutions in play today. CRM closed back in 2011, but still holds a unique place in Austin history.

"CRM was ahead of its time and, as such, was not a financial winner in the short term, but the stories begun in an abandoned grocery store have continued to grow. Many of the businesses are still operating in new locations, lifelong connections between those brave souls who took a chance on themselves and others are flourishing and a the seed of an idea has continued to blossom & grow." ~ Developing CRM v2.14 https://guruth.medium.com/2021-developing-crm-v2-14-7d8e298c8b45?sk=f3ea8dda28342d391056609d9a0d86ca

09/19/2024

I wrote this 12 years ago. After Keith had been gone over 2 years, before my work with Choctaw Nation and almost a decade before I met Kent Dahlgren and Trudy Martinez of 214 Alpha.

All those experiences deepend my belief that we need to build community that cares *about* us in meaningful ways.

When I learned more about the 214 Alpha platform, I realized that it was what was needed to guide local governance of household level wealth building enterprises. It's the tool that supports the mantra of underlying our nexties learning lab and the Bene Esse vision.

"With the addition of the 214 Alpha platform, it’s simple to create a virtual marketplace and root the neighborhood economic ecosystem as the brick and mortar community marketplace is being built out." ~ Tending the Economic Garden: The 5 Stages of Rooted Economic Growth, Dec 2021

https://guruth.medium.com/2021-tending-the-economic-garden-fefbcdcd853e?sk=2f8a7270a1773b7b6e5dccdd3b3be5a1

09/11/2024

This message came up in a conversation this morning. I wrote this in 2021, the imagery is part of The Awakening Story collection of poetry and is designed by Kelly Blanscet of Graphic Granola.

"We Believe the Economic Revolution Begins at Home

That’s why we’re creating this virtual community marketplace, which not only enables your home-based business to thrive, but also empowers your community. 214 Alpha is activating an online app with a 24–7 virtual marketplace designed to value communities.

This program is grassroots, DIY, hyper-local, self-funding, self-governing, and strengthens local economies. And we’d like you to join our pilot project flagship team by selling your own side-hustle products or services in the community marketplace."

The Tannehill Marketville Collective has been on hold as we have focused on living the model ourselves and as the world has grown into readiness for this solution. This is where Sophie Beilinson and I wil be selling our incredible chocolate, Trudy Martinez has handmade children's clothing, and other neighbors will be able to market their own crafts, foods and whatever else they're making at home, while growing their community wealth in a time that our neighbors are our first responders when we need help.

https://guruth.medium.com/2021-tending-the-economic-garden-fefbcdcd853e?sk=2f8a7270a1773b7b6e5dccdd3b3be5a1

More info in the comments...

The 5 Stages of Rooted Economic Growth

09/04/2024

From September 4 2020...

It's taken longer than expected, but we're still working on the Anti-Fragile Playbook!

"The goal is an engaged community organized to coordinate the local capacities for learning & earning, activating the potential of arts, crafts, food production and funding assets. All of this is rooted in the mission of triggering a continual stream of commercially viable innovative products and integrated systems. And, most importantly, producing & keeping wealth local so that the neighborhood becomes anti-fragile."

Putting the Neighbor back in the ’Hood (red sweater optional)

09/01/2024

I wrote this on Labor Day weekend in 2020. It's a timely reminder for me as I revisit the mission of Future Story Lab to seed, root and grow sustainable community with a focus on :

"One of the core elements of Future Story Lab is the Women’s Wisdom Web where FundHer Network and opportunities will be explored & activated. I envision a series of hubs throughout the US run by the amazing, brilliant, compassionate women I know so they can root & grow their own economic garden. Ultimately, “It’s a simple plan: meet women where they are, give them better tools and the support structures needed to root & grow thriving economies locally.”

So, here we are in month 6 of the Covid-19 reset, on Labor Day 2020.

08/24/2024

On August 24 2011, Community Renaissance Market received this proclamation from the City of Austin thanks to former City Council member Laura Morrison.

"During the current economic downturn, CRM is on an upswing -- revitalizing an old building, creating community and positioning more people for a sustainable financial future."

We can all feel the economic landscape changing and the time is coming for a reboot of CRM. Whether it comes forward as The Grassroots Marketplace, Tannehill Marketville Collective or under another name, the mission will be the same: provide a place for people to get started. We've been acculturated to try to become millionaires, however the truth is that most folks could change their lives with an additional $500/month.

"With the addition of the 214 Alpha platform, it’s simple to create a virtual marketplace and root the neighborhood economic ecosystem as the brick and mortar community marketplace is being built out.

The platform allows the seeding, rooting and growing of the invisible ‘keystone capitals’ needed to complement and multiply the ‘hard’ capitals such as money, real estate and other resources that can be objectively measured for value." ~ Developing CRM v2.14

https://guruth.medium.com/2021-developing-crm-v2-14-7d8e298c8b45?sk=f3ea8dda28342d391056609d9a0d86ca

08/18/2024

Community Renaissance Market received a Proclamation from the City of Austin on August 18 2011 and declared our official first anniversary to be August 24 2011

"During this current economic downturn, CRM is on an upswing -- revitalizing an old building, creating community and positioning more people for a sustainale financial future."

At the time I was still recovering from Keith's death in 2010 and made a lot of business mistakes as I wasn't fully present, but the heart of the CRM mission was always clear: create a place for people to take the first step into their future with the support of a community.

It wasn't till a decade later that I could see that even though CRM was a financial failure, it fulfilled its mission and, therefore, was actually a success. Being gifted that new perspective by Kent Dahlgren and Trudy Martinez was a game changer.

In 2021, I wrote this article about 'CRM v2.14', which has been on the back burner for a few years. It feels like it's time to bring it forward as a SLOW Tech incubator/marketplace. Clearly I'm following my own advice: Move SLOW and fix things.

"With the addition of the 214 Alpha platform, it’s simple to create a virtual marketplace and root the neighborhood economic ecosystem as the brick and mortar community marketplace is being built out.

The platform allows the seeding, rooting and growing of the invisible ‘keystone capitals’ needed to complement and multiply the ‘hard’ capitals such as money, real estate and other resources that can be objectively measured for value."

https://guruth.medium.com/2021-developing-crm-v2-14-7d8e298c8b45?sk=f3ea8dda28342d391056609d9a0d86ca