Archive for the ‘Vision’ Category

We’re Number Two!

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

I read an Associated Press release on Yahoo today that announces the U.S. slipping in global competitiveness to #2.

In 2005 Finland held the top spot, which the U.S. grabbed in 2006, and held on to until edged out by Switzerland this year.

But “Given that the financial crisis originated in large part in the United States, it is hardly surprising that there has been a weakening of the assessment of its financial market sophistication.”

Yep, hardly surprising, but the article fails to mention something that is. Have you spotted it yet?

Here’s another clue. “Singapore came third, followed by Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Canada and the Netherlands.”

Is it jumping out at you?

Think about the national debate in the U.S. around the economic crisis, and our two-party approach to solving it.

The U.S. likes to paint things black and white. Right and wrong. Left and right. You may have heard critics to the political right of our current President spreading the fear of “creeping Socialism”, claiming that we are trending closer towards an economic and global doomsday because of it.

Without getting into that debate take a look at the current top 10 “strong economies” as listed above. How many of them are considered “Capitalist” vs. “Socialist”? Can you clearly name them, and would others agree with you? Is the answer really as simple as “Capitalism” vs. “Socialism”?

Check out my Independence Day blog for my take on this question.

GoHuman.com offers a model that is outside these labels. Our vision is quite simple. A free, equal access marketplace, based on transparent reputation, to enable a restructuring of our economic system from the ground up.

Further, our business model leverages the latest technologies and trends in a platform that rewards those that contribute value to it. The principles of fairness, equality and integrity are more important to us than amassing wealth and gaining advantage over others.

We know we’ve got a ways to go to achieve this vision and these lofty goals, but we’re putting it out there. We’d also like to know how you think we’re doing.

And, of course, help us spread the word :)

Swiss Flag

Swiss Flag

Let’s Get America Working Again

Saturday, September 5th, 2009

I love a good play on words.

GoHuman.com’s primary tagline is “change the way your world works”, highlighting our mission at an individual and a collective level.

In today’s blog I’m at it again, referring back to yesterday, where I quoted a respected investment newsletter using its own play on words about there being more labor than jobs.

We can change that. We can fix it.

As our leaders work to deal with the impact of the recent financial train wreck, we at GoHuman.com are launching a site we believe will empower you to help correct the problem from the bottom up.

GoHuman.com provides a fast, free way for you to find work that needs doing, and do it, or to hire someone to help you get something done that you need help with. And it does this efficiently and inexpensively, making projects large or small economically feasible. Many of the costs that do not contribute to the actual value of the service performed are removed from the equation. This can create more opportunity for valuable work to get done, kick-starting the micro economies we all participate in at the local level.

With lower marketing and advertising costs, for example, gohuman.com can connect you quickly and efficiently to the actual task that needs doing, making it easier for someone else to pay you a wage, or fee, in accordance with the time, materials and craftsmanship it will take you to perform the service, in a win/win arrangement.

This is but one of the ways in which gohuman.com can get America working again. As we grow our userbase in each local community the impact to the overall economy will increase – one job at a time.

So get vocal about local. Help us spread the word, and let’s get America working again.

strike

Flip for Your Community Video Camera Contest

Friday, September 4th, 2009

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Labor Sunday, we’re giving away one Flip video camera each week from Labor Day to Halloween. Enter by signing up at GoHuman.com and creating a posting for a service you provide or need in your community and/or giving or receiving an endorsement. The more you do on the site, the greater your chances of winning each week. We hope to see the winners use their cameras to create videos telling the world about their favorite local businesses in our Million Dollar Video Contest.

Visit http://GoHuman.com/launch on Labor Day for information on how to enter.

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Not Enough Work to Go Around This Labor Day

Friday, September 4th, 2009

Money and Markets features “The unbiased market commentary you won’t get from Wall Street”. The truth is, in the human sphere there is no such thing as a lack of bias. This is why the “Free Market” is a myth. The markets are guided, if not controlled, by powerful parties and biases. But I like the newsletter from moneyandmarkets because they do give you clear opinions of great value that you won’t get elsewhere. That’s why I subscribe to Martin D. Weiss’ newsletter. And the title of this blog is the headline of today’s featured article by Mike Larson. It’s definitely worth a read.

And, you can do something about it, even if you’re not in a position to take investment positions. All you need to do is click on share to spread the blog about our launch contest on Labor Day. GoHuman.com provides a means to get our economy moving again – by connecting real people with real people who have what each other needs, and get them busy working with each other in the local community, from within a Marketplace that is both integrated and sustainable.

This is different from the large, global institutions designed to aggregate value at the top, to be siphoned off by a few, while disenfranchising those at the bottom. Every so often this unbalanced, unsustainable approach, fueled by outsized greed and lust for power, results in an implosion. Sometimes such implosions result in the extinction of a species.

Think of the dinosaurs – and the T. Rex with monstrous jaws and tiny, useless arms. They devour, but they can not create value. Some of us are more like the Lemmings, who reproduce so quickly they create unsustainable communities that plummet to near extinction, or produce the famous cliff-jumping scenes.

The unbiased truth about this Labor Day is that there’s no lack of work that needs done – but today’s structures and systems are not sustainable, so companies are not opening up new positions. There are lots of openings in the GoHuman.com marketplace. Hang out your shingle and get to work :)

We hope you’ll join us – you CAN change the way your world works. Click share and help us spread the word!

They're not yet extinct

They’re not yet extinct

Meet a GoHuman.com Co-founder in L.A. at our Friday Launch Lunch!

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

I’m going to be in Los Angeles right before our Labor Day Launch (actually I’m splitting Labor Day between our two largest launch markets – L.A. and Chicago).

Please join me for an informal lunch in Culver City to celebrate this momentous occasion and kick-off our Flip for Your Community Contest. I’d love to meet as many GoHuman.com friends as possible. No need to RSVP, feel free to come as you are. Here is the info:

Friday, September 4, at 12PM Noon
Industry Cafe And Jazz
6039 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232-7425
(310) 202-6633‎

See you there!
Andy

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Give people clean drinking water

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Charity: water helps millions of people drink clean water. It’s amazing to hear the story of how something starting so small can inspire people to give so much. Find out how you can help.

Why do I do this?

Friday, August 28th, 2009

On the surface I’m a typical white American male. Dig deeper and you’ll find that I was born in Canada and have lived in 7 countries. Some of my formative years were spent in Sweden, a “socialist” country bordering on the Soviet Union, during the Cold War years.

We didn’t follow regional basketball and baseball, we watched Sweden compete in Soccer and Hockey with countries that had opposing ideological, political, social and economic systems. My Swedish cousin used to joke that the Russian ships patrolling the Baltic borders were Keeping people from flooding into the “Worker’s Paradise”. I am fascinated by these differences, how they affect the individual, and the societies they produce.

Throughout history people have tried a variety of economic models, social systems and government structures, with mixed results. The Internet has enabled new experiments that leverage the “voice of the people” and democracy in new ways. In the US the Internet has played an increasing role in determining who can become a presidential candidate and, most recently, who gets elected.

I believe in the power of the individual, communities, and nations to achieve self determination, create change, and control their destiny. GoHuman.com addresses change up and down economic and power pyramids. It provides new ways of working and being compensated at the micro and macro level. It provides new ways of connecting, working and relating – one-on-one or in larger circles, in new, innovative, and positive ways. And I believe that as its adoption rate increases, it will produce real, lasting change.

GoHuman.com is not just “social networking”. It harnesses the power of the latest technology advancements of the human race, and pushes the envelope of integrating these into our daily lives, our economic philosophy, and our social structure. GoHuman.com has the power to improve the equality and dignity of individuals and communities across socio-economic boundaries, while celebrating their unique and cultural characteristics.

I believe in GoHuman.com’s primary tagline – that you can use it to change the way your world works. As John Lennon said in one of his most famous songs, “Imagine” “You might say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.”

Wade Fransson
GoHuman.com Co-Founder

Me and my gal

Me and my gal

Why do I do this?

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

This world is critically unbalanced. I truly believe that GoHuman.com has the power to help rebuild local economies by rewarding the businesses who perform the best work and work to develop worthwhile relationships with customers. Large corporations can’t compete with the individualized and specialized service that a local service provider can provide, yet communities all over the country are feeding these huge entities with seemingly no way out.

GoHuman.com is a way out. But it’s more than that. It’s a way to collaborate and empower individuals who desire a flexible work life and higher quality of life. People with multiple skills and services can use GoHuman.com to represent themselves without creating multiple businesses or renting office space. As we build the site, we we construct tools that allow all independent businesses and service providers to convey their administrative and sales activities as professionally as they complete the quality work performed. We will help people form ad-hoc work groups as needed to perform any number of flexible tasks and projects. We give businesses a way to express themselves and build reputation unlike any other site.

GoHuman.com encourages a culture that doesn’t expect perfection, but understands we are all human and we all make mistakes. What matters is our willingness to make it right when things go wrong. To support each other and progress together. Those who provide value to this site and their community will be rewarded for their integrity, skill, and effort.

My entire life I’ve done what I can to fight against the prevalent greed in our society, believing that we can’t just chock it up to “human nature.” Recently I’ve become convinced that Web technology holds the power to re-distribute some of that wealth among people who need it the most. Finally I found a group of people who not only share this vision, but are willing and able to work with me to develop technology and culture to make a real difference.

Each of us has the power to change the world. I’m trying to do that through GoHuman.com, and I challenge each of you to do the same. Join us in the movement towards change and help make the world better for everyone.

Andy Swindler
GoHuman.com Co-Founder

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Declaration of Independence – 2009!

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

In 1776 The U.S. of A. established itself as an independent entity.  Arguably, what has made this nation great, is the balance of power vested in three seperate branches of government.  This enabled the human resources of this continent to govern themselves without one person or group gaining undue control and influence.  Today the corporations of this planet are larger than governments, and their enormous wealth and power has usurped this balance.

In the last 18 months, even those who believe in “free markets” have become painfully aware of the extent to which greed and corporate influence  dominate the planet.  People are seeing through the “free market illusion” created by those in control, like the Vegas operators who paint the sky on Casino ceilings to keep players gambling day and night.

It’s time to declare economic independence and establish a new financial order.

Background!

Between 2004 and 2007 I headed up Strategic Planning for Countrywide’s Administration and Real Estate, writing approved plans for over a Billion dollars in capital and operational budget so the company could grow from 30,000 to 60,000 employees.  I left in disgust in February 2007, writing an MBA paper comparing Countrywide Culture to the Mafia.

In the February 23, 2009 issue of Time, Angelo Mozilo – former CEO of Countrywide, is listed as the #1 person to blame for the financial systems meltdown. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court, accusing Mozilo of making more than $139 million in profits in 2006 and 2007 as a result of exercising 5.1 million stock options.

This is by far not the only example I’ve personally seen of how executives abuse their position to extract value from  companies and shareholders they supposedly serve.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Global Capitalism, as practiced today, creates pyramid structures from which the rich and powerful at the top suck enormous amounts of value, at the expense of the disenfranchised workers at the bottom.

Here’s another example.  I have invested in a few single family rental homes in an inexpensive part of the country, and have a FICO score in the 700s.  One of these houses is worth twice the current loan amount,  and I need $25,000 in cash to pay down debt related to relocating to Madison, WI and the birth of our daughter. For 3 years I’ve been applying for an $80,000 refinance loan, submitting reams of documentation, tax returns, etc. to accompany four applications in excess of 15 pages, all of which have been denied.

With the recent tightening of credit I’ve given up, as banks keep raising the bar on what it takes to get a loan. Along with millions of my fellow Americans I am now paying credit card rates because banks will not perform their historical function of lending money against assets.

In contrast to this, the February 16 issue of Fortune magazine explains that 300 banks have received $314 Billion dollars of taxpayer bailout money, (TARP funds) by filling out a two page application. These funds were intended to be lent to people like you and me, who are negatively impacted by greedy and foolish business practices of financial institutions and the resulting tightening of  credit.

Having been rescued with tax dollars, banks are desperately trying to pay the funds back early, because TARP rules limit the amount of pay to executives.  They say these rules make them non-competetive.  They say they are doing us a favor.  Words fail me!

What are we doing about it?

GoHuman is a dot com that focuses on the individuals that form the economic backbone of our society.  A zip-code based deployment and business model enable an interconnected, integrated marketplace at the local level, so small business owners and their customers can “just say no” to the powerful elite that seek to control and dictate each local transaction while siphoning off value through the top of obscenely large corporations.

GoHuman.com leverages the grass roots power of Web 2.0 Social Networking to correct inequity from the ground up.  We have inverted the pyramid structure, and are keeping big players out of this community until you, the businesses and consumers operating at the GROUND LEVEL, stake your claim to a more equitable model.

Our platform helps working people focus more of their time and energy on the areas where they create value, while benefitting all stakeholders in an equitable, sustainable community.  GoHuman.com’s business model pays the people who create the value, and its growth model is to give itself away to those who build it.All who help build it share in the enormous value created.

What does GoHuman.com sell?

GoHuman.com is Software as a Service, (SaaS) delivered via the web. The scale of our platform, coupled with the Internet, and the effectiveness of our business model, provides inexpensive solutions that increase the ability, profitability, and viability of our customers, the small local busineses across North America, that are run by real people serving real people.

Individuals and the smallest of small businesses use the site for free.  As businesses grow with the community, GoHuman.com offers the tools needed for continued excellence, growth and sustainability for a monthly software subscription fee.  Other products are under development to be rolled out at Launch.

How will it gain momentum?

Our Pioneer Program allows you to share in the success of GoHuman.com and rewards you along the way. The program is built around the concept of turning this giveaway into a viral growth platform.  Pre-launch on Independence Day leads to our Launch on the 100 Year anniversary of Labor Sunday.

Where do you start?

Join GoHuman.com for free right now.  Or just spread the word about GoHuman.com to others near and dear to you.

The GoHuman.com team can’t wait to have you join us in making the world work better.

Welcome

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

Welcome to GoHuman.com! We’re excited to be two months from our Labor Day launch and kick off the blog to provide you with updates from the GoHuman.com team.

GoHuman.com is an online marketplace connecting consumers with small, local businesses. We believe the strength of America lies with individuals who use their diverse talents to provide localized services and aim to provide a low-cost platform for local online marketing and business growth.

Easy to use, GoHuman.com allows individuals and small businesses to create their own customizable ‘pages.’ You can search for these local services by zip code and category. GoHuman.com also provides advanced reputation features that represent the quality of service offered over time so you can make educated decisions.

Stay tuned as we work together to change the way your world works.

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