Looking for entrepreneurs to lead relocalization of economy

[John Sechrest]

Hello,

I would like to ask you a favor. In our efforts to bring more vitality into our local economy, we have been working on facilitating the starting of local businesses to address some of our local opportunities. While we are doing several things with tech startups ( see Corvallis Startup Weekend - http://corvallis.startupweekend.org  and the Willamette Angel Conference - http://www.willametteconference.com ) , there are two other opportunities which I would like to ask your help with. We believe that there are some opportunities in the local food production and in local value added wood products. We have local resources and infrastructure that could be revitalized to support new business and jobs in these areas.

What I am having a hard time finding is people who are able and willing to engage in the process of starting a new business. If you have a family member, or a neighbor or a business aquantance who might be interested in starting a food processing business or a value added wood products business, I would very much like to know who they are, and for them to know who I am.

Can you take a moment, think about anyone you think might want to start a business and then introduce me to them?

It would help our relocationation efforts a great deal if we had a bevy of enthusiastic entrepreneurs working to start new businesses. I have several opportunities where I can help them move forward farther and faster.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.


--
John Sechrest          .        
Corvallis Benton        .            
   Chamber Coalition      .          
      420 NW 2nd                   .        
             (541) 757-1507              . sech...@corvallisedp.com
                                                                     .        
                                                                                   .

[MODRELL Linda L]

I think the best place to inquire is with the farmers, farmers’ market, Extension, and the RC & D.

 

Linda

 

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[Dave Lundahl]

Hi John, et. al.

 

It takes a community. 

 

You need first and foremost the venture capitalists and secondly public support.  I do not know if you have either.  Assemble these two and the entrepreneurs will come.  

 

You should speak with Dennis Anderson.  Dennis is an entrepreneur that has come as close to anyone I know to local startup success in the food industry.  He had patents, proof of concept for processing and packaging fresh fruit, exceptionally good business ideas, world-class food industry knowledge, and state-backed start-up funding. Could not get venture funding.

 

You should also speak with Andrew Martin (740-5431).  He is an extremely frustrated guy right now fighting county zoning issues.  He has both money to invest and interest - but lacks public support.

 

Dave

 

David Lundahl, President and CEO

InsightsNow, Inc.
P 541-757-1404 x202
F 541-757-1402
C 541-602-3419
David....@InsightsNow.com
www.InsightsNow.com

NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or believe that you may have received this communication in error, please reply to the sender indicating that fact and delete the copy you received. In addition, you should not print, copy, retransmit, disseminate, or otherwise use the information. Thank you.

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From: MODRELL Linda L [mailto:Linda.L...@Co.Benton.OR.US]
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 1:56 PM
To: John Sechrest; tr...@lists.oregonstate.edu; corvallis-entr...@googlegroups.com; corvallis-city-club
Subject: RE: [city-club] Looking for entrepreneurs to lead relocalization of economy

[John Sechrest]

On Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 2:22 PM, Dave Lundahl <dave.l...@insightsnow.com> wrote:

Hi John, et. al.

 

It takes a community. 

 

You need first and foremost the venture capitalists and secondly public support.  I do not know if you have either.  Assemble these two and the entrepreneurs will come.  

I have been working on the capitalization, that is why we put together the Willamette Angel Conference - http://www.willametteconference.com

The next one is on May 13th in Eugene this year. And we are already pulling together the resources for it and it is going well.

We also have the City, the county, the EVP process and the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition process all saying that they want to see this kind of thing happen. So we have people saying they want to see it happen in the community

 

 

You should speak with Dennis Anderson.  Dennis is an entrepreneur that has come as close to anyone I know to local startup success in the food industry.  He had patents, proof of concept for processing and packaging fresh fruit, exceptionally good business ideas, world-class food industry knowledge, and state-backed start-up funding. Could not get venture funding.

Yes, I have already talked with Dennis and I understand this process.

 

 

You should also speak with Andrew Martin .  He is an extremely frustrated guy right now fighting county zoning issues.  He has both money to invest and interest - but lacks public support.

 Yes, I am actively engaged in this question and I understand the problem. We say we want to see things happen and then the process we have in place breaks things and makes it more expensive all the way around.

[jef jelten]

I have to agree with Dave and would add that it is even worse than that at this time.

We are in the beginning innings of a deflationary depression which means heavy, ongoing unemployment, demand destruction, surplus goods, price wars, etc. All of which makes this the worst possible environment for small, localized productive business startup. Investors know this. This is a National dynamic and possibly international except for a few exceptions.

Basically what that means is you need to either get funding from sources who are willing to wait a long time for return with very high risk (good luck), or develop something that will fit in with a large corporations plans and get them to fund it, (not localization though), or get the government to fund it outright and unless you are in finance, insurance, or real estate, (or maybe alt energy) you will not get full funding.

It simply is no longer about the "next hot thing" and it is not even about the next "green" thing, it's about covering your thing.

How do I know this? I have been talking to many high powered people from Seattle to Santa Barbara and believe me 2010 is going to be one for the record books.

Cheers!

Jef Jelten
SunSavor
541-758-0793
cell-231-3910
gr...@peak.org

[chateaust...@att.net]

Having been Executive Director of the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority until my retirement a year and a half ago, I have a bit of experience in this area and may be able to add something to the discussion.

 

First question.  Why should anybody want to try to start a new business in the Willamette Valley?  I'm serious.  What's in it for them?  If you can't show someone the advantages to them - personally! - of starting a business here, then don't expect them to listen.

 

Two-thirds of all start-up enterprises fail in the first five years.  Fact.  Venture capitalists know this and factor it into their calculations - they won't invest in any enterprise which does not have spectacular profit potential since their few homeruns have to pay for their many strikeouts.  Neither the food industry nor the value-added wood products industry have the level of profit potentials that will interest any serious venture capitalist.  We've been around that horn many times in Washington state.

 

Also the typical "angel" wants the entrepreneur to have shaken down family and friends to invest up to the hilt, to have mortgaged their house and maxed out their credit cards into the enterprise.  It has to be made very, very difficult for the entrepreneur to walk away from the business when times get tough (as they inevitably will).   It's only going to survive with hard, hard work when there's no alternative except ruin.

 

Good business ideas are a dime a dozen.  The managerial skills to bring them to fruition are as rare as hen's teeth.  Any private financial source will concentrate on the managerial skills of the entrepreneur - these are the make-or-break issues; enterprises typically fail not on lack of financing, but on lack of good management.  It is politically impossible for any public financing source to properly evaluate management ("You didn't fund me because I'm a [fill in the blank].") which is why public financing is a lousy idea.

 

Starting your own business takes a certain level of insanity.  I know; I've done it.  The rewards are immense (there's nothing better than being the boss of your own business), but they come at a very high cost.  I often joked that if I was ever invited to a costume party in Olympia, I'd go dressed as a Payroll.  It would be a unique experience for all the government types who'd never had to meet one before.  There's nothing scarier than sitting in a deal closing on Friday afternoon knowing if it doesn't close then, you won't be able to meet the payroll or pay the rent on Monday.  Been there, done that.

 

Yeah, all the usual "community leaders" have signed on.  They always do.  Doesn't cost them anything and there's big upside for them (jobs, taxes).

 

Talk's cheap, however.  In case you hadn't noticed, the state legislature has passed a "soak the rich"  ("rich" apparently means anybody who's managed to make a success of their business) tax package.  Including a gross receipts tax which, as anyone who's worked in economic development in Washington state will tell you, is an A-1 strangler of early-stage enterprises.  Three-quarters of all small-to-medium sized business investment is from retained earnings (you didn't know that?  Why didn't you?) - all that income the "rich" are getting.  Tax that away and business investment dries up - along with any incentive to start a business in the first place.  This should not be difficult to understand, but apparently it is.

 

Nobody starts a business to create jobs or pay taxes (although they will tell you that if they think it's in their interest to do so)  -  they start businesses to MAKE MONEY!  Help them to do so and you'll attract them.  Make it more difficult and they will go somewhere else where it's easier.  Oregon is currently saying "Go somewhere else."

 

If someone really, truly IS an entrepreneur, they know all that already.  And are going to start a business anyway (I LOVE 'em for it!).  They don't need (or want) help.  But they are very sensitive to hindrance.  Let's make them welcome.  And realize words alone ain't going to hack it.  These men and women are from Missouri - you've got to show them!  Are we?

 

Jonathan Hayes

541-752-0498

chateaust...@att.net

-------------- Original message from jef jelten <gr...@peak.org>: --------------

[DALE COBERLY]

good to hear the brave entrepreneurs will only fund spectacular profit potentials.  after all why would we want ordinary businesses.  big big big, that's the way wall street brought us our current wonderful economy.  speaking of which, i wonder if they are counting those 2/3's failures when they brag about the efficiencies of free enterprise.

just thought i'd throw that out because the letter below really annoyed me when it turned out to be a political advertisement.  tell you what...  all those businesses that don't want to settle down and pay taxes for a civilized community...  i'd just as soon they stayed in vegas.

and mr executive director can keep his one-line ideas.  i have to cope with a considerably more complex world than can be summed up in the  cliches that have been ruining this country for the past thirty years.

On Nov 30, 2009, at 7:31 PM, chateaust...@att.net wrote:

Having been Executive Director of the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority until my retirement a year and a half ago, I have a bit of experience in this area and may be able to add something to the discussion.

 

First question.  Why should anybody want to try to start a new business in the Willamette Valley?  I'm serious.  What's in it for them?  If you can't show someone the advantages to them -personally! - of starting a business here, then don't expect them to listen.

Hello,

I would like to ask you a favor. In our efforts to bring more vitality into our local economy, we have been working on facilitating the starting of local businesses to address some of our local opportunities. While we are doing several things with tech startups ( see Corvallis Startup Weekend -http://corvallis.startupweekend.org  and the Willamette Angel Conference - http://www.willametteconference.com ) , there are two other opportunities which I would like to ask your help with. We believe that there are some opportunities in the local food production and in local value added wood products. We have local resources and infrastructure that could be revitalized to support new business and jobs in these areas. 

[jef jelten]

Thats interesting DCA but sooooooo last year. Or more accurately so 1999.

An exit strategy implies short term gain. That is no longer a viable concept in the new paradigm. Thats exactly what got us into this mess to begin with. Yes it might get funded but how exactly does that benifite the community long term. I will answer. It sucks the profit out of the soil and the community into the hands of a small minority of already wealthy folks in some distant place.

Jef Jelten
SunSavor
541-758-0793
cell-231-3910
gr...@peak.org

On Nov 30, 2009, at 7:11 PM, dsqr...@aol.com wrote:

Would add another option to Jef's paragraph beginning "basically"

 

Develop a food tech driven line extension for a major company and use them as the exit strategy.

 

DCA

[chateaust...@att.net]

Sorry you don't like the truth.  How many jobs have you ever created?  Have you ever run a business?

 

Love and kises,

 

Jonathan Hayes

-------------- Original message from DALE COBERLY <cob...@peak.org>: --------------

[jef jelten]

Jonathan - Hear hear!!!

What you describe is reality in the here and now. I would add that it spells the end of capitalism as we know it.

It has nothing to do with the "can do" spirit any more, the fierce entrepreneurial spirit that embodies the American dream. Corprotocracy has taken over. I don't care how big your Ballz are, you are not going to launch a successful enterprise in this environment. Certainly not a legitimate one. By that I mean you can probably pull a good scam right now. The situation is ripe. I would go as far as to say that in my opinion that is all that IS going on right now. SCAMS.

This is not about someone coming up with the next pet rock or killer app.  It's about musical chairs. When the music stops anyone without a chair is OUT!!!

SunSavor
541-758-0793
cell-231-3910
gr...@peak.org

On Nov 30, 2009, at 7:31 PM, chateaust...@att.net wrote:

[Robert Heald]

Could you remove me from this discussion?

Thanks.

[Mysty Rusk]

If there was any evidence that the entire economy was devolving into scams and that there was no creative or innovative opportunities out there, I for one would not have dedicated the last decade of my life to this work.  

 

The worst possible thing we can do is take up name calling and focusing our attention on our collective and individual weaknesses.  

 

Over the last few years, we have seen good jobs created locally through entrepreneurial efforts.  By focusing on the milestones an entrepreneur needs to reach [to be successful] we’ve seen the gaps narrow and more people with good products who could manage marketing and finance win in this game.  In turn they’ve been willing to share what they learned with people who are not direct competitors but are working parallel.  As our collective skills come up, so does our global competitiveness.  This process takes a long time, but the business starts and job growth are more frequent than they used to be.

 

Jobs are an indicator, easy to see and one our community leaders care about.  Community wealth is harder to measure, but a better metric and fully inline with your suggestions in this stream.  Show me an entrepreneur who wants to get rich at the expense of the people who work for him/her?  Not likely.

 

We know there are sharks and crooks out there and we do everything we can to help inventors, entrepreneurs and investors learn how to distinguish good deals from bad ones.

 

Could we do more?  Could we do what we do better?  You bet, but it will take us working together and continued investment (human, physical, financial and otherwise) to make it happen. 

 

Mysty Rusk

Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition

541.757.1505 (O)

541.760.4498 (C)

mr...@cbchambercoalition.com

www.cbchambercoalition.com

 

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[Katherine Cleland]

ChateauStegosaurus aka Jonathan,

What you fail to point out in your thinly disguised No on 67 letter is that the proposed gross receipts tax only applies to A. C-corporations. Most start ups are LLC's, partnerships and S-corps, who will only be subject to the $150 minimum tax.  For the very small minority of businesses that are C-corporations, AND are businesses declaring no profits in Oregon, and then only to those grossing over $250,000 per year, and the gross receipts taxes phase in. 

Please see the attached chart to see the actual impact of the proposed Taxes for Measure 67.  You will see that they are quite limited.  Its not a perfect solution, but even with Measure 67, Oregon business taxes will be some of the lowest in the nation. 

The ramifications if we don't pass measures 66 & 67 are dire...K-12 school budgets account for 53% of state spending.  Corvallis school district alone would stand to lose approx $3.5 million dollars in funding, which is the equivalent of 17 school days or 45 teachers.  As a site council member and volunteer for the public school foundation, I understand that there are no hidden budget items or "waste' in the the local school system.  Higher education would be hit even harder than K-12 if History is any predictor. 

 If we continue to under invest in our schools, both K-12 and higher Ed, no business will want to locate in Oregon period. Quality and relevance of  Education is one of the most important criteria for business owners in choosing where to locate their businesses.  

Net sum, this is a tax Oregon can live with. It only impacts a very small group of C-corporations, not LLC's, Partnerships, or S-Corps. and for the C-corps, it works in a graduated fashion.  

Katherine Cleland

n Nov 30, 2009, at 7:31 PM, chateaust...@att.net wrote:

Having been Executive Director of the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority until my retirement a year and a half ago, I have a bit of experience in this area and may be able to add something to the discussion.

 

First question.  Why should anybody want to try to start a new business in the Willamette Valley?  I'm serious.  What's in it for them?  If you can't show someone the advantages to them -personally! - of starting a business here, then don't expect them to listen.

 

Two-thirds of all start-up enterprises fail in the first five years.  Fact.  Venture capitalists know this and factor it into their calculations - they won't invest in any enterprise which does not have spectacular profit potential since their few homeruns have to pay for their many strikeouts.  Neither the food industry nor the value-added wood products industry have the level of profit potentials that will interest any serious venture capitalist.  We've been around that horn many times in Washington state.

 

Also the typical "angel" wants the entrepreneur to have shaken down family and friends to invest up to the hilt, to have mortgaged their house and maxed out their credit cards into the enterprise.  It has to be made very, very difficult for the entrepreneur to walk away from the business when times get tough (as they inevitably will).   It's only going to survive with hard, hard work when there's no alternative except ruin.

 

Good business ideas are a dime a dozen.  The managerial skills to bring them to fruition are as rare as hen's teeth.  Any private financial source will concentrate on the managerial skills of the entrepreneur - these are the make-or-break issues; enterprises typically fail not on lack of financing, but on lack of good management.  It is politically impossible for any public financing source to properly evaluate management ("You didn't fund me because I'm a [fill in the blank].") which is why public financing is a lousy idea.

 

Starting your own business takes a certain level of insanity.  I know; I've done it.  The rewards are immense (there's nothing better than being the boss of your own business), but they come at a very high cost.  I often joked that if I was ever invited to a costume party in Olympia, I'd go dressed as a Payroll.  It would be a unique experience for all the government types who'd never had to meet one before.  There's nothing scarier than sitting in a deal closing on Friday afternoon knowing if it doesn't close then, you won't be able to meet the payroll or pay the rent on Monday.  Been there, done that.

 

Yeah, all the usual "community leaders" have signed on.  They always do.  Doesn't cost them anything and there's big upside for them (jobs, taxes).

 

Talk's cheap, however.  In case you hadn't noticed, the state legislature has passed a "soak the rich"  ("rich" apparently means anybody who's managed to make a success of their business) tax package.  Including a gross receipts tax which, as anyone who's worked in economic development in Washington state will tell you, is an A-1 strangler of early-stage enterprises.  Three-quarters of all small-to-medium sized business investment is from retained earnings (you didn't know that?  Why didn't you?) - all that income the "rich" are getting.  Tax that away and business investment dries up - along with any incentive to start a business in the first place.  This should not be difficult to understand, but apparently it is.

 

Nobody starts a business to create jobs or pay taxes (although they will tell you that if they think it's in their interest to do so)  -  they start businesses to MAKE MONEY!  Help them to do so and you'll attract them.  Make it more difficult and they will go somewhere else where it's easier.  Oregon is currently saying "Go somewhere else."

 

If someone really, truly IS an entrepreneur, they know all that already.  And are going to start a business anyway (I LOVE 'em for it!).  They don't need (or want) help.  But they are very sensitive to hindrance.  Let's make them welcome.  And realize words alone ain't going to hack it.  These men and women are from Missouri - you've got to show them!  Are we?

 

Jonathan Hayes

541-752-0498

chateaust...@att.net

On Nov 30, 2009, at 7:31 PM, chateaust...@att.net wrote:

Having been Executive Director of the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority until my retirement a year and a half ago, I have a bit of experience in this area and may be able to add something to the discussion.

 

First question.  Why should anybody want to try to start a new business in the Willamette Valley?  I'm serious.  What's in it for them?  If you can't show someone the advantages to them - personally! - of starting a business here, then don't expect them to listen.

 

Two-thirds of all start-up enterprises fail in the first five years.  Fact.  Venture capitalists know this and factor it into their calculations - they won't invest in any enterprise which does not have spectacular profit potential since their few homeruns have to pay for their many strikeouts.  Neither the food industry nor the value-added wood products industry have the level of profit potentials that will interest any serious venture capitalist.  We've been around that horn many times in Washington state.

 

Also the typical "angel" wants the entrepreneur to have shaken down family and friends to invest up to the hilt, to have mortgaged their house and maxed out their credit cards into the enterprise.  It has to be made very, very difficult for the entrepreneur to walk away from the business when times get tough (as they inevitably will).   It's only going to survive with hard, hard work when there's no alternative except ruin.

 

Good business ideas are a dime a dozen.  The managerial skills to bring them to fruition are as rare as hen's teeth.  Any private financial source will concentrate on the managerial skills of the entrepreneur - these are the make-or-break issues; enterprises typically fail not on lack of financing, but on lack of good management.  It is politically impossible for any public financing source to properly evaluate management ("You didn't fund me because I'm a [fill in the blank].") which is why public financing is a lousy idea.

 

Starting your own business takes a certain level of insanity.  I know; I've done it.  The rewards are immense (there's nothing better than being the boss of your own business), but they come at a very high cost.  I often joked that if I was ever invited to a costume party in Olympia, I'd go dressed as a Payroll.  It would be a unique experience for all the government types who'd never had to meet one before.  There's nothing scarier than sitting in a deal closing on Friday afternoon knowing if it doesn't close then, you won't be able to meet the payroll or pay the rent on Monday.  Been there, done that.

 

Yeah, all the usual "community leaders" have signed on.  They always do.  Doesn't cost them anything and there's big upside for them (jobs, taxes).

 

Talk's cheap, however.  In case you hadn't noticed, the state legislature has passed a "soak the rich"  ("rich" apparently means anybody who's managed to make a success of their business) tax package.  Including a gross receipts tax which, as anyone who's worked in economic development in Washington state will tell you, is an A-1 strangler of early-stage enterprises.  Three-quarters of all small-to-medium sized business investment is from retained earnings (you didn't know that?  Why didn't you?) - all that income the "rich" are getting.  Tax that away and business investment dries up - along with any incentive to start a business in the first place.  This should not be difficult to understand, but apparently it is.

 

Nobody starts a business to create jobs or pay taxes (although they will tell you that if they think it's in their interest to do so)  -  they start businesses to MAKE MONEY!  Help them to do so and you'll attract them.  Make it more difficult and they will go somewhere else where it's easier.  Oregon is currently saying "Go somewhere else."

 

If someone really, truly IS an entrepreneur, they know all that already.  And are going to start a business anyway (I LOVE 'em for it!).  They don't need (or want) help.  But they are very sensitive to hindrance.  Let's make them welcome.  And realize words alone ain't going to hack it.  These men and women are from Missouri - you've got to showthem!  Are we?

Katherine Cleland

kath...@clelandmarketing.com

541-231-4445

www.clelandmarketing.com

[bai...@peak.org]

I would just add to what Mysty said by pointing out that although assuming
success is impossible has the virtue of always being correct, I prefer to
fight the odds by assuming success IS possible, and working my tail off to
improve them! Certainly it's harder now, and some of the big-picture
political stuff does seem off-kilter, but I'm also periodically amazed
by the ability and resources our "little" community possesses. I guess I
must be an optimist?

And to prove it, I even believe there is a bright side to a really tough
economy: It helps clear out some of the deadwood in business practices
and thinking. And before you ask, yes, I've created jobs and met payroll
in the "real" world...

Switching back to the John's original question: I second Linda's
suggestions and would also recommend you get in touch with Rebecca Landis
who is the Corvallis/Albany Farmer's Market manager and ask her opinion.
In addition, I would suggest checking with OSU Extension (not sure if
Linda already mentioned this).

Kirk Bailey
bai...@peak.org

> mr...@cbchambercoalition.com <mailto:mr...@cbchambercoalition.com>
>
> www.cbchambercoalition.com <http://www.cbchambercoalition.com/>

>
>
>
> Celebrate Corvallis 2009
>
> Hometown Heroes -Meet the good people who make great things happen.
>
> Join us for Benton County's annual celebration of business, the arts,
> sustainability and civic engagement.
>
> Anyone can nominate... Everyone is welcome!
>
> Make a NOMINATION

> <http://www.cbchambercoalition.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=art
> icle&id=162&Itemid=160> (closes December 1, 2009)
>
> Become a SPONSOR
> <http://www.chamberorganizer.com/members/evr/reg_event.php?orgcode=CBCC&
> evid=3753663>
>
> Get your TICKETS
> <http://www.chamberorganizer.com/members/evr/reg_event.php?orgcode=CBCC&
> evid=3591137> today!

> <mailto:David....@InsightsNow.com>
> www.InsightsNow.com <http://www.insightsnow.com/>

> <http://corvallis.startupweekend.org/> and the Willamette Angel
> Conference - http://www.willametteconference.com
> <http://www.willametteconference.com/> ) , there are two other

[DALE COBERLY]

have i ever run a business?  yes.

i do like the truth. it's why i work so hard to get all of it.

On Nov 30, 2009, at 8:56 PM, chateaust...@att.net wrote:

[jef jelten]

Just to be clear, I have started 6 small businesses over the last 35 years employing from 6 people to 60 and I do not want to loose money, I have never tried for the big money, I go for longevity. Most of my operations are still functioning.

I will give an example of why I am opposed to encouraging start up right now. A girl makes a great mustard, everyone says this mustard is great, you should sell it. She seeks council from local business advocates and they encourage her. She talks to a counselor at local community college and they are encouraging. She takes business classes and the professors are encouraging. SHe talks to a co-packer and they are encouraging.

NONE of these people told her the realities of the packaged food business. Their are over a thousand different mustards in the valley already. Shelf space in retail stores is nearly impossible to get even in the best of times. A food broker, which is how anyone will ever be able to sell more than a couple cases, will not touch another mustard. All of these people who encouraged her have nothing to loose.

All in all she has spent thousands and has cases of crapy tasting mustard (the co-packer can almost never duplicate your home recipe in 200 gallon batches and you must pay for it anyway) and is depressed because she thinks its something wrong with her since everybody else was so positive.

Oh, by the way this is a true story and in fact I have seen it happen several times (always with the mustard but also a couple salsa stories for some reason).

Right now I know people across the country who are trying to start up small business like me. Everything from Shoe repair, bike maintenance, Hand powered appliances, sail transport, CSA, food production, etc. All of them without fail are struggling more and more as more and more people tighten their belts and shop at discount stores. The only people still supporting local business are those with seemingly secure income who can afford it and as family members and friends get laid off they too tighten their belts.

What we should be addressing is how to pull together to support our community so that no more people have to fail so badly, fall off the economic ladder into oblivion. A new product will not accomplish that.

Jef Jelten
SunSavor
541-758-0793
cell-231-3910
gr...@peak.org

[Bob Johnson]

Is there a way to be removed from this dialogue?

 

---

[John Sechrest]

I am sorry for the list noise. I thought that I was asking for some
simple help on a topic that everybody (or most ) of the people on the
lists that I mailed to were interested in.

However, with people not looking at the responding email, they don't
seem to be tracking that they are talking to over 1000 people. And
that most of these 1000 people don't care for the dialog as it is
expanding.

I have had close to a dozen requests for people to get off of the list
because of this dialog. That is a shame because these are important
lists which we as a community rely on for important communications
about tasks that we care about.

This is especially sad because we do have a
corvallis-city-club-discusss list where this type of discussion is
appropriate.

On the lists that I am manager of (Corvallis-entrepreneur-forum and
corvallis-city-club), I have started moderating people who are the
spark points of this conversation. I will limit access to posting to
things that are core to the mission of each of the lists. I assume
that the TRFW folks will be doing much the same thing.

I believe that there is an important conversation in the midst of all
of this noise, that is one of the reasons that I put so much energy
into city club. But I believe that time has passed for this
conversation going out on these public lists.

If you are one of the people who wants to continue this discussion, I
am happy to facilitate a more appropriate venue.

Please do not reply directly to the lists in response to this message.
Please mail me instead.

If you want to engage in city club related discussions, please use the
corvallis-city-club-discuss list.

On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 8:22 AM, Bob Johnson <bjoh...@conversant.com> wrote:
> Is there a way to be removed from this dialogue?