Fellow Edgeryders, the unMonastery was shortlisted and is one of the 40 projects picked out of 600
Now it’s time to convey a community-powered, social media marketing process for two months long.
I wrote a couple of posts on the subject, namely here (on open budget) and here (on SM): in the meanwhile, if you want to be part of the action, you can start by voting on the Che Fare platform and spreading the word! Last year more than 42000 votes per project were attracted!
First of all thank you for the votes I wrote the process in the other posts: I didn’t want to repeat myself and tire you guys. Basically, only the 8 projects with the most votes will be then evaluated by the jury which shortlisted us and one will win the 100.000€.
We now need to build the SM strategy with the MT2019 community, using traditional media and new media: at least, this is what is written in the MoU between ER and MT2019.
You need a business plan (and perhaps more things besides)
What I mean, @ilariadauria was how you win, not just how you get to the next phase. I looked up the website, and it seems the jury will make its final assessment on the basis of a business plan. You and I have already established that the unMonastery’s uncomprimising logic rooted in the sharing economy makes it very difficult to write a business plan for it. How are we going to achieve sustainability? By non-transactional means, making ourselves appreciated so that the local community will want to support us. How do we scale? We don’t, we replicate by memetic material like St. Benedict’s Rule. You can see how a jury will have trouble squaring such an unusual approach with objective criteria.
However, if the unMonastery cannot make a credible attempt at winning, there is no point in depleting social capital by asking people to vote. We would just create frustration – and, frankly, by channeling people onto CheFare you renounce channeling the same people onto, say, Kickstarter to crowdfund the next LOTE. We can do it, but we need to know we have a serious chance to win! So, I would propose to work backwards:
establish the conditions that make the unMonastery a credible contender.
Cover all those bases, making sure someone is working on a business plan that will speak the language of business plans to someone who is used to assessing business plans. Similar activities might be needed to cover bases for winning other than the business plan, too.
First, my heartfelt congratulations to you, Ilaria, and teh rest of the crowd Very well done, and you already have my vote.
For Economy App, we once applied to a German startup competition and mentioned, as part of the revenue streams, that we would also include “donations” in barter value. That kind of created an allergic reaction in a jury that was expecting square, standard business plans, and of course we did not win this So yes, I agree with Alberto that unMonastery needs a kind of “square” business plan for its official side in order to win … . Which will mean to write the business plan to fit: not mentioning donations from the locals even though that would be there additionally in practice, and adding an agreeable sort of transactions (per-project crowdfunding? or even crowdfunding in barter from the local population, using Economy App? just thinking loud …).
I’m not sure if the scaling model of the unMonastery is unacceptable from an impact and even business perspective. There are multiple approaches to scaling / growing, and the Hub network for exampel transitioned to a loose federation of independently operated places (while they started with a more centralized model, which failed).
So, exaggerating a bit: if we embrace a radical, nonmarket approach we lose because the jury is looking for a “square” business plan, as Matt puts it; if we water it down we lose anyway, because we lose the unMonastery’s innovative edge (and the competition is strong). Catch 22.
Question for @ilariadauria: can we ask questions to the jury panel, or the competition organizers?
So, exaggerating a bit: if we embrace a radical, nonmarket approach we lose because the jury is looking for a “square” business plan, as Matt puts it; if we water it down we lose anyway, because we lose the unMonastery’s innovative edge (and the competition is strong). Catch 22.
Question for @ilariadauria: can we ask questions to the jury panel, or the competition organizers?
I just recieved an answer by the Che Fare team: we can send questions indeed, the only thing is that they said to excuse them if they don’t answer immediately as during these days they are quite overwhelmed. Let’s speak about all this tonight.
Thank you Marlinena A this point, there is no strategy: everything has to be built. I think the interesting thing is that we can count on 2 communities, build momentum for 2 months and creatively use different media to do so. However, this thing has to be planned also by people who know something about SM. this is why I was posting on the SM media team gorup
This means during then google hangout: agreeing on what needs to be done to secure a win, which roles required, how much time and a reasonable hourly rate. Finalise budget based on the new information and let’s win this thing.
Okay, so there’s a call scheduled for tomorrow, thank you @ilariadauria for all your amazing work, (bit confused about the time but regardless, I’ll be there whenever it is).
I’ve started putting together an agenda that others can add to here – it’s important that we use our time effectively.
The points I have added to the agenda are a synthesis of what’s been said here so far - please feel free to add and change anything!
For the thank you's and congratulations: please, it's not only me - I would never have made it alone, like nothing in this community. [Alberto] was of unvaluable presence with his sharp insight and writing skills. The unMonastery is a community-driven project, and has to remain as such. Here is yet another interview on the radio, which happened unexpectedly at the margins of another event in Basilicata, in which I hope I stressed even more this dimension of the project since, as Nadia reminds us, "there is no I in teamwork".
I will send an email right now to the jury and see if I can convey questions
Tomorrow's video call is at 20.00 Brussel's time: anyone who wants to join in, please do!
This is really good to know. I guess in the next days we will see if this is worth the shot and if there are enough human resources for a meaningful effort. Keep in touch!
So yes, I agree with Alberto that unMonastery needs a kind of “square” business plan for its official side in order to win … . Which will mean to write the business plan to fit: not mentioning donations from the locals even though that would be there additionally in practice, and adding an agreeable sort of transactions (per-project crowdfunding? or even crowdfunding in barter from the local population, using Economy App? just thinking loud …).