Projects

Projects

I’m working on a number of projects right now.

Plan On It  On A retirement sociology book based on informal research over the last 13 years of my career.  The book makes a great retirement gift, but it’s ideal for all ages.

The Overton Network  My blog and coaching site.

The Eight Distinct Retirement Profiles The basis of my book.  I’ve developed an eight minute conversation that I have with my clients to provide them with dramatically increased clarity about what they would like their retirement to look like.

The Connected Community Project This is a pretty exciting Overton Network project:

I’m attempting to help a small community who has lost their school and their bridge to better connect with the world with social media. The project is new, but the energy of the participants is exciting.

I’m currently developing the materials, data, testimonials and information products that will make this program a model for other rural and historic communities across the country.

The Haubstadt Sommerfest The Sommerfest is a three-day festival in Haubstadt, Indiana. We’ve donated over $50,000 toward building a new library, and close to $250,000 to local organizations (in a town of only 1,500) over the past 10 years.  The proceeds from this year’s fest will go directly to technology, landscape and furnishings for the library. I’ve developed an online presence for the fest and have implemented a social media campaign that’s generating excitement before launch. #haubstadtsommerfest

I feel like I’m rocking the projects listed above. I’m pleased with their progress and each seem to be gaining momentum on their own.  I’m a financial advisor by day, so the rules and regulations governing outside business activities can sometimes cause extra stress when talking about start-ups.

Right now I’m able to do the side work that I’m doing while still keeping my day job with the above activities.

The bottom four, however, are frustrating . . . in a good way. Two of them represent exciting opportunities to spread ideas that have potential to shape the way our youth look at their future, another an opportunity to create thousands of jobs for college students or recent college graduates by providing a turnkey system for stimulating local economies through social media, developing local apps and cross-selling other small business services.

DrinkOutside.com is a site that will allow people to show pics of them drinking at local establishments. I’m sure we’ll be bombarded by fat guys drinking in their back yards while grilling burgers, but one potential purpose of the site is to HELP BAR OWNERS IN RURAL OR SMALL METROPOLITAN AREAS ORGANIZE A FOLLOWING FOR LOCAL MUSICIANS BY UNITING PEOPLE WHO LOVE OUTDOOR DRINKING. By developing an organized following in each community, (think drinkoutside.com/toronto), we’ll provide a perfect place for people to organize more outdoor drinking activities, a rarity in most small communities. #ruralamericaproblems

My next step is to develop an app, or at least google map functionality that will link sites that have a patio option available.

Halfpricediploma.com the concept of alternative education is gaining traction, and James Altucher is pushing hard for it. I’ve been kicking this one around but being a financial advisor with a large company that’s concerned about compliance makes it tough to take a stand about it online. My site would focus on the aspects of going into a profession with the goal of becoming a freelancer or small business-owner. There would be models and concepts for ideas, and eventually we would develop templates for everything from HVAC to social media marketing to home organization to . . . you get the idea.  This project is currently on hold as my compliance team doesn’t support it.

Girlswithchoices.com this site would also feature profiles (seeing a pattern here?). In rural and urban America alike, young women routinely base their career decisions on who they know who is successful. In many cases, they choose to do what their mom, their sister or their neighbors have done when it comes to picking a school, a career path or the place they would like to spend the rest of their lives. In addition to introducing girls (the ones who are dedicated enough to be online searching for sites like this) to the concepts of Tim Ferriss and Seth Godin, we’ll also provide them with interviews from women in thousands of careers. We may even recruit young women to interview these women across the country to gain valuable experience. We’ll teach them how to rock an interview, how to get the most out of their college experience. Boot camps, scholarships, internships and resume-building activities will headline the benefits of the site.

It’s also an opportunity to develop more female speakers and provide them with an audience.

Upfrontsocial.com This offline approach to social media is designed to apply the research I’ve conducted while developing and now implementing the New Harmony Connected Community Project.  I’ll share the resources with individuals (probably college students or young freelancers) so they can begin working with small business owners in their community (or any one they choose) to quickly and effectively develop and learn how to maintain an online presence.   The program is primarily designed for people who are relatively new to social media, and the kicker is that it’s a grassroots campaign to find social media service customers.  Especially in the midwest and in rural communities, there is no access to this type of service if you don’t know where to look.    Companies that are marketing their social media services are marketing them THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA!  There is a real opportunity to take an offline approach (seminars, handouts and workshops) to help bring the rest of the market up to speed rapidly.

The concept is in its early stages, but I hope to begin the process of having it approved as a subsidiary of The Overton Network as soon as late summer.

Plus, I have a kickstarter just waiting to kick . . .  I interviewed a WWII veteran a few years ago and I would love to spread his message of determination and hope to the rest of the world.  The thing is, I’ve already spent too much time and money on the project and I’m kind of at a dead end.  If you have audio editing skills and would like to help bring this amazing story to the general public, please get in touch.

I’ll be overjoyed in finding anyone who would like to help me further develop any of these projects, even the ones I consider to be successful already.