What do hipsters love? Brooklyn and things with suggested prices/contributions (you can feel like a full paying customer without being a full paying customer). They also like artsy stuff. I have to imagine that the Brooklyn Museum is a hipster’s paradise, but then again it’s probably paradise for a lot of people considering that it’s “one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country.” They have more than half a million square feet of space and an amazing group of collections “that range from the ancient to the contemporary and encompass virtually all the world’s principal cultures.”
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Traveling with a puppy is challenging. We haven’t taken a car ride longer than 45 minutes with him, but he gets really excited during the first five minutes. If we put him in one of our laps, he wants to lick the windows and watch the world pass him by. If we put him in the crate, he’ll whine a little bit and stare at us until he falls asleep. The crate is winning out so far, but I want to look into other solutions as we start extending our trips. Kurgo is a company built to solve my problem. They are based in Salisbury, MA, and they manufacture and sell “high-quality pet travel products.” While many pets love the end result of travel, the process can be stressful. Kurgo’s products are designed to help your furry friend get from point A to B safely and comfortably.
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While I tend to think that the importance of home ownership is overrated by most people in the U.S., I do realize how powerful the psychology of owning something can be. This becomes far more important when it comes to how you make your living. Using someone else’s capital is often the easiest choice, but it gives you very limited control over your future. This may not matter so much if you’re an accountant who is working in a competitive labor market, but it’s a huge deal if you’re farming for subsistence–and that’s what much of the world’s people do. Landesa is a Seattle, WA based non-profit that “works to secure land rights for the world’s poorest people– those 2.47 billion chiefly rural people who live on less than two dollars a day.” They do this because they believe that when people own the land, they can invest in improving it without worrying about having to worry about someone else reaping the rewards.
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I used to be really interested in politics, but over the past decade I’ve come to the realization that business is usually a better way to enact positive change than public policy is. While I might have lost most of the faith I had in the political process, I still realize that it’s necessary for a functioning society. The only way that it’s going to get better is for better people to go into politics. American Council of Young Political Leaders is a Washington, DC based non-profit (big surprise there) that is “recognized as the pre-eminent catalyst for introducing rising political and policy professionals to international affairs and to each other.” The organization was founded in 1966 by leaders from both American political parties because they saw how important fostering cooperation and understanding could be at the height of the Cold War.
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I haven’t developed much of an opinion on the Syria situation yet, but I know that there are some things that everyone can agree on. One is that we need people looking out for the country’s children. More than a million kids have already fled the war, and there was a non-profit working to help them well before Syria became a staple of the evening news. It’s called Mercy Corps, and it’s a Portland, OR based organization that helps “people in the world’s toughest places survive the crises they confront and turn them into opportunities to thrive.” (Here’s what they’re doing in Syria.) They got their start in 1979 by raising $1 million to provide aid in Cambodia, and ever since they’ve been doing work all over the world.
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While people say that technology is making us dumber, I’m convinced that the Internet is pushing us to focus on our writing again. There’s no doubt that our generation communicates through the written word more than our parents’ generation did, but we need to understand that text speak often isn’t the answer (tho it can b… sometimes). The reality is that most young people are natural storytellers, they just need a little help directing their creativity. The Telling Room is a Portland, ME based non-profit that helps them do that. The organization’s goal is “to build confidence, strengthen literacy skills, and provide real audiences for [its] students.” They work with young people from the ages of 6 to 18 with a belief “that the power of creative expression can change our communities and prepare our youth for future success.”
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We moved to a tree lined street recently, and I love it. I can walk out my door on a 90 degree day, and it still doesn’t feel oppressively hot. My car is nice and cool when I get in (though it tends to get covered in bird poop), and if it rains, it has to rain pretty hard to actually get me wet. Soon the leaves will fall off and it will get colder, and then the sun will shine through the branches and keep things a little warmer. Trees make living in a city way better. That’s the premise behind Canopy, a Palo Alto, CA based “environmental nonprofit that engages the community in the growth and care of our urban forest.” While they only focus on Palo Alto and it surrounding communities, they’re making a big difference through the power of trees.
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On Tuesday we talked about DataXu and how they’re helping advertisers make the most of their advertising budgets by crunching tons of data. Unsurprisingly, publishers want in on the optimization action too. I’ve seen firsthand how a few tweaks to an advertising setup can have momentous impact overnight. While Altitude Digital doesn’t take a big data approach like DataXu, the Denver, CO based company does “empower publishers to effectively monetize and optimize their online display, video and mobile inventory.” Doing that well has landed them at #54 on the Inc. 5000 with 5,162% three-year growth to $11.4 million in annual revenue.
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Entering third grade was a big deal for me. It had nothing to do with school though. It was all about the fact that I was eligible to become a member of Wakeman Boys & Girls Club. That meant that a three minute walk from my house gave me access to bumper pool, ping pong, and basketball. I absolutely loved it. While it was mostly fun and games for me, I knew that there was more to the club than that. We were required to take our hats off when we entered the club, and all of the rules were enforced strictly, but fairly. It wasn’t a place to go and get into trouble. That’s exactly what Boys & Girls Clubs of America wants. They are an Atlanta, GA based national non-profit with clubs all across the country that aims to “promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.”
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There are two kinds of entry level jobs. There are the professional track positions that are typically targeted towards recent college grads (what we try to cover on ODOJ), and the jobs that have very minimal education and experience requirements. Both types are extremely important to our economy because they enable people to learn how to make a living, and both seem to be getting rarer. Today many of the best job opportunities in that second category are in the food service industry. That’s why FareStart is focused on them. They are a Seattle, WA based non-profit that “transforms lives by empowering homeless and disadvantaged men, women, and families to achieve self-sufficiency through life skills, job training and employment in the food service industry.”
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I may be a dog person (this is my puppy Garçon), but I love big cats. They are the ultimate land-based predators, which is why I hope to one day see a mountain lion in the wild (from the safety of a car though). The problem with big cats is that there is one predator higher up in the food chain: us. Whether it’s protecting livestock, killing them for their fur, or infringing on their habitat, humans have had a severely negative impact on populations of big cats across the world. It’s time to make up for an ugly past, and that’s why Panthera exists. They are a New York, NY based non-profit that “is the world’s leading conservation organization devoted exclusively to the protection of wild cats.” Panthera got its started in 2006, and since then has been working to protect 37 species of wild cats.
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I never went on a study abroad trip while I was in school, so I figured that I had missed the boat. Little did I know that there are educational travel opportunities for people of all ages. Now probably wouldn’t be a great time for me (new wife, new puppy, new apartment), but maybe it would make sense later in life. If I do end up doing an educational travel adventure, I’ll definitely take a look at Road Scholar. They are a Boston, MA based non-profit that “offers 5,500 educational tours in all 50 states and 150 countries.” The organization was founded as Elderhostel in 1975 “to provide people over the age of 60 with low-cost educational and cultural programs,” but they seem to have committed to the Road Scholar branding as of late. My guess is that the word “elder” wasn’t helping them out in terms of getting people to sign up for their programming.
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While I love meat (I told you about that yesterday), I love the outdoors even more. There are all kinds of ways to enjoy nature, but I think that hunting and fishing are two of the best (they’re also a great way to get protein). It may seem that these sports lead to the depletion of resources, but in reality hunters and fishermen are some of the most ardent conservationists around. Theodore Roosevelt is a perfect example. The guy was a total badass–the Presidency was probably the most boring part of his life (except when he was campaigning, got shot, and finished his speech). While Teddy killed a lot of animals during his lifetime, his conservation work has had an amazingly positive impact on wildlife. That has continued with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. They are a Washington, DC based non-profit that “strengthens laws, policies and practices affecting fish and wildlife conservation by leading partnerships that influence decision makers” to “guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish.”
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When I was growing up, I was anything but a youth against establishment. My school had a dress code, and I’m not sure that I ever violated it (ok, I may have forgotten to wear a belt once or twice). Even outside of school, I wore the same khaki pants that I had to wear at school (but with sneakers and a t-shirt of course)–I think I outgrew my last pair of jeans in 7th grade. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I’ve never owned anything from Volcom. In case you’re not familiar with the brand, they’re a San Clemente, CA based “designer, marketer and distributor of premium quality young men’s and young women’s clothing, accessories and related products.” The company was founded in 1991, and came out of Orange County boardsports culture.
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I love New England. I grew up on the absolute southern edge of the region, but I’ve spent a lot of time enjoying the natural resources in all six of its states (mostly through fly fishing). One thing that is interesting about New England is that the areas surrounding some of its most sensitive ecosystems are quite populated. That means that they’re constantly being infringed upon. Conservation Law Foundation is a Boston, MA based non-profit that believes “that healthy communities and a clean environment are a right for all New Englanders, not a privilege for the few.” Since 1966 they have used a combination of scientific research, business/market forces, and legal work to protect “all parts of New England’s environment, including everything from oceans to river to mountains, from parks to forests, from big cities to small towns, from Maine to Rhode Island.”
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I find Flo from Progressive pretty irritating, but I think that’s kind of the point. The car insurance business is all about branding, and that means getting a name to stick in your head. The fact that you probably know who Flo is is proof enough that brand advertising works even if it’s annoying (though I know some of you are screaming, “But it doesn’t affect which company I buy my insurance from!”). While big brands often have big advertising budgets, they need an exceptional agency to generate a strong ROI on those budgets. I’d say that Arnold Worldwide is an exceptional agency. Not only is the Boston, MA based agency behind Progressive’s Flo campaign, but they also have done work for Jack Daniels, New Balance, Surfrider Foundation, and Volvo. Clients like those demand great work, and that’s exactly what Arnold Worldwide has produced for them.
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I think that live sports is just about the only thing keeping broadcast television alive. I’m waiting for the day when DVRs aren’t even necessary because everything is always on-demand. Unfortunately, it’s still going to be a while because the media behemoths have a lot to lose and a strong enough market position to put up a huge fight. We’ll get there eventually, but it will happen faster if upstarts like Bedrocket Media Ventures start to see a little success. They are a New York, NY based company that “is leading a revolution in creating networks and programming that people love, delivered through the cloud.” While they may be trying to beat the establishment, they’re getting a little help in the form of $15 million of venture capital investment.
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I don’t think that I’ve ever cared as much about how I look as I did on my wedding day. I was still pretty relaxed about it, but I made sure that I had a decent tan, a good haircut, the right amount of facial hair, and a great outfit. It’s not something that I usually care much about, but it’s nice to know that I can do what it takes to make myself look good with a little bit of effort For people with chronic and terminal illnesses, beauty often becomes an afterthought. It’s great to focus on what’s important (like health), but sometimes focusing on your appearance can improve your overall wellbeing. That’s the premise that Beauty Bus Foundation was founded with. They are a Santa Monica, CA based non-profit that “delivers dignity, hope and respite to chronically or terminally ill men, women and children and their caregivers through beauty and grooming services and pampering products.”
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Almost all of are here (in the United States) because of immigration. Whether it was you, your parents, your grandparents, or a passenger on The Mayflower, someone in your family decided that he or she wanted a better life and left a lot behind to come here. How long you’ve been here doesn’t really matter. What does matter is what you’re going to do while you’re here; however, being new to the country brings a lot of challenge. Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians is a Philadelphia, PA based non-profit that “connects newly arrived individuals from around the world with the economic opportunities that they need to succeed.” The Center has been around for a decade now, and in that time they’ve helped more than 8,000 people from well over 100 countries.
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Yesterday we looked at SocialCode, an agency that specializes in social media marketing for huge brands. Today’s company does similar kinds of work, but at a higher level. We’re talking about things ranging “from media relations and corporate communications strategies to flawless event execution.” The company is called HL Group, and they’re based in New York, NY. It was “founded in 2001 by Hamilton South and Lynn Tesoro,” two industry professionals who decided to out on their own. HL Group has seen exceptional growth since, and they now work across a wide array of industries including fashion, retail, beauty, consumer products, technology, home design, travel and more.
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Yesterday we looked at Institute for Educational Leadership, one of a seemingly endless number of non-profits devoted to improving educational outcomes. Education seems to be one of the most worthy and, as a result, pursued causes, but I think poverty reduction has to come in number one. Project Concern International is a San Diego, CA based international development non-profit that works to “prevent disease, improve community health and promote sustainable development worldwide.” The core idea behind PCI is that they identify areas with the greatest need and then deliver help in a way that can have lasting community impact.
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One of the most important areas that non-profits do work in is education. I have no doubt that education can be the solution to many of society’s biggest problems; however, improving educational outcomes for any group of people is never easy. There are organizations working on nearly every facet of education, so one would hope that we’ll eventually start seeing some significant gains. The Institute for Educational Leadership is a Washington, DC based non-profit that brings “together leaders across the various sectors of education (P-20), workforce development and child- and youth-serving systems” to build “partnerships across institutional boundaries, helping individuals and institutions tackle leadership challenges and leverage the resources of multiple partners to foster reform.”
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I’m moving in two weeks… because I’m getting a puppy in three weeks (and my current landlord does not approve). This will be my third move of under 2 miles in the past five years, so I expect it to go pretty smoothly. However, I realize that for a lot of people moving is a huge deal and causes a ton of stress. The physical move is usually a big part of it, but it’s all the little things like forwarding your mail and setting up new utilities that drive you crazy. Managing those things would be a lot easier if the actual move was mostly taken care of for you. That’s what Moveline offers. They’re a New York, NY based startup that is offering “a radically easier way to move.” A radically easier move is still a huge pain in the butt, but I’m not sure there will ever be a startup that can change that.
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Everybody thinks that they need a revolutionary, unique idea to start a business. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. It’s often much better to do something well than to do something new. That thought has been reinforced by reading about Beyond Spots & Dots. They’re a Pittsburgh, PA based “full service advertising agency dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients.” They’ve only been around since 2006, but they saw 151% three-year growth between 2008 and 2011 to $3 million in revenue. There are probably thousands of agencies in the U.S. that offer similar services, and even dozens or hundreds in Pittsburgh, yet Beyond Spots & Dots has still found a path to growth.
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For me Father’s Day is all about wildlife. I’ve spent every one for the past 20 years in woods of Michigan on a fishing trip with my Dad. It used to mark the end of the trip, but this year it’s the beginning. Every year we get to reap the benefits of the work done by conservation organizations. Up there a lot of the work is done by non-profits with a sporting focus, but I’ve come to realize that there quite a few organizations that protect wildlife just because it’s something that should be done. One of these is Defenders of Wildlife. They’re based in Washington, DC, and they aim to “protect and restore imperiled species throughout North America by transforming policies and institutions and promoting innovative solutions.” The organization was founded in 1947 and operates at both a national and local level.
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We all know someone with hypertension (aka high blood pressure)–nearly a third of people over the age of 20 in the United States have it. It’s a seriously health issue, but it’s common and relatively easily treated. Pulmonary hypertension sounds like it would be a similar malady, and in some ways it is, but it’s also much rarer and far more serious. Because it’s currently an incurable condition that can be extremely deadly, you’d think that it gets a lot of attention from the medical establishment. However, because only about 1,000 new cases are diagnosed every year, it doesn’t. Pulmonary Hypertension Association is trying to change that. They are a Silver Spring, MD based non-profit that is working to “to find ways to prevent and cure pulmonary hypertension, and to provide hope for the pulmonary hypertension community through support, education, research, advocacy and awareness.”
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It’s funny how we all have different tolerances for looking at inanimate objects. I can spend hours looking at 150 million year old rock formations in a national park, but 500 year old paintings don’t do much for me. I guess that means that I wouldn’t have the best time visiting the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, but maybe you would. The organization runs two separate museums: the de Young in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. Combined they make FAMSF “the largest public arts institution in the City of San Francisco and one of the largest art museums in the United States.”
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Have you ever looked up a doctor online? When you type the name into Google, you’re often inundated with useless results (kind of like when you’re job searching). There are “reviews” that aren’t really reviews, and “information” pages that don’t offer any useful information. While most doctors prefer to focus on medicine over marketing, the truth is that a successful practice requires a continuous flow of new and returning patients. The Internet will continue to play a larger role in how people find doctors, and Treatspace wants to ensure that patients accurate, helpful information. That’s why the Pittsburgh, PA based company is focused on putting “facts online that connect providers, patients, and health professionals.”
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Last night we celebrated my fiancée’s cousin’s ninth birthday. I found out that his latest interest is professional wrestling, so I spent most of the night body slamming him into a beanbag chair. I’m no wrestling connoisseur, but I know a few moves–it was just about the best birthday present I could have given him. When I was growing up, it was a semi-open secret that professional wrestling was stage. Now it’s fully acknowledged. If you want the real stuff, you go to Ultimate Fighting Championship, a company that “revolutionized the fight business, and today stands as the world’s leading MMA promoter.” UFC is based in Las Vegas, NV, and has developed from a fringe sport that got its start in the early 90s to a mainstream sport that gets coverage on ESPN. The story of how UFC went from being outlawed in most states to being widely accepted is fascinating, which is why I highly recommend that you read the Wikipedia article on UFC. It’s a long story, but it will give you insight into both politics and business.
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Latin America is a region with amazing economic potential. I haven’t spent a ton of time there, but I’ve spent enough to know that the business climate is very different from the U.S., and can vary significantly from country to country. Still, the economies of Latin American countries are very closely tied to each other, and that makes it extremely important that there is cooperation and communication amongst the business community. The Group of Fifty is a Washington, DC based non-profit that is made up of select “business leaders who head some of the most significant and forward-looking enterprises in Latin America.” The organization provides “a forum for the leaders of the region’s most important companies to address changes as they appear in different sectors and markets, to hear from their peers in other countries about alternative business strategies, and to compare experiences and exchange ideas about the future of the hemisphere, its economies and its politics.”
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