Solving a Problem from Your Civic Life
Previous Notes:
Our civic life is the environment we live and operate in. And as such, it cascades into all aspects of our lives.
Civic life is also one of the most ignored aspects of our lives. Here are some reasons:
Here are some ways a potential founder can use to analyze our civic lives, and come up with a solution:
Expanding the Boundary
Where we live and operate defines the physical boundaries of our civic life. The internet expands these boundaries. Let us take an example. You are affluent. Live in a posh neighborhood. Educated at top schools. Had a privileged upbringing. But you concerned about a cause that doesn't exist in your community. Malnutrition among underprivileged kids. With the internet, your reach goes global. And you could engage towards your cause thousands of miles away.
Segmenting the Demographics
Think of a typical fundraising process. Be it for startups, universities, or a civic cause. Segmenting the target demographics can be very helpful. Various ways to get contribution:
Embedding into Routine
Once we understand why something benefits us, we'll incorporate it into our routine. If we can make time for working out, we can carve small slots for solving civic problems. Simple monthly recurrence. Put in a little bit of our time, money, thinking or voice.
Engaging them Early
Supplementing our formal education with civic knowledge from an early age has benefits. It ensures the next generation grows up with it and treats it as a normal part of their lives. Small projects and hobbies can adopt game theory to generate good engagement.
Aggregating the Community
Common interests and goals attract like-minded people and bind them together. Many of these interests can become billion-dollar companies. These could be platforms, marketplaces or communities.
Making it Fashionable
Humans love publicity. And the general population loves being part of a trend. Make civic engagement fashionable. And people will talk about it in social circles and flaunt their involvement. For a change, bragging can be good.
Our attitude of disengagement from civic life will only postpone the problems. Either we'll encounter these problems later in our life or our next generation will face them. Innovation in progressing civic life is a much-neglected area within the startup ecosystem. Huge engagement and monetization opportunities await those willing to dig and explore further.
Upcoming Notes:
Related Note:
Our civic life is the environment we live and operate in. And as such, it cascades into all aspects of our lives.
Civic life is also one of the most ignored aspects of our lives. Here are some reasons:
- Why: Most people are unaware of underlying reasons, problems and benefits. For instance, the beautiful public lands in the U.S. that we use for hiking, camping and recreation. How many of us know the primary revenue source for their revenue? Almost 60% of the revenue comes from hunting, fishing and related activities.
- How: It takes effort and time to be part of our civic life. Be it participation in community meetings, town halls and other civic initiatives. The barrier is high. A simpler method would help.
- When: Little time is available beyond work, family commitments and commute. Whatever time remains, gets captured by our personal and social lives.
Here are some ways a potential founder can use to analyze our civic lives, and come up with a solution:
Expanding the Boundary
Where we live and operate defines the physical boundaries of our civic life. The internet expands these boundaries. Let us take an example. You are affluent. Live in a posh neighborhood. Educated at top schools. Had a privileged upbringing. But you concerned about a cause that doesn't exist in your community. Malnutrition among underprivileged kids. With the internet, your reach goes global. And you could engage towards your cause thousands of miles away.
Segmenting the Demographics
Think of a typical fundraising process. Be it for startups, universities, or a civic cause. Segmenting the target demographics can be very helpful. Various ways to get contribution:
- The first category is people with little time. They can contribute money.
- The second category is people who may not want to contribute money. They might be willing to put in the time.
- The third category is people who may not contribute money or time. They can enable relevant connections.
Embedding into Routine
Once we understand why something benefits us, we'll incorporate it into our routine. If we can make time for working out, we can carve small slots for solving civic problems. Simple monthly recurrence. Put in a little bit of our time, money, thinking or voice.
Engaging them Early
Supplementing our formal education with civic knowledge from an early age has benefits. It ensures the next generation grows up with it and treats it as a normal part of their lives. Small projects and hobbies can adopt game theory to generate good engagement.
Aggregating the Community
Common interests and goals attract like-minded people and bind them together. Many of these interests can become billion-dollar companies. These could be platforms, marketplaces or communities.
Making it Fashionable
Humans love publicity. And the general population loves being part of a trend. Make civic engagement fashionable. And people will talk about it in social circles and flaunt their involvement. For a change, bragging can be good.
Our attitude of disengagement from civic life will only postpone the problems. Either we'll encounter these problems later in our life or our next generation will face them. Innovation in progressing civic life is a much-neglected area within the startup ecosystem. Huge engagement and monetization opportunities await those willing to dig and explore further.
Upcoming Notes:
- Solving a Problem from Your Cultural Life
Related Note:
Let's Talk: If you have a true experience that resonates, please send me an email.
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