NICE, Calif. – Thrive Lake County, a new socially responsible business network, will hold a workshop on Monday, Jan. 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at both the Featherbed Railroad Bed and Breakfast on 2870 Lakeshore Blvd. in Nice and online via webinar.
"Real Prosperity Starts Here" is the organizing principal for Thrive Lake County, a grassroots movement made up of business owners, nonprofit leaders and individuals who support a move away from Wall Street capitalism and towards a Main Street market economy.
Thrive Lake County emphasizes a local cooperative approach that focuses on the "Triple Bottom Line”: creating business economic success, a healthy environment, and fair and just relationships with all people.
This "people, planet, profit" social entrepreneurship is recreating communities and livelihoods around the world.
Thrive Lake County is a member of BALLE: the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (http://livingeconomies.org). BALLE is North America's fastest growing network of socially responsible businesses, comprised of over 80 community networks in 30 U.S. states and Canadian provinces representing over 22,000 independent business members across the U.S. and Canada.
The Jan. 30 Thrive Lake County workshop agenda includes:
An introduction to Thrive Lake County and the international BALLE movement;
A new look at community financial "leakage" (money leaving Lake County) and resulting opportunities;
Case studies describing how prosperous Lake County businesses achieve success through their "triple bottom line" approach; and
A look at ways attendees might use BALLE tools and processes to improve their own triple bottom line.
“It's time we move away from investing in wall street businesses that use our money to make themselves money, and look towards providing a way to put Lake County investor dollars into local enterprises,” said Tony Barthel, proprietor of the Featherbed Railroad B&B and a member of the Thrive! Advisory Committee.
“According to BALLE research, over $4 billion of Lake County citizens’ assets are invested in Wall Street financial instruments alone,” said Carol Cole-Lewis, director of the Lake County Time Bank and Internet marketing consultant, who attended BALLE training this year. “If we were to redirect even a fraction of that investment to locally-owned ventures, we could significantly improve our local economy.”
Denise Rushing, Northshore District 3 county supervisor and business development entrepreneur, attended a BALLE training in 2009 and again in September of this year.
“The only way we can achieve real prosperity here in our county is if we look to ourselves to co-create solutions,” said Rushing. “Many local groups have a piece of this puzzle. Thrive Lake County will not only provide a forum for connection, but will also look towards nurturing current and new businesses seeking to solve our most pressing community needs."
To join the Thrive! Lake County movement or to find out more, visit the Thrive Lake County Web site at http://thrivelakecounty.org.
To sign up for the Jan. 30 meeting and online webinar, go to http://www.thrivelakecounty.org/workshop.html.
There is a requested donation of $5 for Thrive members and $10 for nonmembers to defray expenses.