A Conversation with myLocal’s Scott Morris – HuffPost 11.22.11

Mike Ragogna: So Scott, tell me a bit about how myLocal came to be.

Scott Morris: We started as a round table that was exploring alternative methods for local economic development. We wanted to create an program for Fairfield that had the benefits of a complimentary currency, but would not be perceived as one. We wanted to create a program that would help boost resilience and self-reliance while also activating latent resources in the community.

What we ended up with was a program called “Hometown Hero Rewards” which we piloted to explore whether rewarding volunteerism and other socially progressive activities with local merchant promotions and deals would be something that people would appreciate. What we actually created was something much more, something that everybody in the community could get behind, and in fact DID.

MR: How did the Hero Rewards pilot turn out?

SM: It actually turned out a lot better than any of us expected. The Civic Organizations loved the extra coverage and promotion of their events, Volunteers were thrilled to receive the Hero Rewards–actually called “Merits”–and participating Merchants recognized the value of pledging their “off hours” capacity to those who’ve gone and bettered the community. It was a win-win-win, and like we said, everybody got behind the idea. The data we collected speaks to what this program can do for local economies.

MR: You’re running a crowd-funding campaign right now, tell me a little bit about that.

SM: We’re raising $25,000 to kick-start the development of our “Community Operating System” App. The campaign can be found via the link: www.mylocal.coop/thiswayup and will certainly inspire pledges from readers who like the idea of generating an abundance of jobs, creating a brighter future for our children, and helping “local” to become the next cool and convenient thing to do. It ends on midnight on Thanksgiving Day, so the heat is on for us to get this link out there and around networks who will respond positively to our message. If you have networks you think will appreciate real solutions for local communities, than please share the link with them. We’re counting on grassroots support, and we invite your readers to take a closer look.

MR: Do you think you’ll actually get the money?

SM: The early-adopter wave of support we have seen is HUGE for campaigns of this type, and yes, we do intend on hitting our goal of $25,000 before November 24th. We’re committed and we wouldn’t waste our time unless we could actually pull it off. I mean, there’s a whole field of possibilities out there, and with your help, the help of your readers, and the larger network of concerned and intelligent people out there, we think success is well within reach.

MR: What’s the Community Operating System?

SM: It’s a web and mobile app that puts the power of “local” into the palm of your hand. It combines the Hero Rewards program with mobile payments and a whole suite of other community services. For merchants, it lowers the cost of doing business with smartphone users and increases security and convenience for everyone. The user interface is maps and calendar-based for navigating local events, deals and promotions, and opportunities to engage in achieving the greater good through social engagement.

MR: How will it make life easier, can you give me some examples?

SM: (1) I’ve got kids in school, and I want to stay on top of related events. myLocal Calendar gives me the controls to subscribe to events that are school-related, receive updates via email, and have one-click access to details and directions if I need them. (2) I’m in college, I need to find ways reduce financial pressure. The COS allows me to explore opportunities to qualify for Hero Rewards, publish my skills in myLocal Marketplace for others to search and hire, and find deals that help me get more from the dollars I have in addition to generally expanding the bandwidth of what I can trade for goods and services around town. (3) I’m a massage therapist, and the Community Operating System allows me to be found by people who are interested in supporting the local economy. I can barter my services with local businesses, easily trade hour-for-hour with other people who have skills to offer, and I can attract new customers by participating in Hero Rewards.