What does your to-do list look like?
Posted by Michael Walsh (Check me out!) on August 18th, 2009
Tagged as: Projects, Social Media
The more you put on your plate, the bigger the belly ache.
Here’s a short, macro-list of the things I have to do before December. Let’s not forget that each of these has its own sub-set of impossible obstacles to overcome…
Set up a Limited liability company to handle the following:
1. Expand my professional relationship with my largest client which will help me cope with the sheer amount of work and of course help finance the projects below.
2. Finish and launch the Social Starter initiative.
3. Transfer all domains and online activities over to the new company.
4. Rework The Acer Guy to include officially-sanctioned reviews and charitable causes.
5. Re-commission the Runaway Parents series of sites (starting with Italian). The first time around was a disaster.
6. Start the ball rolling with Language Is Free.
As you can see, there isn’t so much a plan, more like five and right now I’m struggling with #1 and #3. They are quite distinct ideas and activities but represent everything I’ve learned these past years online and practically everything I’m able to offer.
In Italy, you can’t (quite) start in a garage and get lucky, you have to plan for it, build it, bear the impossible fiscal burden and of course finance it virtually from scratch. That’s why it’s taking so long to get going and why it’s so frustrating working here at times.
By way of example, I’m planning on trying to raise money through The Acer Guy to buy computers for schools in the world’s poorest regions but in order to do so, I have to open what’s called an ONLUS (Nonprofit organization) otherwise I’ll be taxed on the donations. For the modest administration cost of approx. €3K-€4K per year.
Now I don’t mind organizing, but would someone explain how you’re supposed to promote micro-donations for specific projects AND then give that much money to the accountants/state just because the law requires you to do so?
Still looking into it and of course ways around it. Suggestions welcome…
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Karen wrote:
If you don’t already know about it, check out TechSoup.org. They have discounted hardware and software for non profits. For example, a few years ago a group I was involved with was able to purchase Windows XP Pro for just $8. I seem to remember finding a site that did the work for you in terms of donations, but I have no idea where that is now. (Too many bookmarks!) TechSoup.org may be a resource for that too. Best of luck!
Michael Walsh wrote:
Karen,
Thank you very much for stopping by but most of all for taking the time to comment. Will definitely check out TechSoup and no, I wasn’t aware of it.
The donations will be channelled through a PlugIn called ChipIn which places all sums raised into a specific PayPal account.
This part of the site should be up and running by mid-November and to be honest, the part that’s exciting me the most while at the same time worrying me to bits is involving the community in the decision process.
Sourcing hardware suppliers and shipping channels isn’t too hard, raising the money - if my estimates are correct - is no more difficult than placing an AdSense banner and just as effective. No, what I’m worried about is allowing the community to nominate and vote on the causes they want to support.
I won’t change this approach as I see it as a vital part of my site’s strategic development but you’ve got to admit it’s a big leap of faith…