My idea to personally fight unemployment. Need opinions.

[WingDinger]

I have been making urban mushing leashes with bungee cord. Braiding several strands into attractive patterns. It would be better for the aged, in-pain, and bike/scooter etc. walkers. I started off making them for my arthritic mother.

My idea is to employ the unemployed, disabled, and even girl scouts etc. They would recieve a part of the proceeds, for their labor. They could even sell them outside grocery stores etc. I dont know enough about gov subsidy for employing the disabled and hard core unemployed. Nor the tax implications. I do know that my leashes are far superior to most if not all others. They give progressive{love that word} feedback to the dog. They reduce shock damage to the elderly, those with bad knees, hips or backs. They should even be eligible for subsidy to help the disabled dog walker.

What do youall think? I will need to secure wholesale, and then some, on the shock cord supplies. And a system for doling it out, and issuing the portion of profits. I would like to get free advert on variety shows and the news. And to spur others into entreprenuerial projects to help the poor and those in worthy organizations, like the girl scouts.

I would even like to be allowed space for street homeless to work.

Any out there with savvy in any of these areas, I would appreciate your input, either in this thread, or private message.

Thank you for your input.

[brer cat]

1. Help me out with this

What is an urban mushing leash?

[WingDinger]

2. I walk the dogs on skateboard{electric} and others do it on scooter.

It is dangerous for the pooch, if he turns wrong or such, and gets to end of rope. Most dogs dont get near enough exercise at a pace that they need.

[brer cat]

3. Not enough exercise...that would be my dog

Your idea sounds interesting. I would love to ride a bike while she walks but am afraid she would pull me over if she suddenly lurched for a passing cat. I can't help you with logistics of your idea...but would love to learn more about it. Keep us posted.

[WingDinger]

4. Here are some examples of sport etc.

White knuckle example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgs_C33bnkI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0csd3XMJBw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNQmWSmAFPo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HanWviYakcY

[OneGrassRoot]

5. I've been looking for people like you...

:hi:

Those interested in cooperative ventures and microenterprise approaches to create...whatever -- in this case your leashes!

But I envision this approach becoming the norm for whatever is being created and offered in the marketplace. That's my wish, at least. A way for many people and the local communities to benefit every step of the way, from inception to being made available in the marketplace, doing many of the things you describe here.

:)

I posted the following here and there, hoping to gather others of like mind to explore how to implement these different ideas and join together in doing so. I've previously posted a lot about co-op ventures and such in the small business forum here at DU, but there's not much activity there.

"Do you identify or resonate with the terms social entrepreneur, eco-entrepreneur and/or spiritual entrepreneur? I'm trying to find a community where regular people gather to discuss cooperative ventures, microenterprise ideas and the like; a community of people who want to DO MORE, and do better, and join with others who feel the same, to create a new way of doing...everything!

If you feel the same, I invite you to join this forum, where we can gather to brainstorm and do. If there is an existing forum or group, please let me know; I've been searching for them!"[br />

edit for typo

[CC]

6. Have you tried talking to

your local Small Business Administration office? They have a lot of help with how to start up a business.

[Retrograde]

7. You have very good intentions

But learn about your local business and employment laws before you jump into this! Once you employ someone, you'll have to pay at least minimum wage, plus any applicable taxes. There are circumstances under which people can work for a share of the proceeds, but that requires someone with more knowledge of the law than I have. I don't know what modern laws say about hiring for piecework, which sounds like what you want to do (i.e., you pay $x per unit completed). Hiring girl scouts sounds like it's getting close to child labor.

There's another way of doing what you want to do, which would be to form a non-profit organization and have members produce and sell items to help fund your non-profit activities. I don't know if you can have other produce goods for you, or under what circumstances. You also have to deal with paperwork, and at least in California, the whole issue of sales taxes. OTOH, you might be able to interest the girl scouts or similar organizations into making and selling these under your direction, with the profits going to them - they already sell stuff, so they probably have the paperwork structure in place.

I think you have some interesting ideas about working with non-traditional channels, but please do your homework and talk to people in your area who've done something along these lines before jumping in!