Six Guidelines for Business-Investor Conversations

Six Guidelines for Business-Investor Conversations By Jenny Kassan and Michael Shuman What kinds of conversations can a business owner have with potential investors without breaking the law? Over the past year many local investment advocates and practitioners have sought our advice in answering these questions, and this blog attempts to provide some answers. The law

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Sofusion Cafe - an example of a Maryland Neighborhood Exchange Success Story

Every Community Needs a Neighborhood Exchange

Every Community Needs a Neighborhood Exchange Three years ago, the Maryland Neighborhood Exchange was just a dream. We envisioned creating a website listing great local investment opportunities in Baltimore and mobilizing residents to invest in them. Here’s what’s happened since: The Exchange has helped 44 Baltimore businesses successfully raise $3.3 million from nearly 6,000 investors.

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Silhouettes of three male athletes side by side, middle athlete holding winning cup above his head

4 Ways to Become a Local Investment Champion

If you’ve read my blogs over the past year, you understand why local investment is an essential tool for revitalizing your community.  It also can improve your own bottom line, as well as your family’s and friends’ bottom lines.  Now I want to show you how you can become an expert local investor. Here are

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The Little Baltimore District That Could

Every community in America is struggling to recover from a year of COVID-19 shutdowns and could benefit from a surge in local investing.  Yet only a handful of communities are prepared to embrace this strategy.  An inspiring example is Market Center in Baltimore.  I’m now working with the Market Center Merchants Association to embark on

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The words 2021 Happy New Year set against a night sky with fireworks

27 Resolutions for Community Renewal (Part II)

Last week, I offered 18 of 27 New Year’s Resolutions on how you can create a vibrant local investment ecosystem. You and your neighbors can use your savings to boost your community’s economy and speed its recovery from COVID-19. I suggested ways to get your local businesses “investment ready,” to create more investment options for

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The words 2021 Happy New Year set against a night sky with fireworks

27 New Year Resolutions for Community Renewal (Part I)

Happy New Year!  If you are unsure how to fix your community after a year of COVID shutdowns, bankruptcies, deaths, and despair, I’d like to offer 27 resolutions.  The focus of all 27 is how to jump-start your economy by mobilizing local capital for local businesses, projects, and people, in relatively easy and inexpensive ways.

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My Latest Book

“As so many Americans feel powerless to confront a financial system designed to serve the few, Shuman offers us real choices: tools that align our lives with our values. That’s power. I love this highly readable, timely, surprising book.” 
–Frances Moore Lappé, author of Daring Democracy and Diet for a Small Planet 

**40% quantity discount available from Berrett-Koehler on orders of 10 or more

Calendar of Events

October 4 – November 1: Local Investing in Montana Workshop Series, hosted by the Center for Community Ownership.

Michael H Shuman