Entitled To Overcome

Entitled To Overcome

The Pitch

Sailovi was a little tired the next morning, as usual she had got up when the Sun had come up, and with no support she had had the disastrous thought of giving it all up and migrating  to Hong Kong or USA.  No government support had the Mizo’s flabbergasted, weren’t they part of the same nation?

Last night we, the three of us, Sailovi, Vibeikho and me, we were like family now, had discussed both the projects over drinks and within half an hour of discussions I had forgotten about my involvement with the projects and was my poetic self that I became when I became a little tipsy, “She was a beauty and when she walked the whole world watched, and I was besotted.” 

And, I had been totally in love, the kinds that happens once in a lifetime, it changed me and inspired me, and this love gave me a dream that never once died down in those two years in Chicago.

“Her name was Allison ?” Sailovi asked quietly listening.
“Yes, Allison, see and I was deeply in love, life is nothing without a love story, and in those days I was working for this company as an intern writer, more a part of the edit team, dirty job with very little writing skills involved and not getting paid, so here I was sitting with Gina, Vice President, and admiring her style and poise, and she said, did you get paid last month and I went quiet and said Yes, but actually I hadn’t, hahaha.”

She said, “Good,” and started to walk off and, “Then the second month went by and then the third and still no money had come and I was working without a salary.  At the end of the fourth month, my cheque was in the account and I was stunned, see, I was an intern with them and I didn’t know it.”

“I have this project with Huka Sumi totally under control, I mean it’s a question of funding the project and it would happen because I knew the route to freedom, his is a large pig farm and obviously the question being only of the pricing, they had enough space for the panels and a 3.2 Avg Watts/day would work out fine for him, I have also suggested 3 days autonomy.”

“And then of course, I had this friend with whom I sat and had a cup of coffee and in walked a lady and she said, I know you, did you know your piece got published in the New York Times and there was stunned silence,” did it, I asked her and she nod, “Yeah,” and I went like, “I never got paid a penny for it,” to which she said, “Well, I could get you your money,” and I said, “Yes let’s do it.”  So I waited for something to come through and she had said 30 days, and in 15 days I got a call from her and she said, “So let’s have coffee.”

And Sailovi went, “And she was Allison !!” with her eyes wide open, this was the first time she was really hearing me talk.

                 

                       “Don’t Give Up On Us, We Are Here To Stay.”

Freedom Bells

Sailovi had bought two sheep dogs to guard her property, they were about 6 months old but smart as hell, they followed their leads very well and had a nose for keeping danger out, during the night, the smallest of noises and I would hear them bark in the garage that I was staying in.  Animals and especially Sheep dogs had always enamoured me, smart, savvy and intelligent, a pair of them could keep out a wolf pack, they would circle and pass the bait to each other, leaving the predator confused.

Crowdfunding Sailovi’s project had been tough, she had submitted her papers and though a loan had been made in her name, the money was still coming in from enthusiasts and crazy crowd funding jockeys.  The total loan was supposed to be about Rs 80,000/- payable over 12 months, the amount received till today was about Rs 20,000/- and we were hoping to get more than the amount we had started with.  Saivoli wasn’t too happy with the progress but it was the only thing she could do – Wait.

Solar however was a different ball game, because the loan was much larger, the same company was willing to get me funded for 1.5 Million.  To fund any Crowd Funding Project requires a careful analysis of what is being offered to the people who fund your project.  A Solar Project could, to my mind, offer the unique product to its fans, provide them with consultancy CD/DVDs and brochures to start a Franchise Business of the Product for themselves and of course offer technical expertise for a life time.  Would these be enough?

   

Conclusions

Only time would tell, however two thing were clear :

1.     I would have to look back at my design to see what was a feasible price for the crowd funding public, the donor was more important the donee.

2.     The second point was finding fans and enthusiasts of Solar Energy and interacting with them in real time in discussions, forums and hobby clubs, to know them on a personal level and develop friendships.

3.     Design Systems with pleasant User Interfaces and in exciting Colours.

4.     Design the System for families, communities and groups.

         “I Feel Its Going To Rain, Days and Days and wash away the pain.”