Help us with the Keys to the City Competition

http://bit.ly/kcrarea

Lord Mayor of Dublin, Oisín Quinn, has launched the “Key to the City” Competition where businesses can win the key to excellent business support packages, worth €35,000.

The support packages include creation and broadcast of a radio as well as online TV ad, which will air on Dublin City FM and An Lár TV, reaching hundreds of thousands of people. Also included, is business consultancy with Distinctions Consultancy. The “Key to the City” operates a no-lose model, where any business that enters immediately gains benefit.

Utilising principles, such as the “Hawthorne effect”, simply taking part can stimulate awareness, interest and sales among customers and potential customers, during this key seasonal quarter. There is no judging panel. This means that businesses that enter retain 100% control of their progress. In addition, everyone who enters instantly wins tickets to the UpStarts Strategy and Networking Event in January, to ensure optimum success in 2014!

Also, every person who votes is in with a chance to win a great prize! The competition has been organised in partnership with Dublin City Fm, UpStarts, An Lár TV and Distinctions Consultancy, and is sponsored by iDonate.

According to Andy Byrne, from UpStarts: “Entering could not be easier. Businesses simply upload their logo, and some information about them and why they believe they can unlock the “Key to the City”.

“They can then invite people to vote for them all through the month of October. The winners will be presented with their prize package -the UpStarts key to the city – by Lord Mayor of Dublin, Oisín Quinn, in early November!” For further info, and to enter, please check out http://bit.ly/kcrarea 

An idea to reality in 5 years flat

Okay, for anyone that knows, Sam Lyons, you know that I have a endless stream of ideas. Although, as many people have told, ideas are worth the paper they are written on. So, finally, after around 7 years from when it was conceived as an idea. I finally have launched one that kept niggling away in the background.

I moved into the Kimmage area around 7.5 years ago and was shocked by the amount of resources there were in the locality. So, while living there the idea came to mind to create some form of community resource. It's not the first time. I built, with the help of two others, a website for the community I grew up in, Cabinteely.org. Sadly, not long after I left, it was left to go to rack ruin.

The thing with community websites is they require constant maintenance and development. This requires management and time. And time is money. We know how challenging it is to find money in this day and age. So, as a host for the altruist and the capitalist, I knew that the KCRarea model needed to a little different. It needed to be sustainable. And that's what you have. A resource that works on the interdependence of business and community. One relying on the other. Like they actually do.

I remember reading an article a number of years ago about the future of the internet and they coined the term, an online watering hole. Well, I am going to use that one also. KCRarea.com is place for people to gather together, to share, trade, communicate, learn, grow and be a real living community. It is about bringing all our needs and wants under one roof. A place that in time, you will visit everyday to see what is new and relevant to you.

So, with these final words, for the moment, I wish you a pleasant and fulfilling journey. She's only a tiny toddler at the moment. So be gentle and help her find her feet.

Adieu,

Sam - The Creator ;)

www.kcrarea.com