First, there’s something you should know. I don’t own 5000bc.
Never have. Never will.
And before you go rambling around the countryside, wondering who ‘really’ owns 5000bc, let me put your mind to rest. 5000bc is owned by you. Yes, I know it sounds trite and cliched, but the community owns 5000bc. The community makes the decisions as to what to have and what to keep; whom to invite and whom to keep out; and more importantly what I should do, and what I shouldn’t.
So what’s my role in 5000bc
My role is dual. My first role is simply to be a mentor. And my second role is simply that of trustee. As a mentor, I help you get through the minefields of business, answer as many questions as possible, and generally crack bad jokes. š My second role as trustee, makes you guys the boss. Which means that you’ve got to decide what’s good for you.
I don’t make the rules.
You do.
There are only two pre-determined rules
As trustee, I’ve got to make sure you keep to those two rules. They are:
Rule 1: Be kind.
Rule 2: Be helpful.
You break those rules and you’re out.
But enough of what I do…here’s what you do
As I’ve mentioned before, 5000bc isn’t about me. You’re the community. You decide what’s good for you. And occasionally, you also build together as a community.
To give you some examples:
The integration of the Cave with the main site was done by Andrew. The invite a guest concept was decided by a discussion at the Cave. The Invite-A-Guest script was written and modified by Steve Jackson (This Invite-A-Guest was eventually discontinued because it was felt that people needed to go through the Brain Audit first, before getting to 5000bc–just so that everyone could be on the same page).
The Cave Party really started with Rose Rushbrooke. The screensaver was created by a compilation of 5000bc members and then put together by Alan O’Flaherty. TheĀ idea for individual archives came from Philip Pawley. The Taking Action forum came from Mackay Rippey, and quickly became a hotbed of useful activity. The Interview and Book Reviews idea came from Ray Toulany and that has a small and dedicated following.
And these are only instances I can remember…
In effect, the entire Cave is headed in the direction of the people, for the people and by the people–and the people are you and me.
I don’t know what the future will bring. All I know is that I’ve got to stick to the core DNA of 5000bc.
For your part, you’ve got to keep me focused on what’s good for you. So if I deviate, or do something that’s not in your best interest, be sure to start throwing rocks at me.
For starters, there’s always the bug.
If anything bugs you, it’s my job as trustee to fix it. If you feel we need to go in a particular direction, all you need to do is email me or put it up in the Cave, and we’ll discuss and come to a conclusion. Of course, there won’t always be a unanimous decision.
And that’s ok.
I’ll step in and do what’s in the best interest for the overall community.
There are no secrets in the Cave
None whatsoever. If you have any grouses, or are upset with me, there’s no need to send me an email. Simply post in the Cave (unless you don’t want to post, in which case, you can email me). Let the community decide what corrective action has to be taken, if any. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. I’ll answer all questions without hiding anything.
So if it’s such an idealistic place, why isn’t 5000bc free?
Good question. Because free has no value. The membership to the country club is coveted because it’s not free. And that’s not the only reason. The membership fee pays me to stop running after every consulting job, stops me from having to speak at dozens of events, and helps me focus my energies on you and your business. A free 5000bc is a 5000bc that will be extremely poorly resourced.
So 5000bc will not be freeĀ
But YOUR fees won’t go up either. That means, as long as you continue your membership, you will continue to pay the same amount, despite inflation. The newer members will always pay more, because prices of the membership will increase over the years.
So why does 5000bc exist?
It exists solely for the purpose of letting me help you to get to where you want to be in your business. Whatever it takes for me to get you there, is what I’ll do. In turn, your responsibility is to keep me in check; to let me know what you need and want; and to help each other and be kind to each other.
In effect, you and I will do whatever it takes to make the twins factors of our philosophical + economic vision work to the fullest–and simultaneously. 5000bc will remain in 5000bc and yet move forward all the time.
The rock’s in your court
Be helpful. Be kind. And contribute to the community. And 5000bc will pay you big dividends over the years, and centuries to come. š
That’s it.
From Oogaland,
Sean
