『Ithaca Local Economy Lab - Radical Experiments in Business and Community』のカバーアート

Ithaca Local Economy Lab - Radical Experiments in Business and Community

Ithaca Local Economy Lab - Radical Experiments in Business and Community

著者： Dia local economy enthusiast
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今ならプレミアムプランが3カ月 月額99円

2026年5月12日まで。4か月目以降は月額1,500円で自動更新します。

概要

Welcome to Ithaca Local Economy Lab, a podcast about the real-world experiments shaping the future of capitalism in one small city.

Instead of chasing scale, speed, and outside investment, a growing network of entrepreneurs and organizations are building businesses and economies designed for local resilience, shared ownership, and long-term community wealth.

This podcast documents that shift and asks the question: What would an economy look like if taking care of people was the goal, not a side effect?

Each episode is a thoughtful conversation hosted by Dia, inviting listeners into how these models actually work.

We’ll explore:

• How credit unions, local currencies, and community finance keep money circulating locally

• Why cooperative and member-owned businesses change power dynamics

• What happens when healthcare becomes relationship-based instead of transactional

• How food systems can be rebuilt through shared infrastructure and local production

• How a business built on the idea of gifting instead of selling sustains itself

• And much more

Because many of today’s economic pressures, rising costs, stagnant wages, community decline, aren’t random. They’re symptoms of a system designed to extract value and concentrate it elsewhere .

This podcast explores what happens when that design changes.

Ithaca is a living laboratory for what’s possible when:

• Money circulates instead of exits

• Ownership is shared instead of concentrated

• Growth is measured in resilience, not just revenue

This is a show for:

• Thoughtful listeners who want to understand, not just react

• Entrepreneurs building in small or mid-sized communities

• People interested in economic alternatives beyond politics and ideology

• Anyone looking for real examples of alternatives to capitalism

• Anyone inspired by the idea that the economy is not fixed but designed, and better designs already exist

Ithaca Local Economy Lab offers a map toward something better.

New episodes drop every first and third Thursday of the month.

Start listening and see what happens when a community rewrites the rules.

Join us at https://IthacaLocalEconomyLab.com

and on Patreon for early access to new episodes and more local economy information

https://www.Patreon.com/Practicalmuse

Practically Real Enterprises, LLC 社会科学 経済学
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  • Ithaca HOURS - The Most Important Economic Experiment You've Never Heard Of_ ep_005

    Ithaca HOURS - The Most Important Economic Experiment You've Never Heard Of_ ep_005
    2026/05/08

    What If Your Town Printed Its Own Money — And It Actually Worked?

    In 1991, as the U.S. economy stumbled through recession, a community organizer in Ithaca, New York did something radical: he printed money. Not counterfeit dollars — something more interesting. A labor-backed local currency called Ithaca HOURS, where one note equaled one hour of work, equaled ten dollars, and could only be spent right here in town.

    For more than two decades, it worked.

    In this episode, Dia sits down with Steve Burke, former president and board member of Ithaca HOURS, for an honest, detailed account of what happened.

    The Problem Ithaca HOURS Was Built to Solve

    Ithaca in the early 1990s was a town of wage struggle and economic anxiety. Workers were paid too little. Dollars flowed in, then immediately flowed out to distant corporations. Local businesses competed against national chains with no structural advantage.

    Paul Glover, the currency's founder, understood that money is not inherently valuable. It is valuable because a community agrees it is. If a community could agree to believe in something new, and back it with real labor and goods, they could create economic gravity that kept wealth local.

    That insight became Ithaca HOURS.

    How You Build Trust in a Currency From Scratch

    Steve walks us through the unglamorous, essential work of building belief: community meetings, early adopter lists, handshake agreements with local businesses, and the slow accumulation of a directory that proved the currency could actually be spent.

    At its peak, over 500 businesses and thousands of individuals participated. HOURS funded loans to local entrepreneurs and grants to nonprofits. Music stores, bookshops, farmers, landlords, healers, and carpenters all joined the network.

    Why It Declined — And What Actually Killed It

    The decline of Ithaca HOURS wasn't a single failure, it was a collision of forces: the rise of credit cards (which made cash-adjacent systems feel clunky), the shift to online commerce (which rewarded national platforms over neighborhood networks), Paul Glover's eventual departure from Ithaca, and the organization's inability to transition from paper to a digital infrastructure.

    By 2015, Ithaca HOURS had wound down.

    The Questions This Episode Leaves You With

    Could it happen again? Steve thinks yes — but differently. Dia suggests perhaps a digital local currency with modern infrastructure, institutional backing, and a clear circulation strategy could address the structural weaknesses that paper HOURS couldn't.

    Steve raises something worth sitting with: as electronic currencies become more prevalent, the question of transparency and government oversight becomes urgent. Who controls the black box? Who audits the ledger? Community currencies of the future will have to answer those questions before they launch, not after.

    What You'll Take Away

    This conversation is part history lesson, part governance case study, part meditation on what money is really for. Whether you're curious about local economics, community resilience, alternative finance, or just a great Ithaca story — this episode delivers.

    🔗 Resources

    • Ithaca HOURS Archive
    • Alternatives Federal Credit Union
    • BerkShares — Local Currency in Massachusetts

    Ithaca Local Economy Lab is a podcast about the people, models, and ideas building a more resilient local economy — one conversation at a time.
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    51 分
  • Can You Run a Business Without Believing in Business? Found in Ithaca's Owners Think So

    Can You Run a Business Without Believing in Business? Found in Ithaca's Owners Think So
    2026/04/16

    Learn how Vanessa Weber and Jeremiah Signo turned a local antique mall into a thriving, community-centered enterprise through creative ownership, vendor collaboration, and strategic moves—all while navigating the challenges of small-town retail. This episode explores the intricate workings of their business model, the power of local relationships, and plans for expansion and community engagement.

    NOTE: This is the first half of a longer episode -full episode is on https://Patreon.com/Practicalmuse

    In this episode:

    • The origins of Found in Ithaca and Vanessa's vintage and antique passions
    • The unique buyout model used to acquire the business without traditional bank financing
    • Details of the operation: vendor-managed booths, commissions, and furniture sales
    • Challenges and strategies in relocating from an old building to a creatively refurbished space
    • The importance of local, community-driven economy and vendor relationships
    • Insights into the renovation process of Southworks and the collaborative design vision
    • The role of community support and small-town relationships in business success
    • Future plans: programming, community events, and space expansion
    • The significance of maintaining a welcoming, high-end boutique atmosphere
    • The intersection of local art, mutual aid, and sustainable retail practices

    Resources & Links:

    Found in Ithaca https://FoundinIthaca.com

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foundinithaca/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundinithaca/

    Patricia “Patty” Brown - https://integratedbv.com

    Creative ReUse - https://www.rachelfeirman.com/creativereuseofithaca

    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/p/Creative-Reuse-of-Ithaca-61575877676117

    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creativereuseofithaca

    Ithaca Murals: https://www.ithacamurals.com

    Join the conversation and stay inspired about local economies and community-driven retail! http://IthacaLocalEconomy.com
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    1 時間 10 分
  • Is Shared Kitchen Ithaca the Future of Small Town Food Business?

    Is Shared Kitchen Ithaca the Future of Small Town Food Business?
    2026/04/02

    In this episode:

    • Rod Rotundi shares his diverse background in economic development and his journey to Ithaca
    • The origins and mission of Shared Kitchen Ithaca
    • How shared kitchens bolster local entrepreneurs
    • Examples of successful members, from bakers to hot dog vendors

    Resources & Links:

    https://www.sharedkitchenithaca.com

    https://www.sharedkitchenithaca.com/the-smorg

    https://www.facebook.com/thesmorgithaca

    https://www.instagram.com/thesmorgithaca

    https://greenstar.coop

    https://www.rochestercommissary.org

    https://ithacareuse.org

    http://farmtofeastny.com

    https://www.facebook.com/styxstreetfood/

    https://gardellasgoodies.com

    https://www.facebook.com/ithacabreadworks/

    https://lamexicanarestaurantandgrocery.com

    https://littlerambakery.com

    https://rashidasawyer.com

    https://www.wellspringforestfarm.com

    Resources & Links:

    • https://IthacaLocalEconomyLab.com
    • Jake Gribschaw https://www.linkedin.com/in/jgribschaw
    • Stacey Cornelius https://agencyofwords.com
    • Sonia Simone - https://remarkable-communication.com
    • Erin O'Shaughnessy - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/erin-o-shaughnessy-depoe-bay-or/373808
    • Yen Ospina - http://yenospina.com
    • Carsie Blanton - http://carsieblanton.com

    Go deeper:

    • https://patreon.com/Practicalmuse
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    35 分
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