The Offers and Needs Market
The Offers and Needs Market (OANM) is a lively, guided exchange where groups swap skills, stuff, and support – anything from tech help to a new mindset to the food on your plate.
Whether it’s free, bartered, or paid, it’s all about better knowing that what you offer matters and what you need is valued.
I've facilitated dozens of them and helped others run their own around the world.
Want me to run an OANM?
Let's explore how I could bring it to your community, team, or event.
Want to run one yourself?
My free facilitator guides walk you through everything from setup to follow-up.
The Process
The OANM has helped participants find work, a place to live, meet new friends, and discover a deeper sense of belonging. Every exchange builds connections, those connections weave stronger communities, and more trust creates more possibilities.
It’s also a fun way to flip the script on scarcity. No more “We don't have enough” blues! Instead, let's celebrate what we do have, showing how we can help – and get helped – right now.
1. Gather and Orient
Lay out the materials, share context, and demo the high-level process
2. Share Offers + Needs
Browse sticky notes (offline) or collaborative digital space (online)
3. Match and Connect
One-to-one discovery and matching offers with needs
4. Follow Up
Celebrate the stories and exchanges, then follow through on the actual matches
“Joel, your OANM process felt like organic work water cooler magic. Plus, you made us all super curious about each other!”
Why It Matters
- Stronger Bonds: You get to see who knows what, who needs what, and who’s got your back.
- New Possibilities: People team up to make things happen in ways they couldn’t alone.
- It’s Fun (Seriously): Want an accountability buddy, creative sidekick, or ukulele jam partner? Those are real examples among endless options.
- Quick, Real Feedback: Share an idea or project and get thoughtful responses right away.
- Less Waste: One person’s extra is another’s perfect fit – saving time, energy, and resources.
- More Ownership: The more you give and receive, the more committed you feel. Now you, and the group, are about what’s abundant instead of what’s scarce.
- Confidence Boost: Asking for what you need and owning your gifts? That’s real power.
- Super-Efficient: It taps into what already exists … people’s often-hidden talents and treasures.
- Works for All Personalities: Are you shy, introverted, neurodivergent, or just show up in a unique way? Connections and exchanges come easier here.
Praise for It and Me
“Joel's has a natural ability to create a strong foundation for discovery, connection, and support. His Offers and Needs Market facilitation easily elevated and activated the hidden assets within our community, and showed me what's possible in the process.”
“I love Joel's Offers and Needs Markets! They're so much bundled into one: community-building, vulnerability, sharing resources, owning up to our own depths, and the generous use of sticky notes. We all inherently want to help, so giving and receiving with an intentional, organized process allows us to contribute and gain without it feeling transactional.”
How to Run One
I've facilitated many OANMs over the years and my process has been thoroughly field tested by other OANM facilitators. Here's where you get all the hard-won insight I've gained and continue your journey to bring people together around their unique gifts.
Offline
(Want to customize the guide? Here's the source file for you to edit however you like!)
Online
(Want to customize the guide? Here's the source file for you to edit however you like!)
What Now?
“Joel combined preparation, practice, and warmth to create an experience that felt special, but also simple enough to prompt the question: why aren't we doing this often and in all contexts? All kinds of teams, groups, and communities would find an OANM useful, nourishing, and soul-affirming – especially with a thoughtful guide like him.”