How 55 People Got Simple, Became Friends, and Owned Huggr (SimpleREV 2014 Part 1) – SASM 059

by | Oct 20, 2014

SimpleREV 2014Want to know what planning, organizing, and orchestrating a two-day event at the crossroads of simple living and community is like?

Let me introduce you to a gathering thirteen months in the making and a few decades overdue: SimpleREV 2014.

Imagine a combination of fifty-five strangers, acquaintances, and friends gathered together in a cozy university classroom. The first workshop is about getting vulnerable and having meaningful relationships. The next one is about the social stigma associated with intentional down-sizing.

Then comes the Share Economy, developing your mindfulness practice, going paperless, unconventional goal-setting (and achieving), and more.

But some of the best parts are the connections in the hallways. The friendships grown over shared meals. The environmental commitment to minimal swag and maximum composting.

I spent hundreds of hours of my business time on it, but the work felt more like a “I'm all in, baby!” passion project than anything else. And let me tell you: SimpleREV 2014 would have been nothing without the team of volunteers that Dan Hayes (my co-organizer) and I built.

We're still processing what the event meant to each of us and our entire community. But the early results are in from two participants:

SimpleREV was two mind-blowing days that left me with a head full of thoughts and a heart full of love.

And here's another:

A remarkable gathering of like-minded people dedicated to living intentionally and supporting each other's meaningful lives.

You're about to hear all about the hugs, stories, resources, and high-fives during October 3-4 in Minneapolis, MN. So get ready for a whole lotta simple.

You're about to Learn …

  • Why we loved putting 264 Post It Notes on a blackboard.
  • What three questions lead directly to an intentional life.
  • Why you need to join Huggr – right now.
  • How we rocked a non-commercial, bootstrapped event with no sponsors.
  • Why we spent hundreds to divert 86% of our potential waste from the landfill.
  • How to build a community around a community event.
  • Why the “VITAL Framework” might be vital to you.
  • Fun facts about SimpleREV's most dedicated (and awesome) volunteers.
  • What's up with SERF, PFC, and WWGGE.

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Resources and Items Mentioned in This Episode:

Topics

  • [00:30] The initial SimpleREV 2014 context
  • [05:52] The SimpleREV volunteers and how they rock it
  • [12:06] SimpleREV 2014 behind-the-scenes and “pre-game”
  • [17:53] SimpleREV 2014 Day 1 ins and outs
  • [28:21] SimpleREV 2014 Day 2 grooviness
  • [43:03] Ways to get involved with SimpleREV

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