In a small but real way, I have finally validated the premise of
Brian's Taskforce—that local businesses can be motivated in ways that go beyond the profit motive. Consumers who want businesses and governments to do something can send a new kind of signal by donating to charity on behalf of their ideas.
Cookie Zombie is an El Segundo-based cookie bakery that
delivers hot cookies to your home. Sounds awesome, right? It is. With summer ending, my favorite seasonal flavor—pumpkin—is beginning to appear on the menus of restaurants, coffee houses, and bagel shops. But it had not been offered by the region's preeminent cookie-delivery service.
This was a perfect use-case for Brian's Taskforce: motivate Cookie Zombie to
add a pumpkin cookie by way of
donating to charity on the idea's behalf.
It was
a success! Our first success. A quick success. A small success. But a success nonetheless!
And
the pumpkin cookies are delicious!The key to this success was approaching a small business, one already closely listening to customer opinions. I paired that with the motivational power of donating to a
local charity,
Tree Musketeers, which is also based in
El Segundo. Cookie Zombie staff knew about Tree Musketeers. And now Tree Musketeers knows Cookie Zombie.
Oh, did I mention
you can now get hot pumpkin cookies delivered to your door? Yes:
Pumpkin cookies are a small victory. But it's a
big deal for me because I feel the principle of Brian's Taskforce is validated.
I try to be realistic and rationalize this small victory as just luck, but I still see it as reason to be optimistic. It's reason to keep efforts moving with
other tasks in El Segundo, many of which are larger in scope. For example:
Do you have an idea that would improve life in El Segundo? Join me at the
El Segundo Taskforce and let's motivate the powers-that-be!