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Values-based investing, supporting local economies, supporting social change. What if you could literally invest your money where your life and your values are? Longtime activist and visionary, Michael H. Shuman, has made a career of applying his economics and law training to enable that very thing. Seeing local economies as a vehicle for global change, Michael schools us in strategies to fund local initiatives. In fact, this conversation is a crash course in local investment, crowdfunding, values-based investing, and investment vehicles including Solo 401K's and Self-directed IRAs. Don't be fooled, all this financial talk is anything but dry. Michael provides us the keys to the kingdom. He shows us ways we can redirect our wealth to things that matter and create impact as well as return on investment. Resources and more at https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2023/05/30/put-your-money-where-your-life-is-with-michael-h-shuman/
Full episode notes are at https://Patreon.com/theLFShowThis July, America's largest remaining generic drug manufacturing plant is set to close its doors forever in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its parent company, Viatris (formerly known as Mylan), plans to relocate operations to India and Australia leaving more than 1,400 workers without jobs in the country's sixth poorest state. Economist Michael H. Shuman estimates the closure will cost West Virginia hundreds of millions of dollars. “It's the economic equivalent of a nuclear bomb going off,” he says. But moving affordable drug manufacturing offshore is bad for public health too. So why aren't the state's governor or senators, or the Biden Administration, stepping in? Could the plant, the jobs, and domestic manufacture of affordable drugs be protected? What other choices could be made if we put local economies and public health before profits for Big Pharma? Laura travels to Morgantown, WV to speak with workers, organizers, and community members calling on the Biden Administration and state officials to keep the Mylan Viatris plant open. Music In the Middle: “Homesick” feauturing Mish, by the Guitars Over Guns Organization, or GOGO, from their premiere album “The Rain May Be Pouring”. Guitars Over Guns is a nonprofit based in Miami and Chicago, serving to empower and create safe spaces for youth to express themselves through music.While mainstream media or money media keeps you in a bubble, we're committed to popping that bubble by continuing to bring you radical, intersectional media! Can we depend on you to chip in? Go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate and join our team by making a donation today. Thanks
In this episode of Mindfulness Monday, Ora Nadrich shares a discussion with Michael Shuman, author of Put Your Money Where Your Life is: How To Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRA's and Solo 401(k)s. Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and a leading visionary on community economics. He's Director of Local Economy Programs for Neighborhood Associates Corporation, and an Adjunct Professor at Bard Business School in New York City. He is also a Senior Researcher for Council Fire and Local Analytics, where he performed economic-development analyses for states, local governments, and businesses around North America. He is credited with being one of the architects of the 2012 JOBS Act and dozens of state laws overhauling securities regulation of crowdfunding. He has authored, coauthored, or edited ten books. His three most recent books are Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Solo 401ks and Self-Directed IRAs; The Local Economy Solution: How Innovative, Self-Financing Pollinator Enterprises Can Grow Jobs and Prosperity; and Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Shift Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street. One of his previous books, The Small Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition (Berrett-Koehler, 2006), received as bronze prize from the Independent Publishers Association for best business book of 2006. A prolific speaker, Shuman has given an average of more than one invited talk per week, mostly to local governments and universities, for the past 30 years in nearly every U.S. state and more than a dozen countries. Learn more: https://michaelhshuman.com/?page_id=6
“Local businesses spend more of their money locally, and with those local relationships, what happens is that money stays in the economy. And you get the multiplier effect, which generates more income, wealth and jobs.”– Michael H. Shuman, Director,Neighborhood Associates Corporation Home-growing local businessesAround the holidays we often hear the rallying cry to “shop local.” We also hear that it boosts the local economy. Michael H. Shuman is here this week to share the true magnitude of just how important it is for local communities, clarifying what constitutes a local business and how they interact with and enhance their environments.Local businesses have new sets of challenges that also require new solutions. Those that innovate - teaming up with like-minded small businesses in their vicinity, crowdsourcing, engaging their customers - are more likely to thrive.Finally, the ability to invest in local businesses through self-directed IRAs and solo 401(K)s is becoming easier and provides a bridge between investors and local business owners. The symbiosis between local business and their neighborhood[10:06] “Regression analysis of communities across the United States [shows] that in those communities with the highest density of locally owned business, there’s the highest per capita job growth rate. And another study from the Federal Reserve in 2013 shows that when you look at counties across the United States and those counties with the highest density of locally owned business, there's the highest per capita income growth rate.”[11:03] “They are part of [communities] through volunteering, working through schools, supporting schools, etc. And it shows that in communities with a high density of locally owned business, there are higher rates of volunteership higher rates of voting, higher rates of engagement, and charities, higher rates of social stability.” Strength in numbers[12:46] “My biggest piece of advice to a local business proprietor is, stop acting alone, you don't have the bandwidth to do everything you need to do to succeed. What you do need to do is bring in partners…partners in your ownership. I would bring in some of your customers as co-owners of your business, and also as helpers in the decision-making of your business.”[28:16] “It's pretty hard for one local business, especially a small one to take this initiative on his or her own. But if you have a collection of 20, or 50, or 100, businesses working together, these are problems that can be solved. The COVID-19 pandemic has been an invitation to local businesses who've been struggling to think about how to pursue their business model a little bit differently, a little bit more collaboratively.”Partnering with other businesses can take many forms, such as collectively buying foodstuffs and equipment if you’re in the service industry, to bring down unit costs and become more competitive – establishing themselves as a mainstay in the business arena. Female and minority-owned businesses are setting new standards[16:18] "What we've seen with investment crowdfunding is that half million Americans put about $370 million into 1500 businesses. The most disproportionately successful businesses have been those run by women and people of color, those are the ones who have welcomed in grassroots ownership, grassroots partners. And also it represents the people who were locked out of the conventional capital markets. All of these outgroups are innovating in a different and exciting way." Michael H. Shuman's website and more resources:https://michaelhshuman.com/https://twitter.com/smallmarthttps://www.facebook.com/MichaelHShuman By purchasing through Bookshop you'll support local, independent bookstores. Rise Leaders is an affiliate and may benefit from your purchase.Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401(K)s:https://bookshop.org/a/16835/9781523088904 The Local Economy Solution: How Innovative, Self-Financing "pollinator" Enterprises Can Grow Jobs and Prosperityhttps://bookshop.org/a/16835/9781603585750 Local Investing Groups & LIONs:https://www.locavesting.com/how-to-invest-local/local-investing-groups-lions/ Turn Compost:https://www.turncompost.com/Interview with Turn's founder Lauren Clarke:https://rise-leaders.com/lauren_clarke_turn/ Sign up for Rise Leaders newsletter for episode announcements and an always-updated list of resources:https://mailchi.mp/426e78bc9538/subscribe
What options do stressed homeowners have? What happens when mortgage forbearances authorized by the CARES Act run out? Can you refinance while in forbearance? How are people affording home fixups? In the first half of the show host Jordan Goodman talks with Debbie Bloyd about mortgage strategies, buying or refinancing a home during the Covid-19 crisis, and why home improvement is flourishing now. During the second half Goodman talks with Michael H. Shuman about how to beat a down economy through local investing. Goodman and Shuman discuss what is local investing, how local investing works, what the risks and returns of local investing are, and why local investing is critically important now more than ever. Shuman and Goodman talk about using self directed IRAS and solo 401Ks as investment tools particularly well suited for local investing.
What options do stressed homeowners have? What happens when mortgage forbearances authorized by the CARES Act run out? Can you refinance while in forbearance? How are people affording home fixups? In the first half of the show host Jordan Goodman talks with Debbie Bloyd about mortgage strategies, buying or refinancing a home during the Covid-19 crisis, and why home improvement is flourishing now. During the second half Goodman talks with Michael H. Shuman about how to beat a down economy through local investing. Goodman and Shuman discuss what is local investing, how local investing works, what the risks and returns of local investing are, and why local investing is critically important now more than ever. Shuman and Goodman talk about using self directed IRAS and solo 401Ks as investment tools particularly well suited for local investing.
For Beyond 50's "Finance" talks, listen to an interview with Michael H. Shuman. A leading visionary on Community Economics, he'll talk about how many of us have been conditioned to funnel our retiremnt savings into the stocks and bonds of Fortune 500 companies, all but ignoring local businesses that are highly competitive and profitable. Find out how to keep your money close to home while meeting (or beating) Wall Street's returns, along with simple, low-cost initiatives local governments can take to mobilize local investors for post-COVID reconstruction. Tune in to Beyond 50: America's Variety Talk Radio Show on the natural, holistic, green and sustainable lifestyle. Visit Beyond 50 Radio (https://www.Beyond50Radio.com) and sign up for our Exclusive Updates.
Eleanor LeCain talks about how all of us - even with small amounts of money – can invest in our local economy (beginning with ourselves) with Michael H. Shuman, a leading visionary on community economics, attorney, entrepreneur, and author (most recently) of Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Solo 401ks and Self-Directed IRAs.
In this episode, I interview Michael H Shuman, an American economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and a leading visionary on community economics. He is a Senior Researcher for Council Fire and Local Analytics, where he performs economic-development analyses for states, local governments, and businesses around North America. Michael has authored ten books and his book The Small Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition, received a bronze prize for best business book of 2006. In this episode, Michael and I explore what "local economy" means, why it is important, how the system is skewed to profit big corporations and how we can make better choices for ourselves for the world.
The big idea: Americans agree on very little these days. But as local economies flatline and unemployment figures rival those of the Great Depression, red-state conservatives and blue-state progressives can agree on one critical point: Wall Street can no longer be trusted. According to the Federal Reserve, Americans have $56.5 trillion locked away in Wall Street’s stocks, bonds, pension funds, and more. Yet Main Street—not Wall Street—is what powers 60 to 80 percent of the U.S. economy. These local businesses generate two to four times more jobs than Wall Street’s lauded corporate behemoths. They spend more of their money locally, pay local taxes, hire local people, and create far-reaching social returns for your community. In a well-functioning investment marketplace, 60 to 80 percent of your money should be supporting 60 to 80 percent of the economy. Today, almost none is. The key message: “We’ve been conditioned to funnel our retirement savings into the stocks and bonds of Fortune 500 companies, all but ignoring local businesses that are highly competitive and profitable,” explains economist and local-economy advocate Michael H. Shuman. His solution? Help Americans shift that $56.5 trillion into local businesses, projects, and people. In his timely new book, Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401(k)s (Berrett-Koehler Publishers; June 2, 2020), Shuman shares: How two well-established, do-it-yourself investment tools—self-directed IRAs and solo 401(k)s—can keep your money close to home while meeting (or beating) Wall Street’s returns 3 myths about local investing that even skilled financial advisors get wrong Surprising, self-investment strategies that generate higher returns than typical retirement plans: from paying off credit cards to investing in a home 8 smart steps that help anyone find promising, local investments, even as the pandemic rages on Simple, low-cost initiatives local governments can take to mobilize local investors for post-COVID reconstruction.
The big idea: Americans agree on very little these days. But as local economies flatline and unemployment figures rival those of the Great Depression, red-state conservatives and blue-state progressives can agree on one critical point: Wall Street can no longer be trusted. According to the Federal Reserve, Americans have $56.5 trillion locked away in Wall Street’s stocks, bonds, pension funds, and more. Yet Main Street—not Wall Street—is what powers 60 to 80 percent of the U.S. economy. These local businesses generate two to four times more jobs than Wall Street’s lauded corporate behemoths. They spend more of their money locally, pay local taxes, hire local people, and create far-reaching social returns for your community. In a well-functioning investment marketplace, 60 to 80 percent of your money should be supporting 60 to 80 percent of the economy. Today, almost none is. The key message: “We’ve been conditioned to funnel our retirement savings into the stocks and bonds of Fortune 500 companies, all but ignoring local businesses that are highly competitive and profitable,” explains economist and local-economy advocate Michael H. Shuman. His solution? Help Americans shift that $56.5 trillion into local businesses, projects, and people. In his timely new book, Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401(k)s (Berrett-Koehler Publishers; June 2, 2020), Shuman shares: How two well-established, do-it-yourself investment tools—self-directed IRAs and solo 401(k)s—can keep your money close to home while meeting (or beating) Wall Street’s returns 3 myths about local investing that even skilled financial advisors get wrong Surprising, self-investment strategies that generate higher returns than typical retirement plans: from paying off credit cards to investing in a home 8 smart steps that help anyone find promising, local investments, even as the pandemic rages on Simple, low-cost initiatives local governments can take to mobilize local investors for post-COVID reconstruction.
Michael H. Shuman is the Director of Community Portals for Mission Markets and a Fellow at Cutting Edge Capital and Post-Carbon Institute. He is a founding board member of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE). He is also an adjunct instructor in community economic development for Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and is one of the architects of the crowdfunding reforms that became the “JOBS Act,” signed into law by President Obama in April 2012.An economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, Shuman is one of the nation's leading experts on community economics and the advantages of small-scale businesses in an era of globalization. A prolific speaker, Shuman has given talks mostly to local governments and universities, for 30 years—in 47 states and eight countries. He has appeared on numerous television and radio shows, such as the Lehrer News Hour and NPR's “Talk of the Nation,” and NPR's “All Things Considered.”He delivered this speech at the 27th Annual E.F. Schumacher Lectures in October 2007.If you would like a physical copy of this lecture or others like it, visit centerforneweconomics.org/order-pamphlets to purchase pamphlets of published works and transcripts.The Schumacher Center's applied work seeks to implement the principles described by these speakers within the context of the Berkshire hills of Massachusetts. Our work, both educational and applied, is supported by listeners like you. You can strengthen our mission by making a donation at centerforneweconomics.org/donate, or call us at (413) 528-1737 to make an appointment to visit our research library and office at 140 Jug End Road, Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
This week’s featured guest: Michael H. Shuman. Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and Director of Community Portals for Mission Markets in New York City. He’s also a Fellow at Cutting Edge Capital and Post-Carbon Institute, and was a founding board member of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE). He has authored, coauthored, or edited eight books. His most recent book, published by Chelsea Green, is Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Move Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street and Achieve Real Prosperity. His previous book, The Small Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition (Berrett-Koehler, 2006), received as bronze prize from the Independent Publishers Association for best business book of 2006. He regularly helps communities analyze economic “leakages” and job-creation opportunities from expanded “LOIS” businesses (locally owned, import substituting), particularly those linked to local food, energy, and finance. A prolific speaker, Shuman has given an average of more than one invited talk per week, mostly to local governments and universities, for the past 30 years. He has lectured in 47 U.S. states and eight countries. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. “It’s good to remind ourselves that many financial options exist.” [18:00] –Michael H Shuman on Greenhorns Radio
Welcome back family! Did you miss me? Well I sure hope that you did because I surely missed all of you! Well family we are in for a great new season on the air and we are starting the week out with one of Grand Rapids' own Ms. Elissa Hillary who is the Executive Director of Local First! Author Michael H. Shuman, author of Going Local said, " Going local does not mean walling off the outside world. It means nurturing locally owned businesses which use local resources sustainnably, employ local workers at decent wages, and serve primarily local consumers."It means becoming more self sufficinet and less dependent on imports. Control moves from the boardrooms of distant corporations and back into the community where it belongs." This is the ideology our guest Elissa Hillary embraces, so pull up your seats, turn the volumne up, and listen to a great show this evening as we engage in informative conversation with one of the premier leading women in the city of Grand Rapids, the one and only Elissa Hillary!
Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and a leading visionary on community economics. He's Director of Local Economy Programs for Neighborhood Associates Corporation, and an Adjunct Professor at Bard Business School in New York City. He is also a Senior Researcher for Council Fire and Local Analytics, where he performed economic-development analyses for states, local governments, and businesses around North America. He is credited with being one of the architects of the 2012 JOBS Act and dozens of state laws overhauling securities regulation of crowdfunding. He has authored, coauthored, or edited ten books. His three most recent books are Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Solo 401ks and Self-Directed IRAs; The Local Economy Solution: How Innovative, Self-Financing Pollinator Enterprises Can Grow Jobs and Prosperity; and Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Shift Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street. One of his previous books, The Small Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition (Berrett-Koehler, 2006), received as bronze prize from the Independent Publishers Association for best business book of 2006. A prolific speaker, Shuman has given an average of more than one invited talk per week, mostly to local governments and universities, for the past 30 years in nearly every U.S. state and more than a dozen countries. Website: http://www.michaelhshuman.com If you love this show, please leave us a review. Go to:- https://ratethispodcast.com/rate and follow the simple instructions. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-dave-pamah-show/donations