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SOHODOJO AND SOYAWAX PARTNER ON CHANDLER GUILD MICROENTERPRISE NETWORKWeb Site To Feature Innovative Business Model and E-Commerce Marketplace Supporting Soy Wax CandlemakersFor Immediate Release5 March 2003, Des Moines, IA USA – Jim Salmons, co-founder and research director of Sohodojo, and Michael Richards, co-founder and president of Soyawax, today announced a strategic partnership to create and evolve the Chandler Guild, a microenterprise network of soybean wax candlemakers. The Chandler Guild will revolutionize the candle industry as much as Soyawax's invention of soybean wax has already shaken up an industry in the midst of a significant consolidation of manufacturers and distribution channels. "This is very much a case of what's old is new again," said Jim Salmons, a microenterprise network pioneer and social entrepreneur. "The candle industry is huge with a small number of entrenched mega-players. When you can't beat them and you don't want to join them, you have to make an end-run around them to reach your customers. That's what our partnership will do. The Chandler Guild is a 21st century spin on a medieval village enterprise and the craft guild." "By working with Soyawax to create an Internet-based microenterprise network powered by a story-driven and game-oriented marketplace, Sohodojo will make it possible for us to realize our vision that revisits and reinterprets the medieval enterprise of the village chandler, or candle-maker," Richards said. "Internet communication technologies, especially freely available Open Source software technologies, make it possible for a small lab like Sohodojo to work with an emerging business like Soyawax to create industry-reshaping technical and business model innovations that will have traditional candle companies going back to their drawing boards." The Chandler Guild community and its web site are in the early stages of development. To learn more or to get involved, visit: www.chandlerguild.com. ###
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Founders and Timlynn Babitsky JFS Consulting Raleigh NC USA Advisory Board Allan CohenDistinguished Professor in Global Leadership Babson College Wellesley, MA USA Andrew Cohill Co-founder Knowledge Democracy Center Founding Principal Design Nine Organization Blacksburg, VA USA Perri Morgan State Director, NC National Federation of Independent Business Raleigh, NC USA Michael Moshell Director CREAT Digital Media Program Chief Scientist Visual Systems Lab Univ. Central Florida Maitland, FL USA Gary L. Murphy President and CEO Teledynamics Communications, Inc. Sauble Beach, ON, Canada Jim Schneider Tax Attorney Home-based Business and EZ/EC/RC/HUB Advocate San Diego, CA USA Rick Smyre President Communities of the Future Gastonia, NC USA |