#frontierrva

[frontierdispatches]

Academic Leanings

Ryann will be joining a few fellow MBA-Alumni on a "Lean In Panel" at The University of Richmond. With RLW's refreshing candor, we guarantee the discussion will be worth overhearing. Registration and information for current and former students here. 

[frontierdispatches]

Nice Rack

Tens of public bike racks are in the works for Richmond.  Our name will be on one of them.  Maybe your corporate name should be on one too?

Several years ago, we worked on some concept designs of what a bike-driven economic future might look like for second tier cities.  It was all tied into Richmond hosting the forthcoming World Cycling Championships.  

The research kicked out some unsurprising and surprising outputs.  Unsurprising?  Most Americans are not that excited about cycling?  Surprising? Many Americans, and American corporations are very excited about biking.  Whether for health (cost), stress management, traffic relief, community building, or economic access, Fortune 500s love the potential of bikes.  Our not-so-mind-blowing-conclusion... second tier cities (not just the New Yorks, Denvers etc) that embrace bikes as an urban and suburban way of life, will reap economic and social benefits.

It's probably rare for entrepreneurial companies to rave about their local chamber of commerce, but in our case, we do.  The Richmond Chamber gets it.  And they've jumped on lifestyle workforce development.

Through their I.E. initiative, the Chamber are running competitions to design and build bike racks, with each customised by local artists.  For $5-$10K local corporates can sponsor each site.  Real, long term, simple infrastructure. Build in time for the World Championships, around forever.  Go buy one.