You know I love businesses, business models and businesses with clearly defined values and vision.
And I really love businesses that add value to their community.
One business I really love to visit in Sydney is Deus Ex Machina (The God in the Machine)
I was talking to the very knowlegeable and helpful Faidon about business models, motorcycles, Reg Mombassa and how much I loved this place when it opened, mixing art, motorbikes and coffee cultures – a heady mix at that time!
He mentioned an amazing place for me to visit in Newtown – a business that mixed coffee culture, good food and bikes – but that had a community vision around helping locals maintain and rebuild their bikes – so I sought it out – it was called “The Rising Sun”
If you check out the website, it tells the story of friends coming together to bring their businesses together, using crowdfunding, making a difference to the community, using a club business model – they really have it all going on and are experts at maneuvering in this form of business.
Down a back lane in Newtown, it’s the sort of place only locals would know about.
Here’s my first impressions:
Then I met Brad.
He’s a highly skilled mechanic who is managing the workshop, freeing up one of the owners to build their family.
He was articulate, reflective, an amazing teacher who oozed patience with both machines…and people.
He knew the business model intimately patiently fielding my questions and gently correcting me any time I generalised or assumed. Both he and the owners are determined to stay true to their community vision.
On the community side, I couldn’t think of a better person to facilitate this amazing place of learning and fellowship. This guy knows machinery...and he knows people.
He told the story that he had motorbike accident recently and put it out to the community that he needed some help in the workshop. The people came and helped.
This community is alive and well.
You eat fantastic food, you have great coffee, the environment is amazing, there’s an amazing mezzanine floor upstairs – great for meetings and get togethers – it’s a community hub.
…and through the interior, there are hat tips to the investors and founders, giving credit, where credit is due. The wall of fame pictured below, features spanners with names of crowd funding individual contributors engraved upon them. The people who made this happen – all get acknowledged. Everybody is a part of the community.
Go and Check it out!
If you have an idea for your community, who could you partner with to create an inspirational hub like this?
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Let me know what you think. email me.
THE MOTIVATION CLINIC 