Seniors who met through a virtual community take in a movie together
It’s exciting to see a plethora of companies across industries scooping up new technology and innovating to grow and enhance a sense of community. Here are some of my favorite recent examples:
Subscriptions For a long time I’ve wanted a subscription to a movie theater that would give me unlimited access to one of my favorite pastimes. I came up with all kinds of ideas why this wasn’t possible – impossible to predict when / if a movie time was sold out, crowd control, and the question of profitability all came to mind. Much to my surprise, and delight!, AMC Theaters is giving it a go with MoviePass. Starting in Boston and Denver, the movie chain will offer a movie-a-day subscription for $35 – $45. I can’t wait for them to get to my city. With my movie going habit, this subscription will be well worth it. Of course the chain hopes that this type of program will lure people out of their comfy homes and back into the immersive world of big screens. I hope so, too!
The sharing economy We have a number of services that allow us to share durable goods such as cars, lawn equipment, and power tools. But what about delicious, local, and healthy perishables? Is there a way to reinvent the barter system of food among farmers so common in the markets of a long ago age? Crop swaps are popping up from the Bay Area to New Haven, and they’re growing in popularity. Coordinating events online, farmers, professionals and hobbyists, swap their homegrown goodies, stories, and tips, and delight in a homemade life.
Senior living If the idea of a nursing home or a retirement community makes you cringe, you’re not alone. Now that so many seniors are healthier much further into their golden years, they want to stay in their homes. But they also want companionship and purposeful ways to spend their time. Enter Virtual Villages—robust online spaces that have a relatively low yearly membership fee for seniors to meet other seniors who are interested in getting together in the real world, to get advice, and to find resources that can help with tasks like walking the dog, getting the gutters cleaned, and weeding the garden.
These examples provide ways to think about technology, new and not so new, as a means to build community, drive revenue, and delight customers. Technology is a catalyst for change. With insight and the genuine desire to serve, it can be used as a force for good for all.
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
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Christa Avampato 