Oprah Winfrey's Pay It Forward For Bloggers, Vloggers, Podcasters, Mom & Pop Businesses & Small Entrepreneurs

Oprah Winfrey's Pay It Forward For Bloggers, Vloggers, Podcasters, Mom & Pop Businesses & Small Entrepreneurs

Oprah Winfrey issued a challenge to some 300 members of her audience. She issued a video camera and $1000 to each one of them. The catch is that they could not spend this money on their relatives. They had one week to reach out to someone in need. Right of the bat, this is a great marketing coup for the Oprah Winfrey Show and all its sponsors. These audience members could give the money to some charities, organizations and deserving individuals. The stories had to be videotaped. This is a grassroots movement that stems from the idea of doing good. On an advertising level, news organizations will pick up the story quickly. What happens is that Oprah can create a buzz with all that money. And Bank of America and all the Harpo Holdings will benefit from this new idea of doing. Oprah could have used any of the numerous ad agencies in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles to come up with some fancy ads that will be on a few media. But, in her marketing and advertising departments' wisdom, they choose to go with individuals who will go back to their cities and hometowns to spread the word. For a buzz, there is no greater and better ingredient than that! All local journalists want to track this story. Is Oprah trying to set an example for others during this holiday season? You bet. It is time to give and be appreciative of others. Let us see who can outdo Oprah's largesse.

Oprah has a new opportunity to create groundswell of marketing buzz with bloggers and low-income entrepreneurs. If I were Oprah, I could give a second life to this marketing tour de force by getting bloggers and micro or mini entrepreneurs involved. By virtue of their solidarity, bloggers would jump to the occasion to show what type of charities they have been supporting. They would blog about every step of the process of giving away their $1000. The blogosphere, podosphere and vlogosphere would be a-buzz about the Oprah Winfrey show. Some of the bloggers, vloggers, podcasters may think about low-income entrepreneurs and the companies that are trying to raise funds to help them break the cycle of poverty by not relying on handouts. The newswire would pick the story. So would Yahoo.com, Google.com, Digg.com, SFGate.com, NYTimes.com, Newsweek.com, boingboing.com, mybloglog.com, techcrunch.com, Times.com, and AOL.com. It would be like a gift that keeps on giving. PBS/Frontline would also call to get the scoop. There is no doubt that Cable news networks such as CNN.com and Fox networks would come calling. They would inquire about why the bloggers decide to give to p2pmicrofinance web firms such as kiva.org, Microcreditcapital.com and others. They would find out that some people are still thinking about the poor in countries such as Haiti, Uganda, Bengladesh and elsewhere. They would find out that has been trying to get people, ordinary individualsto help the poor. By advertising on its Webcalendar Advertising board, Microcreditcapital.com can raise enough money to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit in Haiti and other Latin American countries.

Visit these sites: microcreditcapital.com, oprah.com, cnn.com, digg.com, yahoo.com, google.com, newsweek.com, boingboing.com, times.com, aol.com, techcrunch.com, mybloglog.com

Microcreditcapital.com WebCalendar Advertising Board

Pay to Advertise on Microcreditcapital WebCalendar Advertising
Once you pay, please submit your ads, announcement and offers!

Microcreditcapital.com allows small as well as large businesses to advertise on its WebCalendar Advertising Board in an effort to raise funds to help micro entrepreneurs in underdeveloped and developing countries. Microcreditcapital.com wants to tap into the needs for your businesses to build traffic. We also recognize that your firm (blog, web site, and home businesses) may not have the funds to afford large-scale advertising. By offering you this webcalendar advertising board, www.microcreditcapital.com hopes your business can be more profitable. We are helping you help yourself. You can advertise on Microcreditcapital.com for some of the lowest fees in the industry. We put the tools right in your hands. You add your own ads to Microcreditcapital Wedding Dresses

Buy Ad Links: Drive Traffic to Your Businesses.
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Your Ad/Comment links from Podshoppingblog will also be published at
Microcreditcapital Financial and MarketWatch

MicroCreditCapital WishList Shop

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MCCPublishaBook: Get your Manuscript Published with MicroCreditCapital Publishing

Here is your chance to get your manuscript published. If it has been sitting in your drawers for years, take it out and dust it off. MicroCreditCapital Publishing is offering the opportunity to get your manuscript published while, at the same time, contributing to fundraising and supporting a low-income entrepreneur in Haiti and elsewhere.

Use MCCPublishaBook program to become a proud published author. Each published book has 6 equal parts or chapters. Each part is worth $25. You can get your friends, family members or company to contribute towards the publication of your book until you reach the total amount of $150.00. Each contributor to the publication of your book will receive one (1)copy of the published book. Or the manuscript submitter can make one-time payment through Paypal.com, a fast and secure online payment system. The author of the book will receive two (2)copies of his book. He/she can also choose to buy more copies from the publisher at a discount to be determined by the publisher (MCCPublishaBook). Part of the proceeds of the book will go towards the funding of a microbusiness. The author can determine which small business obtains those proceeds.

BuyaBook, SellaBook or any other Product: Help Raise Money for a Micro Entrepreneur

There are many ways you can get involved with MicroCreditCapital. You can participate in raising funds for MicroCreditCapital. You can buy a book from the MicroCreditCapital shop. Each time you buy a book, $5 will go towards the business profile of your choice. Please make sure to indicate which one should receive your funds.

Help fund a small business in Haiti. Buy a book and indicate which business will receive $5 donation.

Read the reviews of these books at the Publisher's website

BuyaBook Fundraising: Help a microentrepreneur with your purchases

There are many ways you can get involved with MicroCreditCapital. You can participate in raising funds for MicroCreditCapital. You can buy a book from the MicroCreditCapital shop. Each time you buy a book, $5 will go towards the business profile of your choice. Please make sure to indicate which one should receive your funds.

SellaBook, BuyaBook MicroCreditCapital Fundraisings: Get Involved, Shop and Help a Low-income Entrepreneur

There are many ways you can get involved with MicroCreditCapital. You can participate in raising funds for MicroCreditCapital. You can buy a book from the MicroCreditCapital shop. Each time you buy a book, $5 will go towards the business profile of your choice. Please make sure to indicate which one should receive your funds.

If you are a published author, a publisher or a business person, you can donate a few copies of your merchandise to us so we can sell them here. The amount you indicate will go to the business of your choice.

We are thankful to this publisher who allows us to have copies of his books. Thanks for your participation. Visit the publisher right on his web site.

Business Profile #2 & Loan or Donation Request

Business Profile #2

My name is Rose C. I am running my convenience store out of my home located near a major road and a major hotel resort. This small business allows me to provide employment to a family member. She stays at the store when I have to teach or run some errands for the business. I have been married for about 5 years now and am looking forward to having my first baby. I miscarried my first pregnancy. My business is a typical Haitian bazar. I sell practically everything that my customers want. I would like to expand the business to carry clothing, fresh goods and school-relate supplies. I am looking for $500.00 to borrow. With this money, I will be able to buy a refrigerator to keep some fresh produce on hand. I thank the founder of MicroCreditCapital for not forgetting about his origins and for thinking about the poor people of this community. Haiti needs more microcredit programs such as MicroCreditCapital funds. I hope somebody can read my business profile and lend me this money. In addition, I contribute to my local community as one of the leaders and teachers. Even though I teach, I do not usually get paid. My small business allows me to take care of my family needs and continue to help out the village as much as I can.

Translation provided by a MicroCreditCapital Partner who vetted this business

Digital cameras donations are welcome. If you have some of them getting dust around the house. They can be put to good use by our partners in Haiti. E-mail us to indicate you are willing to give a gift. Pictures will be posted as we receive them.

Donate to Rose C or Business Profile #2

Lend to Rose C or Business Profile #2

Business Profile #1 & Loan Request

Business Profile #1

My name is Marie M. I thank the founder of MicroCreditCapital for thinking about us, small business entrepreneurs in Haiti. I have been running my small shop for five years now. I sell mostly clothing, fresh produce and other seasonal items that my customers like. My store is located near a major road in the community's major market. So I have the opportunity to sell to a large group of people. The only problem I have is that my inventory is too small. I would like to expand the business and have more items for sale. I would like to borrow $400.00. I have had lots of experience selling in the community. After completing my studies, I spent three years studying accounting. Since my graduation from accounting school, I have been running this small shop. Any infusion of new funds would greatly help my business. Any profits I make from the small business will help me take care of my parents who are getting old and the children of a family member who died a few years ago.

Translation provided by a MicroCreditCapital Partner who vetted this business.

Digital cameras donations are welcome. If you have some of them getting dust around the house. They can be put to good use by our partners in Haiti. E-mail us to indicate you are willing to give a gift. Pictures will be posted as we receive them.

Donate to

Lend to Marie M. or Business Profile #1. Get a small business going!

www.fivetalents.org: Get to Know Five Talents International's Business as Mission

Five Talents encourages volunteers and church members to use their business skills to help others. This a noble thing to do. "It is simply the concept that business professionals can use their God-given skills and talents to assist poor entrepreneurs in developing countries who are starting small businesses as a way out of poverty. Five Talents pursues new and creative ways for business people to use their skills and talents in the overseas mission field by providing business training and one-on-one business counseling for loan recipients. The ultimate goal is a transformative experience for all involved."

"Microcredit is one of the few concepts that keeps funding in circulation, rather than using it up. As loans get repaid with interest, the money goes back out again and again." Indeed, it is a viable way to invest in the poor.

www.fivetalents.org

Statement of Intent and Mission of Opportunity International

"The mission of Opportunity.org is to provide opportunities for people in chronic poverty to transform their lives. Its strategy is to create jobs, stimulate small businesses, and strengthen communities among the poor. Its method is to work through indigenous partner organizations that provide small business loans, training, and counsel. Its commitment is motivated by Jesus Christ's call to serve the poor. Opportunity International's core values are respect, commitment to the poor, integrity, and stewardship.

Statement of Intent Regarding Poverty and Women

Opportunity International-U.S. strives to reach the world's poorest people through its microenterprise development programs. Recognizing that the large majority of the world's poorest people are women and that they contribute decisively to the well-being of their families, Opportunity makes it a priority to support programs that serve the particular needs of women."

Visit www.opportunity.org

You can learn a lot about a company by reading its mission statement and statement of intent.

Other Micro Credit Organizations: Oikocredit is another one

What is Oikocredit all about? Find out how the members, partners and board members of the organization describe themselves.

Oikocredit’s mission is to mobilise capital for business enterprises, which operate on principles of justice and are aimed at improving the standard of living for people in the so-called Third World.

Oikocredit was founded in 1975. Since then, Oikocredit has grown into a huge financial firm with a great variety of supporters throughout the world: churches, church-related organisations, investment funds and individuals through support organizations.

Oikocredit is in many respects a unique organisation:

		Oikocredit operates like a development "bank", providing financing to disadvantaged people, people who would normally not get a loan from a commercial bank.

What About Kiva.org? What's Hot about MicroCreditCapital Funding?

Kiva is the first microlending Web site designed to provide individuals with the ability to connect with and make personal loans to small businesses in developing countries. Founded in 2004 by Matthew and Jessica Flannery, Kiva's goal is to reduce poverty in developing countries by giving entrepreneurs the ability to build their businesses through flexible loans with six-to 12-month terms. Kiva allows individuals to act as a "micro VC" by loaning directly to entrepreneurs with feasible business plans. Kiva is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. For more information about Kiva, please visit www.kiva.org.

Kiva.org is back running: Kiva is up and Invites lenders

After the stories and reports from Frontline/PBS, the site's servers went down. Its engineers and volunteers worked many hours to fix the problems. In the meantime, the whole country found out about the type of social works that the SF-based company is doing. They received an outpouring of support and pledges. At one point, requests were made to help Kiva.org buy some new servers to support the traffic.

Everyone is happy that the site is up. Many new people have signed up since then. But the site is not what it used to be. The engineers continue to work hard to get all the bells and whistles right. Registrations for lenders are open.

This is a great case of social entrepreneurship that most Americans will support. Help somebody across the world and get your money back after all is done!

MicroCredit Buzz #1: What's Going on at Kiva.org? Is PBS/Frontline the Cause?

"Kiva.org did not not stand a chance." That is what the San Francisco-based company formed by a couple and a Ugandan field partner had to put up with. Actually, the owners and all the microlenders who use the site to connect with poor people of the world are happy with this recognition. Maybe they did not expect the story by Frontline/World to cause a stampede to Kiva.org in search of information. Since last Tuesday, the servers running Kiva.org have been out. When the listeners go to the site in search of information, all they found was a page telling them about the PBS report. Kiva.org has received lots of support in the past few days. Some of the listeners wrote feedback or reacted to the story by saying that they want to be part of this enterprise. Listeners from the US and Europe want to use Kiva.org software to reach out to the poor who are seen as non-credit-worthy by major banking institutions. They want to loan small amount of money to women who are in far-flung countries such as the Sub-saharan ones, Uganda and others.

Technology has played a huge role in our lives these days. Young entrepreneurs, IT staff, computer engineers working at posh jobs in the Silicon Valley want their technology to make it easy for poor people to benefit even if it's in small amounts. They want to find something to connect to people. They want to be part of the solution. Establishing Direct contacts with the beneficiaries of their loans seems to be the way of the future.

This is the business that MicroCreditCapital Funding is in. MCC Funding wants to help people in Haiti and elsewhere to develop their own small businesses. MCC Funding's Field Partners will vet and approve the businesses that are going to be posted on this site. Only then will they be able to receive a small loan. Two recipients out of a group of five will make sure to succeed so that the others can receive their loans too. Peer pressure and community responsibility will cause them to make good use of the money they receive.

MicroCreditCapital or MCC's Lending Blog: How Do We Lend to Entrepreneurs

MicroCreditCapital has developed this blog to allow individual lenders from the US, Canada, Europe to get acquainted with the borrowers whose business plans are approved by MicroCreditCapital's Field Partners on the ground. MicroCreditCapital aims at developing a global lending blog platform that can help connect the haves with the have-nots of the world. Potential lenders will be able to read the stories and review the profiles of these businesses, then decide to help with as little as $25 loans.

Microlending Has Come A Long Way: Its History Over The Years

Here is what our research has uncovered. Microcredit comes to give hope to those who would never qualify for a loan in traditional financial institutions. Most of these people can not qualify for a loan because they do not have collateral. MicroCreditCapital looks at substitutes to collateral in its determination and evaluation of good and sound business ideas.

The PBS/Frontline journalist did a series on microfinance. Its journalist Bob Krieger wrote the following, "In most Western or developed countries, it's relatively easy to obtain credit through large banks or money lending institutions. But in the developing world, where many people lack steady employment, credit history or collateral, there's often no way for legitimate small businesses to receive a loan.

In many ways, microfinance changed all of this. Generally defined as small lending to the rural poor in developing countries, microfinance has made great strides in the latter half of the 20th century. The 2006 Nobel Prize awarded to Dr. Muhammad Yunus, one of the founders of modern microfinance, has helped to push the industry even further into the spotlight. But the idea of microfinance has existed for hundreds of years -- in many regions and in many forms.
The Origins of Small Lending

Microlending often starts in small villages, where family members and friends get together in money-sharing groups. Mary Coyle, director of the International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada, has studied the history of microcredit and says that these savings clubs can be traced to all parts of the world. "They have operated for centuries -- probably since the introduction of currency.'"

Welcome to Micro Credit Capital: All Things Micro Credit Program

The best way to combat poverty is to recognize the values of the poor. Poor people did not become poor because of the lack of good ideas. Apartheid financial has kept women and poor people out. In this blog, you will read the stories of those who need a small loan to get their businesses started. They have the ideas, but they lack the money. All they need is a small amount to get started. Where you come in, you can select whom you want to help after reading his/her stories. In most cases, all they need may be the equivalent of what you spend at a Starbucks, not even a sit-in restaurant in the US, Canada and other developed countries.

MicroCreditCapital aims at giving hope to the poorest of the poor in developed countries. With our group of field coordinators, those who receive your small loans will be able to start their business. They will receive training, supervision and guidance in regards to the type of businesses they can start and what the community may need the most.