Place School Events

Keynote Speaker
Michael H. Shuman
Economist, Attorney, Author, and Entrepreneur.

Michael H. Shuman is a leading visionary on community economics. He’s Director of Local Economy Programs for Telesis Corporation, a nonprofit affordable housing company, and currently an adjunct instructor at Bard Business School in New York City and at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. He’s also a Fellow at Cutting Edge Capital and at the Post-Carbon Institute, and a founding board member of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE).

He is credited with being one of the architects of the 2012 JOBS Act and dozens of state laws overhauling securities regulation of crowdfunding. He has authored, coauthored, or edited nine books. His two most recent books are The Local Economy Solution: How Innovative, Self-Financing Pollinator Enterprises Can Grow Jobs and Prosperity and Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Shift Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street. One of his previous books, The Small Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition (Berrett-Koehler, 2006), received as bronze prize from the Independent Publishers Association for best business book of 2006. A prolific speaker, Shuman has given an average of more than one invited talk per week, mostly to local governments and universities, for the past 30 years in nearly every U.S. state and more than a dozen countries.

Your Host and Facilitator
Gilbert Rochecouste
Founder and Managing Director, Village Well

Gilbert Rochecouste is one of Australia’s foremost placemakers leading Australia’s leading placemaking consultancy. Gilbert will facilitate the conversation. He is recognised globally as a leading voice in placemaking. With 30 years experience improving the lives of communities, he has worked with over 1000 cities and 3000 businesses globally. He was one of the first Al Gore climate leaders, recognising the potential of placemaking to inspire a deeper environmental awareness and stewardship where citizens can make a big difference locally.

Gilbert is a sought after speaker and motivator, known for his innovative thinking, catalyst ideas, dynamic engagement processes, inspirational approach to community empowerment, and regenerating and enlivening urban and rural communities. Gilbert will share his practical wisdom and magic on how local businesses and communities are mobilising, activating and taking back control of their destinies.

The questions we will explore:

• Why are local economies important?
• What are the critical components of a strong local economy, and how does my community measure up?
• How does a diverse network of local businesses contribute to community income, wealth, jobs, economic development, social justice, sustainability, participation, and tourism?
• How can you mobilise more capital to expand your community’s economy?
• What are the critical challenges standing in the way of unlocking local capital? What are the opportunities, risks, and rewards of local investing?
• What is the emerging tools of local investing? What are the current legal status of crowdfunding, local investment funds, and self-directed “super” funds?
• What is the DNA of a great local economy?
• How do we create entrepreneurial ecosystems?
• How do we build the foundations of self reliance and resilience?
• What are some powerful processes to mobilise and deeply engage communities and stakeholders?
• What are the new measures, rules and checklists for prosperity and resilience?
• Why is placemaking and local economic development the new positive force for change?

This event is for all those interested in designing, creating and building better places including:

• Local and state government Leaders and Representatives
• Economic development and planning
• Community development professionals
• Designers of places
• Finance and governance professionals
• Policy professionals
• Academics
• Local community members
• Main street and CBD managers
• NGOs
• Food security organisations

All materials and presentations will be made available to participants to take away as a valuable toolbox.