Revival: An improvement in the condition or strength of something.
Mix: To combine or join.
Movement: Activities of a group towards a specific goal.
If you pay attention to the critics and the hype America is dead and needs to be revived. Fox News reported September, 6th 2020 1 in 5 American's are unemployed right now. That maybe the closest they have ever gotten to the truth. Something that stuck out to me that same day was from an article in the Peoria Journal Star that read, "We are in an investors market." I've never heard that term before, but immediately thought of the great Gatsby.
Gatsby would of said something like, "We can invest in America by investing in main street, old sport." Even though that statement is entirely fiction, the idea I'm about to share with you isn't. Microloans.
Now... Micro-economics as defined by Oxford dictionary is the part of economics concerned with single factors and the effects of individual decisions. Let me give you and example. "That's $1.08 for the gum Joe." "Here's a five keep the change." "Thanks Joe! I'll get a polar pop on my break with it." "Take care Billy." "You too Joe!"
In my example you see exactly how micro economics works. In fact it's elegant like a ballet. What would happen if all these Wall Street sharks and wolves came right here to Pekin Illinois to Main Street and invested in us? I believe we would change the world, the face of America, and make her great again. We can do this by starting a movement. A revival in entrepreneurialism, local music, and the arts using micro-economic principles, good old fashion know how, some balls, a little education, and each other.
My name is Andrew but my friends call me Andy. I'm a 35 year old broke as hell serial entrepreneur, music producer, artist, creative consultant, neighbor, and most importantly a father. Over the last decade I've learned a lot about my self, and the community I live in through our trials and tribulations we shared together. My home town is on it's last legs, but I believe if we can pull together and use all of our skills as a group we could do some serious renovating. Music producers like my self call this remixing.
When music producers remix a song they usually have some ducks in a row like multi-tracks. Which include the vocals, drums, guitar, and bass. Let's replace each of these elements with a business plan. They are used to present your ideas to banks to ask for funding, keep everyone on track with clear cut goals and expenditures, as well as outline people's jobs, give you analysis of the market and competition, plus define how you communicate to your target market like you guys.
Now I know that sounds complicated but I assure you it's not and I don't mind helping you along the way either. Neither does SCORE, SBA, Bradley University's Turner Center For Entrepreneurship, Private Lenders, City Council, joint venture capitalists, and other private business incubators. Think of me as your guide to Project Remix Pekin.
Pekin Illinois has a population of around 36,000 people of which I know around 10 percent of the younger population and we are extremely talented and driven. I have also noticed there are around two dozen or more scattered empty commercially zoned buildings and suites spreading from downtown here to the bottom of the hill in Creve Coeur and all along court street towards Tremont. They will work beautifully for brick and mortar locations like a future thrift store or a consignment shop. Maybe even a large call center like Hinduja Global Solutions in Peoria could fit in the vacant JC Penny's building.
Lets come together as a community and do some serious brainstorming outside of the government. (Or with) I know we will turn things around. Imagine if we started enough businesses that created 100 jobs and payed an average of $36,000-$50,000 a year to the owners and employees this would inject 3.5-5 million dollars worth of money into the local economy. What would the micro-economic mechanics look like? How would that impact the 36,000 residents?
This is why I'm asking you to help me find the best ideas and people. I am looking for joint venture capitalists, construction workers, lenders, entrepreneurs, evangelists, artists, consultants, economists, journalists, doctors, lawyers, go getters, movers, thinkers, shakers, and doers. I need people who are willing to help produce Project Remix Pekin right now.
The soul goal of this project is to help our small community revitalize it's self and transition from the old manufacturing centered economy to the modern one. I believe if we can manage to do this on a small micro-scopic scale we can use what we learn here as a case study to help other larger communities revive their economies too like Peoria and eventually maybe even places like Chicago and Detroit.
I've worked with some of you in the past and those endeavors yielded amazing results and it has laid the foundation for what I'm proposing here, but this time it transcends music entirely. We are going to utilize all our existing talents, resources, knowledge, energy, wisdom, and team spirit for all of us and make Pekin a place every American dreams about raising children like it was when we were kids. If your with me pick up the phone right now and call 209.509.4120 and leave a message with your name, telephone number, and a description of what you bring to the table. Even volunteering your labor or time will help. Let's make this happen. I got Pekin Pride do you? Let's remix it!
Andy Ray Uppole is an artist from Peoria, Illinois that specializes in audio and video production, graphic design, commercial art, and creative consulting. You can contact him by calling 209-509-4120 or email him at subversiondesignsolutions@gmail.com