Success Manifesto

First, I used the "subcategories" feature and put all the entries on this idea under it. I thought it might make things a little easier, especially once we start debating multiple ideas.

After hearing each side, I like the idea of opening it to a wider audience and making it a site that people donate money to individuals instead of big corporations where they're not sure where there money is going. In other words, I don't think it is as exciting when it is just for students, and I think the quality of the stories will drive its diffusion across the web.

I picture people posting the following:

1. A photo
   
2. A blurb about themselves (100-words)
   
3. A blurb about why they need the money (100-words)
   
4. How much money they need
   
5. When they need it by

People faking their identity is an issue. Having the .edu is a nice way to protect this if we were going the student route. There is probably other ways this could be done.

I think the easiest revenue route (easiest to get) besides Google Adsense would be taking a percentage of each donation. For example, let's say somebody wants $100 dollars. Our system could automatically make it $110 and then we'd take $10. This would be easy to do with the Amazon.com Honor System where I believe you can make a donation campaign with a set amount that shows how far you're along to your goal.

At the most simple level, this idea could be implemented by:

1. Creating a blog on this domain.
   
2. Registering a domain and pointing it to this one.
   
3. Soliciting stories - It would be hard to get really good stories at first. I see this being the most time-consuming.
   
4. Telling others
   
5. Posting one new story a day.

As it evolves, there is many ways it could go:

1. People submitting videos.
   
2. Discussion boards
   
3. People committing to doing something (ie - eating 100 hamburgers in an hour)