So, this may seem like a contradiction since the natural idea of providing for your own livelihood involves some farming, hunting, gathering and whatnot. These skills are not often thought of in the same context as things that have to do with wirelessly connected, battery operated devices. They really are polar opposites.
So the next idea that comes to mind via this title might imply the use of a GPS device, a generator and a laptop, but this isn’t what I am referring to either. However, using this type of a setup to reach a remote location for the purpose of carrying out what I am about to explain brings this idea to another level!
What I am getting at would be closer to the meaning of the former idea. This is in the sense of relying on the geographic surroundings of wherever you are, not to provide food but a livelihood through the use of technology.
In the last couple of years, I have started to move in a new direction from the previous few years in a couple of areas.

1: Creating services/products that reach a national audience but are based on things that we locals take for granted on a daily basis here.

2: Creating services/products that reach our local audience but provide a missing need in the community.

3: Using internet technology to open the dialogue and conversation with people I have never met (and probably never will).

The bottom line is using internet technology to create multiple revenue streams that affect MY bottom line! And how I do this is becoming more of the rule rather than the exception throughout our country. Many people have moved toward creating their own revenue rather than relying on an employer for it, but I digress…
Getting back to the point, in point number one I am referring to a website I started about a year ago: www.oregoncoastescapes.com. The idea is sharing our local beaches through video with those throughout the rest of the country that love the Pacific Ocean, they just can’t get here whenever they want! With the website, they can view video scenes, download images and listen to the Pacific Ocean all for free whenever they want! The revenue for this is in the offerings of a DVD, merchandise and advertising. While most current online ventures are more pointed towards “Affiliate Marketing”, The key to using the local geographic area has to do with finding people who think that “The Grass is Always Greener” here on te Oregon Coast. They may not want to move here but they love to spend their vacations here so the idea of a “Virtual Visit” whenever they want has real appeal. The other market segment is working professionals that are stuck in an office high-rise and need a 3 minute “de-stressing” break. Since the Ocean is often thought of as therapeutic, it is a very affordable and convenient solution.
As a Videographer who has the Pacific Ocean in my own backyard, this just makes sense. (I am launching a sister service to this early this Summer!)
Point number two mentions the same idea but the twist is in a service that is targeted here at home. Another service that I set up just this year is what I am calling “Community @ Noggle Media.com” www.nogglemedia.com/community. It is simply a database of audio interviews of local agencies and organizations. These are around 30 minutes in length so there is plenty of information about the organization. There is also a “Comment” button on each audio interview so that the listener is encouraged to ask questions or leave feedback for the interviewee. This really is about creating a local conversation and getting the community into a conversation with each other. The medium of mp3 audio was chosen because it is portable and allows for multitasking by the user.
Another site/service I created going on three years ago now (and really the one that got all this started) is www.coosbaytvhomes.com, a For Sale By Owner Real Estate site. It offers three different ready-made marketing packages for someone who has no marketing experience or no time to handle all of those details. As the name implies, it is a local service but has the ability to be used on a national basis if the client wants to use it that way.