Interactive for Good

Painting Peace with Former Child Soldiers from Exile International on Vimeo.

Here at Interactive for Good, we’re so fortunate to have a CEO that not only believes in the growth of social entrepreneurship but also believes in non profit work so much that he and his wife started their own, Reboot Recovery.  

Started by Evan Owens and Jenny Owens, REBOOT Recovery is a 12 week program designed to help service members and their families heal from the spiritual wounds of war.  REBOOT offers a powerful blend of clinical insight and faith-based support that has been successful in mending souls and rebuilding families. 

Please watch this powerful video that our Interactive for Good team created for REBOOT’s first fundraiser last week.

Reboot Recovery from Interactive for Good on Vimeo.

Sometime in 2012, I made the decision to invest in a standing desk. After seeing terrifying headlines like “He Who Sits the Most Dies the Soonest”, I wanted to make a better health choice for myself.

I’m also on my feet a lot anyway—I spend a lot of time consulting with others in the building, speaking in meetings, or brainstorming in front of a whiteboard. Having a standing desk meant a simpler transition from my desk to other areas in the office; it meant less time spent “context switching”. It seemed like a great move.

Custom-built standing desks, while beautiful, can be outrageously expensive when compared to the DIY route.

I found this handy article which detailed a simple, cheap way to modify an existing desk (which is what I had) into a standing option. $22 dollars cheap, no less. Unfortunately, I didn’t want to modify my desk – the bolt-on Frankenstein desk looks too strange to me. I wanted something that matched our office decor and allowed me to stand at work.

The perfect chart to measure the components you’ll need for your desk.

I started digging through [Ikea Hackers] and found several good options. Ultimately I settled on this example, which, of course, was discontinued. I took toIkea’s site and pieced together my own configuration:

Here’s the component list:

• Vika Amon table top - $10.99
• Ekby Järpen shelf top - $14.99
• Vika Byske table leg (x4) - $30.00 ($120 for 4)
• Capita shelf legs (mine are the 8“, but if you’re shorter you might want the 6”) - $14.00
• Franklin stool (Again, I got the taller option) - $39.99

I also bought myself a simple anti-fatigue mat, which lives discreetly under an area rug in our office. It makes the seasoned wood floors in our office a bit more manageable for long hours.

All in, a standing desk that cost less than $200 and comes in multiple color and finish options. The Vika Byske legs are incredible, in that they can be adjusted to fit a user up to about 6’6” in height. Pretty robust.

The result? I hear “Wow, you’re tall!” a lot in the office (I’m 6’2”). Standing all day has made my posture better, my focus improved, and while it was a bit tiring at first, I’m definitely noticing some improved health benefits. It takes some getting used to, but now I may never sit again. Here’s the final product in action:

I get my fair share of jokes around the office, and while I typically can’t standthem… I couldn’t help myself.

- Jon

This Thursday marks our first mixer of 2013 and we couldn’t be more excited.  We’re fortunate to have our friends from Nisolo Shoes come and briefly speak about the work they are doing in the fashion and social entrepreneurship realm. 

If you aren’t familiar with Nisolo Shoes, they are a company based in Nashville, TN with a simple yet profound business goal.  Through purchasing a pair of Nisolo Shoes, you are joining their cause and wearing change.  Rather than addressing the global poverty problem through relief efforts, Nisolo’s goal is to address one of the main causes of material poverty: lack of a consistent job or livelihood.  

Starting with shoemakers in Peru, Nisolo’s vision is to serve as a springboard for impoverished entrepreneurs around the globe. As their business grows, the entrepreneurs will grow. As they grow, their communities will grow. As these communities grow, our world will change for the better.

Please join us tomorrow night in learning more about Nisolo as well as having conversations with fellow like minded friends around Nashville.

(On a side note, don’t you think our Interactive for Good team would look nice wearing this style of shoe?  They would match our logo quite nicely.)

(via Upworthy)