I met Jason Mogus in the mid 90's as a very young web keener ready to change the world overnight. His company, Communicopia, was determined to provide web and interactive services to the best triple bottom line organizations in the world. His enthusiasm was contagious, the web boom was underway, and I loved his team of highly intelligent and creative young evangelists. Carol Newell and I were early in our plan to invest in turned-on social entrepreneurs in BC and beyond. We knew that on-line engagement services would be ubiquitous soon enough.

It's always fun to be "the first" outside investor in something you believe in. We were willing to make unorthodox choices such as investing in a service business. "Making money while doing good" included for us the commitment to support promising values driven entrepreneurs wherever we could find them.

The tech boom went bust. Web site production became a commodity. Jason and Communicopia had their many ups and downs. Jason simply got smarter and more determined. He and I learned our way through it together.

High level strategic services for important peace, green, and justice initiatives are now Communicopia's norm.

One of Jason's secrets to success has been his leadership of the Web of Change crafted gathering at Hollyhock each year. Highly talented individuals from dozens of impactful organizations throughout North America are drawn together by their use of the internet to affect social change. Ten years of hosting this intimate gathering has given both Jason and all we attendees, the unplanned benefit of having a brilliant non-virtual social network to draw on. This year, Communicopia presents Open Everything, an invitational retreat on open thinking, doing and being for social change. This event will run from September 3-6, 2008 at Hollyhock Centre.

Plus, the viral and organic ripple effect for our ideas and passions.

Take a good look at Communicopia and see for yourself why I’m proud of my friend Jason. He's an extraordinary leader making a big difference.

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Jason recently attended the inaugural SVI Toronto. Tonya Surman, Centre for Social Innovation and Jason co-presented a workshop concerning web 2.0 strategies. Read Jason’s full blog and review the workshop slideshow at www.communicopia.com.