🌎 A Very Big Day

TLDR: INI/Membership is here.

Over time, my mission at Important, Not Important has been refined:

To help you -- people who give a shit, people with a huge variety of responsibilities and lived experiences -- answer most effectively the most pressing question of our time: “What can I do?”

To help you act at the ballot box, in your company, and at home, on the make or break stuff:

Climate change. COVID. Biotech. Agriculture. Cancer. Air pollution. Public health. Water. Poverty. Hunger.

But as proud as I am of the work I produce, and the people I help, I can’t do this shit alone, and shouldn’t. My perspective and experiences, however much they’ve expanded in recent years, are still incredibly narrow.

The best answer to "What can I do?" is "What CAN you do?"

It’s you, our readers and listeners, who are most capable of moving the needle of progress, of coming together to listen to one another, to build new partnerships and organizations, to fund and conduct research, to write, report on, champion, and pass legislation, to innovate on what’s working, to dissect what isn’t and build anew.

To further your career, to be more informed and capable, to help solve our most complex problems — and biggest opportunities.

But until today, there hasn’t been an INI-specific place for you to do that. Shit, we don't even have a comments section.

So many of you have asked how you can contribute to INI; you’ve made generous offers to pay for content, to invest, to participate, and more. I couldn’t be thankful for how much you care about this mission.

Today we’re launching the first way to accomplish all of that, and while I fully expect to iterate on it as we proceed, I believe Memberships will unlock a place where you can gain wisdom and organize to make concrete progress towards a cleaner, more equitable world — for everyone.

Who is INI/Membership for?

Membership is for folks who want to work together on the frontlines of the future, who want more access to me for whatever godforsaken reason, to take a deeper dive into the massive opportunities in front of us, and, if accepted, to work directly with other problem-solvers across disciplines and the globe to build a radically better world.

It’s a big, big day. I am not not nervous.

Here’s what won’t change: The newsletter and podcast will remain free, forever. 

Millions (if not billions) of people across the world give a shit, but few have the resources to access the knowledge usually trapped behind corporate paywalls (in full disclosure, I helped build one of the very first paywalls at the Financial Times, and I stand behind the move — good journalism costs money, dammit — but there’s no denying it makes valuable knowledge inaccessible to many).

Even better: Memberships will not only make sure News remains free for everyone, but will also support INI’s growing business along the way. 

The costs of running a business like this are relatively minimal compared to a big newsroom, but real. Joining the Membership says "I support this work and want it to continue" but also guarantees I can keep improving on the work, launch new tools, and get more help, like Willow (hi, Willow!).

What’s included in INI/Membership?

First and foremost, Members on the annual plan can apply to our new Community. 

The Community will be INI’s new digital home — where we meet to forge connections, participate in conversations and rituals, and come together to share work, problems, and opportunities with one another. You will gain access to a member directory of people that make you go “holy shit”.

Why is Community only available the annual plan? And why do I have to apply?

Because I’m looking for folks who are willing to commit to the Community for the long-term.

Annual membership implies a “Ride or die” spirit, and an application helps me carefully build Community with a wealth of lived experiences, skills, passions, and value to offer the group. We’ve got shit to do, and Community isn’t a place for lurkers (Frank).

Regardless of plan, all Members will benefit from:

• Monthly live AMA’s with Quinn and special guests; plus other events

• Exclusive special reports and quarterly updates on INI

• Exclusive first looks at INI-driven investment opportunities across climate tech, health tech, biotech, and more

• Invitations to participate in working groups and panels

If you want to get straight to it, click the button below and take it to the next level.

That’s it. I’m excited as hell, and hope you are, too. This is just the first step.

Please let me know any questions. I’m so pumped to get Membership and Community finally under way, and I look forward to welcoming you all to them. 

Thanks for reading, thanks for joining and supporting our work, and as always, thanks for giving a shit.

-- Quinn