How I use Sharonimo

4th June, 2009 - Posted by Jon -

Sharonimo has been live for almost two months, now. I started the company because I thought the world could use something like Sharonimo–a simple, effective web application that facilitates and promotes resource-sharing between individuals. I liked sharing my stuff with my friends and neighbors, and knew I could do it more and better with a tool to help me manage my resources and understand (and express) needs. I’d lost a few tools by forgetting who had them (if anyone finds my lopping shears with the extendable handles, please let me know), and I’d found myself calling around to find tools I needed, and it seemed to me that these inefficiencies could be addressed very effectively with a web application. So, I got together with Aaron and Mark and we built Sharonimo. I think we did a pretty good job, but you can judge that for yourself.

So now that I’ve had a couple of months to use Sharonimo, what do I think? Is it what I envisioned in 2006? (I’m imagining you asking these questions, because I know you’re dying for answers. Both of you.) It’s close. It’s not finished, yet, but the parts that are finished works exactly as I imagined they would, and the application has had the impact on my life that I hope it will have on many others. Sharonimo isn’t the kind of tool most people will use daily, but I’ve been using it weekly, either to make requests or plan projects or respond to requests or invitations, and as I get used to using it, I think I’ll find more opportunities to do so. Like you, I’m not used to having this tool at my disposal, so I’m still learning how to use it, and what it can do for me.

Here are a few of the ways I’ve used Sharonimo since it launched (I haven’t been taking notes, and I can’t remember all of them):

I requested and borrowed a screw gun from my friend Bill when my old one crapped out on me. Now my gut tells me to buy a new one–”because you never know when you’ll need it”–but I’ve only needed a screw gun once or twice over the last two months, so I think I can do without my own. If I continue to borrow screw guns instead of buying a new one, I’ll save $50-$100.

I granted a request to borrow a table saw and circular saw from my friend Andrew. He’d cut through the cord of his own circular saw (sorry to out you, Andrew), and he’ll probably get around to repairing it eventually, but by borrowing my table saw whenever he needs one, he’ll save $350. Not bad.

I accepted an invitation to a brush-clearing project at a friend’s house. Seven of us spent a couple hours working, chatting, and making a difference for a family we care about. I don’t know what the family would have paid to have the work done, but that wasn’t really the point in this case.

I sent invitations to a community-service project at our old Town Hall, which needs some interior painting done. Again, the value created by a project like this could be figured in dollar terms, but that’s not the point.

I sent out a general resource request for a tiger costume (no, not for me), and got a response from Mark, who had one and dropped it by my house a couple hours later, saving me or Lisa either the money or (more likely) the time required to buy or make a costume for our daughter.

I responded to a general request from Mark for some heavy-duty jacks for a house project. I don’t have any, but my father-in-law does, so, since my father-in-law doesn’t have a Sharonimo account, I’ll add the jacks to my resource list and share them, on his behalf, with Mark. I’m not sure what two 20-ton jacks and a 40-ton jack would cost to rent, but whatever the amount is, Mark won’t be spending it.

So just within the last two months, my friends and I have saved $500-$1000 by sharing resources, and have been enriched in equally important (but less measurable) ways by sharing time and working together on service and personal projects.

As Sharonimo grows and improves, I hope it will become more seamlessly integrated with our everyday patterns of behavior–both because we’re more familiar with it and because it’s easier to access and use. Your feedback is very important as we try to accomplish this goal, so please shoot us an e-mail or hit the feedback tab on the main site whenever you have an idea to share.

Now I have to get back to work.