John Crowley is an entrepeuner, local cafe owner, past Moose lodge president, author of wildly successful local newsletter, husband, father, and self-described Social Capitalist. He is my guest on this …minute podcast. From a bored and lethargic place behind his TV set 8 years ago, he created a community event that now brings over 200 people out to connect, share and dance the night away in Petaluma, CA.

Listen in to his amazing energy and vision, and learn how he changed local perceptions to create community mindedness from the inside out.

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John was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. After receiving a degree in Computer Science, he spent the next 8 years working in Frankfurt, Germany where he met his wife, Anne-laure a native of Lyon, France. In 1993, they immigrated to Petaluma, California where John worked as a software engineer. He now owns his own company that provides air transportation logistics and management systems for cruise lines and wholesale tour operators.

His community minded undertakings include the Aqus Café Foundry Wharf, a vibrant community watering hole that provides the much-needed “third space” that is so often lacking in today’s world. John, always the connector, has helped create the many conversation groups that happen at the café. He sees the café not unlike the Public House where he grew up in the outskirts of Dublin, a place that was the real center of the community, a multi-generational space where people connect with each other to discuss important issues and to have fun.

He has created the wildly successful Aqus Crawl, another exciting way to connect with others in the community. The Crawl is a progressive party that goes from location to location visiting galleries, showrooms, pubs and restaurants. Each night has a theme designed to easily get people into conversation. For example, one theme might be “Bring a book that changed your life and give it away” and another one might be “Bring a photograph of yourself as a teenager”, essentially anything that will start a conversation.

John has also created Aqus News, a weekly e-newsletter, which is like a combination of a local “craigslist” and an online magazine. Again, this is designed to bring people together in a trusted virtual community.

In every way, for years, John’s efforts have been directed towards supporting the community he loves, creating new and innovative ways of bringing people together and encouraging community involvement.

John’s focus on “Social Capital” has over these past years brought Petaluma significant positive achievements. His theory that as individuals of a town are provided more opportunities to interact and connect, the entire town benefits, has proven remarkably successful.

Check out his website and newsletter at Aqus Cafe, and be inspired!

One of John’s amazing insights… No matter where you live or for how long…act as if you are going to spend the rest of your life there!

Tags: Aqus Cafe, Community healing, John Crowley

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