Sam Stephens, founder of Streetbank, created a neighborhood resource sharing website that goes well beyond sharing tools and skills with your neighbors. At its core, the pioneering platform seeks to create virtuous cycles of trust and generosity in neighborhoods around the world. Ranked by “The Times” as one of the 50 websites you can’t live without, it has become one of the largest (if not the largest) neighborhood sharing websites in the world. Taylor Kuhn and Melissa O’Young were able to chat with Sam to hear more about his experience with developing the idea, as well as how it might help him meet his favorite pop singer.
1) You started Streetbank in 2010. How has your own life been affected since its inception?
It’s not easy to recognise change when you’re immersed in something day to day but, looking back, I think I’ve changed in two ways. I used to want to travel the world and see far-off lands. Streetbank has made me realise that there is life and adventure right on your doorstep. I don’t need to be in another country to meet new and exciting people – I can do it here in London, in my own neighbourhood.
Secondly, Streetbank has helped me to hold on to what I have a little bit less tightly. I have found that something subtle happens when I lend something or give something away. My relationship with what I own changes. The grip that my possessions have on me is loosened and I have a greater freedom.
2) It was recently announced that Streetbank (28,000 members) joined up with Freeconomy (52,000 members), which is a clever move to further grow the sharing economy. As Streetbank and other sharing economy initiatives are starting to grow, what do you think it will look like in 30 years?
Thanks! The way Mark Boyle has trusted us with the Freeconomy, a project he has been building since 2008, has been amazing. We see it as the ultimate expression of sharing.
I guess like any other early stage industry, there’ll be consolidation over the next few years. But in 30 years? My hope is that sharing with your neighbours will be as normal as going to the shops. If that happens, it’ll require us to change how we see our streets and our neighbours – almost to the point that we see our street as extended family, with all the rights and responsibilities that come with that!
3) You started off with concentrating on a small and specific geographical region (Fulham in London). What tactics were used to generate ties within this community and how is this done now in a bigger and even global scale?
The reason Streetbank started in Fulham was a lot less strategic than that! I basically wanted to create a list for my neighbours to be able to use to share their things with one another – everything blossomed from there, lots of it quite unexpectedly.
Streetbank really got going in Fulham, West London through friends, my local Church, and the wider relationships that we have in the area. It spread out from there. The majority of our members still say they heard about us through friends, although our growth and spread around the world is now also supported by social media, PR, our friends and partners, and our champions – the Streetbank members who really get behind the project and decide to spread it in their own communities with posters, flyer drops and local events.
Our densest membership base remains in London but Streetbank is also working really well in places such as Melbourne, Toronto, Switzerland and Olympia, Washington State. We took off in Melbourne because we merged with The Sharehood. In Toronto and Olympia it was because a few committed people liked the site and spread it around their area. We didn’t know these people, they just took the bull by the horns and made Streetbank happen – we love that sort of direct community action!
4) What is the most surprising exchange you’ve seen occur?
That’s a hard one as, without wanting to sound too enthusiastic, there are lots! I loved the recent story of a woman whose bike had been stolen so she put a callout to her Streetbank neighbours and together they assembled all the parts and she was able to build herself a new bike with some local help!
There are also heart-warming stories of people who use the site to help neighbours in times of crisis, such as floods or snow storms. Of course, people can call neighbours if they know them already but if they don’t, something like Streetbank helps neighbours offer warm meals and blankets out to everyone in their local area – we saw a lot of that during the recent UK floods, with members offering to transport elderly neighbours to doctor appointments, or to cook meals for those without electricity.
5) If you could meet anyone in the world one day through Streetbank, who would it be?
My head says Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, inventor of the Zeppelin flying machine; my heart says Cheryl Cole.
I think we’d really get on.
