Adam Haber is not a local. Unmistakably, Haber is from Long Island. But if his new partnership with SoCo “buy local” champ Go Local realizes just one tenth of its potential, Haber should be allowed to bypass our 25 year naturalization process to become an honorary Sonoma County citizen.
Driven by a mission to save local economies (read communities), Haber and his New York partners have constructed Trellus—an ecommerce platform that reproduces most of the functions of Amazon or Walmart but is exclusive to our beloved local businesses.
Imagine a quick and easy Amazon experience but with no transnationals, no chains, just our friends and entrepreneurial neighbors. With full buy-in, our beloved local businesses combined could just approximate a one-stop everything store and become our first stop. That’s where their partnership with “trusted local messager” Go Local comes in—in a dual thrust campaign to create critical mass buy-in among local businesses and local consumers.
Despite the fear of the new (York), it’s not a hard sell. By eliminating warehousing and shortening shipping distances, Trellus has lower fees than Amazon or Walmart and vastly faster shipping times—typically less than a couple hours—even if one is ordering from Cloverdale to Novato, or Bodega to Calistoga.
Trellus is faster and cheaper than Amazon—and vastly more virtuous. One can see the potential for a local boom. Ecommerce now captures a rising 25% of our sales. That’s 25% of our dollars simply leaving the region instead of recirculating locally via “the multiplier effect.”
If the Trellus-Go Local partnership realizes even half of its potential, Haber should receive a bronze equestrian statue in front of the mall—for the app that launched on Tuesday, Nov. 11 could be a turning point in our battle with corporations. A battle we have steadily been losing (see bazillionaires and “the death of the middle class” and “the buy out of American democracy”).
Cincinnatus Hibbard: Adam Haber, How many small local Sonoma County businesses were included in yesterday’s launch?
Adam Haber: 87.
Wow. How has recruitment been?
People think the idea is terrific. The biggest pushback is that people fear change. But you have to adapt to the times. Our tool helps mom and pop shops that have been getting their butts kicked for years.
Now that the bandwagon is rolling, I expect there will be many more. You have over 700 businesses in Nassau County, NY. I understand your drivers get 80% of the delivery fee and all the tips… Adam, so much of this partnership depends on trust. Tell us a bit about your motivations.
Google me; check my background. Do a background check. See what I have been involved in—public service, charities, entrepreneurialism. I sell. But I can only sell what I believe in. I don’t oversell; I’m not a BSer. I’m 60, and this is the most exciting thing I have ever been a part of.
I’m here to show you that I will show up, be responsive, and that I care. That’s all that I can promise. Trust is built over time.
The Trellus app is now available for download at the app store. Visit the website bytrellus.com if interested in signing a local business up. Scan the QR code or type linktr.ee/TrellusLINKS for all of these links plus links to our past cover story, ‘Sonomazon,’ or to hear the full podcast interview with Adam Haber.
