What’s up with SPARK.LY?
If you are active on any of the top social networks, you’ve probably seen the posts: SPARK.LY ~ SPARK A REVOLUTION

Spark.ly Are you an Amplified Individual? Internationalization, Democratization, Monetization.

Amplified Individual?
So I take the link to a sign-up page where I see their vision statement:

Spark.ly is the definitive social and economic ecosphere that empowers people around the world to communicate, engage in commerce and have fun in a culturally aware and profitable virtual environment. Closed Beta Launch Coming June 2009.

Now, that is quite a mouthful! And concepts like ‘culturally aware’ and ‘profitable virtual environment’ just make me want to find out more. So I contacted Shane Murray, Chief Evangelist at Spark.ly, who was kind enough to grant me an interview.

Marie Oser : What is Spark.ly?
Shane Murray : Spark.ly is a startup social networking site founded by a few individuals with a strong vision and the will to make a positive impact. We will be delivering that vision in small chunks to members over the next several months.

Marie Oser : Can you give me a timeline?
Shane Murray : Our initial closed beta release in June will enable members to manage their connections and communicate with them several other social networks at the same. For example, with spark.ly my dad will be able to keep in touch with his grandkids from one website even though they are all on different social networks.

Spark.ly’s open beta tools premier in mid-August with our exciting social commerce features. Members can set up a ‘virtual store’ hosted on Spark.ly where they can sell their items or other member’s items all over the world. On the other hand, we encourage the concept of  “think globally buy locally” and will provide members with tools to not only buy but sell locally as well.

November will be the official launch of Spark.ly 1.0. It is during this launch that social media, social networking and social commerce come together in the Spark.ly platform. All of our members can submit articles to our content engine potentially telling their story worldwide in several languages. Come December our API will be released allowing developers to plug into the Spark.ly ecosphere.

Latest Screenshot showing the Welcome Screen and a Spark.ly Member’s connections.

Marie Oser : How does collaboration come into play and what exactly is an amplified individual?
Shane Murray : Spark.ly focuses on uniting individuals globally by reducing transaction costs to allow anyone with an internet connection to participate in global commerce. Spark.ly delivers a collaborative marketplace that gives individuals infrastructure and options that once would only be available to large corporations. I believe enabling people to improve their standard of living is what amplifying the individual is all about.

Marie Oser : Why do you think people will want to use Spark.ly?
Shane Murray : Spark.ly celebrates our member’s ability to produce, exchange, and collaborate. To us, our member’s success is our success.

Marie Oser : How is Spark.ly organized?
Shane Murray : Spark.ly Community Managers facilitate a specific language group and/or nations social media content. Networking, exchange, collaboration all happen primarily through self-organized communities. The spark.ly system identifies and matches the right people and the right information at the right time. It’s up to the individual whether or not to engage.

Marie Oser : How will Spark.ly become the definitive social and economic ecosystem.
Shane Murray : Co-Founder Glen Starchman and myself have over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience between us. We have failed miserably and succeeded phenomenally in past ventures. It is our experience, the business of technology, startups and international markets that give us an edge. Spark.ly is not just an idea, for us it is a mission.

I believe the world in on the verge of something very big and very new, that has the underpinnings to revolutionize the world on a scale comparable to the industrial revolution. The Spark.ly’s ecosphere is centered on empowering the individual. Our mission is to facilitate that empowerment.

I was pretty intrigued and signed up for the beta. Stay tuned!

About Author : Marie Oser is a best-selling author, columnist, and host/producer of VegTV. She is a features writer with a focus on health, nutrition, technology and the environment. Marie is a gourmet cook and organic gardener living in southern California and hiking every day with Travis, her Yellow Lab .