I haven't had time to keep up with the whole discussion since the domain purchase. I hope to engage a bit more ongoing. This is a good list Mike. Let's continue to positively move ahead. Peace!
Chad On 2010-02-26, at 2:31 PM, Mike Schinkel wrote: > I'll come back to the issues that Alex threw out a while back, paraphrased. > There are several issues/topics. > > 1.) Recapitalizing the domain purchase. > 2.) Protecting the domain (likely in a trust.) > 3.) Long term management of domain (maybe a co-op, non-profit, simple LLC > w/bylaws, or we can risk doing nothing.) > 4.) Branding of "Coworking" so that we can promote it, help others market the > concept, and help the "average joe(sephine)" to understand what it is and is > not. > 5.) Creating (some form of) an association that can provide services to > member orgs, like negotiate for collective partnerships and discounts, etc. > 6.) Running a conference (and I'd like this to be in the form of a co-op, > even if the co-op lasts only for the length of each conference.) > > There may be more, but there are at least these. Point of note, not everyone > agrees with all these goals, some don't agree with any. But each issue can be > addressed separately or some can be merged. Hopefully this list can help us > identify what we are discussing in any given response on this list? > > -Mike Schinkel > Ignition Alley Atlanta Coworking > http://ignitionalley.com > > > > On Feb 26, 2010, at 12:26 PM, Derek Young wrote: > >> I have been lurking on this conversation so far, but here are a few thoughts: >> >> The greater the complexity of this organization, pseudo-organization, or >> bank account, the less likely it is that the organization will represent the >> greatest number of coworking spaces. >> >> 1. Keep it simple. Fine, we decide to organize in some way. This group is >> extraordinarily diverse. Let's keep the organization as flat as possible, be >> inclusive as possible, and only raise what we think we need for 1) the >> objective or 2) a series of objectives + a small percentage contingency. >> This prevents a hierarchy of spaces and people. This also means that there >> isn't some big surplus of cashing sitting around in a bank account for us to >> worry about. Should the group suddenly disappear, our greatest loss would be >> trust and not money. One of Suite133's partners is president of our local >> downtown business association. While very old school in membership, the >> issues we're talking about are amazingly similar. >> >> 2. The right answer may be some form of non-profit / membership based >> organization. Something that I don't think has been mentioned would be for >> us to find a fiscal agent willing to handle our money and non-profit status >> while we figure things out. Plus, we could, in theory, apply for grants to >> support something like a conference. There are fees involved, but it's a lot >> cheaper than incorporating - then changing our minds. Shunpike.org, for >> example, does this for arts organizations in Seattle/Tacoma and has been a >> regular user of Suite133 for nearly a year. I used this model when setting >> up a new non-profit a few years ago in partnership with our local community >> foundation. >> >> I just saw Alex's email ... I'll stop now and chime back in next week. >> >> Derek Young >> Suite133 - Tacoma, WA >> [email protected] >> >> >> >> >> On Feb 26, 2010, at 8:55 AM, Alex Hillman wrote: >> >>> If you're interested in creating an entity to help support the conference >>> you want to run, then I say: do it! There are future endeavors that may >>> even be able to find value in supporting or being a part of that supporting >>> entity. But trying to make it an umbrella for EVERY possible thing that >>> comes up in the future is not something I think is a mission I can support. >>> >>> Mixing it in with the ownership of the domain, my tax liabilities, and the >>> direction of the larger community is a different issue though, and one that >>> the group does not seem to cohesively support, myself included. >>> >>> None of us would be here having this conversation today if that's how this >>> movement had started. >>> >>> -Alex >>> >>> >>> /ah >>> indyhall.org >>> coworking in philadelphia >>> >>> >>> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 11:35 AM, rachel young <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>> Exactly why do people want to set up a charitable organization? What would >>> it get us? >>> >>> Charitable organisations mean something different in some countries. In >>> Canada, a charity is only one type of non-profit organisation, and is one >>> that is more a stringent structure because it can issue tax receipts for >>> donations. A corporation can still be a non-profit (one that operates for >>> self-benefit and that redistributes surplus towards its goals) without >>> being a charity. >>> >>> I admit that I've been skimming some e-mails in the last few days. Did >>> someone recommend an actual charity? Or do you mean to ask why people are >>> interested in forming a non-profit? >>> >>> I am in favour of forming some sort of organisation, traditional like a >>> non-profit (but not a charity, I don't think we need charitable status) or >>> co-operative, as a way of formalising all of us as a cohesive industry, as >>> long as it is still a legal entity in some form. >>> >>> The domain purchase is only one issue. There has been talk of a conference >>> (which I still dig), leveraging our collective buying power, etc. These are >>> all things that one cohesive body could do, and since there has been/could >>> be money involved, it would keep it all legal and with checks and balances. >>> Alex is the most awesome person to manage the domain issue, but I do worry >>> if managing the funds could have any sort of negative taxation impact on >>> him, which of course none of us would want. Forming a separate legal entity >>> could solve/avoid just such an issue. >>> >>> The buying of the domain was the first time that money has come into the >>> equation and that was an anomaly IMO. >>> >>> So then, what if something else comes up that involves money? How many >>> times will there be an exception? Who knows if there will be a next time, >>> but there also wasn't a first time until the domain issue came up, so it is >>> possible. >>> r. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "Coworking" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "Coworking" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Coworking" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. Chad Ballantyne Creative Director www.thecreativespace.ca 705.252.2423 ΓΌ Please consider the environment before printing this email. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
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