Your incubator comment is spot on. The fixed term of membership is something that I associate with incubators. I think the idea is that they want to provide feedback and support to their start-ups, but at a certain point the law of diminishing returns comes into play, and the incubator needs to put their start-ups out into the wild to succeed or fail, and start nurturing a new group.
Contrast that with a coworking space, where members can contribute more to the community the longer they're involved. I'm not familiar with anybody who pushes out long-term coworkers for the sole purpose of making space available. -- Dave Nugent [email protected] www.backstagecoworking.com 408.605.2551 mobile twitter: @drnugent @backstagecowork On Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 7:56 AM, David Garvin <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm a bit baffled by this 12 month term to be honest. For all the reasons > you've given. Wouldn't it make more sense to expand if it is that > successful? Also, what happens if within a few months you're full (hopeful, > I know)? You could find yourself having to start over again, every year, > with a fresh intake having to reinvent the wheel and you've lost all that > valuable community experience. > > To answer the question about payment, it was our initial plan to sublet the > building and administer the memberships, take payment etc. However, because > the building is owned by the university and the project is co funded by the > local gov, the university has taken ownership of the project and insisted on > membership administration. I can kind of see why they would want to do that, > given that the building is on campus. The local gov is going along with > whatever the university says, I guess they see no reason to interfere. What > can you do! > > It's interesting that you mention a regulated club, I have a suspicion that > the university has appropriated the project (and its funding) and are trying > to turn it into an exclusive Post Grad incubation club. Without seasoned, > long term members, or those working in industry already, I think that would > be a real shame and a serious missed opportunity for Post Grads to make > connections and develop skills. > > As for the part time issue, I just think it's nuts. Surely it's less > accessible to independent workers, not more accessible? > > I'm reassured by your frank observations, I don't feel like I'm going mad > now. I'm almost inclined to walk away but, having come so far with this > project, I'm reluctant to give it up before I've done all I can to see it > through. I have a committee meeting a a couple of weeks so if anyone has > anything to add, I'd be really grateful. Maybe there's a way I can talk > them around. > > David. > > > On 7 Apr 2011, at 14:32, rachel young wrote: > > > > They would want you to ask an early adopter who has proven they can be a > productive part of the community to leave if a brand new unknown unproven > person came along? I wonder if you'd have a hard time getting members if > they knew there was an end date to their membership. In fact, I wouldn't be > comfortable calling it a membership at all. What they'd have is a fixed term > rent with little to no chance of extension. It's pure office rental, not > community building. This certainly wouldn't allow for seasoned members to > advocate the space on your behalf. And what are these early adopters to do > after the first year? Go back to the distractions of working from home or > the noise and annoyance of coffee shops? They may as well start somewhere > else where their membership won't be terminated strictly because the > calendar says so and some young buck comes along. The first in/first out > rule is the most ridiculous condition I've ever heard. > > I can sort of see why they wouldn't want part time memberships, but I'm > confused as to why they would be collecting the funds. As the space owner or > manager, that would be your job, yes? They are a university, surely they can > take multiple payments. > > And if they want to see many people using the space, part time memberships > are perfect for that, so why put the onus on the member to collect the fees > and be responsible for the other members using that desk? Surely that's a > lot to ask of someone who is just trying to make ends meet and pay their own > bills and grow their business. > > If your facility is full in its full year, congratulations! You shouldn't > be punished for it, nor should your members. > > These are major red flags in my opinion. I would proceed with caution. It > sounds to me like they want a regulated club with ridiculous rules, not a > productive shared space where business owners can grow and learn from one > another. > > Keep us updated? > r. > > > * > * > On 7 April 2011 04:41, CoWorker <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi all. >> >> It's been a few months since my last post and could really do with >> some advice. So, we've been working with the local university and >> government for quite a while now to get our site open and I had a >> progress meeting earlier in the week. I discovered that a few odd >> conditions of membership have crept in. The two that I'd like to ask >> advice on are these... >> >> 1. If, after 12 months there is a waiting list, the first member to >> join will be asked to leave to make way for a new member. So, first >> one in, first one out rule. If no waiting list exists, you will be >> offered a 3 month extension. >> >> 2. Part time membership is not an option. Instead, one person will >> need to commit to a desk/office and then find others to chip in and >> share the cost. There will however, have to be a single designated >> person who is responsible for the payment and conditions of the >> agreement. >> >> From what I can gather, what's driving these conditions is >> accessibility and the recovery of fees. Firstly, they seem concerned >> that people might not get an opportunity to experience the centre >> because it will be full in the first year, so they need to make room >> for more people to join. Secondly, they are not willing/able to >> collect fees from a larger number of part timers. They also believe >> that by letting people share a membership, they are making the centre >> more accessible to a larger number of people because, by sharing the >> cost of a desk/office, it becomes more affordable. >> >> I wanted to try and digest these revelations before asking for a >> sanity check from you guys but, which ever way I look at these >> conditions, they seem counter productive and flawed. Am I being >> unfair? Are they actually really good ideas? Am I missing something? >> Does anyone else operate a similar model? >> >> I'd really love to hear what you guys make of this, please. >> >> Cheers, >> >> David. >> >> -- >> 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. > > > David Garvin > [email protected] > > 01473 212200 > www.visitgmd.com > > > > > > Whilst this email has been checked for all known viruses, recipients should > undertake their own virus checking as Garvin Marr Limited will not accept > any liability whatsoever. > > This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and protected > by client privilege. It is solely for the use of the intended recipient. > Please delete it and notify the sender if you have received it in error. > Unauthorised use is prohibited. > > Any opinions expressed in this email are those of the individual and not > necessarily the organisation. > > > > > > -- > 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.
