Feb 25, 2006: Jay throws down the financial gauntlet!

To open our working space in SF, we need people to step up and commit funds for one year. Once we know how much money we have, we can better gauge what kind of space we can get.

Expectations

We want a space about 2000-square-feet. Big open space with desks. A closed conference room for private meetings. Wi-fi throughout. Everyone who contributes a significant amount will get a key.

What is a good ratio for space?

Open is defined as modular, wireless, dynamic, community, social

Office is defined as private work area

Meeting is defined as private scheduled group area(s)

Common is defined as hallways, restroom(s), kitchen

Who is ready to move in the next 30 days?

Kieran will be in the office from 10-6PM Friday June 2nd, collecting money from the 5 Anchors.

Other ways to pay/supplement the rent?

• Charge participants a reasonable fee for use of printers. Charge people using laptops at nearby cafes slightly higher fees to print. (Printouts are someting fairly often missed when working at cafes). - Sean

• Monthly storage rentals (lockers, file cabinet drawers, etc.) - Ted2

• Space Rental for Launch Parties (funds can go to common benefits, like DirectTV - I have a 32" I can loan to the space)

• Would also think we could hold camps/jams/whatever there, charging a small fee (for space and cleanup) for those who are not in the space. ie, a local association wants to do a one day event on a SAT and we could charge them $100 which is super cheap comparitively. Just an idea, not a need...

• Can also rent the conference room to independents/early startups who are not members when they need a meeting space for a reasonable fee

• We could also collectively offer our time for one evening per month from 5-7pm (or something like that) to a corporation that wants feedback/market research/ideas on some new or old project - we could charge $1,000+ for the collective wisdom depending on the situation. Stowe has been doing this with some success over the past year or so through his advisory services. If we built this up to doing it 1x per week, we could probably have our costs covered, or at least have a stocked fridge and some more comfort creating stuff. Maybe we could even do it as a "Last Friday" of each month and throw a party afterwards with some of the fees

Will budget dictate space or space dictate budget?

J.O.: I don't have champagne tastes, and I like having nice light. I'd pay extra for access to a roof top.

Sean: I'd lean toward the down-and-dirty side but agreed, good light is critical -- flourescent lights would be just about the only dealkiller for me.

ChrisH: The right space will feel right and we should try to make the right thing happen, but not if it is astronomical in cost. I think the answer to this question is to find balance - spend what we need to for the space, but not more than necessary.

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