[hackerspaces] Hackerspace business plan

[Serendipity Seraph]

Koen Martens wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 09:08:13AM +0200, Peter Ing wrote:
>   
>> I am trying to get a Hackerspace going in South Africa. Instead of a
>> business plan I drew up a document that explains what a hackerspace is
>> and what the intentions and outcomes are.
>>
>> This document is for potential partners who would be willing to
>> provide resources and space for the hackerspace to use.
>>
>> Here in SA its not feasible to setup a hackerspace like a business and
>> I suspect the same may apply in most parts of the world.
>>
>> Thats just my 2c
>>     
>
> I would say that a business is the anti-thesis of a hackerspace. A business
> is profit driven. In any setting where you are profit driven, I personally 
> would refuse to volunteer for anything. If I paid for the businesses' services
> I would expect a certain level of services.
>   

That misses so much.  A business plan is about making sure that any 
organized activity can continue indefinitely on as self-sustaining a 
basis as possible or with adequate outside funding.  It is make sure 
that the organization/business/non-profit can continue to operate.  
Responsible people must do this if they expect to continue to have 
whatever the organization is about.  It doesn't have anything particular 
to do with profit as it also applies to non-profits.   
> The community part is very strong in how I see what hackerspaces are, and you
> wipe that out once you go commercial. Sure, you can make a community around 
> your product, but that will be a marketing vehicle, and not give you the
> commitment a real community gives.
>   
I think you are confusing a business plan with going commercial.  They 
are not at all the same thing.   I wouldn't count on the continued 
survival of a hacker space or anything else that did not have at least a 
basic business plan as to how they would pay their bills and keep the 
lights on.


- s

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