Creating a Business Plan

Here are some initial thoughts to help us develop a business plan and get things

What are our goals?
To start a small, volunteer-run community (15-75 active members) that occasionally teach classes, shares some amount of tools and space, and pays rent on a 1,500 to 7,500 square foot space with relatively low membership fees for access to shared tools/workspace. Hopefully we can feature storage and/or studio rental space and a gallery space to display projects.

What are our strengths?
Community Building
Teaching Students
Business Plan Creation
Conflict Resolution
Graphic Design
Professional Communications
Event Planning
Organizing/ Running Meetings
Outreach
Information Technology

What are our weaknesses?
Process Design
Fundraising
Financial Bookkeeping
Shop Design and Layout (code)
Social Media
Responding to Email
Infrastructure Development
Legal stuff and Insurance
Grant Writing

Let’s ask for help… "Most successful spaces have a significant component of volunteerism and community responsibility – the Asylum was only as successful as it was because there was a group of committed volunteers called Wardens (which grew from 10 to more than 70 in 2 years’ time) who took it upon themselves to volunteer several hours a week at the space. Here are some types of
help that Artisan’s Asylum has needed over the course of its development:
Teachers, Board Members, Shop Monitors, Event Organizers, Front Desk, Janitors, Contractors, Graphic Designers, Legal Advisors, Financial Advisors, Business Dev., Real Estate, Grantwriters, Ambassadors, Trainers/Testers, Architects"

Networking
Art hacks
Fuse
CBC
WSU
RPL
Sign
Reuse Center
Related Events that we should Attend/ Host?

How should we distribute the Space?
Fire Lanes - 25-30% of floor area (what’s the code?)
Welcoming Area (~50 sqft)
Social/Food Area (~200 sqft)
Dedicated Classroom/ Conference Room (~150 sqft)
Workshops
Rental Studios/Storage
Gallery Area

Operating Expenses
Rent
Internet
Utilities
Insurance
Maintenance
Payroll
Charges/ Fees
Savings/ Operational Buffer
Contingency (10-25%)

Income Streams
Memberships
-Starving Artist/ "Will work for access"
-Day pass
-Basic (limited access)
-Associate (more access)
-Full (total access)
Grants and Donations
-Sponsorships
--Business
--Individuals
--Buy a tile program (or similar scenario in which you can have a semi-permanant place built into the space)
-One time
-Recurring
Studio/Storage Space Rental
-Lockers
-Lofts
-Size A studio (single occupancy)
-Size B studio (multiple occupancy)
Events/ Classes
-Fundraisers
--Gallery Openings
--Crowdsourcing (i.e. - Kickstarter for particular projects)
-Member-led Courses

Resources
Dream equipment list
Realistic equipment list
Bare minimum equipment list
Donation List

Working Groups
-Based on the mathematical concept of the Fractal
-A group can begin with an individual or group of individuals at any time, for any reason.
-Groups may change their style of decision-making to whatever the members of the group would like.
-Full consensus should be considered the "default setting”.
-Loom should be used for online discussion and decisions
-“The Board” can be viewed as just another working group
-Groups should do-ocratically make most decisions themselves without seeking permission at the General Meeting
-Groups should bring potentially controversial decisions to the General Meeting
-Groups should seek in all respects of operation to uphold the Vision (which we still have not written … working group!)
-Anyone may participate in the discussions as posted on Loomio, but decisions shall be made by the group
-Groups should have meetings and take meeting notes, much like the General Meeting.
-Some groups require technical or other skills and expertise. (e.g. managing the LAN.) Care should be taken to encourage skillful participation without becoming exclusionary. Responsibilities shared by few are a liability, and cause an organization to be fragile.

Potential Working Groups
Community Standards (be excellent to each other ( aka - guiding principle), anti-harassment policy)
Name (doesn’t feel inclusive of the Arts)
Vision
Conflict Resolution
Business/ Financial Plan