7 ms·

Stripe subsidiary plans to open office in Baltimore

102 points by gk1 7y ago

openredbull 7y ago
It's interesting to me that the article title names a "San Francisco tech firm" rather than "Stripe". I guess though it may be a ubiquitous name in the YC community, Stripe is not a household name.
- untog 7y ago
  By nature I suppose. You can use Stripe a bunch of times without ever knowing that you did.
  - jgalt212 7y ago
    WE DON'T MAKE A LOT OF THE PRODUCTS YOU BUY. WE MAKE A LOT OF THE PRODUCTS YOU BUY BETTER. https://trademark.trademarkia.com/we-dont-make-a-lot-of-the-products-you-buy--we-make-a-lot-of-the-products-you-buy-better-76600593.html https://trademark.trademarkia.com/we-dont-make-a-lot-of-the-...
- paxys 7y ago
  I don't think it will ever be a household name, at least unless it launches a consumer product.
  - smnrchrds 7y ago
    Alternatively, it can get really really big. PwC and British Petroleum do not have any consumer products that I know of, yet they are household names all the same.
    - fosk 7y ago
      BP literally sells gas at BP branded gas pumps, that’s pretty consumer in my book.
      - SilasX 7y ago
        Well, used to, until the 2010 oil spill, when like, every convenience store rebranded their gasoline offering (even if it still comes from BP).
        yeutterg 7y ago
        There are still BP-branded stations in the Philadelphia area, to the best of my knowledge. Maybe elsewhere too.
    - RobAtticus 7y ago
      I'm not sure PwC would be considered a household name. And BP has gas stations.
    - umanwizard 7y ago
      Really? I would be surprised if more than 10% of Americans have heard of PwC.
      - MegaButts 7y ago
        I am an American and I had to look up PwC. That said, you can be a household name outside of America.
      - bestnameever 7y ago
        Pretty sure PwC used to run television commercials for branding / brand awareness.
    - alasdair_ 7y ago
      Doesn’t British Petroleum sell Petroleum from Britain? I’ve certainly bought it at a BP-branded petroleum station before.
    - yeutterg 7y ago
      BP has gas/petrol stations, so close enough?
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
    - afarrell 7y ago
      Enron also didn't have any consumer products, but I think is still a household name.
    - johneth 7y ago
      It hasn't been called 'British Petroleum' for 18 years, since it merged with Amoco, an American company.
  - AlchemistCamp 7y ago
    Why couldn't Stripe be a household name? PayPal is.
    - scrollaway 7y ago
      PayPal has a consumer product, exactly as GP says.
leetrout 7y ago
Is it common to be able to borrow money directly from a state like this?
- anbop 7y ago
  The perpetual debt of the US federal and state governments makes some people forget that governments can actually be in the black. Governments like Norway, Singapore, Brunei, and Saudi Arabia run huge sovereign wealth funds that lend, for debt or equity, huge amounts of money to all kinds of companies.
  - asimilator 7y ago
    > Norway, Singapore, Brunei, and Saudi Arabia Tiny or oil wealthy or both tiny and oil wealthy. Not great examples for your point.
    - rat9988 7y ago
      What is the problem with the examples?
      - Cilvic 7y ago
        It's easier to spend less than you make if you make a lot from effortless resource mining.
      - asimilator 7y ago
        All of them are very wealthy due to unusual circumstances (mostly oil).
  - adventured 7y ago
    > and state governments makes some people forget that governments can actually be in the black. I don't think it makes sense to include the states in that indictment. Most US states are dramatically better run fiscally than ~95%-97% of all national governments around the world based on debt & tax revenue levels. If you ranked the states with nations, the 50 states would all be among the top 100 nations on debt to revenue ratios, credit rating, stability and predictability of tax revenue. They often have to be fiscally sound by law. Out of the 50 states, only five or six tend to ever have serious or frequent fiscal problems (with California, New York and Illinois routinely having problems). Florida for example has a $1 trillion economy, a $91b budget, and $1.7b in annual debt service costs. That ratio would be the envy of the world outside of a few nations. Most US states are in at least that good of condition or better on debt costs to revenue. Two dozen states are in essentially squeaky clean fiscal condition, as solid as any governments get outside of Norway. Nearly all of the states get extremely good credit ratings. The particular exceptions are: Illinois, New Jersey, Kentucky (the last two still carry good ratings). Even California is in good fiscal shape right now (after a ten year economic expansion of course). They can easily afford their annual debt costs.
rolltiide 7y ago
> The subsidiary, Helm Services Inc., will take 44,000 square feet of space in the development's Banner Building at 1215 E. Fort Ave., according to Baltimore's Board of Estimates agenda for Wednesday. Helm will provide technical support services to software users of Stripe SF and NY is where all the action is, every where else is just regional support Enjoy your call center, Baltimore
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
jugg1es 7y ago
I live in Baltimore. Is this on hacker news because of Trump? Baltimore is great. It has rats, sure, but I just went to a synchronized swimming exhibition at a public pool in Druid Hill park (of Dru Hill fame) that involved a segment about allergies with a man dressed as Gluten in a bread costume doing coordinated swim moves with others dressed in pollen costumes. It's a weird place. Come visit.
- ghmellon 7y ago
  You successfully convinced me never to want to go there
  - simonebrunozzi 7y ago
    Why you say that? Your comment doesn't add anything, it only pisses off people. If you want to be sarcastic, at least add a /s, or go to other online venues where that attitude is appreciated. And, by the way, I think that people in Baltimore had a hard time in the last few decades, and I'm happy to read good news regarding Baltimore.
    - ghmellon 7y ago
      Actually I don’t want to piss anyone off. It’s just being honest. Different people like different things and that’s ok. In today’s political age, people are being made to feel guilty for having an opinion. We should not encourage that trend.
      - geofft 7y ago
        Why? Not all opinions are created equal. If you hold the opinion "I think vaccines give people autism" or "The world will be a better place without plastic straws," I absolutely think you should be made to feel guilty about it. I am happy to engage you in rational debate about why your opinion is not only unfounded but harmful, and saying that I shouldn't hurt people's feelings puts a damper on debate.
  - subjectsigma 7y ago
simonebrunozzi 7y ago
I think tech firms have an opportunity to do good things when selecting a new office in a new city or state. Let me explain. 200 jobs means roughly 300-350 people (some are singles, some are couples, some have kids) that will be directly affected by Stripe opening these offices in Baltimore. On average, 100 people with relatively high salaries (as it is the case for Stripe employees) "drive" 30 to 50 other jobs (services, etc). This means that this single move by Stripe has the capacity to influence 500-600 people in total. Not a small number. In cases like this, I wish they would consider partnering with a local architect firm and/or construction firm, plus an investment firm, to repurpose a neglected area, or even build from scratch, using sound and proven architectural guidelines (a good example: https://nightingalehousing.org/ https://nightingalehousing.org/ in Melbourne). This way they could offer both office and housing to their employees, and push for sustainable architecture. Heck, with a larger workforce, they could even be as bold as designing a new town altogether. Some great architects and designers have already shared what's the best way to do it. TL;DR: it's not about cars, it's about people. [0] [1] etc. I would love to chat with people interested with this idea, and share the little I've learned in my own free time. [0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_RYm8zs28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_RYm8zs28 (Jan Gehl is one of the most amazing architects of our time, please try to find time to watch at least some of it, you will thank me later) [1]: https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/an-introduction-to-christopher-alexanders-pattern-language/2012/12/10 https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/an-introduction-to-christophe...
- Merrill 7y ago
  "Helm will provide technical support services to software users of Stripe," ... "Under Armour previously had a call center in the building." Looks like the 200 jobs will be customer support call center jobs, which may not be relatively high salaries.
- peterwwillis 7y ago
  A good idea, but in Baltimore you don't have to build from scratch. There are over 16,000 vacant homes and 40,000 vacant properties in Baltimore, many in/near chronically neglected black communities. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/baltimore-launches-a-push-to-demolish-vacant-buildings/2019/03/21/df19e41e-4a9c-11e9-9663-00ac73f49662_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.296e9381d7aa https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/baltimore-launches-a-pu... I can't remember the name, but I've always thought that company that pays for you to become a trained computer programmer in exchange for a cut of your salary would work well in these areas. If they offered a tiered model, starting with basic business computer skills and working up to more technical jobs, in a few years they could fill dozens of offices with support technicians and programmers from local communities.
throwaway63535 7y ago
Does anyone understand why it's through a subsidiary / what that means? I can't seem to find any info about "Stripe Helm." Is this some sort of optimization to open what's actually an outsourced support office but still get to to use the Stripe brand in news stories?
jrochkind1 7y ago
> Helm will provide technical support services to software users of Stripe, Hm, anyone know what this is? Are these just call center jobs?
cheese4242 7y ago
This article seems out of place. A tech company opening a new office is rarely news worthy (except in the case of FAANG). Am I right to assume this is being posted as a "counter" to recent comments made by Trump regarding Baltimore?
- gk1 7y ago
  As mentioned in another comment, I posted this because it’s interesting and encouraging as a Baltimore resident.
mlinksva 7y ago
Also today Square plans to move its St Louis office downtown and double headcount there https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20556142 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20556142

102 points by gk1 7y ago

It's interesting to me that the article title names a "San Francisco tech firm" rather than "Stripe". I guess though it may be a ubiquitous name in the YC community, Stripe is not a household name.

untog 7y ago
By nature I suppose. You can use Stripe a bunch of times without ever knowing that you did.
- jgalt212 7y ago
  WE DON'T MAKE A LOT OF THE PRODUCTS YOU BUY. WE MAKE A LOT OF THE PRODUCTS YOU BUY BETTER. https://trademark.trademarkia.com/we-dont-make-a-lot-of-the-products-you-buy--we-make-a-lot-of-the-products-you-buy-better-76600593.html https://trademark.trademarkia.com/we-dont-make-a-lot-of-the-...
paxys 7y ago
I don't think it will ever be a household name, at least unless it launches a consumer product.
- smnrchrds 7y ago
  Alternatively, it can get really really big. PwC and British Petroleum do not have any consumer products that I know of, yet they are household names all the same.
  - fosk 7y ago
    BP literally sells gas at BP branded gas pumps, that’s pretty consumer in my book.
    - SilasX 7y ago
      Well, used to, until the 2010 oil spill, when like, every convenience store rebranded their gasoline offering (even if it still comes from BP).
      - yeutterg 7y ago
        There are still BP-branded stations in the Philadelphia area, to the best of my knowledge. Maybe elsewhere too.
  - RobAtticus 7y ago
    I'm not sure PwC would be considered a household name. And BP has gas stations.
  - umanwizard 7y ago
    Really? I would be surprised if more than 10% of Americans have heard of PwC.
    - MegaButts 7y ago
      I am an American and I had to look up PwC. That said, you can be a household name outside of America.
    - bestnameever 7y ago
      Pretty sure PwC used to run television commercials for branding / brand awareness.
  - alasdair_ 7y ago
    Doesn’t British Petroleum sell Petroleum from Britain? I’ve certainly bought it at a BP-branded petroleum station before.
  - yeutterg 7y ago
    BP has gas/petrol stations, so close enough?
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - afarrell 7y ago
    Enron also didn't have any consumer products, but I think is still a household name.
  - johneth 7y ago
    It hasn't been called 'British Petroleum' for 18 years, since it merged with Amoco, an American company.
- AlchemistCamp 7y ago
  Why couldn't Stripe be a household name? PayPal is.
  - scrollaway 7y ago
    PayPal has a consumer product, exactly as GP says.

leetrout 7y ago

Is it common to be able to borrow money directly from a state like this?

anbop 7y ago
The perpetual debt of the US federal and state governments makes some people forget that governments can actually be in the black. Governments like Norway, Singapore, Brunei, and Saudi Arabia run huge sovereign wealth funds that lend, for debt or equity, huge amounts of money to all kinds of companies.
- asimilator 7y ago
  > Norway, Singapore, Brunei, and Saudi Arabia Tiny or oil wealthy or both tiny and oil wealthy. Not great examples for your point.
  - rat9988 7y ago
    What is the problem with the examples?
    - Cilvic 7y ago
      It's easier to spend less than you make if you make a lot from effortless resource mining.
    - asimilator 7y ago
      All of them are very wealthy due to unusual circumstances (mostly oil).
- adventured 7y ago
  > and state governments makes some people forget that governments can actually be in the black. I don't think it makes sense to include the states in that indictment. Most US states are dramatically better run fiscally than ~95%-97% of all national governments around the world based on debt & tax revenue levels. If you ranked the states with nations, the 50 states would all be among the top 100 nations on debt to revenue ratios, credit rating, stability and predictability of tax revenue. They often have to be fiscally sound by law. Out of the 50 states, only five or six tend to ever have serious or frequent fiscal problems (with California, New York and Illinois routinely having problems). Florida for example has a $1 trillion economy, a $91b budget, and $1.7b in annual debt service costs. That ratio would be the envy of the world outside of a few nations. Most US states are in at least that good of condition or better on debt costs to revenue. Two dozen states are in essentially squeaky clean fiscal condition, as solid as any governments get outside of Norway. Nearly all of the states get extremely good credit ratings. The particular exceptions are: Illinois, New Jersey, Kentucky (the last two still carry good ratings). Even California is in good fiscal shape right now (after a ten year economic expansion of course). They can easily afford their annual debt costs.

rolltiide 7y ago

> The subsidiary, Helm Services Inc., will take 44,000 square feet of space in the development's Banner Building at 1215 E. Fort Ave., according to Baltimore's Board of Estimates agenda for Wednesday. Helm will provide technical support services to software users of Stripe SF and NY is where all the action is, every where else is just regional support Enjoy your call center, Baltimore

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

jugg1es 7y ago

I live in Baltimore. Is this on hacker news because of Trump? Baltimore is great. It has rats, sure, but I just went to a synchronized swimming exhibition at a public pool in Druid Hill park (of Dru Hill fame) that involved a segment about allergies with a man dressed as Gluten in a bread costume doing coordinated swim moves with others dressed in pollen costumes. It's a weird place. Come visit.

ghmellon 7y ago
You successfully convinced me never to want to go there
- simonebrunozzi 7y ago
  Why you say that? Your comment doesn't add anything, it only pisses off people. If you want to be sarcastic, at least add a /s, or go to other online venues where that attitude is appreciated. And, by the way, I think that people in Baltimore had a hard time in the last few decades, and I'm happy to read good news regarding Baltimore.
  - ghmellon 7y ago
    Actually I don’t want to piss anyone off. It’s just being honest. Different people like different things and that’s ok. In today’s political age, people are being made to feel guilty for having an opinion. We should not encourage that trend.
    - geofft 7y ago
      Why? Not all opinions are created equal. If you hold the opinion "I think vaccines give people autism" or "The world will be a better place without plastic straws," I absolutely think you should be made to feel guilty about it. I am happy to engage you in rational debate about why your opinion is not only unfounded but harmful, and saying that I shouldn't hurt people's feelings puts a damper on debate.
- subjectsigma 7y ago

simonebrunozzi 7y ago

I think tech firms have an opportunity to do good things when selecting a new office in a new city or state. Let me explain. 200 jobs means roughly 300-350 people (some are singles, some are couples, some have kids) that will be directly affected by Stripe opening these offices in Baltimore. On average, 100 people with relatively high salaries (as it is the case for Stripe employees) "drive" 30 to 50 other jobs (services, etc). This means that this single move by Stripe has the capacity to influence 500-600 people in total. Not a small number. In cases like this, I wish they would consider partnering with a local architect firm and/or construction firm, plus an investment firm, to repurpose a neglected area, or even build from scratch, using sound and proven architectural guidelines (a good example: https://nightingalehousing.org/ https://nightingalehousing.org/ in Melbourne). This way they could offer both office and housing to their employees, and push for sustainable architecture. Heck, with a larger workforce, they could even be as bold as designing a new town altogether. Some great architects and designers have already shared what's the best way to do it. TL;DR: it's not about cars, it's about people. [0] [1] etc. I would love to chat with people interested with this idea, and share the little I've learned in my own free time. [0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_RYm8zs28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_RYm8zs28 (Jan Gehl is one of the most amazing architects of our time, please try to find time to watch at least some of it, you will thank me later) [1]: https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/an-introduction-to-christopher-alexanders-pattern-language/2012/12/10 https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/an-introduction-to-christophe...

Merrill 7y ago
"Helm will provide technical support services to software users of Stripe," ... "Under Armour previously had a call center in the building." Looks like the 200 jobs will be customer support call center jobs, which may not be relatively high salaries.
peterwwillis 7y ago
A good idea, but in Baltimore you don't have to build from scratch. There are over 16,000 vacant homes and 40,000 vacant properties in Baltimore, many in/near chronically neglected black communities. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/baltimore-launches-a-push-to-demolish-vacant-buildings/2019/03/21/df19e41e-4a9c-11e9-9663-00ac73f49662_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.296e9381d7aa https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/baltimore-launches-a-pu... I can't remember the name, but I've always thought that company that pays for you to become a trained computer programmer in exchange for a cut of your salary would work well in these areas. If they offered a tiered model, starting with basic business computer skills and working up to more technical jobs, in a few years they could fill dozens of offices with support technicians and programmers from local communities.

throwaway63535 7y ago

Does anyone understand why it's through a subsidiary / what that means? I can't seem to find any info about "Stripe Helm." Is this some sort of optimization to open what's actually an outsourced support office but still get to to use the Stripe brand in news stories?

jrochkind1 7y ago

> Helm will provide technical support services to software users of Stripe, Hm, anyone know what this is? Are these just call center jobs?

cheese4242 7y ago

This article seems out of place. A tech company opening a new office is rarely news worthy (except in the case of FAANG). Am I right to assume this is being posted as a "counter" to recent comments made by Trump regarding Baltimore?

gk1 7y ago
As mentioned in another comment, I posted this because it’s interesting and encouraging as a Baltimore resident.

mlinksva 7y ago

Also today Square plans to move its St Louis office downtown and double headcount there https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20556142 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20556142