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A collection of relevant links I recently collected: 1. A Technology Freelancer's Guide to Starting a Worker Cooperative [pdf] https://news.ycombinator.com/ite

by Arkdy 7y ago

A collection of relevant links I recently collected: 1. A Technology Freelancer's Guide to Starting a Worker Cooperative [pdf] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20908452 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20908452 2. Platform Cooperativism Consortium | A hub that helps you start, grow, or convert to platform co-ops https://platform.coop/ https://platform.coop/ 3. Stoop.cp Incubator for co-ops with a revenue sharing model and 10k grant https://start.coop/#program https://start.coop/#program 4. Savvy Cooperative https://www.savvy.coop/ https://www.savvy.coop/ 5. The Internet of Ownership – Tools for a democratic online economy https://ioo.coop/ https://ioo.coop/

neltnerb 7y ago
Awesome list! I feel like what a lot of these groups just starting out need is: - A starting grant ideally, maybe help them find local grants for worker owned cooperatives or create a non-profit to get donations for this purpose (for instance, the first six months rent for a new coffee shop). That stoop.cp looks pretty much like what I am thinking of. It's hard to stress how important $10k can be to people starting a low-margin business who likely can't get a business loan for this. - Moral support that while this is a risk they have a support network at least online to mutually bitch with and get advice on little stuff like dealing with the city. Or heck, make a platform so that people can directly donate money to other cooperatives to help them out when they run into trouble. I've definitely supported coops on gofundme and the like to help them get their seed money to start their whatever. Can this be more communal? A successful cooperative can offer a heck of a lot more than just money to a brand new one. - Help with internal management. Being your own boss is hard. No one knows how to do it, meaning how to set goals and make a clear coherent plan and bring people on board to help you without using management authority. How do you solve disputes between equals both legally and practically? How do you mentally switch from a command and control management style to a collaborative management style? Should you go into business with your friends? How should you evaluate your partners and understand the risk that their personalities bring to the table? But this list is awesome! I'm sure there's a subreddit for this right? Definitely feeling optimistic that these things exist!

by Arkdy 7y ago

neltnerb 7y ago

Awesome list! I feel like what a lot of these groups just starting out need is: - A starting grant ideally, maybe help them find local grants for worker owned cooperatives or create a non-profit to get donations for this purpose (for instance, the first six months rent for a new coffee shop). That stoop.cp looks pretty much like what I am thinking of. It's hard to stress how important $10k can be to people starting a low-margin business who likely can't get a business loan for this. - Moral support that while this is a risk they have a support network at least online to mutually bitch with and get advice on little stuff like dealing with the city. Or heck, make a platform so that people can directly donate money to other cooperatives to help them out when they run into trouble. I've definitely supported coops on gofundme and the like to help them get their seed money to start their whatever. Can this be more communal? A successful cooperative can offer a heck of a lot more than just money to a brand new one. - Help with internal management. Being your own boss is hard. No one knows how to do it, meaning how to set goals and make a clear coherent plan and bring people on board to help you without using management authority. How do you solve disputes between equals both legally and practically? How do you mentally switch from a command and control management style to a collaborative management style? Should you go into business with your friends? How should you evaluate your partners and understand the risk that their personalities bring to the table? But this list is awesome! I'm sure there's a subreddit for this right? Definitely feeling optimistic that these things exist!