7 ms·

Office Hours

61 points by bjonathan 15y ago

Lost_BiomedE 15y ago
This is such a great idea. It can be used in so many places where it currently is not available, due to culture or other reasons. It can also be a meet the ____ that is scheduled for whoever and whenever. I imagine that a lot of opportunities, connections, and collaboration is lost due to no sense of being welcome or fear of wasting time. It reminds me a bit of the comments that Nobel prize winners often kept their office door open to welcome all. While the idea does not appear to be new, it is definitely underused.
arethuza 15y ago
Did I read that correctly? Anyone can try and get a meeting and there is no screening?
- pclark 15y ago
  What is the worst that can happen in 15 minutes?
  - hugh3 15y ago
    Do you want a literal answer to that question? Of course if we're talking "getting stabbed" then it's probably more likely to happen on your way home rather than in your office, so I don't think it's worth worrying too much about.
    - pclark 15y ago
      That was my point, and why I questioned arethuza on his emphasis on anyone, I was curious what he meant.
      - arethuza 15y ago
        I guess I'm just more used to VCs in the UK - which are usually a bit more standoffish (perhaps with a couple of exceptions).
  - kirubakaran 15y ago
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azRzqI3BJ2A&playnext=1&list=PL362D6EAB20C71C74 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azRzqI3BJ2A&playnext=1&#3...
- melissamiranda 15y ago
  Yes. That's the beauty of it. Paul from i/o ventures has them sometimes, that's how I found out about ohours. There are tons of high quality people you can meet with.
jasonfried 15y ago
I've been doing office hours via phone since Oct 2009 (http://37signals.com/svn/posts/1973-announcing-ceo-office-hours http://37signals.com/svn/posts/1973-announcing-ceo-office-ho...). It's been great. Lately I've been available less so I haven't been as consistent as I'd like to be, but it's definitely been worth it. http://37signals.com/officehours http://37signals.com/officehours
- lasonrisa 15y ago
  Any chance you could elaborate more, please. What has been interesting about it? or maybe, what has been different from, say, doing support a few hours a week? Although, I am not sure if you have ever tried that.
- tansey 15y ago
  Seems like there is a qualitative difference here, though. Your office hours are effectively 37signals customer support from the CEO. Fred's are more of an altruistic way to give back to the startup community. Both are great, just noting the distinction. I'd be very interested if you tried Fred's style of office hours.
  - jasonfried 15y ago
    The majority of the calls I get are from entrepreneurs asking for business advice or my thoughts on their concept/ideas. I barely get any calls re: 37signals products.
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]
joeyespo 15y ago
When I applied to AlphaLab, a Pittsburgh-based startup accelerator, they offered the same thing. I felt it was extremely helpful. It's an incredible opportunity to meet the people you may be working with right at the start. It's also very helpful since you, the guest, can get a better feel for how they operate and even get some quick, low-risk feedback on a pitch or about your story.
rstocker99 15y ago
You know what I'd pay for? Enterprise sales office hours and online customer acquisition office hours. That would rock. Basically 15 minutes of an experts time over Skype. They'd have to really be an expert but I'd happily pay.
- meterplech 15y ago
  A few companies do that actually. Their analysts/consultants will work with you for an hour or so and then try to set up a longer term deal to help you. It makes sense: the economics of even an hour long meeting aren't great factoring in customer acquisition costs. I think Gartner and maybe some others do this though.
- vrikhter 15y ago
  "Enterprise sales office hours" Are you looking for companies to have their sales people available online for skype office hours? Or some other source? "Online customer acquisition office hours" Again, a 3rd party that helps you vet some questions you have about products?
meterplech 15y ago
I just had office hours with Albert Wenger. The process is really great. I tried to get into office hours last round (I think they do them twice a year?) and made the waitlist. I was then contacted this time to see if I was still interested. I actually didn't have a pitch or anything. I'm just about to move to New York and wanted advice on getting involved in the startup scene. He was very interesting to talk to and had great advice. Highly recommend doing these office hours.
- joshu 15y ago
  Albert is awesome. He was my COO at Delicious and is now on my board for Tasty Labs.

61 points by bjonathan 15y ago

This is such a great idea. It can be used in so many places where it currently is not available, due to culture or other reasons. It can also be a meet the ____ that is scheduled for whoever and whenever. I imagine that a lot of opportunities, connections, and collaboration is lost due to no sense of being welcome or fear of wasting time. It reminds me a bit of the comments that Nobel prize winners often kept their office door open to welcome all. While the idea does not appear to be new, it is definitely underused.

arethuza 15y ago

Did I read that correctly? Anyone can try and get a meeting and there is no screening?

pclark 15y ago
What is the worst that can happen in 15 minutes?
- hugh3 15y ago
  Do you want a literal answer to that question? Of course if we're talking "getting stabbed" then it's probably more likely to happen on your way home rather than in your office, so I don't think it's worth worrying too much about.
  - pclark 15y ago
    That was my point, and why I questioned arethuza on his emphasis on anyone, I was curious what he meant.
    - arethuza 15y ago
      I guess I'm just more used to VCs in the UK - which are usually a bit more standoffish (perhaps with a couple of exceptions).
- kirubakaran 15y ago
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azRzqI3BJ2A&playnext=1&list=PL362D6EAB20C71C74 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azRzqI3BJ2A&playnext=1&#3...
melissamiranda 15y ago
Yes. That's the beauty of it. Paul from i/o ventures has them sometimes, that's how I found out about ohours. There are tons of high quality people you can meet with.

jasonfried 15y ago

I've been doing office hours via phone since Oct 2009 (http://37signals.com/svn/posts/1973-announcing-ceo-office-hours http://37signals.com/svn/posts/1973-announcing-ceo-office-ho...). It's been great. Lately I've been available less so I haven't been as consistent as I'd like to be, but it's definitely been worth it. http://37signals.com/officehours http://37signals.com/officehours

lasonrisa 15y ago
Any chance you could elaborate more, please. What has been interesting about it? or maybe, what has been different from, say, doing support a few hours a week? Although, I am not sure if you have ever tried that.
tansey 15y ago
Seems like there is a qualitative difference here, though. Your office hours are effectively 37signals customer support from the CEO. Fred's are more of an altruistic way to give back to the startup community. Both are great, just noting the distinction. I'd be very interested if you tried Fred's style of office hours.
- jasonfried 15y ago
  The majority of the calls I get are from entrepreneurs asking for business advice or my thoughts on their concept/ideas. I barely get any calls re: 37signals products.
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]

joeyespo 15y ago

When I applied to AlphaLab, a Pittsburgh-based startup accelerator, they offered the same thing. I felt it was extremely helpful. It's an incredible opportunity to meet the people you may be working with right at the start. It's also very helpful since you, the guest, can get a better feel for how they operate and even get some quick, low-risk feedback on a pitch or about your story.

rstocker99 15y ago

You know what I'd pay for? Enterprise sales office hours and online customer acquisition office hours. That would rock. Basically 15 minutes of an experts time over Skype. They'd have to really be an expert but I'd happily pay.

meterplech 15y ago
A few companies do that actually. Their analysts/consultants will work with you for an hour or so and then try to set up a longer term deal to help you. It makes sense: the economics of even an hour long meeting aren't great factoring in customer acquisition costs. I think Gartner and maybe some others do this though.
vrikhter 15y ago
"Enterprise sales office hours" Are you looking for companies to have their sales people available online for skype office hours? Or some other source? "Online customer acquisition office hours" Again, a 3rd party that helps you vet some questions you have about products?

meterplech 15y ago

I just had office hours with Albert Wenger. The process is really great. I tried to get into office hours last round (I think they do them twice a year?) and made the waitlist. I was then contacted this time to see if I was still interested. I actually didn't have a pitch or anything. I'm just about to move to New York and wanted advice on getting involved in the startup scene. He was very interesting to talk to and had great advice. Highly recommend doing these office hours.

joshu 15y ago
Albert is awesome. He was my COO at Delicious and is now on my board for Tasty Labs.