Community Startup ~ Project #2 Tiger Teams for Businesses

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OHDenise

posts: 438

Jan 02, 2007 12:19 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Happy New Year, Team.

My preferences for the collaboration site:

#2 - 37signals - I like this site because it`s easy to use, looks well designed, covers the types of features that I think we will need, and is expandable.

#4&5 - Google products - This is a second option for me, not a preferred combination. I like these featured products because they feel very familiar, and are easy to use.

Other comment - I`d prefer to have our collaboration all at one site, personally. Just for simplicity. But I`d be open to starting out with more than one venue (knowing that if it becomes too cumbersome or confusing, we can always transfer the data to a consolidated site).

Denise

Now, for a preview of future process developments:

The proposal – A weekly schedule of tasks

The details:

·       Tasks are defined on a weekly basis for participants to complete when it’s convenient to their schedule

·       Check in anytime during the week, beginning on Monday, for the week’s tasking

·       Complete your contribution to the task or provide feedback by midnight the following Sunday

·       Each task should result in a mini-milestone, a consensus, or a decision-making step to be taken

·       Look for upcoming tasks, to plan ahead and start getting information

I`m proposing a weekly schedule of taskings. I`d like to start out with a Monday to Sunday routine, with a designated task or assignment on which to focus for the week. I`m hoping that this will allow team members to participate when they`re able, without missing anything, because they`ll know what`s going on, what`s coming up, and when the completed task is due.

In addition to the weekly task assignments, I`d also like to post the next 3 upcoming tasks, so that participants can plan ahead or stay informed if they will be away from the site for an extended period of time.

It looks like this week`s task is determining an online collaboration site (or combination of tools).

Upcoming tasks you can be thinking about (additional details will follow) :

Self-assessment for participation in this business project:

define your skills & interests
assess your level of expertise & experience
determine your level of effort & participation
define your workstyle preferences

Business description:

Each member will write up their individual vision of what they think the Tiger Team business project should be.
Team members will compare their write-ups to come to a consensus, so that we can start identifying roles and objectives.

NYC696

posts: 47

Jan 02, 2007 6:09 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

Points: 0 Vote

Denise, thanks for getting the ball rolling. Herewith, the

Official Tiger Team Collaboration Tool Selection Poll

Each of the collaboration tools suggested during the course of our discussion are listed below.
1.     Phpfox
2.     37signals (basecamp)
3.     pbwiki
4.     Google Documents and Spreadsheets
5.     Google Hosted (Provide your own domain name) so communicate with other gmail/jabber accounts
6.     ActiveCollab
7.     Sharepoint Services 2.0

Please vote (by posting a reply to this forum) for as many tools as you think will be required to handle the various collaboration needs. As part of your post, please list by name (or # and name) the tool(s) you’re voting for and the need served for each tool. Then include your forum name to indicate your vote has been cast. Optionally, you may include editorial content at the end of your post to explain why you voted as you did – perhaps inspiring others to vote the same.)

Example 1:

#2 – 37signals – all needs.

ForumDude

Example 2:

#2 – 37signals – discussion management, project tracking, brainstorming
#3 – pbwiki – historical tracking, document and tool library

Steven

NYC696

posts: 47

Jan 02, 2007 6:23 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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My vote --

#2 - 37Signals for the mechanics of project management. But I don`t think it supports document storage, and the free version limits the basecamp to one "project" which means we`d be starting (and having to track) a number "basecamps" to support the various sub-projects we elect to implement.

Therefore, my vote includes the combination with

#3 - pbwiki. This tool would not only let us store documents, but it would also provide a relatively static "state of the project" document - which might be the first place that new folks come to to get oriented.

(Obviously we could use Google Docs to store documents, but the emphasis there is on-line editing which is not, I think, what we most need to be focused on ...)

Steven

NYC696

posts: 47

Jan 07, 2007 9:18 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Okay, it looks as though interest in this project has dropped to zero. (Could it be the launch of the SUN Marketplace took the wind out of the sails?)

It`s all good. The process was interesting and - for me anyway - quite educational. The floor is open to anyone who cares to step forward to stoke the fire again. For now, I`ll wish everyone continued success in pursuing their entrepreneurial visions!

Steven

MiteyMite

posts: 489

Jan 10, 2007 2:27 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Steven:

I don`t think the Marketplace took the wind out of the sails. Perhaps people don`t understand the idea or they don`t believe they have the expertise to participate in this idea??? I`m not sure but I do know we don`t need to have the expertise, we just need to be smart enough to find the people that do. Let`s get this up and moving with the interested parties and find those experts!

frndchps

posts: 333

Jan 10, 2007 7:46 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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"Most entrepreneurs are laughably optimistic and have a vision that`s extremely difficult by most standards. But for the entrepreneur, it`s just another day, just another goal, and you get to work." - Ben Casnocha

Every mind considers things in a different way, but when you get down to the business of doing business, the law of any project depends on set components, based on the marketplace. How one person envisions things must be gauged by the group effort. And the group mind must be changed according to how profit is made.

I refute in part and uphold in part, Jeff`s post, at the same time. Did not Mitey just claim there is not a critical need for expertise on the part of the project leaders, but rather firstmost a need to find and manage such expertise. We should not base our participation on technical ability, but instead on the yet unrealized promise that we the project leaders will create both ownership oppurtunity for ourselves and also oppurtunity for freelancing members. Outsourcing needed functions and managing a team that will provide a competitive resources and incubator services package to startups - is still a great idea.

frndchps wrote:
"What better way to facillitate that (repeatable) process (that allows a prospect with a need to be matched with resources), than to offer product resources at a website and also charge a fee for a packaged service."

NYC696 : "YES!!!"

I uphold Jeff`s statement that such people as Lawyers and Accountants need to be on board from the start. Katt33 offered her firm to oversee a group of advisors that would help us determine our strategy. I put off this sound reasoning for one reason, to give the project leadership time to set firmly in place, the direction of said project, having a united vision of the LMS database, and the proposed Website of Net2Mind w/ Team#2`s complimentary Service Package, so that we could begin to divide our research and development interests into teams. As yet their has been no top level recognition of the website by the current `leaders` and our efforts have revolved around the statement that we need `100s and 100`s of people(down to 30-50) to create a business together. We do not. Outsourcing or Private Label of e-courses is just as viable a plan as having an undetermined freelance effort, so long as the end result is a Website that people who wish to learn various lessons, and access resources, can depend on for high quality content. I would like to understand how these three ideas might make for one main company under an team of advisors, and begin working to that end. I know that a Private Label LMS = 600.oo pr. mo. Thus the emphasis on other company collaboration. Hosting a website is 4.95 per month using an existing company`s LMS.

I`ve learned that KeyAssets play an extremely important role in starting a business. Often, having an asset means that you can be transparent and build without fear of another company learning too much of your progress. I believed in a complimentary website for Project#1 and Project#2 from the start. So I have held Net2Mind.com and TeamProfit.net for that reason in hopes to link together. The projects are first a labor of love for all of us. First we brainstorm. And keep brainstorming. Gather together an advisor team. Communicate regularly and vote, by e-mail. Write down as it is confirmed what is SET and post it to the threads for more input. Make smart decisions quickly and hesitate to change unless it is obvious. I wrote to a friend that it isn`t easy to put your reputation on the line under the glaring criticism of those who seem to have all the answers, but don`t speak up. But the important thing is not whether I`m right or wrong, it`s what get`s done. If I sing "I`m a little teapot short and stout"....as long as the damn tea get`s made.

So, now who want`s to focus on an outline of products and services for the websites while the LMS is being researched. I`ll bet all of your hopes and dreams are still right there waiting to shine. Equity through gainsharing is not my main focus because the advisors know their stuff. Records of work done and %shares to be rewarded should be started right away. What`s been important to me on all these threads is the final, state of the art presentation. Let me know what I can do. I`m pursuing my own startup, but I can research, write, make phone calls, e-mail, ask questions, brainstorm, sketch, do mailings, vote, and post regularly to both threads. All I need is positive feedback from those who dare to dream.

frndchps

posts: 333

Jan 27, 2007 3:16 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Dead Thread Said Fred.

Please refer to the `new` version of the services for businesses project JeffSloan is leading at the main thread.

Jeff wrote: "just a wild thought for any of you still paying attention to this thread (see this is how I know who`s really serious about this!)....""what would you think about a business idea that is sort of co-op that offers small business services. We would form a company that effectively markets small business services from a variety of providers. Services could include accounting, web design, etc, etc....The company, by way of example, could be called ABC Small Business Services. It would have a website designed by a web develop or developers that want to create the site in exchange for equity. An SEO expert from our commmunity could help position the site so that we get traffic. We would solicit small business service providers to sign up with us, and small business owners would contact us for the services. We would then hook up the service provider with the small business customer, and we would take a cut or a referral fee (TBD). Our sales force could be made up of members from the community who could go out and solicit customers...and service providers as well to join. It solves many problems. Customers would have a one-stop shop credible source for the services they need, and the service providers get exposure and marketing, something they desperately need."

NYC696 wrote: "The `Tiger Team` project provided an opportunity to think broadly about the opportunities and challenges of crafting a unified storefront behind which independent businesses and professionals provide fee-based services to businesses."

Jeff wrote: "So....there it is. I`m going to do this. Anybody interested in joining me?"

"Let`s just call this exercise over the last few months a good screening process."

"Hopefully we all learned something from the first go around with this effort."

"Let`s just make sure that it`s the right "thing" with the right people, at the right time....

"I think an advisory board is a great idea and should be included in the project`s design."

"And again, I`m not at all emotional about this particular idea. Maybe it`s a good one, maybe not. I just threw it out there for consideration."

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