Re: FN-FORUM: Creating a Web Developer organisation

date posted 13th August 2007 12:18

Hi Richard,

> I've just been catching up on this group after my hols and found the
> discussions about starting a new organisation to which quality web
> developers can apply for some extra leverage.

I've skipped/missed the heart of these discussions, but thought I would
just throw in my 2pence worth.

Back in the mid 90s we setup a collaborative IT group called The Trust
Group with various aims:
+ Good networking
+ Collaboration between members on personal jobs (one guy sells
servers, the other does networking - obvious benefits for teaming up on
jobs).
+ Collaboration on larger projects, sourced and managed by the group.
+ Providing individuals with the backing and support one would expect
from a larger organisation
+ Bulk purchases on hardware/software
+ discounted insurance/training, etc

The group started out of similar discussions on the IT forums on
Compuserve back in '94/95.

It was a great idea and we ended up with several hundred members,
however the biggest problem was it that it was run by voluntary members
of the group who inevitably ended up being too busy with their own day
to day work to be able drive it forward, it really needed a
professionally run office with a decent sales team to be pushing the
business on.


The only way to do this would have been to charge higher membership
fees and also to charge commissions on the work going through the
group.

This was again great in theory however most of the members only really
became active when they were at a loose end looking for work and would
generally be unhappy with paying high membership fees.

Additionally it was impossible to manage the commissions side of
things, unless the work was generated by (us the voluntary committee) -
any work generated by the members was generally dished out behind the
scenes to other members and there was no way for us to monitor that.
Members would put the first few jobs through the group but quickly
adopted members they dealt with into their own little 'network' and no
longer needed the group.

Having said that a deal was struck in I think it was Norway where it
was funded properly from the outset, however it ended up more like an
agency for freelancers and I don't think it lasted.

I was one of the founder members and was on the committee for several
years, but dropped out when I really couln't see any future in it and
like others I still have my own network of contacts from the group who
I stay in touch with and use occassionally ;-)
--
Cheers,

Julian Voelcker,
Cheltenham, Glos.
T: 01285 821 910
MSN: [EMAIL REMOVED]
Skype: julianvoelcker