Word Of The Moment: Fairchise

I actually don’t know how I stumbled on the BusinessClass.net site, but I did, earlier this week. BCN (as it is also known) started in Berlin, and I could have meet with Manu Kumar, the founder, if I had discovered it a few weeks ago while I was there.

BCN is a network of short-term workspaces. Currently, there are only two: HQ, in Berlin, and another just outside LA. There is a sort-of-fledgling social network in the site — the various nomads that use the offices and retreats — but aside from a general listing of profiles, there doesn’t seem to be much you can do there, yet. (Maybe I can help, there, Manu.) Should be interfacing with Dopplr, I guess, too.

I hope to explore the LA facility in a few weeks, and will write more about that. Today, I am just blogging about the ‘fairchise’ concept that underlies the business model of BCN:

[from NuNomad: Planning the Trip, where Manu was interviewed]

Our basic concept of ‘fairchise’ is based on:

• no license fees (which we believe amounts to financing the franchise offerer)
  
  
• no expensive ‘management courses’
  
  
• no inventory or equipment that must be bought from the franchise offerer
  
  
• no fixed monthly fees (for royalties, marketing, etc.)
  
  
• short franchise contracts (3 years)
• instant start-up (open a BCN-port within four weeks)

Manu hopes to have seven or more ‘Ports’ in the network by 2008. His organization provides the online presence (in various languages), some marketing, and the basic financial services (accounting, credit card processing, reservations, etc.).

Anyone want to help me start the BCN-Port for San Francisco?