20 November 2009

Everyone Only

I saw this on a sign hanging outside a venue while walking to work today. "Everyone Only" - I enjoyed the simplicity of the message and its inclusive vibe in place of what you'd expect to be another exclusive restriction. I won't over-analyze it, but it certainly makes me want to step inside.

I've long had a dream about starting my own business. In fact, I'm currently saving money to do just that. This business will be a small, humble venue where people will come to discuss, as a community, the topics that they're passionate about. Think about an online discussion forum, but in real life, replete with moderators to keep talks civil and fluid. These types of venues used to exist, but the information age took over and left them in the dust. I do, however, feel that there is still a need for good ol' verbal debate, even if only as a novelty to enhance the debate we already have online. The idea is to provide an escape from broadcast information and turn it into communication. Lots of things can be packaged along with communal discussions to make it more interesting, like art and activism. As someone who has owned and operated a popular online discussion forum for 8 years now, I see this as the next step in the evolution of internet communities: enriching our physical lives.

I think I'll hang the same sign on my venue, if I ever get it going. "Everyone Only" displayed on the door, letting people know that there are no exclusions, all are welcome. I've been hesitant to share my idea with an anonymous public before, but I would like thoughts about it. I suppose I'm not too worried about someone stealing my idea because not many people have the mentality or experience necessary to pull it off the way I know I can. I suppose one benefit of getting my idea out there is the possibility of a benefactor stepping in to help me get it off the ground, but I'm not holding my breath for that.

Five years ago, I moved to New York City with this idea in my head. I fought through depression, unemployment and borderline poverty to stay here, with this dream as the only thing keeping me going. Now I'm finally on a steady track to seeing it happen. Granted, it will take me a couple years to save up enough money to start up, but I'm happy to no longer be flailing helplessly. There's a future and my goal is to include everyone in it.
Posted by Andrew Gonsalves at 11:05 AM
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7 nibbles:

  1. Perhaps "Everyone Only" as the full name of the venue.

    If you actually want people coming, in you might consider converting it into a cafe/coffee shop.

    eat/drink while you discuss.
    or just eat and drink.
    get creative with the food/drink choices.
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  2. JD: That was not the name of the venue. It's only a block from where I work, so I know it was a sign. And actually, the cafe bit is part of the business plan already.
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  3. I think JD was suggesting calling your place "Everyone Only." Not a bad idea. I'd like to know a bit more about your concept, but anything that gets people together in real life is a bonus to me.
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  4. this is wonderful. i am in full support of your goal/dream/vision. i think it's important to have ways to communicate and implicate change. i like that you see yourself at the forefront of that.
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  5. It is a nice idea, and NY is definitely a good place to get it going.

    Having seen many small businesses come and go, frankly, my approach would be to seek investors, sell it as a trial, and consider franchising ;-). Socrates is a nice name that comes to mind but already in use here by a science/novelty store chain.

    The issue I'd have with "Everyone Only" and the notion of all inclusive in a discussion forum, is that I have seen this tried many times over years and always fail. C'est la vie. The emergent wisdom was that a part of fruitful moderation in any discussion is exclusion rules. For all our romantic humanist notions there will always be some folk who cannot contribute positively to a discussion, or choose not to. By positively I mean not saying the right things, but saying whatever in the right way, that is having people involve grow from the experience, desisting from judgment, name calling and abuse, and the far subtler crimes of dominating time and the ears of others and waffling on beyond all control (these subtler ones are the first that any adept moderator has under control).

    Still, it has some real potential. Not mass market, but a powerful niche. It reminds me a little of the cafe book store phenomenon that swept through Australia in the 90s. Venues that were both cafe and book store and usually have a library shelf as well. The two businesses complementing one another and integral experience and whole. And it reminds me a little of Speaker's Corner in London where you still find people just delivering their piece and at times discussion (it's a little more monologue in nature on the whole).

    Good luck with it Andrew!
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  6. Thanks guys! I've already got a name for the venue, once I get it up and running.

    Bernd: I totally understand your point about people being able to contribute to a debate. Some people are just not cut out for the job. That doesn't mean that topics will always be serious. I'm also considering a periodic tradition that I witnessed in a report about a hot-dog stand in Chicago. This place, nightly, turns into a giant, screaming insultfest. Funny enough, business has doubled since the tradition began.

    I fully intend to capitalize on the niche quality of a good discussion hub. I want to be used as a platform; "the place where _____ hung out and became known for their revolutionary world views."
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  7. i dont think you'll earn something from establishing a "real life" forums... but you can start a media or advertising firms for your ideas and concepts and earn as well...
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