[IAEP] Sugar Labs or Sugar Daddy

[Caroline Meeks]

On Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 1:25 PM, David Farning <dfarning at sugarlabs.org>wrote:

> One of the challenges that businesses face is keeping their expenses
> below their revenues.  Your grandpa would have said, "Don't spend more
> than you make."


I agree, over a period of time absolutely. But sometimes in business you
have to make an upfront investment then get the return later. Consider
buying inventory, or in the case I'm working with, creating the materials an
curriculum for classes that can then be sold.  If we are making an
investment we should have a simple model that shows us why we think its a
good investment and how the money will be made to pay back the investment.

A big  +1 to all the stuff I deleted about how business works. i just don't
want to clog the thread.

>
>
> I am convinced that the correct business model for Sugar Labs, will be
> a combination of licensing the Sugar and Sugar Labs brands to partners
> and donations.


David, here is where I am not sure I agree.  I see a number of other
business model possibilities.

My problem is I see freedom, innovation and mission diluted in the projects
that are focus on licensing their brand and forcing payment for partner
status.  The obvious example is Moodle, where they limit the number of
official partners in a geographical area. This makes it harder for companies
to offer innovative services where Moodle is only part of a solution
practice. It creates FUD about who can say what and how about Moodle
services and hosting.

In my model of the perfect future Sugar is part of many different ways of
solving a wide range of school, student and educational problems.  I want to
see Sugar freely remixed and integrated to create local solutions.  I'm
concerned that liscencing, even of just the brand will add a lot of overhead
for the organization and make it hard for organizations to be creative about
how they remix.

Here are some other views. I think they are not alternatives but opportunies
for mix and match.


   - A church type model - I'm actually not religous so maybe people who are
   members of churches can help with this. But my understanding is that all are
   always welcome.  A plate is passed and there is an expectation that you will
   give to support the building and the upkeep. There are often expectations
   around income to donation. In our case if you are getting money for Sugar
   remember to send some of that back to Sugar Labs Central for support.
   Churches also have specific fundraisers for specific causes.
   - Selling services - having people give workshops, help deployments etc
   in exchange for fees.
   - Selling products - Selling books or Sticks at a profit.
   - Be an umbrella but charge for overhead - Projects that are funded under
   the umbrella give the main organization overhead payments.
   - No expenses - Everyone is expected to find a way to make themselves
   sustainable.
   - Grants - Apply for grants for organizational overhead.
   - In Kind donations




>
>
> Let's go get those in-kind donations.


+1

What do we need to do as an organization to help with getting in kind
donations. Right now it feels like its all in Walters hands and that isn't
scalable.

>
>
> david
> _______________________________________________
> IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!)
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>



-- 
Caroline Meeks
Solution Grove
Caroline at SolutionGrove.com

617-500-3488 - Office
505-213-3268 - Fax
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