[Hidden-tech] Thanks for input from annual meeting attendees

[A - Z International]

Hi all,

I want to thank all of you who attended tonight's Hidden-Tech annual 
meeting on behalf of myself and the steering committees. We had almost 25 
in attendance and many more people who said they could not attend because 
of programming conflicts, but weighed in on our membership proposal via the 
list and to me personally.

As noted earlier today, all who desire have until the end of the work day 
Friday to provide input on the proposal we have offered that maintains 
free, open entry for all at no price to the discussion list and Web-based 
services, and then a two-tier membership structure.

Most of the people attending tonight's meeting considered this a most 
equitable approach to finding a balance between the 50 percent of those on 
the network who want no involvement with the organization; the 48 percent 
who want occasional involvement with the organization, and the 2 percent of 
the community who do all the heavy lifting to keep Hidden-Tech afloat.

As noted, the purpose of the current proposal is to:

a) Keep Hidden-Tech as open and democratic as we can while protecting our 
cyber community from Spammers and those who would violate your privacy if 
they could gain access to the discussion list data;

b) Ensure we are in legal standing with the IRS;

c) Allow voting status for those who want to be involved in building and 
governing the organization, while creating a bar significant enough to, 
again, protect the organization from the many Spammers and others who have 
sought access to the discussion list data;

d) Offer options to barter in-kind service in lieu of payment for dues;

e) Provide a membership dues option for those who want to provide 
Hidden-Tech financial support. (Yes, some people have requested we offer 
this option);

f) Find legal means of raising money to support Hidden-Tech in the context 
of our non-profit status.

One thing to remember when reading over the proposed membership structure 
is that we have not enumerated here the many, many ways Hidden-Tech 
provides value, from beating isolation to the numerous examples of ways the 
network has helped people build their companies, create contacts and gain 
information that helps you in your work and daily lives. We provide a 
platform for you to promote yourself and your businesses, both through 
in-person programming and in cyberspace. And we are the only on-line 
network that connects virtual company owners with institutions in western 
Massachusetts and beyond, as well as other virtual company owners 
throughout the United States and globally. For more detail, see the repeat 
of the address I wrote to the list on Hidden-Tech's 4th anniversary below.

Some attending didn't understand the dues structure attached to the two 
membership categories. Rather than thinking of this as dues in the 
traditional sense, you might think of this as a donation of time or money 
to build Hidden-Tech so it can keep helping you build your company. In 
time, we hope to offer more tangible services for those paying dues that 
will differentiate them from a network user. And, in time, there many be 
Web services -- mainly value-adds rather than discussion list entry -- that 
will come with a price tag.

But several in attendance reminded us that first and foremost, Hidden-Tech 
is built and run by volunteers. The hundreds of hours many of us have given 
to build Hidden-Tech has enriched our lives. For many of us, that's a 
benefit that money can't buy.

OTHER ISSUES:

We touched briefly on the effort to improve the Web site and ideas for next 
year's programs. Anyone interested in volunteering their time can reach the 
steering committee through the CONTACT button on the Web site.

Also, if you want to see the list of proposed programs and/or have 
programming ideas you can reach me through the same contact button.

THANKS to Kathy Reinig for arranging the room at the Bangs Center, which 
everyone agreed was a very nice space.

NORTHERN TIER MEETINGS: Kathy Reinig is interested in hearing from folks in 
the Orange/Greenfield/Athol area who might want to meet occasionally under 
the auspices of Hidden-Tech. You can reach her via the list or reach me.


HIDDEN-TECH 4TH ANNIVERSARY

It's hard to believe that four years have passed since the launch of 
Hidden-Tech. Though the Web site numbers don't reflect this, almost 1,500 
people have joined the network since its first birthday. And many, many 
regional institutions now rely on Hidden-Tech to reach our extraordinary 
talent pool.
         As I've reached out to some of you with questions about what would 
entice you to support the organization financially, I'm realizing that not 
everyone understands a) what it costs to run Hidden-Tech, and b) what sort 
of services we offer today and are working on for the future. And, 
naturally, you would not be aware of the variety of ways that institutions 
in the region already connect to Hidden-Tech, and what's in the works on 
that front in the months to come that will assist you better connect to 
them for resources and for possible work.
         The costs are hard to provide in any exact terms because so much 
is donated. For example, just moderating the discussion list costs 
approximately $15,000-plus. Steering committee members have donated in the 
hundreds of thousands of dollars in work time. The technology in place and 
Web design is also worth in the thousands of dollars, not to mention the 
tools and the costs for programming.
         Some folks are very pleased with our services, whether the 
discussion list, profiles on the Web site or programs, while 
others  dismiss them as not offering much while still taking advantage of 
them! Just a reminder that our discussion list is the ONLY list in western 
Massachusetts that connects you to people regionally, nationally and 
globally. Our programs are the only ones geared to the needs of virtual 
company owners rather than general business people. It's the steering 
committee's hope that by birthday No. 5 you will see an entirely new Web 
site platform that allows for all sorts of self-promotion, interactivity 
and search capabilities.
         The following are some examples of ways that organizations, 
institutions and businesses are leveraging the Hidden-Tech organization and 
ways that our population (whether defined as Hidden-Tech) is affecting the 
local economy:

* Hidden-Tech is now an affiliate of the Regional Technology Corporation in 
Springfield and has board representation through HT founder, co-chair Amy 
Zuckerman. There are discussions for creating more joint programming to 
loop HT members in with the larger companies in the region.

*The NY Times on April 23 featured mill projects in Easthampton and Holyoke 
(Eastworks and Open Square) that are now being revised to including housing 
to accommodate the home-based office person. Although the developers don't 
call them Hidden-Tech, virtual company owners, that's what they are.

* Hidden-Tech is assisting the Franklin County Chamber and economic 
development experts with creation and support of their creative cluster;

* Hidden-Tech and the Amherst Chamber continue our collaboration on 
programming and hope to expand offerings next year.

* Thanks to the Amherst Chamber, Hidden-Tech has been looped into the new 
Amherst Master Plan. There's a recognition that this population is playing 
a major role in the housing market, school funding, demands for services, 
all of which affect property taxes. I spoke to the consultants last night 
and they are eager to learn more about HT.

* The UMass IT Program is working on developing an annual, Five-College 
Internship Fair for students and HT companies at UMass in the fall. There 
are many career/internship fairs, but none that focus solely on virtual 
companies.

* The former UMass Office of Industry Liaison (now renamed) is working with 
the steering committee to create a subcontractor referral system so that 
UMass departments can seek us for assistance. This is in the infancy 
stages, but definitely a priority for all parties.

* Hampshire College's development office is seeking more collaboration with 
Hidden-Tech and may ask us to be a supporting organization for future grants.

* The City of Holyoke is exploring future programs with Hidden-Tech. They 
backed last year's fabulous Hidden-Tech Connect showcase.

* At the end of June Amy Zuckerman will be presenting on Hidden-Tech in 
Philadelphia at the Eastern Technology Council, which is interested in 
creating services for Hidden-Tech companies in the mid-Atlantic states. The 
aim is to also create a liaison between that region and western Massachusetts.

* Hidden-Tech continues to grow in the Berkshires with at least annual 
programming. The next program is June 3 and will connect those attending 
with Pittsfield's exciting new arts institutions. This should provide both 
fun and business contacts.

* The Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce is considering sponsoring a 
Hidden-Tech program in the months to come, which will link us to possible 
alliance partners and clients to the east.

So, thanks for all your support these past four years and hope for your 
continued backing as Hidden-Tech continues to grow and mature. In the next 
week we should have a date for the annual meeting and will seek your advice 
and thoughts in person.

best,

Amy Zuckerman
Hidden-Tech founder, co-chair