{"id":365,"date":"2008-12-20T12:02:56","date_gmt":"2008-12-20T12:02:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localenterprise.wordpress.com\/?p=365"},"modified":"2008-12-20T12:02:56","modified_gmt":"2008-12-20T12:02:56","slug":"do-me-a-favourplease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/realisedevelopment.net\/index.php\/2008\/12\/20\/do-me-a-favourplease\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Me A Favour…please?"},"content":{"rendered":"

..and tell me what I am missing?<\/p>\n

The Catalyst Centres in Leeds are into the implementation of\u00a0 ‘sales plans’ designed to build membership and make the Catalysts the vibrant networking hubs that they need to be.<\/p>\n

But the pricing strategy leaves me drop-jawed.<\/p>\n

If I understand it properly the starting membership price of access to a ‘hot desk’ starts at \u00a35 an hour.\u00a0 With a minimum spend of \u00a325 per month.<\/p>\n

Now I understand that it is not about price but about value<\/a> but it also HAS to be about access and inclusion for local people from the communities whose enterprise culture we are being tasked to ‘transform’.<\/p>\n

Anyone who has been visiting the Catalyst Centres at Shine in Harehills or Rise up at Seacroft will know that they are not ending 2008 bursting at the seams.\u00a0 (I am not sure how busy they are down at Hillside as I have not been dropping by there quite so often.)<\/p>\n

I suspect that this represents a lot of investment that is not yet being used to anything like capacity.\u00a0\u00a0 Buildings, furniture, heating, lighting, salaries, laptops, printers all sitting there – burning cash – and not being used enough.<\/p>\n

So the sales plans are underway and the centres are looking for people with money, working from home, who might be interested in a vibrant networking environment to get them out of their isolation. We are talking Sales reps, IFAs, life coaches, LEGI partners etc…<\/p>\n

Does this really describe the target market for LEGI investments?<\/p>\n

Or are we already witnessing a shift in social and economic policy objectives to achieve economic viability for the buildings and their owners?<\/p>\n

I am really pleased that we have this great infrastructure available for residents of the LEGI areas in Leeds and the wider areas of influence. Indeed they may become real assets for the City. They could also become economic white elephants.<\/p>\n

To avoid this we must develop a strategy for community engagement<\/strong><\/em> around enterprise (this is not the same as selling enterprise) and a funding strategy <\/strong><\/em>for the catalysts that allows them to play their part in transforming the enterprise culture of local communities – rather than making life on the road a little easier for an already employed mobile workforce.<\/p>\n

So please do me a favour and tell me what I am missing….<\/p>\n