Last week’s meet-up and more..
Hello everybody.
Last Wednesday we met at lovely Keith Bar to conspire, discuss, brainstorm, to figure out priorities and who can contribute where and what. Most urgent is a crowd-funding campaign, which I will launch next week, and to raise my prices 10%, which I will do tomorrow. This Thursday we will meet again at Keith Bar and work out first (in person and online) events, how to set-up the Fan Club membership, but also to get to know each other better. If you have the ressources (time and skills) to participate on the long run, pls, drop by and shoot an email at info@alltheproblemsinthisworld.com that you’re coming.
Here are more results from our very first meeting, which felt very exciting!
Crowdfunding
I will look into Gofundme, and if there is a European alternative. Gofundme is propably “better” simply because of it’s popularity, but I need to figure out how they transfer the money to EU. If I have to pay for the $/€ exchange on top of their share, plus the tax that I will have to pay, maybe a European company is the better option. If you have any suggestions, pls, let me know. I want the fundraiser to go live next week.
Adjusting prices
This weekend I will start adjusting prices by 10%.
Fan Club
The rough idea so far: to become a member of the Fan Club you will have to sign up for a monthly subscription. Every member gets a ultra cool printed member card, where you need to add your photo. With this member card you have access to Fan Club events, like the annual Fan Club Meeting, where the Fan Club Champion will be voted/chosen/picked. The Champion will have certain priviliges, but with privilege always comes responsibility. Who if not us knows that! There will be other exclusive Fan Club events (local and digital) and exclusive Fan Club merch, too, but only once there has been enough money collected through the subscrptions.
First of all the money raised by the subscriptions will be used to pay ATPITW’s depts, so that the store is able to survive. I owe the landlord 10k €. That is a big number, but ATPITW has 18.5k followers on insta and 1.3k newsletter subscribers. If for example the monthly contribution is €6.66, and “only” 500 people subscribe that is already a good amount of money.
In detail:
- The first 6 months' (or if needed 12 months’) contributions would be used to pay bills, and keep the shop alive. During that time there would be no physical benefit for members, but the extra adventure points for keeping the shop open and to help work towards the bright future we are conspiring for!
- After that time (let’s say the 6 months scenario is enough) the spare of the membership money would be used to produce Fan Club Onlys, like patches, keychain holders, dice sets & bags, stickers, art prints, shirts… So that new Fan Club Onlys could be dropped annually or bi-annualy.
- I think it won't be necessary to use the Fan Club contributions for public events. For the first months the hosts will do the events for free , and just have their expenses covered from the workshop tickets (maybe Fan Club members get a discount on the tix). I also believe that in the beginning artists that I will invite for talks, etc. will do it for free. A few already offered. - In general public events should finance themselves, and it’s rather an issue of workforce and finding people to help organise, etc.
Workshops and events
Here is a list of workshops and events of which some will start very soon already. Just need to figure out a system where to sign up, to pay, etc.
Life Drawing
Different RPG workshops (beginners, certain games, for GMs, RPG theory, online and local)
Drink & Draw
Painting TTRPG Minis
Comic drawing (character design, storyboarding…)
And a list of events:
First event will be a Crowdfunding Party, where I will play my favorite Dungeon Synth and fantasy themed music. There will also be a raffle incl. some very rare items I saved for sth special. Fans of Simon Hanselmann might be interested…
Crowdfunding Tattoo Flash Day
MTG Tournament
Dungeon Synth Yoga (Berlin yogis who wanna host, pls, get in touch!)
Artists and writers talks online and local
RPG and indie comics related movie screenings
IT/Programming
And if there is any programers here who could think about if they could write an automation to check if everybody paid their monthly contribution? That would make things A LOT easier! I would set up an account for Fan Club subscribers to pay with direct debit (bank or paypal), but it will be important to keep track of the monthly payments. And it’d save SO MUCH time if a program would tell us who could not pay, instead of going through everything manually.
Tax and Carpentry
Pls ask your friends and family, if they know a tax assistant or someone familiar with small retail business tax and accounting in Berlin! I does not need to be an accountant. An accountant’s assistant is enough. It does not necessarily have to be a young person neither, as long as they can read English. I am looking for someone with experience to meet once a week (later maybe just once a month) to assist me with everything numbers related. I have heard there are sometimes seniors and people who do this for very little money, and even for free, because they get their pension, are bored at home, and happy if they’re needed. The person would definitely have a seat next to the Fan Club Champion at the annual meetings :) Maybe it’s possible to find such an angel for ATPITW!
I want to finally put out a standee, on the sidewalk in front of the shop. Many people walk by and don’t even realize it’s a (comic/RPG) shop! Been wanting to do it for a long time. Does one of you know someone with tools and space to build a simple wooden standee? Could also be built that at the sidewalk. I have a long power cable! Should be easy work and I’d pay for the expanses of course.
That’s it
For today. Quit a lot already. If you ask me! Delegating this is super exciting and fun. This is what I am really comfortable with, but if I don’t answer to your email quickly, please, bear in mind I have to write, decide, prioritize a lot at the moment on top of running the regular business.
Enjoy your weekend!