MaidSafe Corporate e-Office Proposal

I originally made this a pdf and sent to MaidSafe internally, but not sure if it went through. Also, I think it would be better as a CEP-type-thing that partially gets funded by the community so they can have say over what gets done, so I did major edits to reflect that.

I present…

(Reformatted for better viewing on this forum / mobile):

Overview

In growing SAFE-FS over the past few years, I have mastered some powerful management tools and platforms that I want to share with you, so that MaidSafe can expand its efforts many times over, in certain areas such as marketing, front-end development, social media outreach and others.

I know you like to keep things short, so I’ve cut this down massively. Please read it over.

e-Office Proposal

I propose a locally-managed, freelancer branch for MaidSafe, to develop marketing, videos, social media, and even experimental sub-branches for the lighter side of development (optional). This proposal comes from my own mastery of freelancer tools and management over recent years, and my delighted personal success with them. I have developed a format that I wish to share with you.

As seen in the figure above, it stems from adding around 3 new hires in Troon. The requirements for these people are very low, as they would mostly be directing small teams online. I would take full responsibility in locating locally for a period and providing full training for them for free, until they are capable enough to go on their own. They would report directly to MaidSafe, coming in once a week to discuss their progress and the work their team has created, or as often as you prefer. Could report to Dug & Sarah of marketing, or Nick, etc to get the green flags on each piece of content content made.

Additional Breakdown of the System

This is a freelancing system that I have created from years of trial and error, and am happy to come and train your new hires in how to use it with total efficiency. It is the system I have been using for almost a year now, and refining heavily over the past few months to a system I am extremely happy and efficient with. It involves the use of several top freelancer websites, but hiring freelancers is never the problem. The problem is usually monitoring their progress, so depending on the type of job, I pay by deliverable or use different employee monitoring software so that I can see their honest work and time spent during each day on my tasks. This isn’t really something that exists or is explained well on any of the websites, and I would be happy to come find people and train them to become part-time managers (like I am) except they would work for MaidSafe and create marketing materials primarily, but also this model could expand into any part of what MaidSafe needs done, to deliver on its goals, which are creating the SAFE Network and explaining / giving it to developers and the masses.

Minimizing Costs, Risk, & Time Spent

This entire project is built around your own contracts / agreements that you have full control over. You can take these new managers on as limited contract work, and they would have to pass this provisional “Training Period” to your exact liking, before offering any longer contracts. Since the skill requirements are very very low (basic basic online managerial / project idea creation), and the job can even be called “part time” as well as mostly remote, then the applicant pool is very very high, meaning the pay can be very limited, where you feel comfortable, & is truer still for online workers.

I have also recently reformatted this document so that it can be a CEP, which means that the community partially funds this initiative. This is an exciting development because the community can then be able to play a part in the decisions and idea process of the local Troon managers, who can collaborate or post new ideas to the community for feedback, just as the community can do as well. When agreements are made between both sides, these new projects / initiatives can take place. I see the community funding up to 25% of this, and having a somewhat limited oversight of the projects, where MaidSafe has the majority say in what gets worked on, and I feel would appropriately pay 75% since the managers work under them and report to them primarily.

Proposal Benefits:

  • Massive pool of hires online, in freelance markets
  • Total control of contracts, length, benefits or lack thereof, time worked, etc
  • Contracts can be canceled at any time
  • Can find workers with any type of skills
  • Many modern sites offer escrow protection, where you only pay if proper work was delivered
  • Can pay weekly, and therefore decide to fund further escrows each week, giving total control
  • Only have to talk with 3 people in Troon, to be in charge of 15+ workers
  • Can be focused on marketing first (graphics, video design etc) but this model can also be used for efficient frontend design or even potential training for onboarding Rust / Routing devs, or anything
  • All workers in this proposal (managers, workers, etc) are cost-effective and of limited contracts, minimizing risk and cost. Unless you wish to pay greater for retention, if they prove themselves
  • Provides great use of modern tools and MaidSafe company future expansion

My Involvement

This doesn’t have to take away at all from MaidSafe’s limited time. I am prepared to relocate locally until the part-time trainees are ready and managing the workers well. This will be my third visit to Troon and Glasgow and by now I have become quite comfortable independently getting around and finding rooms etc. I am not here to bother MaidSafe who I know limits their meetings to only what is needed. I feel I can work quite well and finish this and ready myself to return to Malaysia as soon as I feel confident the trainees are using the system efficiently and producing quality work.

Notes

I know how you at MaidSafe prefer to function, as a company, in terms of limiting outside contact / meetings, limiting resources used in general for new / experimental programs, using contracts instead of permanent hires, & keeping strict quality control for anything portraying your image.

And that is why I have thought hard about this proposal, and think it offers exciting expansion, while also being 100% in-line with how you function. Please let’s give this a shot :slight_smile: Just want to help.

I hope you’ve seen my success with own team recently, both locally and remote, from my videos, website, images, and overall growth. Please let me come and have a shot at helping MaidSafe benefit from these tools as well :slight_smile: We all want to see you expand to where you should be.

LET’S GET MAIDSAFE SOME ROUND-THE-CLOCK MARKETERS! :smiley:
Just like SAFE-FS has! NEW vid / etc boosted content 7 DAYS / WK!!
Will be happy to come get them set up & efficient :slight_smile:

For @nicklambert @SarahPentland @dugcampbell @Viv etc

12 Likes

Since this proposal includes minimal risk but potentially huge benefits when it comes to awareness → developer awareness → potential developers for safepods / apps i hope @maidsafe considers this as a step forward. If it turns out to not be beneficial for the Project / Maidsafe the company everything can be canceled pretty easy and fast.

I wouldn’t be too shy when it comes to investing some money in marketing when alpha 3 is in place and the safe network with test farming on the horizon :roll_eyes: :innocent: :sunglasses:
as little as i like marketing and ‘wasting money’ there instead of investing it into a better product as much do i believe that marketing is an important factor for success … you can have the best product on earth … if people don’t know it nobody will use it …

yes - most of us are here because of the amazing possibilities that come with the safe network - but we shouldn’t ignore that greed is a good motivator to many people and if we show people the possibilities that come with the safe network this includes monetary opportunities they get - which makes them spread the word for us, develop apps and helps us to make the world a better place with SAFE =)

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Yes exactly, that’s the big point here

And this is 100% true. MaidSafe is in 100% control of all contracts at every point in time, just like they are with their current employees contract workers, so risk is non-existent, as they prefer

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I like and appreciate the notion, but perhaps would suggest an even more radical step. Not to have a centralised control at all but instead have agreed goals, such as no false advertising, no false timelines etc. just morally decent approaches only. Then use the community, i.e. this forum to enhance that by backing or otherwise a plethora of different campaigns.

By that I mean, have some videos. publications etc. all contain a link to the topic on this forum that discusses either the finished product or the creation / evolution of a campaign / document / video etc.

Then we include as many as possible and if maidsafe did not like/agree to some statement they can say so clearly with nobody feeling aggrieved. Good thing there maidsafe will have equal voice as any community member, whether they are given more weight by some or not, that is another matter.

The only line to consider then is the maidsafe verses SAFEnetwork line maybe. We should probably lever of the maidsafe brand but get off it, except maidsafe and partners of course, but even partners might get off the brand as well as it is stronger as a community as opposed to teams with shared interest which many times will be profit. Partner companies should be clear in the adverts etc. that they are parters, or maybe we define what kind of parter, shareholdings/coins held etc. I am not sure.

Anyway some personal thoughts for the pile if it helps. maybe @dugcampbell @SarahPentland and @nicklambert
will crucify me for missing something important, but my gut tells me there is an opportunity for community spirit and enthusiasm here and we should not miss the chance of available skills in doing this right.

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I’m thinking that rather than go straight to a model like this where we add several staff quickly to MaidSafe (this does not usually work well) that we use the CEP as an overflow for projects not being managed by MaidSafe. I think that you mentioned that at the start of your OP @whiteoutmashups and as @dirvine mentioned MaidSafe should not necessarily be seen as a central point in all of this, we should continue to separate the 2 brands where it makes sense to do so. There is a need and energy for community driven projects and wonder if we should see how the CEP develops.

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So a few revisions and let’s approve this sucker!!! I agree with David on leveraging this forum and the community that inhabits it, to help provide feedback and come to consensus. Let’s make this happen

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Yes I agree. The community can play a huge role in every step of it. I just thought that in terms of location, they could be in Troon so MaidSafe can be the final word on anything having to do with your brand (be it SAFE or MaidSafe).

Also easier to train people in person.

Of course these managers could be random people online, but that just adds a bit of difficulty for me in training them, etc etc. IDK.

Well OK, if that’s how everyone feels then, that sounds like the only way this can go forward. OK then, I’ll give it a shot.

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This post by @frabrunelle is relevant when submitting ideas for future CEPs @whiteoutmashups. Reposting here just in case you missed it. Cheers!

VOTING Enabled

I just moved this MaidSafe e-Office Marketing Proposal to the Ideas category like @nicklambert said above. Now people can vote for it so that we can have MaidSafe marketing videos, social media campaigns, and much more every day :slight_smile:

Vote at the top here if you want to see MaidSafe groups exist around the world! :smiley:

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How many votes does it take to get moved to proposals? This is my favorite proposal of Will’s, it’s a win in all directions.

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Cmon forum members. Get involved.

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The top idea (the most voted for/popular of all the ideas), Nigel.

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Just voted, thanks for the reminder. Will works his butt off so happy to give him my support :+1:

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If anyone wants these 24/7 MaidSafe Marketing offices to be made, please vote here!

I’ve put all my proposals into one, for the same cost as 1 short video from the other guys :stuck_out_tongue: vote!

Moving this initiative forward completely out of my own pocket.

I just sent out the initial Private Messages to the forum users here I had in mind as the decentralized managers of these e-Offices.

If anyone wants to apply to be a leader of any of these teams then please message me:

  • Marketing Image Design Team
  • Marketing Video Design Team
  • Social Media Marketing Team

It is $1,000 MAID paid to you per month for your remote management, and your team’s costs are covered as well additionally. You will be helping MaidSafe move forward in a huge way.

Thank you,

  • Will
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Are you sure you don’t want to put a donation address here in case you are not the only one who wants to see this happen and to ensure it won’t stop after a month…? :face_with_monocle:

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No next month is when community funded ones will begin.

This month is to prove it to everyone. No community funding yet.

I also don’t like the word “donation” because it’s not just giving money away. It’s choosing to directly fund an initiative that boosts the SAFE network and therefore everyone’s MaidSafeCoin investment. Donation is where you lose money but this is quite the opposite, if you’re a MAID holder

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Yes you’re right :thinking: I 100 per cent agree :face_with_monocle:

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