The Hive

This is an idea I’ve been kicking around for a while, and it came to mind recently and I wanted to jot it down while it’s fresh and handy.

Basically, this is the idea: packet switching, or parallel processing applied to the business space. As time goes on, and more people get the entrepenuerial bug, and the web makes it easier to set up a storefront, there’s a lot of people who are passionately pursuing one thing and doing it well. In theory, if they could coordinate better, they could rival the forces of giant corporations.

So, the notion is, reduce the barrier to enter business. Have a service that provides not only a virtual office, but networking with other small businesses, initial business licensing, non-professional legal and practice advice, insurance etc.

Consider that there do exist businesses to do logistics on a large scale. And the virtual office is not exactly a new idea. But why not a single reverse-incubator? Rather than buy or start little notional businesses, instead provide a set of services to them.

And put it in a family of commerce style atmosphere. Not the creepy “you just started a business, let us leech on your idea” but instead a lubricated business flow between family businesses, and mutual support.

Specific examples:

• A single-day rental office / conference room. The Hive’s central HQ would have offices and receptionists etc, for short term rental. Your sideline can have somewhere to meet with clients etc without having to maintain the offices year-round.

• Recommended publication services, web designers, web brokerages, telecomm, etc. Throw business back and forth within the Hive.

• Group rates. Be able to provide insurance, lending, benefits to member shops at a larger scale rate.