|
These are some ideas for TCP.
The internet is an amazing thing; a first of its kind for the human race. The integration of the internet with real life would be a fascinating and wonderful thing for all to witness.
Infrastructure is a problem, I'll concede that my country has a relatively lethargic IT sector. I blame our luddite government. (but that's another story).
There are two things to consider.
Firstly you mention Starbucks and I think the idea you're currently hitting on has potential. Normally we merely talk about a war between the local coffee house and the monolithic profit based international franchise (eg, Starbucks).
What I see in your description is an 'ideas" based franchise that is neither a tiny community David nor a international bland and generic Goliath. It is instead a "middle ground" franchise - based on the memes and common interests that thread their way through the internet (itself becoming a kind of abstract community).
Secondly the practicalities of such an ideas franchise. Starbucks, being profit based, can wave its hand and instantly have an "outpost" in Sydney or Manila or Bangkok. An "ideas" franchise wouldn't have such a luxury. IT and the internet doesn't have a consistent community penetration internationally or (I suspect) within the US itself.
To circumvent this problem the ideas franchise has to, in all but the most "plugged in" IT areas, use a kind of viral marketing. It has to first start as a kind of community club meeting in a local coffee shop. From there it perhaps introduces the owner to the wonders of the internet and wireless access points/LAN, maybe even donating a few magazine subscriptions or even getting the regulars to subsidize the coffee shop's access to the TFP website itself.
From there you build a kind of critical mass of people within a specific area expanding outwards, and from there the sky is the limit.
|