March 2022
BFF.fm Board Meeting
March 24, 2022, San Francisco
Agenda
Opening Items
Review Agenda & Vote
Vote to approve previous minutes from Feb. 2022 Board Meeting and March 2022 Special Meeting
Discussion Topics
Committee Updates
Events
Marketing
Fundraising
Tech
Board Development
Music
Finance
Review Action Items
Ben: Write up the Secretary runbook and hand over responsibilities to Clair.
Clair, Brandon, Amanda: Talk about sponsorships
All: Test the BFF.fm app!
Amanda, Jen: Meet about revenue opportunities for Westfield DJing
Amanda: Arrange meeting time for the board to tour the Westfield space.
Amanda to ask Nick if there’s a requirement for a number of hours the space has to be open
Amanda to check with potential retail subtenants on interest
Amanda follow up on utilities costs
Amanda and Jenn follow up on trademark
Board discussion at March meeting to convene a small group to determine DJ interest, audiences and possible uses.
Board discussion (or Jenn and Amanda?) on bookkeeper
Bookkeeper search for Westfield
Update on meeting with Fort Mason
Update on annual report
Missing financials
Missing analytics
Closing Items
Open for public comment
Any other business?
Minutes
Scribe: Clair McDevitt
Present:
Erika Delgado, Events Director
Amanda Guest, Chair, Executive Director
Caryn Kesler, Vice Chair, Creative Director (joined meeting at 6:10 pm)
Jenn Lemon, Treasurer (left meeting at 6:39 pm)
Clair McDevitt, Secretary, Chair of Fundraising Committee
Brandon Paski, Chair of Marketing Committee
Ben Ward, Technical Director
18:03 — Convene, Vote on Agenda & Previous Minutes
Vote YES to approve the MONTH minutes. APPROVED
Vote YES to adopt the proposed agenda. APPROVED
18:05 — Committee Updates
Events
March Besties’ Bash was great, thanks to Dan for stepping in. Considering bands for next couple shows.
Marketing
Marketing committee new member, talked to potential new member today, interested in helping revamp email blasts. This adds a third person, going to start meeting regularly. Also messaged with Lily about marketing for podcasts. Trying to tie that into overall app marketing. Also talking with the co-host of Bitch Talk about joining the committee..
Amanda, each newsletter should include newest podcasts. Could also get social posts going.
Brandon: Working on Live Nation giveaways, talking to Bottom of the Hill.
Fundraising
Clair: April Mug Swap fundraiser - date in April TBD, small fee to enter and opportunity to sell merch
Amanda: Fundraising committee new member - Talking to friend about joining the committee, she’s interested later this year, meeting in early April to discuss her potential contributions. Has VC experience, would be helpful to get feedback on how to engage people at higher level
Clair: GFTA grant application update - Applications for this year opening soon, Clair will attend webinar on new application details on April 4.
Amanda: Pricing out annual fund campaign design from Angel Oak Creative - based on E Coast, work exclusively with NPOs. Can be hired to create an annual campaign. Much broader strategy than we have now, would include a sustainer drive to help build back Besties and increase monthly income. Could hear back this week or next, will share materials.
Amanda: Potential new volunteer with radio background. Talked about how to scale fundraising. He really liked our through line of programming and branding. Could get involved for ongoing DJ trainings.
Caryn joined 6:22 pm
Tech
Ben: committee met last Friday with volunteers building an app to pull Spotify playlists into Creek. Great community-led program for us to support, hopefully will be useful for DJs.
BFF.fm app is generally on track, they’re fixing more bugs than getting tickets for. Graphics updates are in progress, working on some larger features around filtering lists and show headers. Passed on desire to launch in late April to take advantage of OSL contest. Likely doable in that timeframe. Most of the coding team is based in Ukraine. Mostly unaffected to this point, but that could change. They’re day-to-day, changes could disrupt getting things fixed.
Amanda: OSL tickets are going to be the engine that drives the app, crucial that we launch on time. Ability to put ads on the front page is the most important update to have for launch.
Ben: capability is already there, there’s a dashboard that we’ll get training on.
Amanda: Hard launch should be May and hope that everything else gets done.
Ben, they’re confident everything on the priority list is doable in that timeframe, will keep working on things after we launch. We’re in a position to ship it when we need to. Conclude development in mid-April so the app can go through app store reviews.
Board Development
Nothing to report.
Music
No updates.
Finance
Jenn: pretty much done w/ reconciling. Will work with Amanda on a few outstanding expense items to categorize. Let’s connect on trademarking. Dedicated to getting taxes and trademark done, may have to step away from the Board due to work responsibilities. Will talk more with Amanda.
Jenn left at 6:39 pm
18:35 — Review Action Items
Ben: Write up the Secretary runbook and hand over responsibilities to Clair. Done.
Clair will reach out next week on how to upload minutes
Clair, Brandon, Amanda: Talk about sponsorships - Clair set up followup next week.
All: Test the BFF.fm app!
Amanda, Jenn: Meet about revenue opportunities for Westfield DJing - done in proposal
Amanda: Arrange meeting time for the board to tour the Westfield space. - done All questions around Westfield still pending, submitted proposal in early March.
Amanda to ask Nick if there’s a requirement for a number of hours the space has to be open
Amanda to check with potential retail subtenants on interest
Amanda follow up on utilities costs
Amanda and Jenn follow up on trademark
Board discussion at March meeting to convene a small group to determine DJ interest, audiences and possible uses. - will likely convene a group to talk more broadly about space options.
Board discussion (or Jenn and Amanda?) on bookkeeper
Bookkeeper search for Westfield - on hold pending other Westfield matters.
Update on meeting with Fort Mason
AMANDA: Nonprofit leases Ft. Mason from the National Park Service. They provide low cost rental space to arts nonprofits. They reached out after seeing the SFGATE article on the potential of moving to Ft. Mason. Met today, he is putting details together on the floor plan and other details.
Ft. Mason Center would like BFF to take on 500 sq ft in bldg B, currently SFAI. Space is the former box office for theater. They curate organizations they want to stay and keep rents low to make that happen. Their vision is BFF as the audio arts component of Fort Mason Center. We would be plugged into everything arts related on the campus. Long term possibility of live broadcast booth, would have access to events spaces at reduced rates. Would be directly in relation to other arts organizations, could lead to more opportunities for BFF. More relevant audience there than FB or Westfield.
Access concerns with the location. But still going to maintain the Secret Alley, develop Ft. Mason, as an occasional studio, could start developing events program centered around the location. No requirements for hours or amount of activity in the space.
Possibility for long term commitment to BFF, gives us time to work on something that’s lasting as opposed to short-term at the mall, provides stability. Would have this space if things shifted at the Secret Alley after recent burglary.
Ben: Agreeing with a lot of this, sounds like organizational fit is amazing, and a longer term option is well suited to us. I’m concerned about access, what does that mean for us and how do we get a firmer idea of what we do with the space to determine if it’s worthwhile to pursue? How many DJs could potentially benefit? how many DJs would have easier access to Ft. Mason than the Alley? We should explore this regardless. Having a relationship with them seems good for us.
Amanda: He was really enthusiastic about tailoring things to our needs. Westfield is trying to solve a short term problem, we need to weigh pros and cons here.
Ben: Do you see this as either or with the mall?
Amanda: It would be too much to manage that many spaces.
Clair: Ben’s points are good, have concerns about location. Opportunities for connection with other arts organizations and for funding are huge.
Amanda: would have to determine what kind of program would do there.
Clair: Expansion opportunity in the future?
Amanda: Yes, could have more space if needed, would depend on availability at the time. Try to keep tenants for longterm. 500 sf is 5 times the size of the current footprint at secret alley. Could build out with storage and a second studio.
Ben: Privacy and security?
Amanda: More open because it is on the ground floor with a door that opens to the parking lot, but access is through a secured door to get into the studio with a roll down gate for the window. Could be well secured.
Eddie: That space has festivals and events all the time.
Amanda: Would be right next to SFAI gallery.
Eddie; Great space, great organization to have on our side, could create new working relationships.
Ben: Are other spaces viable for hosting gigs?
Amanda: most of places are set up as venues for parties and music/theater
Brandon: I’ve been to an event at the firehouse, it’s a cool space. I like the alignment with music and arts nonprofits. Marketing wise we wouldn't get visibility we’d get a ferry bldg or mall. But would get visibility in a much different way, more aligned with the mission statement and where we want to go.
Amanda won’t have regular foot traffic but high level events we’d be part of. Will have to generate traffic to the mall, would have to generate events.
Brandon: really interested, hard to get to but would love to check it out and
Caryn, concerned about location but open to seeing the space.
Vote: Amanda motioned, Brandon seconded a vote to move forward with a Ft. Mason site visit. Passed unanimously.
Update on annual report - still in progress, Amanda needs more information on missing financials and missing analytics
19:18 — Any other business
Amanda: Theft investigation at Secret Alley continues. More security cameras will be installed. Landlord providing some extra 3rd floor security.
Brandon: Did we get all the funding for the vending machine?
Amanda: Yes. The price was for two machines. They’re currently in studio B.
Possible switch of April meeting to site visit date at Ft. Mason or 4th Thurs. of April.
19:57 — Public Comments
No public comments this month.
19:31 — Meeting adjourned.
The next meeting of the BFF.fm board is scheduled for 6pm on APRIL 21, 2022. See https://board.bff.fm for more information.
Action Items
Amanda and Jenn meet on finance items and Jenn’s departure from the board
Clair schedule check in on sponsorships for scavenger hunt with Amanda and Brandon
Amanda to follow up with site visit at Ft. Mason.
Clair will reach out to Ben on how to upload minutes.
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