Annual Report :: 2011

SHAKING THINGS UP!

A big year with big changes.
This has been a tremendous year for Affinity Lab and our Members. The running theme has been experimentation - try new things and see what works. The Lab is constantly evolving and we are consistently improving our business, our culture, our community, and our story. We got back to the roots of our name sake - we are a Lab, a place designed to try new things and figure out what works best - for our Members and the community around us. In 2011, we really wanted to take a fresh look at our model, question our assumptions, change rapidly, and implement effectively. The result is the same great ethos of supporting our Member organizations - but enhanced by an adapted approach. We switched up our management team and brought in some new talent. We built an entirely new brand including a new site to be launched Q1 next year. We enriched our Members experience by giving them new tools, different experiences, and more ways to connect. We smiled when our efforts garnered national attention. We thank all our stakeholders, friends, and Members for their help, support, and guidance in 2011. The Lab is, and will always be, a collective achievement. We look forward to breaking new records and supporting more businesses in 2012. Thank you, Philippe Chetrit CEO Affinity Lab

Annual Report :: 2011

A New Crowd
In 2011, we accepted 52 new companies into Affinity Lab, which is a new record for us and says so much about the way DC is trending. Each Member was vetted and purposefully welcomed, and we couldnt be more proud of our current member base. Affinity Lab is made up of great people working on great projects ranging from drinkable yogurt to consumer apps, from farmers markets to documentarians, from writers to online schools. Each member organization brings a new personality, set of skills, collection of experiences and unique flavor to the giant stew that is the Lab.

Annual Report :: 2011

A New Schedule
Events have always been an important part of our culture. We have found that Members forge their relationships by attending and participating in special events. It was a top priority in 2011 to offer our Members a variety of events and activities. Lab Laser Tag Outing We hosted over 35 social events, including Happy Hours, Field Trips, and Art Openings. The Annual Tubing Trip saw over 60 Members in attendance and regular Laser Tag evenings have quickly become a Lab Member favorite. We hosted over 50 professional events, including Meet Up Groups, workshops, and classes. We launched three new clubs at the Lab, focused on Product Development, Accountability, and Public Speaking. We created an education platform pilot program with our first class offerings focusing on entrepreneurial accounting. Lab Bowling Night

Annual Report :: 2011

A New Look
This year we launched a new brand. We hosted a design competition among Lab Members and received over 40 logo submissions. It was tremendous to see how Members envisioned the Lab. Amazingly enough, the winning
Charles Planck

concept was created by Olivia Abtahi, our Chief Culture Officer. We then hired Lab Member Marc Harkness to finalize the logo design and business cards. We launched the new brand image in January and have been integrating it fully into the Labs DNA. The response from members and the public at large has been overwhelmingly positive.

charles@anitylab.com 202.332.1360 Anity Lab 920 U St. NW | Washington, D.C. 20001 | www.anitylab.com

Work Fun Culture Community Education

Anity Lab: Let your business thrive.

Annual Report :: 2011

A New Culture
We regularly solicit feedback from our Members about what our entrepreneurial space and community should look and feel like. We then work to synthesize that information into actionable and beneficial changes. Its a constantly evolving ecosystem and in 2011 we feel that we were able to truly enhanced our culture.

We launched our Thrive Guide - a manifesto on how to maximize the Member experience. Since the launch of the Thrive Guide we have witnessed increased Member engagement and an upswell in Member-driven initiatives.

We redesigned our Member intake process, from enhancing our in-depth orientation to building on our Member on-boarding schedule. Orientations are now focussed on understanding our new Members goals and helping them get ingrained in our culture. This enhanced intake process has resulted in greater buy-in and participation in the Lab culture from day one.

Annual Report :: 2011

A New Set of Tools

At Affinity Lab, its important that we always strive to stay ahead of the curve. As entrepreneurs, we shape not only our worlds but the world around us. In 2011, we launched a series of new communication tools to enhance both internal and external communications. We created a Twitter account (@affinitylab) which now has over 950 followers and over 550 tweets to date. We relaunched our Facebook group which quickly grew to over 500 Members. We rebuilt our Ning platform - providing Members a structured intranet. We started a Members Only Private Facebook group which now holds the record for quickest adoption. In its first week, 60 Members joined. We moved our list-serve to a Google Group to allow for a richer experience. We launched the popular Affinity Lab DJ room on Turntable.fm.
Annual Report :: 2011

A New Site
We will soon be launching a new website. We have analyzed how our site is used and determined how we want it to be used. We worked with Provoc (Affinity Lab Member Alumni) to build a simple, effective, and engaging site. This site will be the center point for our online presence and hopefully a resource to DC entrepreneurs and the global co-working community. Expect to this on the web in Q1 2012

Annual Report :: 2011

A New Team
Olivia Abtahi 2011 saw a number of significant changes to the management team. Berit Coleman Charles Planck and Berit Coleman, the remaining original founders of Affinity Lab, transitioned off the management team and Philippe Chetrit was named CEO and President. Olivia Abtahi became the Labs first Chief Cultural Officer (CCO). Laurin Hodge joined the team as a Lab Manager. Charles Planck

Philippe Chetrit

Laurin Hodge

Annual Report :: 2011

A New(s) Story
2011 was a great year to find Affinity Lab in the news. Though the Lab has always been considered a great news story and has benefited from regular public appearances in the media, 2011 saw some great national attention for the Lab. Story and color photo in the New York Times. Live interview on NPRs Kojo Nnandi Show. Highlighted in the Fast Company article United States of Innovation.

Annual Report :: 2011

we look forward to

A New Year!

Annual Report :: 2011