Vox Rises Again

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

Vox Pop, Debi Ryan emails, is back:

Vox Pop will officially be open for business again tomorrow night for our New Year’s Eve Bash at 9 pm. How apropos to experience our new  beginning right on the New Year!!

They’re still struggling to survive, however, and Debi hopes neighbors will be able to make it to a January 12 benefit show at the Jalopy Theater: “For one night only, some of the greatest blues musicians on this planet are coming together on the same stage to share one voice with a single purpose. To save one of the pillars in the foundation of a community. Calling themselves the Vox Pop Ultimate All Star Blues Extravaganza, Michael Powers, Bill Sims, Jr., Fred Scribner and Little Sammy Davis to name just a few (the line up just keeps growing) will be headlining. More bands to follow. Hosted by our very own Mike Fiorito, this promises to be one of the greatest blues shows ever. Tickets are being sold for a suggested donation of $25.”

WHEN: January 12th at 8 pm
WHERE: Jalopy’s
315 Columbia St.,
Brooklyn, NY 11231

And in one final bit of Vox Pop news, Ryan forwards an email from Vox’s founder, Sander Hicks, affirming that he has given up all his shares in the place. You can read it after the jump.

This is the Official (but also friendly and informal) notice to the
world that I, Sander Hicks, have sold all my shares in Vox Pop Inc.
back to the company.

The reasons for this are complicated, but let's just say that this is
the best way forward for Vox Pop, as a company, and as a community
center. Manager Debi Ryan, my successor, has run the company for about
a year now, and has done a good job.

There's been a nasty bit of trouble lately with the New York State
Department of Revenue, who shut down Vox Pop before Christmas. This
was due to tax problems that I am primarily responsible for. Back in
my day, we were managing our tax debt with a payment plan, (more often
than not).  I understand that having several debts is hard to manage,
and the many debts I left behind at Vox Pop have been burdensome for
current management.

So, a shareholder in Vox Pop came forward who wanted to re-invest. But
one caveat is that he didn't want me to retain an association with the
company. An offer was made to me to buy out my shares for $10,000.
After talking to Debi, I decided to take the deal, and also donate 1/3
back to the company, donate 1/3 to Debi who has worked this year for
stock. Debi has been keeping vigil 24 hours, living in a Tarot Card
reader's storefront around the corner from Vox Pop. Her dedication is
amazing. So for her, for the shareholders, for the customers who miss
their place, I did this. I did it for us.

Vox Pop has been a great experience for me, a vibrant mix of successes
and failures on my part. I feel no shame, I take responsibility for my
flaws and shortcomings, for they are legion. My stake in Vox Pop was
quite valuable a year ago, but look what a major recession can do.

I do have some strategic suggestions for Debi and the Board, but I
will reserve those for a blog post in the next couple of days.

Suffice to say, I know I am controversial, on several fronts. Twice
now I have tried to blend politics and business, borrowing heavily
from both the left... and the far left! (ha ha) But seriously, in the
big picture, I have combined some good old fashioned, traditional
entrepreneurial energy with serious progressive politics, in two
ventures. Vox Pop is not the last company I will ever start. I'm so
grateful to it for what I've learned. What's more, now I know what I
need to learn, in the near future, before I start a new venture.

I would like to thank the two co-founders I started the company with
back in 2003: Holley Anderson and Andy Laties. You are both brilliant,
under-appreciated people. Let your lights shine before all.

S

--
Sander Hicks
http://www.sanderhicks.com

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