It’s time for Co-Optober! Keep reading for why co-ops matter, words from worker-owenrs, upcoming events, and brand new member-exclusive merch.

Co-Optober is here!

Co-Optober logo. A blue and red illustration of a rocket next to a black field of starts with the words MaxFun Presents Co-Optober

It’s National Co-op Month and we’re celebrating co-ops all month long (yes, including our own; we’re excited)! Each week we’ll be talking about a different aspect of co-ops through events, posts, and newsletters.

This week: What becoming a co-op means to us at MaxFun.

First, some real talk

As you’ve probably noticed, the entertainment and podcast industries are, uh… going through some stuff lately. (So are a lot of industries.) Workers are getting laid off, and a lot of good creative work is being abruptly cancelled. We can all agree: that’s bad!

But! More workers are unionizing or exploring the cooperative model; existing unions are striking—fighting to be treated fairly for their work—and we’re starting to see really amazing results from that, like the new deal that the WGA is making with the AMPTP. That’s good! Really good. This labor movement is important and challenging and inspiring all at the same time.

We are very hopeful that being a co-op will enable MaxFun to persevere through this tumultuous time in entertainment. It preserves our independence, and makes sure everyone who works here—from first-year producers to the CEO—remains committed to the long-term strength of the company. That strength has always been, and will always be, thanks to our audience and our partner shows. And it helps ensure that the people working at the network can continue our mission of bringing good things into the world in an equitable way.

We keep talking about co-ops because we think it’s a really exciting way forward for workers, especially those in the creative industry. You’ll hear more from other co-ops later this month, but for now, let’s hear from some other folks at MaxFun…

Get to know the worker-owners

Head over to our website for an interview with K.T. Wiegman, the first President of the Board! Then dive into our Q&A with worker-owners at Maximum Fun to hear their thoughts.

And follow us on Instagram, Facebook, the site formerly known as Twitter, YouTube, Threads, and Bluesky (we’re not on those last two as much yet, but we do poke our heads in) to continue to get to know the folks who co-own this network a bit more. We love these shows just like you do, and we’re excited to continue to work to help bring them to you. As always, we couldn’t do it without you—thank you!

Limited-edition member-exclusive merch!

Become part of the co-op Launch Crew by buying some special merch to help get our co-op off the ground! Our friends Tom Deja and Geoff Tice designed some fantastic space-inspired merch for us–and it’s only available to MaxFun members until the end of the month.

Below: Worker-owners Julian Burrell, Bikram Chatterji, Danny Baruela, Laura Swisher, and Kira Gowan model our pin, hat, zip hoodie, and two T-shirts.

A group of worker-owners in MacArthur Park modeling the new merchandise

MaxFun worker-owner Danny wearing a grey hat with a navy brim and an embroidered rocket design An enamel pin with a three-quarters view of a rocket taking off.

MaxFun worker-owner Kira modeling a dark grey heather zip hoodie with tackle twill lettering that reads MaxFun Co-op MaxFun worker-owner Danny in a dark grey shirt that reads The Future is Cooperative and features an illustration of a rocket being built. Laura wears a yellow shirt that says MaxFun Co-op

Already a MaxFun member? Snag that swag by going to your membership dashboard and using the merch button there. (To get to your membership dashboard, follow the instructions at maximumfun.org/manage to get an email with the Magic Link. That Magic Link will take you to your membership dashboard.)

Not a member yet? Become one for as little as $5/month at maximumfun.org/join.

How you can help the co-op

The best way to help MaxFun and the shows you love is to become a member. But a lot of you already are! So, here are three more ways to support the co-op in our first (and probably most expensive) year.

1) Buy that cool merch—it’s only available ’til the end of the month!
2) Make a one-time contribution towards our operating costs!
3) Spread the word about us to help us grow our shows and our network!

Mark your calendars

We’ve got a bunch of great events coming up to celebrate Co-Optober! And we’ll have more throughout the month, so stay tuned.

Reddit AMA

Wednesday, October 4
12pm PT / 3pm ET
Worker-owners Jesse Thorn, K.T. Wiegman, and Danny Baruela will be on the MaxFun Reddit from 12-1pm PT answering your questions!

Hanging with MaxFunHQ: Co-op Q&A

A logo for Hanging with MaxFunHQ Co-op Questions

Friday, October 6
12pm PT / 3pm ET
MaxFun worker-owners and Board members answer your questions. Want to know what the process of transitioning to a co-op was like? How worker-owners feel about it? Just want to meet some folks? Kevin Ferguson, Stacey Molski, Gabe Mara, and Julian Burrell will be streaming live on Friday in all the internet places we can manage, including YouTube!

MaxFun Meetup Day

A group of folks hanging out outside at a meetup

Thursday, October 12
Meet nice, fun people in the MaxFun community by attending a local meetup! At the time of writing this, meetups are planned for NYC, LA, Nashville, and Copenhagan! We’ll keep updating the list of meetups as they come in. Don’t see your town? Pick a place and email cn@maximumfun.org so we can add it to the list!

Thanks, as always for reading. We hope you come say hi to us online or in-person!

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