Tags |
|
|
Links |
|
|
Hub You - Building a Software Company From Scratch
How do you define your work?Do you look to your work to define meaning and joy or just to collect a paycheck? Each carries a different result. Those who seek meaning and joy in their work tend to choose carefully what they do; they know what they do helps determine who they are. For others who work just for the money, there is little expectation of meaning or joy—just as long as the paycheck rolls in.Career vs. vocational passionIn my work, I am often asked, “What is the difference between Career and Vocati
In addition, we jump-started our products without incurring large development expense. We used open source by starting with technology already in place and extending it, rather than building (or licensing) every piece from s
If someone would have told me ten years ago that I could get paid to move to New York City, have my rent paid for me, make almost double my hourly rate plus a several thousand dollar bonus for committing to live there for three months I would have said they were crazy. But that is exactly the situation I now find myself in as I consider my next assignment as a traveling nurse in New York City. Wow! New York City!Before I take any new assignment as a traveling nurse, I always write down the pros and cons of the new assign
When we started the company, we had lots of time, very little cash, some software development skills, and a technology idea. This article covers a couple of bootstrapping pearls that we learned to implement by doing.
Don't be Afraid to Use Open Source
Using open source technology to develop and commercialize new application software can be an invaluable bootstrapping tool for startup entrepreneurs. It has allowed us to validate new technology with a willing set of early adopters who, in turn, provided us with references and debugging.
We used this huge number of early adopters, who love to try open source applications, to legitimize our application. Further, this large set of commercial "installs" helped us ring out many of the bugs by users who have no grounds to demand perfection.
In addition, we jump-started our products without incurring large development expense. We used open source by starting with technology already in place and extending it, rather than building (or licensing) every piece from s
How many get rich quick schemes have you seen on the Internet or advertised on late night television? Some of them sound pretty feasible, don’t they? Have you ever found yourself considering buying into one of these plans? Have you ever actually taken the plunge? If you were successful, you would not be reading this article. Even though the marketing for these schemes is genius, they are what they are, schemes. The reality is that the only way to get rich quick is to win the lottery or inherit a fortune.Yet the reason th
When we started the company, we had lots of time, very little cash, some software development skills, and a technology idea. This article covers a couple of bootstrapping pearls that we learned to implement by doing.
Don't be Afraid to Use Open Source
Using open source technology to develop and commercialize new application software can be an invaluable bootstrapping tool for startup entrepreneurs. It has allowed us to validate new technology with a willing set of early adopters who, in turn, provided us with references and debugging.
We used this huge number of early adopters, who love to try open source applications, to legitimize our application. Further, this large set of commercial "installs" helped us ring out many of the bugs by users who have no grounds to demand perfection.
In addition, we jump-started our products without incurring large development expense. We used open source by starting with technology already in place and extending it, rather than building (or licensing) every piece from s
Something we talk about consistently with our coaching students is the importance of the follow up letter. However, the follow up letter is not limited to those who are operating a lease purchase business. Whatever type of business you are operating, after speaking with a potential client you should be sending some type of follow up correspondence. It could be a letter, a post card, or in some instances an email.I can’t count the number of deals we have gotten from a follow up letter we sent. The longest time to go by b
Don't be Afraid to Use Open Source
Using open source technology to develop and commercialize new application software can be an invaluable bootstrapping tool for startup entrepreneurs. It has allowed us to validate new technology with a willing set of early adopters who, in turn, provided us with references and debugging.
We used this huge number of early adopters, who love to try open source applications, to legitimize our application. Further, this large set of commercial "installs" helped us ring out many of the bugs by users who have no grounds to demand perfection.
In addition, we jump-started our products without incurring large development expense. We used open source by starting with technology already in place and extending it, rather than building (or licensing) every piece from s
After ten minutes with Ed Tettemer in the offices of the agency he founded with partner, Steve Red, you begin to understand the agency's passion for excellence. After an hour with Ed, you begin to understand the intensity of his personal passion. You begin to understand it but I have a feeling that, even after days and days of exposure to him, you probably wouldn't get the whole picture."Passion," the word, may seem descriptive of a complicated set of feelings and opinions. Oddly, in thinking about Ed Tettemer's passion
We used this huge number of early adopters, who love to try open source applications, to legitimize our application. Further, this large set of commercial "installs" helped us ring out many of the bugs by users who have no grounds to demand perfection.
In addition, we jump-started our products without incurring large development expense. We used open source by starting with technology already in place and extending it, rather than building (or licensing) every piece from s
The cable TV service in my area recently changed from one big, impersonal company to another. The new company launched a multi-million dollar ad campaign to assure all of us that they were committed to giving us a new level of service. Unfortunately, they didn’t tell us that new level of service was actually lower than what we had before. After enduring several weeks of dropped channels and fewer choices, I called Giant Cable Company to register my complaint with the service.The guy who answered the phone seemed pleasa
In addition, we jump-started our products without incurring large development expense. We used open source by starting with technology already in place and extending it, rather than building (or licensing) every piece from scratch.
Using open source code makes at least a portion of our technology publicly available. We use bundling, documentation, and proprietary extensions to make it difficult for larger players to steal our thunder. These will account for over half of development work but can be protected by copyright.
Afraid of copycats? In many cases, nothing could be better than to have a large player copy you. Big players value time to market. If one player clones your work, another may acquire your company to catch up in the market.
The transition from open source users to paying customers is a big jump, requiring traditional sales and marketing. Don't expect your loyal base of open source beta users to start paying for your product. We use testimonials from this critical mass of users to market to paying customers who are reluctant to be early adopters (see below).
Channels? Use Direct Selling and the Web
Our innovation is a bit of a stretch from existing products and, like most innovations, requires some education of the user. Much of the early advice we received related to picking a sales channel. Just signup reps, resellers, and distributors and revenues will grow.
We found the exact opposite to be true. Priming channe
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.iadvice.info/article/16226/iadvice-Building-a-Software-Company-From-Scratch.html">Building a Software Company From Scratch</a>
BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.iadvice.info/article/16226/iadvice-Building-a-Software-Company-From-Scratch.html]Building a Software Company From Scratch[/url]
Related Articles:
Business Meeting Etiquette: 7 Top Tips To Brush Up Your Meeting Skills
Checking Out Your Card Printing Company
Private Label Drinking Water - A Powerful Brand Builder
Bookmark it:
|