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How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

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Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#11

Post by w1ntermute »

wpietri wrote: post #8
yen223 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't this the Theranos business model?

I think the difference for me here was that they took money to create a known solution to a known problem. Theranos, on the other hand, seemed to have claimed to have already had a solution, when in reality they were pursuing an unknown solution to a hazy problem. (And by "hazy problem" here I basically mean that Theranos is pursuing something that sounds like a problem (medical testing) but is actually a large numbe…

The difference is between implementation/engineering, which is what most software companies are doing, and invention/science, which is what Theranos is trying to do. It's OK not to build something before selling it if you know that it's possible to make it, but just haven't done it yet because it would take time/money you don't have. It's not OK if you don't even know if it's possible.

Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#12

Post by danso »

jonesb6 wrote: post #2

"I created a horse-racing simulation game in Applesoft BASIC in Manhattan Beach Middle School’s computer classroom and ran a small gambling operation." Great story about a successful business that gained tremendous value based on domain knowledge and grit. But you can't say you knew nothing about software.

Yeah...while creating a BASIC game may not seem much to professional programmers...it's a world of difference from people who know nothing about software fundamentals, such as how code is just text files. Or the concepts of loops and functions. Or the necessity of telling a program exactly what you need it to do, as opposed to learning someone else's software.

Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#13

Post by iolothebard »

I live in a world full of people that love talking about doing things, but very few of them actually do anything.

This is how I moved to SF. Talked about doing a startup with friends. Move out there and they'd all rather smoke weed and get drunk than work on our project.

Happens in every facet of life as well. People talk about going to Europe, but never go. Talk about getting in shape, but never exercise, etc.

Dreams are great, but if you act on them you might fail. Or it might actually take some thing to accomplish those dreams. Sad that more people don't follow through.

Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#14

Post by pavornyoh »

The day trader pointed to a picture of a small jet on his office wall and said, “I want you to help me buy this.” He then wrote us a check for $150,000 on the spot, and we were officially funded.

Inspiring and really like this. Sometimes, you just need that one person to believe in you if you don't have the means...

Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#15

Post by askafriend »

iolothebard wrote: post #13

I live in a world full of people that love talking about doing things, but very few of them actually do anything. This is how I moved to SF. Talked about doing a startup with friends. Move out there and they'd all rather smoke weed and get drunk than work on our project. Happens in every facet of life as well. People talk about going to Europe, but never go. Talk about getting in shape, but never exercise, etc. Dream…

What is your relationship with those friends now?

Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#16

Post by josh2600 »

I worked very closely with Five9 for years. I can say that every company has their flaws but the key thing I took away from my time with them is that technology is in service of business goals, not the other way around. There were always discussions of what a "perfect" system might look like, and, every time, cooler heads prevailed. They simply did what was needed to meet their business goals and there's something admirable about that clarity.

Is Five9's product the best in call centers? No, but it's about an order of magnitude cheaper than the top product and works most of the time.

Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#17

Post by matwood »

iolothebard wrote: post #13

I live in a world full of people that love talking about doing things, but very few of them actually do anything. This is how I moved to SF. Talked about doing a startup with friends. Move out there and they'd all rather smoke weed and get drunk than work on our project. Happens in every facet of life as well. People talk about going to Europe, but never go. Talk about getting in shape, but never exercise, etc. Dream…

So true. I have a similar story, and can add that people use all sorts of things to not work on the project. Smoking weed and drinking are common, but I have found analysis paralysis to be very common in smart people. Executing is hard for a number of reasons, and the hardest to get over is that you'll likely prove your idea sucks and was just braincrack [1].

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sHCQWjTrJ8 (contains cursing)

Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#18

Post by siliconc0w »

jonesb6 wrote: post #2

"I created a horse-racing simulation game in Applesoft BASIC in Manhattan Beach Middle School’s computer classroom and ran a small gambling operation." Great story about a successful business that gained tremendous value based on domain knowledge and grit. But you can't say you knew nothing about software.

Was kinda sad they eventually replaced these Apple IIs with locked down macs you couldn't really program on. Might be heresy but they really should load up school companies with development tools instead of SimAnt or Oregon Trail or whatever. SimAnt was fun but I'm pretty sure I didn't learn shit from it.

Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#19

Post by tyre »

pavornyoh wrote: post #14

The day trader pointed to a picture of a small jet on his office wall and said, “I want you to help me buy this.” He then wrote us a check for $150,000 on the spot, and we were officially funded. Inspiring and really like this. Sometimes, you just need that one person to believe in you if you don't have the means...

More than believing in you, it speaks to the importance of empathy.

That day-trader didn't want to revolutionize call-centers, he wanted a fucking jet. As the business owner, recognize where his goals (getting rich) and yours (getting funding to grow the business) converge.

Re: How I Created a $350M Software Company Knowing Nothing About Software

#20

Post by dalacv »

For those reading this article and wondering about a niche area that is in need of innovators:

LIMS - Laboratory Information Management Systems.

Here's the deal. Most manufacturing companies (think Big Pharma, Petrochemical, Chemical, Widget manufacturing, anything really) measure quality. Those quality measurements are probably done in a laboratory. Every laboratory generates data. All that data needs to be managed well so that the laboratory can maintain its accredidation.

Basically, LIMS systems manage samples and lab result data. In addition, they probably integrate with Instruments and instrument software to automate some of that data entry. Other industries besides manufacturing are Govt (waste and wastewater treatment labs), Third-party labs (labs that do testing for other companies), Healthcare (clinical labs), Forensic Labs, and more.

Bottom line, there are tons of laboratories and they all need to manage their data. The players in this space are downright stuck in the last decade. There is so much opportunity here for a few new players.

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