Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

techcrunch.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 110 posts

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

#51

Post by dalacv »

dalacv wrote: post #20

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…

Additional: Here is a great summary of LIMS High-level Requirements / Features:

http://www.limswiki.org/index.php/LIMS_feature

and here is a GREAT guide on Lab Information Management from an ISO point of view:

https://www.unido.org/fileadmin/user_media/Publications/Pub_...

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

#53

Post by 6stringmerc »

Animats wrote: post #30
6stringmerc wrote: post #4

Interesting article and impressive to see that kind of tenacity. Truly that's a take-away from the full perspective. The other take aways, for me, aren't nearly as complimentary. 1. Want to make a lot of money? Find an out-dated system where grunt labor is worth a lot less than the technology the grunt labor uses, and target this gap mercilessly (call centers) 2. Act like every other shady, fly-by-night, asshole sale…

No, he made a significant observation - the industry was operating at a high price point which was no longer justified due to advances in technology. That's a classic opportunity. The incumbents in the field won't want to drop their prices by an order of magnitude, even if the technology allows it. Especially if they have an expensive in-house sales force. This is a huge advantage for a startup. This happened to copi…

Um, he may have made a significant "observation" as you call it, but it wasn't his idea to research VOIP, to go out and get a device, or even how to implement it in a functional way to enact the advances in technology in a meaningful cost-savings avenue. It's right there in the article:

>And I had the good fortune of Tooter, The Machine and my former boss eventually rallying around my vision with their considerable super powers. To this day, I’m so thankful for each of them.

So in this particular instance, he's much more akin to a record producer creating a hit by lifting samples from other artists and then rapping about himself over the track. You might see it differently, that's fine. I just don't buy the self-directed, "Look what I made" narrative being put forward as fundamental here. Oh sure, it's his "vision" and all, but vision without talent and skill is just daydreaming. So he got some real people do to the hard part, that's a great "leadership" example I suppose.

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

#54

Post by danieltillett »

dalacv wrote: post #49
danieltillett wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who has sells a LIMS module for DNA sequencing the problem is the people that run theses systems do not like change. You need a scientific background to run these labs, but the work is very routine. The personalities that gravitate towards being a lab manager are the personalities that really, really, really like systems to stay the same. It is a very tough sell to get them to use something new no matter h…

You are correct. Change is slower in this industry. That can be both a curse and a blessing. For validated environments (FDA-regulated industries such as Pharma), it can be downright glacial.

It is great once you get a sale since they will keep paying, but getting that sale is damn hard.

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

#55

Post by golergka »

matwood wrote: post #17
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…

Not necessarily a bad thing.

I started a lot of projects that never took off because I wanted to use the best tools and in the best way possible.

Projects shmojects, the knowledge of these tools serves me to this day.

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

#56

Post by danieltillett »

Animats wrote: post #44
danieltillett wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

John you make a very good point. Look for industries where the current market has not kept up with advances in technology due to the business structures of the incumbents. Even if they want to change they can't (e.g Kodak). Hearing aids might fall into this category, but unlike the others on your list you need to deal with the FDA. The FDA should really be called the IPA - Incumbent Protection Agency.

For hearing aid industry disruption, see iHear.[1] Unfortunately, they run on Kickstarter time. (Like mañana, but without the sense of urgency.) They just slipped their delivery date from Q1 2016 to Q2 2016. [1] http://www.ihearmedical.com/

I suspect this slip is due to having to deal with the FDA. If you look through their FAQ and look at the regulation rigmarole they have to deal with just for their hearing test product you will see why this is not an easy area to innovate in. The one thing you can give the medical industry is they have built an amazing system for maintaining the status quo.

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

#57

Post by hyperliner »

dalacv wrote: post #20

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…

Speaking of the "glacial pace" of change of people in this LIMS space (and other industries), as well as the comment that states that someone saw people still using Windows XP, I wonder if it is simply that these people have really no use in changing technology that really does not change their lives or their customers'.

For example, why don't they change the Air conditioner in the building? Or the coffee machine? Well, maybe because it really does not make a difference which one you get. It's still just fine.

So the issue is not replacing Windows XP with Linux or whatever or a better UI in Angular or [your favorite framework]. It is coming up with a better business process. But if the processes are restricted by regulation, then by definition then the process cannot change too fast in LIMS and other similar industries. Therefore, why replace Windows XP?

However, what about "doing better Lab-ing"? Whatever that means. What about better Marketing for Labs? What about better analytics to track folks who should be getting their next labs but won't because they forgot to go to the doctor? What about helping these Labs with problems I cannot seem to comprehend because I am not in the Lab industry?

Seems the issue is not in LIMS itself (the clinical aspects), but on what is around the problem of doing the business of Labs.

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

#58

Post by jagtesh »

6stringmerc wrote: post #53
Animats wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, he made a significant observation - the industry was operating at a high price point which was no longer justified due to advances in technology. That's a classic opportunity. The incumbents in the field won't want to drop their prices by an order of magnitude, even if the technology allows it. Especially if they have an expensive in-house sales force. This is a huge advantage for a startup. This happened to copi…

Um, he may have made a significant "observation" as you call it, but it wasn't his idea to research VOIP, to go out and get a device, or even how to implement it in a functional way to enact the advances in technology in a meaningful cost-savings avenue. It's right there in the article: > And I had the good fortune of Tooter, The Machine and my former boss eventually rallying around my vision with their considerable…

> So in this particular instance, he's much more akin to a record producer creating a hit by lifting samples from other artists and then rapping about himself over the track.

Only in this case, it was an employee of the same company. His job as the CEO was to get the best out of his employees. He succeeded in doing that. I think that deserves appreciation.

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

#60

Post by woah »

6stringmerc wrote: post #53
Animats wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, he made a significant observation - the industry was operating at a high price point which was no longer justified due to advances in technology. That's a classic opportunity. The incumbents in the field won't want to drop their prices by an order of magnitude, even if the technology allows it. Especially if they have an expensive in-house sales force. This is a huge advantage for a startup. This happened to copi…

Um, he may have made a significant "observation" as you call it, but it wasn't his idea to research VOIP, to go out and get a device, or even how to implement it in a functional way to enact the advances in technology in a meaningful cost-savings avenue. It's right there in the article: > And I had the good fortune of Tooter, The Machine and my former boss eventually rallying around my vision with their considerable…

Your understanding of music is obviously poor, and detracts from your analogy.
Post reply on HN