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Things I’ve Learned from Reading IndieHackers

toomas.net

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Re: Things I’ve Learned from Reading IndieHackers

#151

Post by _jal »

ThomPete wrote: post #134
_jal wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Other folks have pointed out that NeXT had a successful exit and the software lives on, to which I'd add a nice continuing career path for many of its employees (with Apple). Can I ask what metrics you're judging by?

Those folks are missing the point. Next was bought and brought into apples ecosystem thats were the found sucess none of that was part of any plan. Again luck and timing, ifJjobs hadnt been introduced the chances of Next being incorporated into Apple would be much less likely.

That seems like a high bar for 'success' that I'm not sure many share. Lots of startups people deem successful had exits that weren't originally part of the plan. Luck and timing are huge parts of 'success'.

Re: Things I’ve Learned from Reading IndieHackers

#152

Post by donmatito »

tixocloud wrote: post #146
donmatito wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not a bad idea! thanks. However it starts to be a bit too involved for a side project :-D

You're welcome. Yes, it's going to take more of your time unfortunately :( Hopefully, it'll grow to be self-sustaining? :P

It IS self sustaining, thanks to very low churn and very low but steady growth thanks to some content marketing and presence in directories.

I'm sure spending more time on sales would increase the revenue, but not sure if that'd be enough to offset the cost of time spent

Re: Things I’ve Learned from Reading IndieHackers

#153

Post by ThomPete »

_jal wrote: post #151
ThomPete wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those folks are missing the point. Next was bought and brought into apples ecosystem thats were the found sucess none of that was part of any plan. Again luck and timing, ifJjobs hadnt been introduced the chances of Next being incorporated into Apple would be much less likely.

That seems like a high bar for 'success' that I'm not sure many share. Lots of startups people deem successful had exits that weren't originally part of the plan. Luck and timing are huge parts of 'success'.

And many many times more didn't. You can't just look at the succesful ones thats the whole point. Most fail 9 out of 10.

Re: Things I’ve Learned from Reading IndieHackers

#154

Post by _jal »

ThomPete wrote: post #153
_jal wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems like a high bar for 'success' that I'm not sure many share. Lots of startups people deem successful had exits that weren't originally part of the plan. Luck and timing are huge parts of 'success'.

And many many times more didn't. You can't just look at the succesful ones thats the whole point. Most fail 9 out of 10.

I don't understand what you're arguing. Of course most startups fail. What does that have to do with how people view NeXT?

Re: Things I’ve Learned from Reading IndieHackers

#155

Post by ThomPete »

_jal wrote: post #154
ThomPete wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And many many times more didn't. You can't just look at the succesful ones thats the whole point. Most fail 9 out of 10.

I don't understand what you're arguing. Of course most startups fail. What does that have to do with how people view NeXT?

We are talking about companies who are successful because of their product/services/business. Not companies who get saved from going under by some other company. Next was saved.

Re: Things I’ve Learned from Reading IndieHackers

#156

Post by awb »

ThomPete wrote: post #108
awb wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not true at all. There are methods and practices that can help with the skill of starting and running a business. I've done it before successfully and the advice in the article is helpful. Luck helps too, but you need to set yourself up to be able to take advantage of the luck you get.

There are no methods to make you successful. If you believe that you are fooling yourself. There are plenty of methods and practices to run a company but that has nothing to do with whether it successful. You can be very unsuccessful and still following all the right methods and practices.

Success is a complex function, but there are some inputs like networking, testing the market, experience, etc. that will improve your chances. It's not helpful to think of success as a lighting strike.

Re: Things I’ve Learned from Reading IndieHackers

#157

Post by mapster »

bigtunacan wrote: post #88

The 4-Hour Workweek is the first book listed and I have heard of it so many times I finally decided to read it. I picked up an old copy from the local library and I'm a little over 1/2 way through. So far I have not been all that impressed. Just in general it seems so light on anything really concrete and more just a motivational book. Where it does have concrete things though they are just really out of date (One ex…

Ferris's claim to fame are two books: how to work from home (4 hr work week) and how to lose weight.

Re: Things I’ve Learned from Reading IndieHackers

#158

Post by adlq »

dejv wrote: post #68
zapperdapper wrote: post #20

All good advice, but I'm going to propose something that may be a bit contrary to current wisdom: if you really want a decent lifestyle/work-life balance don't start a business! So what's the alternative? Go contracting. Reduce your expenses to the bone, and limit the contracts you do. I now only take 3 month contracts and I do one a year. I make about £24K from that - I know many developers making double my rate. Th…

Second that. My way was to find maintenance contract where I do programming few hours a week that pays my bills and mortgage + occasionally taking some contract work (about once a year, month - three months long). Contracts could be very stressful (as I am usually picking on some VC type of startup as they use to pay more), but I know it is going to be over soon so it is easy to just go through it. I am doing that fo…

Where/how do you find those types of contracts?
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