41–50 of 52 posts
Better still: build something with someone else, who you can then start a startup with.
Find a customer who needs something. Do it for them. This will accomplish 3 things: 1. They will finance your endeavors. 2. You will automatically be working on something needed in the marketplace. 3. You will be focusing on what's needed like a laserbeam. DO NOT TAKE THIS ADVICE LIGHTLY! It's what my first mentor told me. I didn't follow this advice. Boy, am I sorry. It is spot on. I wasted years whistling my own tu…
Because no consumer will pay the $10-20K or so it takes to develop a product prototype from an idea on paper. The customer wants to pay the $19.99 for a finished product - and then maybe not.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I agree-- blow off the education part of this. Learn by doing (and taking 20 minute every day to read the very best blogs). Screw fundamentals (sounds like you already have a decent base, anyway) -- just build something that someone wants to use/buy (preferably find a co-founder who you can brainstorm ideas with-- find a co-founder when you already have an idea is sometimes more challenging).
As for fundamentals, this is a better account of what I mean: But if you're like me, you're not looking for one more trick, rather you're looking for a way of synthesizing what you already know, and building a rich framework onto which you can add new learning over a career. (From Norvig's review of SICP at Amazon.) This is not an objection to your advice. I will consider doing what you guys say.
I barely remember anything from the book, other than the pointless factoid about MIT's first president dying while saying "bituminous coal."
A better approach would be to get the problem sets for the SICP class, and see how far you can get without actually reading the book. Then just read enough so that you can finish the problems. Maybe use javascript instead of scheme, so it isn't a complete practical waste.
how will you pay your bills?
My burn rate is very low. I live in a cheap locale, compared to where I earned my savings, and I own a bit of stock in the company I just left. I had already set up a quite suitable home office before quitting, and I don't foresee many big expenses barring EC2 fees.
how will you pay your bills?
My burn rate is very low. I live in a cheap locale, compared to where I earned my savings, and I own a bit of stock in the company I just left. I had already set up a quite suitable home office before quitting, and I don't foresee many big expenses barring EC2 fees.
Find a customer who needs something. Do it for them. This will accomplish 3 things: 1. They will finance your endeavors. 2. You will automatically be working on something needed in the marketplace. 3. You will be focusing on what's needed like a laserbeam. DO NOT TAKE THIS ADVICE LIGHTLY! It's what my first mentor told me. I didn't follow this advice. Boy, am I sorry. It is spot on. I wasted years whistling my own tu…
Thanks for the advice. If you mean doing contract/consulting work, I'm not interesting in that at this point. As for close interaction with customers, I can't agree more. I learned that lesson the hard way as an user interface programmer for a persistent online game. We got most of our feedback on the game forums, and game players are very opinionated customers. It was so much better to talk directly to them rather t…
Find a customer who needs something. Do it for them. This will accomplish 3 things: 1. They will finance your endeavors. 2. You will automatically be working on something needed in the marketplace. 3. You will be focusing on what's needed like a laserbeam. DO NOT TAKE THIS ADVICE LIGHTLY! It's what my first mentor told me. I didn't follow this advice. Boy, am I sorry. It is spot on. I wasted years whistling my own tu…
edw, it seems to me that you are talking about being an IT solutions provider? Because no consumer will pay the $10-20K or so it takes to develop a product prototype from an idea on paper. The customer wants to pay the $19.99 for a finished product - and then maybe not.
There are 7 million small businesses in the United States. Almost every one of them needs SOMETHING readers of this site can provide. Many of them are desperate, but don't know where to turn.
When they pay you for something, you don't have to pay them back and you don't have to give them equity. And you learn 10 times more by doing than reading or surfing. And they will "connect" you to others.
I have learned many technologies by reading, surfing, and playing. It was fun. And it usually led nowhere.
On the other hand...
I learned Visual Basic on the job by converting a local radio station's programming software.
I learned HTML on the job by building intranet reports from flat files for a local office supply distributor.
I learned Javascript on the job by building a front end for a local clinic's call center.
I learned PHP/MYSQL on the job by building mini-apps for several local small businesses.
Starting to get the picture?
I wasted almost no time learning what was cool unless I needed it. And I ran into problems I never would imagine if it wasn't for these jobs. I can't imagine learning anything any better way. I run into techno "know it alls" all the time. After 30 seconds, I can tell they read about it, but never did it. The day I become one of them, just shoot me.
Find a customer who needs something. Do it for them. This will accomplish 3 things: 1. They will finance your endeavors. 2. You will automatically be working on something needed in the marketplace. 3. You will be focusing on what's needed like a laserbeam. DO NOT TAKE THIS ADVICE LIGHTLY! It's what my first mentor told me. I didn't follow this advice. Boy, am I sorry. It is spot on. I wasted years whistling my own tu…
edw, it seems to me that you are talking about being an IT solutions provider? Because no consumer will pay the $10-20K or so it takes to develop a product prototype from an idea on paper. The customer wants to pay the $19.99 for a finished product - and then maybe not.
Can you afford it? How will you pay for rent and food? Do you have a co-founder? I left my job last April, and barely made it 2 months without income. If you're not ready to start your company right now , then I recommend figuring out what you can do otherwise to improve your situation. In my case, I got a job at a much better company that's close to Boston. I'm learning a lot, I'm meeting tons of smart people, and I…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
edw, it seems to me that you are talking about being an IT solutions provider? Because no consumer will pay the $10-20K or so it takes to develop a product prototype from an idea on paper. The customer wants to pay the $19.99 for a finished product - and then maybe not.
Yes. If its ones and zeros, then it's an IT solution. There are 7 million small businesses in the United States. Almost every one of them needs SOMETHING readers of this site can provide. Many of them are desperate, but don't know where to turn. When they pay you for something, you don't have to pay them back and you don't have to give them equity. And you learn 10 times more by doing than reading or surfing. And the…
If independently, your business skills must be excellent - to get so many clients who would not choose an off the shelf solution.
But in any case, these are not products.