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I'd go one step further, "Make Something People are Asking For"
If you're making something people want, but don't yet know they want, you might be tempted to raise investment first.
If you're making something people are already asking for, you won't have much time for VCs. You'll be too busy fulfilling the customers who are knocking your doors down.
Sometimes it's nice to see someone say something that oughta go without saying.
Awesome advice. I'll just tell the landlord, supermarket, phone company, and other suppliers that I'm trying to sell my product before I've raised money and they should be proud of supporting a venture whose founding members and first hires are all willing to work for fresh air. Sorry for the snark, but I'm in a position like this just now. I am in fact working for nothing at present and stretching out a small person…
What sort of business have you started? I like hearing about non-tech businesses.
tl;dr - unworldly troubleshooter.
Awesome advice. I'll just tell the landlord, supermarket, phone company, and other suppliers that I'm trying to sell my product before I've raised money and they should be proud of supporting a venture whose founding members and first hires are all willing to work for fresh air. Sorry for the snark, but I'm in a position like this just now. I am in fact working for nothing at present and stretching out a small person…
Aye exactly, the linked post is great advice, but if you can't pay your company run rate (i.e. you can't pay your own rent!) then you have two options: raise money or get a job/other source of income and keep going part-time. "Raise money" can include selling, but if you're still developing the product, what do you sell? Not everyone can conjure weeks' or even months' worth of living expenses out of the air while the…
Not unlike coding, there's an unfortunate perception that enthusiastic and creative people are worth less than the revenue specialists. There's a reason for the stereotype of the sales guy who makes 10x more than the engineer who delivers a functional, reliable product :-/
pg says "Make Something People Want" I'd go one step further, "Make Something People are Asking For" If you're making something people want, but don't yet know they want, you might be tempted to raise investment first. If you're making something people are already asking for, you won't have much time for VCs. You'll be too busy fulfilling the customers who are knocking your doors down. Sometimes it's nice to see some…
pg says "Make Something People Want" I'd go one step further, "Make Something People are Asking For" If you're making something people want, but don't yet know they want, you might be tempted to raise investment first. If you're making something people are already asking for, you won't have much time for VCs. You'll be too busy fulfilling the customers who are knocking your doors down. Sometimes it's nice to see some…
pg says "Make Something People Want" I'd go one step further, "Make Something People are Asking For" If you're making something people want, but don't yet know they want, you might be tempted to raise investment first. If you're making something people are already asking for, you won't have much time for VCs. You'll be too busy fulfilling the customers who are knocking your doors down. Sometimes it's nice to see some…
How about "Make something people want to pay for".
Awesome advice. I'll just tell the landlord, supermarket, phone company, and other suppliers that I'm trying to sell my product before I've raised money and they should be proud of supporting a venture whose founding members and first hires are all willing to work for fresh air. Sorry for the snark, but I'm in a position like this just now. I am in fact working for nothing at present and stretching out a small person…
Aye exactly, the linked post is great advice, but if you can't pay your company run rate (i.e. you can't pay your own rent!) then you have two options: raise money or get a job/other source of income and keep going part-time. "Raise money" can include selling, but if you're still developing the product, what do you sell? Not everyone can conjure weeks' or even months' worth of living expenses out of the air while the…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
What sort of business have you started? I like hearing about non-tech businesses.
I haven't; I work as a producer - in practice, a manager - for a small TV show that's currently on hiatus due to money problems. I'm not a business person or an entrepreneur, and pretty terrible at making money (just don't have the instinct for chasing it), so the only business I've 'launched' is my freelance work. My skillset is rapid technical ability, creative communications (ranging from manuals to PR copy to vid…
It's distinctly different than American BS.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
What sort of business have you started? I like hearing about non-tech businesses.
I haven't; I work as a producer - in practice, a manager - for a small TV show that's currently on hiatus due to money problems. I'm not a business person or an entrepreneur, and pretty terrible at making money (just don't have the instinct for chasing it), so the only business I've 'launched' is my freelance work. My skillset is rapid technical ability, creative communications (ranging from manuals to PR copy to vid…
American BS is distinctly different.