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Drop the ego and prove "I could make that so much better"

blog.lawnstarter.com

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Re: Drop the ego and prove "I could make that so much better"

#11

Post by amwelles »

I'm actually working for a company now that specializes in online marketing/websites for lawn care and pest control companies. There's a guy in the area that was a programmer for a big corporation (IBM, maybe?) and he saw an opportunity in pest control, so he started his own company and pretty much wiped out all the competition. Then he bought the agency I'm now working for so we could focus on similar lawn/pest companies across the states.

I don't think that's really your plan at all, but it's awesome that you're looking into a market that is full of outdated websites and definitely has room for improvement!

Re: Drop the ego and prove "I could make that so much better"

#12

Post by arethuza »

fit2rule wrote: post #4

I make roads for a living. (Well, my software does.) Actually this has been a bit of a boon for me - whereas in the past peoples eyes would glaze over when I told them about SIL-4 practices and other such nonsense involved in keeping the trains running on time (safely), nowadays I can just point at the road and say - software makes this happen, now. Software is boring. What the software does - now _that_ captures peo…

My view is that software is fascinating and the real world problems you can solve with it are also fascinating - so it is a double win!

Re: Drop the ego and prove "I could make that so much better"

#13

Post by ohwp »

icebraining wrote: post #5

We all have a list of things or industries that “we could make so much better”. We do?

Don't you?

I've got a list of things that I think could be improved. For instance:

  The interface of the remote control? Could be improved for elderly.
  The price of a CNC router? Could be cheaper.
  The atmosphere of that bar? Could be nicer.
Easy to say, hard to do.

Re: Drop the ego and prove "I could make that so much better"

#16

Post by ahoy »

stickydink wrote: post #3

The author touches on being embarrassed. As a game developer making games that many players would call evil (IAPs, IAPs everywhere.), I tend to prefix my "what do you do?" with "Oh uh, it's not something I'd actually play, but it's called ...". Shame, really.

I'm a web developer. Occasionally I'll get a client who can't be talked out of video/audio that autoplays. I think I understand that feeling.

Re: Drop the ego and prove "I could make that so much better"

#17

Post by tluyben2 »

It's one of those things you (well I at least :) learn when you get older; you have a few years to do what you came here for and then you expire, so feeling embarrassed or otherwise caring about the negative things people might think about you is not very interesting and should best be not at all even in your brain at any time. Took me about 34 years to learn that and it's not actual advise you can give someone as people don't listen or cannot do it, but it will make everything a lot easier (and more successful as well).

Also people looking down on you are usually not better off either; I had a guy at a party talk to me about my 'little company', 'little moneys', 'little investments' (these words don't translate well; in Dutch you have 'small' words geldjes, investerinkjes which I don't know how to translate). He was a banker guy making E500k/year after tax (the fact he said that makes him a loser already imho); when he told people about his job my ears started bleeding out of boredom. I would not trade places with him for any amount of money let alone be bothered about him belittling what I do :) It's not often (never...) that belittling/offensive people actually have a life to be jealous about; that's why they are offensive and give you shit; they envy you.

Re: Drop the ego and prove "I could make that so much better"

#18

Post by watwut »

nkozyra wrote: post #15

While I assume this is really the intent of posting this - I did end up going to the main site. I'm missing how this is disruptive in any way. Maybe I'm totally not getting it.

Disruptive means potentially viable business. It used to mean something else, but it is not used that way anymore.

Re: Drop the ego and prove "I could make that so much better"

#19

Post by welly »

wreegab wrote: post #8
stickydink wrote: post #3

The author touches on being embarrassed. As a game developer making games that many players would call evil (IAPs, IAPs everywhere.), I tend to prefix my "what do you do?" with "Oh uh, it's not something I'd actually play, but it's called ...". Shame, really.

What is "IAP"?

In-App Purchase aka "the thing that ruined the gaming industry".
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