Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#1

Post by coderforhire » Fri, May 10, 2013, 12:39 AM UTC

I will be honest, I am sick and tired of building stuff that "I think is cool and no one else does". I just don't "get" how people obtain feedback before building just yet; I have put up landing pages, gathered 50-100 emails for a project, launched, and then crickets.

I know my weaknesses (it's not tech, or launching, its validation and marketing), so I want to try an experiment:

1. Post an idea, with an estimated price to the consumer:

eg; online service that will photoshop a photo for 9.99$ (something I have tried fwiw)

2. Have it be webbased (no iphone/droid apps, currently in-between macs)

3. The first idea that gets 10 people to email me: anthony@coderindustries.com, and say they will pay upon launch, I'll build it.

4. if you want to take an active marketing/bizdev role, and have a proven track 50/50 split.

5. If you want to take an active marketing role, and don't have a proven track record 75/25 split (my way).

6. If you don't want to take an active role 90/10 split (my way).

As the ideas are posted, if something pops up you would pay for, email the idea, and any tweaks you deem needed.

Re: Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#2

Post by loceng » Fri, May 10, 2013, 12:45 AM UTC

The easiest thing is to do what you know. Find a problem you have, and probably others have that problem too - though then it's a matter of finding if there are any worthwhile solutions already existing for it. Even if there are, maybe you can build a better version?

What are you goals? Long-term recurring revenue? Want to make $50,000 a year? $500,000 a year? Etc..

Re: Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#3

Post by loceng » Fri, May 10, 2013, 12:47 AM UTC

Another thing to maybe realize is people who really know their stuff, who have ideas they know will work and have thought through their idea thoroughly, won't likely be willing to do 51/49 split.

Re: Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#4

Post by coderforhire » Fri, May 10, 2013, 12:48 AM UTC

loceng wrote: post #2

The easiest thing is to do what you know. Find a problem you have, and probably others have that problem too - though then it's a matter of finding if there are any worthwhile solutions already existing for it. Even if there are, maybe you can build a better version? What are you goals? Long-term recurring revenue? Want to make $50,000 a year? $500,000 a year? Etc..

Short term goal, is to learn how to get people to pay me. Long term goal is to quit my job with in the next 1-5 years, and taking in my current salary from my own company.

Re: Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#5

Post by coderforhire » Fri, May 10, 2013, 12:50 AM UTC

loceng wrote: post #3

Another thing to maybe realize is people who really know their stuff, who have ideas they know will work and have thought through their idea thoroughly, won't likely be willing to do 51/49 split.

Edited; 50/50

Re: Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#6

Post by loceng » Fri, May 10, 2013, 12:56 AM UTC

coderforhire wrote: post #4

loceng wrote: post #2

The easiest thing is to do what you know. Find a problem you have, and probably others have that problem too - though then it's a matter of finding if there are any worthwhile solutions already existing for it. Even if there are, maybe you can build a better version? What are you goals? Long-term recurring revenue? Want to make $50,000 a year? $500,000 a year? Etc..

Short term goal, is to learn how to get people to pay me. Long term goal is to quit my job with in the next 1-5 years, and taking in my current salary from my own company.

You have a long run-way, so that's nice, though markets change - so you have to try to be a bit of a seer ...

a) Join a startup you could learn about / be part of marketing, while being paid to do different work than marketing b) Learn about different business models in the meantime, along with how marketing works. Books on copywriting, marketing (Influence), etc..

Re: Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#7

Post by loceng » Fri, May 10, 2013, 12:57 AM UTC

coderforhire wrote: post #5

loceng wrote: post #3

Another thing to maybe realize is people who really know their stuff, who have ideas they know will work and have thought through their idea thoroughly, won't likely be willing to do 51/49 split.

Edited; 50/50

And now you get into the issue that someone might end up with 50% equity and stop working - so then any and all work the other person does benefits the other one. :)

This is why I'm not a big fan of offering large amounts of equity to people that you don't know and haven't worked with before - so you know their value, and how well you get along.

Re: Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#8

Post by loceng » Fri, May 10, 2013, 1:02 AM UTC

"Don't re-invent the wheel, make a wheel that's better"

"Do what you know" - e.g. Work on what you know, via life experience.

What problems do you have and would like solutions for?

Is it big enough and would provide enough value that you'd pay if it existed?

I could go on ...

And I do need some RoR work done (along with javascript/CSS) that I was about to hire 1 to 1.5 weeks worth of work for. Maybe we could talk more and figure something out where I can help guide you in a more specific direction?

Re: Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#9

Post by coderforhire » Fri, May 10, 2013, 1:08 AM UTC

loceng wrote: post #8

"Don't re-invent the wheel, make a wheel that's better" "Do what you know" - e.g. Work on what you know, via life experience. What problems do you have and would like solutions for? Is it big enough and would provide enough value that you'd pay if it existed? I could go on ... And I do need some RoR work done (along with javascript/CSS) that I was about to hire 1 to 1.5 weeks worth of work for. Maybe we could talk mo…

I think that is one of the issues, I don't have too many problems, that I haven't been able to solve via existing solutions, but I may have just not ventured out of my comfort zone enough. Shoot me an email anthony@coderindustries.com, Id love to chat.

Re: Ask HN: I am sick and tired, help me.

#10

Post by loceng » Fri, May 10, 2013, 1:12 AM UTC

coderforhire wrote: post #9

loceng wrote: post #8

"Don't re-invent the wheel, make a wheel that's better" "Do what you know" - e.g. Work on what you know, via life experience. What problems do you have and would like solutions for? Is it big enough and would provide enough value that you'd pay if it existed? I could go on ... And I do need some RoR work done (along with javascript/CSS) that I was about to hire 1 to 1.5 weeks worth of work for. Maybe we could talk mo…

I think that is one of the issues, I don't have too many problems, that I haven't been able to solve via existing solutions, but I may have just not ventured out of my comfort zone enough. Shoot me an email anthony@coderindustries.com, Id love to chat.

Just sent an email from matt@