Comments on: Two Approaches for Starting a Software Product Company http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/ Relentless Persistence Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:13:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Bubba http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-117 Bubba Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:53:47 +0000 http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-117 i agree learning is an ROI and have had my share of "failed" projects that have been way more valuable to me than my "succesful" projects. So I guess I agree on the value (and serendipity factor - just finished black swan, you may like it as it talks about postive randomness). One caveat though is that "failing" costs time & the opportunity to do other things - both of which are very expensive for the entrepreneur but not for investors since the later typically has multiple parrellal bets in place with the expectation that some (lots) will fail. On the other hand one "success" may pay the bills for 10 years for an entrepreneur while working on the next attempt(s)... Net, net it is just knowing the tradeoffs and personal situation / skills / needs. i agree learning is an ROI and have had my share of “failed” projects that have been way more valuable to me than my “succesful” projects. So I guess I agree on the value (and serendipity factor - just finished black swan, you may like it as it talks about postive randomness).

One caveat though is that “failing” costs time & the opportunity to do other things - both of which are very expensive for the entrepreneur but not for investors since the later typically has multiple parrellal bets in place with the expectation that some (lots) will fail. On the other hand one “success” may pay the bills for 10 years for an entrepreneur while working on the next attempt(s)…

Net, net it is just knowing the tradeoffs and personal situation / skills / needs.

]]> By: Jesse http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-112 Jesse Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:22:41 +0000 http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-112 My friends all roll their eyes when I tell them I have this great idea for a project that could be really cool. They've heard similar ideas from me, gotten excited for me, even signed up and once and a while made good contributions. Eventually they start to ask, "but what about X? are you still working on that?" That's because I usually aim for #2, the "Identify a small unexplored feature, work on it in my spare time, and see if it sticks" route. What they don't understand, and what your article doesn't touch on, is what I learned from each experience. I'm one of those bootstrapper web guys. I played with construction toys and video games as a kid and consequently had a knack for computers that got my foot in the door, and work experience did the rest for me. Seven years of freelancing, and about a hundred stillborn personal projects later, I feel like I'm in better shape to startup than ever. Every project teaches you something, and produces code you can hopefully reuse (after you learn you need to make reusable code that is). So while #2 may have no significant financial ROI for the entrepreneur, there is always the potential for intellectual ROI. Sometimes, that's invaluable. Practice makes perfect. My friends all roll their eyes when I tell them I have this great idea for a project that could be really cool. They’ve heard similar ideas from me, gotten excited for me, even signed up and once and a while made good contributions. Eventually they start to ask, “but what about X? are you still working on that?” That’s because I usually aim for #2, the “Identify a small unexplored feature, work on it in my spare time, and see if it sticks” route.

What they don’t understand, and what your article doesn’t touch on, is what I learned from each experience. I’m one of those bootstrapper web guys. I played with construction toys and video games as a kid and consequently had a knack for computers that got my foot in the door, and work experience did the rest for me. Seven years of freelancing, and about a hundred stillborn personal projects later, I feel like I’m in better shape to startup than ever. Every project teaches you something, and produces code you can hopefully reuse (after you learn you need to make reusable code that is).

So while #2 may have no significant financial ROI for the entrepreneur, there is always the potential for intellectual ROI. Sometimes, that’s invaluable. Practice makes perfect.

]]> By: Heri Rakotomalala http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-45 Heri Rakotomalala Sun, 28 Oct 2007 20:35:04 +0000 http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-45 Hi, most people would agree it doesn't take much these days to build a "startup". there are practically no barriers to entry, and I bet in the next few years, there will be more startups, more experimentations, done with a small to non-existant budget. btw, we are launching blitzweekend in early spring in montreal, canada. we would invite entrepreneurs, developers, designers etc. to build a startup in one weekend. but unlike startuweekend, people do it in teams of 3 to 5. it's built for pressure, an environment for rapid successes and failures. i guess we are the 2nd approach to its maximum Hi,
most people would agree it doesn’t take much these days to build a “startup”. there are practically no barriers to entry, and I bet in the next few years, there will be more startups, more experimentations, done with a small to non-existant budget.

btw, we are launching blitzweekend in early spring in montreal, canada. we would invite entrepreneurs, developers, designers etc. to build a startup in one weekend. but unlike startuweekend, people do it in teams of 3 to 5. it’s built for pressure, an environment for rapid successes and failures. i guess we are the 2nd approach to its maximum

]]> By: Bubba http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-43 Bubba Sun, 28 Oct 2007 04:03:13 +0000 http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-43 Thanks for hte 411 Dave. I think that maps to the taxonomy / reference point I wrote about. Did you do anything specific (or accidentally!) with MessageCast from a technology, product, funding or structure perspective to facilitate your exit goal? Thanks for hte 411 Dave. I think that maps to the taxonomy / reference point I wrote about.

Did you do anything specific (or accidentally!) with MessageCast from a technology, product, funding or structure perspective to facilitate your exit goal?

]]> By: Dave Hodson http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-42 Dave Hodson Sun, 28 Oct 2007 02:13:38 +0000 http://murarka.com/2007/10/27/two-approaches-for-starting-a-software-product-company/#comment-42 Bubba When I started MessageCast, I was aiming for an exit with one of the Big 3 (AOL, MS, Y!). My previous company (iPrint) was partnered with MS, but I didn't perceive that would be of much significance (and in the end, I don't think it helped much on the actual acquisition). At the time, AIM was easily #1 in the IM space and so my first protoype actually worked with AIM using Jabber, not MS. Dave Bubba

When I started MessageCast, I was aiming for an exit with one of the Big 3 (AOL, MS, Y!). My previous company (iPrint) was partnered with MS, but I didn’t perceive that would be of much significance (and in the end, I don’t think it helped much on the actual acquisition). At the time, AIM was easily #1 in the IM space and so my first protoype actually worked with AIM using Jabber, not MS.

Dave

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