Engineers: Build businesses not apps(emphaticsolutions.com)
emphaticsolutions.com
Engineers: Build businesses not apps
http://emphaticsolutions.com/2010/12/10/build-businesses-not-apps.html
24 comments
"Or, build apps, lots of them, keep them alive, find distribution channels to push them through (platforms), improve the winners, sideline the losers, find a niche, build apps for the niche, keep slugging away at it, build up a portfolio of complementary things.."
Isn't that a business? :)
Isn't that a business? :)
When the first deposit from a paying customer hits your bank account, or the first serious investor opens their wallet to validate you, or you convince some innocent wide-eyed soul to quit their job and join you, then you can call it a business. Before that, I'd just call it an expensive hobby.
Yikes. I have several expensive hobbies on the go right now.
App Engine and Heroku have recently taken a couple of my projects infrastructure costs down to nil... so it is getting less expensive. However, the opportunity costs are still eating me alive. :)
That will always be the case. Just know that the opportunity costs of not doing it will be a little bit higher.
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This is the counter point to business types saying "I have an idea, all I need is a coder to build it"... "I have an app, all I need is to turn it into a business"
I've noticed this with lots of engineering type people... We love to build, to push boundaries, test limits, apply new ideas and technology, but don't generally like to think about all of the other stuff because it doesn't seem quite as cool or exciting.
I'm launching a business soon and I must say, there's a lot more that goes into it than I expected from the get go. Pricing plans, the front-facing website -- what information goes on it, how do I sell it, what do I focus on, etc -- logo, business cards, hosting options, funding, lawyers, incorporating, beta testing, etc... There's so much extra stuff involved and decisions to make.
It's really not for everyone though; so engineers, keep building apps if thats what you like to do. If the other stuff excites or interests you, then do that. Just know that if you want to build a business, there's a lot of extra crap you'll have to do that is gonna either suck, or if you're like me, excite you even more.
I'm launching a business soon and I must say, there's a lot more that goes into it than I expected from the get go. Pricing plans, the front-facing website -- what information goes on it, how do I sell it, what do I focus on, etc -- logo, business cards, hosting options, funding, lawyers, incorporating, beta testing, etc... There's so much extra stuff involved and decisions to make.
It's really not for everyone though; so engineers, keep building apps if thats what you like to do. If the other stuff excites or interests you, then do that. Just know that if you want to build a business, there's a lot of extra crap you'll have to do that is gonna either suck, or if you're like me, excite you even more.
I'm not sure that it's because the other stuff isn't "doesn't seem quite as cool or exciting", I've realized that the buzz associated with fixing bugs or implementing new features is addictive because of the immediate feedback and associated warm glow of self satisfaction when all the unit tests are green, the bug is fixed or that cool new feature is added.
I've only realized this fairly recently and I know that it means a significant changes in my behavior is required....
I've only realized this fairly recently and I know that it means a significant changes in my behavior is required....
I'm guessing you came to that realization from actually having to do it? I was just saying that sometimes the prospect of having to do all of that "extra stuff" in the beginning isn't enticing. Once you get going you find that it is actually addictive and exciting (for some).
> I've realized that the buzz associated with fixing bugs or implementing new features is addictive because of the immediate feedback
and also, maintenance and enhancement is probably a full time job.
and also, maintenance and enhancement is probably a full time job.
The author makes a very good point, yet I fail to see practical advices about how to tackle the "business" side of things.
In the Milo.com example, it seems they succeeded because they were able to establish relationships with the big retailers. Yet I doubt that, had the author picked up the phone and called these retailers, he would have had any luck. It's possible, but business deals seem to be a lot about "relationships". Would the solution be to partner with a business person? Maybe, but how would you go about finding that person? They should be someone with knowledge and relationships in the particular business area (here, retailers), and yet it seems most of the successful business partnerships seem to have been between people who knew each other for a while (e.g. college friends, etc), probably because trust is essential. And yet in that case, it seems very difficult to find a matching relationship between the people involved and the "business idea" / "epiphany".
It would be interesting to learn about how an engineer can learn more about the business-side of things, and how to successfully partner with business people.
In the Milo.com example, it seems they succeeded because they were able to establish relationships with the big retailers. Yet I doubt that, had the author picked up the phone and called these retailers, he would have had any luck. It's possible, but business deals seem to be a lot about "relationships". Would the solution be to partner with a business person? Maybe, but how would you go about finding that person? They should be someone with knowledge and relationships in the particular business area (here, retailers), and yet it seems most of the successful business partnerships seem to have been between people who knew each other for a while (e.g. college friends, etc), probably because trust is essential. And yet in that case, it seems very difficult to find a matching relationship between the people involved and the "business idea" / "epiphany".
It would be interesting to learn about how an engineer can learn more about the business-side of things, and how to successfully partner with business people.
Establishing a relationship could be signing up for their affiliate program and making use of its product feed. Pretty low barrier to entry.
This is something I realized last year.
It turns out the same kind of detail oriented "hacker"-minded thinking that goes into coding can be applied to a lot of other things. Just takes patience and the willingness to be a beginner again.
It turns out the same kind of detail oriented "hacker"-minded thinking that goes into coding can be applied to a lot of other things. Just takes patience and the willingness to be a beginner again.
Or my related self-admonition: build the business before you buy the domain name.
There are better and cheaper ways to keep track of good ideas than a GoDaddy account!
There are better and cheaper ways to keep track of good ideas than a GoDaddy account!
Been there. I had the "that was my idea" moment a few days ago when I saw http://skillsapp.com/ which is something I had been toying with in my mind.
The thing is, as with apps, there is always room for competition. So what if someone "takes" your idea first? You can execute on it too and build something worth paying for; maybe even a better one.
The thing is, as with apps, there is always room for competition. So what if someone "takes" your idea first? You can execute on it too and build something worth paying for; maybe even a better one.
>So what if someone "takes" your idea first? You can execute on it too and build something worth paying for; maybe even a better one.
Meta-ration (meta iteration?)
Meta-ration (meta iteration?)
Get the giant retailers first, where there is huge impact with a single business integration.
Though this wasn't the point of the article, this sector specific point is worth considering for any online business trying to do "local."
Though this wasn't the point of the article, this sector specific point is worth considering for any online business trying to do "local."
Interesting, if somewhat standard issue, article - however, it seems to me that the author wasn't really building an app at all. A shopping portal with a search function - whoop dee doo. Might be an interesting business, but at this point that doesn't qualify as an app so much as it qualifies as a remedial exercise any halfway competent webdev could throw together in a day or two. It seems to me the "build businesses not apps" crowd tends to confuse businesses that use technology with businesses that ARE technology. The two are very distinct businesses with very different sets of requirements.
With the advent of the app stores on mobile phones, I think it is possible to generate revenue (and profits too) by creating apps. Someone who is a game developer can build a business writing games for all the mobile platforms. If your business is not writing (and selling) games, I think you need to partner up with different players to increase the value of your service.
I think the app stores are letting us developers test our little apps without a business in the foreseeable future, which I think is great. If the app is a success then we can think of building a business around it.
I think the app stores are letting us developers test our little apps without a business in the foreseeable future, which I think is great. If the app is a success then we can think of building a business around it.
I mean, its very very hard to get it right the first time and hit one out of the park, so you have to try a million tiny things to find some things that stick. The trick is knowing when you're on to something and when you need to double-down. If you can't do that yourself, get outside people involved when you think you have something. If everyone walks away disinterested, you may not have anything yet... keep going.