Ask HN: Too many costumers, no time | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Too many costumers, no time

7 pointszeynalov8 comments

I would like to ask you what would you do if you have too many costumers. Now my business have a great attention from target group. In our inbox there are 5000 emails asking for our premium service and ready to pay. But I have only three workers, and I can't answer all of my costumers. I need more workers, but I can't do it because I have no time to be a CEO of my company. I am a medicine student, everyday I must study, read. Would you think about a University drop-out?

P.S. sorry for my bad english, I am from Germany.

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Can you maybe re-write your 'Would you think about a University drop-out?' sentence?

If you are asking 'should' you drop-out? The answer is that it depends on what you want in life, and what your goals are.

If you've always wanted to run a company, and love the field that your company is currently involved in, then I'd say drop-out and go for it.

I assume you can always go back to school if you want to. You won't always have more customers than you can service. Consider yourself extremely lucky to be in the situation you are in.

I guess the question comes down to.

a) if you leave school, and work on the business,what are the positives and negatives.

As a positive, you'll learn a ton as a business owner, and be more rounded outside of the medical field. This could be VERY valuable in the long term even if you go back to medicine.

The negatives?? You may never go back to school (your choice though) or your degree may be delayed. You are taking a risk and hoping that financially you'll come out on top, but if customers are so keen on your product, that risk is probably small.

b) you stay in school. Will the business fail absolutely? do you care? Will you be wondering what would have happened had you taken a shot?

From an outsiders point of view and considering that you've posted this on HN, I think most people would suggest you go for the business.

Another way of looking at it might be to ask what you would do if the business didn't have so many customers right now? Would you still be operating the business because you enjoy it and it is't too much drain?

If the problem really is that their are too many customers to service, that is an absolutely amazing problem to have. Maybe try adjusting the parameters of the situation and see what you feel most comfortable with.

Example, can you take less classes to lower your school workload? Can you limit the number of customers you service, and raise your price. Can you create a wait list type situation for your service? Can you hire somebody to answer the emails for you?

If I misunderstood your question, I'm sorry.

Thanks you for your comment, I appreciate it.

Actually, I would drop-out with no doubt if I were in second or third year of my study. It's already 7 years that I study medicine and there are only 4 more years to be a maxillo-facial surgeon. These surgeons earn in Germany per month 100.000-500.000 USD. I dont hate medicine but, I think I like entrepreneurship more than medicine. I discovered that I have great entrepreneurial skills and I started my business, so I made in my first month 40,000 USD. It's already 6 month, and it's growing. I calculated, next year I'll earn some hundred thousands per month.

But, we know that business is not safe and you can always go down, bankrupt. But to be a physician means you have always a standard routine work, and you'll earn good. But earnings are limited, and you can't earn more than half million per month as a surgeon. My goals are to earn too much money to be able to realize my other projects.

Now, actually already 2 years or so, I consider whether to drop out or not. I have 2 more projects, on which I am sure I can earn money with them. But those 7 years on medicine makes me thinking, because, after drop-out you can't go back and continue, you can only start from 3rd year.

I'd say only few lucky surgeons in private practice make that kind of money. I have no reason to doubt your good faith, but my BS-detector is getting some signals.

So, what's the business about? Can you disclose?

I don't know what kind of startup it is but I wonder why this subscription thing isn't automated.

Anyways, you have two options

1. Continue with your education and take a risk of losing customers which may (or may be not) lead to failure of your startup.

2. Drop out and give your full time to your startup and take a risk of getting bankrupt with incomplete education. Still, you will be educated enough to earn more than your bread and butter. So that's not a big risk but there is also great possibility of a very successful venture and tons of money.

I am a risk taker, so my suggestion would be to drop-out if you aren't able to give your 100% to your dream project. Best scenario, you get to work on your dream project and earn millions and billions of money. Worst scenario, failed project but still educated enough to earn a decent livelihood.

Hire someone to answer the emails, create a waiting list and increase your prices.

Thanks for your comment. Actually I doubled the prices, but the number of costumers are not decreasing. I know it sounds scary but its true. I think I found a niche business, a hole on the market, and my business grows like balloon. Hiring someone on my business is not so easy, because it a special service work, they must have my skills, that I've learned in many years. I mean I must teach minimum 10 days my new workers, what they must do, otherwise they can't do it. And for that I have no time, this is the problem.

Hmmm... I wouldn't leave medicine for "service work" because it doesn't scale and it leaves you open when other people with similar skills enter the market.

That said, it sounds like a great time. If it were me, I would get family or a friend involved. You say it takes 10 days to train someone. So have them literally work with you for 10 days and train on the job.

As far as the time goes, I find it hard to believe your program can't let you take two weeks off. Any sizable institution has to have students with family emergencies and other issues. Also... if you are willing to drop out and abandon your degree, you must also be willing to let your grades drag a bit.

thanks for the ideas. I appreciate your comment

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