My Journey Starts Here
bootstrappingmybusiness.com
bootstrappingmybusiness.com
I reached my goal in the first month: http://macournoyer.com/blog/2011/05/02/working-for-me/ and now have my own biz http://codedinc.com/ that has been profitable and growing ever since while working very few hours.
Some of this I attribute to the reputation and connections I built over the years before that. But also to knowledge I gained reading about marketing and advertising (mostly old books).
I would highly recommend you drop the anonymity. If it's to feel safer, that's not going to work. To bootstrap your biz you have to put your credibility on the line EACH time. Also, any content you create must fuel your authority/credibility.
Shameless self promo: here's a course I created to teach how I launch & sell products http://copywritingforgeeks.com/. But if you have any questions I'd be happy to help, drop me an email at gmail my username.
Good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YH9MMI/?tag=dedasys-20
It's a guide to "startups" for the rest of us, where "startup" is something small and bootstrapped that, however, makes money pretty early on, and probably will never grow that large.
For me, that book really hit a nerve: I too spent time at a Big Startup, and while I enjoyed the ride... I decided that it's not for me.
rwalling, rwalling, rwalling!
Not only is his book awesome, not only is his podcast awesome, not only are his conference presentations awesome... He's also a apparently a really great guy. Thanks for being a good sport and showing up Rob! :)
I'm booked through May with MicroConf and the launch of GetDrip.com...but I've added "Consider v2.0 of Start Small, Stay Small" to my task list. To be considered for the latter half of 2013!
http://davids-book-reviews.blogspot.com/
And where appropriate, like on this thread, I mention them here - but only the good ones, which certainly aren't all of them. So I think you do get a little bit back from your click - thanks!
It's not easy (It's not supposed to be), but if someone else did it, you can do it too. Maybe you won't get popular, but you'll be able to have a nice revenue and lifestyle from it.
9-5 job is not my cup of tea. I like the idea of a product, and selling it to customers (if there is lots of support, you can outsource it). Passive income is cool; and if it is stable, it'll give you peace of mind. I'm in the process of achieving financial freedom through products, maybe in a couple of years I'll be doing just high-level consulting.
/rant/
My only advice is: persistence.
Towards the end of last year, we (a company of 3 in new york) were running low on investor cash and started looking for consulting gigs to cover our burn. We didn't end up going that route, but every gig we had lined up was through a word of mouth referral.
I'm not totally comfortable networking and meeting lots of people (sounds like you aren't either?). I'd encourage you to get out there and do what you can locally, but also hang out in the right places online where iOS work tends to appear. Some iOS people who do contract work can probably point you in that direction.
Good luck!
I'm not uncomfortable in networking and meeting people. It's a skill I have learned with time and I'm pretty outgoing. I know many people and through some event I organize and conferences I've been, I've gathered a good network. I've been involved in a lot of activities locally and I'm quite known.
Still, clients fail to materialize through all these connections. Given that this advice keeps popping up all the time, there must be something I'm doing wrong. I have to find what that is.
1) You lack a compelling value proposition for your clients. Something like, I'm really good at X, better than anyone, hire me. 2) You don't follow through with clients, finish the job etc. so you don't get referred business.
I seem to notice that the HN crowd, and even finance crowd completely ignore marketing. This is a huge oversight that is likely to cost you a ton of money.
I'd read this: How to Close Every Sale (Joe Girard)
The guy is a used car salesman that looks ridiculous, but the book is actually good and there are several big lessons to learn in a very small paperback for less than $10.
I applied the concepts to selling $10m+ apartment buildings with 3 to 6 month sales cycles. The big lesson is that you must always assume you will get the sale. If you are doing things like writing emails in a timid way, no one respects it. You must assume your interactions with others will result in results.
It's true, many people completely ignore marketing, and I did for a while. Now I'm learning, I'm getting books on it and try to fix my deficiencies.
I'll write on the blog about it. At the moment I'm reading "Book yourself solid" from Michael Port: http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com
I also have another book I just bought in the pipeline: http://doubleyourfreelancingrate.com/the-blueprint
I'll have a look at the book you recommended, thank you.
6 years ago I was trying to get in to tech. When I would meet people, I had next to nothing to offer them. But I would find out how I could help them and bend over backwards to try to do that.
When I started a business and had no product to sell, I reached out to companies who had the problem we're trying to solve and try to understand the problem space, share things we've learned and try to help them before we even had a product to sell.
I've found that helping others is the best way to build a group of people looking out for you -- whether it's personally or in your business.
Next time you're at a networking event, give it a shot. Make it your goal to help 3 people you meet there.
Your advice is definitely spot on, this is something I'm reading in other business books and I have to reframe my thinking in this way.
It's hard to get up when you get knocked down and at the same time trying to balance finances. A way to make some cash on the side is to build small compact iOS apps and sell them on Codecanyon.net no selling experience required. It might not make you 1000's initially but they do sell and it will help your finances. Look at setting a goal in producing 1-2 apps a week so keep them simple but well featured.
You might even end up working on a new idea by doing this and before you know it end up with a successful business.
BTW email me you skills / work on iOS as I might well have some work for you.
Good luck,
Steve
I'd recommend taking a look at Apptopia.com, deals are exclusive but the prices seem much better. (I have no affiliation with them)
You can't bootstrap without bootstraps...
Good luck!
I don't think, however, that a 9-5 is necessarily the answer. I do think that a freelance consulting gig might be a better option - it would allow OP to get the environment he wants "booted up" ie working by himself, getting into the groove of his schedule, etc. And while it might leave fewer hours per week to work on the bootstrapped business (initially), it will give some flexibility needed and get the $$ flowing again to ease the pressure.
Either way - I love hearing about people taking their destiny into their own hands and going for it -- so good luck OP!
In case of freelancing, OP already mentioned that he is not good at getting clients. In addition, the delayed payments and etc are quite likely. Given the savings would last for 2 months - not an option.
And finally, even if the bootstrap business takes off... Let's say you need a month for launching. You have one months savings left. What are the chances that your first startup will generate enough revenue to make a basic living after a month, while about 90% of startups fail?
It sounds romantic and all but when you compare potential outcomes... I really don't want to say that, I am trying to find a different word for that... But it's very naive.
You had the guts of making a hard decision, and you are paying the consequences of the uncertainity it brings.
Over the last years I have been thinking of taking the same route (like many people with a reasonable stable/steady job, but wanting more from life I guess), but I always had the fear finding myself in your current situation, and never took the plunge.
I don't think that you would have any trouble in finding a job with a steady income if things go pear-shaped, but I hope you succeed in finding your own independence.
But I am not sure if I want to join someone elses startup or do my own. I'm not much of an entrepreneur as I am a hacker. But the problem with most other companies is that they are not run like the way I would want to run them. Which brings me back to the point where I might just be happy running my own show. But again, I'm no entrepreneur.
It might just be that companies need to run a certain way to, you know, keep running?
Good luck man, excited to read about your venture.
All the best with your new venture :)
I can be contacted at info@bootstrappingmybusiness.com and I can provide plenty of real life information (personal info, company website, blog, LinkedIn profile, references, etc.).
I see you have an email address in your HN profile. I'll write you there.
good luck
Gah. Failed already. Get yourself connected with whatever you're actually passionate about - something that you can connect to significant meaning and value in. That _can be_ your big thing.
If you're not connected to something you're strongly passionate about, why not just go back to being employed?
While I tend to agree with you, building something small can be done while employed, and also lead to non-obvious large opportunities.
I see myself in your story - with few corrections it can actually be my own: expat, recovering from a breakup, left permanent jobs to pursue freelancing while waiting to find my purpuse ...