Re:Engineers: Build businesses not apps
by zacharycohn on Monday December 13, 2010 @02:59PM
(#2001767)
"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? :)
Re:Engineers: Build businesses not apps
by thetrumanshow on Monday December 13, 2010 @03:20PM
(#2001830)
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.
Re:Engineers: Build businesses not apps
by dholowiski on Monday December 13, 2010 @04:31PM
(#2002051)
Yikes. I have several expensive hobbies on the go right now.
Re:Engineers: Build businesses not apps
by thetrumanshow on Monday December 13, 2010 @04:38PM
(#2002069)
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. :)
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.