Steen Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Hello, as a budding entrepreneur trying to get my business off the ground, I'd like to get a discussion going here. Maybe you have ideas, or you are a small business owner or are self-employed yourself.Share your stories, concerns, tips, and business ideas. Maybe we can help you as you get your business growing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanGnome Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I'm currently trying to balance growing my business while also maintaining a full time job in order to pay the bills. It helps that my business is one that is quite flexible in terms of letting me do what I need in order to fulfill client and project requirements. What I do is full stack custom website and app development, graphic design and online marketing. It's a challenging market to enter because we've hit the age of the "platform", where anyone and everyone can get cheap web hosting for less than 10 bucks a year, throw up a one click Wordpress installation, install a theme and away they go. The problem with that, is it degrades the web experience as a whole exponentially as more and more people continue to follow that path. As I've been monitoring the marketplace and picking up contracts here and there, I feel the web is entering (slowly) into a renaissance phase, where hopefully custom development will pick up again. My issues with "platforms" as they are, is they all require compromise in some form or another. But now, more than ever we have many developers learning how to code and entering the field, so there's hope yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steen Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 I'm currently trying to balance growing my business while also maintaining a full time job in order to pay the bills. It helps that my business is one that is quite flexible in terms of letting me do what I need in order to fulfill client and project requirements. What I do is full stack custom website and app development, graphic design and online marketing. It's a challenging market to enter because we've hit the age of the "platform", where anyone and everyone can get cheap web hosting for less than 10 bucks a year, throw up a one click Wordpress installation, install a theme and away they go. The problem with that, is it degrades the web experience as a whole exponentially as more and more people continue to follow that path. As I've been monitoring the marketplace and picking up contracts here and there, I feel the web is entering (slowly) into a renaissance phase, where hopefully custom development will pick up again. My issues with "platforms" as they are, is they all require compromise in some form or another. But now, more than ever we have many developers learning how to code and entering the field, so there's hope yet.Being brand new in business with very little capital, I have gone the cheap way with a Wix site, for which I splurged and got a real domain name. I managed to make the site look presentable (to myself anyway), but I know a couple people in the business and would love for them to take a look and critique it, maybe leading to a full rebuild of it.I make fresh and locally-sourced (where applicable) spice mixes and seasonings, and I love the manufacturing part of the job. I like seeing people's faces light up when they try my product, and experimenting in my kitchen and at the grocery store is so much fun. What I don't like, however, is the accounting and paperwork and emails and the like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanGnome Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Being brand new in business with very little capital, I have gone the cheap way with a Wix site, for which I splurged and got a real domain name. I managed to make the site look presentable (to myself anyway), but I know a couple people in the business and would love for them to take a look and critique it, maybe leading to a full rebuild of it. I make fresh and locally-sourced (where applicable) spice mixes and seasonings, and I love the manufacturing part of the job. I like seeing people's faces light up when they try my product, and experimenting in my kitchen and at the grocery store is so much fun. What I don't like, however, is the accounting and paperwork and emails and the like. That's great. Please don't mistake my stance on platforms to mean they don't have a place in the industry, quite the contrary. What needs to happen is more awareness as to when that platform has been outgrown. Wix/Wordpress etc serve as a stepping stone to help get businesses online and doing business. Who I target are those clients who are near the point of outgrowing their existing platform and need more customization and adaptability in what they offer to their current and prospective clientele. I also do use platforms for some of my clients, but it really all depends on what that platform is, and more often than not it's management of the backend processes that drive a website. Platforms are a tool, but shouldn't be seen as a catch all or one size fits all solution. It never hurts to have more options, so if you like feel free to send a message my way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steen Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 That's great. Please don't mistake my stance on platforms to mean they don't have a place in the industry, quite the contrary. What needs to happen is more awareness as to when that platform has been outgrown. Wix/Wordpress etc serve as a stepping stone to help get businesses online and doing business. Who I target are those clients who are near the point of outgrowing their existing platform and need more customization and adaptability in what they offer to their current and prospective clientele. I also do use platforms for some of my clients, but it really all depends on what that platform is, and more often than not it's management of the backend processes that drive a website. Platforms are a tool, but shouldn't be seen as a catch all or one size fits all solution. It never hurts to have more options, so if you like feel free to send a message my way.Thanks for the response. I definitely don't see a Wix site as a permanent thing, especially as the business grows, but it works for me now. I'll be in touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugor Hill Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I'm currently trying to balance growing my business while also maintaining a full time job in order to pay the bills. It helps that my business is one that is quite flexible in terms of letting me do what I need in order to fulfill client and project requirements. What I do is full stack custom website and app development, graphic design and online marketing. It's a challenging market to enter because we've hit the age of the "platform", where anyone and everyone can get cheap web hosting for less than 10 bucks a year, throw up a one click Wordpress installation, install a theme and away they go. The problem with that, is it degrades the web experience as a whole exponentially as more and more people continue to follow that path. As I've been monitoring the marketplace and picking up contracts here and there, I feel the web is entering (slowly) into a renaissance phase, where hopefully custom development will pick up again. My issues with "platforms" as they are, is they all require compromise in some form or another. But now, more than ever we have many developers learning how to code and entering the field, so there's hope yet. I'm learning coding now. I thought app and web development is a pretty well paying field, especially server side scripting, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2SKATES1STICK Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Hello, as a budding entrepreneur trying to get my business of the ground, freudian slip for the natural spice peddler amirite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanGnome Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I'm learning coding now. I thought app and web development is a pretty well paying field, especially server side scripting, no? Generally speaking it can be yes, after you've attained 5-10 years of solid experience. The problem is deciding which language to specialize in, simply because there are just too many to be a specialize in all of them. You really do need to pick a path and stick to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugor Hill Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Generally speaking it can be yes, after you've attained 5-10 years of solid experience. The problem is deciding which language to specialize in, simply because there are just too many to be a specialize in all of them. You really do need to pick a path and stick to it. I hear javascript stack is the way to go. What's your opinion? I started learning it around 2 months ago... it's hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanGnome Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I hear javascript stack is the way to go. What's your opinion? I started learning it around 2 months ago... it's hard. JavaScript is definitely gaining popularity with NodeJS running on the backend, it's still really only that mature for front end applications at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nux4lyfe Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Until I landed my recent job, I ran a very successful mobile DJ business, Still to this day I get many offers to do gigs with out any self promotion or even a website, Only because I created a very good reputation and built my brand honestly and always went out of my way to maintain a proper reputation, whether it be even giving some money back to unsatisfied costumers...I never got cocky but always tried to maintain composure...This did not happen every often. But remember even if I lost money, I did not mind because I got paid for doing what I love. The things I've learned from this experience: - You're your own boss, No one is going to motivate you and no one is going to give you a schedule to work on, You have to work extra hrs and motivate yourself. -There is no point in 'cheaping' out , weather it be a website , packaging , logo...go all out, at the end of the day It's your brand that you are investing in.....Someone mentioned 'Wixx', I wouldn't go with that......because it's generic, People want different. I learned photoshop, illustrator etc so I could put my vision on a canvas and not use a generic template.....I may not be that good at it but take the time to learn, even a little bit. -Study, Study a lot about what you are offering, I started djing 13 years ago, technology catches up quick so I always had to be a learner.... -Logo's are important, I hired a 'pro' to design mine but had 100% input on it, Have your fingerprints on everything..after all it is your brand... I can say a lot more but one last thing, You will fail, I invested tons of money in all my gear, and sometimes it felt like a waste, but I followed the above and things worked out, failure is just another step in the right direction to me, Cheers and good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drummer4now Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 ^Best advice I have ever seen here.. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancaster Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Always wanted to start a business. Wife always interested in a simple imported, random goods store.... or maybe some manga cafe. Just always afraid that it'll fail (as the stats usually say). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webster6 Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I'm currently trying to balance growing my business while also maintaining a full time job in order to pay the bills. It helps that my business is one that is quite flexible in terms of letting me do what I need in order to fulfill client and project requirements. What I do is full stack custom website and app development, graphic design and online marketing. It's a challenging market to enter because we've hit the age of the "platform", where anyone and everyone can get cheap web hosting for less than 10 bucks a year, throw up a one click Wordpress installation, install a theme and away they go. The problem with that, is it degrades the web experience as a whole exponentially as more and more people continue to follow that path. As I've been monitoring the marketplace and picking up contracts here and there, I feel the web is entering (slowly) into a renaissance phase, where hopefully custom development will pick up again. My issues with "platforms" as they are, is they all require compromise in some form or another. But now, more than ever we have many developers learning how to code and entering the field, so there's hope yet. You're the kinda person I've been looking to run into. I'm looking to get some help from a graphic designer to help me build a few logos and header/footer templates to match my brand. I've also just created a website with wordpress and am curious about some of the platform's advanced features/plug-ins that I haven't been able to figure out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RRypien37 Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Always wanted to start a business. Wife always interested in a simple imported, random goods store.... or maybe some manga cafe. Just always afraid that it'll fail (as the stats usually say). Fear of failure is a crippling mentality. Need to accept and embrace failure on the path to success. Props to the OP for starting a thread like this, look forward to reading all the comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webster6 Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Fear of failure is a crippling mentality. Need to accept and embrace failure on the path to success. Props to the OP for starting a thread like this, look forward to reading all the comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbbyNucksFan Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I owned a small business for 15 years.. selling and fixing computers.. we had a retail store and it was amazing. I got tired of it all and now I'm working in a different field but might look into getting back into the computer industry soon.. as my business adviser said when I first started working on my business.. "I hope you enjoy working half days...... 9 to 9 or 12 to 12 or 8 to 8" haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heretic Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 We have a hobby farm. Still have day jobs, but we sell eggs year round. Spring through fall we sell chickens, turkeys and this year we've added ducks. Will be selling goats as well. But that's more of a side business... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2SKATES1STICK Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 We have a hobby farm. Still have day jobs, but we sell eggs year round. Spring through fall we sell chickens, turkeys and this year we've added ducks. Will be selling goats as well. But that's more of a side business... this is awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 This is my 12th year of self employment. You have to be honest with yourself and your clients. And while that seems obvious it can easily be swayed from. You have to be your own motivator. Play to your strengths while recognizing and improving your weakness. Don't be afraid to ask for help if needed ask for more, more often. When things go well try and diversify and put back into your business rather than going in vacation. Friends and family are difficult to involve in business. Do what you love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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