Elie Kochman on Business and Networking

It’s that time of year again. With the holidays fast approaching, it’s time to think about where you’re going in life, whether that be personal, professional, or any other aspect of your life. Many people make New Year’s resolutions, but how many of you actually follow through on those resolutions?

Some people dream of success, while other people live to crush those dreams.

What I did last year was to post some of my professional resolutions for all to see. Whether or not that was a good idea is debatable. There is a study that shows that the more you share, the less likely you are to do. I don’t agree completely with that study, and so I’m going to do it again.

First, however, a follow-up to the goals for 2009:

• Only one of my contracts from the start of 2009 is still in development, and it is scheduled for completion with two weeks.
• I have not picked up one new contract per month, however, the past 3 months have been very good to me with 2 new clients and one returning client.
• I haven’t taken any courses this year, but am in the process of learning PHP and the Zend Framework.
• I have continued to use C# for some development, and am increasing my level of proficiency.

All in all, I feel good about what I’ve accomplished in 2009. While I haven’t met all my goals, I did strive to do so, and had I met all my goals, it would be an indication that I had not set my sights high enough. So, without further ado, here are my goals for 2010:

1. Learn PHP and Zend to a degree of proficiency whereby I can construct an entire website based on those technologies in a reasonable amount of time (i.e. in under 250 hours for a fully-functional site, and not including the design of the interface).
2. Launch the product I’m currently working on, Client Data Tracker, to beta in January 2010 and live to the public before the end of March 2010.
3. Continue developing my consulting to the point that I am putting in 30+ hours per week in billable time on various projects.
4. Complete the work required for KNIRL.COM and get the site up and running.

These are my goals that I’ll be using to measure my success against in 2010. What are your goals? How do you intend to measure success?

I was reading a post by Jeremy Lichtman about Website Development where he raised an interesting point – he mentions the concept stage of development, where the initial idea is evaluated, and says:

It isn’t easy to tell a potential customer that their ideas are terrible, or to try and make them modify their concepts in order to allow them to work better online.
Part of that is that developers and designers are by nature creative people, and we don’t like raining on somebody’s parade.
Part of it is also the risk of losing a possible customer.

This triggered a brief discussion in the comments about how to learn the skills required for dealing with [potential] clients. It’s not something covered as part of a standard degree in Computer Science or the like. It’s not part of a certification in web development for most colleges. As a result, many would-be web developers working for themselves fall into one of the following two categories:

Customer Management Chart

1. They treat the client’s opinions and ideas like gold, and implement them regardless of whether or not it’s a good idea. While this is good for getting work, it’s not good for developing a business, as you end up spending too much time dealing with the whims of ill-informed clients. This prevents you from developing your business of building quality websites that fill real needs. In the end, your clients are not happy because the site doesn’t live up to their expectations (regardless of whether those expectations were reasonable) and you end up losing the client.
2. You build what you like building, or what you think is a good idea, and if the client likes it, that’s great, and if not, they can go bother someone else. I don’t think this method needs much explanation as to why it’s a bad idea.

What’s needed here is to find a good balance between the two extremes, a sprinkle of tact, and some of your business experience.

Evaluate what your [potential] client is proposing, and try to figure out what the client is trying to achieve. Then confirm your guess with the client. For example, the client talks about creating a blog where every web developer in the world will spend all their time (not going to happen). But what the client really wants is a way to market their new product for web developers.

Now, rather than putting down the idea completely, gather some facts about what the client is trying to do, and what they’re trying to achieve. For example, you might collect some articles about how many web developers have A.D.D. or the fact that there are thousands of sites out there for developers, and the largest such site only has 200K members. Get some examples of how similar products are marketed (e.g. show Eclipse vs. Rational Application Developer for a Java IDE) and what their numbers look like. Try to gather as many quantifiable facts as you are able.

Next, present an alternative to the client, from the perspective of someone who understands what they are trying to achieve. “In order to market your software using various social media platforms, how about we run through some options, and what some companies which are similar to yours are doing.”

There, you’ve said it – what you’re trying to do (market software), there will be choices (some options), and where they came from (other companies). Now, outline the ideas clearly, and demonstrate the breadth and depth of your knowledge by having answers ready for common questions to each option. Don’t show off, just be knowledgeable, and if you don’t know, ask: “Can I get back to you on that?”

Knowledge is Precious

Not every client is reasonable, but then again, not every client is yours. The key here is not to attack their ideas, but to understand where they are coming from. Why did they choose you for the project? It’s because you know more than they do about how to do it. Share your expertise, use your special knowledge. Make sure your opinions are clearly delineated from the facts.

At the end of the day, you may be able to reason with your [potential] client and land a project that is a good idea, that’s well structured, and balanced.

Some [potential] clients will still insist on a bad idea, despite your feedback. However, you’ve already told them it’s a bad idea, just not in those words. You’ve outlined what they’re trying to do, and you got that right. You’ve outlined some real options that would reach that goal, and they’ve been turned down. What now?

Now you need to look at your business, and the impact accepting this client, and their bad idea, will have on the rest of your business. Will it help improve cash flow because it’s a short project (i.e. high profit margin for minimal resources)? Will this client refer you future business, thus making this a strategic move? Is this a client who has other projects with you, thereby putting pressure of losing other contracts?

Or will this project keep you busy, stressed out, and prevent you from pursuing better clients who will help your business reach its goals?

The answer to these questions will help you determine if you should be accepting or rejecting the bad idea. (Note that while you may refuse the project, treat the client with respect, and you may end up with a valuable connection as a result.)

Recently on LinkedIn I asked a question about business cards and etiquette – do you always reciprocate handing out a card? That is, if someone gives you their card, should you give that person one of yours? If you hand someone your card, should you request one in exchange?

Before going any further, one thing needs to be clarified. I was asking the original question for a particular reason, and it was not so that I could write this article. I’m planning on attending a speed networking event next week, in which participants are seated at tables with five other people and get two minutes to make an introduction. The last time I attended, before anyone spoke, I had 5 cards in front of me, one from each person. After the introductions, however, I only really saw value in 2 or 3 of the connections.

The second half of the issue is that I did, at that event, reciprocate the handing out of my card. I ended up on 3 distribution lists as a result, and it took a while to get taken off one of those. All three people who put me on their mailing lists had something in common – they were all mutual fund salesmen. The question I was trying to get answered was whether I could [politely] refuse to give my card to the mutual fund salesmen at the next event.

I got many answers to my question, some of which addressed my concerns, others which seemed to ignore that aspect of the question. However, I did learn a few things about such events, and the ramifications of sharing a card.

1. Speed networking events are of limited value, because, while they allow you to meet many people in rapid succession, they often do not allow you to establish a solid connection with any one person.
2. Given then I will be attending this event (although this may be my last such event), sharing my card is considered to be a necessity. That is, I cannot politely decline to share my card with any one person or group of people.
3. I can control when to share my card – I can wait until it’s my turn to introduce, thus linking my card to my introduction.
4. I can make mention that I do not wish to be placed on any distribution lists – while I welcome networking opportunities, please keep my e-mail off any type of mailing list you may have.
5. When receiving cards, make notes on the back regarding the person who gave me the card, and any other information that may be relevant.
6. You never know where your next successful connection will come from, so don’t try to guess. Instead, hand your care to anyone who will take it, but always include a brief summary of what it is you do, and what it is you’re looking for.

What do you think about sharing your card? What value can you find is such events?

I just bought a copy of The Web Startup Success Guide by Bob Walsh. It was an impulse purchase – I was actually looking for a book on PHP and MySQL and the cover caught my eye. I never heard of Bob Walsh, but I had heard of the guy who wrote the foreword – Joel Spolsky, CEO of Fog Creek Software, and author of the blog Joel on Software, among other things.

The book, according to its back cover, claimed to provide all the answers to build a successful web startup. Joel Spolsky, in his foreword, claimed he learned something new on every page (there are over 400 pages in the book, which works out to about 5 cents per lesson. Considering I’m in the middle of developing two ideas into potential businesses, I figured this was the book for me.

I’m now reaching the end of the first quarter of the book, and already I’ve learned enough to write a review. The book was worth the money spent, even were I to read no further. So far, I’ve learned something about the history of creating software companies, the various ways there are to start a company, and what the pros and cons of each are. I’ve learned some questions to ask myself when looking at a potential idea. I’ve learned to be critical of my own initiatives, and to separate emotion from keeping ideas alive long after they should have died.

Bob mixes his lessons with interviews with various people. Don Dodge, Director of Business Development at Microsoft, discusses the differences between starting a company now versus starting one ten or twenty years ago. Rick Chapman of Softletter discusses the business model of Software as a Service and various billing systems used. These are just a few of the many (I counted 36, but I might be off by a few) interviews and e-mail exchanges recounted throughout the book.

The book is divided into 10 chapters, each of which focuses on another idea crucial to the success of a web startup. The first chapter looks at the history, which has shaped how such companies are built today. The next chapter focuses on the ideas that build your company – filling a need (and where those needs come from), having a new way to solve an old problem. The third chapter looks at platforms, and the various places you can put your idea (SaaS, PaaS, Mobile, and so on).

The fourth chapter discusses support groups and tools for founders. The fifth looks at money and financing. The sixth looks at how social media impacts your business (and it does, whether you realize it or not). The seventh chapter discusses the importance of clarity in your business. Chapter eight is about how to get all the pieces in place, and how to turn an idea into a business.

Chapter nine suggests several people you should listen to, who provide advice that can be invaluable to a new business. Chapter ten is all about where to go from here, now that you’ve read the book.

I’m not done the book, as I pointed out above. But Bob manages to deliver his points about starting a business in simple language, with relevant examples scattered throughout the book.

If you are thinking about starting a company, or already have, which has as its business model the sale or distribution of software, whether you’re a site that facilitates the use of a service, or selling desktop software directly, this book is for you.

Oh, and I did find a book on PHP – it was called PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript by Robin Nixon, and seems to be quite a good book as well. So now I’m two for two on Friday’s book purchases.

While these two concepts don’t need to be at odds with one another, I’m curious to know how people perceive the difference between networking online versus in person. Most people do both, whether consciously or not, but what’s the difference between the two?

One answer is that our online networks tend to be a lot more widespread than our in person networks, including a lot more people. However, when we connect with someone in person, we tend to create a stronger link on an individual basis.

What do you think are some of the differences between online and face-to-face networking?

I have, as some people know, been fairly busy recently (although that may be hard to tell from the fact that I have time to write on my 2 blogs so often). For those who don’t realize that, let me explain what I am working on at the moment.

For starters, I work as a Programmer Analyst for the Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company. This occupies me from 9 to 5, and occasionally beyond.

I am also the acting treasurer for my synagogue, handling the recording of pledges, collections, receipts, budget, and so on, as well as maintaining their website.

Third, I do occasional consulting for small and medium sized businesses on the appropriate use of technology and for the development of custom software packages.

Fourth, I am in the middle of developing two websites for launching in the first quarter of next year.

Fifth, I read an fair bit, from books to newspapers, magazines, blogs, and pretty much any form of writing that will stay still long enough. That reading is what provides the content for my two blogs, which is what I spend about an hour every two days working on.

Of course, I spend some time each day with my family, during which business is put on hold.

If you haven’t seen the site yet, check out http://knirl.com and let me know what you think. Hey, you can sign up for the newsletter and I’ll send you updates as they become available (and no, I won’t send you spam, and will let you remove yourself from the mailing list, and no, I won’t give away your e-mail address to anyone).

I’ve been working on an idea over the last few weeks to develop a new product along with several other people. As the instigator of this project, I have been learning a lot about how an idea moves from concept to production, from burning money to profitability, from unheard of to world famous.

I have also been reading several questions on a variety of sites posed by people in a similar situation to myself – they have an idea, but no money to bring it to fruition in the real world. The questions tend to focus on team building and raising capital. The questions also indicate a lack of information on the process by which many start-ups have become successful. I am fortunate to be working with a colleague who has past experience in this field, and has been guiding me as I develop my own idea into a profitable business.

In light of the information I now have, I thought I would put up a basic checklist of steps to go through when developing a new product or service:

1. You think of a new idea for a product or service, so you write it down. Talk it over with someone else (be careful about confidentiality, and have that person sign an NDA if you think it is warranted) to make sure that you get an objective opinion about your idea.
2. Write down a short description of your idea. Explain what it is, who wants it, and who will pay for it. Do some basic market research to figure out what alternatives are currently available, and how much they are charging. What are people saying about your [potential] competitors? Briefly describe the business model for your new business (how will your business generate revenue). The entire description as outlined here can be short, perhaps a mere page or two.
3. Figure out what it will take to build your product or develop your service. Determine what the bare minimum is that you will need. Remember that if you believe in your idea, you should be prepared to take a risk, in that you will not be getting paid until your idea earns money. You don’t need a fancy office, or top-of-the-line equipment from day 1. This can be ramped up later. Work from your home on the old Pentium 2 that you never bothered throwing out. Buy equipment used when you need to.
   You need to remember that anyone investing in your idea will expect you to be responsible with the money, to save it when you can, and shop around for the best prices. You need to keep accurate records of your expenses and revenues. If you need some expertise that you personally don’t have (i.e. to hire someone) see if you can trade them equity to help you with the work, or accept a deferred payment.
4. Start building the product. Start writing a business plan (this can take over 100 hours to complete, and you will need it if you look to borrow money from the bank, or talk to an angel investor).
5. When you reach the point at which you need outside funds (for example, you have a legal bill for $5000 to incorporate your business and to handle your copyrights and patents, plus a $25,000 bill for equipment that is absolutely required, plus a $15,000 bill for marketing about to be incurred), figure out how much money you absolutely need, and add 20% as a contingency. Then use the following guideline to figure out who to talk to:
   • $0 – $50K: Talk to your bank, family, friends. Can you get a loan, or a line of credit? This will likely be the easiest and most cost-effective way to raise these funds. Beware of mixing family and business when borrowing from friends and family, though. You will be really unpopular if you borrow money from a friend and then your business collapses.
   • $50K – $500K: Look for an angel investor. You will have to give up equity in your business for this, and be prepared to have someone looking over your shoulder constantly to see how you’re spending the money. Also remember that this is the first round of investing. If you give up too high a stake in your company at this stage, you may face difficulties later on when trying to raise more money.
   • $500K+: You have entered the world of venture capital, and will need to read more detailed information on how to work with a VC. There are many excellent resources available online for the uninitiated.
6. Now that you have the money you need, finish the development, launch your product or service, and market it. Initially, take the revenues earned (all of them) and use them to develop your idea further, to improve your product, to increase your visibility in the market. Once you have a steady revenue stream, you can then think about hiring yourself to do more work on the idea, paying out a divided (which implies profitability) or upgrading your public appearance with fancy offices. However, before you do that, if you owe money for a loan or line of credit, make sure you pay that back first.

By no means are these steps to be taken as a bible. However, you may find this useful if you are thinking about starting your own business, or have an idea that you think might be viable as a means of earning money.

This is the final installment of the social media series, which started with the post on August 7. There was to have been a post last Friday, but life sometimes gets in the way. I’m curious to know what you thought of the series – how might it have been improved, what additional topics should I have discussed, did I make some errors. Please comment and let me know.

I apologize in advance for what is about to happen. I’m going to be separated from the internet for about 10 days. So if you post a comment, it may take until I get back for me to respond. However, I will respond when I get back.

Recap

When I left off the series, our model business owner, Jane, had started a blog which she uses to hold directed conversations with her readers. She has also started a Twitter account which she uses to post news and links to her articles, and uses the account to see what topics are of interest to people, and then writing about those topics.

Facebook

The largest problem with blogging and Twitter is that conversations are generally one-sided. Jane acan pick a topic to discuss, and interact with her audience regarding those topics. Using Twitter, she can respond to short questions. What she cannot do (yet) is allow her audience to pose its own questions, to hold undirected conversations.

This is where the networking sites such as Facebook and Linked In become important. Both these sites allow groups to be created. The creator of the group can act as an administrator of the group, and encourage conversation and participation among the group’s members. However, each member can start a new conversation, a new discussion, on a variety of topics. They can ask questions.

This will put Jane back to the first stages of becoming involved in social media, in which she interacts directly with her audience, as a member of the audience, but now Jane is in control of the environment. She can market the sites to people who come to her store. She can start getting feedback from her customers on topics she didn’t realize were issues.

Conclusion

Social media is about personal interactions used as a means of promotion. The fundamental component of social media is interactions. Social media is built on socializing. In order to run a successful campaign, you must interact with your audience – respond to their questions and comments, start conversations, ask questions of your own. Everything else is merely a tool to help you interact.

I was reading some material to prepare for a contract yesterday, and came across a set of statements which seemed to make sense the way they were written, but for some reason, didn’t add up. Most people can relate to such a scenario at some level, perhaps a friend telling you a story about their night on the town last week on a date with Sue, and something about the story just feels wrong, but you can’t place it. Then someone tells you that Sue had broken up with your friend last month, and suddenly the whole story is no longer true.

Reading contracts and agreements can be like that. There are lots of sections, paragraphs, and clauses outlining the details of the document. The agreement is intended to sound great for all parties involved. But your gut keeps asking to figure out what the catch is, but you don’t see it.

Enter the lawyer. He or she has read and written many contracts, and can turn the confusing legal language into plain English for you. Based on their experience, they can point out to you what it is about the arrangement that it problematic. They can also tell you what to expect from the agreement as a result of the content of the contract.

Legal bills are expensive, and therefore, many small business owners will try to avoid making use of one. However, while retaining a lawyer may be expensive, be sure you know the phone number of one you can call before you sign anything. It may cost you $500 to make that call and get their opinion, but the risk you face by not doing so is to enter into an agreement that will cost you far in excess of that $500 insurance policy.

If funds are truly an issue, at a minimum, find a lawyer fresh out of school who may be willing to consult for a lower fee. While you will be giving up the experience that a more seasoned lawyer would bring to the table, you would still be sure that you understood the general content of the agreement.