Bill's blog

We all would love to develop a successful home based internet business, but it's common sense that it's a hard thing to do - or everyone would have one.

So, something we smaller entrepreneurs had better do is study study study. We need every edge we can get.

Here's something that I found interesting and useful to read, a presentation that was given at the 2009 Startup School by Pail Graham. It focuses on the emotional experience of business startups, and the emotional and mental and social hurdles of people starting businesses. Scan over it and see if there is anything there that might help you.

http://www.paulgraham.com/really.html

Here's an example of a principle in his presentation that I thought was valuable to keep in mind - remember that everything is going to take longer than you think (and, sadly, will cost more than you think).

My rule of thumb has always been - "Everything is going to cost at LEAST twice as much, and take twice as long, as your worst estimate". It's a little harsh, I suppose, but it's pretty reliable. Certainly it's true for anything new that you try.

In any event, here's a clip from the page that is linked above. There's a lot of material there, you might wnat to bookmark that page.

6. Think Long-Term

You need persistence because everything takes longer than you expect. A lot of people were surprised by that.

I'm continually surprised by how long everything can take. Assuming your product doesn't experience the explosive growth that very few products do, everything from development to dealmaking (especially dealmaking) seems to take 2-3x longer than I always imagine.

One reason founders are surprised is that because they work fast, they expect everyone else to. There's a shocking amount of shear stress at every point where a startup touches a more bureaucratic organization, like a big company or a VC fund. That's why fundraising and the enterprise market kill and maim so many startups. [2]

But I think the reason most founders are surprised by how long it takes is that they're overconfident. They think they're going to be an instant success, like YouTube or Facebook. You tell them only 1 out of 100 successful startups has a trajectory like that, and they all think "we're going to be that 1."

Maybe they'll listen to one of the more successful founders:

The top thing I didn't understand before going into it is that persistence is the name of the game. For the vast majority of startups that become successful, it's going to be a really long journey, at least 3 years and probably 5+.

There is a positive side to thinking longer-term. It's not just that you have to resign yourself to everything taking longer than it should. If you work patiently it's less stressful, and you can do better work:

Because we're relaxed, it's so much easier to have fun doing what we do. Gone is the awkward nervous energy fueled by the desperate need to not fail guiding our actions. We can concentrate on doing what's best for our company, product, employees and customers.

That's why things get so much better when you hit ramen profitability. You can shift into a different mode of working.
 

I am not a web designer. I do not want to sell you a web design. In fact, I'm going to tell you something that many have learned much to their dismay and expense - you do not need a fancy web design or web designer to be successful, and, if you are starting out, web design is the last place you want to be putting your money.

Here, let me give you an example quote from a very successful commercial blogger, contained in this excellent article, 15 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Started My First Blog. (Go read that whole article, by the way, it's packed with valuable information.)

From his article:

Don’t spend too much on a design

I spent around $5,000 getting Pronet Advertising designed. What I didn’t realize is that you don’t need to have a cool design to have a popular blog. If you look at some of the most popular blogs on the web, such as Boing Boing, there isn’t anything special when it comes to their design.

The main thing you should be concerned about when it comes to your blog’s design, is that it needs to be usable and simple.

(Bill's note added - Boing Boing did in fact recently update their design - but it is still simple and conservative, as are most of the most successful websites on the net. )

To which he adds this valuable advice, which is also about design:

Have a unique design

With Quick Sprout, I am using a generic blog design. It looks great, but too many people are using it. This is making my blog blend in with thousands of other blogs. Because of this, I have two options:

                 1.  Modify the theme and make it look different

                  2. Change the design

Now, at first glance, it might seem that these two tips contradict each other - but they don't. The first tip is, don't spend a lot of money on a fancy web design. The second tip is this - YOU can make your own free design, which you have taken from one of the many libraries of free website themes, look a little different, and be unique, at a fraction of the cost of a custom made design. Often entirely for free, if you are willing to put a little time and sweat equity of your own into it, and usually for less than a hundred dollars if you hire someone like me to do it for you.

Before you do anything else tho, go read 15 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Started My First Blog

Q. Tell me again how long my site will be up for $100?

A. The $100 website includes all hosting costs for one year. To give you an example of why this is an excellent deal for you, compare it with the standard cost for a less powerful hosting package at most companies, which will average between 7.95 to 19.95 a month. 12 x 7.95 = $95.40, while 12 x 19.95 = $239.40. So, your hosting costs ALONE with most other companies will be higher than you will pay me for your ready-to-operate $100 website.

Here's an example to use for comparison, Hostgator, offering hosting for $7.95 a month, one of the countries most famous large commercial webhosts.

Q. How much will I pay for the hosting after the first year?

A. To a certain extent that depends on how successful you are, because the rate will be based on the amount of traffic use that we have to provide for you. If you are very successful, we will work together to move you to a hosting situation that can support your level of traffic.

However, in most cases, our annual base rate will apply, which is $80 per year, payable at the beginning of your second year. Which is still less than you would pay with most hosting companies.

Q. What else do I get for my $100 that I can't get at another host?

A. Most importantly, you get my help and advice, and some basic instructions on how to use your website. It's not unlimited help, but definitely enough to get you started. I'm hoping to be able to give you future web services, help you to make and write content, and keep you as a customer for many years, so I'm willing to give you up to four full hours of help, if you need it.

Because 4 hours of my time is worth $100 prepaid, that's the same as getting your website for free. Of course, I hope that you wont need all that help, but it is there for you if you do.

Also, your installed website won't be a bare-bones version, it will have pre-loaded a complete set of the most powerful and popular tools for you to use. You won't get that at your standard host.

And, I host my sites on an industrial grade server, not the consumer grade servers available at the lower rates. Your site will serve pages, photos, and videos at blinding speeds consumer hosts can never match.

Q. Can I get your help if I host somewhere else?

A. Absolutely. I'd very much like to be able to help you. My base rate is $25 an hour in prepaid units of $100, and I'm going to do my best to make you feel you are very much getting your money's worth.

Click here to learn more about hiring my help operating and webmastering your website, and here for help copywriting and making content for your website.