Comments on: Goals For My First Year In Business http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/ Being Self-Employed, Technology, Raising Kids, Life's Journey Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:47:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Joel Marcey http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Joel Marcey Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:43:10 +0000 http://joelmarcey.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/#comment-75 Hi Chris, Sorry for the small mistake ;-) Yeah, we are pretty frugal in general so that helps. I do have a pretty good network of people who I can lean on if I really need to find "stable" work. I also think 1 or more opportunities will come to me next year that I have to decide whether to take or not. RIght now with my contracting gig, I consider it above part time, but less than full time. I would say between 20-30 hours a week. That is good. We didn't do the whole Narrows hike. Maybe a 10 mile round trip, if I remember. We had to cram a bunch of stuff in a little time, so we had to do some sacrificing. But the part we did was awesome. Hi Chris,

Sorry for the small mistake ;-)

Yeah, we are pretty frugal in general so that helps. I do have a pretty good network of people who I can lean on if I really need to find “stable” work. I also think 1 or more opportunities will come to me next year that I have to decide whether to take or not.

RIght now with my contracting gig, I consider it above part time, but less than full time. I would say between 20-30 hours a week. That is good.

We didn’t do the whole Narrows hike. Maybe a 10 mile round trip, if I remember. We had to cram a bunch of stuff in a little time, so we had to do some sacrificing. But the part we did was awesome.

]]> By: Chris http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/comment-page-1/#comment-68 Chris Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:31:28 +0000 http://joelmarcey.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/#comment-68 A little late getting back. I really wish google reader lets you know when comments were updated. Something you should think about in your RSS reader. Small correction, I have one product out the door, no sales yet so I'm not that much further along :) The second is close but not quite there yet. I'm a firm believer in having future work lined up. Especially with a family and young kids. When I was working full time on my uISV, I was constantly aware of what I was spending (which is a good thing) but it starts to wear you down over time. If you can arrange it, part time contracts are awesome. When I got my current consulting gig, I told them upfront that I didn't have 40 hours a week I could commit. They were more than happen to base it on a 30 hour work week instead. This ensures I have the time to work on my products. Narrows, yes that was an awesome hike. Did you do the whole thing, from top to bottom? I did that about 8 years ago or so. It was amazing. The whole Zion area is beautiful. A little late getting back. I really wish google reader lets you know when comments were updated. Something you should think about in your RSS reader. Small correction, I have one product out the door, no sales yet so I’m not that much further along :) The second is close but not quite there yet.

I’m a firm believer in having future work lined up. Especially with a family and young kids. When I was working full time on my uISV, I was constantly aware of what I was spending (which is a good thing) but it starts to wear you down over time. If you can arrange it, part time contracts are awesome. When I got my current consulting gig, I told them upfront that I didn’t have 40 hours a week I could commit. They were more than happen to base it on a 30 hour work week instead. This ensures I have the time to work on my products.

Narrows, yes that was an awesome hike. Did you do the whole thing, from top to bottom? I did that about 8 years ago or so. It was amazing. The whole Zion area is beautiful.

]]> By: My First Micro-ISV Product Ideas « A Life of Constant Flux http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/comment-page-1/#comment-71 My First Micro-ISV Product Ideas « A Life of Constant Flux Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:21:40 +0000 http://joelmarcey.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/#comment-71 [...] Goals For My First Year In Business [...] [...] Goals For My First Year In Business [...]

]]> By: Joel Marcey http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/comment-page-1/#comment-70 Joel Marcey Sat, 08 Dec 2007 23:56:13 +0000 http://joelmarcey.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/#comment-70 Thank you gyurisc. If you keep track of this blog, you will know if things are going well -- or not so well ;-) Hi Nicholas. Yeah, I have some questions about the Empower program. Like what happens if you agree to develop a product for Windows, but for whatever reason, you cannot release it. Or are you just committing to "trying". I haven't decided whether or not to go for it. Especially if some of the tools that Empower gives you may have cheaper/free equivalents. But you do get some support incidents, which may help. Thank you gyurisc. If you keep track of this blog, you will know if things are going well — or not so well ;-)

Hi Nicholas. Yeah, I have some questions about the Empower program. Like what happens if you agree to develop a product for Windows, but for whatever reason, you cannot release it. Or are you just committing to “trying”. I haven’t decided whether or not to go for it. Especially if some of the tools that Empower gives you may have cheaper/free equivalents. But you do get some support incidents, which may help.

]]> By: Nicholas Hebb http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/comment-page-1/#comment-69 Nicholas Hebb Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:54:16 +0000 http://joelmarcey.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/#comment-69 That's a pretty good outline. Re Empower - I was in it, and overall I think it's a great program. But treat it like a lease or buy decision. After two years you're left with nothing. All I really needed was Visual Studio. So I would have been better off just buying a license outright than I would spending $375 / year with nothing to show at the end. Also, Microsoft's goal for the program is to promote the Microsoft Partner program. They're raising the bar for the Partner Program requirements, so I don't know if it's a suitable program for a lot of microISV's. That’s a pretty good outline. Re Empower – I was in it, and overall I think it’s a great program. But treat it like a lease or buy decision.

After two years you’re left with nothing. All I really needed was Visual Studio. So I would have been better off just buying a license outright than I would spending $375 / year with nothing to show at the end.

Also, Microsoft’s goal for the program is to promote the Microsoft Partner program. They’re raising the bar for the Partner Program requirements, so I don’t know if it’s a suitable program for a lot of microISV’s.

]]> By: gyurisc http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/comment-page-1/#comment-74 gyurisc Fri, 07 Dec 2007 05:11:45 +0000 http://joelmarcey.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/#comment-74 Good like with your microISV! I hope will work out well. :) Good like with your microISV! I hope will work out well. :)

]]> By: Joel Marcey http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Joel Marcey Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:07:11 +0000 http://joelmarcey.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/#comment-73 Hi Chris, Thanks for your comments. I should be letting the cat of the bag in the next couple of days or so. From the beginning, I remember you saying you were in a similar boat as me, except for the small thing about you already having a product or two out the door ;-). I do plan on keeping direct touch with my contracting contacts, and I just may have some future work lined up after this one ends. That's where I have to make the decision about cost/benefit of taking the job vs. working full time on the Micro-ISV. But, I think it is good to have that choice to make. And, yes, that is The Narrows. What an awesome hike that was!!! Hi Chris,

Thanks for your comments. I should be letting the cat of the bag in the next couple of days or so.

From the beginning, I remember you saying you were in a similar boat as me, except for the small thing about you already having a product or two out the door ;-) .

I do plan on keeping direct touch with my contracting contacts, and I just may have some future work lined up after this one ends. That’s where I have to make the decision about cost/benefit of taking the job vs. working full time on the Micro-ISV. But, I think it is good to have that choice to make.

And, yes, that is The Narrows. What an awesome hike that was!!!

]]> By: Chris http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Chris Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:03:07 +0000 http://joelmarcey.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/#comment-72 Off topic, where is the picture taken at the top? It looks a little bit like the Zion narrows. Off topic, where is the picture taken at the top? It looks a little bit like the Zion narrows.

]]> By: Chris http://joelmarcey.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/comment-page-1/#comment-67 Chris Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:01:56 +0000 http://joelmarcey.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/goals-for-my-first-year-in-business/#comment-67 Great Post Joel. I'm looking forward to your next post and seeing what you will be working on. One thing I found about letting the world know about your plans is that it helps keeps you focused on the plans. If no one knows what you are doing, its a easier to lose focus or move on to your next great idea without completing any of them. Your Tier 1 goals are good ones and I think going in with your attitude will help you along the way. I know you have some consulting work for the next few months. I would keep in touch with your contacts to have more work lined up if you need it. When I first left my full time job, I did it without any consulting work on the side. It was a huge rush, but the added stress of not having an income made it a lot harder on me and my family. Now with steady consulting on the side (I like to think of my uISV as my main job) I don't have the financial worries. It also is a constant reminder of why I want my uISV to be successful. Granted if I had 1-2 years of savings built up I might be tempted to go the uISV route full time again, but for now I'm happy with the situation and making progress on my uISV. Good luck. Great Post Joel. I’m looking forward to your next post and seeing what you will be working on. One thing I found about letting the world know about your plans is that it helps keeps you focused on the plans. If no one knows what you are doing, its a easier to lose focus or move on to your next great idea without completing any of them.

Your Tier 1 goals are good ones and I think going in with your attitude will help you along the way. I know you have some consulting work for the next few months. I would keep in touch with your contacts to have more work lined up if you need it. When I first left my full time job, I did it without any consulting work on the side. It was a huge rush, but the added stress of not having an income made it a lot harder on me and my family. Now with steady consulting on the side (I like to think of my uISV as my main job) I don’t have the financial worries. It also is a constant reminder of why I want my uISV to be successful.

Granted if I had 1-2 years of savings built up I might be tempted to go the uISV route full time again, but for now I’m happy with the situation and making progress on my uISV.

Good luck.

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