Hello there!
This weekend I've been busy attending a wedding Saturday, had a post-wedding lunch this Sunday (to eat the remaining food heheh) and at night went to a bar fraternize with friends watching a soccer derby on T.V.
I've received two job proposals and two "don't call us - we call you" emails. Tomorrow morning I'll get to answering them correctly to see what it brings. I'm also waiting an email from another place, they called me Friday and should follow-up with an email but never did.
My business ideas have settled a bit because instead of focusing on doing/selling just one thing and expect acceptance, I now think the better is to get one more development week or two and make an all-purpose framework then build not one, but several non related revenue sources. The framework, being refined, should also become a revenue source (think about eating dogfood then feeding your costumers the best parts of said dogfood).
Also, on par with the framework and the resulting "revenue sources" (I'm being discreet here, bear with me), a kind of advertising and afilliation model should also be put into place, so that I can get, well, some more... er... revenue source :)
What do you think?
Well I'm off for today, see you tomorrow.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
A little background to where I am now
Hello there.
Today I sent some more resumés, and got three resposes. Monday I'll try to get to them in order to be interviewed for some positions.
In my business idea front, ideas still roam free in my mind but nothing seems to settle down. I read joelonsoftware.com articles and foruns and nothing added to ease the ideas.
I went to the business page of a ex-friend of mine, who managed to stole not only my idea, some clients and my product, only making it all web-based. It sucks to be me. But he was not the only responsible for the downfall of my previous endeavour. I am, because I lost track of what I was doing, always fixing some bugs that shouldn't exist in the first place. Moved in wrong directions, was afraid of losing clients, afraid of getting new clients, trying to do all work myself, meanwhile money was not getting in, my girlfriend went berserk and we split, and I lost track of everything.
Eventually I went broke, no girl, no business, losing clients day after day, alone at home (my workplace) and a tremendous sense of failure.
In the last year or so, starting around July 06 I closed my business only maintaining tech support to clients, went after a job 80 miles from home, met this girl and started living by myself for the first time in 27 years (yeah, I know).
I've been to two jobs one from August to December, and the other from January until 30th March 07. The first one I quit because I got the second one (which was better) but in the second job was a really difficult to sell product, the company was objectives-based and I only managed to sell 25% of estabilished objectives and they sent me out. Yes I did long hours, in my car, by my gas, did face-to-face, mail-targeted approaches, leave biz cards on everyplace, returned phone calls and emails, but no one came to me and buy.
I wasn't the only one tough, because my team "mates" (I put quotes because everyone seemed to hate everyone else there, really really intrigue-esque way of working) also didn't accomplish the objectives, only scratching them due to months-old follow-ups.
It was a nice income, I was looking forward to be financially debtless in April, but the resignation letter they sent me broke everything up.
Now I have to leave the house where I was living and return to my parent's house, it's a GREAT GREAT sense of defeat for me. I'm leaving because I cannot support it (no money) and what am I doing 80 miles from home with no job, right?
Meanwhile, I got a ticket for speeding, broke a wheel axis on my car having to repair it and but two front tires (the old tire had a big bulge heheh), my car was broken into three times in 7 months living away (yes, nothing was taken, not even CDs), a rear glass was broken the first time it was break into, and in January I got the car revision which took more money from me once again. Plus the food for the month, the car loan, the 2 cellphones bill to pay (my own for work too), 3G internet (I have to give tech support remember?), the house rented, gas money (and I was on my car working), and my end of the month was, really, like the 4th day after getting the paycheck. It's not been easy at all.
Lately my bank, with whom I've been working for the last 5 years since I started my business, refuses to give me new checks, and no reason for that. I've been with them on the phone, on person and the most they say is that my account doesn't add up to a percentage of them to be able to get new checks. I would quit there and open elsewhere an account, but since I got virtually NO MONEY deposited it would be pointless to move. Move 10 euros? What a tragedy for them, right?
Well I'm off for today. Tomorrow I got a wedding of my girl's friend, and I got to attend. I am a bit uneasy because I suspect that "friend" that stole so much from me will be there, in that case I must be all smily and false and I hate doing that. But I can't also confront him for being successful where I failed. Jealousy is a bad bad feeling and I must be superior to that.
Hope I didn't bore you too much. I guess not, nobody reads this blog right? Bye.
Today I sent some more resumés, and got three resposes. Monday I'll try to get to them in order to be interviewed for some positions.
In my business idea front, ideas still roam free in my mind but nothing seems to settle down. I read joelonsoftware.com articles and foruns and nothing added to ease the ideas.
I went to the business page of a ex-friend of mine, who managed to stole not only my idea, some clients and my product, only making it all web-based. It sucks to be me. But he was not the only responsible for the downfall of my previous endeavour. I am, because I lost track of what I was doing, always fixing some bugs that shouldn't exist in the first place. Moved in wrong directions, was afraid of losing clients, afraid of getting new clients, trying to do all work myself, meanwhile money was not getting in, my girlfriend went berserk and we split, and I lost track of everything.
Eventually I went broke, no girl, no business, losing clients day after day, alone at home (my workplace) and a tremendous sense of failure.
In the last year or so, starting around July 06 I closed my business only maintaining tech support to clients, went after a job 80 miles from home, met this girl and started living by myself for the first time in 27 years (yeah, I know).
I've been to two jobs one from August to December, and the other from January until 30th March 07. The first one I quit because I got the second one (which was better) but in the second job was a really difficult to sell product, the company was objectives-based and I only managed to sell 25% of estabilished objectives and they sent me out. Yes I did long hours, in my car, by my gas, did face-to-face, mail-targeted approaches, leave biz cards on everyplace, returned phone calls and emails, but no one came to me and buy.
I wasn't the only one tough, because my team "mates" (I put quotes because everyone seemed to hate everyone else there, really really intrigue-esque way of working) also didn't accomplish the objectives, only scratching them due to months-old follow-ups.
It was a nice income, I was looking forward to be financially debtless in April, but the resignation letter they sent me broke everything up.
Now I have to leave the house where I was living and return to my parent's house, it's a GREAT GREAT sense of defeat for me. I'm leaving because I cannot support it (no money) and what am I doing 80 miles from home with no job, right?
Meanwhile, I got a ticket for speeding, broke a wheel axis on my car having to repair it and but two front tires (the old tire had a big bulge heheh), my car was broken into three times in 7 months living away (yes, nothing was taken, not even CDs), a rear glass was broken the first time it was break into, and in January I got the car revision which took more money from me once again. Plus the food for the month, the car loan, the 2 cellphones bill to pay (my own for work too), 3G internet (I have to give tech support remember?), the house rented, gas money (and I was on my car working), and my end of the month was, really, like the 4th day after getting the paycheck. It's not been easy at all.
Lately my bank, with whom I've been working for the last 5 years since I started my business, refuses to give me new checks, and no reason for that. I've been with them on the phone, on person and the most they say is that my account doesn't add up to a percentage of them to be able to get new checks. I would quit there and open elsewhere an account, but since I got virtually NO MONEY deposited it would be pointless to move. Move 10 euros? What a tragedy for them, right?
Well I'm off for today. Tomorrow I got a wedding of my girl's friend, and I got to attend. I am a bit uneasy because I suspect that "friend" that stole so much from me will be there, in that case I must be all smily and false and I hate doing that. But I can't also confront him for being successful where I failed. Jealousy is a bad bad feeling and I must be superior to that.
Hope I didn't bore you too much. I guess not, nobody reads this blog right? Bye.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Another day goes by
Today I've sent about 10 more job resumés, no answer yet.
I've also sent the proposal to that website redesign to those other clients.
And as the days go by, the date is nearing to leave this room and get back to parent's house. I DO NOT want that, because that is the worst thing. Sense of defeat.
My business idea is germinating but I have much to read and to think, but the general sense is that it's hard. Don't know if I can pull this off again. I've had a business for 4 years and I failed due to some inabilities of mine, which I identified somewhat and am trying to get a go at it again.
Here is a list that I plan to make grow to serve as guidelines for my new business. Feel free to add or comment on them too.
- Have methodology - don't reinvent the wheel or reinvent the same wheel everytime
- Clients come first - before hours, family, food, or else they go get business elsewhere
- Return all calls - either emails, phone calls, faxes, memos, return them at the earliest opportunity
- Solve clients problems timely and immediately - they don't need problems, need solutions and a breeze working with your product
- Delay is stressful and a death setence - When I delay things it's mainly because I feel bored to do it right then or the "I'll have time later" syndrome. Don't!
- Testing is important. Never release anything before testing and testing and testing...
- Confidence, know-how, incentive, you're the man, it's the best product, the best business
- Be fast and adaptative is always better that slow and monolithic - hurry up!
- Details, details, details are important little things
- Go that extra mile - it is the extra work hour that separates you from competition
- Document everything that moves - be it code, accounting, website changes, everything should be dated and commented, or else you lose important info and may have to ... reinvent the wheel once again. Keep important links to sites, keep that .zip files sent by email.
- Backup. Period. Backup Periodically.
Am I on the right track?
I've also sent the proposal to that website redesign to those other clients.
And as the days go by, the date is nearing to leave this room and get back to parent's house. I DO NOT want that, because that is the worst thing. Sense of defeat.
My business idea is germinating but I have much to read and to think, but the general sense is that it's hard. Don't know if I can pull this off again. I've had a business for 4 years and I failed due to some inabilities of mine, which I identified somewhat and am trying to get a go at it again.
Here is a list that I plan to make grow to serve as guidelines for my new business. Feel free to add or comment on them too.
- Have methodology - don't reinvent the wheel or reinvent the same wheel everytime
- Clients come first - before hours, family, food, or else they go get business elsewhere
- Return all calls - either emails, phone calls, faxes, memos, return them at the earliest opportunity
- Solve clients problems timely and immediately - they don't need problems, need solutions and a breeze working with your product
- Delay is stressful and a death setence - When I delay things it's mainly because I feel bored to do it right then or the "I'll have time later" syndrome. Don't!
- Testing is important. Never release anything before testing and testing and testing...
- Confidence, know-how, incentive, you're the man, it's the best product, the best business
- Be fast and adaptative is always better that slow and monolithic - hurry up!
- Details, details, details are important little things
- Go that extra mile - it is the extra work hour that separates you from competition
- Document everything that moves - be it code, accounting, website changes, everything should be dated and commented, or else you lose important info and may have to ... reinvent the wheel once again. Keep important links to sites, keep that .zip files sent by email.
- Backup. Period. Backup Periodically.
Am I on the right track?
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Today
Well today I am resting in a national holiday.
My mind has been wandering between making a website very beautifully designed for a client, or a standard all-people-have-it website. I guess I'll make the latter, but keep the idea for playing the cards later if the client declines the first.
I've also been reading articles and magazines trying to catch-up after a 7-month interruption in all things IT related. I grew tired of it, but now the little "bug" inside is springing back to life.
I ate lunch, take a walk with my girl buying a wedding gift for a marriage this Saturday.
Tomorrow I have a job resumé to send to some folk that requested it, may be my first stone to achieve my goals.
My mind has been wandering between making a website very beautifully designed for a client, or a standard all-people-have-it website. I guess I'll make the latter, but keep the idea for playing the cards later if the client declines the first.
I've also been reading articles and magazines trying to catch-up after a 7-month interruption in all things IT related. I grew tired of it, but now the little "bug" inside is springing back to life.
I ate lunch, take a walk with my girl buying a wedding gift for a marriage this Saturday.
Tomorrow I have a job resumé to send to some folk that requested it, may be my first stone to achieve my goals.
Welcome
This is my first post.
I plan to document my path to succeed in life in over an year.
We are in April 25th. By December 31 I want to live in my own house, with my girlfriend, have a job and/or small business, pay my late bills, manage my bank accounts, improve myself and generally have new friends and new experiences too.
I plan to document my path to succeed in life in over an year.
We are in April 25th. By December 31 I want to live in my own house, with my girlfriend, have a job and/or small business, pay my late bills, manage my bank accounts, improve myself and generally have new friends and new experiences too.
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