Who here runs their own business?

EricTheWeary

WiresDreamDisasters said:

What I wanna do is develop some software for guitarists and try to address what I've noticed is a bit of an issue in the market - more of a workflow thing rather than a sound quality thing.

I have some coding chops, but certainly not enough to build the thing I am imagining, and I only have an inkling that it would sell. No hardcore proof.

Fundamentally I think getting my coding chops up to speed with C++ and something like JUCE would be a good idea for long-term career progression and entrepreneurship.

I spoke to Tim last night and he asked me what I wanted. Best I could come up with was "to make cool shit" - which is pretty much what I have wanted since I left uni at least, but probably even since I was a kid. I've not given up on that goal, but it's getting harder to know what it really means. 

Someone asked what about the band. Fundamentally the band is a hobby that has had some low level success in the niche world of instrumental post-rock and metal. But it isn't going to pay the bills and I never thought it could. Again, make cool shit.

Selling cool shit is something I don't entirely "get" right now. But I'm getting older and have a family now. I need to really learn how to do that.

FWIW :
I mentioned my brothers earlier who were driven by the desire to be their own bosses and who put in the hours because if they didn't they'd have to find a 9-5 job again ( the younger one is doing that at the moment albeit on a fixed term contract so he has some vestiges of self employment). Between them they've sold socks on market stalls, built water butts, developed a small row of shops to let, offered marketing advice to small businesses, developed and sold educational software, helped set up IT solutions for small businesses, done picture framing, managed a pet grooming salon,etc,etc. I think what you are saying is coming from a very different place to this. If I was on the panel of Dragon's Den I think I'd be saying to sell your ideas to someone else and let them do the business part. Or partner up with someone who is driven like my brothers were ( one is dead and the other is retiring so not them specifically).      

GoldenEraGuitars

I must admit, I never had a business plan. I started this with about £500 cash and it pretty much snowballed. Now, I was working full time at that point too so I was able to reinvest everything back into stock but at no point did I ever have a plan of action. Even when I decided to quit my main job (out of necessity) and take it full time I didn’t have anything solid to refer to. I made sure I worked hard and put everything into it that I had. I suppose I still am doing that. I have little money and I have to work ridiculously hard and long days to make it all work but I’m determined to keep it going... we’ve come too far to fail.

LastMantra

I asked about the band but what I meant was would you have enough time and energy to keep it going?

ToneControl

Think about your overheads too, you are living in an expensive part of the UK AFAIK

Most people need 2 years to get up to speed with C++ 
And if you want to then be employed using it, there's another layer of experience in the workplace to develop, I'm guessing you have most of that already

WiresDreamDisasters

I've begun my first foray into machine learning. Gonna need a bit o' thart.