Version 0.1 = Start lo-fi
2009-06-28
First read “Version ∞” and “Early drafts...”. Here's an example of how I think of “Version 0.1”:
A guy at a conference was telling me how he really wanted to build a music recommendation service, but had been trying for a year to raise the $2 million dollars he said it'd take to build it.
My suggestion for him: Don't wait for funding. START NOW. Like this:
- get a dedicated phone number like Google Voice
- tell friends to call you at that number for music recommendations
- they call you, tell you what they like, and you recommend something they might like
- write down in a spreadsheet what they requested and what you recommended
- afterwards, ask how happy they were with your recommendation. write that down, too.
- eventually put this spreadsheet into a database
- eventually put this database on a website - letting people browse past satisfied recommendations
- keep improving your ability to recommend (by asking experts, learning more)
- eventually write a program to have the computer recommend without you
By getting that initial lo-fi hands-on experience, you'll have a deeper understanding of what people really want from music recommendations.
Then you can build your service incrementally based on real user communication, instead of hiding in a lab for a year programming in isolation based on a year-old hunch.
If you say you want to do something, DO IT! Never blame outside forces stopping you. Work around obstacles to start immediately.
(P.S. He didn't like my advice. That was a few months ago. He's probably still looking for funding.)
Totally true, never sit back and wait on someone else or something else to come and save you. Often when that something comes if you haven't already started chances are you wont.
Just like you said, do it now! Don't wait, when someone else comes along to invest they will be more inclined if you can already present them with something of value.
Excuses are for people who don't really want to get the work done.
If something isn't happening the way you want it to it is 90% your fault. However you have to allow some time for a project to succeed.
Spot on! I had no funding. I was 105k in debt! And I am digging myself out one idea at at time. Excuses are no longer acceptable and maximum effort, ideas, and input is what I require of myself and all I associate with. I will "do first" and learn and adapt rather than "ponder" and wonder why it never happened. Failure is no longer an option and new ideas and knowledge will be my beacon.
Rock on MOFO's!
That's great advice, sad he didn't take it.
I like this advice. It keeps you from overcomplicating things and feeling overwhelmed.
Woddy Allen's famous quote is, "80% of success is showing up." Paul Arden in his books suggests that if you want a position at a particular company just show up and make yourself useful. No position open? Run errands and make tea (he's British). Eventually you'll know the workings of the company and have earned a reputaion for being handy and reliable. When a position opens up you'll be their first choice.
You're a do-er Derek. You see that baby steps are infinitely better than laying groundwork that will somehow magically transport you (because it won't anyway).
And good heavens, like you say, you have to tweak your approach as you go, starting slow/small gives you data upon which to iterate.
Derek, you are on a roll. Every post is better than the one before.
-- Derek
Awww... Thanks Seth! You're my hero and you know it.
Derek,
I so agree with you. It is easy to get stuck dreaming about what "could be, if only" and avoid doing the little things right in front of us that we have all the power to do. Thanks for the reminder. I'm off to take the next little step. (What a precious photo of the little puppy!)
Pam
thanks Derek, little puppies can turn into big dogs
An aphorism was exposed to in Guitar Craft is "Establish the possible and move gradually towards the impossible."
I have applied this musical projects, my business life, and personal life to get something moving. Works every time, key word here being work.
Starting the first lowest of lo-fi versions is the hardest part usually. Once you've at least made a start on something, you can mess up, learn, re-learn, tweak and keep it going. This is what I did when I had the monumental task of producing my PhD thesis. Deadlines and milestones help too. Great post man!
Just what I needed to hear right now. Very timely advise. Thanks as ever, Charlie.
Great words of advice. There are lots of great examples of why you should "launch early and often." I have found in my own business this is harder to do than I would have expected as the product is never to the level I want it. Doesn't help being a perfectionist by nature either
. So even more reason to take this advice and think of it often. Thanks for the awesome posts Derek... keep up the great work. Your blog is now one of my favorites.
Yes, this is one of many advices of yours I took to heart. ari
In 1974 (gasp) Michael Phillips published a book titled "The Seven Laws of Money". It is a wonderful book and is probably available on Abebooks and the like.
Phillips says that when most small businesses go under, the owner cries, "I just didn't have enough capital." Nonsense, says Phillips. The problem likely was that the owner likely had too MUCH capital, and blew it.
In my own case, I started with $2,000. We couldn't afford to make big mistakes. We could only afford small mistakes. If we started with $200,000, we would have made big mistakes, and blown it all. The company eventually grew to be a $5MM enterprise.
I am deliriously happy we didn't have a big bundle to start with.
Yes! Thanks for bringing this up, Larry. I totally agree. -- Derek
I thank we can summarize what's written in this article by : Every journey starts with the first step.
We can add to this : Just do it!
Thanks Derek.
That's a puppy? It looks like a kitten. So SWEET!
Hali
P.S. Oh, yeah. And great article, too!
I love this; some people tend to make me feel like I'm wasting my time by moving so slowly and cautiously. I'm enjoying what I'm doing, learning a lot, but the day I go HD will be very exciting!
Exactly - I started on my dream-project with no job, no income streams, I had about 1 month left before I would run out of money completely. I had a prototype which really showed nothing, but at least something was there and I was willing to work on it even for free. Then I had to decide, find a job/contracts(contracts didn't work out always by some "bad luck"). OR find an investor - so I mailed one rich guy I knew from back then when I was programming for him - I didn't count on anything, but boom - I've got financed(about 25K USD). I'm now much further in my project, it's very hard but I'm still evenly motivated to see it released till the end of this year. What I wanted to point out is when you are not actively pursuing what you want the universe throws "bad luck" at you. If you go for it, suddently luck comes, happened twice in major projects of my life. When you look at it closely, it's not really luck, you just draw attention because people see you are very dedicated to something and they WANT to support you.Instead of - I didn't start yet, but "if I had the money" - well, do you really want it so bad if you need money to start? - they think.
Absolutely. If you want to start doing anything just DO IT. It is not necessary to raise money or to invest too much. The world offers plenty of opportunities for everyone wanting to work. It is just hard work and nothing more. If you start a business from scratch without investing anybody else's money you will have a great feeling of achievement.
I appreciated this article. It reminded me of how my partner and I started SoundOps Mastering. We might have been successful sooner if we had considered this side of the argument.
Instead, we wanted to have so much of the groundwork in place, it was 2 years from the time we incorporated (and about 30 grand) before we began accepting clients with roughly the same equipment, software, and tools we had 2 years prior.
Looking back I'd say Derek's advice is right on. We could have done the work right away (less professionally, but it could have been done).
However, on the flip-side, growth can happen a lot faster when the systems are in place - whether it's a business like our mastering studio, or a band shooting for the big-time.
In conclusion, I agree with Derek, and recommend starting your venture now, and still keeping an eye down the road so your band or your business doesn't become a job, but continues to grow into something much more.
Good luck out there!
- Will
To some extent, I agree with some of what you have written Derek (love your blogs - they make me think
), however, loving what you do, giving, giving,giving until you are so tired and broke that there is little of you left is probably a challenging path to take, IMHO, as it's really human nature to take as much as is possible from those of us that love to give generously, of our time and support.
Being wise and knowing exactly what you are good at and what bores you to tears is also a handy skill to have too. If something bores you, you are less likely to pursue it, even if it's in pursuit of your 'dreams.'
Enjoy your day.
Kind regards and many blessings
always
Liz.x
thanks for all of your thoughts
ive been working on things nothing
has come yet but i think if i listing to Derek and open minded to others i think things will work out but I gess the one that has to do it is me.
I do agree. If you help yourself the universe will join in. Or in other words: people will see what you're about and that you're not all talk.
I must remember this one.