Looking Glass Solutions How we Succeeded and Failed at Business and What We Learned Andy White @arcwhite http://arcwhite.org [email_address]

LGS 'Open Source' Service based Software Development, Training, Training Room Facilities, System Administration and Support (Linux, Windows), Data Recovery, Consulting....

'Open Source'

Service based

Software Development, Training, Training Room Facilities, System Administration and Support (Linux, Windows), Data Recovery, Consulting....

Why did we do it? Freedom Fun Extended Coffee Breaks Working with Cool People Profit

Freedom

Fun

Extended Coffee Breaks

Working with Cool People

Profit

History Started by Evan Leybourn in 2002 Developing web-based Digital Asset Management System – Got_It PHP, dynamic HTML before AJAX Good fun work, one project I join in 2005, become Director in 2006

Started by Evan Leybourn in 2002

Developing web-based Digital Asset Management System – Got_It

PHP, dynamic HTML before AJAX

Good fun work, one project

I join in 2005, become Director in 2006

History Got_It! dried up Uhohs Made decision to search for new work Lots of Drupal sites Lots of web sites Not a lot of 'proper' development

Got_It! dried up

Uhohs

Made decision to search for new work

Lots of Drupal sites

Lots of web sites

Not a lot of 'proper' development

History In late 2006, added Training Room and Courses Training Room obliterated in Supercell Storm early 2007 Took 3 months to get back up! Office out of action for 1 month Very painful

In late 2006, added Training Room and Courses

Training Room obliterated in Supercell Storm early 2007

Took 3 months to get back up!

Office out of action for 1 month

Very painful

Final Days 2008 - joined business network (TCG group) They threw us some good work – but not much else Years of low and/or late wages and tight Christmas Psychological strain

2008 - joined business network (TCG group)

They threw us some good work – but not much else

Years of low and/or late wages and tight Christmas

Psychological strain

Final Days Tried to lose some Support Work Ended up adding more Oops Trying to do way too much

Tried to lose some Support Work

Ended up adding more

Oops

Trying to do way too much

The End Closed up formally on Dec 31 However... still winding up some bits and pieces Almost-but-not-quite broken even Could have been worse!

Closed up formally on Dec 31

However... still winding up some bits and pieces

Almost-but-not-quite broken even

Could have been worse!

What went wrong? Well, a lot of things... Learning Experience No Regrets!

Well, a lot of things...

Learning Experience

No Regrets!

What went wrong? Trying To Do Too Much Can't be everything to everyone Broken focus, broken results Context Switching

Trying To Do Too Much

Can't be everything to everyone

Broken focus, broken results

Context Switching

What went wrong? Wrong Mix Of People Good team – like family

Wrong Mix Of People

Good team – like family

The Family Evan Leybourn – Director, Developer Ashley Flynn – Developer (sort of), Sysadmin Brett Zezulka - Developer Jennifer Edmonson - Developer Xianzheng (Joe) Zhao - Developer Simon Pascal Klein - Designer Alex Moon - Developer Chao Yan - Developer

Evan Leybourn – Director, Developer

Ashley Flynn – Developer (sort of), Sysadmin

Brett Zezulka - Developer

Jennifer Edmonson - Developer

Xianzheng (Joe) Zhao - Developer

Simon Pascal Klein - Designer

Alex Moon - Developer

Chao Yan - Developer

What went wrong? Wrong Mix Of People All technical No marketing skills, No sales skills Oops

Wrong Mix Of People

All technical

No marketing skills, No sales skills

Oops

What went wrong? Starting From Nothing No war chest Tight times stressful

Starting From Nothing

No war chest

Tight times stressful

What went wrong? Undervaluing Skills Not charging enough Some awesome work, not awesome pay 'Soft Touch'

Undervaluing Skills

Not charging enough

Some awesome work, not awesome pay

'Soft Touch'

What went wrong? Not Enough Networking Who you know >= What you know Yearly trips to OSDC Not much engagement otherwise Lessons of Social Media

Not Enough Networking

Who you know >= What you know

Yearly trips to OSDC

Not much engagement otherwise

Lessons of Social Media

What went wrong? Accounting – not enough knowledge Book-keeping – not enough attention Insurance – not enough anything Day to day 'stuff' – context switching Lack of holidays, spotty pay, eventual burn-out - Painful!

Accounting – not enough knowledge

Book-keeping – not enough attention

Insurance – not enough anything

Day to day 'stuff' – context switching

Lack of holidays, spotty pay, eventual burn-out - Painful!

What went wrong? Shutting down is painful Outstanding invoices, debts, voluntary versus involuntary insolvency, bankruptcy, ongoing liabilities, good will issues, reputation issues, disposal of assets, physical de-location, closing accounts... ARGH

Shutting down is painful

Outstanding invoices, debts, voluntary versus involuntary insolvency, bankruptcy, ongoing liabilities, good will issues, reputation issues, disposal of assets, physical de-location, closing accounts...

ARGH

What went wrong? Harder to end a business than start one

Harder to end a business than start one

What went right? A lot of fun

A lot of fun

What went right? Some pick-up towards the end Once we started marketing! Still getting lots of inquiries...

Some pick-up towards the end

Once we started marketing!

Still getting lots of inquiries...

What went right? Flexible Hours

Flexible Hours

What went right? Flexible Hours .... And Lots of Them ...

Flexible Hours

.... And Lots of Them ...

What went right? Some cool projects Lots of learning (technical, social, legal, financial, legal, business)

Some cool projects

Lots of learning (technical, social, legal, financial, legal, business)

What went right? Did manage to make a living

Did manage to make a living

What went right? Met some really awesome people Our team Other FOSS folks Government and business people

Met some really awesome people

Our team

Other FOSS folks

Government and business people

Recommendations If you have an idea If you have the will If you're not afraid to suffer for success

If you have an idea

If you have the will

If you're not afraid to suffer for success

Recommendations Go for it! Very satisfying, very rewarding

Go for it!

Very satisfying, very rewarding

Recommendations Try to leverage your hours - $$ for hours can be a losing proposition sometimes Deliver value for the client's money Don't be afraid to charge for that value Don't be afraid to maximise your profit (but be nice about it)

Try to leverage your hours - $$ for hours can be a losing proposition sometimes

Deliver value for the client's money

Don't be afraid to charge for that value

Don't be afraid to maximise your profit (but be nice about it)

Recommendations Have a Business Plan If you don't know how to do one, learn first

Have a Business Plan

If you don't know how to do one, learn first

Recommendations Test and Measure Test your ideas, measure the response Test your business plan, measure response Test your staff, measure response Always work to improve

Test and Measure

Test your ideas, measure the response

Test your business plan, measure response

Test your staff, measure response

Always work to improve

Recommendations 'Ware starting from nothing Be frugal when there is plenty Be generous when there is scarcity

'Ware starting from nothing

Be frugal when there is plenty

Be generous when there is scarcity

Recommendations Right mix of skills You need to market & sell (duh)

Right mix of skills

You need to market & sell (duh)

Recommendations Marketing Plan is Planning Gold Don't go without one ... Unless you're really talented!

Marketing Plan is Planning Gold

Don't go without one

... Unless you're really talented!

Recommendations Always have an Exit Plan Even if you never use it

Always have an Exit Plan

Even if you never use it

Recommendations Now seems like Good Time for FOSS business Inquiries – 2 or 3 per month GFC (cuts many ways) Opportunities for developers

Now seems like Good Time for FOSS business

Inquiries – 2 or 3 per month

GFC (cuts many ways)

Opportunities for developers

Never Give Up You will be successful (for some values of success) eventually Business is about trying, and trying again Take care of yourself – death is an end state for your involvement in business Good luck!

You will be successful (for some values of success) eventually

Business is about trying, and trying again

Take care of yourself – death is an end state for your involvement in business

Good luck!