How to get a business started?

[user-7256]

Hey all,

I'm 15 and am interested in organizing a team of programmers to develop web projects - starting off being paid by commission.

I still want to go under the name "MPR-EN", or the "Matt's Projects E-Network" ... and each programmer would be paid by commission, e.g. how much ad revenue, sales from the site (products?), etc.

I have to be able to leave it alone for 2 years come 2009 or 2010 or so - by then I will hope it has grown...

Any suggestions, advice? Should I or shouldn't I? (Obviously my current MattsProjects.net site would be transformed to match a company...)

-Matt

 

[Zeeble]

If this is something that you really want to do, you will need to do some serious work.

What worries me most is the fact that you are saying "I have to be able to leave it alone for 2 years". My response to this is, that no business, especially what you are proposing is turnkey and can be left alone, particularly for such a long period of time.

My second concern is this:
NO-ONE will work for FREE! I HIGHLY doubt that you can find a talented and dedicated designer/coder who is willing to develop anything for the possibility of some money in the future as a result of a only a part share in a project which he/she did by themselfs.

My advice is this:

Over the next couple of years, plan things out properly. Look at each one of your ideas, create a business plan for each one exploring costs, pay back period and average rate of return etc. Also, research each idea thoroughly, so that you know exactly how many resources are involved to do it PROPERLY.

Once you hit 18 and finish your A levels (or US eq.) leave college for a tester year. Work full time and hire yourself a full time coder and also a full time designer from somewhere like India (where the best of the best costs around $800 per month) and go full out.

If the tester year doesn't work out, you havn't lost anything because you can still go to university afterwards...

 

[user-7256]

First, notice I said they'd be paid on commission... what they develop and when it generates revenue, they get paid for it.

I'm DEFINATELY not going to be rushing into this and might wait until AFTER 2010 before I organize it... I appreciate your advice.

 

[tzmartin]

From my experience, build the foundation yourself then bring in outside programmers. I learned that you must have complete control over intellectual property and the business at hand. Keep this in mind: Why would a programmer go with you if they can build it themselves?

Create value first, then proceed with partnerships with caution. The other route is to just hire them under contract... but, that takes money.

 

[Zeeble]

First, notice I said they'd be paid on commission... what they develop and when it generates revenue, they get paid for it.

That's why I said, why would someone create something and then only take a percentage? What's stopping someone from making it, and taking 100%?

In other words, what could you bring to the table for someone who would create everything and only take a share?

 

[Immersion]

Why wouldnt the programmer just make the thing on his own and then sell it for the total ammount of projects. That seems more sense to me. All i can see you provide its advertising for the product/site.

 

[sjaguar13]

From my experience, build the foundation yourself then bring in outside programmers.

I agree with this. If you start off by yourself, you can control everything. After people hear about you and you start getting more work, hire some people. If I could get work on my own, I wouldn't need to work for someone, but if you can provide a steady flow of work, you can find programmers and designers who are talented at what they do, they just have a hard time finding something to do.

I think the point Colin is trying to make is, if I make a site, I can put Adsense on it just as easy as anyone else and take the money. I wouldn't want to make a site for someone for a portion of their Adsense earnings. The whole commission thing probably won't work. You would need to do some sort of pay-per-job, and then if the site is generating revenue, you could give that as a bonus, or keep it. If you planned on keeping it, you could offer more to the programmer you think is building a great site. You would be able to find more programmers is the risk is more on you than on them.