General Entrepreneur Advice

[gabeorlo]

Hello,

I am a college student with an idea for a website that caters to students. I have been working with the idea for about a month now, and have put in about twenty hours of work.

However, I am beginning to feel at a standstill, because I simply do not know what the next steps should be. Unfortunately I don't have the genius programming skills to implement my plan, nor do I have the contacts to help me.

So what I would like to know is... What are the next steps I should take? How do I get in contact with people who can help me, such as developers and investors? How can I get feedback from other people about my idea, without giving it away and risking the possibility that someone runs off with it?

I just feel like I've planned a lot and developed the idea a good amount, but I don't know what to do now, who to contact, and how to contact them.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Gabe

[JKansas]

20 hours is not a lot invested into a project. I would guess that many of the guys on here have notebooks full of ideas they spent 20+ hours on.

This is the time for research. Forget investors and feedback, i'm not sure you have a solid idea yet. Do you have logos (or at least a branding idea)? Do you have a business plan written (or at least mapped out)? Do you have projected financial statements with supporting research?

If not, then you arent ready for investment. Map out your idea, then research how to do it. You might not be a programmer, but at the very least you should know what language it will need to be in and what the server or logistical requirements will be. Learn about propper business plans, not for the sake of being propper... but for the sake of learnign what information you should have organized and readily available to any potential partner or investor.

If you do have those things(or once you are done) then I would suggest using your university resources. Get Alumni lists from the business school, see if they have any mentoring programs. Get on linked in and network with alums! This is where networking is huge. There is not one phone number you can call and get it figured out. To help in networking, don't forget to give a little too. It might be as simple as reccomending a restaurant to one of the alums you call, or pickign him up at the airport for a game or buying him lunch when he's in town. Someone in your network becomes a contact once you've helped each other out, be it business or personally.

Don't forget other students. You need a programmer, check out the computer sciences group.. find out what library they use or what building their classes are in and post up a flyer. If you can access the list-servs then get ahold of the computer science one and send an email out asking for applicants. Talk to professors and ask if they have any students who would fit what you're seeking. Take resumes or descriptions from the people, take them out to a beer (or whatever seems socially appropriate) and talk to them about their passions, what they do, what they think of entrepreneurship without talking directly about your project. You might be able to find a perfect partner, or at least a really good one.

Time wise... My current business probably has about 250 hours into the business plan. This doesnt count the daydreaming time we all spend while doing other things. For the next stage of my business I will have a polics and procedures manual that is about 1200 man hours worth of work... no fun. I worked on one project where a 5 man group probably had about 1500 hours into a business plan. It was a functioning company we were trying to improve for a class project.

What you lack in money, skills, and resources you have to make up somehow. I'm not saying it's hard, but it is work! Become an expert on your idea, every facet of it through free research. Put together those items and then start meeting some contacts.

This is just my opinion... I know there are people that have fallen into things far easier, and you might, but I think this method will make your more successful in the long run. Also, I'm not saying you have to have a certain number of hours into a business plan. An experienced entrepeneur may only need 20 hours to map out a successful business. But as a novice myself I know it would take me far longer.

I know it was long, hopefully something in there helps!

[wuchun]

However, I am beginning to feel at a standstill, because I simply do not know what the next steps should be. Unfortunately I don't have the genius programming skills to implement my plan, nor do I have the contacts to help me.

[MMarley]

Try getting involved in an open source project.
You'll get to know a lot of developers from different backgrounds and skills.

To meet business people, try hanging out on forums like this one or something more specific like discuss.joelonsoftware.com

[BarbaraKParker]

The first bit of entrepreneur advice is entrepreneurship requires distinct characteristics that will help you to build a successful business. You need to set your sights on these characteristics and develop them if you don't have them.

Confidence in yourself: read any piece on entrepreneur advice and you will come across the same thing. Without absolute, complete and total confidence in yourself and your abilities there is not much you can do. You have to have what it takes to go after your dreams and build reality. You will face many obstacles along the course of your business; without self confidence you cannot overcome them. Push yourself a little more each day to step beyond your comfort zone; one day soon you will be amazed at the level of self confidence you have attained.