[DJ Samson]

Does anyone own a subscription based e-business? Primarily one that is b2b? I have a few questions if you don't mind answering them by e-mail or PM.

Thanks.

[akula]

yah..I used to operate hotbusinessblog.com, which was a subscription based blogging application sold to small/micro businesses
pls msg me...but ideally I would prefer if you posted publicly (it would add to the community)

[ADVERTISE HERE!]

Thanks, Akula. I'm glad you understand why we're all here.

Originally Posted by akula

yah..I used to operate hotbusinessblog.com, which was a subscription based blogging application sold to small/micro businesses
pls msg me...but ideally I would prefer if you posted publicly (it would add to the community)

[DJ Samson]

OK, here are a few of my questions.

1.) Did you yourself develop the web site and/or software?

2.) If so, what did you use to get it off the ground? (mysql, etc) And what resources did you use to learn about programming and developing the subsription site?


These are some of my main questions right now. I'm having alot of trouble finding how I'm actually going to create this site but developing a concept or idea isn't a huge problem.

[journeyoftheanimals]

I can not help with what your asking about. However I must say this is the first time I have ever seen anyone advertise space on their sig. Very interesting. You have the entrepreneur spirit, that is for sure.

[akula]

Originally Posted by DJ Samson

OK, here are a few of my questions.

1.) Did you yourself develop the web site and/or software?

2.) If so, what did you use to get it off the ground? (mysql, etc) And what resources did you use to learn about programming and developing the subsription site?


These are some of my main questions right now. I'm having alot of trouble finding how I'm actually going to create this site but developing a concept or idea isn't a huge problem.

1) Yes, we wrote our own software. That was the worst decision I had ever made in my business career. Thankfully, I will never, ever (even with a gun to my head) repeat this mistake again...actually, I fall violently sick when I hear the words "writing software"...I can't stress enough the degree of sympathy that I feel for a team who are writing software from scratch...from my perspective, these guys really are the suicidal, sadomasochistic martyrs of the startup world

2) I don't write code (i'm a lawyer)..but the guys just wrote the thing in php, used mysql and hosted everything on apache servers...we didn't license anything like coldfusion or whatever

3) I learned 2 critical lessons (now, they're more like rules which I'll never break):

To make money in software commercialisation;

- Sell then build (rather than build and then try to sell). I've made a solemn promise that not one line of code will ever get written for any software project that I'm involved with - unless we have paying customers on our books.

- Do what Tom Evslin says, particularly in relation to feature creep and the staged dev cycle. I've made a promise that I will shank any executive who allows non-critical features to make their way into alpha and beta releases.

questions/comments?

[DJ Samson]

Thanks for the advice.

So one of the main reasons why subscription based web sites appeal to me is that these sites can provide a consistent cash flow. Furthermore, alot of subscription based web sites that I've seen are business to business, which is usually easier to profit from because businesses are willing to pay more than the average joe consumer.

I know a little html but nothing really fancy and I have no programming skills at all. If I wanted to get into this subscription based e-biz industry, would I have to find partners to create software for my idea? Or would I pay a programmer to develop my idea into a software? Are there any other options?

I've research this topic alot but I haven't found a single book on subscription based e-businesses. I'll keep looking

Thanks
DJ

[neemtree]

I haven't configured a paid subscription site using Drupal myself, but I do know that Drupal + the e-commerce plugin module allows you to do this. (All point and click configs, no writing software).

[akula]

Originally Posted by DJ Samson

I know a little html but nothing really fancy and I have no programming skills at all. If I wanted to get into this subscription based e-biz industry, would I have to find partners to create software for my idea? Or would I pay a programmer to develop my idea into a software? Are there any other options?

errr...man, just do what you're good at! that's where you'll make ur money
ok..as far as saas goes, you can;

1) build from scratch
2) extend open source
3) become distributor/licensee

options 1 and 2 are very uncertain, difficult and expensive. option 3 is a good starting point. dude..I tell ya..forget this stuff..you're just not thinking about business in the right way..you use strange words like "ideas". software doesn't work that way.

what you're talking about isn't a school project. it's not like you're gonna create some special thing with ur great ideas and have some benevolent person generously mark you on your effort. on the contrary; you have to be out in the field, talking to customers, telling them how you can solve their problem, taking their money - and one you've done all these things you can start to figure out the most cost effective way for commecilising your solution - whether it might mean option 1, 2 or 3.

it's not about ideas, it's about customers