Lets start a YE business...

[od3n]

wow interesting plan

[jck2003]

I believe the only way that we can get anything started is by having an MSN conference and then we can discuss if this is viable enough and the ideas etc. I think it will be too slow to communicate over YE like this.

John

[crackah]

okey...I've been through this "community startup" thing when thebusinessexperiment.com was still around. same concept, except it got off the ground. at one stage, there were well over 6000 registered and 100 active users working for this "community sourced" startup called Askspace

anyway, I'd really encourage you guys to get in touch with the founder of thebusiness experiement, put him on a conference call and get some advice on how not to fuck this whole thing up

Ok thanks for that.

I dont think i will want to have quite that many people lol, but i shall email.

Thanks.

[crackah]

So.. any ideas? social networks? or maybe a store, or what not?


Maybe anyone know a niche we could work at?

[akula]

So.. any ideas? social networks? or maybe a store, or what not?

Maybe anyone know a niche we could work at?

ok...let me give you some pointers that I learned from the business experiment

Opportunity selection: focus on strengths What you have here is a distributed team. You guys are in diffrent parts of the world. This is both a weakness and a strength. You need to pick a an opportunity where the distributed nature of your team is a strength...in other words, since you're already spread across the world, you can do things that other teams can't - and that's where your advantage lies.

For example: any kind of team can start a social network or a shop; but only a distributed team can start an effective import/export consultancy or a freight business.

Opportunity selection: focus on core skills Likewise you guys have to focus on your core skills and the things you enjoy doing. Posting on forums, blogging, web design, gaming etc..That's where you guys are gonna make the most money, because the guys involved aren't gonna quit the project as quickly.

Essentially, with the ratification of AUSTFA 2004, there has never before been more interest for US export opportunities from Australian manufacturers and service providers. Capitalizing on this trend, you guys can help Australian exporters with better access to US markets, because the nature of your team provides the infrastructure for providing these products/services.

[Brennan]

I'm interested in joining in

[jck2003]

Thats quite interesting Akula. Yes, we must focus on our talents and try to combine them together to our advantage.

[crackah]

Yeah, thanks for the pointers Akula. Something I was pritty much thinking.

Obviously this idea should be global, not local and be something we are interested in.

I had an idea of a website where we can source people products, from different countries which they either dont speak the language or can trust people there.

Not sure if something similar exists.

[teabenny]

They do exist - B2B sites.

I have this vague idea of a consultancy of some sort (actually, an Export Management Company)... using our spread out team, which is located in Australia, the UK, USA and China, to personally seek out and evaluate suppliers and close export deals for companies located within these countries. For example, just recently I came across a Chinese company making solar hot-water heaters. They were seeking a US distributor.

So, my vague idea goes, we would approach them - or be approached by them - to get their distribution network set up. Find the distributor, organise export formalities, etc. Save the execs the hassles of travelling, since we have the people to do it locally. For example, I put up a buy offer on a trading site here in China - I've had over 300 replies and counting. People are screaming to sell their goods! And that's just for one product in one country.

Well, it's only the outline of an idea so far. We would be competing against many other EMCs, although I don't know about their reach. Certainly, that's one advantage we have. But a twist in the tail? Something unique about us? Hmmm... several brains are better than one.

[crackah]

I love it. I really do. Whats other people opinions on this?

I think its something which we could really do.

[Iberianwolf]

Well, finally I am able to post, without having to use crackah good will in order to do it.
Regards to you all, furious entrepreneur minds!

Like I said before, I think this “lets start a YE business” idea, not being a new killer concept, may well be a very reasonable solution for entrepreneurs wanting to develop their projects.
The way I see it, to move on from an idea on a piece of paper to an online business start-up project is not an easy task. Mainly because three aspects: first of all, if and when I decide to move on with something, is crucial to assume a 100% professional attitude and success driven mentality; second reason is based on the old sentence “no man is an island”, which basically mean that something like this should not be a one man show project, as a lot of experience and multi-competences are needed. The last reason is perhaps the most difficult to achieve: to find and most of all, to put to work a team of associates, partners, advisors, etc in a distance working model basis. Like someone said before, it’s a challenge to make a team out of people located at several globe points, but after we done it, it’s a great advantage without any doubt.

Personally, I don’t have any kind of experience with online business models, as my 15 years professional experience has always been accomplished in the physical world, with direct contact with clients, suppliers and partners. Nevertheless, I have two or three ideas for internet based projects I would like to discuss later on.

I will now share some concerns of my own regarding this matter, for later discussion:

1.Structure:
Considering we are moving forward and somewhere in time a project will come out, what should be the legal structure that will support it? We will need to bill our clients, present ourselves to the market, open a bank account, consider taxation issues and so on… Should we consider open a company with proper shareholder distribution? Considering we may operate locally or worldwide, were should that company be based on? Should we consider some kind of off-shore structure? Maybe I am wrong, but to do things the right way, maybe someone with legal and accounting competences should integrate this group;

2.Work and communication methodology:
This issue is a must. As we expect to have people from different locations, things like communication, timetables, designated tasks, goals and project status should all perfectly synchronize. Personally, I propose to elect some collaboration internet based tool, like www.huddle.net; www.secureoffice.net or www.hyperoffice.com. Any comments on this are welcome, namely if any of you guys has experience with this kind of platforms.

3.To put name, faces and competences under nicknames:
Perhaps this forum isn’t the proper place to do it, but if we decide to move on with this, I really think we need to take the next step regarding knowledge about our members, future members, candidates, etc… Personally, I don’t want to work with nicknames or some kind of avatars. I want to do it for real with real people, and considering it is almost impossible to know everyone in person, we definitely must arrange some way of sharing our personal, detailed profiles.



Being too analytical? Perhaps… But those (among others) are questions I think we need to discuss…

Let’s look at it with entrepreneur spirit: This particular issue (team assembling, multi competence driven projects, communication tools and legal support structure) may be considered, by itself, a business opportunity, as a service to global entrepreneurship all over the world… who knows?

Comments? Critics?
Be by guest…
Regards

[crackah]

Being too analytical?

No, i think everything you said is true.

I also agree this isnt the best place to organize it. I can setup a forum for us to use, and i will have a look at some of the sites you suggested.

If you have msn, add me, and anyone else add me, as we will be chatting at about 9 my time, so 40mins after this post.

[crackah]

Had a good chat tonight, few ideas thrown around.

Going to get a couple of the more experienced YE people to make a decision on the ideas we will generate i believe. Up for it akula?

[akula]

Had a good chat tonight, few ideas thrown around.

Going to get a couple of the more experienced YE people to make a decision on the ideas we will generate i believe. Up for it akula?

whatever..I can arbitrate the discussions, if asked, but don't expect much

I've been through more than a couple of startup projects with teams of more than 3 co founders, and I'm very transparent and consistent on what I think is and is not a good idea

1. All ideas count for nothing
2. Opportunities count for everything
3. All opportunities are unacceptable, unless
4. The opportunity is proven by documents such as primary market research and contracts for delivery
5. A small proven opportunity is better than a huge unproven opportunity

Essentially, I would much rather see one of you guys put the hand up and close one customer with some dead simple proposition, than to see you guys deliberate over the next 9 months over which one of your ideas is a killer idea

Look..I'm not gonna trail off into a lecture on how to start a business, save for underling the following:

1. Get/steal/nominate/appoint a leader
2. Pressure the leader into scrapping together some contracts for delivery
3. Execute on those projects, make some money and then focus on you big hairy audacious goals for the perfect startup that's gonna blow everyone's socks off.

Have a bias towards action.

[olani]

My idea is to create a much better forum than YE. The maintenance is crappy and the moderator's amount is small.

Some weeks ago I had the bright idea making a YE 2.0., something with a great staff that works actively in the forum and contributes frequently to increase the members amount and traffic.

The problem is that we need some funds, some dedication and some work to make something successful that will make all the members be proud of the forum and receive quality answers from people that knows what they say and don't just sends spam.

The question now is.. who will take the reigns of this forum and get the responsibility of a community of thousands of visitors (and potential members)?