Thread: That time in your startup where NOTHING is happening..

That time when you're maybe making graphics or coding a website, or when you're in developement and programming your app, or maybe when you're creating the design for your product and actually getting it manufactured.. EVERY business has a time period like this where you're right in the middle of your startup before you actually launch the company/product/whatever. This time period where you have no positive feedback and you start having doubts about your product and you start thinking maybe its been done before or maybe it wont work and the work hours get longer and longer. Not sure what to really call this, but I think it's the point when most hopeful business owners give up because there's nothing to keep you going.

I'm in this time period right now with my current startup. I'm coding my website and the days just draaaagg on. Starting to get second thoughts, doubts, thinking it wont work. (I know it will, but the doubts are always there). Of course I make sure I get something done every day, it's just a difficult point. Anyone can relate or recently finished something like this? Probably the worst part of starting any kind of company or business or releasing any kind of product.

I remember reading an article about a book that talks about time versus effort. I'm sure someone will know what book I'm talking about but in short entrepreneurs hit a runner's wall with any start-up. Its the point in time when you have now finished the easy tasks and the harder, more time consuming tasks come forward.

Think of breaking this wall as a formula involving time and effort. When you start your project you are excited about your new idea and its future so your effort is as high as it can be and as you start to develop this project your effort will fall, flatten out at the bottom and if you can break through that flat point you breakout into another huge push of effort.

This is how I look at it, some may disagree but with my projects, not quitting through the orange section (shown below) is the hard part, once you get passed it though, the world is yours.

Effort Time.jpg

^ Pretty interesting stuff!

My personal business experience has been pretty mild I guess you could say but one thing I keep reading about is the idea of getting other people excited about your business early. I have no idea what your product/service is or whatever but maybe start creating press releases. Go talk to website owners that relate to your business idea and ask them to write articles about your new company. Once you start seeing other people talk about your business it will make you a whole lot more excited because the idea will seem much more real.

Or perhaps you are having motivation issues because maybe this isn't the industry or job you thought it would be. Maybe the fantasy you had about the job isn't the way you imagined. It may be a good idea to take some time to think about this considering you do not want to be wasting money on something you do not even believe in.

All I will say is, we all get that uneasy feeling at some point. If you weren't getting that feeling, then I'd be worried. It sounds like you are on track, keep moving forward.

I'm at a similar point as you, but a couple steps back. I have the product line and the machine to make it. I have the domain, but still can't find that great looking template to get started on it. I can't afford to get anything custom made, so I'm a template guy.

I've almost walked away a few times, but I'm sticking with it. I've done a "soft opening" with a presence at trade shows and that helped to generate some buzz and a little bit of revenue to save before the real opening. The biggest discouragement at this part of the process is that I'm working very hard getting things just right but don't have anything tangible that the market can see for my effort.

Originally Posted by Motorcade

...My personal business experience has been pretty mild I guess you could say but one thing I keep reading about is the idea of getting other people excited about your business early. I have no idea what your product/service is or whatever but maybe start creating press releases. Go talk to website owners that relate to your business idea and ask them to write articles about your new company. Once you start seeing other people talk about your business it will make you a whole lot more excited because the idea will seem much more real...

Speaking from experience, be careful of how you go about that. You don't want to be in a position of getting a whole lot of attention before you are ready to address the demand. That *could* lead to several problems. The few that fly off my mind immediately would be you make the business/product stale in some ways b/c you "cry wolf" and the second go around (or third or whatever) you try to let people know about what you offer, the impact will be less and the initial excitement/reaction might be less. The other is too much attention early on might goad you into prematurely entering into an agreement or sales before your ready to handle it.

You don't want to be getting too much press or the wrong kinds of press before you have anything together correctly. It reminded me of a new series I just saw on the Food Channel a week ago called 3 Days to Open with Bobby Flay, I think it was called? Anyhow, he comes in to assist these young entrepreneurs 3 days prior to their open to help them succeed and realizes they are ill prepared. As he is trying to get them bootstrapped and ready, the main entrepreneur is running out onto the streets of NYC to do a "press/marketing event" to get people's attention and draw them to the new restaurant. Bobby is there saying (paraphrasing), "Why are you trying to bring attention to yourselves at this moment when you don't even have the store or product completely figured out yet... you couldn't handle the demand right now even if you wanted to"

You got this far and believed enough in it to reach this point, push on and through it like Arthur suggested. You can do it man! If it wasn't difficult at times, what would be it's value anyhow?

I'm working on it. See it's extra difficult for me, because I haven't coded a website in about 5 years and I'm rusty. Everyday I get into coding I hit a huge problem and have to send a question off to support. I've been thinking of just paying someone to code it for me, but I want to know how my website works and I want it to be EXACTLY how I want it.. I've been coding for 2 months and the design is 100% done and implimented, but content is about 15%. I just keep running into snags in the code.. Right now I'm trying to add in a search form, and I fix one problem, then 3 more pop up. I fix those, and my original problem is back.

And WHILE all this is happening, I've had about 3 other really really awesome ideas. I almost want to start a side project to my current project, but I feel like I'm only doing that because of how difficult my current project is. I've read, and learned from personal experience that finishing what you start is a lot better than jumping into something else, because chances are you'll develop a habit of giving up and do it over and over. Just a crappy situation, I guess. I'll give myself 1 more month of coding time, and if I'm still pulling my hair out, I'm going to higher a professional.. If anyone on here knows anything about PHP, CSS, HTML. I'd love to talk to you

In any startup, it's so super important that you stay focused, that you are clear on your vision, that you are solving a major problem, and that you have a team that can execute. Focus is major.

Originally Posted by BullsFTW

In any startup, it's so super important that you stay focused, that you are clear on your vision, that you are solving a major problem, and that you have a team that can execute. Focus is major.

I'm just having a hard time with all these things combined. This super hard time I'm having getting it going, the ideas flooding in, and all the doubts that naturally come along with any startup. I think I'd save myself if I just sucked it up and paid someone to code it for me, but I keep having this thought in my head that I could save the money by doing it myself and have a better understanding of my website. Once this website is done it should be WAY easier. I always anticipated this to be the hardest part.

Originally Posted by InvaderMoose

I'm working on it. See it's extra difficult for me, because I haven't coded a website in about 5 years and I'm rusty. Everyday I get into coding I hit a huge problem and have to send a question off to support. I've been thinking of just paying someone to code it for me, but I want to know how my website works and I want it to be EXACTLY how I want it.. I've been coding for 2 months and the design is 100% done and implimented, but content is about 15%. I just keep running into snags in the code.. Right now I'm trying to add in a search form, and I fix one problem, then 3 more pop up. I fix those, and my original problem is back.

I know exactly where you are mentally, BTDT. That is the beauty of coding... sometimes it is a 2 step forward, 1 step back kinda deal. :-p hang in there and tough it out according to your plan. Like mentioned before me, FOCUS is of huge importance... I speak from experience.

Originally Posted by InvaderMoose

...If anyone on here knows anything about PHP, CSS, HTML. I'd love to talk to you

I know all-of-the-above, I would be happy to chat with you if you think it would help. PM me when you have a moment if you like. Good luck!