Now is the Time to Launch Your New Project

Lately everyone seems to be down about the Economy. Recent graduates can't find jobs. People are being laid off in enormous numbers. Everything is very unstable, and no-one knows what's going to happen next.

But I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful because we're on the downside of a curve. The bubble just popped in the Tech world, and all the easy VC money that goes with it is gone. This means people are bootstrapping, and its a wonderful thing. Business plans and first month profits to boot!

Back to Reality

This is a good thing because it brings people back to reality and quickly erases the hype of a sustainable freemium model. The Tech world gets so caught up in its own echo chamber its reminiscent of a mini-hollywood filled with its own mini-cewebrities. The recent downturn has let people rediscover the value of business models that aren't based on advertising and "getting really big"--but I digress.

When "big ideas" stop getting VC money, lots of developers either leave the space or kill their ideas. This is a huge opportunity for the rest of us. Suddenly, there's way less competition. But not only that, there is way less VC-funded competition--even better.

I Can't Bootstrap My Idea, I Need VC Funding

Some people say their idea needs VC funding. Maybe. Some ideas need funding. But the reality is, many startups take money because its there. It helps accelerate growth and lets you work on your startup full-time until you become profitable. There are many ways to move into a competitive high-priced market, be creative.

Taking VC money is sexy and all the cool kids are doing it, but there are other ways. There's nothing wrong with working 10 hours a week on a project. Your lack of time will let you focus on what's really important. Cutting out bloat will make you leaner, quicker and better.

Now is the Time, Do it.

Launch early, get feedback, iterate quickly. Fund it with your existing job and work on it in your spare time. Have no doubt, smart developers have their heads down working on their next project. By the time everybody else starts looking for VC money, they'll already be riding the wave.

This entry was published on Feb. 14, 2009 in Web Development