I'm starting to get some ideas for business and I would like your advice.

On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 6:18 AM, Fábio wrote:
Hi.

I just saw your slashdot comment
(http://ask.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1082003&cid=26346961) and I
was wondering if you were avaiable for some discussion of this? I'm
starting to get some ideas for business and I would like your advice.

My questions to you would be:
- Do you think that these companies, because of their resources, can
push a technology to mass usage independently of the current state in
technology? YouTube for instance, isn't more than well scalable
streaming video. Do you think it had work if you deployed 5 years
before them?
- Have you considered finding a business partner? person or company
that would push further for your technologies, maybe in ways you
couldn't?
- My current project is to manufacture some hardware gadgets. Any advice?

Keep the good work.

Thanks.
Fábio

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From: John Sokol
Date: Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: Slashdot Comment
To: Fábio

Fábio,


I have had many partners over the years.
As an inventor I find partners come in 2 flavors.
1.) Well meaning but not up to the job.
2.) Scammers and cheats.

The reason for this is the real business guys that can do the job, don't need an inventor, or an invention. They could make just as much money selling soap or dog food. Why pay me? Why deal with a risky new technology.

The scammers just use the real technology and inventor to pass the sniff tests and then steal the investors money.

Bottom line, you can't let any else control your business and expect not to get cheated.

There is no magical business partner going to come along and take care of these other matters.

I have had partners sink most of these companies in the end.
All it takes is one bad apple to ruin the barrel.
I could write a book on it at this point.

> - My current project is to manufacture some hardware gadgets. Any advice?

I have done quite a few gadgets. I'd look at manufacturing in China.

As an engineer it's our tendency to focus on what we are good at when things aren't going well. But more engineering in a company weak in marketing or sales doesn't help.

I'd focus on the least comfortable, most uncertain things first.
Usually this is the Business plan, projections, presentation, sales and marketing for technical people.

Bottom line is customers drive a business. Doesn't matter what you have, if that part isn't worked out first, you not going to get very far.

What demographic are you targeting, what is the target market?
How large is that market? What competition is there?
What volume do you plan to start production with?

Usually manufacturing has to be done in stages with developers and testing.
Start with a small run, maybe 10 units, to make sure it's working. Then a beta run, maybe 300 and put them in to some customers hands to test, then production, 10's of thousands.

I hope this helps some.

John