I have a great idea for a web application/site that hasn’t been done before and is very simple and useful for its purpose.. I know everyone with a "good idea" thinks this way, but I honestly feel it has potential to gain a lot of traction and attention, especially from advertisers. I’m wondering if anyone has advice on how to begin such a project?
I could make the initial site with my current (average) knowledge and then adjust/redo as it grows or I could invest some money and/or offer royalties to other developers to assist in its creation. Anybody thoughts or suggestions?
If you have the free time start working on it and learn as you go. I wouldn’t recommend throwing money at it from the start since as you’re building the thing it may dawn on you that it’s not actually that good an idea.
You should spend quite a bit of time planning everything out. Identify what platforms or frameworks you’ll be using and try to think of thing that you’ll need to learn, or skills that you’ll need to brush up on in order to finish. Don’t cut corners at the beginning as it’ll only make your life a lot harder.
In the end, your idea is worthless if your execution is poor.
|
If you have the free time start working on it and learn as you go. I wouldn’t recommend throwing money at it from the start since as you’re building the thing it may dawn on you that it’s not actually that good an idea.
You should spend quite a bit of time planning everything out. Identify what platforms or frameworks you’ll be using and try to think of thing that you’ll need to learn, or skills that you’ll need to brush up on in order to finish. Don’t cut corners at the beginning as it’ll only make your life a lot harder. In the end, your idea is worthless if your execution is poor. |
Makes sense.. I just dont want to spend so much time treating it as a learning tool that somebody else beats me to the execution.. I’m honestly surprised there isn’t a site like it out already.
if not to the execution… someone will copy your idea and beat you at the execution.
I disagree - there’s always competition in any good idea. And also, some great execution is done by old ideas. For example, Zappos.com sells shoes online - don’t you think someone has done it before them? They were so good at it, even Amazon had to buy them!
Other sites:
* Myspace copied Friendster, then Facebook Beat MySpace
* eHarmony.com copied Match.com
* Yelp.com copied Citysearch.com, which copied Sidewalk.com (What’s that?)
* Godaddy.com copied the hundred of domain registrars before them…
So, it’s not the idea, it’s the execution. And, it’s getting it out there so you can get better. People don’t like ideas in people’s head, they want to see it. You’re not going to get a developer if you don’t make the first few versions yourself - because, an idea, is simply not good enough.
|
I disagree - there’s always competition in any good idea. And also, some great execution is done by old ideas. For example, Zappos.com sells shoes online - don’t you think someone has done it before them? They were so good at it, even Amazon had to buy them!
Other sites: So, it’s not the idea, it’s the execution. And, it’s getting it out there so you can get better. People don’t like ideas in people’s head, they want to see it. You’re not going to get a developer if you don’t make the first few versions yourself - because, an idea, is simply not good enough. |
Well said
Either jump into it and spend a little bit to get the functionality to see if there is potential (proof of concept), or write out a full business plan. Having your thoughts down on paper is great and you’ll probably find yourself changing your idea completely. Personally, I’d just jump for it and see if there is potential, then I’d upgrade as I go. Bplans are actually slowing people down in this fast paced world. Most of the Inc 500 didn’t have business plans. Go for it man.