I started a business. It made me want to drink copious quantities, smoke myself into oblivion and hit my head against a brick wall. Instead I wrote a blog.
Site Launch Day: 73
User Count: 111
Going right: Dividing the web milestones into small pieces means I can get increments out of the door faster and keep the site fresh.
Going wrong: Web development. Its the bane of my life. Developers are - quite frankly - shit at keeping to spec and budget.
Comment: As soon as the time is right, I shall be hiring an in-house developer
Today I got a free audit. And when I say audit, I mean an email listing point by point, the perceived holes in my business....one of my game testers forewarned me that it was coming, because it was from a referral of hers (unfortunately for her, the guy didn't sign up via the link, which means she didn't get any points for it. Which also means that I am still beating her...:-)).
As a SOX auditor, it's his job to poke holes in the fabric of the business processes, find litigation flashpoints and uncover compliance issues.
When I heard about the review, I was prepared to put on my armor and deflect the arrows. But by the end of the mail, I realized that almost all of the points were already covered and if they weren't, they were underway. For a business to stand up so early on under that kind of scrutiny, I felt rather proud that most items I could check off with confidence. Everything from IP issues to pseudonym use and accreditation validation. There were also a few suggestions thrown in. It seems that above all of these queries, some prospective users are intrigued as well as wary. It's a nice state to be in...wariness also generates a tinge of excitement in our species. Adrenaline occurs when you are on the cusp of a precipice....
'You only can live on adrenaline for so long; one thing is for sure, it doesn't pay the bills.' John Barrow
John Barrow is a US politician who has:
- Very horsey teeth
- A confused ideology on abortion and
- The wrong idea about adrenaline
Because you can earn money on it. Judging from the interest and activity surrounding the one simple task that has launched and is testing as part of the game - that of referring users - the huge challenge of the game achievements to come will create quite a stir. There are dangers of course. Especially regarding the IP...since any warranty or indemnity is only as good as the person or entity giving it. It is impossible too eliminate all risk in this regard. But I see them as challenges; especially now that we - the testers and I - form some sort of community of excellence.
The seven Samurai are
- An operations & project manager
- A telecom consultancy & excel expert
- A brand & marketing expert
- A corporate finance expert
- A technology finance expert
- An engineering manager
- A digital strategy manager
They live and work in 4 different countries, gleefully poking their tongue out at old school thinking and pushing the boundaries of what was previously believed impossible. And of course by one John Barrow, still is.
If you want a peek at the business that's driving me insane you can click here.