Small Website Owner

Is your family supportive of what you're trying to accomplish?

Asked by Emiree... over 12 years ago

This is one of the greatest challenges, most of the time no. They don't see it like I do, they are not willing to stay up until 3am every night tweaking functionality or analyzing market feedback. Stop playing around and get a real job, something that will actually do you good. It really hurts, but it also drives...the more people who say it won't work, the harder I push. Reality check, being a successful entrepreneur isn't fun. It's work. It's 100 hr work weeks. It's constant strain on all your personal relationships. It's your girlfriend's enemy. It's a fear of throwing away your career. But I could never part with it.

Huge salute to you for having the balls to do it. One question: what kind of lifestyle sacrifices have you had to make to do what you're doing? Like moving back in w/parents, etc?

Asked by Kirk3K over 12 years ago

lifestyle sacrifice? you bet ya. after graduating college, i had to make that choice. get a job, an apartment, have fun or follow your dream and become an entrepreneur. well i chose the latter and yes, dead broke with maxed out cards...i moved in with my parents. any extra money i was able to throw together went towards my project. not my proudest moment, but at one point i think i even searched in between the couch cushions for some pocket change. my lifestyle took a drastic turn. cancelled my car insurance yesterday, ill walk (and maybe at some point invest in a better pair of shoes). sold my watch for $46. and currently wearing my younger brother's clothes. but maybe that's what it takes.

Do you have a time limit, money limit, or any other type of limit where you tell yourself, "Once I hit that limit, that's when I'll take a day job?"

Asked by J.J. over 12 years ago

in some ways being an entrepreneur is a little like being a gambling addict. 99% of the time you are losing but you continue to play for hope of winning. everyone should have a number, my time limit is probably around 4-5 years. i can stay afloat on ramen noodles and without a full time job for 6 more months...by just throwing together some income on the side, part time jobs. then i'll have to get a full time job and juggle my entrepreneurial desires along with it. not looking forward to that.

Are most your college friends doing something entrpreneurial like you?

Asked by Arlene over 12 years ago

Most of my friends have settled down into regular jobs or have gone off to grad or med school. Leaving behind the security of that is unsettling, especially if you are blazing the path alone. With my current income at a negative $150 a week and loan companies staring to act like sharks coming to collect, I am worrisome to say the least. But that comes with the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.

Did you always have an entrepreneurial streak in you? Do you have stories about running a successful lemonade stand when you were a kid or something?

Asked by 203mf over 12 years ago

As trite and cliche as it sounds, yes...as long as I can remember I have always liked entrepreneurship. It probably stems from being overshadowed by older siblings and wanting to stand out from them. Lemonade stand, not exactly. I always tried to come at something with a unique approach, sometimes questionable. When I was 10 yrld decided it would be best for my lawn service if I cut random people's yards and then asked for the money after...rather than have them agree to it before hand. Half the people came running out to kick me off their yard, but the other half became regulars. My lawn service did better than ever.

What made you decide to go the entrepreneur route after college instead of typical jobs?

Asked by Anne Arbor :) over 12 years ago

I graduated premed with a chemistry major...I studied non-stop through college. Between all the books and requirements to fulfill the "dream" I kinda lost site of my greatest passion--building something I truly cared about. Just having the ability to act on my long, suppressed creative instinct was worth it. Before going to college, entrepreneurial endeavors were my life, albeit I had many failures. But there was nothing more exciting than seeing my idea, that I put every ounce of fight into, start to succeed. I wondered how could ever go back.

I saw that someone asked whether your family is supportive. My question is, are your FRIENDS supportive? Or do they give you a hard time about your path?

Asked by giorgio over 12 years ago

my friends are pretty supportive of what i do, but that may rather be who i make myself acquainted with and may differ for other entrepreneurs. however, do not confuse being supportive of what i "do" with being supportive of what i "think". what i mean is, they believe i should do what makes me happy, but whether it will work in the long run...they sometimes disagree. the difference between my family and friends...my family really cares about me and cringe at this step toward a more "risky" career...the odds are against you they say. my friends are young, and in for thrill...they would support anything that steps away from boring and mundane careers.

When you were in college, were start-ups the main career path that most of your undergrad friends aspired to (regardless of whether they actually do it after graduation)? Seems like the trendy option for recent grads/20-somethings.

Asked by Daddy Long Dreds about 12 years ago

Although startups are gaining quite a bit of attention, especially by the younger crowd, there were not many students pursing them at my school--most were directed to premed, law...careers. Actually, I was premed as well throughout college... unfortunately, they worked you hard enough that you hardly had time for other passions.

Did Facebook's IPO affect your web-entrepreneur outlook, for better or worse?

Asked by Stonesy O. about 12 years ago

Facebook's IPO really didn't have much of an impact on me or my web entrepreneur outlook. However, it does underscore the fickle and often precarious nature of web based companies. As a web entrepreneur you have to be perfectly comfortable, or wholly enjoy, instability. Although I am not sure of facebook's future directions, never before the existence of web based companies has the rise and fall been so quick. Is is a truly a rapid and ever changing industry that requires constant evolution.

Have you ever outsourced your site development overseas? Were you satisfied with the results?

Asked by meghan almost 12 years ago

Did your college career services department encourage entrepreneurship? Or were they more focused on getting students into more traditional jobs?

Asked by J Lee PhD almost 12 years ago