6 ms·

What was your startup about, and what happened?

ak39 11y ago
You mean, what was the name of the game? You can still call it Riding the Gravy Train [1]. Summary of Failure: Failed to close enterprise sales leads. (Started with the erroneous assumption that being technically able to develop an MVP will prove sufficient to "sell" to enterprises.) Reasons: 1. Small team (enterprises no like small teams [sic] ... unless ... but we learned the "unlesses" only recently) 2. Small team part II - fewer initial leads to grow from consultancy domain experience 3. Sales pitches always too technical. 4. Solution offering too monolithic (modules preferred by enterprises) 5. High overheads during sales periods (enterprise sales lead times went on for 24 months!) 6. Couldn't adequately manage emotional temperament during dry spell (spending on overheads - salaries esp didn't help) - resulting in poor major and minor knock-on decisions. 7. Emotional Temperament Part II - weak emotional resolve affected creative aspect of job (building the MVP). Health suffered too with stress. Spiralled. However, and the irony is amazing - we closed our first sale after 2 years. This after letting go two staffers and an office, right before switching the lights off. We build from here. Making new mistakes. And looking stupid for an analysis of decisions later on. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] "Have A Cigar" by Pink Floyd Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar. You're gonna go far, you're gonna fly high, You're never gonna die, you're gonna make it if you try; they're gonna love you. Well, I've always had a deep respect, and I mean that most sincerely. The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think. Oh by the way, which one's Pink? And did we tell you the name of the game, boy? We call it Riding the Gravy Train. We're just knocked out. We heard about the sell out. You gotta get an album out, You owe it to the people. We're so happy we can hardly count. Everybody else is just green, have you seen the chart? It's a helluva start, it could be made into a monster If we all pull together as a team. And did we tell you the name of the game, boy? We call it Riding the Gravy Train.
- garrettgrimsley 11y ago
  >You mean, what was the name of the game? The parent poster was wondering what product or service your startup offered.
  - visakanv 11y ago
    Yep!

ak39 11y ago

You mean, what was the name of the game? You can still call it Riding the Gravy Train [1]. Summary of Failure: Failed to close enterprise sales leads. (Started with the erroneous assumption that being technically able to develop an MVP will prove sufficient to "sell" to enterprises.) Reasons: 1. Small team (enterprises no like small teams [sic] ... unless ... but we learned the "unlesses" only recently) 2. Small team part II - fewer initial leads to grow from consultancy domain experience 3. Sales pitches always too technical. 4. Solution offering too monolithic (modules preferred by enterprises) 5. High overheads during sales periods (enterprise sales lead times went on for 24 months!) 6. Couldn't adequately manage emotional temperament during dry spell (spending on overheads - salaries esp didn't help) - resulting in poor major and minor knock-on decisions. 7. Emotional Temperament Part II - weak emotional resolve affected creative aspect of job (building the MVP). Health suffered too with stress. Spiralled. However, and the irony is amazing - we closed our first sale after 2 years. This after letting go two staffers and an office, right before switching the lights off. We build from here. Making new mistakes. And looking stupid for an analysis of decisions later on. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] "Have A Cigar" by Pink Floyd Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar. You're gonna go far, you're gonna fly high, You're never gonna die, you're gonna make it if you try; they're gonna love you. Well, I've always had a deep respect, and I mean that most sincerely. The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think. Oh by the way, which one's Pink? And did we tell you the name of the game, boy? We call it Riding the Gravy Train. We're just knocked out. We heard about the sell out. You gotta get an album out, You owe it to the people. We're so happy we can hardly count. Everybody else is just green, have you seen the chart? It's a helluva start, it could be made into a monster If we all pull together as a team. And did we tell you the name of the game, boy? We call it Riding the Gravy Train.

garrettgrimsley 11y ago
>You mean, what was the name of the game? The parent poster was wondering what product or service your startup offered.
- visakanv 11y ago
  Yep!