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I had a similar experience with managed VoIP. The first almost-accidental customers seemed like a good sign that the most minimal viable product could work as a

I had a similar experience with managed VoIP. The first almost-accidental customers seemed like a good sign that the most minimal viable product could work as a business. But we did not start selling early enough, and it played out almost exactly as you described. Lessons: 1. Sales is hard, especially if you have never done it 2. Commitment -- everyone involved should have skin in the game 3. Hardware is hard, even when you don't manufacture it -- refurbishing + firmware modifying ip phones, poe equipment, etc ate into our runway

wiz21c 8y ago
>>> 2. Commitment -- everyone involved should have skin in the game For those who don't get it, this means : - don't expect anybody to help you more than what he already helped (i.e. past help doesn't imply future help) - someone not as involved as you can become predatorial (for example, by requesting, after years of super nice cooperation, a share of the profits, of the intelectual property, etc.) - someone who helps your for nothing may hide some agenda - someone who helps you may realize that what you do together might hurt some of his othe business (and thus starts to undermine your business, not just leaving it)
beh9540 8y ago
>>> 3. Hardware is hard, even when you don't manufacture it -- refurbishing + firmware modifying ip phones, poe equipment, etc ate into our runway This is a great point, and brings back so many bad memories. Every phone provisions a little bit differently, and so many settings have unintended side effects. I spent so much runway building a dynamic, generic templating system when we should have just gone to market mostly static coded components customized on the fly.