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I tried a slightly different approach - doing services work that turned into a business to try to underwrite doing product development. The idea was to do enou

I tried a slightly different approach - doing services work that turned into a business to try to underwrite doing product development. The idea was to do enough services work to fund living costs while working on product development. But the problem is that customers are (understandably) demanding when you do paid work for them, so you spend your entire time doing client work and never get to focus on the product development. So you hire staff / team members so you can focus on the product development. But then you have to spend even more time managing a team and running the business. So you still never get to spend any time doing product development. And at this point, it becomes difficult to change course. Based on my experience, I think it is very difficult to build a product when doing client services work. It takes disproportionate effort to get and stay focused and you have a mountain of distractions. The services work becomes all-consuming. [edit for clarity]

apike 16y ago
We're actually doing well with this model using a couple techniques to reduce the all-consuming tendency of contracting: * Contracting stays at 50% of our hours (or less.) * Contracting is always hourly. Any overtime or extra hours mean 1:1 extra funded hours for product. This approach has a lot of nice side effects. The tighter supply of your hours will drive up your hourly rate (if you're good) and will maintain the financial motivation to put out some awesome products.
abalashov 16y ago
Based on my experience, I think it is very difficult to build a product when doing client services work. It takes disproportionate effort to get and stay focused and you have a mountain of distractions. The services work becomes all-consuming. I have had the same experience and strongly agree with your assessment. Furthermore, this seems to be true even if the customers are more or less directly funding the incremental development of the product. Somehow, their specific needs, slight customisations and tweaks, support thereof, etc. expand to fill up available time.
becomevocal 16y ago
Agree. Helps to section time to product dev and client work. Say, product dev morning till 10pm, anything after is client work. Also, let the clients know if at all possible that your are working on a project of your own. Some may be interested in testing, providing connections, or even bankrolling the project.

apike 16y ago

We're actually doing well with this model using a couple techniques to reduce the all-consuming tendency of contracting: * Contracting stays at 50% of our hours (or less.) * Contracting is always hourly. Any overtime or extra hours mean 1:1 extra funded hours for product. This approach has a lot of nice side effects. The tighter supply of your hours will drive up your hourly rate (if you're good) and will maintain the financial motivation to put out some awesome products.

abalashov 16y ago

Based on my experience, I think it is very difficult to build a product when doing client services work. It takes disproportionate effort to get and stay focused and you have a mountain of distractions. The services work becomes all-consuming. I have had the same experience and strongly agree with your assessment. Furthermore, this seems to be true even if the customers are more or less directly funding the incremental development of the product. Somehow, their specific needs, slight customisations and tweaks, support thereof, etc. expand to fill up available time.

becomevocal 16y ago

Agree. Helps to section time to product dev and client work. Say, product dev morning till 10pm, anything after is client work. Also, let the clients know if at all possible that your are working on a project of your own. Some may be interested in testing, providing connections, or even bankrolling the project.