IGX

Has anyone here started their own online service?

I have an idea that I think could potentially be profitable for a service based online, but I have absolutely no idea how to take it further, and to be honest I'm probably too scared it will fail to fund it properly.

Added to that I've just taken out a mortgage so am completely broke.

If anyone has experience with this sort of thing (online entrepenurism, not being broke) hit me up on the PMs bitches!

I can probably point you in the right direction.

Thanks Baff. I'll PM you.

Beer Jew wrote:Has anyone here started their own online service?

I've done this a few times in the course of my regular work. The important thing to do is validate the idea before you sink a ton of money or time into it. That means either doing a cheap test or having people who say they will pay you once you launch.

I run an ISP out of my mom's basement.

If you're thinking about coaching online the outlay is minimal. Plenty of options to set up the website yourself at minimal cost. Square Spaces, Wordpress, Crazy Domains etc. Ordering plug-ins cost peanuts, and if you're completely illiterate in web design there are plenty of cheap and often quite good Indian programmers on Odesk, though you will have to spend time selecting the right one. Online commerce costs somewhat more, but still very affordable, unless you're looking at something sophisticated, from design to interface platforms. The most important and most difficult part is to create valuable content, something that will reflect your credibility. Plenty of free resources on the subject too, from websites to podcasts.

Sangoma, it's not online coaching - I don't think there's anything I could really offer in that arena.

My idea essentially is crowdfunded production/manufacturing. A while ago I had an idea for a product, but had no idea how to practically make it happen. The online service would essentially take in ideas, refine and perfect them, manufacture and market the product, and take a percentage of generated revenue.

That would provide a viable avenue for the hundreds of thousands of ideas out there that never reach fruition, because people don't have the money, time or knowledge to turn their idea into a reality.

For what it's worth, my product idea was white chocolate digestive biscuits. Why do these not exist?

You should definitely give your idea a go. It seems the first step is to find people with money and present the idea to them.

Check out this podcast: Smart Passive Income. One episode was about these guys from St Louis who realised that the existing Yoga mats available in the city are too short. So, they got some prototypes made by the Chinese and marketed the product on Amazon. Six digit profit in six months with very little outlay.

I dont have any money so dont pester me with your stupid ideas, BJ.