We have all been busy. Our focus is on other things. Programming doesn't always happen when we get together. I think it's important to put our computers down and have a conversation about the future. Consulting isn't all that fun and we all dream of working on a product or service that is challenging and allows us to be our own bosses.
We all have ideas, skills, and small periods of available time. What we have not been successful at is coming together for a common purpose to pursue a single idea.
A list of your ideas, your time, and your willingness to take the next step.
This is an initial list of questions to evaluate an idea and determine if it's something that is worth pursuing. A number of these questions touch on things that can reduce our risk while increasing our exposure. For each idea, we should start with an evaluation of the following (plus other questions that come up - this is just a starter list that should be forked):
- What is the community that is serves? (size, interests, type of people, etc.)
- How passionate is the community?
- Does it tie into an existing ecosystem (with an established user base) that can promote us?
- Who are the competitors?
- Does it have a defined purpose? What problem does it solve? If it solves a problem and has competitors, how does it solve it differently?
- What can we bring that makes it fresh?
- Is it something that can be charged for? What price point?
- What platforms should be supported; how will it be distributed?
To keep the best, they must be engaged and heard. There needs to be a constant entrepreneurial spirit to challenge them and meet their urges. Allow them to present their ideas and have a company that invests in their efforts with no risk but give them the upside of their idea and execution. Don't engage them in activities that waste their time. Give them equity to a fault for executing well on new ideas.