My idea is for a cloud-based web application aimed at undercutting/replacing current enterprise desktop applications which currently exist in my industry/profession which help with data analysis and decision making. More recently, licensing restrictions have hampered the sharing/distribution of the software to a point in which it is restrictive to use between multiple offices (the most commonly used software is locked to individual users on ONE computer), while at the same time licenses are prohibitively expensive in terms of cost. Bottom line, the software vendors have expensive products which have been slow to adapt to changing market conditions. Is it a fool's errand to take on an established industry? Is it possible to undercut the traditional enterprise software model with a highly portable (cloud-based), low cost product to drive? Will established competitors simply replicate my idea, rendering my development work moot? Do I research the web technologies more right now (I have some good ideas)? Do I write a business plan first and try to get advice on how to proceed from there? Help! Don't mind all my questions, I'm new to this. Thanks!
Hi there,
It's essential to ensure the viability of any software will outlast the development period (inc. alpha and beta). What you need is a clear plan to solve the fact that you are new at this market, as well as identify with specific avenues to deploy the services in a financially viable way. I don't think it's a fools errand to take on an established market at all if you work a multi-pronged strategy allowing short term low hanging fruit to benefit the bigger deals simultaneously your business could well thrive.
The trick is to limit your risk, not avoid opening shop because of the likelihood of being copied. In your shoes I would work through this with someone.
I have knowledge on apps, software, and licensing as well as a far established reputation with helping over 1,000 early-stage businesses like yours (feel free to check me out on Google and you'll see just what I mean) and I'm happy to have a 15-30 minute power-talk with you this week to give you the most pertinent things to think about.
In any conversation you have with myself (or another Clarity expert), I would recommend the focus would be to provide you with; an understanding of the challenges you are likely to face, what kind of team you need to carry this dream through to reality, what financial needs you'll have to make it happen, what channels you would need to exploit to get some early wins, a DEFINED specific action plan of things you can do in the next 4 weeks to move forward to prove that it's not worth doing so, and finally what YOU need to do to make YOURSELF the kind of entrepreneur to carry this off.
If I were in your shoes I would demand that kind of clarity. That's what you need right now.
If you feel ready to get help practical support on this, reach out and click "Talk To Marsha" below, and I'll see what I can do to get you in my schedule this week.
All the best!
Answered 10 years ago
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