Ah, good :) My house is always open, just let me know when you want to come over, I just moved into a nice studio. I'm not sure when I'll be coming to London, but it probably won't be that long, I'm due for a visit!
I'll check the other two companies out, thanks! How's yours coming along? I haven't heard any updates...
Mine has been, well the last 6 months have been... interesting.
No technical challenges, but wow on the kind of distractions that can occur when you have user generated content. I've gone through a dark patch and came out stronger for it, doubling down now... rented an office, got a co-founder, honed the vision.
The users of the cycling forum have witnessed most of this and have been badgering to support me, so because of user demand I'm just about to crowd-fund a 1 year runway on the basis of patronage (donations with no returns).
Haven't felt as positive and as focused in a long time. But in hindsight wish I could've avoided some of the distractions this year.
Looking to just turn into a bit of a hermit now. Want to get the v1 out there and used. I've gone and built up demand so now I need to deliver before I lose the interest of those forum admins.
Yeah, that can happen, especially when you're a single founder. I'm glad you're getting things in order, and the patronage model sounds increasingly more tempting. It's bootstrapping and market validation rolled up in one, so if you can get it, it's great.
Do try to get feedback from the target market as early as possible, it'll save a lot of hassle in the long run. A closed alpha works very well, I've found.
I'm looking forward to see what you're making, let me know when you're ready to show it! Also, if you need help with analytics, just email me.
I'll check the other two companies out, thanks! How's yours coming along? I haven't heard any updates...