I am currently in Australia, just outside Melbourne, a friend invited me to stay at his place so that I can get my head down and focus, day and night, on a new startup. Ironically, it was when I was in Australia seven months ago, for Christmas and New Year that I was watching TV and came up with the idea for my brand new startup and now I am very nearly ready for launch, but, pre-startup jitters are setting in.
I have spent a significant amount of time working in social media, working with brands in order to come up with ideas in order to raise their profile online. Indeed, I have worked with a number of brands this year whilst, at the same time, I have been working on my startup – getting the website right, getting the concept right and developing the right relationships and contacts in order to get ready for launch. It has been an extremely exciting time.
Very soon I am about to launch a startup that will be the biggest thing I have ever done in my life. As many people who have followed my work are aware, I have had projects that have been successful and projects that have failed. The successful projects have brought about an awesome groundswell of positive encouragement and the ideas that have not worked out have bought about some criticism, both of which I equally value.
Irrespective of what response I have got I have worked hard, really hard, because I know without a shadow of a doubt that my life is about something, I have a goal that I want to achieve. If I launch an idea that fails I get off my ass and I learn, I learn hard and fast and I put that learning into place for next time. I have six years worth of experience which has lead me to launch my next idea.
I am jittery. It’s the pre-startup nerves. The website is looking good. I have learnt from past mistakes and I have implemented a strategy. One of the major mistakes that I have previously made is that I have come up with what many have called ‘good ideas’ but these ideas did not have any strong income or revenue stream. This time I have an idea that is based around a good idea and a strong revenue stream. So, with all this in place, you may be wondering why so jittery?
Well, there comes a point in a startup where you do everything that you can do. You build the website, you create the brand, you do all the behind the scenes work – setting up the business and so on. But, at some point, you get to launch and everything that you work on, that you believe in, is placed in the hands of the public and, in some ways, success or failure is their call. It comes down to the fundamentals…. Is there a need for this product. However, it is not simply about need, it is about exposure, it is about getting the marketing out about your product in order to find those individuals who are passionate about it and who do want to get involved. Obviously, I have a plan in place for that too!
All I can say is that I am jittery, but excited. I have worked hard on this business and I know that, at this point in my life I am exactly where I should be. Everything just feels ‘right’ and that is the most positive confirmation that I can get that I should keep going for this business with everything that I have.
I am jittery, but I am excited and I can’t wait to tell you about this business, very soon!
My favourite thing to do on Twitter is to enter the search term #startup as anyone and everyone who is discussing their startup or a startup that they are fond of, on Twitter will pop into your stream. I was doing this little search last night and came across Housefed – which I think is pretty awesome!
Housefed is a website that enables you to get a home cooked food, anywhere! In the same way that Airbnb allows the public to offer their room for an amount of money, to gain that homely feel whilst travelling, Housefed lets you have a home cooked meal on the road.
If you are a host, you state on the site where you live and what home cooked food you are offering. If you are on your travels and are sick of hitting restaurants then you log on, search through the ‘home cook chefs’, pick your favourite dish, make a booking and turn up at their house and enjoy your meal.
This is a pretty simple idea and I certainly would use it on the road. What I love about this idea is that it really enables you to experience the food or a new area rather than simply going to a restaurant. This site gives you a real opportunity to ‘go local’ and, whilst you are eating learn and share in the culture of those who you are visiting.
Housefed is not just about having a meal, it is a whole learning experience. Although this concept is in it’s early stages I really do think that it has the ability and opportunity to do well, keep an eye on it, certainly one to watch!