How I Started a Successful, Profitable Business From Absolutely Nothing
If you can, build yourself a lifeboat BEFORE your ship starts sinking. Give yourself a second career option before you actually need it.
Sometimes people ask me how I went from not knowing anything about web development at all to running a successful (albeit small) web company that is still around today. Here’s a basic overview of how I did it, and how you might be able to replicate it for yourself if you’re interested.
Prepare Yourself
First of all, I got laid off from a job in the home-building industry back around 2009.
But before I got laid off, I saw the signs of impending doom and knew what was eventually coming, so I did as much as I could to prepare for a career switch.
I figured if I developed a new skill in a new industry, I could always improve it over time or at least have a part-time side gig to earn extra money.
I knew that losing my job and then needing to learn a new skill would be far too hard. So, I anticipated the crash and found a way to start early before I even needed to.
Ask For Help
I knew someone who was a front-end web developer asked for help.
“Hey, I think I want to do what you do. Can you meet with me a few times and help me learn how to get started?” I said.
He agreed and was very generous with his time. We spent a few weekends together, where he taught me the basics of web development: fundamentals like HTML/CSS and Photoshop, and after a few meetings where I paid for coffee, beer, or Red Bull (depending on the time of day) while he talked and demonstrated, I got a solid understanding of the foundational principles. He did all of this for free even though I offered to pay him.
Paying for those drinks was some of the best money I’ve ever spent.
Many months later, when I was actually making money building websites, I bought him an iPod Touch as a thank-you gift. But the whole time, he never asked for anything in return. Some people are just very generous like that.
Build Something: Anything
To get started, I immediately began building a website. It was boring and ugly, and it was a pretend website about a fictional company that made a fake product.
That didn’t matter. What mattered was that it was good enough to prove the concept that I knew how to build basic websites.
Find One Client
I knew I probably wasn’t good enough to get hired as an in-house web designer or developer, so I decided to try freelancing by starting my own business.
I figured if/when I lost my job, I could go get a job for a tech company down the road. But starting out, it was always about self-employment for me.
Remember: it only takes one client to start a real business!
I knew that my employer needed a new website, and when I heard that they had been talking about rebuilding it, I jumped at the opportunity. I made them an offer:
“I will build you a brand new website. If you like it, pay me $2,000. If you don’t like it, you owe me nothing.”
They agreed. I built them a new website. They liked it, so they paid me.
BINGO! I was in business!
Get Referrals
Right after I launched that website, my first client (my employer) told a friend who was a marketing manager for a different company in the same industry. They also needed a new website.
So, my first client referred me to my second client. I made them the exact same offer as before but raised my prices a bit:
“I will build you a brand new website. If you like it, pay me $3,000. If you don’t like it, you owe me nothing.”
Once again, they agreed. I built them a new website. They liked it, so they paid me.
Boom! I now had two clients and two successful web projects. That’s all it took to get the ball rolling.
By the time I actually lost my job and started building websites full-time for a living, I had already done work on four or five separate side projects. That meant that I had a legitimate—if small—portfolio of real-life projects that actual clients had paid real money for.
I didn’t have to pretend with fake websites for fictional companies anymore. I now had proven myself to the world, and I had customers who could vouch for my abilities. Over 200 websites later, I’m still going strong!
Keep Learning
As time went by, I signed up for as many free or paid programs online as I could find: video courses, coding challenges, etc. I even bought ebooks and print books (really!) about JavaScript, HTML, CSS, version control systems, and more to try to fill my head with as much knowledge as possible.
Some of them were helpful; some of them were not so helpful. It took time to figure out which was which. For example, I spent a lot of time trying to learn Ruby on Rails, and that was a total waste of time: I’ve never used it at any point in time.
Other things, like trying to grok what SQL is actually about and how it works, and how to use Git were hard to learn but very helpful in the long run.
Decide What to Focus On
There are over 100 different directions you can go as a website developer. At some point, you’ll have to pick one or two specialties. For me, it was PHP.
The good news is that, while PHP is an ugly language and has some major issues with consistency and security, most of the “World Wide Web” is built in PHP. It’s a vast ocean with endless possibilities and unbelievable opportunities. There’s almost nothing you can’t do with PHP, and there are developers all over the internet who can help you figure it out if you get stuck.
Find Smart Friends
I have referral partners that I can toss complicated projects to when I need help. Some of those people, I’ve worked with for over 13 years, and we’re still working together. When I get stuck with a complex task or project, I get help from my friends who are smarter than me and pay them to get me out of a jam.
This is a huge force multiplier. Having people in my network who know more than me about certain topics ensures that I can say “yes” to some jobs that I would otherwise have to say “no” to, and that can make me stand out from my competitors.
Network Like a Maniac!
Some people who start new businesses try to rely on getting leads online.
This is a huge mistake for most small businesses. Don’t do that.
The competition is way too stiff. There are far too many people out there doing what you do, and if you’re just starting out, they are likely already years ahead of you in terms of building their brand, advertising themselves, and generating leads.
Instead, print out a bunch of business cards and go find as many local networking events as you can. You’ll see real-life human beings in your area, in the flesh, face to face, and you can tell them what you do and listen to their needs.
If you meet them, you can figure out how to help them.
If you help them, you can figure out what to charge them.
If you charge them, they can pay you.
If they pay you, well... congratulations! Now you’re in business, and you have clients. In a nutshell, it’s literally that simple.
For example, I immediately joined a BNI group (Business Network International) immediately. I showed up at 6:45am every Thursday morning and spent 60 seconds giving my “sales manager minute” telling people what I did and how I could help them. Before and after our meetings, I’d drink coffee, shake hands, and talk to business owners in my area.
“Hi, I’m Ron Stauffer. I build websites that don’t suck,” I’d say.
“Hi, I’m Gary Olson,” a stranger would say, “…and we should definitely talk because my website sucks.”
Ta-dah! New client. Rinse, repeat.
It’s not easy, but it is simple.
Long story short, I am not the world’s greatest developer. But I don’t have to be. I just have to be reasonably good and have a deep network of talented people who can help me, and good personal relationship skills to find new clients.
I started my company in 2008, and it’s been a wild journey, but it was totally worth it.
If you’re one of those people thinking, “Wow, I wonder if I could start my own business, but it sounds hard,” and you’re reading this, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you or any advice I could share.
I’ve made a lot of mistakes over the years and learned a lot, so I’m happy to help others when I can. I’m all ears.