Starting a substantial business in a bad economy.

[Spider]

Partner #6 identified and on-board.

[greenoak]

cant wait to hear all about it!!!

[Spider]

Unfortunately, that won't work, Bill. Yes - that is exactly how I would do it, but I am not talking about me. As you know, I am in the process of building a substantial partnership that will require a wide variety of technical processes. I have given up on finding someone who would do it all, and now plan to have the partners learn the technicalities of their individual sections. At the moment, they would likely struggle with "Dummy" books. They would not know how to approach the method you suggest. One would need some web knowledge to do even that. I must find a place - a URL - I can have them go to to learn the bare minimum so they can hold a somewhat sensible conversation with the experts we will eventually hire.

In fact, that is the situation I imagine a great many small businesspeople are in. I think that is the level of knowledge of the people Ann refers to. In mathematical terms, they don't understand the oneness of one, and telling them to find a discussion forum and start posting would leave them totally ablank!

[billbenson]

Get a young tech nerd that shows some marketing savvy? I bet there are a lot of college grads who can't find a job making much money that would fit the bill perfectly. A lot of kids coming out of college would be attracted to being part of starting a new business. I certainly would have been. A friend of mine has made a career of starting business's since college and he's a millionaire. Not that they will know everything, but they would be likely to want to learn and investigate. Put as a requirement having built some websites. Find a consultant to help you put together a good list of interview questions.

[Spider]

That's a great suggestion. Now, if I can find someone who is still living at home so he won't need much income and a share of future business is appealing to him. In fact, as I think on this, we don't really need a college grad - a high school dropout probably knows a whole lot more about this stuff than any of us! In fact, anyone who is between 14 and 18 will likely have ten years of computer experience under his or her belt. They might even go wild for the chance to play with the latest equipment!

[billbenson]

College kids are used to living cheap. At least a lot of them are. Slept on a lot of floors during and after college. College kids went to school for a future, not money now; at least a lot of them. While Houston isn't hit like other areas, I bet the opportunity to learn to build a business is a bigger selling point than money for a lot of kids. Not much to loose at that age really.

[greenoak]

oh dear...this sounds scary to me...i would go for someone with at least some experience.... you might get what you pay for.... if you know what i mean...

[Spider]

In principle, I agree with you, Ann, but important here is - what experience and from where? I have 50 years of work experience, 30 years experience of being my own boss and 30 years of desktop-computer experience, but I have never used computers for entertainment, never played a game on a computer, never made a video, never posted to YouTube, never hosted a webinar, and have no knowledge at all of a miriad of things that kids use smartphones and pads for every day of the week. To the best of my knowledge, all my partners in the seminar venture are way less experienced in any of that than I am - especially the recent digital stuff. (One of my partners doesn't have internet connection to his house and goes to the library once a week to get his e-mail! - which is the full extent of his online experience!) None of them have a website, few of them have purchased anything online, and only a couple are on Facebook. Most 12-year-olds have more computer experience. I think a nerdy 17-year-old will have so much to teach us. And will thereby gain a tremendous start in life, being involved in the creation of a new business.

I'm beginning to like the idea even more. Now, to find this person.

[greenoak]

i hear you...sounds nice..of course that valuable kid might fall in love and have to get a real job....or move, or ????
..one more thought...isnt computer and the internet side of the business big enough to warrant a partner dedicated to keeping it all under control? ...or, better than a partner, a business manager who is totally competent in all that.... ? im guessing a lot of people would have a lot those skills and at least be able to learn more as needed... laid off office managers, geek squad guys etc et.....

[Spider]

Yes, that was where I started my search. I would really like a speaker with technical knowledge, but I have been unable to find such. Next was a dedicated technical person and I nearly had a software project manager but he is married with children, mortgage, etc. and needs a real job right now with a substantial income, and we are not ready for that.