RSSAugust 19th, 2008
LAUNCH: FeedMyInbox.com
“What’s a feed?”
I hear this question at least a few times per week. In short, feeds are the future. A feed is a document that keeps track of updated content on a website. Blogs and news sites are the most common places to find feeds since the content is updated pretty often.
When you subscribe to a feed, you can be notified when the content is updated without having to visit the website. Geeks use feed readers, like the one google has. I personally follow about 60 different feeds from my reader. It is much more convenient to have all the new content from those sites on-demand rather than visiting the sites individually.
Since experts say that only 3% of people use feed readers, we need a way to bridge the gap and help people figure it out. Feed My Inbox is our solution. When a feed you have subscribed to is updated, we will send you an email with the new post(s).
About Feed My Inbox
The concept is designed to be as easy as possible for the 97% out there that is figuring out the feed scene. All you have to do is enter a website, and enter your email on the home page. The application will go to the website, find any available feeds there and subscribe you. Simply click the link we email you to confirm the subscription, and it’s all set.
It literally takes 30 seconds or less to add a feed. No new software or learning is required.
Each time the feed is updated, you will be notified through email. However, if a feed is updated more than once in a 24-hour period, you receive one email with all the updates. This is designed to keep your inbox tidy, as no one wants more email than they already get.
How Long Did it Take?
I talked about this a lot on my twitter feed, but we tried to create this entire application in 1 day. All in all it took a little over 2 full days, but all the design and front-end stuff was done within the first day. We just wanted to make sure the technical side and emails were done right, so that part took a little longer.
Building something this way is great for a number of reasons:
- We built ONLY features that were absolutely necessary to launch, then added the rest to a list for “someday maybe”.
- All working together, 100% focused on the goal for an entire day, was a great source of momentum. We all pushed each other, and as a result, things happened quicker.
- After only a couple full days of work, we have an extraordinary sense of accomplishment! You can’t beat that with a stick.
I Thought You Built Websites, not Software
We DO build websites, and thoroughly enjoy it! However, we like to work with our own ideas too. It keeps us sharp, motivated and always learning new things. So to make these ideas a reality, I partnered with the same two guys to create a software company called Brightwurks. I will make Brightwurks announcements on this blog from time-to-time.
Feed My Inbox is the first of many web-based software applications Brightwurks is building. We have 3 more in the works. We would love to hear what you think of this one.
Posted in Brightwurks, Software, Web Development - 3 Comments
August 14th, 2008
Oddities in the Business of Sports
It seems that major professional sports in America get to play by a different set of rules than other, less-publicized industries from a business perspective. I would not normally bring it up in this blog, but these issues effect anyone living in a city with a professional sports team. Plus, I find it to be an interesting debate.
As a sports fan myself, 2 issues in particular have provoked many questions for me …
1. How Teams Pay for New Venues
The business of building new sports venues in America is big. More than 50 have been built since 1990, with more under construction. What I don’t get is how in the world these venues are financed and paid for mostly by taxpayers, yet owners make all the profits.
Cities sell the public on these stadiums, citing all the long-term economic benefits. However, no new jobs are created from new stadiums, and per capita income does not increase. So how do the taxpayers benefit again? The City of Pittsburgh paid for nearly ALL of their baseball team’s (the Pirates) new stadium just a few years ago, a $262 million “bargain”. And this is standard procedure all across the country, which goes without mentioning all the other things local governments SHOULD be spending the money on.
Leave it to the New York Yankees to knock this one out of the park. This New York Times article from 2004 is the laughable proposal for the NEW Yankees stadium scheduled to open next season. The Yankees originally told the city they would pay for most of what they said would be a $700 million stadium. The city and state was originally asked to only put up around a total of $100 million, including parks, garages and so forth around the stadium.
So how have things shaped up since then? The new Yankees stadium will be the most expensive ballpark in American history, costing more than $1.3 billion (and still counting). But the city/state is only in it for $100 million, right? WRONG. Taxpayers are now responsible for $204 million of the park, then another $300 million for parking garages and parkland.
The local community had no input on the decision to move forward with the stadium. No vote, no public hearings. Mmmmm, democracy. All in all, the Yankees ownership will end up paying $650 million, while taxpayers will pay over $500 million. Yet somehow, and this is the kicker, the city makes NOTHING from this “investment” other than sales tax. The Yankees will make all the profits (tickets, advertising, souvenirs, etc.), have no rent to pay (like they do currently), and will continue to thrive as baseball’s biggest spenders in the game.
Not only are taxpayers stuck with the bill, but they may not be able to afford season tickets next year. Not only does a ticket priced at $12 in 1990 cost $250 in 2008, but the same ticket is expected to cost $500 or more next year. These numbers are based on the top ticket price for a box seat.
Thankfully, because I have to end this on a less depressing note, some organizations choose to be responsible about new stadiums. For instance, the San Francisco Giants (baseball team) built the first privately-owned stadium since 1962, requiring almost nothing from taxpayers.
How many of you out there would be willing to fund Project83, and our software company Brightwurks? We will happily take your money, however you won’t make any of the profits and will still have to pay the regular price to use our software or have access to our services. Any takers? I didn’t think so.
For more on this issue, check out Field of Schemes by Neil deMause and Joanna Cagan.
2. Re-negotiating Player Contracts
Why is it that players in all major sports are not only able to demand unbelievable sums of money for performing on the field, but if they actually do their job and live up to expectations, they want to re-negotiate their contract for more money before it is up? Yet if they get a big contract, then don’t play up to their pay grade, management has no right to re-negotiate a contract in the other direction.
Since the football season is upon us, there is always a group clamoring for more money because they want to be paid like the other guys are. This year’s crowd includes Devin Hester, Anquan Boldin, Kellen Winslow and Steven Jackson. Those players all had great years last year, and all but one have ended their holdout in favor of a big fat contract. But how about the guys making a ton of money that did not deliver last season? Where are those contract re-negotiations?
Maybe I’m old school, but if you sign a contract, you play for the money you agreed to until the contract is up. Period. If you want to re-negotiate in the middle, then general managers should be able to do the same upon a lack-luster performance.
I wonder how that philosophy would work in the real world. Major executives just stay home and decide not to come to work because the guy in the same position at their competitor now makes more money. I am pretty sure in most cases that executive can forget about having a job at all.
The best thing for pro sports would be to simply make player salaries PRIVATE. That way there is no basis for comparison. This exact same thing happened when Corporate CEO salaries were made public (Predictably Irrational has a great study about this). When the rule was instituted, regulators thought that it would force companies to keep salaries low and prevent public outcry. That never happened, only the opposite. CEOs began demanding more based on what “the other guy” was getting. And off to the races we go …
As a sports fan, entrepreneur and taxpayer, I think these issues are very important to come out against. I would encourage others to speak up and end ridiculous practices within this industry, which have a profound effect on our lives OUTSIDE of sports too.
Posted in Business, Random - 2 Comments
August 5th, 2008
Core Values at Project83
All great companies strive for something more than profit. They have a mission; a higher purpose, called values. A company’s value system guides their every decision, and defines internal culture. Most importantly, it separates them from their competitors and enables them to achieve great success.
Semco values empowering and trusting their people. Zappos values their customers. Southwest Airlines values a bargain. While Project83 will never be as big or influential as any of these companies, it is still important to define what we value most. We don’t want to be big, but we do want to be great.
5 values have helped guide this business from the very beginning, and continue to influence our every decision today:
1. Be Honest and Upfront
Scope and budget are 2 things that can easily get out of hand in a web project without the proper management and foresight. When they do, the project ceases to be fun for anyone.
Before making any financial commitments with us, you will know exactly how long and how much. Period. Even when the answer is not what you want to hear, you will get the truth. And we will stick with it until the project is finished, unless something on your end changes.
Many individuals and firms out there will tell you what you want to hear upfront in order to get the contract, then not deliver. I see this all the time, and we have lost jobs because other companies over-promised. Project83 may not be the cheapest price or shortest timeframe upfront, but you can bet that what you see in the beginning is what you get in the end.
2. Give 110% to the Process
Our process of building websites works, and we dedicate 110% effort to each step along the way. No matter what the size, scope or budget of the project, we stand behind the process and don’t take shortcuts.
3. Do Great Work
Our number one goal when starting a project is to do great work. Not only do we strive for perfection aesthetically, but also in the structure and overall “user friendliness” of the site. Make the design more WOWing, make the code a bit lighter, or add one small touch that makes things easy for users. Whatever it is, we strive with each project to do better work than the one before.
It doesn’t matter if no one seems to notice the subtle gradient or intelligent use of typography. If it enabled you to do great work for the client and get better at the same time, it is a win-win.
4. Partner with Quality People
Like any other business, the web business comes down to people and relationships. Our goal is to create positive, long-lasting relationships with people founded on mutual respect. We interview our potential customers, and that’s been a huge benefit for both sides starting out.
One thing I will be clear about is that we don’t take orders. We go into every project with an open mind, willing to learn from what the client has to offer, and we expect the same from the people we work with. If you can’t come to us willing to listen to ideas and suggestions that will help the project succeed, then please don’t come to us at all. Since value #3 requires us to do great work, that means your users’ best interest is always the top priority. Notice I did not say your best interest. The customer or user is the #1 priority.
5. CANI (Constant and Never-Ending Improvement)
A great friend and mentor taught me the concept of CANI, constant and never-ending improvement. Everything we do is constantly under a microscope, and we are looking for ways to do better. We spend significant time CANI’ing everything we do..
Thanks to advanced analytics and tracking data on the web, you can always find ways to CANI your project. So we always look to make measurable improvements in building sites, or optimizing them.
We think these 5 things make Project83 rather unique in our space. What makes your business unique? What is your higher calling past money? Consciously be thinking about what your company values, and how it can be used as the foundation to build a better business.