

Why it Failed: Part 1 - wwworks
http://wwworks.co/articles/5

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edw
When did “learnings” become a word that non–MBAs started using? I don’t think
there is another word that fills me with a greater desire to flip the
conference room table over and leave the room.

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wwworks
Thanks for your input, which word would you suggest? I'm partly (small part)
writing this blog to improve my english. English isn't my mother tongue, and
the best way to learn is by doing. :-)

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allenbrunson
how about just "things I learned." I agree with the other poster, "learnings"
sets my teeth on edge.

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wwworks
Ok, thanks. Updated! Don't want to sound too academic. :-)

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allenbrunson
"learnings" is not "academic," it is ANTI-academic. it's jargon made up by
insecure people trying to make themselves sound more important.

as a non-native-english speaker, I'm sure it's difficult to determine things
like that. practice makes perfect!

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wwworks
Cool, that's good to know!

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farout
Thanks for sharing. Screw the English - the ideas were spot on especially
about market reach. In general I find people who have no real value to add
with usually criticize not the ideas but the person. It shows low self-esteem
in my eyes.

My biggest beef working with start ups - they only focus on technology.

When I am doing sales and marketing for them the times I have succeed is when
I figured out a well defined market that not only feels the pain but it
actively looking for a solution and that also easy to reach. An example:
software security inspection software

Before I came, the company focused on VPs of engineering for SMB market. Now
this is well defined. But no VP of engineering is going to say - oh we need to
pay someone to find all the security breaches in our software. However I went
after CEOs and VP of Sales - and angled it as 3rd verification if they are in
the middle of strategic relationships: OEMs, exits for buyouts, selling to
financial or insurance industry, or even working with Fortune 1000 companies.
What a difference - we suddenly had their attention and were able to close
some business quickly.

I am very good at B2B. But I refuse to sell anymore. I hate doing business
with people are want the easy money and screw customers meaning they fail
miserably in operations. They also think very badly of sales. Typically coders
who have never sold, being a techie I have looked at some times at their code
- for shame!

So I am on my own. I am trying the B2C market but have yet to succeed: 30
itunes apps, 3 websites, etc.

I am tempted to go back into B2B since that where my strengths are but I just
want to a small shop so I am kinda stuck until I succeed :-)

Your point about not doing business in a domain that is not of your interest
or expertise - valid point. I would suggest getting a partner that does have
the domain expertise and enthusiasm. I know plenty of successful who are not
enthusiastic about the industry they are in. And tons of CEOs who can not tell
you a single benefit statement of why to use their product/service. It would
be odd but to me it is normally. In front of customers, I always have to check
my CEO to make sure they don't hang themselves.

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wwworks
Wow, thanks for your reply, really appreciated. And I'm glad that you liked
the post.

You make some really good points. I agree on the problems with only focusing
on technology. I kinda did it myself on this project. As a programmer and
designer (more designer than programmer actually) I dug my head in the sand
and hacked away whiteout testing the idea and market early and often.

I also learned that the B2C market is difficult, especially if you want to
make money. B2C almost always require a critical mass of users, and that's
expensive. Unless you're passionate enough to spend hours on
Twitter/Facebook/Community sites to build that mass. Which I wasn't (in this
domain).

Having a partner would probably made things easier. And I will try to find one
for my next project. Which definitely will be in a domain that I'm more
passionate and knowledgeable about.

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farout
I agree with you - critical mass is required in B2C market.

There is an excellent book called Viral Loop that dissects past companies that
were able to do this correctly in the B2C market. Also Mark Bao talks about
this threewords.me has a double viral loop - which is fantastic that he
thought of this - I wish I had thought and executed this idea ;)

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wwworks
Awesome, thanks for the tip, will check it out.

