

Ask HN: How do you decide your side project? - henriquea

Hey guys,<p>I&#x27;ve a few ideas I&#x27;m kinda between two. Basically I ask to myself the follow questions:<p>1. Is the market big enough?
2. Are you solving a problem or fabricating one?<p>How about you? What are the questions do you try to answer before start something?<p>Cheers!<p>Update: To be honest I&#x27;m more interested in small niches and community rather the big mass but the first point still relevant I guess.
======
lsiunsuex
I have 2 side projects right now; 1 is extremely niche (a specific type of
post-grad student) and 1 is mass market.

The niche project is backed by money and a partner. It's free to the students.
As much as it's a niche, we're doing quite well, in our 2nd year and are
generally succeeding. We hope to bring some money in by next year.

The 2nd project which is more mass market is not free to the customer. We've
struggled with finding a price point; the system has been redesigned multiple
times and is currently going through it's 3rd redesign and we're having
trouble getting the word out.

To answer your question, I feel both of my side projects are great ideas. The
problems are always money related. Money for marketing is what it comes down
to and how to market it / convey value.

I act based on gut instinct. If I feel a project is a good idea; i do it, in
hopes of making money from it.

Some ideas are good, but aren't realized. They need to be thought out more or
the focus changed or ... Those sit in the back of my head till i've figured
out an angle.

To me, programming is just time on my end. I can build anything someone wants
me to build, front to back (full stack) but wasting time is of no interest to
me. If i feel it doesn't extend my experience / resume, if i feel it has no
potential to make money or the space is to crowded, I don't do it.

Money isn't everything, but we all need to survive. I (personally) can't spend
6 months building a system if it has no possible return attached to it

~~~
henriquea
I'm more with the niche market to be honest, solve one specific problem.

The money is a good point, of course we all want to do something that succeeds
and the profit plays a big role here. Thanks for the input!

