
How do you find customers with problems to fix in software? - cs02rm0
I&#x27;m a contract developer but I&#x27;ve long been keen to make the leap to starting a software product company, ideally B2B.<p>I can fund getting an initial release out, but it seems to me the best way to do so is by finding a customer with a problem and a budget who can put a price on what they&#x27;d pay for a solution. I&#x27;ve tried doing this without a customer and it&#x27;s not gone well.<p>--<p>This seems straightforwards, but it&#x27;s escaped me so far. The closest I managed was an NHS (I&#x27;m based in the UK) team my wife works in who liked a prototype, passed it up the chain to get budget approval and were told they could have the software if it was developed in-house. I approached some NHS innovation departments for help getting it to other teams, but they said they&#x27;d only work with software that other people were already using. Catch 22.<p>Any tips?
======
k__
I'm in the same place right now.

Working as employee and cotractor for about 10 years now.

I have the feeling all business lectures focus on what to do AFTER you got
this kind of thing sorted out, before you are pretty much on your own.

I will go to a trade fair next week, maybe I'll find something there...

------
HeyLaughingBoy
An alternative is to find a domain that you find interesting and then research
it to find problems people have. Look up Amy Hoy's Sales Safari technique.

Once you've done that, products that people will actually pay for become
easier to see.

~~~
cs02rm0
Only just into watching her give a talk on this but it sounds interesting,
just the sort of thing I'm after. Thanks.

------
wesie
Hi cs02rm0, drop me an email on rume.gbenedio@yahoo.com. I am based in UK.
Let's catch up for coffee and I can bounce some ideas by you and tell me what
you think. Look forward to your reply. Rume

------
anonymous_ta38
Identify a specific and urgent business need from your previous jobs. A real
pain point for the managers.

I used to work in the gaming industry. I have 2 problems which they consider
"difficult" but i know are solvable.

Its the "getting shit done" which is harder for me. All the small
implementation details pile up ;(

Are you into web dev, desktop or backend ?

~~~
cs02rm0
Thanks. Previous jobs is difficult, in recent years I've been working at
places who only deal with large defence companies. They don't want to sign a
contract for anything smaller than millions and I'm not going to win one of
those.

The systems I build tend to be Java at the core (uncool but I like it and it
works with the sector), but I do everything from requirements gathering
through to operations including UI. Although a minimum of UI is preferable.

------
yazr
Bootstrapping in B2B is very hard. Decisions take years, endless customization
and integration, and its someone's day-job to negotiate you down on price.

VCs like this because with enough funding and persistence, you get a sticky
high margin product.

How about B2C ? What is your technical skill set ?

~~~
anonymous_ta38
health sector is also full of compliance issues - urghh..

~~~
ncouture
.. but the compensations to fit the bill can be quite nice -- and the health
care industry is about 10 years behind in tech standards (IMO).

