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thehardwarecity

posts: 13

Feb 25, 2008 1:48 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hi Guys,
I would like to introduce my business ThehardwareCity.com.
Any feedback, comments will be highly appreciated.
Thanks.

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http://www.TheHardwareCity.com
One Stop place for Plumbing, Hardware, Electrical, Automotive, Garden, tools and Construction needs.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=794435269

stonesledge

posts: 1093

Feb 25, 2008 3:35 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hi, Welcome to SUN.

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Our Goal Is Your Success!
Founder Girls with Goals

CraigL

posts: 9051

Feb 25, 2008 7:01 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hi there, Seattle.. :-) Welcome aboard.
Your site was loading very slowly, so I didn`t stay with it at this time. Maybe it`s just a server glitch, but I`ll take a look some other time. Here in the midwest we seem to be getting Winter from all the other parts of the country, so hopefully the west coast is a bit warmer?

MiteyMite

posts: 489

Feb 26, 2008 8:37 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

Points: 0 Vote

Welcome! I experienced slow loading too~ but once it was up it seemed to go okay. Adding alt images might help it load a little faster. That intense blue could have a more positive effect in smaller blocks. It was a little bright for my liking. Alt text could be added too. Otherwise, I think the site looks pretty good. How are you liking the ecommerce solution you chose?

thehardwarecity

posts: 13

Feb 26, 2008 11:28 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Thanks guys for the valuable feedback.
I will try to find the reason for slow loading.
I love it, it is doing way more than what I had expected.

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http://www.TheHardwareCity.com
One Stop place for Plumbing, Hardware, Electrical, Automotive, Garden, tools and Construction needs.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=794435269

thehardwarecity

posts: 13

Feb 26, 2008 3:30 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

Points: 0 Vote

Kathy,
Thanks for pointing the error.
I fixed it.

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http://www.TheHardwareCity.com
One Stop place for Plumbing, Hardware, Electrical, Automotive, Garden, tools and Construction needs.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=794435269

gliderjockey

posts: 33

Jun 28, 2008 6:08 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

Points: 0 Vote

Hello, community!

I`ve been lurking on this site for a couple months now and just finished reading the Startup Nation book. It was (is) a great read, even if you are not going to become an entrepeneur. Probably the absolute best lesson for me personally was to write the Life Plan. It seemed kind of odd to me at first, but as I did it, it made a lot more sense.

I work for a fairly large software company in the region and it`s review season. Let me tell you, reading Startup Nation and completing career goals for the comapny at the same time is a dangerous proposition. My life plan helped me realize that my career goals could not be met at this company, no matter how long I stayed. It helped me realize that while I make good money, I have been drifting in my career for the last 10 years.

Anyway, I decided to start up again (my second time) but this time I feel better than ever about it. I look forward to interacting with the SuN community!

Steve

CraigL

posts: 9051

Jun 28, 2008 8:21 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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LOL!! Excellent post, Steve

What a perfect juxtaposition, your description of having to fill out a review form while reading about entrepreneurial ventures. Totally perfect! :-D

It`s interesting, though, isn`t it, how easily we fall into complacency and let others tell us what to do? We follow orders, don`t rock the boat, go along to get along, and take the money home. The question is whether or not "complacency" is the same thing as "happiness." Is "content" the same as "joyful?"

What`s your idea on a startup?

gliderjockey

posts: 33

Jun 29, 2008 3:14 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

Points: 0 Vote

Craig,

Thanks for the response and the compliment. Where I work currently, the review isn`t just a form; it`s a process. We start our annual review in June and finish it in September. Ugh! I`m supposed to write out my commitments for the next year, as well as discuss my long term plans with the company. They like to keep their employees around for a while, which is a good thing. I just realized that it`s not what I need out of a career.

And you are correct, it is very easy to become complacent. I didn`t even realize I was complacent at the time. But I had that inner nagging going on for the last 3 or 4 years. I just didn`t listen close enough to know what it was saying to me. So in my opinion, compacency does not equal happimess.

The "alarm clock" that "woke" me was seeing my co-workers emailing each other at 4 in the morning, and I was thinking they were crazy, sacrificing home life (and quality of life) for a little bonus and some flat stock grants, but no real growth potential. (After all, where I work, it`s the VPs that make all the big money for the work we do.) I said to myself "Self, if you ever need, or choose, to work those kinds of hours again, do it on something your passionate about." From there I started to wake up again...

As far as my startup, I`m still trying to hone my elevator pitch, so forgive me if I`m a bit wordy right now. If anyone has ideas on how to hone it, I`m all ears.

My company builds software that makes your life easier (hence the name MYLE Software). I know this is broad, but it`s a guiding principle that has stuck with me for 12 years. If the software or feature doesn`t make your life easier, it isn`t worth writing (or using). After all, software is a tool, and we all like quality tools.

Just as Burt Rutan said he MUST build a commercial space transportation system, I (meaning my company) MUST deliver top-notch family-friendly software.

In phase one, I will be launching a web site that makes it easy for family and friends, who are spread apart geographically, to get together online, in a secure, unique way. I`m trying to keep it super safe for kids and so easy to use that grandma can use it. My target demographics are parents with kids who go off to college, grandparents with children and grandchildren in another state or country, servicemen overseas and more. I apologize for being somewhat vague on the specifics of it right now, but I need to put the finishing touches on it and launch before my competition does next month. Once I have it open, I`ll be sure to describe it in detail here.

In phase two we will be delivering software that keeps us safe online (think parental controls that actually work and are super easy to use). I have a neat design that I may be able to patent, so I can`t say much about the technology behind it right now.

I look forward to more interaction here. Thanks again for the welcome, Craig.

Steve Brown

CraigL

posts: 9051

Jun 29, 2008 3:19 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I remember having my first review, going through the process, when I`d started a regular day job. I`d been a musician for 20 years, and was in my middle 30s, so this actually was the first time I`d ever heard of "a review."

The boss handed me a form asking me how I would rate myself, 1-10, in a variety of areas. So I just put down 10 in all of them. Then they asked if I had any areas I thought needed improving. I said no, except for some company policies I thought could be better. When it came to what my next year`s goals were, I said I wanted more time to fish, work on my projects, and to learn more about something or other.

Needless to say, the boss called me in and we had a "discussion." I think they created a new category for people like me on the next version of the review form: smartass---needs to be fired! :-D

Hey...what`d I know? I`d never worked a day job before.

On your thoughts regarding this new business; I`m just wondering how keeping people safe makes their life easier?

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