Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hi all,

I`m new to the Startup Nation, but it looks like a very close knit community and I look forward to participating.  I`ve been toying with the idea of starting a business for a while and just haven`t taken the step to do it. 

I have been developing Database Applications for 5 years now at a health insurance company, and I want to take my experiences and use them as an independent consultant.  My thought is that I can target small business entrepreneurial types to propel their businesses into new areas by helping to automate their manual processes, and to make their data more accessible.  I think this is a good idea, because most consulting firms seem to target large companies.

I`m not quite sure how I want this to work and I need some help figuring out a good business modal.  My original thought was to work with five different companies, contracting with each one of them to work a day a week.  This could be beneficial because it is likely a small business can`t afford a full time database programmer, or else they would probably have already hired one.  The other thought is that I would work on a more traditional project basis where once I`m done with one I`d move onto the next.

I really just need some input to see if there is any value to this sort of thing at all.  I don`t have much desire to stay in the bureaucratic corporate world, and working with a large consulting firm seems like it would be more like treating the symptom rather than the problem.

Thanks in advance.

Shane

I meant to post this in the `selecting a business idea for yourself` section.  Could someone move it for me?

Thanks,

Shane

I think that your ideas are great, with a catch ...

A fulltime or even a part time db programmer is often out of reach budget-wise for a lot of small companies. At least the size I deal with.

What you might have luck with, and something I have done before, is doing on-site contracting for slightly larger companies ... ie have the money to pay you, but not enough to have someone full time. This is usually kind of in the small/medium business range. For example, on one contract, I went into a company with about 80 people. They wanted an Act! system. So I created the database, imported all their data into it, created customer user interfaces, tied it all together, and trained their salespeople how to use it. This contract was full time for 3 months, and then I went on to the next one. They have multiple listings for these kind of ICs all the time on Craigslist. Maybe this would be a good type of thing for you to get into? It`s just an idea ... in any case, good luck!

One option people in your situation have actually had a lot of success with is to work as a tech-rep and installer-troubleshooter for a single application company.

If you`re a database developer, you could go out on your own. The problem is what database would you use? Access is kind of a drag, but it`s about all there is for small businesses. Then there`s Alpha-5, getting heavy into the Web-based database realm. And that`s a big and evolving field, as small businesses (and large) want to build Web-enabled databases.

I`m suggesting that small businesses are maybe going to have a price ceiling if you go with Oracle or Delphi or some of the other heavy hitters. But then, if "small business" to you, means annual earnings of $1-million or more, it wouldn`t be a problem.

Healthcare data management is pretty specialized, and you have a lot of that now. Managed Care organizations, HMOs, Insurance companies, all are using these "vertical market" solutions. But who installs them? Who`s the project manager or project leader? That could be you.

I would think the first step is to figure out two things. First and foremost, what sounds like the most *fun* to you? If it isn`t fun, given all the anxieties of going out on your own, you`ll hate it before you even get started.

Secondly, who is your target market? Do you want those small businesses and Web databases? Do you want vertical solutions? Do you want to build something, make it shareware or commercial? Start by asking, "Who are the customers and clients I want to deal with, day in and day out, over the next ten years?"

What you have above is a good start, but not very specific. What do you mean "small business?" What do you envision as your daily work as a consultant, with some actual details included in that vision?

Generally, if you ask the question the right way, the answer is contained within that question. So instead of looking for an answer on this thread, how about if we start by looking more closely at the question you`re asking? :-)

Thanks for the replies, I will take your input and do some more thinking.