Entrepreneurial Evolution

I originally posted this on the Georneys blog but thought I would share it here as well.

My husband, David, wrote an interesting post about the different business things that we've done over the last seven years.  It's amazing that we've done so much - I had no idea.

The list includes

• Scubalicious - my first web site, which in retrospect was a blog (1999)
• LEnfIS (Law Enforcement Information Systems) - hosted applications for law enforcement agencies.  This grew out of an attempt for agencies to share gang information. (2001)
• Conservancy Software Group - I incorporated to do a few things, namely a survey application which was used by two FSU professors and the Florida-Georgia Blood Alliance.  The FGBA (now The Blood Alliance) is still using this application. (2001 - 2002)
• Duey Software - a place to put my consulting work after letting the corporation go (2003)
• Innovux, Inc. - Our current corporation, that we've decided to jointly focus on (2005 - present).  Under this, we've done Georneys, ListrBlistr, and FevrBlistr, as well as FeedGadget.  And, we've got more to crank out!
• 2Ruffians - an offshoot of Innovux, because David didn't want to be associated with law enforcement software.  I wrote an application (still used by the Tallahassee Police Department) that tracked officer training. (2005)  I also did a web site called LockerMonkey, for storing private information (credit cards, etc) for easy access.
• Item Banking - this was one of David's babies, that he researched no end and ultimately decided not to pursue.  He decided that without funding, there was no way to put out a decent application in a reasonable period of time.

That's just a very brief list with even more brief descriptions.  Most of them failed before they ever got started - mostly because I'm horrible at marketing, but also because I'm easily bored.  By the time I finish the development on something, I'm ready to start something else.  So, nothing ever gets marketed, and everything gets left in the "if you build it, they will come" world (and of course that never happens).

I've learned a ton over the years of doing this.  One is that I suck at marketing.  Another is that I'm easily bored.  The biggest one though is admitting that I need help with those things.  I've also learned that when someone gives feedback, they're not criticising per se, but trying to help me (for the most part).  And, when someone says, "And I should be interested in this because...?" you'd damn well better have a decent answer.

In David's post, he gives us a "report card" and actually grades us on aspects of our entrepreneurialism.  I think he gave us pretty high marks, but I'm also extremely hard on myself.  I won't change the grading system but go on a pass/fail basis.  Do we pass?  Yes.  Barely.  And only because we currently technically work for ourselves.

However, I think this time next year we'll have a different story to tell.  I don't necessarily mean we'll be the next Google or even a J-Squared Media.  But if we can be more than we are now, and actually be active entrepreneurs, we'll be better.