Progress Thread: Going to start my first ecommerce business

[EastWind]

I can't believe how fast time goes! It's Jan 17th, and I feel like I haven't done anything. I have decided to start my first progress thread on this forum as a form of motivation. I figure if I can't deliver, then others can see that I'm all talk and I will be too ashamed to participate in the forums. I have learned a lot from you guys and found motivation and wisdom in many posts. So, I'm from the Midwest, but on a whim, got into my 20yrs old car and drove 2000+ miles straight to Vegas, I'm currently sitting in a hotel room in Vegas right off the strip. Just came back in from cruising the strip, and all I can do is marvel at the men who own all these casinos. I would really love that kind of money, the kind of money to play real life monopoly. But whilst I dream, I must start somewhere, so I have decided to start my first e-commerce.

Jan 17th

1) I don't have much money to be paying programmers/designers, so I'm going to have to learn PHP and design the site myself.

2) I have written down a bunch of features that I will like the site to have and have laid out the design/architect roughly on paper.

3) I bought a PHP and Mysql web development book, and will devour it and get to prototyping.

Feb 2nd
Development of website started, roughly 20% of the website features.

Feb 10th
Not feeling motivated. My project has a VOIP side to it, that I'm totally clueless about, and figuring out is a big undertaking in itself. This will easily set me back a few months as the learning curve seems quite high. I got a hosted dedicated unix server yesterday and installed the VoIP software and will slowly figure it out.

Feb 19th
Prototyping of the website coming along fine. 65% done. VOIP curve really high for a first timer, but I'm slowly making progress. I now have to learn a new programming language (LUA) for the telephony side of things.

I am beginning to understand that there are things much more important than having a great idea and being very intelligent. To succeed, you must be determined, you must have drive, you must be ambitious, you must be disciplined, you must be focused.

Making progess, slow and steady. Found motivation. I feel like I'm still in first gear, at least I'm going and not stuck at the same place. Time to switch it to second gear! My Initial goal and belief was that this will take around 6 months to do, since I had to learn all the technology from the ground up. I hear a little voice in my head, telling me that I could do it in less and do it faster. We shall see!


March 16th:
There are going to be times in our lives, when life or other events throw us a curve ball. There are going to be times in our lives when we really get distracted from our business due to personal things, it could be your relationships, family, friends, lovers, divorce, sick kid, your own health, law suit, etc. There are many things that can distract us outside of the basic daily little things. Recovering from such distractions is very important because you can easily be distracted from a few days to a long time.

Better yet, instead of recovering is finding how to keep on chugging along, even if at a slower pace. Better to keep moving a bit, than to completely grind to a halt. I have been just going through some real personal shit, but it's gotten to the point where I have put in my best and said F it, and just keep it pushing. But that's all in the past, it's been 6 weeks and I'm back at it again.

Simplicity is probably better than complexity. There is a side of my project that will provide 20% of the service that the customers need, but that will take 80% of my development time and worse, while it definitely will attract some customers, it will probably make no money, I do probably break even on it, and hope to make some extra from the other services. So instead of killing myself with this part, I decided to suspend it and focus on the other 80% that is easier and will make money. I need to get to the market fast. (No major VOIP, LUA hacking for now, in a few months perhaps)

[TC2]

Congratulation on taking action! You just made the first step on your success journey.

Many of us on this forum knows about PHP and MySQL. So don't hesitate to ask question. Google and PHP.NET is your best friend.

Looking forward to hearing your next move!

[Bond]

One question: Why you want to develop the site instead of using a ready ecommerce platform like magento, prestashop, oscommerce, etc? You then just had to do the design...

[JayKim]

[QUOTE=EastWind;118203] So, I'm from the midwest, but on a whim, got into my 20yrs old car and drove 2000+ miles straight to Vegas, I'm currently sitting in a hotel room in Vegas right off the strip./QUOTE]


I did that too but I'm 800 miles from Vegas. Are you going to live out there?

[Gymjunkie]

Congrats on starting! Looking forward to see how you succeed!

[EastWind]

One question: Why you want to develop the site instead of using a ready ecommerce platform like magento, prestashop, oscommerce, etc? You then just had to do the design...

because, I'm not setting up a store. It's a service for a special niche, there is no software I can pick up that has already been designed for it.

[Bond]

because, I'm not setting up a store. It's a service for a special niche, there is no software I can pick up that has already been designed for it.

Ok, i see...
Right now i'm also re-learning to programm and i'm using php/mysql (codeigniter framework) but i've been ill for the past weeks so it's been harder to pickup the pace.
Hope you succeed on your venture.

[EastWind]

Ok, i see...
Right now i'm also re-learning to programm and i'm using php/mysql (codeigniter framework) but i've been ill for the past weeks so it's been harder to pickup the pace.
Hope you succeed on your venture.

a decent php framework i heard of is symfony, but i will not be using any framework as that will probably add a month+ of additional learning. perhaps in the future if i redesign, i don't feel the add is that complex to benefit from a framework. good luck with yours too.

[Bond]

a decent php framework i heard of is symfony, but i will not be using any framework as that will probably add a month+ of additional learning. perhaps in the future if i redesign, i don't feel the add is that complex to benefit from a framework. good luck with yours too.

As far as i know the purpose of the framework is to cut development time so you might want to checkout some php frameworks and see if they fit you .
As for learning the framework basics, i found it easy to get the MVC (Models, Views, Controllers) structure. Something i struggle to understand before trying Codeigniter, mainly when i did some iPhone apps.
Eventually i did the apps but i never fully understand the concept of MVC, lol...
Now my problem is not the MVC concept but know the ways i can get a specific job done.
This is something i know that it will only work if i put many hours into PHP, or any other language...

[EastWind]

I have started development of the website, my first time messing with PHP/MySQL. It's not too bad. I have implemented roughly 20% of the website features. Currently working on it, and hopefully will have all website features done by end of March. The project has a VOIP side and that is now my currently bottleneck. I'm currently looking for a VOIP engineer, and feel that as soon as I find a competent one, I will be able to gain speed and have this project wrapped up and live by July.

[EastWind]

Update: Lacking motivation, and searching for it. Finding it easier to do other things than to focus, it's like all of a sudden I notice other things that need to be done. However, I'm moving along, although quite slowly, and I do need to step up the pace. Learning FreeSwitch, an Asterisk alternative for the VOIP part of my product. At first I thought that I could skip it, and just do the web part of the project and launch then slowly add that, but I firmly believe this is the part that will really sell the product and allow me to pull in subscribed users.

[Gymjunkie]

Update: Lacking motivation, and searching for it. Finding it easier to do other things than to focus, it's like all of a sudden I notice other things that need to be done. However, I'm moving along, although quite slowly, and I do need to step up the pace. .

Boy can I relate to this feeling!!! It's procrastination at it's best. You do stuff, but not really stuff you need to! I'm stuck in this rut for some time now. Maybe this is caused by being overwhelmed or something..

Try cutting it off buddy, just do something small towards your goal.

[Bond]

I'm in the same boat. Feeling really hard to focus...

[Sparlin]

Procrastination: the slow suffocation of a dream. A lack of focus that results in one feeling overwhelmed, bored, tired, and unmotivated. Long term exposure to it results in unfinished projects, lower self esteem, and unrecoverable time. Often mistaken as excusable, it tends to slow down its victim until they've reached a point of stagnation (paralysis).

Remedy: First, in order to reverse the effects of procrastination, one must recognize it. Once this is done, the person must define their over all goals, determine what steps are required to achieve them, and allocate specific times in which to work on them. It is imperative that these times are directed towards the task. Distractions cannot be tolerated or left in the immediate area.

Helpful Hints: The "Everyone's Watching" method serves as a powerful motivator when dealing with procrastination. This method entails explaining your goals to your friends AND to people you don't know. Set a date and tell them it will be done by that time. Effectiveness is increased when they expect delivery of a product.

"Sprinter Drills" consist of short burst of intense focus and speed followed by periods of rest. Often used by cross country athletes, this method translates well for those struggling with procrastination. By allocating 30 minutes a day to a project, one will feel a sense of reward as small tasks are completed and "free time" is granted afterwards. The key is to do this consistently and approximately at the same time.



Antonyms: Success, Pride, Relief, Confidence

example of use: ( The entrepreneur allowed procrastination to delay his project until he quit reading this thread and became successful.)

Source: written by me as it applies to me

[Gymjunkie]

Procrastination: the slow suffocation of a dream. A lack of focus that results in one feeling overwhelmed, bored, tired, and unmotivated. Long term exposure to it results in unfinished projects, lower self esteem, and unrecoverable time. Often mistaken as excusable, it tends to slow down its victim until they've reached a point of stagnation (paralysis).

Remedy: First, in order to reverse the effects of procrastination, one must recognize it. Once this is done, the person must define their over all goals, determine what steps are required to achieve them, and allocate specific times in which to work on them. It is imperative that these times are directed towards the task. Distractions cannot be tolerated or left in the immediate area.

Helpful Hints: The "Everyone's Watching" method serves as a powerful motivator when dealing with procrastination. This method entails explaining your goals to your friends AND to people you don't know. Set a date and tell them it will be done by that time. Effectiveness is increased when they expect delivery of a product.

"Sprinter Drills" consist of short burst of intense focus and speed followed by periods of rest. Often used by cross country athletes, this method translates well for those struggling with procrastination. By allocating 30 minutes a day to a project, one will feel a sense of reward as small tasks are completed and "free time" is granted afterwards. The key is to do this consistently and approximately at the same time.



Antonyms: Success, Pride, Relief, Confidence

example of use: ( The entrepreneur allowed procrastination to delay his project until he quit reading this thread and became successful.)

Source: written by me as it applies to me

Nice post. Speed+

"Everyone is watching" doesn't work for me but Sprints seem to help!

[EastWind]

Well, I expected this somewhat. I shall overcome it tho. Part of my problem in life isn't that I'm not smart or capable as others, but that my determination/will is not too strong and that I never see and finish things through. Sometimes, I wonder if those of us who are weak in determination/willingness are doomed to fail. However, I realize, everything in life is like a muscle, the more you work on it, the greater and stronger you get. So this project I must finish and see through.

@Sparlin, that's why I started this thread, and also made that update, because everyone is watching.

[kwerner]

EastWind - How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.



This project is your elephant, man. Instead of seeing the WHOLE project as being unfinished and getting overwhelmed and discouraged, try breaking things down into small, manageable steps.

Put your blinders on, only focus on the one little task that you're working on at the moment and work on it until you've FINISHED it - once that bite's finished, onto the next. You'll feel a sense of accomplishment after finishing each little step, and you know what? You'll build momentum.

Soon that elephant won't look so big anymore. You can do it!

[Sparlin]

Well, I expected this somewhat. I shall overcome it tho. Part of my problem in life isn't that I'm not smart or capable as others, but that my determination/will is not too strong and that I never see and finish things through. Sometimes, I wonder if those of us who are weak in determination/willingness are doomed to fail. However, I realize, everything in life is like a muscle, the more you work on it, the greater and stronger you get. So this project I must finish and see through.

@Sparlin, that's why I started this thread, and also made that update, because everyone is watching.

It is like a muscle. Now it's time to feel the burn. Choice is a key component when it comes to being successful. It needs to be hard wired like a switch in your brain. This is a switch that divides quality time from time waisted.

Sometimes CHOICE leads to SACRIFICE. You may have to sacrifice what you feel like doing for doing something boring. The thing you have to realize is that there is no one who can make things happen for you more than yourself. I'm not talking about the power of "Self" as in you are the most important person and that a positive attitude is all you need. What I mean is that you have your family, a few friends, and maybe an acquaintance or two that even think about your success. Of that, even fewer truly care about it.

I don't say this to be mean. I say this to help you realize that there is no one that is sitting around and thinking, "I wonder how I'm going to make that guy rich". The bottom line is that you are accountable for your own actions. This applies to all aspects of life such as how you parent, what kind of shape you're in, how educated you are, or how successful you become. It is ultimately YOUR responsibility.

You know we all have different struggles and challenges that we face each day. My issues aren't that far removed from your own. I struggle with completion of projects myself, and I mean in an ADD kind of way. The thing to do is to recognize the problem and move through it. You chose to join this community for a reason. I'm glad you're letting the members help you with the motivation you need to keep going. We look forward to hearing about your progress.

[EastWind]

UPDATE: Making progess, slow and steady. Found motivation. I feel like I'm still in first gear, at least I'm going and not stuck at the same place. Time to switch it to second gear! My Initial goal and belief was that this will take around 6 months to do, since I had to learn all the technology from the ground up. I hear a little voice in my head, telling me that I could do it in less and do it faster. We shall see!

[EastWind]

Probably a few days after making my last post. I had a mini burn out, and didn't work on my project for 2 weeks! I had a lot of things happen in my personal life that really brought me down mentally/emotionally. But the good news is that I'm back on the grind since 3 days ago. I analyzed what I'm doing, and found out that the most complex part of the system even tho it will bring in customers to sign in, will be a money losing part. So I dropped that feature and will hold it off for the future. Back to web development.