Interested In Your Business Surviving Thru 2010??? Here is Step 1
 

No matter how big or small if you are interested in your business surviving through 2010 the first step you have to take is START TREATING IT LIKE A BUSINESS!!!! It sounds easy but most people don't even do that. Give yourself a fighting chance :winkwink:

"Discipline" at least 12 hours a day working on my network of sites.

this is so true.

Good tip.

That is definitely up there and probably part of treating it like a business.

Shap,

How about a top ten commandments of "TREATING IT LIKE A BUSINESS!!!!"

A

First rule, build tube :)

Remember that profit = revenues - expenses. A lot of people think about how to increase their revenue, but you can also think about how to decrease your expense.

Rule # 2: Outsource the hell out of everything .... u wanna haz a tube? Hire a shaddy Kat....u wanna jack off? Hire someone to do it for ya

Disclaimer: U might wanna check on the legal issues involving that second part before proceeding..



SHAP, plz illuminate us with step 3 will ya???

Gee, ya think?

When you say that - this is the first thing that springs to mind for me ........

Pay and get paid, mates rates and favours no more.

Have no emotional attachments to the business side of things. Something doesn't go your way move on - going apeshit won't help.

May seem obvious but I would say 50 to 75% of people do not run it like a business.

If you are talking about people on these message boards, I'd say it's closer to 90%. I'd place a wager that most have no C.P.A. or accountant, business bank account, or LLC set up. Nor clear $35,000.00 a year in adult online earnings. Either gross or net.

I always get a chuckle out of people with nothing in their sigs or profiles claiming to have been in this industry for 10-11 years, made millions and no one knows who they are or what they do. That's funny.

Great tip Shap!

For me, that's the first step of business not one you throw in to keep alive at the last minute.

I like to think I do that, but sitting here working on the couch in my pajamas while my kids play isn't helping matters. :1orglaugh

From my perspective as a female owner who's been in the industry for more yrs than I care to admit; I see how such a huge majority of male owners/webmasters (and this industry is most definetly a boys club) get caught up and distracted by the "lifestyle", so that all business fundamentals and logic go flying out the door. I know quite a few extremely talented and sharp guys, industry vets who've been in the industry longer than I have, but have never been able to push their companies above the point of mediocrity because they're in it for the lifestyle. Or as I like to call it, shitting-where-you-eat. Honestly, I feel bad for you men as you're genetically engineered to go completely dumb everytime you see ass, tits or pussy.

Shap-that thread you posted a couple of years ago here about the business fundamentals you attribute to your success with Twisty's really inspired me...I've been meaning to tell you. I think what hit me on the head was your call to owners to go back to focusing on developing a quality product. This was when the xsell shit was ramping up again and there was a mass migration to jump on the bandwagon. For a minute there was some fast, easy $ that was able to be made, so it's easy to see why there's been such a shift in the industry.

You probably don't remember this, but you and Mrs. Shap were one of my first content clients I met at my first avn about 8 yrs ago, when you were buying licensed content for your non-exclusive sites pre-twisty's. You placed my first bulk dvd licensing+custom encoding order. Of course my co bungled up the encoding due to lack of experience..but I'll never forget how you reamed me, even after we replaced the few corrupted/missing files. I remember thinking you were slightly on the OCD side lol, but you demanded perfection and set a high standard for customer service and product quality that I knew I wanted my company to deliver. Not to say you are the only client to break my balls, as a content provider in this industry I think eating shit is apart of my job description..but I became OCD about quality control after that because I was completely embarrassed; I knew you were right.
The fundamental rules I've applied to the development and growth of my company are;
#1. It costs less to keep a returning client than it does to acquire a new one (marketing 101). #2. Listen to your consumer base and develop a quality product at a competitive pricing that's of value to the consumer. (also marketing 101). Over the years, I've been able to maintain a min. yr over yr growth rate of 15+%, even as a little shit can content provider-and capture my market share (admittedly, as tiny as it is) based on this mantra. I certainly haven't blown up $ wise, like I've seen so many of my clients blow up over the years, but as long as I can sustain positive growth I'm satisfied. I wish that some of my colleagues would take as much pride in their companies as I do; we're not lazy, smut pornographers anymore. It's time we got back to creating innovative media, marketing and technology.

At least 10 hours a day working on my network.....

you're really starting to sound like an angry, man hating lesbian lately. i don't know much about you at all, just judging by posts i've read.

for every 1 of these idiots you speak of, i know 9 that don't operate that way.

so, you need to open your eyes and appreciate the good guys. i don't feel sorry for any women or treat them differently in the biz. the world is a man's world, boys club, yet women continuously figure out ways to rise to the top and stake their claims. same goes for minorities. those arguments are expired. please stop using them.

what happened did some drunk at a show hit on you one too many times?

just my :2 cents: don't get offended.

Certainly didnt mean to come off as angry, I guess I'm just becoming cynical after years of throwing $ down the drain because of male partners and high priced industry diva employees who have directly affected my business because they had an issue with this. You're right, not all men in the industry have this problem...but it's really hard for most men not to get distracted because they are biologically built to respond that way. It's a complete disadvantage in this business, almost like a handicap in a sense.

Oh and btw-I don't drink at shows..unfortunately as a woman I too have certain disadvantages in the industry. One drink and a woman can easily go from professional to sloppy drunk. Like every good alchoholic, I get fucked up at home alone where I can be an idiot in solace.

I couldn't agree more. We really don't see many people around here these days threating it like a business.

:2 cents:

What does that have to do with surviving in 2010?

I just thought that would help people's mindset.

business is business. Luckily I have other things to fall back on, because it looks like this industry is going downhill fast

One way to think of it is to do everything as if you were preparing to sell your company. So the main things an investor would want to see you should have.

- financial data in order. You don't want your receivables or payables to be late.

- business plan.

- projections and targets

It's not fun and not easy but it can really help your business. Whether you are a gallery maker or program owner.

I definitely remember that. I don't remember everyone or every meeting but I remember that. :thumbsup

Well said Shap!

Mr. Romance

I just recently (yesterday) added a sig to my account. My profile is still empty and will stay that way. I have had three high-powered CPAs managing my finances since '02. Of course I use business banking as well as an ongoing payroll service and Quickbooks in the studio. I've been incorporated since '03. Haven't had a website since sometime in '05 I think. Lot's of people "know" me from this board, but that's about it. I don't advertise anywhere. Been in the graphics biz since '97.

And I do quite well.

The stereotype you laid out is not universal. :2 cents:

captain obvious

Yeah, people without sigs are newbs to the industry and clearly broke as fuck

I was qouting the footguy.

Something about no sigs ? hehe

Do you remember me ?

It kinda makes me chuckle people get so offended about it to be honest. Although normally it's the piss ants, fry cooks, trolls and part timers.

Since you have an accountant, bank account, none of the following applies to you first....
Secondly,...
Most people know who you are, and what you do. Again, negating the reference to the O.P. or need for commentary on it. None of that statement applies to you, nor did I say it was all inclusive.

When I actually use ALL or NONE in my sentence. Then we can address stereotypes.
:pimp

I'm not sure that it really "offends" me.... it's just kind of irritating to see the same statements made here every day by many people about how some percentage of members on this (or any) community site are [insert favorite derogatory label here]... posers, wannabes, fry cooks, etc....

it just gets old, because I'm not sure I believe it's true. The ones just hanging out and not really doing biz in the industry would get bored & naturally move on to something else after a while. I just think declaring 90% of GFY as non-business hangers-on is grossly inaccurate.

Well, I will defer to not only my own experiences here. But those I have heard from many others. Including those who provide CMS, design work, content, among other things. When all of their stories start matching your own experiences then it start to provide a pattern. A pattern that can then provide an educated guess based on facts and experiences of many people in many different segments of this industry.

Whether you are offended or not is not relevant. As you did not fit the characteristics originally mentioned in my O.P.. So the point is moot in that regard.

If you feel that more than 90% are full timers in this industry, and have hundreds of experiences over the years, including currently, people in various segments of this business who can afford your designs, higher end CMS's, content and other things great. Keep laughing all the way to the bank!

I will base my educated opinion based on facts shared over many years, in many conversations here, in private, at conferences, with many other people who have no reason to lie, and piece it together as a snap shot of the message board regulars.

My educated guess based on experience does not require your agreement.

Fair enough.

My disagreement does not require you to change your opinion either. :thumbsup

True dat friend. Back toe bidness.
:)

What about webmasters who are not selling anything to other webmasters or programs, why would they have a sig? there's anonymous affiliates who want to keep their traffic sources secret that have been in the industry for 10-11 years and make millions yearly, and no one knows them. A lot of people don't even post on boards. Are you one of the people that believe a high post count is a measure of success?

Congrats to the winners

hard working is for fuckers.Smart working it`s the key.Much don`t mean good

None of that was the point of my O.P. nor am I going to shadow box out 100 different scenarios for those who do no business on the boards, have nothing to offer, retired, successful millionaire traffic network they keep under lock and key that no one knows about, or they are top secret British agent.

It has nothing to do with a post count.

Beef Stew at CheeseCake Factory in Caesar's Shops in Vegas and you were sick was the last meal we had together :winkwink: