Anyone own a business?

[briangumble]

Does anyone here own there own online-based business? What do you do?

[JakeS]

Yes, I own a Webhosting Company.

[ManagerJosh]

Yep. See sig

[Sergio68]

I sell supplements, home fitness products and advertisment (when I'm lucky).

[briangumble]

I want to start my own online-based business. After reading about the success of myspace, youtube, and this one kid who became a millionaire from selling office furniture online, those stories really inspired me to start my own business. But I'm not really sure what I could do.

[simsim]

The best place to start off is: www.sitepoint.com

Do a lot of reading on the Articles section first. Then do a lot of asking in the forums. You will arrive at a better knowledge on eCommerce & Online Business choices you may want to consider.

[Vile]

I want to start my own online-based business. After reading about the success of myspace, youtube, and this one kid who became a millionaire from selling office furniture online, those stories really inspired me to start my own business. But I'm not really sure what I could do.

Yeah, it's hard. That's why this is the million dollar question, literally.

[Mayers]

Yes I own a hosting company.

[ManagerJosh]

I want to start my own online-based business. After reading about the success of myspace, youtube, and this one kid who became a millionaire from selling office furniture online, those stories really inspired me to start my own business. But I'm not really sure what I could do.

Gotta love the .com era Made millions and billions for some people, left others with nothing but dirt.

[Neal-UK]

It's all been done really. I think these days unless you have something unique (Which is very hard) or spend thousands on the setup and organisation if going against the bigger companies or groups or you have plenty of money, you stand little chance.

I had my own security guarding business, did well for a short time but due to time commitments and limitations (I still had to work for others whilst getting it up and running) I had to pack it in as it was a 24 hour operation. I made my own website though, but I never got customers from that, just many comments on the professional look....

[devilsown]

I sell car parts.

[WurkAnimal]

I don't, but in the future I'm looking to start one as a little project.

[Martz]

I like the idea of the student from England who started "million dollar home page".

Very simple idea - make a grid with a million pixels on it, and sell each pixel to advertisers for a dollar/pound. He made a £1 million and then sold the entire web site on ebay for £250k. Clever guy!


If you want that sort of on-line business, from nothing to something in 60 seconds - then you need a very simple, unique idea. After the success of any of these instant enterprises - everyone slaps their forehead and shouts "doh!" because it was so blatently obvious.

In my opinion though, it's not a business in the strictest sense that you can start with nothing and build it up to something with a solid business plan and goals. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Web hosting for example though, is an existing market with known formulas for working.

Unique/concept web sites are not known markets though - they are a niche or non-existant market. You need to focus on which markets do not exist, what could you create that isn't out there already? You don't know even if people will be interested in the idea, but that doesn't matter. A bit of local publicity can start the ball rolling towards national/international exposure, or word of mouth advertised via e-mails/forums/links etc.

Hype sells.

[simsim]

It's all been done really. I think these days unless you have something unique (Which is very hard) or spend thousands on the setup and organisation if going against the bigger companies or groups or you have plenty of money, you stand little chance.

I had my own security guarding business, did well for a short time but due to time commitments and limitations (I still had to work for others whilst getting it up and running) I had to pack it in as it was a 24 hour operation. I made my own website though, but I never got customers from that, just many comments on the professional look....

Just have a look at some threads at SitePoint. 14-16 years old kiddies making $30k/month is quite a business, isn't it?

[briangumble]

Just have a look at some threads at SitePoint. 14-16 years old kiddies making $30k/month is quite a business, isn't it?

Yeah that's a lot. What do they do to make that much?