NOTE: #secretproject is not the product name. The real name will be revealed in the next 14 days.
Over the past 18 months i’ve been slowly working towards launching my first product (my brand of cachaça and my leather Macbook sleeves never got off the ground). It’s been a learning journey to say the least.
I had the vision for my #secretproject when I was planning Engage Marketing 3 or 4 years ago. After so many months of bit-by-bit planning I finally jumped in head first and told myself if i didn’t accept that it wouldn’t be 100% perfect, it would never get off the ground.
That realisation led me to go out in search of a “kick-arse developer” (my words used on the project description). Since then I haven’t looked back.
To be completely honest, i don’t know whether this product will be a commercial success on the scale that i had originally hoped. That’s not for a lack of confidence in the product. I’m ridiculously excited about the opportunities that #secretproject will open up for it’s buyers, but as you go along, life gives you a few knocks and tries to dent your confidence.
What i do know is that i’ll learn a hell of a lot and that alone will be worth 50x more than what i’ve put into it (i also expect triple figure revenue – just not the Aston Martin DBS-sized profits that I had dreamed of as a teenager).
Launching #secretproject, I hope to learn:
- How to get maximum value out of working with overseas developers.
- How to create a turnkey operation.
- To back myself in larger ventures.
- Agile management skills and techniques.
- Continuous innovation.
- That launching is half the battle.
Have you got any tips for me or comments on the learning value of trying to launch something new? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below or on Twitter (@MikeFromEngage).