Comments on: How NOT to Build a Successful Online Business http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/ Personal Development for Smart People Fri, 16 May 2008 04:06:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Alex Marlin http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-8276 Alex Marlin Sun, 21 Aug 2005 02:27:41 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-8276 Hi Steve, This is a very insightful article. Are you sure you did computer science and mathematics? :-) Man, your words are from the soul, you write with feelings. Love your article. Hi Steve,

This is a very insightful article.
Are you sure you did computer science and mathematics? :-)
Man, your words are from the soul, you write with feelings.

Love your article.

]]> By: Fun Gamer http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7083 Fun Gamer Mon, 08 Aug 2005 18:30:14 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7083 I found your website via Indie Gamer and I must say that you have continued the useful posts you used to make in the dexterity forums. I will visit your blog often! I found your website via Indie Gamer and I must say that you have continued the useful posts you used to make in the dexterity forums. I will visit your blog often!

]]> By: mbhunter http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7068 mbhunter Mon, 08 Aug 2005 15:36:34 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7068 I found your article and website via the Carnival of Personal Finance -- thanks for putting the article together! Time very well spent reading it. I had a feeling that businesses took a while to get up and running -- even online ones -- and your experience reinforces that. It's also good to hear your stories of perseverance. That's another piece of advice that I've heard helps a website become successful -- putting a bit of yourself in the content. Thanks again, and I'm glad that I found your blog! I found your article and website via the Carnival of Personal Finance — thanks for putting the article together! Time very well spent reading it. I had a feeling that businesses took a while to get up and running — even online ones — and your experience reinforces that. It’s also good to hear your stories of perseverance. That’s another piece of advice that I’ve heard helps a website become successful — putting a bit of yourself in the content.

Thanks again, and I’m glad that I found your blog!

]]> By: Galaxy Surfer http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7067 Galaxy Surfer Mon, 08 Aug 2005 13:29:30 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7067 Very insightful article. The points you mention are applicable to any business not just online ones. The thing about online business, is that the cost of setting one up can be relatively small. I guess that leads people to think short term which as you pointed out is a bad idea. In any business the key is building critical mass. Once you have that critical mass interested, you are likely to see an exponential growth. I also liked the line "By NOT marketing, you are depriving people of value." Thats if you think you are providing value in the first place :) Setting up an online business is also lots of fun. If you are not having fun, then others wont either. I certainly am having lots of fun with http://www.tripmojo.com Very insightful article. The points you mention are applicable to any business not just online ones. The thing about online business, is that the cost of setting one up can be relatively small. I guess that leads people to think short term which as you pointed out is a bad idea.
In any business the key is building critical mass. Once you have that critical mass interested, you are likely to see an exponential growth. I also liked the line “By NOT marketing, you are depriving people of value.” Thats if you think you are providing value in the first place :)
Setting up an online business is also lots of fun. If you are not having fun, then others wont either. I certainly am having lots of fun with http://www.tripmojo.com

]]> By: Flexo http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7064 Flexo Mon, 08 Aug 2005 11:08:45 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7064 This post has been added to the <a href="http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2005/08/08/carnival_of_personal_finance_8" rel="nofollow">Carnival of Personal Finance #8</a>! This post has been added to the Carnival of Personal Finance #8!

]]> By: Wejn http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7061 Wejn Mon, 08 Aug 2005 07:04:30 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7061 omg. should spell-check before submitting :-/ omg. should spell-check before submitting :-/

]]> By: Wejn http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7060 Wejn Mon, 08 Aug 2005 07:03:18 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7060 @Addicted: This one is biggie for me, too. Anyway I got my eyes opened by http://fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/ ... I managed to shed 13kg (28lb) in approx 5 months without any heroic effort. And the best thing is that it seems to stay that way (no yo-yo effect). Your mileage may wary, of course. @Addicted: This one is biggie for me, too. Anyway I got my eyes opened by http://fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/ … I managed to shed 13kg (28lb) in approx 5 months without any heroic effort. And the best thing is that it seems to stay that way (no yo-yo effect). Your mileage may wary, of course.

]]> By: Crimson http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7059 Crimson Mon, 08 Aug 2005 06:18:56 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7059 It's hard to appreciate how much effort it takes to get a business off the ground until you try. I'm doing it now (trying to at least) and I think I've underestimated the effort by at least an order of magnitude. Being a cog is much easier. :) It’s hard to appreciate how much effort it takes to get a business off the ground until you try. I’m doing it now (trying to at least) and I think I’ve underestimated the effort by at least an order of magnitude. Being a cog is much easier. :)

]]> By: View From a Height http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7058 View From a Height Mon, 08 Aug 2005 06:08:13 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7058 <strong>Carnival of the Capitalists</strong> Welcome to this week's Carnival, sponsored by MarketingLinx, the best marketing site on the web, as determined by you. Contribute a link today to get your reward! This week's contributions were fantastic. Hosting really is a different experience from... Carnival of the Capitalists

Welcome to this week’s Carnival, sponsored by MarketingLinx, the best marketing site on the web, as determined by you. Contribute a link today to get your reward! This week’s contributions were fantastic. Hosting really is a different experience from…

]]> By: Dominic Foster » Blog Archive » Online Business http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7053 Dominic Foster » Blog Archive » Online Business Sun, 07 Aug 2005 23:24:03 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7053 [...] The first is How NOT to Build a Successfull Online Business by Steve Pavlina - Here Steve sumarises 3 points that contribute to the failure of an Online Business - Thinking too short-term, Failure to optimize, and Failure to market effectively - And provides useful information to overcome them. [...] […] The first is How NOT to Build a Successfull Online Business by Steve Pavlina - Here Steve sumarises 3 points that contribute to the failure of an Online Business - Thinking too short-term, Failure to optimize, and Failure to market effectively - And provides useful information to overcome them. […]

]]> By: ratso http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7052 ratso Sun, 07 Aug 2005 21:16:53 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7052 Another great post Steve! The idea of accepting that we "have time" is an important one with any endeavor. Not that we shouldn't be maximizing every moment we have but remembering that with consistency the results will come after the work has had enough time to gain traction. Once I realized that this was inevitable it all seems a lot easier as I plug away at my own blog: <a href="http://www.ratsoringo.com" rel="nofollow">ratsoringo</a>. Please keep the great posts coming. Another great post Steve! The idea of accepting that we “have time” is an important one with any endeavor. Not that we shouldn’t be maximizing every moment we have but remembering that with consistency the results will come after the work has had enough time to gain traction. Once I realized that this was inevitable it all seems a lot easier as I plug away at my own blog: ratsoringo.

Please keep the great posts coming.

]]> By: HoJo http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7051 HoJo Sun, 07 Aug 2005 20:48:58 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7051 Good article with lots of common sense (which I've discovered is not all that common) and really applies across many industries and fields. I'm 3 months into my startup at www.fullthreadahead.com and would only add that one should set incremental targets during that first year. Seeing small steps often let you see progress towards that long term goal Good article with lots of common sense (which I’ve discovered is not all that common) and really applies across many industries and fields. I’m 3 months into my startup at http://www.fullthreadahead.com and would only add that one should set incremental targets during that first year. Seeing small steps often let you see progress towards that long term goal

]]> By: Erich Schwarz http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7049 Erich Schwarz Sun, 07 Aug 2005 20:00:41 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7049 Terrific advice -- not just on building a sustainable Web business, but on building a sustainable self-directed career in general. Terrific advice — not just on building a sustainable Web business, but on building a sustainable self-directed career in general.

]]> By: Take My Advice - I’m Not Using It! » Helpful Sites for New Web Developers http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7048 Take My Advice - I’m Not Using It! » Helpful Sites for New Web Developers Sun, 07 Aug 2005 18:07:37 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7048 [...] How NOT to Build a Successful Online Business - an excellent article on building a successful online business. I think that you will find a lot of good articles at Steve Pavlina . com’s personal development blog. [...] […] How NOT to Build a Successful Online Business - an excellent article on building a successful online business. I think that you will find a lot of good articles at Steve Pavlina . com’s personal development blog. […]

]]> By: JT http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/how-not-to-build-a-successful-online-business/#comment-7046 JT Sun, 07 Aug 2005 15:31:47 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=226#comment-7046 Steve, You always seem to come up with a post / article that applies directly to what I'm going through in life. I'm not sure if you can read my mind or that your writing has become so good that it hits home more often than not. I recently started <a href="makemacgames.com" rel="nofollow">my blog</a> and have been trying to keep the postings frequent and on topic as best I can. I didn't start the blog to make money (but that can't hurt), but to instill some discipline on myself to keep up with my projects. Much of what you have written here applies to most things, not just online businesses. I can see how it would relate to relationships, health, investments, savings, and learning. Again, great post! Steve, You always seem to come up with a post / article that applies directly to what I’m going through in life. I’m not sure if you can read my mind or that your writing has become so good that it hits home more often than not.

I recently started my blog and have been trying to keep the postings frequent and on topic as best I can. I didn’t start the blog to make money (but that can’t hurt), but to instill some discipline on myself to keep up with my projects.

Much of what you have written here applies to most things, not just online businesses. I can see how it would relate to relationships, health, investments, savings, and learning.

Again, great post!

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