Many of you know my team has been working another new saas service to help entrepreneurs and business simplify subscription billing and recurring billing. We are close. The site is up at www.azimiosystems.com and I could not be prouder of all the hard work that goes into creating a new product or service.
You know we take a lot for granted – we just wish things into existence without a care about what it actually takes to roll out a new application or system. So I figured I would give you a little inside preview into how great products or services are actually born.
First it starts with the kernel – the idea.. the source, the origins. Sometimes it is pretty clear when a compelling idea or product is needed, other times, many of us entrepreneurs simply BS ourselves into creating a product. In any case its ok. So you got your product idea… then what?
If you are like 99% of the folks out there … it will sound great verbally or on a napkin for about 3 hours… then it dies a slow and shameful death while we move on the next idea.
For Azimio, it was actually quite simple. It was the old adage – necessity is the mother of invention thingy. We needed a smart billing solution for eLeaP. We decided we have enough brain power to light up a Christmas tree so why don’t we go build one ourselves. Then we stood back and admired our work …. then Don spoke … “wouldn’t it be nice ….”
Next thing we know, we are doing Software Architecture Documents (SAD), research and layout out a project plan. I know heavy stuff – boring stuff. Stuff one one wants to touch — after all we are all great at generating ideas — just not acting on those ideas.
So we started coding – actually they started coding and I started revising the SAD … much to the chagrin of people who don’t like to change stuff (after they have already built it). Its all good fun. So then we started talking about competitor research and potential marketplace analysis — you know if we are ever going to make money off of this thing kinda stuff. Its actually funny because all of my MBA training would have suggested you do this step as the first right? Your financial and marketing analysis and stuff? Well in the real world, things just happen sometimes.
So coding took a while and then we had a prototype to test — yippie! More stuff to tweak and change but at least now, its not a philosophical discussion. We actually have a product to play with. This is also the phase that can break any software development project because there is a tendency to over complicate things at this point. I am talking about the ‘wouldn’t it be nice..’ conversations. My advice to entrepreneurs, its better to have actually have a product/service out and launched and then start small tweaks than to try to ‘perfect’ it before you release – apologies to Steve Jobs of blessed memory.
While coding is taking place, we had to move on some business decisions – domain name (actually acquired earlier), logo design, website design, ideas on pricing, legal stuff – terms of agreement, privacy policy, contracts). Yes its not all ideas and kaboom we have launch.
We also had to think through corporate branding in general. I know I was talking to a friend of mine out west and I was remarking about having to re-record phone greetings, voicemail prompts and even email consolidation, now that we have another brand added to our company – Telania is the name of our company and we currently have two major brands or products: eLeaP and Azimio. Obviously we want a one stop shop for phone, fax, email and support communications… or do we? Decision, decisions.
While all this is going on, we have to start looking at usability experts and documentation experts – you will be amazed at what you tend to overlook after you have worked on a project for over a year — you need a fresh per of eyes or perspectives to typically create your user guide and documentation. Why do I highly recommend this? Because they will view software from the perspective of a novice and not an expert user like you. Secondly, they might pick up on some ‘issues’ you did not even consider. Remember everyone of your staff is too close to the project to be able to offer an outsider’s view.
So we have completed the development phase, created the frontend site www.azimiosystems.com, added our documentation and support info and legal stuff and are looking at opening the doors.
Anything else we need to do? Like the lady says ‘you betcha’. You will need a little thing called marketing. Yes in-spite of your best coding and design, no one outside your family and colleagues really know about your product… and I am sure mum and dad don’t necessarily need a saas subscription billing system — even though the thought is pretty compelling.. Yes you have to launch marketing.
We will talk about marketing another day but for now, here’s what I found. Going from managing one major brand like eLeaP to managing 2 major brands like eLeaP and Azimio — well it takes a shift in tact, strategy, focus and resources. Pace yourself, use what you can learn from the existing brand to move the new guy along.
Phew. I need to get lunch. Come back here for more insights are we formally introduce Azimio. I am excited about the opportunity and the journey.
Don