High Tech Start-Ups

Some time ago an acquaintance approached me with plans for a new business. It looked good. After a couple of years we'd have multi-million dollar sales, a bunch of employees and we'd be making some money. Then what, I asked. We'd sell it and retire he said. I was surprised because I had never looked at my own small business in this way. Yet, especially in high tech, this is very common and becoming more so.

I tend to believe that if you're starting a business, high tech or not, with the objective of increasing the value of the company and the intent to sell it, you will not be successful. There is no sure way of building a valuable company no matter how many courses you take, books you read or experts you consult. Nothing can substitute for an in-depth knowledge of your area of activity and enjoying working in it. If you then put the generation of value for your customers ahead of everything else, you've got a good chance at success. If your focus is to generate value for yourself, you're not doing that.

So, we've got high tech companies with no real assets, no profits and little revenue valued at billions of dollars on the stock market. You tell me that you know computers and the Internet like the back of your hand, inside out, top to bottom etc. and you just love working in front of a computer screen. Customer satisfaction is your holy grail and, in fact, you consider "obnoxious customer" to be a contradiction in terms. Finally, you wouldn't be adverse to retiring to Maui some time.

I've got just the web site for you. Bottom-up gives you details on how to start up a high tech company. There are links to ideas, financing, finding employees and even patent searches. If you have doubts that you're an entrepreneur, the site offers links to jobs in start-ups. And remember me when your stock breaks through $100 the first time.

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