When the economy is down, do you still believe?
Jason Calacanis has a great blog up:
What to do if your startup is about fail (or “Don’t Stop Believing”)
And as I read all the way to the end of it (been there done that), I agreed with almost everything he said.
Especially longevity.
However, it's worth noting at no point does he challenge your business model. And rightly so. Your business model better be ingrained into your DNA. And transferred by oath of fealty to every employee. Start there. Can your employees discuss your business model with you or their co-workers?
Bottom line, it's all about the business. And there is no one business model that's right for every opportunity.
Including in Open Source.
I've gone on rants before at smart people when they talk about "The Open Source Business Model". There isn't any such thing. There are lots of business models that are supported, accelerated, supportive of open source technologies. But no holy grail. No perfect plan.
So recognize that open soucre is a tactic (marketing, licensing, development, community, etc).
And make sure you know your strategy.
Comments
Well said, and Calacanis's post is a good read. I agree, open source is not a business model, it is a way of getting something done. It is a supplement per se, to a model that has its own foundation. I mainly see open source paired with a service/solutions based model. The core product is open source, but the support, modules, extensions, and anything "extra" is not. At the end of the day, it comes down to execution, and a recession is a good way of weeding out those who were turning a profit by only providing the bare minimum.
In my opinion, those who are surviving during the recession, are the ones that provide a good product or service, that other businesses or consumers depend on. All the "nice to have" products/services (or gimmicks) are tossed aside when businesses and consumers alike are using a microscope to balance their budget.
Posted by: Nir Hodara | February 27, 2009 2:18 PM