To build Rome

It has been a while since I blogged, well it has been a very busy period for me. Buying a domain, setting up the server, setting up the development environment e.t.c and it has been difficult getting around to writing the next piece.

The beginning is always the hardest. Coming from me a software engineer I have always found that if you lay a good foundation the mansion you build will be strong and will last. To show that I was committed I wrote my resignation letter and even set my last day on my current job. No turning back now.

Since I had already drawn out the plan I already knew what to do. First was to procure a server which I did. Next was to buy a domain. I found out that the domain belmax.com was already taken by one of those hoggers / leeches. I am not willing to pay more than $100 for that domain. It doesn't even make sense I’d rather pay for a .org. Once I had the domain, next step was to set up emails.

I then began wireframing the company website and writing content for the website. A lot of moving parts you see. My company will begin with aggregation of various services and data. The first was premium rate services, this means short codes, subscriptions, bulk sms, ussd, IVR and airtime from all the mobile telecommunication networks. In Kenya, this are Safaricom, Airtel, Yu, Equitel and Telkom. The development of the PRS aggregator was going to take a lot of my time. This was the understatement of the year. I had always suffered from a weakness of focusing on one issue at the cost of other parts of the project but this time the issue is that I am alone and not in a team where I could ask someone to assist. Thing is, I could handle the technical parts well, but the issue was the non-technical parts. Like registering a company. If you have ever been to Kenya you’d know just how difficult and bureaucratic dealing with the government is.

I either had to outsource some of this functionalities or get a partner. I think this is quite an important step for me and my firm. My first thought was to higher a friend, he is developing an app and I know he needs the technical assistance. Since I started this firm I have been reading on other start ups, the mistakes and the successes. There is a saying that goes like:

Any fool can learn from his mistakes, but a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.

One of the failures was working with friends or relatives, your objectivity is usually compromised and when things go sideways, well, your relationship is ruined. Desperate times made me really consider hiring my friend. I played this out in my head and I saw difficulties in our friendship especially if we quarreled and had a falling out. Finally I decided I’ll have to hire a professional to register my firm. This was one the reasons why I am keeping my current job, the expenses. I’ll also have to a higher an accounting firm and if need be a sales firm. This is a lot but its okay since I’m taking it all in stride.