The New Project Setup Checklist

As I mentioned earlier, one of my goals for this year is to launch 2 revenue-generating projects. I took a couple hours this morning and started the ball rolling on 2 of the potential candidates to fulfill that goal.

Here’s the checklist I use to lay the foundation for a project:

  1. Declare a descriptive code name
    A good code name (aka working title) has 3 characteristics; articulate the interesting aspects of the project, define the personality of the project, and be completely disposable. The original code name for Cullect was ‘FeedSeeder’. While ‘FeedSeeder’ worked for defining and building the system – it’s a horrid name. The code name for one of the projects inspiring this post is ‘cashboard’, which leads me to..
  2. Create a place for the project
    For me, this means creating a directory in my projects directory (~/Documents/Projects/) and an iCal calendar titled [code-name].
  3. Buy a good domain name
    If anything, the search for a good domain name confirms the need for a disposable code name. I search for domain names after I’m sure I’m serious about the project, though again, this might not be the final project name – Cullect was almost called ‘seedacres.com’ (again, bleeech). Once I’ve got the domain name, I usually dispose of the code-name and re-do Step 2 for the domain name.
  4. Set up the website and email at that domain
    For me, this means creating a ‘garrick@…’ user and installing WordPress on one of my servers at Joyent. This could also mean pointing a WordPress.com account at your domain, or something similar.
  5. Set up the Twitter account for that domain name.
    Finding a Twitter username can be as tricky as finding the domain name, and definitely stay as close to the domain name as possible. Use the email address you just set up – I even use a variation of it for my non-username Twitter ‘name’. Oh, and be sure to follow yourself 🙂
    Note: Whether or not Twitter is where people will be next year, it’s where they are now. Plus, if your project is a software application – there’s a good chance Twitter could be an interface to it.

Rule 1. Success Metrics are Things Robots Can’t Do.

The funny thing about metrics – the wrong one distracts more than it helps. And in this modern age, a technological hack can be built (if it doesn’t already exist) to give you the desired numbers.

Bernard Madoff
Click Fraud

This is why I’m not a big fan of measuring the success of a website based on click-through-rates or unique visitors. Both of which are distractions, and things automated scripts can be written to steadily increase the rates of.

On a much smaller scale, take a look at my “Twitter influence” according to Web Analytics Demystified.

For kicking Twitter’s tires for 2 years, I’m ok with my influence “becoming apparent” – it just betrays this report is worth exactly what I paid for it.

WebAnalyticsDemystified’s algorithm is obviously heavily weighting ‘retweets’ – the act of someone else repeating what you’ve said within Twitter. If you’ve followed along, I’ve railed against the act of retweeting that I’ve fostered an echo. I find @retweetgarrick an amusing joke. WebAnalyticsDemystified says it1 increases my influence.

Ummm.

So, to increase my ‘influence’ on Twitter, I should create an army of @retweetgarricks?

Yeah, we should probably just find a different metric.

1. Robots are neuter.

“I’m so busy, where am I? I don’t know. I’m so busy”

Back in college we made this joke (usually around finals week) about being so busy you have no idea where you are.

After fighting with technology all day – I noticed;

  • It’s the third week of February.
  • My inbox just passed 100 again.

My current approach on resolving this:

  • A good night’s sleep.
  • Focus.

Twitter as Trusted CraigsList

A couples weeks ago or so, I made my first purchase off Twitter – a Nokia E71. I had been eyeing it on Amazon for weeks, but never had a reason to click purchase.

Then late one Friday night Dino mentioned a friend of his was selling.

citizendino_e71

Notice Dino isn’t selling the phone. A friend of his is.

Dino’s in Wisconsin. His friend’s in Nevada. I’m in Minnesota. Dino and I haven’t met, we just follow each other on Twitter.

A modern day handshake?

This is where Twitter beats both Craigslist, Amazon, and eBay. Twitter is 100% trusted reputations.

By the way, if you follow me on Twitter, you know I’ve been quite happy with the Nokia e71. Far happier than I was with the Blackberry and approaching the happiness I had in my early days with the Treo 650.

Elsewhere, Dave Winer just suggests Twitter needs a Craigslist-like service.

Trends to Watch: Landfill Mining

When I separate my trash, how do I know I’m putting the ‘recyclable’ bits in the right bucket?

Without being an expert in waste handling, I don’t really know.

Plus, if there’s an innovation in the waste processing – and something previously bound for the landfill can now be re-processed, the non-waste-handling experts among us would be the last to know.

Meaning a great deal of potentially useful resources are still getting buried, along with years of other now-useful bits.

What if we could mine landfills, for all the un-recycled treasures they’re holding prisoner?

Forget ANWR, we need to encourage drilling for oil in Puente Hills.

If not oil from plastics or aluminum from cans, how about just the land itself?

“At some point the land upon which landfills are located will become too valuable to leave as landfills….” Patrick Atkins, president of Atkins 360 LLC

This post inspired by MPR’s “Food: the next frontier in recycling” report

(Yes, this goes back to my single-sort post)

Give Me $5 For Follow

Since the beginning for 2009, I’ve been ‘following’ 1 Dunbar of people on Twitter.

Since not everyone in that 150 posts at the same frequency, things are pretty quiet (arguably a good thing). I’d like to add a few more of you to the mix, but I don’t know who.

So, I thought I’d put the question in your hands while simultaneously putting a price on the attention I’ll be giving you 1.

If you’re on Twitter and I’m not currently following you – and you’d like me to – I’m asking $5.


Your Twitter Handle



1. Background on this concept can be found at: What Andrew Baron Should Be Selling: Following and Twitter: Build a Revenue Stream on Dunbar’s Number

First Crack 117. Paul & Scott from 45th Parallel Spirits

A couple years back Scott Davis and Paul Werni founded 45th Parallel Spirits, a distillery in New Richmond, WI – just a quick 45 minute drive from northeast Minneapolis. While there are number of craft brewers in the region, 45th Parallel is the only still I know of. Paul, Scott, and I talk about the distilling process and the benefits of sourcing locally.

[33 min].