Evolution of the Russian organizer

I read Habrahabr not so long ago - I noticed that sometimes start-up stories are published here. I want to tell about our project organizer LeaderTask - how it appeared and how it develops. But our project is not a startup in its pure form. we did not take investments, this is a business from scratch.



Start.



So it all started in November 1997 when my brother and I bought a computer. I played computer games for a year. After that, the brother pushed me to the programmer. This matter fascinated me and I started writing various programs on QBasic and then on Visual Basic and eventually switched to Visual C ++ 6.0. All the time in my head there were various plans, ideas, and I wrote them down in ordinary notebooks, then I wrote something like a notebook, but I began to develop this project to fit my needs. As the functional grows, I realize that I am writing an organizer - and there are such programs around a dime a dozen. It did not bother much, because I did not find exactly what I need. And maybe not really looking for. It was interesting for me to do this for myself and for myself.



When the Internet appeared, I found Zharkov’s book Shareware: Amateurs and Professionals. This book is literally an instruction manual on how to start selling your software over the Internet. The most important thing is that the investment is minimal - i.e. it is time and energy. My brother and I decided to try - that is, Put your programs on the Internet. Over time, it became clear that simply putting the program on the Internet is not enough for successful sales :) you also need to promote. At that time, we had a Captain Tray product written by a brother and the first minimal steps to advance were taken. Oddly enough, the first sales were from Russia!

')

This made us very happy and we began to continue: the brother wrote the new MultiSet program, well, I wrote my organizer, then it was called Promant Organizer, then it was renamed MyTimeAssist, and the final current name is LeaderTask. Over time, I began to shift the focus from design to website, description, advertising and other marketing. After the university was completed, my classmate, who is now the leading developer of LeaderTask, connected to us.



First sale



The first sale of the organizer was in 2005 in the month of September. At that time I was on student practice in another city - when I arrived and found out that my organizer had been bought - there was no limit to joy! There was no doubt what to do anymore. In the fifth year I wanted to make my organizer a thesis project, but dip.ru did not share my views - and I made a simple online store in three days - for which I received four balls for a diploma.



Then came the first small sales - I began to find out from customers - where you will learn about our organizer. One of the clients answered - what I read in the book - I found out what the book was, bought this book - and was pleasantly surprised - that there is a whole chapter in the printed book on time management about my program !!! (at that time it was a very hilinki organizer). I became increasingly engaged in promotion, about LeaderTask began to appear notes in magazines, on DVD discs. I wrote to editors of magazines with a request to publish my article on LeaderTask — some printed, and some even paid tiny “fees” (for example, Computer printing). So, with these articles, an interesting story came out.



Negative experience



On November 14, 2006, I received an unpleasant letter on an email from some UNESCO expert. One thing was in such a format - why do you “radish” disgrace the business of our city? And I threatened to cut off the Internet through UNESCO.



I was stunned. I asked what was the matter - they said buy the computer and read. Bought. I read. And very surprised to say the least. In the article, the famous journalist Sergey Golubitsky called me a spammer and other bad words. What to do? I discussed this moment with my colleagues at the rsdn forum (discussion here ) and decided to stupidly score on it and move on. It was very unpleasant. And over time, I forgot about this story. But a miracle happened! Three years later, Sergey Golubitsky came in touch and offered friendship :) I replied that everything was ok, the old one was forgotten - and Sergey began to publish articles on LeaderTask in his “Dovecot” column!



Development



When I organized a “Master Class” meeting on LeaderTask in Moscow in the office of Gleb Arkhangelsky - I also invited Sergey Golubitsky there - we had already personally talked (Sergey wrote an article about this) Now we have excellent friendly relations with Sergey. Here is such an instructive story in style - everything is done for the best :)



The development of LeaderTask, of course, was greatly influenced by the resource improvement.ru and its creator, Gleb Arkhangelsky. It all started when I agreed to publish articles on organizing time on LeaderTask. Now Gleb Arkhangelsky is our partner.



Recently, our organizer became available in the 1C distribution network, i.e. boxed version . This event has become a landmark for us - the product has become a completely different level. We participated in the SoftTool 2010 exhibition , at the exhibition in the large 1C seminar, and also at the seminar for distributors.



We recently agreed to sponsor the Russian floorball team at the World Floorball Championship. This is certainly not football, but it's still nice when the players of the Russian national team play abroad in T-shirts with the name of your product :) Such events are covered in the media and even on TV, therefore, useful as a PR.



There was an experience of outdoor advertising in Yaroslavl, I did not notice direct sales, but again, for general recognition and trust, so to speak, is a very useful thing.



Community



An interesting discovery for us was the active user community around the product: www.timedriver.ru . We made a forum - solely because everyone has it. A special effect was not expected of him. But the result exceeded all expectations! As a result, the forum has become just the main source of ideas, suggestions and advice. It gathered an active, welcoming audience, which continues to amaze us until now. Forum, i.e. Community is a very, very important part in product development. At the master class in Moscow there were a lot of people from the forum - so the atmosphere was very warm and friendly. This gives a huge amount of energy, positive emotions - charges !!!



What now.



One more year is over. Difficult and at the same time very interesting year for us. Now we are five people. We have released a new version of LeaderTask 7.0, which implemented a huge number of new features. But life is changing all the time, new needs, new technologies, new things are leaving, new things are coming. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly upgrade, improve, develop the product. Now we are fulfilling our plans for the next 2011, we will rest on holidays - and in the new year with new plans with new forces we will make the product even more convenient and better!



As they say - Everything is just beginning !!! :)



I wish you good health!

Abramovsky Ivan

www.leadertask.ru



I will be glad to answer your questions!