Business in Russian: a beautiful legend or a sad reality?

This is not an article or even a note. This is an invitation to a discussion on a complex issue related to business in the CIS (the Russian bias in the title is nothing more than a literary device, casting certain associations). More precisely, not just a business, but a start-up business. More precisely, start-up Internet business.

There was such a desire to “discuss” after the completion of an interesting discussion around my note “ Startups: a formula for success ”, which, in fact, completed a cycle that also included “ Curved mirrors of a business plan ” and “ Start-up or Down?” »In this cycle, the question of how to start up a startup, if you have an idea, but no money, was considered. However, the conversation quickly went beyond this topic.

Well, and then repeat the commentary, which I ended the discussion. As usual, almost no one saw him. Therefore, I repeat, hoping to bring fresh forces to the discussion :).

I want to thank all the participants in the discussion around this note of mine and, in particular, its most active art_of_press , lookingfo and tarakashkin . Despite the fact that the topic of the conversation almost immediately went beyond the limits indicated by the note itself, I think, nevertheless, this conversation was quite informative and interesting.
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I saw this article as a continuation of the previous one, where the issue of how startups “start” if there is an idea, but no money was discussed. It seemed to me that in this formulation there are a number of problems that deserve discussion. Apparently, not all of this caught, so the discussion moved into four adjacent, but several other directions: up, down and sideways.

Up (question 1) - What is the success of a startup, in general?

Down (question 2) - What technologies should “good teams” with “good management” use in their work?

Aside - (question 3) Are there any specificity of CIS start-ups? and (question 4) How to make money from users who do not pay this money?

Each of these topics deserves a separate note, which I will try, if possible, to do. Now, only a few additional considerations ...

Question1. Apparently, the concept of “business is the success of a startup” needs to be split into two parts: the success of the start-up company and the success of the start-up product. The first success includes the second, but, unfortunately, not always. Profitable sale of the company does not always guarantee the economic efficiency of the product (service). And if another Internet explosion ever happens, then one of the main reasons for this will be precisely this phenomenon. And the graphic illustration of this is almost unprofitable Skype, whose employees are sitting in "luxurious offices".

Question2. For now, I can only say that when I talked about a “good team” with “good management,” I, in silence, understood that they know and know how to use “good technologies” at all stages of the product life cycle.

Question 3. The answer would be something like this: yes and no. Yes, the specifics are there. No, because this specificity is temporary and you cannot bet on it. Business - he "and in Africa business." And, maybe, instead of the “successful” cloning of products of American startups, it would be time to start cloning business models for organizing their work. The same model YCombinator, which few, who know and understand, should, but did not want to discuss here.

Question 4. One of the most difficult. Namely, here lies the specificity of the Internet business, when the user is not a direct source of income, and everyone is trying to take a bite out of one “advertising” pie, the possibilities of which in terms of satisfying the “universal appetite” are not unlimited. I have been engaged in publishing business for ten years and, I think, the Internet will have to borrow some experience of my “sworn” friend.

So, five questions:

Question 1. What is the success of a startup, in general?

Question 2. What technologies at all stages of the life cycle should use in their work "good teams" with "good management"?
Question 3. Are there any specifics of CIS startups?
Question 4. How to turn virtual users into real money?
Question 5. How to start up a startup if you have an idea, but no money?

I remind you that the first four questions have already begun to be actively discussed and, mostly, without my participation. Here I placed only my theses “for the seed”. The fifth question was considered by me in some detail in all three notes to which I have already referred, but it was discussed, as I said, not very vividly. Since there are several questions, it would be wonderful if the respondents indicated the number of the question they were talking about.

Thanks to all!

PS Since there are several authors of this, practically, collective note (see the list on the text of the commentary embedded here), once again I want to thank my co-authors.