The programmer is trying to sell
We go to Japanese restaurants,
but do not eat fish. Who are we?
The most honest and open story about how we went from idea to investment and went further. For the most nimble in the end there are conclusions.
Exactly a year ago in December 2012, we sat with my wife in one of the restaurants. There was a New Year's excitement, so the menu, as usual, was not enough for everyone, but served for a long time. Even the check had to wait about 20 minutes. A week earlier, for the first time, I saw a mechanical waiter call button in another restaurant. Then, for the first time, I had the idea that it would be nice for each restaurant to have an electronic menu and the same electronic call to the waiter. At first, there was a thought about a small Atom PC that would stand in a restaurant and receive requests from restaurant tablets via wifi. I thought about it, discussed it with my wife and forgot it for a couple of weeks. Two weeks later, the situation with the menu repeated and then I realized that everything can be wrapped in a beautiful SaaS service. Now, it even looks strange that this idea did not come to me immediately. This is how the idea of ​​the service, which we called "47 restaurants", appeared
Over the years, as a programmer and a project manager, I realized one thing: everyone, except developers, doesn't care about your code, and many developers don't care either. Want to show something - show the interface layout. Therefore, always with him and started. Several developed projects failed at the contract signing stage, since decision makers soared in the clouds. From this did not save any pictures with the design or a pile of documentation. And even if the work done was paid, it did not change the result. Everything went to the table. It was found quite working method for solving this problem - the creation of an interactive layout. With the help of technologies that would be used for further development, a simplified interface of the future application was assembled in 1-2 days. Then the customer could “drive” him and immediately understand what he would receive. Forces with this approach was spent much less, and the result was visible immediately.
')
It was decided to assemble a prototype system for demonstration to restaurants. For 5 days we made a mobile version of the site with two buttons: “Call a waiter” and “Ask for an account”, the Node.JS server, which received requests and sent them to a restaurant. Also, almost on their own, they made a layout of the tent-tent (who called these advertising triangles on the tables like that?), Ordering the drawing of two icons on freelance. And it all worked in greenhouse conditions.
Having printed “awnings” and armed with a tablet and a telephone, we did not find anything better than to come to the nearest chain restaurant, which we occasionally visited. Made an order, prepared for the demonstration and ... I was scared. Yes, yes, even funny, but true. When an IT person tries to break himself and start selling, it looks weird. Despite a year of training in a business incubator, I saved a lot of speeches and “burning” the idea because of the fear of failure. Well done those who do not have it.
Gathering our strength, checking everything, we made a second attempt. This time I overcame myself and the conversation with the manager did take place. In five minutes we were told that they were interested, but would not be introduced without the consent of the management, but because restaurant network offer must pass a bunch of departments from the "top". After that, at different times, we visited somewhere else in five institutions, three of which refused, and two said that they were generally interested and after the modifications they were ready to use our application. The interesting thing is that in network restaurants the staff understood the idea, but could not implement without the approval of the management, and in most single restaurants the manager immediately “went into denial” without even going into it.
According to the results of the meetings, it was summed up that in general the idea has a future, but the seller of me, as a programmer from a philologist (perhaps, but difficult). PS Naturally, we also interviewed friends and relatives who visited restaurants.
It was obvious that such a project without significant investment did not raise. Thanks to the business incubator MGTU them. N.E. Bauman, in which I was trained, I already had experience of communication with business angels. If you briefly convey the essence of the conversation - develop software, launch sales, exit either to the level of several thousand dollars in sales turnover, or to the level of self-sufficiency - and then we'll talk. And before that - walk from here. All subsequent interviews that I read, as well as the business show “Call” at RBC, only confirmed this conversation. I am also grateful to the incubator for two important things, besides the good practice of creating presentations and speeches:
At the end of 2012, I learned about the opening of the corporate investment direction - QIWI Venture. My wife and I prepared two applications: one sighting, which, in our opinion, more closely corresponded to the core business of QIWI. The second application was with the main idea - about the restaurant service. But both projects were not directly related to financial services, which, in my opinion, significantly reduced their attractiveness for QIWI. I sent the application at the very beginning of January.
Sent a request and? And nothing ... For me it was expected that until the end of January there will be no answer. Then I once again asked all my friends about my service - the assessment was more positive, so I decided to call QIWI Venture employees. I was told that the review was postponed until February. All this time I have not filed anywhere more applications, because she considered her conscience and gnawed that once she had submitted an application and there was “contact,” then we must wait for at least the refusal. In early March, they called me and said that they wanted to meet about my application. Naturally, I did not even specify which of the two, since for me it was obvious. What was my surprise when it turned out that they were casually interested in the sighting project, and the majority voted against the restaurant because He was completely non-core for QIWI. Complete failure?
It became clear that we must act. I already had all the materials in my hands, and in 5 minutes I tried to describe in paints why it is worth paying attention to the restaurant project. I managed to find out what I was wrong with when I made the documents. (As expected, between the views on the system from the developer and from managers, especially those related to finance, there is a deep gulf that needs to be understood). It was possible to be interested, as well as to get a rough understanding of what is necessary to get at the exit. Thanks to my wife, without whom I would not calculate all the indicators, we prepared a new presentation and a one-page executive summary for the project.
The day of the presentation before the venture committee was appointed almost immediately, since deadlines were tight, and there were many competitors who wanted to get into the first set.
The presentation was supposed to keep within 5 minutes. Usually, I put on the general plan and slides, look what happened and start to shamelessly cut, so that with a margin to keep within the allotted time. Lining will always be, but you need to learn to treat them easily, and even better if you wrap in a joke or jokingly warn about their capabilities. As practice shows, it is much easier with experience to speak 10-15 minutes or longer, rather than briefly, but succinctly convey the idea in 1-5 minutes. The most difficult thing is to convey the essence of the service in several sentences. If you fail to do this, then you need to work on it. Investors will not finance what they do not understand. And in three minutes they can understand only fairly simple ideas. In this case, the idea should not be a simple clone of an already existing implementation. If it does not work, then we must rely on the creation of a service and the search for first customers, relying on our own strength. Harsh reality. In the presentation, it is necessary to reflect the current state of the project, competitors, market, monetization, team, desired investments and where they will go, as well as give information about yourself. Well, if it will not work on one person. The girl, and now the wife, always helps me to bring the presentation and presentation to mind, because imperceptible to the creator of the roughness greatly affect the overall impression.
The performance was not without problems, but quite successfully. As a result, within a few days they called me and said that they had made a decision on financing. There was a lot of joy. Lots of! But there was an understanding that this was only the beginning. Then there was a lot of interesting things, from the preparation of documentation, discussing the terms of investment and the "contract for the development of the contract" to work with people, but I will tell you about it in the next article if you are interested. In the meantime, I propose to proceed to the conclusions.
I tried to describe everything very honestly. It may seem that I am dissatisfied with the experience of working with a business incubator at MSTU or too deeply climb into the QIWI Venture kitchen. In fact, I am grateful to both. For QIWI Venture partners, we were one of the first projects on which approaches were run. And it played into our hands, because during this time we did not sit, but worked through the idea and closed all current issues, of which there were a million. Why do I talk so much about timing? I wanted to show that everything does not happen in a jiffy. In any areas of activity, the timing and complexity may increase by a factor of 2-3 for objective, but independent of you, reasons. That's life. I am glad that everything went exactly because there are actually very few adequate investors, and we worked very well with QIWI, which I can still talk about with examples.
Now for the users of the project “47 restaurants” we already have an Android application in beta status, a mobile version of the restaurant’s website and the project’s common site. iOS version for review.
Everything I describe is based on personal experience, passed through the prism of IT. I am ready to gradually describe the answers to the questions to the best of my ability.
Write in the comments what you would be interested to know, and I will try to answer.
Director General of InnoTrio LLC, Georg Konnov.
We will be familiar!
PS I apologize in advance if the article was published in the wrong hub, because First experience.
but do not eat fish. Who are we?
The most honest and open story about how we went from idea to investment and went further. For the most nimble in the end there are conclusions.
Idea
Exactly a year ago in December 2012, we sat with my wife in one of the restaurants. There was a New Year's excitement, so the menu, as usual, was not enough for everyone, but served for a long time. Even the check had to wait about 20 minutes. A week earlier, for the first time, I saw a mechanical waiter call button in another restaurant. Then, for the first time, I had the idea that it would be nice for each restaurant to have an electronic menu and the same electronic call to the waiter. At first, there was a thought about a small Atom PC that would stand in a restaurant and receive requests from restaurant tablets via wifi. I thought about it, discussed it with my wife and forgot it for a couple of weeks. Two weeks later, the situation with the menu repeated and then I realized that everything can be wrapped in a beautiful SaaS service. Now, it even looks strange that this idea did not come to me immediately. This is how the idea of ​​the service, which we called "47 restaurants", appeared
Layout
Over the years, as a programmer and a project manager, I realized one thing: everyone, except developers, doesn't care about your code, and many developers don't care either. Want to show something - show the interface layout. Therefore, always with him and started. Several developed projects failed at the contract signing stage, since decision makers soared in the clouds. From this did not save any pictures with the design or a pile of documentation. And even if the work done was paid, it did not change the result. Everything went to the table. It was found quite working method for solving this problem - the creation of an interactive layout. With the help of technologies that would be used for further development, a simplified interface of the future application was assembled in 1-2 days. Then the customer could “drive” him and immediately understand what he would receive. Forces with this approach was spent much less, and the result was visible immediately.
')
It was decided to assemble a prototype system for demonstration to restaurants. For 5 days we made a mobile version of the site with two buttons: “Call a waiter” and “Ask for an account”, the Node.JS server, which received requests and sent them to a restaurant. Also, almost on their own, they made a layout of the tent-tent (who called these advertising triangles on the tables like that?), Ordering the drawing of two icons on freelance. And it all worked in greenhouse conditions.
Evaluation and epic failures
Having printed “awnings” and armed with a tablet and a telephone, we did not find anything better than to come to the nearest chain restaurant, which we occasionally visited. Made an order, prepared for the demonstration and ... I was scared. Yes, yes, even funny, but true. When an IT person tries to break himself and start selling, it looks weird. Despite a year of training in a business incubator, I saved a lot of speeches and “burning” the idea because of the fear of failure. Well done those who do not have it.
Gathering our strength, checking everything, we made a second attempt. This time I overcame myself and the conversation with the manager did take place. In five minutes we were told that they were interested, but would not be introduced without the consent of the management, but because restaurant network offer must pass a bunch of departments from the "top". After that, at different times, we visited somewhere else in five institutions, three of which refused, and two said that they were generally interested and after the modifications they were ready to use our application. The interesting thing is that in network restaurants the staff understood the idea, but could not implement without the approval of the management, and in most single restaurants the manager immediately “went into denial” without even going into it.
According to the results of the meetings, it was summed up that in general the idea has a future, but the seller of me, as a programmer from a philologist (perhaps, but difficult). PS Naturally, we also interviewed friends and relatives who visited restaurants.
Investment search
It was obvious that such a project without significant investment did not raise. Thanks to the business incubator MGTU them. N.E. Bauman, in which I was trained, I already had experience of communication with business angels. If you briefly convey the essence of the conversation - develop software, launch sales, exit either to the level of several thousand dollars in sales turnover, or to the level of self-sufficiency - and then we'll talk. And before that - walk from here. All subsequent interviews that I read, as well as the business show “Call” at RBC, only confirmed this conversation. I am also grateful to the incubator for two important things, besides the good practice of creating presentations and speeches:
- Persistent allergies to "meet talk" - when many people just want to meet to talk, instead of doing business, you quickly realize that time is not rubber. If you talk to everyone an hour, then the month will fly by, but the matter will not get off the ground. And who is most interested in business development, if not the creator?
- Regulations! When meetings and speeches are delayed and take place instead of an hour and a half to two times more, then you begin to value your time even more. And the time of the people who listen to you should be especially appreciated. So how to be?
At the end of 2012, I learned about the opening of the corporate investment direction - QIWI Venture. My wife and I prepared two applications: one sighting, which, in our opinion, more closely corresponded to the core business of QIWI. The second application was with the main idea - about the restaurant service. But both projects were not directly related to financial services, which, in my opinion, significantly reduced their attractiveness for QIWI. I sent the application at the very beginning of January.
Agonizing wait
Sent a request and? And nothing ... For me it was expected that until the end of January there will be no answer. Then I once again asked all my friends about my service - the assessment was more positive, so I decided to call QIWI Venture employees. I was told that the review was postponed until February. All this time I have not filed anywhere more applications, because she considered her conscience and gnawed that once she had submitted an application and there was “contact,” then we must wait for at least the refusal. In early March, they called me and said that they wanted to meet about my application. Naturally, I did not even specify which of the two, since for me it was obvious. What was my surprise when it turned out that they were casually interested in the sighting project, and the majority voted against the restaurant because He was completely non-core for QIWI. Complete failure?
Selection
It became clear that we must act. I already had all the materials in my hands, and in 5 minutes I tried to describe in paints why it is worth paying attention to the restaurant project. I managed to find out what I was wrong with when I made the documents. (As expected, between the views on the system from the developer and from managers, especially those related to finance, there is a deep gulf that needs to be understood). It was possible to be interested, as well as to get a rough understanding of what is necessary to get at the exit. Thanks to my wife, without whom I would not calculate all the indicators, we prepared a new presentation and a one-page executive summary for the project.
The day of the presentation before the venture committee was appointed almost immediately, since deadlines were tight, and there were many competitors who wanted to get into the first set.
Presentation
The presentation was supposed to keep within 5 minutes. Usually, I put on the general plan and slides, look what happened and start to shamelessly cut, so that with a margin to keep within the allotted time. Lining will always be, but you need to learn to treat them easily, and even better if you wrap in a joke or jokingly warn about their capabilities. As practice shows, it is much easier with experience to speak 10-15 minutes or longer, rather than briefly, but succinctly convey the idea in 1-5 minutes. The most difficult thing is to convey the essence of the service in several sentences. If you fail to do this, then you need to work on it. Investors will not finance what they do not understand. And in three minutes they can understand only fairly simple ideas. In this case, the idea should not be a simple clone of an already existing implementation. If it does not work, then we must rely on the creation of a service and the search for first customers, relying on our own strength. Harsh reality. In the presentation, it is necessary to reflect the current state of the project, competitors, market, monetization, team, desired investments and where they will go, as well as give information about yourself. Well, if it will not work on one person. The girl, and now the wife, always helps me to bring the presentation and presentation to mind, because imperceptible to the creator of the roughness greatly affect the overall impression.
Investments
The performance was not without problems, but quite successfully. As a result, within a few days they called me and said that they had made a decision on financing. There was a lot of joy. Lots of! But there was an understanding that this was only the beginning. Then there was a lot of interesting things, from the preparation of documentation, discussing the terms of investment and the "contract for the development of the contract" to work with people, but I will tell you about it in the next article if you are interested. In the meantime, I propose to proceed to the conclusions.
Lyrical digression
I tried to describe everything very honestly. It may seem that I am dissatisfied with the experience of working with a business incubator at MSTU or too deeply climb into the QIWI Venture kitchen. In fact, I am grateful to both. For QIWI Venture partners, we were one of the first projects on which approaches were run. And it played into our hands, because during this time we did not sit, but worked through the idea and closed all current issues, of which there were a million. Why do I talk so much about timing? I wanted to show that everything does not happen in a jiffy. In any areas of activity, the timing and complexity may increase by a factor of 2-3 for objective, but independent of you, reasons. That's life. I am glad that everything went exactly because there are actually very few adequate investors, and we worked very well with QIWI, which I can still talk about with examples.
findings
- Build a business with an idea in Russia is real.
- Getting investment in the initial stage in Russia under good conditions (without trying to bite off a controlling stake) is real.
- Will have to work a lot.
- Investment is just the beginning.
about the project
Now for the users of the project “47 restaurants” we already have an Android application in beta status, a mobile version of the restaurant’s website and the project’s common site. iOS version for review.
Future articles
Everything I describe is based on personal experience, passed through the prism of IT. I am ready to gradually describe the answers to the questions to the best of my ability.
Write in the comments what you would be interested to know, and I will try to answer.
Director General of InnoTrio LLC, Georg Konnov.
We will be familiar!
PS I apologize in advance if the article was published in the wrong hub, because First experience.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/204864/
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