Starting my first business

Registrations and Website progress

2006-01-13T19:44:00.000+11:00

Now that the wheels are in motion, its time to register an ABN, Business name, GST and a tax file number.
For the website portion of registration, I now need to register a domain name and a web host provider.

The website developement is coming along steadily and its features are getting implemented each day. It should be completed by the end of January. Right about when school starts...

WEBSITE DESIGN STARTING!

2006-01-08T21:35:00.000+11:00

After another meeting at Gloria Jeans yesterday, me and my web dev have come to a agreement.
He is the one who will build the site and he's starting Monday morning! (tomorrow).

The price is $1450 with monthly payments over 8 months, its great that he's very flexible with the payments because I only have $1000 right now.

The site is expected to be completed within 12-22 days, so it should be live around Febuary.

$1550AUD for the website

2006-01-03T15:23:00.000+11:00

I've finally gotten the proposal my web designer sent me, everything is looking good.

His quote is $1500, +$50 for a logo.

I've got $1000, he said before he can make the payment flexible (repay over 6 month period)
so I should be ok if I pay 1/2 now and then later, or a different option, I'm currently going over the options with him.

I've looked around at webhosting providers and MD Web hosting seems like the best option with their ridiculously competitive prices. I've only heard good things about them and they didnt appear over night.

$9.90 p/m with 2.5GB storage and 50GB monthly transfer looks pretty damn good to me!

Latest news

2005-12-29T17:23:00.000+11:00

I was jogging around with my dog and I ran into the manager of the Subway I applied for, she told me they denied my application form because I was too young to work there.
Doesnt bother me; its their loss, not mine! This just gives me extra time to focus on my business, great!

The web designer/dev is giving me the final quote in the next few days, cant wait so I can get this started already!

The meeting this afternoon

2005-12-23T21:51:00.000+11:00

I finally had my first real business meeting this afternoon at Gloria Jeans with my web designer/dev.

We were going over everything and along the way he helped me improve existing ideas and came up with a few innovative tips to help the business.
Its a good idea to get other peoples thoughts and opinions through.

He's making a checklist now, I should recieve it by the 30th December and fill it out. Once I do that I'll get an accurate quote, as the quote still remains the same, $1250-$2100.

He's going to make me 2 sites, 1 the main site, and 2 an admin site so I can control everything.

After so many months of planning, I cant believe i'm actually doing this. I havn't paid him yet, but I feel i've actually begun the business now. I've got adrenelein rushing through my body as I type this, this is going to be the hugest financial risk I've ever made!

I've gotta work real hard to make this business successful now!

Preparing documents for meeting tomorrow

2005-12-22T10:05:00.000+11:00

What I learned is when you are looking for a web designer is you need to tell them exactly what you want and in a lot of detail.
You need to show how everything will work and what you want to incorporate into your site.
It is very important you do that because as i've found out, if your on a little budget like mine, there is little or no room for changes and everything has to be done right the first time.
If you change your mind during the site building process, you'll be charged more.

I'm having a meeting with the web dev/designer tomorrow and i've got to prepare everything properly now. So right now i'm typing up a document on how everything is going to work and function.

I need to confirm what I want now because there wont be room for changes later.

Smash my Viper!

2005-12-20T21:47:00.000+11:00

I've recently stumbled across an interesting site, its called Smash my Viper.

At first it may appear like another pixel site such as the Million Dollar homepage wannabe's, but its different. Each time an advertiser buys a block of pixels, the SMV crew do damage to the mint condition supercar! The more blocks an advertiser buys, the more damage the guys at SMV do.

They record everything on video and its very exciting to watch, I look for updates everyday.

Meeting confirmed

2005-12-20T11:09:00.000+11:00

I just got off the phone with my web designer.

Meeting him at 4pm, 23rd Friday to discuss everything the website is about and does.
I'm going to prepare documents now outlining everything it needs to do and the way it functions.

I cant wait till we get started building the site, its all very exciting !

He quoted 12-22 days for the completion of the site, i'll find out the exact quote for price and time frame in a few days.

Going to meet up with the designer soon

2005-12-19T21:15:00.000+11:00

Ok, i've got a good feeling about this designer. I'm emailing him now to arrange a meeting in the next few days.

Seeing as i'm on a limited budget, i'm going to get the price down as much as I can and try to negotiate flexible payment arrangements.

Found a designer/dev

2005-12-19T10:11:00.000+11:00

I think I've found the designer i've been looking for. He's the guy who quotes me $1250-$2100.

I'm going to get the cost down as much as I can.

Here's some of his latest impressive work:

Auction Express
NetCorp online shop
School of Graduate studies (Melbourne Uni)

I especially like the way he made auctionexpress and the Melb University pages and thats a similar style I want to have for my website too.

Money problems

2005-12-17T21:26:00.000+11:00

From about 15 designers, everyone that can build the website for less then $700 mostly have pretty bad and unproffesional portfolios.
Most that charge $1000+ do a very good job. Some guy in a city firm wanted $8000, his work was fantastic but that price is a little out of my reach atm.

Its very upsetting that I had a brilliant web designer/dev who was going to do the job for $700, unfortunately because of all the planning and waiting for my parents to finally let me start a business, he got a job for a web design firm and is too busy to build my site. If I want a site from him, I have to do it through his new company and it costs $1500!

I've found a great designer/dev who says he can do my project for $1250-2100, depending on the options.

I only have $650 atm, so obviously i'm a fair bit short. I'm going to write a resume today and apply at Subway tomorrow morning. Hopefully I get the job and can have the ability to work 24/7 so I can get funds really quickly.
New Year and Hanuka are coming up, so hopefully that may bring in a little bit of $$$ :P

Looking for a web designer

2005-12-16T17:19:00.000+11:00

I had a skilled freelancer ready to do my site, then he got a job for a company and cant do it anymore, so now I'm on the look out for a new web designer/developer ASAP so I can get the business off the ground.

I've got a few interested designers who i'm going to have to choose between now, need to do this quickly.

Introduction

2005-12-16T17:11:00.000+11:00

Hey

My name is Sasha Gilberg, i'm 16.

I've been writing a business plan since September 2005 and i'm now ready to start my business.
I'll be going through every step I take in this blog.

The business is called 'PTsearch - Personal Trainer search'

Its basically an Australian personal trainer directory.