Slides from this year's Webvisions talk, where I talk about how to run a web business that doesn't need to take funding.

1. Avoiding the VC Trap
Matt Haughey | Webvisions 2008

2. How to run a
successful web
business you actually
like, doing what you
love, and on your own
terms

4. Defining some terms

5. Why talk about
funding?

7. Paul
Graham

9. Paul
Graham

10. “You might as well be
running a shoe store”

12. What does venture
capital do right?

13. It funds innovation

14. Gets grown-ups
involved

15. It fuels a cycle that
lets really big ideas
take off

16. The downsides

17. Strings attached

18. Not the finish, just the
begining

19. Investors want exits,
not zombies

20. Too much

21. The Myth
of the
Superstar

22. What about the great
big middle?
2007 2008 2009 2010

23. Lifestyle Business
“Lifestyle Businesses are businesses that are set up and
run by their founders primarily with the aim of sustaining
a particular level of income and no more; or to provide a
foundation from which to enjoy a particular lifestyle.”

24. Lifestyle Business
“Lifestyle Businesses are businesses that are set up and
run by their founders primarily with the aim of sustaining
a particular level of income and no more; or to provide a
foundation from which to enjoy a particular lifestyle.”

25. Some ideas for
running a successful
business online

26. Find your passion

27. Build the app you
always wanted

28. Continually improve it

29. Be the best, most active
user of the product

30. Start small,
stay small

31. Keep your dayjob

32. Figure out a way to
make it pay

33. Charge something

34. Do the math
$5 x 1,700 users x 12 months = $102,000/year

35. Free version
Pro version

36. Everyone pays
(but with a free trial)

37. Advertising,
sponsorships,
memberships,
donations

38. You gotta make it
through the slog

39. Some examples

40. Web app model

56. Software house

61. Community model

69. Sole Writer/Designer

75. Conclusions

76. It’s 2008

77. Hardware: cheap

78. Software: cheap

79. Programming
frameworks: plentiful

80. Chances you will
make $1 billion: slim

81. Chances you will
make $100k: good

82. Total funds needed to
launch: $100/mo

83. Thanks.
Questions?
Background photos used:
cash: Tracey O http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracy_olson/
office building: *Solar ikon* http://flickr.com/photos/chunyang/2210171888/
shoes: Kai Hendry http://flickr.com/photos/hendry/298879660/
grownups: laffy4k http://flickr.com/photos/laffy4k/52061780/
strings: Meanest Indian http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanestindian/328065491/
finish line: Chris Breeze http://www.flickr.com/photos/92833011@N00/270157428/
zombies: atp tyreseus http://www.flickr.com/photos/tyreseus/219645014/
light bulb: greg westfall http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregwestfall/2049488135/
bigwheel crash: sloanro http://www.flickr.com/photos/rs/129806614/
small bug: woodleywonderworks http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/2313927146/
work desk: ten safe frogs http://www.flickr.com/photos/tensafefrogs/7393410/
passion: torroid http://www.flickr.com/photos/torroid/2507357073/in/photostream/
webappschematic: jazzmasterson http://www.flickr.com/photos/jazzmasterson/3038597/
bestuser: top pocket man http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyjc/111784097/
treadmill: maHidoodi http://www.flickr.com/photos/mahidoodi/199747855/