When I'd started my first job (after an ad-driven web app that went nowhere), I quickly found I wouldn't have much time for side projects. So I'd outsourced my little project to a talented dude from the east. This first project was to be measured with a financial goal -- 30,000$ a month. (was pretty naive)
Hours per week: about 10. (learned a lot about documenting processes, instructions & ui flow's for an other dev.)
Skills/Profile: worked on a ton of platforms. wrote emulators in high school. game engine developer. designed graphics hardware devices. published research papers. failed web startups.
Success measurement: 30,000$ per month. (hit about 2,000$. liquidated. back to basics)
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These days, my day job involves lots of consulting.
Side project profile:
Hours per week: 40~ (I'm the core developer)
Success measured: 100-1000~ active users.
Financial goal: acquisition(s) in the 50-100,000$ range. (not tied to revenue / year)
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Haven't hit any of my (almost) modest end-goals/exits yet. I've met a few of my 'on the road' milestones. They didn't make me feel any different. I love the process, and that keeps me going.
If you're serious about forcing yourself into making an impact, find a bunch of target customers with a pain to be solved, talk to them, and promise them something with a deadline attached. I've found a lot of folks need the brute-force kickstart approach early on.
Hours per week: about 10. (learned a lot about documenting processes, instructions & ui flow's for an other dev.)
Skills/Profile: worked on a ton of platforms. wrote emulators in high school. game engine developer. designed graphics hardware devices. published research papers. failed web startups.
Success measurement: 30,000$ per month. (hit about 2,000$. liquidated. back to basics)
-----
These days, my day job involves lots of consulting. Side project profile:
Hours per week: 40~ (I'm the core developer)
Success measured: 100-1000~ active users.
Financial goal: acquisition(s) in the 50-100,000$ range. (not tied to revenue / year)
-----
Haven't hit any of my (almost) modest end-goals/exits yet. I've met a few of my 'on the road' milestones. They didn't make me feel any different. I love the process, and that keeps me going.
If you're serious about forcing yourself into making an impact, find a bunch of target customers with a pain to be solved, talk to them, and promise them something with a deadline attached. I've found a lot of folks need the brute-force kickstart approach early on.