Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Starting a development firm.

Options
  • 06-02-2017 11:32pm
    #1
    Hollister11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭


    This is not for now but maybe in 5 years time. I'm still in college, and want to gain experience in industry first.

    I would like to start an It development/consulting firm. The main services that would be developed are web applications, mobile applications, software development.

    We could potentially make more money through monthly maintenance and hosting fees, SEO, marketing/social media and retainers.

    I haven't given this any in depth thought, or even considered a business plan. I'm simply looking for opinions.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    pedroeibar1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭pedroeibar1


    Hollister11 wrote: »
    This is not for now but maybe in 5 years time. I'm still in college, and want to gain experience in industry first.

    I would like to start an It development/consulting firm. The main services that would be developed are web applications, mobile applications, software development.

    We could potentially make more money through monthly maintenance and hosting fees, SEO, marketing/social media and retainers.

    I haven't given this any in depth thought, or even considered a business plan. I'm simply looking for opinions.
    My opinion is that anyone who posts a question like that should consider .


  • Options
    #3
    ironclaw
    Registered Users Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    In my experience, you broadly have two avenues. The first, you are an 'all hands' web developer who turns out a website or two per month. You can charge anywhere between €500 and €2000 (or more / less) depending on what you are producing. To really 'own' that type of work, you need to be good at developing the site visually e.g. PhotoShop and also with code so that you can bring your site to life. A lot of web developers work on a specific platform, WordPress being the main one along with other CMS's like Drupal or Joomla. Within this space, you could carve out a niche in a particular section e.g. eCommerce, and from there you can sell some add on services e.g. SEO, Marketing Management.

    The other option, and frankly where the bigger money is, is becoming a consultant for a larger, commercial software package e.g. Salesforce, SAP. The sky is really the limit here but you have to remember, the world does move on so you need to be constantly abreast of developments and really build a strong technical and business accumen. However, if you have a firm full of SAP consultants, you could easily be turning over 6 figures per year.

    Either way, I would strongly recommend 1 to 3 years (At least 5 if you want to be a standalone consultant in a larger software package) in the professional world before starting out on your own, in either direction. You'll learn how to do things and how not to do things. Likewise, you'll quickly find out whether you want to work for yourself or stay within the corporate ladder.


  • Options
    #4
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    Hollister11 wrote: »
    The main services that would be developed are web applications, mobile applications, software development.

    We could potentially make more money through monthly maintenance and hosting fees, SEO, marketing/social media and retainers.

    Jack of all trades, master of none. Expect to be competing head on with about 9 squillion others that have exactly the same idea.
    ironclaw wrote: »
    The other option, and frankly where the bigger money is, is becoming a consultant for a larger, commercial software package e.g. Salesforce, SAP.

    This!
    ironclaw wrote: »
    However, if you have a firm full of SAP consultants, you could easily be turning over 6 figures per year.

    A firm of SAP consultant should be turning over well into 6 figures single handed, wearing a blindfold, with one hand tied behind their back.


Advertisement