starting & growing a drupal based business- 6 valuable lessons i have learned
TRANSCRIPT
Starting & Growing a Drupal-based Business6 Valuable Lessons LearnedBy: Dave Terry
Drupalcamp Florida April 20, 2013
Background
● Entrepreneur ● Lover of all things sales and marketing● Partner at Mediacurrent - 30+ person team● Primary organizer of DcATL, ADUG since 2008● Drupal/OSS evangelist
#6
The More You Give
The More You Will Get Back
Complimentary Service Providers
Wedding List
hostingproviders
The Drupal community
Drupal Give
#5
Listen to Your Employees &
Customers
Communication/feedback is desirable
Job security/peace of mind
open strategy/vision
Challenge/variety is welcomed
Is innovation fostered?
Is my voice being heard?
What havewe heard?
Is Innovation fostered? Can I work on things I like doing?
Iron sharpens Iron
● Polled a cross-section of 12 customers (2013)● Independent feedback is key (unfiltered)● Perception is reality
#4
Create Scalable Processes
Mediacurrent Library
#3
Positioning and a Singular Focus are Critical
● 200+ Blog Posts● 35+ Industry Presentations● 4 Whitepapers / weekly webinars● 45 Drupal Events Organized ● ADUG, Drupalcamp Atlanta, and● Atlanta Drupal Business Summit● Average Drupal Experience:
5+ years
Drupal Experts
● Primary organizer of the AtlantaDrupal Business Summit & Drupalcamp Atlanta
● Over 600 Drupal enthusiasts from across the Nation
● Largest Drupal event on East coast
Drupal Experts
● Serves every kind of destination● Serves every kind of traveler● Offers every class of service● Operates every kind of aircraft
Unprofitable for most of the past decade and recently emerged from bankruptcy.
● Serves only well-traveled destinations● Serves one kind of traveler (leisure)● Offers only one class of service● Operates only one kind of aircraft
Profitable every year since they started in business 20 years ago.
● Serves organizations that need Drupal● Singular focus on one CMS● Offer world-class customer service● Operates to constantly improve
processes & contribute back to the open-source community
Profitable every year since we started in business 6 years ago.
● Serves only well-traveled destinations● Serves one kind of traveler (leisure)● Offers only one class of service● Operates only one kind of aircraft
Profitable every year since they started in business 20 years ago.
#2
Keep Sales Ahead
of Delivery
Accountability
#1
Culture should always be #1
The 4 C's
