I’ve accomplished a lot in the first 10 days before ‘launch’:

1. Got a domain
2. Got a WordPress theme and new account
3. Set up Gmail with my new domain
4. Populated the site with content and fine-tuned the theme
5. Set up email capture
6. Found and purchased a subscription of a Bookkeeping service (Fresh Books)
7. Found and set up a discussion forum platform (Circle)

Now for the Beta launch of my “MVP” (minimum viable product), I can start reaching out to some friends to join the discussion platform and visit the Blog. Similar to a tip jar, where if you see some dollars in there already, you will be more inclined to give yourself — we need a few starting members and some user-generated content (UGC) to show a bit of validation.

Starting next week, I will start posting on LinkedIn to see if I can generate some organic leads there. I have about 3800 followers that I have curated over time, so that may be a good start to get the word out. I am also thinking of creating some exclusivity and scarcity. You can only join with a direct link, and access will be ‘free for life’ for the first 100 members. Will see if this spurs some interest and if there is any general interest in following my journey to start this new business. Can’t help but feel a little vulnerable as I put myself out there – will people care? Will it all just crash and burn? Indifference is probably the biggest fear in this content-generation model.

Today, I also have my first meeting with my business coach, and am looking forward to it. It’s important to have a sounding board for all the ideas in my head, and to help direct strategy as we push forward. He will help prioritize objectives, avoid areas that may be risks, and keep me accountable so I can continue to make earnest progress. I’ll keep you posted as we proceed and give you feedback on how else a coach can help you on your career / entrepreneurial journey.

On that note, I want to thank you for joining me on this ride. It’s just starting out, and there will be many twists and turns…perhaps that’s part of the fun. You can observe and enjoy the pain that I endure, at the leisure of your laptop! All good, my goal again is to document this process and for you all to realize that there’s no secret sauce, just hard work and perseverance, and that you can do it too.