Start Your Own Software Business

A two day intensive course teaching you how to create a profitable business selling your own software product

This is the course I wish had been available when I started my software company back in 2005.

Creating a successful software business requires a lot more than just programming skills. This course is aimed at people who want to start (or are at an early stage of starting) their own software business, selling Windows, Mac or web (SAAS) based software to businesses or consumers.

Typically you will be an experienced software developer with limited or no experience in business, marketing, sales and support. You might not have an idea for a product yet, you might be developing a product or you might have a product for sale. But it probably isn’t for you if you are primarily intending to sell games or mobile apps or you are planning to raise large amounts of money from investors.

Scope

Creating a successful software business can be incredibly rewarding, but it isn’t easy. Programming is often the least difficult part. Software businesses often fail due to avoidable business and marketing errors that many others have made before.

This course is aimed at giving you the best possible start. Topics covered include:

• starting a business (forming a company, funding your business)
• product ideas and business models (web vs desktop, naming, trials, monetisation, B2B vs B2C, market validation, DRM)
• marketing (website, promotion, Adwords, SEO, newsletters, positioning, pricing, differentiation, segmentation, competition, conversion rates, A/B testing, upgrades)
• sales
• user experience
• legal (licensing, insurance, trademarks, patents)
• financial (payment processing, accountants, book keeping, purchase orders, invoicing, VAT, dividends, tax)
• support
• useful tools and resources
• …and much more

It is an intensive course running over a Saturday and Sunday. Accommodation on-site is available.

The course is written and presented by me (Andy Brice). I have been a professional software developer for over 25 years and have run my own one-man software business since 2005. I have sold well over a £1 million of my own software in that time, with minimal overheads. I also have a sideline in consulting to other software businesses, so I know what has worked and what hasn’t in lots of other businesses. This will be the third time I have run the course.

I will be covering topics in a lot more depth and detail than is available on this blog. The emphasis will be on actionable information with real numbers that is hard to find elsewhere. There is no run-of-the-mill motivational/time-management ‘fluff’ in the course.

The maximum number of attendees is just 10, so there is plenty of scope for interaction during the tuition and over meals, both with me and with other attendees.

As a bonus I include a free 1 hour phone consultation within 12 months of the end of the course. You can use this to discuss anything related to your business. For example I could help evaluate a product idea, critique your website or discuss your pricing.

When

I will set a new date once I have enough interest. So please contact me if you are interested.

Where

Alexandra House, near Swindon, Wiltshire, England (approximately 1 hour’s drive from London Heathrow and Bristol airports).

This is modern, purpose-built, conference venue in 20 acres of gardens in the Wiltshire countryside, just 2 miles from the M4 motorway. It has an on-site restaurant and accommodation with extensive facilities including: gym, swimming pool, sauna and games room.

This course is only available face-to-face (i.e. no web cast), because I think you gain a lot from personal interaction, both with myself and the other attendees. It also enables you to speak much more freely about your ideas and informal discussions over meals and drinks can be very valuable.

I might also run this course in other countries/locations if there is enough demand. For example in a major US city. If you are interested, but not within reach of the above venue, please let me know where you are based using the form below.

Price

£650 + VAT

The price includes:

• 2 days tuition
• course notes
• Saturday and Sunday lunch
• tea, coffee and snacks
• car parking
• WiFi
• 1 hour follow-up phone consultation

Unless you live nearby, I recommend 2 nights accommodation with breakfast and dinner on-site for an additional £150 + VAT. This also allows you full use of the venue’s leisure facilities. I will be attending the dinner on Saturday night.

Bear in mind that many training companies charge around £500+VAT per day for generic 9-5 courses with a lot more attendees.

Guarantee

If you aren’t delighted with the course you can contact me within 14 days of the end of the course and I will refund your fee in full, minus accommodation and meals.

What previous attendees have said

“To run your own software business is an aspiration of every programming enthusiast and many professional programmers. Most of them fail without knowing “WHY?”. I’ve known Andy Brice for many years and have met him at several conferences and heard  a lot about his product and working habits. When the information about this course appeared it was the easiest decision in my professional career to sign up. The course itself is delivered with passion and ease, yet the information content is incredibly rich.  The course covers all aspects of Starting a software business and Andy continuously amends the presentation with elements of his own experience and available data from other people. None of the aspects of starting a software business is left uncovered. He definitively gives an answer to aspiring programmers “HOW?” to start and avoid the failure; or fail fast and learn quickly.”
Pavol Rovensky, www.hexner.co.uk

“Andy’s course manages to cover a huge amount of material on a wide range of topics without ever a dull moment, and in plenty of depth. The course content, and Andy’s presentation, are both useful and engaging. If someone asked me to maintain the interest of a roomful of developer-types for two days, mostly by showing slides and talking, I would disappear into a hole in the ground, but Andy manages it in style.”
Richie Hindle, www.entrian.com

“Andy’s ability to imprint the wisdom he has gained through successfully starting and running his own software business is amazing. The course covered a lot of material very quickly and effectively with plenty of time to ask concrete questions, all of which Andy comfortably answered from his experience in the field. I feel I have a much better focus now on where I need to put my time and energy to build a successful software company. The course venue, facilities and overall organisation were also excellent, from booking through to ensuring we finished on time so I could catch my plane. I highly recommend this course if you plan to start your own software company.”
Kevin Horgan, www.balancedcode.com

“I’m a programmer and I’ve been an employee in other people’s software businesses all my working life. For some time I’ve wanted to create my own product to sell but I’ve found it difficult to evaluate the various ideas I’ve had and get started. Andy’s course is broad and covers all aspects of starting a software business, but the parts covering the early stages of product development were especially useful to me. Andy is a great communicator and I highly recommend this course.”
Anthony Hay, howtowriteaprogram.blogspot.com

“I was lucky enough to find out about Andy’s course in time, and wasn’t sure if it would help me figure out how to work for myself as an independent software vendor — I have the answer now — and it would be an understatement to say it pointed me in the right direction. I now see the possibilities, and the course has given me important insights into how I might go about the transition from ‘working for the man’ to starting my own micro ISV. If you get the chance, do go on the course. It’s well worth it.”
Jason Spashett, jason.spashett.com

“If you’re starting a software business, give yourself a big unfair advantage and sign up for Andy Brice’s course. Andy has spent eight years investigating numerous cul-de-sacs, all so that you don’t have to. Whether you’re working with desktop or web, selling to consumer, enterprise or developer markets, there are pearls of wisdom in there for everyone. Benefit from the advice of someone who’s been there in the trenches – it’s possibly the best investment in your fledging business you can make.”
Justin Worrall

“I recently attended Andy Brice’s “Start your own software business” course. Andy teaches some very practical skills to evaluate your idea, find if there is a market and launch your product. Behind most of the topics Andy had a story of how this particular lesson was learnt and how he has successfully implemented it. I now feel I am equipped with some practical knowledge of how to launch a software product. Thanks Andy.”
Derek Ekins

“I thought I knew most things about setting up and running an ISV but Andy filled in all the gaps and taught me stuff I hadn’t even thought about! I would, without hesitation, recommend this course (which is great value) to anyone thinking of starting a small software company or even an existing company that wants to ensure they give their business the best chance for success. Well done Andy!”
Anonymous (gainfully employed)

“PC Pro magazine (not easy to impress) gave PerfectTablePlan a glowing review. That gives you some idea of Andy’s talent for programming and marketing. His weekend training program allows the attendees to garner his expertise for themselves and their software projects. Andy knows his subject – his experience is extensive, practical and hard-earned. I have run 2 successful small software business in the past. By attending his course I wanted to find out from someone who was actually doing it today, how I could apply techniques and best practice to my next software project. Did I succeed? Without a doubt. Andy was meticulous in his planning of the event and thorough in his presentation. I couldn’t ask for more. Top marks. I recommend Andy’s course to anyone venturing into the world of running a small software business.”
Roger Pearson

“As a software engineer I am well aware of my major skill deficit — the marketing aspect of a software business. Over past a couple of years I have gained some general knowledge in this aspect through self education, however they still feel like scattered dots in my mind and left me with more questions unanswered. Not anymore after Andy’s training ! Andy helped me to see my blind spots, connecting the dots and brought clarity for my way ahead.”
Anonymous (gainfully employed)

“There was a lot of ground to cover and Andy did it in style. He explains all the lessons he has learned from his business, what did work and did not work. He was very fothcoming with all the details of his business, how he does things, the rationale of his decisions. Very good insights gleaned from somebody who has been in the trenches for more than 10 years.”
David André

“Last weekend I attended the “Start Your Own Software Business course”. Wow! Andy knows his stuff and speaks from experience. The course proceeds at a fast pace through everything you need to know to set up and run a successful software business. It is packed with relevant, insightful and comprehensive content. I cannot recommend it highly enough.”
Graham Clemow, http://www.lambdalogic.co.uk

Interested?

Fill out the form below and I will get back to you with more details. If you don’t hear back within 24 hours check your spam folder then email me direct.

“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Derek Bok