FootyCS on TLC

One month ago, I posted an entry criticizing the owners of a niche YouTube-like contest website called FootyCS, which awards prizes to top video authors in relation to surfing, skating, and snowboarding.

The owners of this site were on a documentary television show on The Learning Channel (TLC). The hour long broadcast was to show their business from concept to launch, but instead showed their lack of business skill and rookie status in the world of Internet Business.

In my previous post, I feel that I may have been too harsh on the owners of Footy CS. We all know that being an entrepreneur is difficult, and bringing a website from development to a finished process creating actual revenue is certainly no easy task – especially for two as green as they were. Now, it is true, they did just about everything wrong (what was shown on TV anyhow), but sometimes that is the only way that some people learn. I know that I always learn best from making mistakes, and wish only the best for both them and their business.

That being said, instead of picking them apart (again) maybe I should offer up a few points of advice for them and other aspiring internet business entrepreneurs.

1. “Web 2.0” as it is called is now in full swing, and there’s no time like the present to start a website or bring your current brick and mortar business online. Even though web development can be costly, that doesn’t mean that it should break your checkbook and you certainly shouldn’t dip into your 401k, IRA, or any other savings or retirement fund. Find the funding a different way. If you have to, work a part time job through the development process. Taking risks is fine and sometimes it has to be done, but DO NOT jeopardize your future like that.

2. If you don’t have the skill to design, develop, and market your website yourself, find someone experienced who can. Do not hire a friend who knows how to work MySpace or 16 year old neighbor. To build a professional site you need to work with a professional, period. Always shop around, and in our business, you need to be smart or you will be sorely disappointed with the end result.

3. Running a great website is work, and will continue to be work for as long as you own it. There’s really not much more to say about that, and it’s the honest truth. You can certainly still get rich off of the internet, it happens every single day – but we all have something in common, we want it. When I say that we want it, we really want it. You have to be fully committed. This doesn’t mean that it has to be a full time operation, but it does mean that you should be working on it as much at you can.

I truly believe that in life nothing worth having comes easy, and with the internet that couldn’t be further than the truth. Be smart, do your research, and make millions!

If anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me via the contact form link at the top of this blog.