What is Building Moxie (by jb bartkowiak)

click here to see the last in this series

So . . . Why Write? Part 2 (aka “If it rains, the ground gets wet.”)

While writing is a great thinking tool and has, especially over the last 10 months, been very therapeutic for me, I put this series of posts down more in a way to define "what it is" as I begin introducing it, well, to the world.

In this series of posts (though sometimes between the lines), you’ll find:

1. I have a day job, and I like to write about myself.


2. I have a family with related responsibilities.


3. I am seeking a stronger connection between what I do for a living and what I love.


4. I have a business plan that, to some, is intriguing.


5. I have taken inspiration for that business plan from many aspects of my life.


6. I think a lot about duality, i.e. trying/doing, success/failure, etc., and the space that exists in between.


7. I am not a home improvement expert, and I do not have it all figured out.


8. I do not want a web-only business. &


9. I have had my share of stress and doubts during the development of this plan.

So . . . as much as I've heard that it makes good practical sense, to write a business plan, it was actually written more for me. While I always intended to present it to others, it served initially as a place to collect and elucidate ideas.

Which way do I go; Which way do I go

To date, I have presented portions of it, the ideas contained in the plan, to approximately 20 individuals. Feedback has varied. And while I have frequently heard, “I like it; I really like it,” I will admit – some feedback has been far less positive.

Here is a sampling of some of things I have heard:

“I really don’t understand what you are trying to do.”
“Your margin is too small; you need to minimize your labor commitment.”
“Why re-invent the wheel? There will always be a need for qualified and reliable remodelers.”
“Why are you bothering with this nickel and dime stuff?”
“I don’t understand how you are going to make money.” AND . . .

My favorites -- “Why are you bothering with a website?” or worse “How is your website coming along?” (That last one – drives me particularly crazy.) The website and this blog, for that matter, serve a true practical purpose.

The internet circles the globe, but probably has its biggest reach close to home

Sure, I tossed around big ideas of an interactive application that manages projects and project resources; yes, I toyed with the idea of building a how-to content aggregator; and, hey, I even had late night visions of hosting the next Facebook.

But after being talked off the ledge frequently, I figured that all of these things might end up being only bells and whistles -- flash (and truthfully, they were probably financially beyond my reach).

For now, my web presence, at its best, is a portal to my real world local business. More directly, though, it is a safe “testing ground.” With low entry and overhead costs, I hope to use it to fully gauge this "middle ground" market of which I speak, and I hope to quantify more completely their needs.

But the remoteness of the internet, for me, is both a benefit and hindrance here. I can do it, this, on the side with minimal promotion (in a way, the website promotes itself), but in another way -- it pigeonholes me. It is an asset (well, at least, after I build traffic), and it makes me more nibble/affluent.

Writing a biz plan is also about minimizing risk (aka there is always risk and hurdles)

Come March, 2010, and maybe you’ll put me on your calendar, I hope to have the solid basis for a viable business. Will I be quitting my day job on March 1? Probably not.

And before I get there, I know, there are a few hurdles I must still jump. Here is my short list, the action plan:

Step 1:
I need to be able to cover, with a professional/specialist, every common request I could possibly get. In other words, I must fill my Pros We Know page, and there are luckily handfuls of pros I know. With this, I must remind myself that this isn't about a short term sale; it is about a longer term relationship -- and my messaging must reflect that.

This task has been more difficult than I would have hoped. In some ways, the directory-orientated, and further, the lead generation websites -- appear to have created a stigma within the small to mid-sized contractor community. Even with guys I know well -- they hear "website" and their answer is "no".

Here's my plan, though, push through with perseverance.

Step 2:
Once step 1 is complete, I need to gain more buy-in, "emotionally" (both from myself as well as from others). I need to quell fears, and promote, promote, promote. Starting with a Facebook page, a blast to all my friends, and maybe a small PR effort, I need to begin systematically hitting every social networking site that I can find.

During this period, I will work to lock down my blog design, and link it in with the rest of the social world. The big question here: Is it better, as I have it now, to have an expanded footprint, or . . . should I consolidate? Currently, I have four loosely linked blogs on Blogger; should I combine these into one (with four or more tabs) on Wordpress?

Step 3:
I need to find another me – it’s that simple: A field technician, if you will, someone that has similar values and views. With licensure (which I hope to test for in the fall), there should be no reason why I couldn’t implement the “onsite” portion of my plan.

Action item – I plan on using Steps 1 & 2 above to help flush out this candidate.

If it rains, the ground gets wet (aka pick one thing and do it well)

I have published only a small portion of the services that I can see eventually offering. And truth is -- I probably would do it all for free, i.e. Help people with something I like; it is a no-brainer. But that is the challenge, and has been from the beginning: Do something you like, and make a steady income doing it.

I mean, to me, it is just intuitive. Who doesn't need another set of eyes or hands, pair of legs, or another head, sometimes? I know I do. And while I am no expert, per se -- I have been on at least three sides of a home improvement project.

And . . . in some ways, I offer myself up as a living, breathing, and walking case study. The website, and my presence here part one of this experiment.

*******

I am a "Smaltimorian." They say Baltimore is like a small town, everyone knows everyone -- and we are just slightly more than spitting distance from the larger markets of DC and Northern Virginia.

But . . . I am also a intelligent, supportive person, in general. I offer personalized advice and "professional" selections, allowing clients to find their own answers, and helping them with breaking down one barrier that often remains -- confidence.

That's right -- confidence . . . to "do-it-for-yourself" -- the tools, avenues, and info are there. And yes -- I am Building Moxie.

Thank you for reading, feel free to comment or email. Now, I will get back to writing about something that might appeal to a larger base.

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More Moxie:
The Agents of Moxie :: At Home -- http://agentsofmoxie-home.blogspot.com/
The Agents of Moxie :: On the Job -- http://agentsofmoxie-jobs.blogspot.com/
The Agents of Moxie :: Around the Hood -- http://agentsofmoxie-hood.blogspot.com/

While I still question my skill as a writer, and as a blog editor -- I do it.