The Business of Software

I've seen a lot of postings lately from folks who identify themselves as either MicroISV's or principals in ISV's.

If you're one of these folks, how about posting a reply with a link to your site and maybe a 10-words-or-less type description of what your ISV/MicroISV is all about.

I'm still in the 'brainstorming ideas and trying to find time to do anything about it' stage, so I'd be really interested in seeing how many JOS'ers have taken the plunge.

We are a Micro ISV and our first product converts VB.Net projects to C#:

http://www.elegancetech.com/csvb.aspx

We primarily focus on tools to improve software development productivity.

We make software that people use for speech therapy practice at home.  Think of it as geriatric educational software. It's niche market with only 4 or 5 direct competitors.

We make PDFTextStream, a Java API component that rapidly and accurately extracts text and metadata from PDF documents.  We also provide custom development services to aid in the automation of PDF document processing, using PDFTextStream and a suite of other proprietary tools.

http://snowtide.com

I would like to know how many of these MicroISV's are doing it full time and how many are doing it just as a side for a few grand a year.

I am the founder of Wise Riddles Software, and we are in the process of developing cross-platform collaboration and secure communication software. 

Today is actually my one year anniversary of taking the full-time plunge, and I subsidize my income with consulting work as I develop the other technologies.

http://www.WiseRiddles.com
http://www.ScatterTechnology.com

http://www.softwaretime.com/ formed by myself and another to create software to make peoples family lives a little better. We had an immediate need in our own homes, and when we told people about it, they all wanted it too. ;-)

We use FogBUGZ too. At least least until we're making so much money that we can afford one of those really bloated bug tracking systems that takes a team of 5 to maintain, and is so difficult to use that it sucks the life out of it's users.

My next job after this is to open an Ice Cream shop.

WiseRiddles webpage looks pretty bad in Firefox.

I'm a founder / operator of a micro ISV.  Full time.  Only source of income.  Couldn't be happier.

I'll keep mum about the company though.  Much as I'd like to boast about the product, it's one of those financial tools which folks may be reluctant to buy from a one-developer shop.

I'm honest about it to anyone who asks (lying to your customers is just daft) but I don't go out of my way to advertise the fact.

me, not you, for sir, just:

Thanks for the heads-up.  Fixing the site on Firefox has been on my to-do list for quite some time, but this pushed it to the top of my list :)

I've made changes to the site and it should render better (but still not perfect) in Firefox!  One of the benefits of a small ISV – we can respond quickly when the pressure is on!  :)

Nice job on the site changes. It looks great in Firefox 1.0 Preview Release.

I started a Micro-ISV two years ago, and recently graduated to Mini-ISV status by hiring two part-time employees.  I'm still the sole programmer though.

I/we mainly sell stuff for Delphi programmers:
http://www.delphi-expert.com
http://www.twodesk.com

Univex Software
I am MD of Univex Software, part of The Univex Group based in Melbourne Australia.
http://www.univex.com

Main lines of software are: integrated accounting, inventory, purchasing and sales software. Time and attendance hardware and software. Point of Sale. RF barcode scanner software. And lots more. All custom-tailored to end user's requirements.

Campaign Monitor - Email newsletter software for web designers.

http://www.campaignmonitor.com/

Launched about 3 months ago. Customer feedback has been very positive but we need to spend more time marketing our product, but we have been very busy on the consulting side of our business - http://www.switchit.com

Ben, your http://www.campaignmonitor.com/ site looks really good.

How is that pricing model working out for you, if you don't mind me asking ? Do client like that way of paying ?

Fleet One - Software for fleet management and full service providers. Pretty straightforward business stuff. No fancy developer tools. ;-)
http://www.celsystems.com

Links to the app are in German (our main target) only, I am afraid:
http://www.celsystems.com/csys/ge

Full time with a couple of employees, but very few developers.

GraphPad Software. We create software to help scientists (I used to be one) graph and analyze data (and learn about data analysis). Started about twenty years ago as a hobby, then as a micro (nano?) ISV. Now very successful, with over a dozen full time people (if you include outsourced programmers).

http://www.graphpad.com

Great idea Jason!

I am Safari Software, Inc., just graduated to micro-ISV status with the release of MasterList Professional, which is selling. (Info at: http://safarisoftware.com )

MasterList Professional is a Windows desktop application for successfully managing your professional and personal projects and tasks. Unlike time management programs, it focuses on giving you oversight, control and dominance over all of the competing claims on your time and energy.

We are marketing a variety of ways, but two might be of interest here: give away a free version (30K now using it) and restart publishing Office Tip of the Week on our site where we weekly focus on one really good way to get more done with Office.

I have been working on my MicroISV status for a while now.  I have been selling shareware for 9 years as a part-time job - mainly developer/admin tools and some games.  I am expanding my business and my main software this year to easily monitor files, folders, event logs, output debug strings, and other things.  I will be happy and very busy when things get going with this new version and some additional things for my business.

We develop a web-based product for planning and tracking software projects.  Its targeted towards developers using an agile or iterative process, like XP.

Been at it about a year with steady growth.

http://www.extremeplanner.com

"I/we mainly sell stuff for Delphi programmers:
http://www.delphi-expert.com

JT"

I didn't realize you were that JT, JT.  I have your Castalia and it's a good product.

I've been reading these boards for a while and it's really neat to find out what other participants are up to - great thread Jason!

I just released my first product, a cross browser search / navigation / linking utility. I originally created it for my own use, and I only posted it on the web ( http://www.capslink.com ) under pressure from friends who wanted easy access to the latest release.  However, the sheer number of downloads over the last week has got me thinking about developing some of my other ideas and starting a micro-ISV.  Obviously, thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.

I develop data acquisition and control software for handheld Pocket PC devices.
Currently my only product is basically a serial port sniffer.  Version 2.0 will be coming out soon and I expect that to break new sales margins as well as progress the company into more focused avenues.

http://www.AppliedPDA.com

We make software to help banks with solving an important problem (would be more specific, but I don't want anyone googling here).  We're pretty much alone for the moment and banks are very interested.

Personally scary, but it's going great.  I burned the midnight oil while working a regular job for a while and went full-time in August.  I couldn't be happier with the desion to go for it.

My wife might tell it differently.  She helpfully pointed out the other day that if I died tomorrow, the money from our insurance might barely cover the debts that I've run up.  At least this gives her extra incentive not to take me out.

Mike

Interesting topic!

My product http://www.lingolanguage.com is a compiled high level programming language. It takes useful bits from existing languages, combines them with some new ideas and (hopefully) is a productive and time-saving product. I'm about to release v1.0 in the next few weeks.

Also I've paid a lot (possibly too much) attention to example code, documentation, and making sure examples in the manual all compile and run without errors.

Hi All,

My company is just getting started. We're in the process of creating software to run help desks. It's entirely web based and includes request tracking, but also alot of other features such as self service (with some new twists) and some special tools which focus on actually making your support better.

Placeholder pages for my future site:
http://www.userscape.com/

"...paid a lot (possibly too much) attention ..."

Not possible, except as it delays release of your product beyond what is necessary.  Once it's out, keep adding boatloads of examples and documentation.  I'm quite sure that no language ever failed as a result of too many examples and too much good documentation, but plenty have died from the opposite.

I just filed the articles for my company and my first product (a .NET based CMS/Portal system) will go to beta in April.  Working on the websites now for both company and product sites so no links yet.

Still working full time but the job is very flexable so I'm not having to spend 12 hour days at work and then come home and try to work on the business.

Planning to jump ship from the day job once product sales generate at least $90,000-100,000 in revenue per year.  Anticipating that it'll take about two years to get there.  We'll see I guess :-)

Hi Bideford, thanks for the kind words.

So far our pricing model has been working well for the majority of customers, but we have had a few enquiries about bulk discounts, and we are looking at modifying the pricing model slightly to help accommodate these customers.

Hi all

I've just started a new thing called Phoenix Software.
 http://phoenixsoftware.dyndns.biz

Still in the process of finishing a business app called Totally, but folks seem to be interested in it.

Got a lot of ideas for it, but the focus now is to finish it up for version 1 and get it out there.

Would really like to correspond with other MicroISV's in Australia - share experiences etc, and maybe help each other out.

Regards

Brad

I made a time tracking app for my Pocket PC to track my full time day job and other small side jobs.  After getting a lot of positive feedback from other people at work, I decided to go the MicroISV route and started Tigsys Software http://www.tigsys.com

I'm now getting ready to beta release version 2.0 of Pocket Time Card along with re-working the look of the web site.  I learned a lot about the MicroISV world from this forum, JOS and EricSink.com.  January was my best sales month since I started in September.

Not ready to quit my day job just yet, but I still have that dream.

Now for the interesting question. For those of you running a serious microISV (i.e. only one person, no more, no less), how much do you generate in $$$ per year, and how long did it take to get there.

Being a microISV with only 6 months since I started out, I am wondering if I am doing too slow having only made $1000.

Sorry, to clarify... I do not run this as a business, rather as a hobby that I spend my free hours on, although still quite a lot of hours. Nevertheless, I present the website as a business and still hope to make enough within a year to start considering making this a more serious affair.

We started as a microISV (5 people) about 2 years back, and are currently about 20. We focus on components and products using information visualization. It's been a tough couple of years, but I love what I do, so no regrets :). What's life without challenges, right?

We sell components like Treemap and Tablens along with products like ThoughtMapper (http://www.avizsoft.com).

I started Kinnser Software as a response to a consulting project that allowed me to build a clinical application for one group and sell it to others.  The original group has an equity stake in my company.

It is still just me, but is my only income source.  Have been in business for 1 1/2 year.

"I didn't realize you were that JT, JT.  I have your Castalia and it's a good product."

Thanks.  I debated whether to respond to this thread, as anonymity is sometimes advantageous when discussing business.... but then I decided that if I ever want anonymity, I can just change my name. :)

Anyway, thanks for the compliments.  I'm glad you like it.

"if I ever want anonymity, I can just change my name"

OK, now everytime I see an annoying post from "anonymous", I'll know it's from you? <g>

Does anybody else reading these great posts feel that there's more to "micro ISV"?

I'd assert the following: The internet provides an place were individuals can write software that heretofor could only be done by large groups of people.

Anyone have a line on a "micro ISV Bible": my $20 is ready for spending...

Hey wow

My website log shows that someone clicked on my website link from the post I made above.

I'm a happy d00d. :)

It might seem like a small, pithy thing, but that excites me a lot - someone actually took the time to click and browse.

Now, all I need to do is work out why they didn't stay very long.... :(

Well, anyway, thank you to whoever it was.

That was me buddy. I clicked it again :D

Actually, I tried going through it and tried understanding it. Without any success. Unfortunately :(

Thanks Pythonic!

Well, it just goes to show that programmers shouldn't ever write marketing content for websites!  :)