The best thing about working with a completely new idea is that you do not know what awaits you as the concept develops. Essentially, this can also be testing sometimes; if I'd known that almost all of my spare time would be spent working, I might not have been so enthusiastic when I got the idea for Bombadil. However, that was before I knew what would happen with Bombadil, and today, as I see it, there is no other choice. I love the concept and our authors so much that I could not and would not turn back.
I have tried to label the different stages of our development, not only to see how the plans match reality, but also to try and plan for the future. Last week we only had 5 stages, though I knew there would be one more. This week the new phase appeared and got a name. Interesting how it just appeared, as self-evident as night coming after day, and as smoothly and easily as if it had been planned all along, waiting patiently for us to catch it up. What is also interesting is that our stages speed up at a similar rate as the expansion in other areas. Perhaps this is something new, or perhaps I am just a bit dense in matters of management. I sincerely hope it is the first :-D
Our first stage was the idea conception stage. We needed a product, a fair bit of administration and some financing. In our case it was self-financed, and the product was the first book. Yihaa, it worked, reality hit and the second stage emerged.
Income model. A word that kept me awake at night, not because I did not think Bombadil should make any money, but because I did not want to go through the momentous task of documenting and testing my gut feeling. Well, we got there, and by summer we were able to move on to the next stage.
Expansion. There was never any doubt in my mind. I, a citizen of the world, would never be satisfied with a small company, albeit with a great idea, in a small town in a small country. Well large really land-wise, but small population-wise. Saying that it was never my intention to conquer the world, but there was no other option than to expand once I saw how the authors ran with the concept, not just to their neighbouring youth, but to youth in neighbouring countries. After all, the world is our oyster, so why limit ourselves to a small pond. Sail the oceans instead! That is what the youth thought; that is what I thought. We got the stucture for expansion in place by the autumn of 2008, then rolled comfortably and happilly to the next phase.
Network. What does one do with an expanding company, if there is no one to share with, or if expertise or knowledge is missing? Well one starts working on a network and of course ensuring that the network is fully scaleable. We are halfway through this one now, and quickly added a fifth, inevitable phase.
I have tried to label the different stages of our development, not only to see how the plans match reality, but also to try and plan for the future. Last week we only had 5 stages, though I knew there would be one more. This week the new phase appeared and got a name. Interesting how it just appeared, as self-evident as night coming after day, and as smoothly and easily as if it had been planned all along, waiting patiently for us to catch it up. What is also interesting is that our stages speed up at a similar rate as the expansion in other areas. Perhaps this is something new, or perhaps I am just a bit dense in matters of management. I sincerely hope it is the first :-D
Our first stage was the idea conception stage. We needed a product, a fair bit of administration and some financing. In our case it was self-financed, and the product was the first book. Yihaa, it worked, reality hit and the second stage emerged.
Income model. A word that kept me awake at night, not because I did not think Bombadil should make any money, but because I did not want to go through the momentous task of documenting and testing my gut feeling. Well, we got there, and by summer we were able to move on to the next stage.
Expansion. There was never any doubt in my mind. I, a citizen of the world, would never be satisfied with a small company, albeit with a great idea, in a small town in a small country. Well large really land-wise, but small population-wise. Saying that it was never my intention to conquer the world, but there was no other option than to expand once I saw how the authors ran with the concept, not just to their neighbouring youth, but to youth in neighbouring countries. After all, the world is our oyster, so why limit ourselves to a small pond. Sail the oceans instead! That is what the youth thought; that is what I thought. We got the stucture for expansion in place by the autumn of 2008, then rolled comfortably and happilly to the next phase.
Network. What does one do with an expanding company, if there is no one to share with, or if expertise or knowledge is missing? Well one starts working on a network and of course ensuring that the network is fully scaleable. We are halfway through this one now, and quickly added a fifth, inevitable phase.
Consolidation. We have so many small strongholds around the world so now we will need to make sure they are all sustainable and that we can join the dots. It is such an amazing experience to be able to take part in writing history, as if an invisible hand guided us, adding the phases at own volition. Seems there is no rest for the wicked and at this rate there will soon be yet another phase and it will be interesting to see what it will be.
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