[sdiy] Advice for a Startup

[cheater cheater]

My advice: DON'T!

If you want to do a synth-diy business even semi competently, it'll
take up a LOT of your time. It'll be the #1 thing you're doing with
your time.

That precludes you having another job.

That means you're relying for it for income.

That means you're up shit's creek, because synth-diy is absolutely NOT
a source of reliable income. Just look at people in this thread who
have been doing this for a while and suddenly see the sales tank.

Now if you somehow manage to be so efficient about it as to only take
up, say, 6 hours a week at most... That's different.

But think about what this could mean.

I have just typed out an email explaining a fine point of bypass
capacitors to someone. I'd typed that email out at least 10x in the
past, I knew what I was doing, I didn't need to look up any
references. I wasn't explaining everything about bypass capacitors,
just how to calculate the decibel reduction in noise injection, and
why. That took me over half an hour. That's 1/12th of your weekly time
allotment gone. If you're releasing one module per year, that's cool.
If you want to release two per month, that's you not having any other
work, and eating plain rice for an eternity, unless you're an
ex-google engineer with a $2M portfolio, or have a particularly
wealthy SO who's willing to put up with your bullshit/junk, the last
one of which is, as is well known in the electronics field, rarer than
hen's teeth.


On Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 1:29 AM Ashlyn Black <ashlyn at ashlynblack.com> wrote:
>
> Hi friends,
>
> I'm aiming to start my own business this year, doing standalone /
> modular synth kits, plus associated gizmos like LCR testers, transistor
> matchers, tuners and the like. I'll be placing a lot of focus on
> documentation. I've noticed most kits merely provide assembly
> instructions, however I also want to cover the underlying theory of
> operation, mathematics, design process and such with most of the project
> files (ie schematics, 3D models, source code if applicable) publicly
> accessible.
>
> What I really need help with though is advice on the commerce side of
> the equation, as I am currently constructing my business plan. Topics
> such as cost breakdowns, budgeting, who buys what and where they buy it
> from etc. Essentially, information that someone currently or formerly
> working in the industry would know from experience or at least be privy to.
>
> General feedback on the state (rise? decline?) of synth/hobby
> electronics is also very welcome and helpful. :)
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ashlyn
>
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