There is a problem with that. :) I am very young and don't know a
lot. SO.....I subscribe to about 5 lists, and read every post everyday
in the BBR WISP forums. If not for that, I would not know what I know
today. Remember. I have very little expenses (living with parents) I
pay gas, backhaul, insurance, network upkeep, cell phone, and payments
on loans. The way I see it, I can sacrifice a little income (sub it
out) so I have time to research. I've never used mikrotik, never
graphed or monitored bandwidth, and know very little about the Star OS
I use (Demarc Tech APs). It won't be long and I'll have 150 people on
my 6 meg by 600k DSL line. I feel that my time needs to be spent
learning how to do what I do (run a WISP), rather than being the "grunt
man". I have been a WISP "grunt man" for 2.5 years, and the WISP
"everything man" for 7 months now (crooked partner gone <--just my
opinion) If I go along doing everything, I will wake up one day and
realize, I'm not ready for what I have. My plan is for me to get the
network ready for 100, 200, 300 subs while the sales and the install
guys actually get me there. I have a lot of learning to do to be able
to keep 100-300 people online smoothly. I don't by any means know
everything about installing and sales, but I know my weak spot is tech
knowledge (and spelling). I might as well pay people to do the stuff I
know, and go learn the stuff I don't know. It's kind of like paying to
learn, I never went to college so this is my college. I pay them to be
"grunts" as I am online (reading and researching) and at home learning
to run things like mikrotik and mrtg graphs. I'll also be doing the
paperwork, all tower climbs, tower deals, tech support, and computer
service (I get a 3-5 a week dropped off here from a $20 weekly ad) Yes,
I work on these as I am online. Trust me, if I knew everything, I'd be
out grunting, but there is too many years of technical knowledge I lack
to be out grunting. I have got to learn or I will get stuck when I
grow to a certain point. I'd be like, "shoot, I don't know how to run
this dual wan router and I'm out of bandwidth" A dual wan router would
do, but I'd really like to have mikrotik down by that point so I can
"do it right". Is my way of thinking in line with reality????? I'm
not afraid to ask for help. So, what I am thinking is that if I don't
hire people, I'll have to pretty much stop work when I reach a certain
point to learn all the stuff to get on to the next step. Ok, I wrote
up a little response/question 4 hrs ago about my ROI and subscriber
acquisition cost, but I don't really want it archived forever. So if
your willing to take a look and send your thoughts my way, hit me up
off list. It is only about 1/3 as long as this. It's pretty short.
Lonnie Nunweiler wrote:
Don't take this the wrong way BUT ---> if you spent less time on the
Internet you would soon get those people connected.
Been there, done that.
Lonnie
On 8/25/05, Brian Rohrbacher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I just have to find someone to do installs. I have as many waiting to
be hooked up as I have hooked up. It's there for the taking, but I
can't take it! The search for help has started.
Tom DeReggi wrote:
Most ISPs shared that plan. But it rarely works that way, when you
want to grow your business.
Tom DeReggi
RapidDSL & Wireless, Inc
IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband
----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Rohrbacher"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "WISPA General List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: [WISPA] Taking on an investor?
I plan to be debt free in a year, so I hope to be ok. Everyone all
paid off and ready to roll.
Matt Liotta wrote:
I wouldn't worry about it since the way you did it put the investors
at risk more so than you. There is a better way to do it and before
your company gets too successful you may want to visit a lawyer and
get things cleaned up.
-Matt
Brian Rohrbacher wrote:
Just typed up something on the laptop that said, "I owe you "this"
much", and we both signed it. Not fancy, but a little better than
an oral agreement. I won't miss a payment and will pay them back
if it takes closing the WISP and working 3 jobs. Missing payments
is not an option. Only if I'm laid up in the hospital. Personal
guaranteed? Well, I told them I will pay it back... I know the
agreement leaves a lot open, but I trust these 4 people. Anyway,
so they are not investors. Lastly, lets just leave me be about
this :) I'd rather not try to defend a million questions about
what if this and what if that. It is what I did and it is done.
Charles Wu wrote:
that would be a loan
what type of collateral do they have? or what happens if you miss
a payment?
have you personally guaranteed the money?
-Charles
-------------------------------------------
WISPNOG Park City, UT
http://www.wispnog.com <http://www.wispnog.com/>
August 15-17, 2005
-----Original Message-----
*From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] *On Behalf Of *Brian
Rohrbacher
*Sent:* Monday, August 22, 2005 10:20 PM
*To:* WISPA General List
*Subject:* Re: [WISPA] Taking on an investor?
Well, I guess we would call them loans as I have all control.
Correct me if I am wrong. They gave me money at a fixed rate.
Loans or investments?
Charles Wu wrote:
well...in determing their "dumbness" (assuming you're willing to
divulge this information) - what sort of investment / equity
share / control do your investors have?
I mean...assuming it's you and the other 4, does
everyone have
an equal share? (which is a different story all together) or
does 1 single person have a majority share and the other 4 are
minority partners
-Charles
-------------------------------------------
WISPNOG Park City, UT
http://www.wispnog.com <http://www.wispnog.com/>
August 15-17, 2005
-----Original Message-----
*From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] *On Behalf Of *Brian
Rohrbacher
*Sent:* Monday, August 22, 2005 8:05 PM
*To:* WISPA General List
*Subject:* Re: [WISPA] Taking on an investor?
Well, I guess I found four "dumb" people that got me
started. All my start up funds came from 4 people. All
four were subs from a previous WISP I owned, (before my
partner took everything over and left me out in the cold)
they all said, "I want you providing service, not the "other
guy". So here I am. 7 months in and going strong. Oh,
almost forgot, like my lawyer has me say......all that is
just my opinion. ;-) I think "dumb" investors
are great!
Charles Wu wrote:
sure
a passive minority equity position stake in a
privately
held company is worthless, as legally, the person with the
majority stake can make 100% of the decisions (in terms of
purchasing, spending, cash distribution, etc)
think about it, if it was your money, would you
be willing
to just "invest it" into a company when the majority
partner can do whatever he/she wants to and you have no
recourse?
-Charles
-------------------------------------------
WISPNOG Park City, UT
http://www.wispnog.com <http://www.wispnog.com/>
August 15-17, 2005
-----Original Message-----
*From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] *On Behalf Of
*Dylan Oliver
*Sent:* Monday, August 22, 2005 4:10 PM
*To:* WISPA General List
*Subject:* Re: [WISPA] Taking on an investor?
Charles,
would you expand on that?
On 8/22/05, *Charles Wu* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> wrote:
FWIW...no invester (other than friends and family)
worth their salt will be
willing to invest capital into the company for a
minority position, as that
is basically a sure way to guarantee the loss of
their money
That said, there is a fool born every day
-Charles
-- Dylan Oliver
Primaverity, LLC
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