Our key differentiators are (1) Being able to filter inappropriate content on trusted websites (Google, YouTube, Wikipedia, etc) that children use frequently. Domain based blocking allows or denies the entire website. But cannot for example, filter out a "bad" page on Wikipedia without blocking the entire domain (2) Being able to provide easy parental access. Parents login to Securly via our website and immediately get unfiltered Internet access.
The continuous stream of new web/video conferencing services acknowledges the desire (and potential) to build a better user-experience in this industry. Unfortunately, most of these new services miss the hardest part about the industry: go-to-market. Webex, GoToMeeting, and others spend millions of dollars a quarter trying to reach all of us and our corporate buyers. That coverage and mindshare makes it really challenging to get meaningful traction in the web conferencing market these days.
I was almost exactly where you are four years ago. 32, married, with two kids and one on the way, when I started my company four years ago. One of the most important things I did before making the jump was sit down with my wife, explain why I felt I needed to start the business (pursuit of a passion, happiness in career, etc...), and then we discussed at length the potential impact it would have on our lives together. This doesn't make it any easier, but it does help to set expectations and ensure you are going in it together with eyes wide-open.
Along the way, you are going to have to work your butt off to ensure the success of the business (no one else will care more about it than you), but its important to remember that starting your own business also creates some amount of freedom. No boss to ask for an hour or two off here and there. Pick your kids up from school, have a random lunch with your wife, work remotely while taking the family on vacation. If family is important, than a startup is actually a means to create more freedom in your life and spend quality time with them.
YMWV, but you need to find a way to make it work to pursue your passion. If you don't, you nor your family will end up happy :)
This is awesome. It's hard when working a full time job and attempting a startup to think that at the point where your business is your full time gig, that the freedom will allow for opportunities you can't have with a 9 - 5. May I ask what business you started?
Server error unfortunately - this is something I'd like to see though as I basically stopped working out completely for the past four years of my start-up experience. I literally started running again last week, and it has already made a difference in my overall happiness.
There are a number of "beta" agreements available on the web that you might consider as starting points (or templates to give to an attorney to craft into your own).
Additionally, consider what you want to get out of the Beta: If you simply want a name to use for marketing, then ensure that's in the agreement (obligation to support your marketing efforts). If you really want to get end-user feedback, either ask the company to put some skin in the game (money, committed to levels of use, etc...), and consider rewarding them in some capacity if they achieve your goals (x number of transactions, x number of users, y number of bugs, etc...). Rewards could be discounts on purchase when it exits Beta, participation on customer advisory boards, etc...
If "battle for talent" is focused on a battlefield being fought by large, enterprise companies vs. startups and more risk-adverse organizations, sure. I'm not convinced that people who opt for Google/Facebook are the right people for young companies look to take big risks with potential (vs. guaranteed) rewards.
