Development is here...

It has started. Today, with the help of the framework developed by x-desktop we are now creating a cross platform desktop application for Able Net Design.

What this application will do will unify our around the world staff allowing us to work where ever and be able to submit notes, files and general chat through the internet. It is our hope that this will reduce the time wasted on communication for each project.

It is our goal to make it basically a new desktop for us. Which we will be able to use as promo piece to sell a intranets and extranets to our clients for those that need it.

Must continue programming i'll write some more soon about what has been happening in business lately.

ciao.

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Dedication

The time has come i think to get a dedicated server for the web hosting side of the business. Although the Reseller program that i am on at the moment is great, i feel that i could maximise sale by hireing my own server and then selling reseller plans to other web developers as well.

The server that i have found is of course a linux based system. It is small but it is definately the next step in growing my business. I will have more control over my plans and i will also be able to develop software and install the requirements that are needed to make them work.

I think the sale of Reseller plans for web hosting is something that could bring some extra income and perhaps get to a stage where it pays for the server and then eventually make a profit from it.

Thats really all i have to report at this time.

Good bye

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Back on track

Well it has been an eventful few days. I have finally finished the proposal for Crommelin's which i will send tomorrow when i go down to the post office.

As far as my problems with Monart Studio & Gallery, i think i have managed to work it out. After finally getting in contact with them and speaking to them about the problems they had with their web site, there was really only a simple little change that need to be made. Since then i have made the change and am about to send out the Statement. So hopefully they will pay up and i'll have some money to play with.

As far as other contracts go Thistle Fabrication is now finished, and i will send the bill out tomorrow. They wanted more pictures so i suggested that they create an online photo gallery where they can place pictures. This won't destroy the look of the site at all so that is a big plus.

As for Bega i just checked out there web site and they still haven't uploaded there new design yet. I am really not sure why but i sent it to them over two months ago now so it really isn't up to me. However being a large client i feel the need to know what is going on and why it hasn't been uploaded. So i will have to check that out later.

I am slowly getting ready for my trip it has been a busy and stressfull week with getting things for work organised. Now all i have to do is organise something with Vroam, the company i am going to use as my phone carrier when i am overseas.

So that is really about it, i have nothing else to write at this point about business.

Good bye!

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Out of the box

The title says it all really. I have decided since I have a great designer now I am going to renew my out of the box projects.

My aim was to create many out of the box solutions that could be used such as a CMS, Search Engine, Shopping Cart and many more. I started on the CMS and then never really got to finish it. So that is what I will start on first. I might take an opensource CMS and further develop it into our own.

So that is my plan for the next few weeks or months.

I tried to get in contact with Monart Studio & Gallery but they must have already gone by the time I got back last night so I will try in a few minutes.

So off I go to deal with a late payer "my favorite part of business".

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Busy Busy Busy

As you all know i am going on holidays on the 17th of december. Well can i tell you that i am working like a trojan horse at the moment. With contracts finishing and contracts starting up i have so much to do and i really have so little time to do it all.

Thank god i have the latest of technology which will allow me to work over there as well since i will need to if i don't get any more done.

With a client a we are working on another company which they might be moving in to which will include an online store so we are looking closely at that. However they have asked me not to mention what there idea is yet until they have all the things worked out.

Also since my meeting yesterday i have sent a "Thank You" email to Peter which i feel is a good way to go about it. Tonight i will be working on that proposal and quote. I have to have it finished and sent by the end of this week.

As for Monart Studio & Gallery i am about to call them back as she is in a meeting at the moment. I have empty feeling about this issue. I have never had to ask some one for money in such a direct way. Normally a late email or late letter usually does the trick however this has gone on to far now.

I am sending the bill out to Thistle Fabrication as well tomorrow. There web site is complete and we have already started search engine optimisation on there web site. I can't wait any more for anymore photos, i personally don't think that more photos are required, it would just make it look junkie.

Being the head of Social & Fundraising at the Royal Kings Park Tennis Club has also kept me very busy. It basically seems that nothing has been done properly over the past year and there is not really a great vibe or feel comming from the club, when a social event is planned.

What is funny though is how some people talk to me about budgets. Like i wouldn't already know. Anyway that is there problem not mine.

Must be off have to go to the bank then call Monart Studio and Gallery.

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Down to the wire

With my 3 week holiday banging on the doors now with only 4 weeks to go I have really stepped up the work getting done.

All search engine customers are getting top treatment as always, but I have had more time to research other techniques that can be used to help with listings... By doing this it has prompted me to change one of the main keywords from sun gard myaree's web site to better their chances of top listings.

I have also looked into starting our own search engine or directory but I don't think I will have the time to work on that in the next 4 weeks. I might make it a project for while I am away. I can start to develop the spider and search algorithm's, bu that is something to think about.

My main concern at the moment is Monart Studio and Gallery i have to get the money they owe me very soon. I also have to get the money, that Thistle Fabrication owe's me as well.

I have to projects which i should be getting money from this week Lionel Yorkes and Mandurah Gardens Estate.

With those comming in it will make things nice a easy. Tomorrow i hope to be able to secure the deal with Crommlin's for the redevelopment of their web site, but that will take it's toll on my holiday as i will have to be working as it is very important that the job gets done correctly.

I haven't had time to write another article but i will work on that in the comming days.

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Searching.....

I spent most of today, working on search engine placement for Thistle Fabrication and Sun Gard Myaree.

On monday i will start with Lionel Yorke's web site. I have already done basic work but from now on we will have to step up and do alot more.

While doing my seo i was chatting to a new contact of mine Kieth from KDM business sevices, and we were running through his new web site that he has developed. He seem liks a nice enough fellow but he is off to brissie now to run his office there. Not bad for a 22 year old.

On monday i will be a very busy day, as i still haven't recieved any form of payment from Monart Studios & Gallery so i will have to take a trip out there to see what is going on. I really don't want to have to suspend her account but it is looking that way.

I have 5 weeks today, till i travel to Switzerland and i am getting a little excited. I found this company called Vroam which should fix all my contact problems while im away for a little cost but nothing that is going to break the bank. That reminds me i must give them a call to get some more information.

Appart from that there is really nothing else to report. I have submitted my application to be come a member of The Guild of Accessible Web Designers, which i hope they will accept my application because of the web sites i submitted as proof are all xhtml 1.0 compliant.

Must be off, until next time....

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Writing Writing Writing

Since my recent published article yesterday which was my first, i sent that article to the local paper, in the hope that they will publish it as well. After speaking to John Murphy who is in charge of the businesses section he seemed relativly optimistic that they would be able to publish the article.

Since yesterday i have written two other articles Top mistakes first time web developers often make. and Getting down to basics with a web site.

You are problably thinking why waste my time writing articles. It is to do with being seen as an expert in your field. The more i write the higher people value what i have to say and of course the more i learn.

I have a meeting with Peter Crommlin, he is the Managing Director of the company that i spoke about yesterday, and hopefully we should be able to come to some agreement over the web site.

I must be going it looks like the wheather is holding out so i will be able to play tennis after all.

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Articles

We have been playing around with the idea over many weeks or even months now but we have finally found a way in which to submit and article to a wide community.

After searching the internet we came aware of article submissions on the internet. Now i believe that there won't be to many people viewing articles online however it is just another way to add company awareness to our growing list of clients and contacts.

I recently read in a book that there are two types of people those you know and those you haven't met yet. Now when you think about that it makes you wonder why for most of your life you are drilled into not speaking to strangers. But that is another topic.

So our first article has been submitted and you can view it here this is the first of many that are not only sent to newspapers as media releases but also as a way in which to help with seo and as i wrote above company awareness.

I hope you enjoy our first article. I must be off now i have to do the accounts.

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New Happenings

It's a strange feeling when you have spent the good part of 2 years hunting down clients and getting them to sign up to you when you finally have one that searches you out. It almost makes this more complicated because you know they want the service, but you need to act and protray any message totally different to those you chase for an account.

Anyway what has brought this one well it is quite simple. Today a recieve an email from someone (the will go nameless until i know the outcome of our bid) who wrote

"We are looking into web design companies that can re-design our website so that we can easily update it from our office instead of outsourcing it. We also need a search engine on the website."

So where will i go from here, well i have basically run out of time today as i have a few more things todo until i go and play tennis, but first thing tomorrow morning i will be on the phone to this individual/company to arrange a meeting where i hope i will be able to promote myself in such a way that we are given an opportunity to get this job.

The problem is i am unsure of how many companies they have approached and what their budget is. This is what i hope to find out tomorrow. I don't think i will ask about other web firms they have approached as that could work against us.

So i will want to find out what their budget is and of course the all important one where did they hear or find us.

Also i have started working out which clients i will be sending presents to this year for christmas and which ones i will just be sending email christmas cards.

My fight with the Yellow Pages is over and we are victorious, which is great. I won't have to worry about paying for a advert that is in the wrong section.

Im runing quite late so i'll have to leave it there for the time being and pick up where i left of at a later date.

Bye.

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Bega

Well after waiting and waiting to hear back from Bega i finially decided to zip the web site and email it to them. They have paid in full, so now that i have sent it of i have that feeling, like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Just knowing that the account is now complete.

I spoke to Lionel Yorke earlier and i can send him a bill for the remainding now which is great. With the bills at the moment including TAX and office fit out i sometimes wonder if it is worth working for your self.

I could get a nice job developing web sites and earning a great wage but i choose to go out by my self. But when i sit down and think about it my company is just a big investment. So my old web designing school friends have good jobs and don't seem to have to many money troubles, i have an investment and with every client i complete the sale price of this company grows.

I just felt like a bit of a ramble, i have to go and write out some checks now.

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Another Week

The time is ticking down quickly now and before you know it i will be in Switzerland for 3 weeks.

With this looming over my head, the team and i have really put the foot down to get the work done. Last week we finished Lione Yorke's web site and Mandurah Gardens Estate web site.

What we will have finished by the end of this week will be Thistle Fabrication. This is almost done we are just changing the photos etc... The seo on this account and Lionel Yorke's account has begun and we are using links and other techniques to improve the rankings.

What i find amazing is no matter how many times you tell someone the SEO takes time and you can't really rush it, they will always say "is it up yet" even though it has only been 1 week or 1 month.

Today i am going to send a letter to Monart Studio and Gallery because there account is overdue and they have almost reached there credit limit.

Since my last entry i have been heavily networking. Even after event i have been there, working on contacts, and gaining new clients. After the Melbourne Cup i understood the true power of networking by walking out with a lot of new contacts that i can use and help as well.

Im off.

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