Great Small Business Idea for Linux

Anonymous Coward writes "VARBusiness has an article about how Tom Adelstein's Bynari, Inc. is using Linux as the basis of a whole new business model for his Dallas integration firm. In it he talks about the value of call centers and partnerships within the Open Source community. Click here for the full interview. " Everyone who dreams of owning their own Linux-based small busines, but doesn't have a lot of capital, must read this story. You don't have to follow the interviewee's business model, but he's sure got one thing right: The demand for Linux systems integrators and VARs is going to grow like mad!

Comments

What you need to do is...

[EverCode]

You need to sell the Linux integration by offering new capabilites along with the integration. Simply taking the place or working with NT in not that impressive, even though their costs goes down.

You need to really analyze their setup and see where the weak points are. Then when you actually do install Linux, fix those weak points. Point them out to who you are working for.

Getting more for nothing is better than getting the same for nothing (plus cost of integration).

EC

Re:What you need to do is...

[Mr Neutron]

You need to sell the Linux integration by offering new capabilites along with the integration. Simply taking the place or working with NT in not that impressive, even though their costs goes down.

I'd put it more strongly: I don't think any company will go through the time and expense of moving from NT/commercial *NIX to Linux unless you can guarantee some compelling advantage by making the switch. Operating cost/"TCO" (what an overused phrase!) may decrease over several years, but there's still the up-front growing pains of installing a new system.

A better approach, and what Adelstein seems to say in the article, is to go after new opportunities. Rather than trying to get people to switch their webservers (for instance), he goes to companies/schools/other entities that are looking to build a new network or integrate existing systems. Lower up-front costs and lower operating costs can be a compelling advantage in that situation.

Neutron

He's a Linuxtoday regular.

[Forge]

Do a search for Tom Adelstein on Linux Today and you will find his 9 or 10 part series on consultative selling. Basically he goes into the gory details of how to make money peddling Linux.

Things like how to do meetings with potential customers and how you should find out what they need before you even think about what to provide. Basic stuff that very few of us really know.