Dreaming big when starting small

Last Wednesday I attended the £5 app meet at the Werks. I was drawn by the idea that great on line applications and businesses can be built with resistance and passion and not necessarily millions of pounds.  The main showcase for the evening was a new interactive text based adventure from the Guardian presented by Aleks Krotoski and Barry Tucker called “SpaceShip”.

SpaceShip was mostly a labour of love which then strengthened the creators’ connection to the online gaming community of the Guardian. I’m fascinated by the idea of building successful businesses out of ideas which can be developed using not a huge amount of time and resource but a lot of passion and drive.

Why is it that some small starts grow exponentially whereas some big ideas have difficulty sustaining the first few hurdles?

This is very much on my mind as I branch out onto my own. What makes some people want to start a business that will keep ticking over for years to come and those who are looking to grow, expand quickly and lunge for the big sell?

Is it just a case of persistence beating resistance? Or are some people much more skilled at seeking the right opportunity at the right time?

I suppose I am happier to believe that it is mostly blood sweat and tears, but if it requires some other x-factor that you may or may not have, or flukey timing then it’s much more scary to believe the business you have nurtured and are passionate about, regardless of how hard you work on it might never even work.

Is that what stops a lot of people working for themselves?