Adyus, yes there is such a method that is scalable. I've implemented it for my business and for clients of mine. It's called Automated Email, and I lay out the step-by-step process for a basic campaign @ http://42insights.com/automated-email/.
Essentially, you identify the types of clients you work best with, create a process for finding them online, finding the right contact people at the company, finding their contact information, then reach out to them via email. It's scalable because you can hire someone on oDesk to follow the process you create. All you have to do then is set up a call with the incoming leads. Happy to answer any questions you have.
RailsCasts is great for individual features, but I guess I'm looking for direction on whole projects I could do that were at a good intermediate but not advanced level.
Good point. The first step should always be to implement the process. Automating it from the get go can result in more effort than it's worth, when you decide to change and iterate on the process as you move forward.
Just think to yourself, what would make them look like a freelancer/consultant/contractor. For example, they work from their own location (obviously the case in your situation), have their own pty ltd company, if they have other clients, they do marketing/advertising, they use their own equipment (even if you reimburse them, which is normal for consultants), don't pay benefits or superannuation etc. Obviously not all of these are feasible but the more the better. Most of these things have to be done by the contractor.
I think you will be fine, it certainly seems reasonable to contract with a local consultant rather than hire someone. I am definitely not an expert. Yes I would recommend some advice from a lawyer. I can give you the details of my Australian lawyer if you like, they are used to working with startups.
To anyone outside the US, you can easily add a second US address (or any other country) to your kindle account.
Go to Your Account > Manage Your Kindle (in the Digital Content section) > Country Settings > Enter any US address and click update
You will now have US pricing. You can go ahead and add different addresses in other countries and you can simply switch between them to take advantage of different pricing, because Amazon remembers your previous addresses. The country you have selected has no effect at all on being able to download the book, you can still download from anywhere.
I am an Australian now living in Canada, but in my Australian business I always "employ" people as a contractor, which simplifies things a lot. You do not have to pay superannuation, although I still pay workplace health and safety, but that's only a few hundred dollars. All the contractor has to do is register an ABN (free and can be done online) and send you monthly invoices.
Also be aware that in Australia people usually pay for their own health insurance if they want private health insurance.
Just be careful to set things up so it looks like your contractor is really a contractor. Even if you have a contract agreement the tax office will declare him to be an employee if that's what he looks like to them (paid like an employee, works full time, you're his only client etc).
I am a very novice programmer, but this challenge seems impossible. It asks "Please provide a number between 1 or -1". That isn't even English. Do you mean between 1 and -1? Any number entered just results in the same "Please provide a number between 1 or -1".
Did you not test this at all before promoting it? I am brand new to programming and even I know that testing is important.
I was afraid of this. I was wondering if there was something I was missing. This begs the question, why then are there so many apps if the possibility of making a lot of money from them is remote?
I'm not looking for a definitive answer, I'm looking for examples and general input, observations or advice.
I've specified that I'm talking about standalone mobile apps, so I'm not talking about a mobile app that exists in addition to a webapp. I also said that users are only accustomed to paying a one-off payment of a dollar or two to buy the app. Users are not accustomed to in-app subscriptions (for standalone mobile apps).
I'm looking at these apps in the context of a startup, so I guess the minimum amount of money would be a decent annual salary for one or two people, after any expenses.
I'm open to any money making method that users are generally open to, so I think for a standalone mobile app that leaves cost for the app itself and advertising.
As to how niche, I'm asking this question in the general sense, not in relation to a specific example. Any examples from readers would be great.
Well it's currently configured to use Amazon Mechanical Turk to get the name suggestions and vote on the best.
The plan is over time to build up a community of people interested in suggesting names/voting on the best in exchange for early beta access, but this seemed like an easier way to start due to no need for network effects.