Dave Terry shares 6 valuable lessons learned from starting and growing a Drupal-based business. 1) Culture should always be the top priority. 2) Keep sales efforts ahead of delivery capabilities. 3) Have a singular focus and clear positioning. 4) Create scalable processes. 5) Listen to employees and customers for feedback. 6) Give back generously to the Drupal community as the more you give, the more you will receive in return.

1. Starting & Growing a Drupal-
based Business
6 Valuable Lessons Learned
By: Dave Terry
Drupalcamp Florida
April 20, 2013

2. Background
● Entrepreneur
● Lover of all things sales and marketing
● Partner at Mediacurrent - 30+ person team
● Primary organizer of DcATL, ADUG since 2008
● Drupal/OSS evangelist

3. #6

4. The More
You Give
The More You
Will Get Back

5. Complimentary
Service Providers
Wedding List
hosting
providers
The Drupal community

6. Drupal Give

7. #5

8. Listen to Your
Employees &
Customers

9. Communication/feedback
is desirable
Job security/
peace of mind
open
strategy/vision
Challenge/variety
is welcomed
Is innovation
fostered?
Is my voice
being heard?
What have
we heard?
Is Innovation fostered?
Can I work on things I like
doing?
Iron sharpens Iron

10. ● Polled a cross-section of 12 customers (2013)
● Independent feedback is key (unfiltered)
● Perception is reality

11. #4

12. Create Scalable
Processes

13. Mediacurrent Library

15. #3

16. Positioning and
a Singular Focus
are Critical

17. ● 200+ Blog Posts
● 35+ Industry Presentations
● 4 Whitepapers / weekly webinars
● 45 Drupal Events Organized
● ADUG, Drupalcamp Atlanta, and
● Atlanta Drupal Business Summit
● Average Drupal Experience:
5+ years
Drupal Experts

18. ● Primary organizer of the Atlanta
Drupal Business Summit &
Drupalcamp Atlanta
● Over 600 Drupal enthusiasts from
across the Nation
● Largest Drupal event on East coast
Drupal Experts

19. ● Serves every kind of destination
● Serves every kind of traveler
● Offers every class of service
● Operates every kind of aircraft
Unprofitable for most of the past decade
and recently emerged from bankruptcy.
● Serves only well-traveled destinations
● Serves one kind of traveler (leisure)
● Offers only one class of service
● Operates only one kind of aircraft
Profitable every year since they started in
business 20 years ago.

20. ● Serves organizations that need Drupal
● Singular focus on one CMS
● Offer world-class customer service
● Operates to constantly improve
processes & contribute back to the open-
source community
Profitable every year since we started
in business 6 years ago.
● Serves only well-traveled destinations
● Serves one kind of traveler (leisure)
● Offers only one class of service
● Operates only one kind of aircraft
Profitable every year since they started in
business 20 years ago.

21. #2

22. Keep Sales
Ahead
of Delivery

23. Accountability

24. #1

25. Culture should
always be #1

27. The 4 C's

28. Thank You!
Questions?
@Mediacurent Mediacurrent.com
Dave.Terry@mediacurrent.com
slideshare.net/mediacurrent