Title: I run a small, but successful, web development shop. We have recently been approached by a potential client to build a web application for them. Its a reasonably sized project that will take a few months. There are no great technical challenges in this project.<p>The app will be entering into a very competitive marketplace, with a slightly different spin. However, the founder has almost no experience of web development and what it takes to get an app off the ground.<p>Given what I have seen so far, I don&#x27;t think that he understands what it takes to make this thing successful. I don&#x27;t know, maybe he gets lucky or something, but lets just say its unlikely. Its going to take a LOT more money in marketing than he believes and I get the impression that he thinks that people will just come to the website and use it. He is throwing out numbers that he thinks are attainable and, having started a few web apps myself, I know that he is being unrealistic.<p>I&#x27;m not sure that in all good conscience I can take on a project that is going to cost him a lot of money and not be successful.<p>I honestly don&#x27;t have the time to get more involved, and start giving him advice on all the different aspects from a business point of view. Technically, though, I can get the job done to an awesome standard. But not on the business side.<p>Do I just lay the cards on the table, and let him make the decision?
Upvote: