The Dream Producer

In March 2009, anyone thinking of starting an internet business might reasonably start with a Google search for “internet business software” to investigate the options for the underlying software that will power their new global business. It might seem like a logical place to start, but you really need to consult with an internet business professional that is not reselling the software they recommend.

We’re big believers in open source software. The best of it undergoes constant improvement and updates by dedicated programmers. Various flavors of unix, linux and apache web server power most of the internet. It does it’s work in the background like the electricity in your house — it’s always running and you don’t have to think about it. And best of all, it’s free!

The open source software we most often recommend powers major e-commerce sites (online stores), news publishing sites, and social sites which are all the rage right now. We’ve spent a lot of time researching and testing software for it’s ease of use, wealth of features, reliability and security. And when we’re convinced it’s a winner, we recommend it to our clients.

Now sometimes our clients have special needs that only commercial software will meet. In that case, we guide them to the software and contract with an expert to install and service the client on an ongoing basis. But we’ve found our client’s rarely need commercial software and are quite satisfied once they learn the capabilities and features of the open source alternatives.

AfricanMovieStar.com is powered by Wordpress, a popular open source publishing program. Launched in June 2008, African Movie Star is growing in popularity and prestige for it’s unique and exclusive coverage of Nollywood movies and movie stars in Africa. The publisher is located here in Charlotte, NC while staff writers live in Africa. This dream business would not have been possible only a few years ago.

Another client launched an e-commerce site in 2008 powered by Zen Cart software. The open source software allowed the business owner to start selling tanning lotions online at a competitive price point that keeps the business viable.

If you’re thinking of starting an online business, please contact us for a free consultation. You might be surprised at how easy it is to start building your dream business!