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Small Business Experience

A few years ago, I decided to start a business to design a timer for oil wells used in the local region. These wells are stripper wells which can only pump a few hours a week. Some have electric motors, but others are out in the woods far from power lines, and must be pumped with gasoline or natural gas engines. The timer we developed was a relatively simple affair.

It was very easy to operate. You only had to push one button.
The starting time is held on mechanical switches, so there is no need to reprogram the time every cycle.
The circuit that shorted the ignition was completely electronic. This led to improved reliability and eliminated contact erosion.

Unfortunately, the unit was a lot more expensive to produce than mechanical devices on the market. To be profitable, the sales price would have been about $450, while the competing units cost only $100. Therefore they were not marketed in quantity. However, the experience taught me many things about what is needed to make a profit in a business. Not the least is that there is a grain of truth at the heart of Dilbert.