Opinions sought...

[denny]

Today I received my first ever offer to work for pie-in-the-sky. I'm intrigued, tempted, and deeply suspicious. If anyone has any experience/opinions to cast on the following offer, please please share them with me...

From: [ name and email address ]
Sent: 13 May 2003 16:05
To: [ my professional contact address ]
Subject: Web project


Hi Denny

My name is [ name ], I'm the founder of a tech start-up company based
in the Greater London area.

My reason for contacting you is simple - I'm looking for a good perl
developer.

How did I find you?  I did a google search using the following search
criteria: "perl developer" "uk" "cv"

My company is developing a stand-alone Web-based email service that will
provide custom email solutions to a large international professionals
market.

Business highlights:

- Untapped market niche
- Defendable competitive advantage
- Cost effective traffic-driving marketing strategy
- Subscription-based revenue model
- Fixed technology needs
- Low monthly overheads


To prove the viability of our business model, we plan to launch a
prototype Web mail facility with minimal capital investment by July
2003.

In order to keep capital requirements to a minimum during test
marketing, a team of entrepreneurial minded professionals provide their
time and experience - on a part-time basis - in exchange for part
ownership in the business.  We currently seek a perl developer to
complete this team.

I'd really like to discuss this opportunity with you on the telephone
Denny.  Just give me 15 minutes to talk you through our business model.

I look forward to talking with you.

[ SNIP signoff and .sig ]

Among the things that make me suspicious are the deeply sales-oriented feel to the email, including what feels a lot like the mass-mailing bullshit trick of using my name towards the end of the text, to make it feel personalised. But I am looking for something new in my career, and this, if legit, would be very interesting to me. I just don't know how cynical to be about the whole thing...

Update: I should probably have mentioned that his .sig included a link to the company's website, which has a fairly professional looking webmail system up and running, including an offer of free trial accounts to interested potential customers. So they're not in the early early stages here - which makes me wonder if they've lost their original developer, and if so, why.

Comments

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

My opinion differs from the other two somewhat. I think that you should get involved but keep your eyes open. Make sure you're not being taken for a ride. But get involved. Make sure you know exactly what you're committing to and what you can expect in return. Get something formal in writing before starting, and preferably have your solicitor look it over too.

Above all, be careful not to pin your hopes on this. As you point out, you and all others are keen to find something different. Hope, at this time? Hmmmm...