I'd be very curious to know who actually is the end-user of patio11's software. Is it really the business owner? Or is it the salon/dentist receptionist.
Because if it's the latter, then nobody lost their job - he just enabled that person to do their job better.
The reason I ask is because I started my startup http://beatrixapp.com thinking the same thing - that the end-user would be the business owner.
It turns out that only in a small number of cases is that actually true.
The main segment is still social media managers, my software makes their life easier, it doesn't replace their entire job spec and I don't think it ever will.
One example is that you need a rare expert to do something and there are no extra unemployed experts available to you, but you have more work.
If you make the ones you have more productive, you don't reduce employment.
It is also true if there is a large fixed cost per employed person. For example, a very expensive machine.
So, you have work for another person, but can't afford the extra machine. Making the people you have more productive also does not reduce employment. It could increase employment if profit per person makes the machine more affordable, and then you can hire someone.
Because if it's the latter, then nobody lost their job - he just enabled that person to do their job better.
The reason I ask is because I started my startup http://beatrixapp.com thinking the same thing - that the end-user would be the business owner.
It turns out that only in a small number of cases is that actually true.
The main segment is still social media managers, my software makes their life easier, it doesn't replace their entire job spec and I don't think it ever will.