Starting a business can be an overwhelming process, with business plans, leases, financing, legal documents — and monthly budget sheets. We know you’d almost certainly rather spend time refining your product, talking with happy customers, or honing your investor pitch than hunch over spreadsheets, calculating the seemingly impossible amount of money it’s going to take
Intellectual property rights, patent law, incorporation, equity distribution.... Navigating the legalities of starting a business can seem like an impossible feat, especially when one misstep could spell major trouble down the line. With an abundance of questions and limited resources, startups can’t afford to keep top legal minds on retainer for whenever an issue pops
Friday is here, which means the Work Management Roundup is back with links to the week's helpful articles on productivity, product management workflow, startups, team building, management, and technology. Read on! From Zero to Product in 14 Days (Medium): Ben Hoffman walks us through how he and his team built Venture Route in two weeks. An
One thing I've noticed about smaller organizations, though, is that beneath that layer of enthusiasm lies a company in need. They often lack structure, but that may not really be their primary need. Indeed, too much structure will stifle the efforts of those entrepreneurial spirits running the show at a smaller, startup-type company. But they
Adeo Ressi is Founder and CEO of the Founder Institute, where he and his team mentor hundreds of first-time founders. In addition, over the last 20 years he has founded several successful companies of his own. So when we asked him about the typical mistakes that first-time founders make that could prove fatal to their
As a business owner, having perfectionist tendencies can push you to go the extra mile. Yet the desire to excel and the desire to be perfect are two separate outlooks that business owners and leaders often confuse. While having high standards and goals is a profitable business strategy, and a great way to motivate employees, perfectionism
It's Friday, November 20th. That means Hunger Games: The Mockingjay Part 2 is being released in theaters across the US — which is more relevant to work than you may think. After all, your company is competing against others in your industry for customers and capital — you're Katniss in your own right! Here is our
You're a hard-working individual. You work long hours everyday, so you can breathe easy on the weekends. You also have a passion to start your own company, but you don't have the time or tools to do it. How do you fulfill your passion and find enough time to start a company without quitting your
When you have more clients than you can possibly handle within a 40-hour workweek, it may be time to delegate work to freelancers like yourself, and turn what was once a humble solopreneur business into a full-fledged freelance agency, managed by you. But only if it makes sense.
Official memos. Oxfords and briefcases. Informal chit-chat in flat grey cubicles. If you’ve ever worked in for company with a strictly formal culture, you know just how drastically things have changed in the last decade. Casual dress codes, flat management organizations, drinking and swearing at work — companies have started to let loose a little
For some companies, bootstrapping is the first choice when it comes to expanding or innovating. Using funds from the firm's internal operations allows owners to retain their firm's equity while reinvesting profits into more profitable ventures. But you may be wondering, what is bootstrapping? In this article, we’ll help you better understand what the term bootstrapping
Every business needs to understand its market before it builds its products. Startups must provide a solution that no one else is providing, to ease a pain point that is real and relevant. Ideally the solution is so meaningful that customers fall all over themselves to pay for it. In an April 2014 Inc.com article,
If you're wondering what it's like to take a peek into the world of a Silicon Valley startup, then look no further! From the fully stocked break room to the GIFs that keep on giving, we've cultivated eight top-notch startup quotes that'll have you drinking cold brew artisan coffee in no time.
Author Daniel Lyons recounts his year spent in startup hell (technically, marketing automation startup HubSpot) and his story is equal parts LOL and WTF. It’s a fascinating peek behind the scenes of a growing company as well as a scathing commentary on startups in general.
Are you a fan of Silicon Valley? Turns out, HBO's latest hit is good for more than an entertaining half hour. It's also full of good advice for launching a startup in general and software development projects in particular. (If you’ve never seen the show, here’s a brief synopsis: programmer Richard works at tech giant Hooli
Launching a crowdfunding campaign may be exciting, but it's also exhausting. Use this checklist to get you through the hectic months ahead. It's broken up into pre-launch, launch, and post-campaign sections to help you stay organized (and sane) at each stage. Good luck! (See also our Definitive Guide to Crowdfunding Sites Infographic.) Want to share this infographic
Choosing the right project management tool for your small business can be a daunting endeavor, especially if it’s your first time venturing into project management territory. Which features are must-haves for small business teams? What exactly should you be looking for in a PM tool? Take a page out of someone else's book. Software Advice asked
In the last few years, the crowdfunding scene has exploded. Now there are hundreds of platforms to choose from, with more popping up every day. But which crowdfunding site is best for your small business? Or charitable cause? We covered 26 Top Crowdfunding Sites by Niche, and now we've created an infographic with all the