How To Split An Atom - Resources For Startup Entrepreneurs
By Steve Spalding
This page contains an assortment of resources for startup and small business entrepreneurs. I tried to find a good mix of articles, blogs, templates, and software that will make the task of starting a business just a little bit easier. This list is never really complete, so if you have a suggestion or think I missed some critical piece be certain to contact me. For our ongoing Case Study series visit Startup Reactor.
Getting Ready
"(a) Do not write a business plan. (b) Do not create a PowerPoint pitch. (c) Do not try to raise money. (e.) Do build a prototype. That's the way to get off the ground because if you can't build a prototype, a business plan, a pitch, and trying to raise money is just self-flagellation." --Guy Kawasaki "An inventor fails 999 times, and if he succeeds once, he’s in. He treats his failures simply as practice shots." –Charles Kettering
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How To Be Creative (via Gaping Void) How Do I Compete With Free? What Question Does Your Product Answer? How Are We Going To Make Money? Are You Ready To Start A Business?
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Blogs To Read
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"If you truly believe your idea fills a need, then start with identifying how many people would use it. Make sure that someone else hasn't already built it. Then build a prototype and test it with a small group of people to make sure the potential users will like it. Put together a brief business plan and build a financial model of how you are going to sell it and make profits . . . All these steps are there to test your mettle, and if you truly believe in your mission you will overcome adversity. You will never give up, you burnt you boats and there is no going back, 'Failure is not an Option'? are your mottos. If you stick with that, then victory will be yours." --Vajid Jafri, cFares "The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane." –-Nikola Tesla
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Dosh Dosh (Web Marketing) 37 Signals (Design / Productivity) Guy Kawasaki (Business / Venture) Ycombinator News (Startups) Copyblogger (Writing) Andy Beard (Google / SEO) 99 Designs (Design) W3Schools (Web Programming Tutorials)
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Documents
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"My main advice would be to always remember that your most valuable resource is your time. Are you using it effectively? Having good ideas isn't hard, knowing which idea to focus on, which to outsource, which to skip altogether, that's the skill. Beyond that, all I can say is hire great people. We've been very lucky to attract a first class team." --Ed Freyfogle, Nestoria "The best museums and museum exhibits about science or technology give you the feeling that, hey, this is interesting, but maybe I could do something here, too." –Paul Allen
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Form an LLC - Here is a good reason. Here is another. Other Legal Business Structures SCORE Template Gallery
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Funding
"Pick an idea that tries to help people and make people's lives better. If you succeed in helping people, you too will be a success. Choose something you're passionate about. When you work for yourself, you're going to work harder than any company you've ever been at. Starting a company will be physically, mentally, and emotionally painful at times and if you're not passionate about what you're doing, there is a good chance you will quit." --Eric Goh, Recommendr
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"Whatever the difference between brilliant and average brains, we are all creative. And through practice and study we can enhance our skills and talents." –-Jeff Hawkins
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Sample Business Plan 13 Seed Funding Options For Entrepreneurs (via RWW) The Art Of Bootstrapping (via Guy Kawasaki) Ycombinator Techstars A VC Marc Andreessen Mark Cuban Dan Rua
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Taxes
"Well, every company's challenges are unique, but if there is one piece of advice I can share, its to build the right team. No matter what challenges you and your business face (and there will be lots), if you are surrounded by a team of intelligent, passionate, talented and imaginative people who believe in what you're doing, you'll have everything you need to work through the tough times." --Mark Trefgarne, LiveRails "He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator." –Francis Bacon
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IRS Small Business Information Income Tax Basics For Your Startup (via Entrepreneur) Practical Self Employed Tax Tips (via StartupBusiness)
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Accounting
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"Don't wait to release. Get it out there early, don't be afraid to be embarrassed. We learned this lesson the hard way. If you look at the current landscape of 'Web 2.0', 'Enterprise 2.0', or 'Media 2.0'? apps, I believe we fit in each category, those who are most well known are often the least interesting, but it's because the creators put it out there quickly, very early, and talked about it lots." --Aaron Fulkerson, Deki Wiki "In 20 or 30 years, you’ll be able to hold in your hand as much computing knowledge as exists now in the whole city, or even the whole world." -– Douglas Engelbart
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Basic Accounting Information (via Business Town) An Accounting Guide For Startups (*Must Read* via The FuzzyBlog) Sample Balance Sheet Sample Cash Flow Sample Break Even
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Launch Day
"Most people are just like us, they have full time jobs and the only way they're going to be able to make their idea develop into a reality is to make sacrifices. What little time and money you have after work and bills has to go into that idea you have. You have to stay focused and prioritize everything." --Andrew Glass, Foodio54
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"In marketing I’ve seen only one strategy that can’t miss - and that is to market to your best customers first, your best prospects second and the rest of the world last." -–John Romero
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8 Tips To Launching A Successful Startup How To Launch A Product Successfully How To Ensure Your Startup Will Fail How To Save Money As A Startup (via Jason Calacanis) Startup Expenses
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Hiring
"If someone does something nice for you, ask them how you can help them – even if it sounds silly to you. If you meet a CEO who says she can help you, it may feel weird to ask how you can help her, but CEOs and other powerful people are people too, and more than anything, people want to feel appreciated." --Melanie Notkin, Savvy Auntie "There are two kinds of companies, those that work to try to charge more and those that work to charge less. We will be the second."–Jeff Bezos
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5 Tips To Startup Hiring (via Rebelutionary) Legal Issues In Employment And Hiring (via Riley Guide) 7 Hiring Tips For Startups (via FoundRead) Hiring Top Talent At Startups (via Center Networks) Use Perks And Rewards To Find Top Talent (via Instigator Blog)
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Marketing
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"Seriously, if you want to try something new, DO IT. Try it by yourself then network yourself to other people. Ask questions, talk to people, join groups, and find other people that are interested in the same things you are interested in. Collaboration is key." --Nick Schmidt "One always has to remember these days where the garbage pail is, because it’s so easy to make sounds, and to put sounds together into something that appears to be music, but it’s just as hard as it always was to make good music." –-Robert Moog
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Products Do Have To Sell Themselves The Disney Rules Of Marketing Don't Play Lottery With Your Companies Money Practical Marketing Tips For Entrepreneurs (via Wall Street Journal) Beginners Guide To SEO (via SEOmoz)
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Home Office
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Mozy (Back Up Your Files) K7 (Paperless Faxing) Vista Print (Business Cards) SugarCRM (Opensource CRM)
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Salesforce (Online CRM) Quickbooks (Accounting Software)
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A Few More Tips
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Invest in both team and task, collaborate with honesty, and you'll survive to live another day if your first idea fails. -Deborah Nystrom Clearly define your purpose for being in business and allow that focus to guide all of your decisions. -Karen Swim Hire the right people and only when you really need them. -Kim Dushinski Sell what someone actually wants. -Calvin Spealman Do what you love, be relevant and provide real value. the rest will work itself out. -Matt Hager Love what you're doing or get out. -Kristen Beireis Best entrepreneur tip I've learned is to be realistic in your day-to-day operations, but dream big.-Terra Anderson The best advice I can give to entrepreneurs is that overnight success will take some years. Most things take longer than you expect. -Wilson Ng
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