Startup Tips and Tricks: Getting a Small IT Shop Off the Ground

1. Startup Tips and Tricks:Getting a Small IT Shop Off the Ground Presenter: Kevin Grossnicklaus August 6th, 2011

3. Agenda • Introductions • Lot’s of content • Final Thoughts

4. Introductions • Kevin Grossnicklaus • ArchitectNow-www.architectnow.net (2009-Present) • President • Washington University - CAIT Program (2003-2010) • Instructor • SSE - www.SSEinc.com (1999-2009) • Chief Architect • Software Development Practice Leader • Email: kvgros@architectnow.net • Twitter: @kvgros • Blog: blog.architectnow.net

5. Expectations

6. Expectations • Why am I here? • How deep are we going to get? • Will this pertain to my exact business? • What types of businesses might this information be most pertinent to?

7. Getting Started

8. First Steps • Naming • Incorporation • State Incorporation • FEIN (IRS Form SS-4) • Bank Account • Securing: • Domain Name • Twitter Handle • Initial Web Presence

9. Identifying Partners • Banking • Legal • Accounting • Health Insurance • Liability Insurance • Mentors • Partners

10. Banking • Local vs. National Bankers • Advantages of staying local as a small business • Financing Needs? • Debt financing (loans) • Equity financing (investors) • Simple Checking Account • FEIN required

11. Legal • Identify local small business attorneys and meet with a number of them • Why is legal necessary? • Contracts • Protection • Biggest Legal Needs • Employee and Contractor Agreements • Trademark (and Patent?) Help • Partnership Documents • Master Agreements • Work Orders

12. Accounting • Identify local small business accounting firms and meet with a number of them • Why is accounting necessary? • Questions • Corporate Taxes • Help in securing financing • TAXES!

13. Health Insurance • Insurance options differ greatly between a company with one employee vs a company with multiple • Find a good insurance broker willing explain your options • Be prepared to pay

14. Liability Insurance • Health insurance brokers and liability insurance brokers are two different people, companies, etc. • You WILL need liability insurance • E&O insurance

15. Mentors • Identify people in your peer group you look up to that have had success in similar businesses or just businesses in general • Reach out to them via a lunch or happy hour and ask questions, get advice, and start to build a relationship to get further guidance

16. Partners • Partners are companies for whom you rely on for business or to achieve the goals of your business.

17. Marketing • Brand and Logo • Don’t be afraid to invest in your identity • Initial Website • Community Events • Speak and sponsor • Make your presence felt in the market • Networking Events • SEO • Social media • Relationships

18. Sales • Contracts • Billing • Receivables • Reporting

19. Location • Home Office • Physical Office • Onsite at Clients

20. Tools and technologies

21. Tools Overview • Email • Phones • Website • Computers • Collaboration • Development Tools • Accounting • Misc: • ALM • Time Entry

22. Email • Hosted Exchange: SherWeb($9/Month per user) • Secure access to full Exchange 2010 • OWA • Direct Outlook access • Mobile access via my iPhone and Win7 phone • Other Options: • Office365 • Google

23. Phones • RingCentral($99/Month for 5 lines plus cost of IP phones) • Custom 800 numbers • Fax System • Automated attendant • Custom voice mail and extensions for all employees • IP Phones, soft phones, mobile apps (iPhone, Android, and Blackberry) • Voicemail to WAV file via email

24. Website • DNS management • CMS Systems • DotNetNuke • Orchard • SiteFinity • Others • Templates • TemplateMonster • ThemeForest • Others

25. Computers • Big box vs Custom vs. Mainstream (i.e. Dell) • Dell Business Account • Considerations • Backups: Acronis True Image • Support: Dell • Security Patches: Microsoft • Antivirus: Vipre

26. Collaboration • Hosted SharePoint: FpWeb, SherWeb • GoToMeeting($49/Month) • Microsoft CRM ($200/Month) • SalesForce.com

27. Development Tools • Microsoft BizSpark Program • ALM • Hosted TFS • SVN via Assembla • Git via GitHub • Other Dev Tools: • Balsamiq ($80/User)

28. Accounting • Quickbooks ($400) • All invoicing • Financial reporting • Receivables

29. Misc Tools • Harvest Time Entry ($60/Month for 5 users) • ConstantContact • HootSuite • EventBrite • VistaPrint

30. Growing a business

31. Single Employee to Employer • Payroll • Outsource • Tax implications • Group Health Insurance • High cost and strict rules • 401k • Strict rules for owner • Safe Harbour • Legal • Employee Agreements • Subcontractor Agreements • Misc • Vacations • Ethics • Expenses • HR

32. Office Space • Office Space • Furniture • Lease • Utilities • Location • CraigsList • DiscountCoffee.com

33. Final Thoughts

34. Additional Resources • Magazines • Inc • Entreprenuer • St. Louis Business Journal • http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/ • St. Louis Small Business Monthly • http://sbmon.com/ • City, State, and Federal Small Business Programs • Local Business Owners Networking Opportunities

35. Additional Resources (Cont.) • Peers, Family, Friends • Graphic Design Support • CrowdSpring,99Designs, and HatchWise

36. Next Steps… kvgros@architectnow.net Twitter: @kvgros