All Questions
234
votes
7answers
138k views
Forming a new software startup, how do I allocate ownership fairly?
I have come up with an idea for a new social networking application. It's not something I expect to be hugely successful, but I think it does have some potential. I've approached a few close friends ...
19
votes
26answers
8k views
How do I find a technical co-founder?
One of my friends is starting a company and he's looking for a technical co-founder to work with him to build a web app. Where should he look for technical co-founder?
Some more details: He is a ...
8
votes
1answer
2k views
How to Divide Up Your Company's Equity
We get a lot of questions about dividing equity and for good reason. Dividing up your startup's equity creates a lot of heart burn for all of us. It's a tremendously stressful affair if you have never ...
306
votes
27answers
139k views
If I'm working at a company, do they have intellectual property rights to the stuff I do in my spare time?
I was interviewed by a lady from Zynga and she told me that Zynga doesn't allow developers to have side projects. Is this true for companies in general, or just a minority that Zynga is a part of? ...
10
votes
2answers
663 views
How Do I Promote My Business
Marketing your startup takes many forms. The classical marketing approach revolves around the 4 P’s: Product, Price, Promotion and Place.
For this question and answer, we will tackle the Promotion ...
28
votes
9answers
4k views
Dilemma: to outsource the coding or do it yourself
I develop and sell iPhone apps. I've released one app, and decided to build a few more, in parallel. I thought about outsourcing some of the coding, so I went on Elance and posted some jobs there. The ...
37
votes
4answers
3k views
Are there any blogs or websites introducing new website? [closed]
I want to know is there any blogs or websites introducing some of new websites?
New start-up websites are always looking for report and introduction by other famous websites.
As we know, ...
4
votes
7answers
926 views
Non .Com Domains - Does it Really Affect Branding?
I was always under the impression that the domain extension didn't matter (as long as it was .com, .net, or .org). I have always tried to market the extension in my brand if it wasn't .com, and I ...
8
votes
4answers
2k views
How do you solve the “chicken-and-the-egg” problem?
There are two variants of the chicken-and-egg problem:
When there are two distinct classes of participants in your business, e.g. buyers and sellers, but it is hard to attract one class without ...
62
votes
16answers
3k views
How to start a business and not destroy your marriage?
Although the question has the word "marriage" in the title, it is really about any most important relationship in a founder's life, be it husband/wife, fiancee, boyfriend/girlfriend, partner or ...
9
votes
3answers
5k views
Simple Overview of LLC Pass Through Taxation
I understand that an LLC filed as a Partnership to use Pass Through taxation is not required to pay quarterly taxes. In this scenario, the owners pay taxes on the dividends received.
But how does ...
9
votes
6answers
414 views
How to find potential co-founders for a startup?
I've been working on a bootstrapped startup for about 2 years now. I've been working on it solo to this point, but I feel I'm starting to run out of gas. I need fresh ideas, money and assistance in ...
5
votes
6answers
740 views
what's more important - .com or name?
For domain names, how important is .com these days? Do you believe that a memorable name is more important?
Sure, people tend to look down at some top level domains ( .biz comes to mind), but what ...
13
votes
31answers
2k views
What books do you recommend?
I just started reading The Entrepreneur's Guide to Business Law and it is very good. Are there any other books you would recommend?
6
votes
3answers
926 views
Advice on getting early Beta testers
My site just went into Beta release last week. I am at the point where I would like to get a certain number of Beta users on the site so that I can get more feedback. Right now I have people using ...
10
votes
1answer
1k views
Why do startups need so much money?
What are startups raising millions of dollars for? I know running a website can get costly, but seriously, millions? I just don't get it. And if you say advertising, I still don't get it, because the ...
8
votes
8answers
2k views
What would be a fair equity distribution between me and my co-founder?
Me (software developer) and my co-founder (UI designer) are looking forward to build a SaaS startup. I would usually lean towards a 50/50 distribution, but in this particular scenario, the ...
4
votes
3answers
365 views
Can you recommend one (or two) book(s) that will explain the process of creating a startup with three cofounders?
I'm not sure quite how to explain this because I'm so new to it all. I've searched this site, as well as google, for books or online resources on how to start a startup and I'm still struggling to ...
3
votes
11answers
650 views
CRM/support software recommendations? [closed]
Up until very recently we were doing all support through our support e-mail address. However, as the business grows, it is getting harder and harder to follow through support requests and dispatch ...
9
votes
3answers
692 views
How to get seed funding for non-profit?
I have a concept for a non-profit organization which would solve huge problems (think "climate change" for example) with money raised by aggregating very small payments from businesses for financial ...
9
votes
8answers
552 views
Filing a Patent
I have a web based product which has some unique characteristics. The whole concept is not
100% unique but the way this idea has shaped up I think is unique. I want to apply for patent of this idea.
...
2
votes
2answers
216 views
How do I make an angel investor move faster on a deal?
The investor is very excited but he seems very slow on the deal. We've been in communication for 3 weeks. I recently gave him access to the invesment package. But There was A tech issue on a website ...
1
vote
7answers
459 views
.CO domain names
What's your opinion about the .CO domain names? If .COM/.NET domain names are not available, does it makes sense to go with .CO?
52
votes
11answers
3k views
I build good products, but can't get anyone to use them. What should I do?
I am a web developer. In the last year and half I've been working on several ideas, one after the other. I found that as much as I enjoy developing them, in the end I keep bumping my head against a ...
26
votes
9answers
7k views
Does plagiarism apply to legal documents?
I want to copy a Terms & Conditions agreement from a competitors site & swap out their name for mine. A few entrepreneurs I know have also done it but I wanted to make sure there aren't any ...
14
votes
12answers
885 views
SEO: Where can I get reliable information about building my website presence and reputation? [closed]
Every web site owner wants more traffic. There's an overwhelming amount of information out there about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Some is legitimate, some outdated, much is based on rumor and ...
21
votes
5answers
972 views
What's the best way to find/evaluate a Marketing co-founder?
As a follow-on to my last question What is the ideal mix of founders for a SaaS startup? it seems that a Marketeer is important to a SaaS startup. I think it's fairly easy to find and evaluate ...
11
votes
3answers
1k views
Solving the Chicken and Egg Problem
My partner and I are in the development phase of a website which essentially is a new marketplace for a sector that we believe is lacking one.
However most of our resources are going for design and ...
21
votes
8answers
2k views
Any experience with AngelList as startup?
AngelList sends almost hourly Tweets about Angels joining in, however I never heard anything about start-ups. Has anyone given it a shot or thought?
How long does the application process takes? What ...
15
votes
5answers
944 views
Losing Controlling Interest in a company, can that be bad?
Basically I have been lucky to get spotted by some angel investors and will be signing £60,000 for 60% of my current business come thursday, which will really boost my start-up massively and ...
12
votes
7answers
19k views
Can I use the logos of other companies on my site?
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but can I use the logos of other services and companies on my site? Ie, if I wanted to put up a graphic of some services that relate to local internet marketing, ...
5
votes
4answers
895 views
How to register LLC in USA or LTD in UK and bank account, for foreigner?
I am from Serbia, Europe (Not Europe Union country). I develop Android apps and would like to sell them on Android market. I can not register for Google merchant account from Serbia so I need business ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
How does a business owner take money out of their business
Let's say I own a business selling widgets on the web. I'm incorporated, most likely an LLC. The business is doing really well and there is a lot of cash flow. Since I'm separated from the business by ...
2
votes
2answers
384 views
Non .com domain v hyphen domain
I am currently working on a web application and have started looking at the available domain names for my application. I have done some searching on answers.onstartups about hyphen domain names and ...
54
votes
29answers
4k views
Entrepreneurs, what are the 3 best pearls of wisdom you've received for your startup ventures?
This is general guidance that you've found is key in achieving success. Can be marketing related, funding, technology, hiring, anything. If you could just pick 3 that you think have held up over time ...
9
votes
5answers
702 views
Beta Testers: What is the best way to find good beta testers?
For a website that involves video uploading what is the best way to find people to participate in a closed beta trial?
how many people should I try and get to become testers?
how should I ask people ...
11
votes
6answers
1k views
Elements of a Startup Business Plan
I was looking through some posts today about Startups and business Plans and i came across this:
"1. Even VCs don't require a full business plan on your initial meeting. And a business plan for ...
10
votes
1answer
3k views
Putting Together a Privacy Policy and Terms of Service
I am putting together a privacy policy and terms of service. I have read these two posts:
http://answers.onstartups.com/questions/2783/where-to-start-writing-a-terms-of-service-privacy-policy
...
13
votes
10answers
2k views
What are the best ways to get traffic to your website?
Tons of web startups are at the stage of "built it, have visitors, but need more." Compare this to similar sites created when the word "webmaster" was the buzzword of the year, that get 100-200k+ ...
8
votes
4answers
2k views
Get beta testers [closed]
I'm working on a website that I'll need beta tested soon. It's a startup. Where should I go to get a good pool of testers? It would also be great to have a good pool of hackers who can show security ...
8
votes
5answers
1k views
How to promote my business using social networking
I see many companies using social networking (Twitter, Facebook etc) to promote their products and services. I've never used sites like this, and don't really know where to begin from a marketing ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
What questions should I ask when interviewing a potential accountant?
We formed our LLC a few months back. We're developing a software product and we're planning to launch a very small private beta test in about a month. I'll be doing our bookkeeping, but I need help ...
16
votes
14answers
10k views
Domain names with a hyphen, good or bad idea?
I'm looking for a domain name for my new project and one of the variants is available but has a hyphen between the two words. The non hyphenated variant is registered in the cayman islands.
Are ...
15
votes
7answers
2k views
Is it worth it to register a trademark for a software product that I am developing?
I am working on a new software product, it is a web-based contact manager and I would like to know if I should register the name as a trademark? is it worth it? and if so, should I do it myself or ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Online Sales Tax: location based on transaction server, shipping address, CC, or location of purchaser?
Online sales tax seems overly complicated. From what I've read, it seems like most states collect sales tax if your company has a physical presence; however, location on both ends is badly defined:
...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
Got an offer to white label one of my products. What do I do?
I got an offer to white label one of my products.
They want to determine pricing/conditions, etc.
I would appreciate any advice/references on how to best deal with this situation.
Thanks in advance.
...
7
votes
9answers
3k views
How did you come up with your business idea?
For those of you who have successful businesses, how did you come up with your business idea?
I'm trying to think of a business idea but none of the ideas I've come up with so far (currently about ...
2
votes
5answers
319 views
Did you use an incorporation service? What service did you use?
There are a good amount of services that help you incorporate your startup for S Corp, C Corp or LLC, like Incorporate.com and Agents & Corporations. They help you put together the documents you ...
7
votes
18answers
983 views
At what point is a startup no longer a 'startup'
Is it revenue, profit, number of staff, does it even matter?
If you've been at the coal face for a good 4 to 5 years do potential investors want to hear that you're still in startup mode - whatever ...
6
votes
2answers
288 views
Why are Daily Deal sites "hard to scale'?
I read a lot that daily deal sites such as groupon and livingsocial are hard to scale from a business viewpoint.
What does this mean, and why is this so?
