All Questions
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? ...
234
votes
7answers
139k 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 ...
90
votes
39answers
18k views
What fun and low-cost fringe benefits/perks would you offer to employees?
Let's face it. As startups, we can't really offer top-dollar salaries to our employees. But we can offer some fun benefits that the big companies can't/won't. Here are a few that we have that seem to ...
78
votes
15answers
5k views
Is hiring average programmers worse than staying solo?
I have a reasonably successful SaaS which is pretty much a one-man show; I always wanted a co-founder but never found the right person. It's been running for a number of years now, growing ...
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 ...
59
votes
10answers
2k views
What mistakes have you made trying to “save money”?
I "SAVED" the $40 per month in fees for a payroll service by doing everything myself.
Even though I spent quite a bit of time dealing with tax forms instead of my product, I still made some mistakes ...
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 ...
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 ...
48
votes
7answers
22k views
Why would OKCupid write their own web server?
OKCupid wrote their own web server. Isn't the technology stack basically a commodity at this point? They serve a lot of people and want to be fast, but there are very large companies that use MSFT ...
39
votes
12answers
3k views
Acquisition interest in my part-time startup
I work as a software engineer at Big Software Company X, and have been hacking away on the side at my own mobile app for the past 2 years, which is publicly available. It does decently well, earning a ...
37
votes
11answers
5k views
What if Google+ stole my idea? Can I do anything about it? Should I?
From around March 2009 to October 2009, my sister and I built a website and dubbed it our "first startup": Jumpino.com. Truthfully, it was hardly a startup: we had no capital, no way of monetizing, ...
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, ...
37
votes
15answers
2k views
How much does physical appearance matter for becoming a successful entrepreneur?
I am in my late 20s with physical height of 4 feet 10 inches (147.3 cm) only and interested to start my business. I look fine but I don't look like "The man" or "The CEO". Most successful businessmen ...
36
votes
13answers
8k views
Using your startup on your resume while job-hunting?
I have a very new solo startup that doesn't make any money (yet...), but it's time to get a "real job" so that I can pay the bills. I'm very proud of the work I did on my startup and think that it ...
35
votes
17answers
2k views
Is it worth it to spend money on office space for a software start-up?
I am working on my small software startup from my home office (Austin, TX). I have been thinking about the possibility of getting some office space or even shared office space at places like
...
34
votes
14answers
3k views
Sites where you can promote your startup?
What are the best sites or blogs to freely promote or prompt reviews for your new startup?
(Except well-know sites like TechCrunch, ReadWriteWeb, and so on ... or other sites where you don't have a ...
32
votes
12answers
1k views
What to do next? Micro startup existential crisis
I built a small web app based on the freemium model. Free accounts are free forever, paid accounts have 3 tiers: 5, 15 and 25 bucks a month. I'm the only person behind the app, 100% self funded.
The ...
31
votes
20answers
11k views
UserVoice or GetSatisfaction?
These two services seem quite similar and from reading around on the internet I can't find a definitive reason why one is better than the other or a comparison of their strengths/weaknesses.
Has ...
30
votes
25answers
2k views
Useful Free or Low Cost Software Applications for Business
I recently learned about and started using Xobni to use with Outlook to manage my contacts and email. I find it really helpful. I also know many companies and organizations use Constant Contact for ...
30
votes
7answers
3k views
How to split up revenue between partners who contribute different amounts of work
My co-founder and I will soon launch a micro ISV. Our current agreement states that we split ownership 50-50. However, since we reached the ownership agreement the amount of work we have put into ...
29
votes
12answers
980 views
How to manage time remaining from main job?
I have a paid job and it takes most of the daytime.
After that I am back home and when all the home things are done there's a couple of hours left for startup work.
Quite often I go to bed at around ...
28
votes
17answers
4k views
Why don't startups choose .Net as a platform?
I was reading the article about "Why Startups Could Use .NET, But Don’t". Essentially the article says that it comes down to culture.
I don't want to start a holy war, I just want to know the ...
28
votes
17answers
1k views
What criteria do you use to judge the viability of a startup?
I'm currently building an evaluation grid to help me pick my next venture from my list
I would like to get more criteria to complete it.
Criteria can be both objective and subjective. I prefer ...
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 ...
26
votes
12answers
2k views
Hourly rate - client wants invoices from other companies to prove my rate
I am being asked by a client to provide invoices from other clients showing that I was paid the hourly rate that I want to charge them. In other words, Client A wants to see my invoices to Client B ...
26
votes
10answers
2k views
Am I too old to join a startup?
I just got approached to join a startup.
20 years ago, I had my first startup experience working as employee #5 of a outfit that is now owned by a German multinational corporation. It was the best ...
26
votes
8answers
6k views
Ideal office space layout - open or offices?
I have worked in a variety of environments wanted to share my opinions and see what others thought on the subject of ideal office space layout. Once our lease is up (in a few years) I am thinking of ...
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 ...
26
votes
11answers
1k views
What personal productivity / time management / motivational tips & tricks do you use?
What little tips and tricks do you use to try and be as productive as possible each week plus be as motivated as possible? Here are a few I use:
I will schedule meetings that normally would be an ...
26
votes
4answers
2k views
What are Some of the Most Successful Low Budget Startup Marketing Campaigns You've Seen?
I'm curious if anyone has great examples to share of their own startups or others achieving highly successful and visible media attention, customer attraction or general brand awareness. A few that ...
25
votes
22answers
4k views
Why do developers/techies avoid salespeople?
Over the past several months, we've been expanding our marketing efforts to include developers and other techies.
One thing we've noticed is that these front-line folks don't want to talk. At all. ...
24
votes
10answers
20k views
What is the real price of an Amazon EC2 machine?
Every time I have new idea I usually have a to build a small website as a prototype to pitch it. Every time I wonder what hoster to use and it seems that every time I change hoster for various ...
22
votes
21answers
3k views
Furious client does not want to pay
We run a website and charge clients to have 'listings' on our page (full company profiles). The vast majority of our clients is satisfied and receives new clients through our website. Our rate is ...
22
votes
25answers
2k views
What's more important: releasing early or getting it right?
From your point of view and experience, what is more important when you are building a web based app:
release ASAP (eventhough it might not follow best practices) or
release it rather late as long ...
22
votes
10answers
1k views
Stuck in a cubicle supporting family
I am trying to get my web startup off the ground, but can't find time to come anywhere near finishing the core product because I'm stuck in a cubicle feeding my family, fattening up my landlord and ...
22
votes
19answers
2k views
How to become more of a risk-taker?
I hear stories all the time about entrepreneurs who take out a second mortgage to start a business, run their personal credit cards through the roof, and put a whole lot on the line for success. But ...
22
votes
8answers
2k views
How to start a software company?
I have an idea in my mind, for this idea I want to invest more time and money in making it a fully developed product.
So far, whatever small software products I have created are for a small niche and ...
22
votes
9answers
883 views
Selling my SaaS: been offered $500k plus 3-year management contract. How should I respond?
My husband and I built a niche SaaS over the past 12 years...it was an idea way ahead of its time that is now catching on and attracting attention. For school districts, so our addressable market is ...
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 ...
21
votes
5answers
973 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 ...
20
votes
19answers
1k views
Should I get a phone number for my start-up?
I've noticed that a lot of software start-up companies do not post a contact phone number on their website. Even some seemingly established companies (such as 37signals) do not post their phone number ...
20
votes
13answers
1k views
I'm a terrible salesperson. What can I do about it?
I'm a designer / developer. My product is ready for beta, so my focus has to shift towards sales and marketing. My problem is that I just cannot sell. I have an irrational fear of annoying people ...
20
votes
10answers
3k views
Is Micropreneur Academy worth it?
Is Micropreneur Academy worth it? Any members on this site? Also, what does it cost?
Background:
I read the 'Software by Rob' blog and think he has some very good advice for the whole micro-ISV ...
20
votes
17answers
4k views
What is the best merchant processing solution? [closed]
If you want to take credit card orders (or pre-orders), what is the best merchant processing solution?
I've heard the PayPal and Google Checkout will freeze your funds if even a single person ...
20
votes
1answer
7k views
Is there a Terms of Service (TOS) template that I can use for my SaaS product? Please help, I am a geek and this is new to me
I am at a point where I need to have a Terms of Service (TOS) page ready before I launch my SaaS product. Is there a template somewhere that I can use, or is this something that only a lawyer can help ...
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 ...
19
votes
11answers
1k views
Going it Alone VS. Seeking a Co-Founder
Working on my first startup, I'm fortunate enough to have a wide set of "do-it-myself" skills, ranging from technical to industry specific. I haven't been looking for a partner, quite simply, because ...
19
votes
33answers
12k views
How to pick a platform for a startup web 2.0 app?
I am looking for recommendatins from the successfull entreprenurs on this forum to advise me on the best software technology platform to develop my web2 webapp on.
The web2 app will potentially be ...
19
votes
6answers
989 views
Teammates have pushed me out of our venture. What to do now?
I along with 3 other people created a concept for an innovative Ecommerce platform as part of a 5 week startup pre-incubator. We had a great run and on demo day we won the audience and panel of ...
18
votes
11answers
5k views
When to use merchant account instead of PayPal?
I wonder when it makes more sense to open a merchant account and use a payment gateway instead of old plain PayPal option? This should depend on the revenue processed, because merchant account has ...
