5 Things Startups Shouldn’t Worry About

Here is a list of 5 things that we have either seen start-ups (even ourselves!) worry about that could have been avoided.

1. Logo

Starting a business? You better have crayons or markers, because your going to need a logo. There is nothing we get more excited about than our identity, and somehow creating a logo becomes the most important thing EVER as you start your business. You want a logo because you want business cards, and your website will look bare without it, and a blah blah.. but guess what? A logo will hardly build your business. There are plenty of businesses and freelancers (like us!) out there that can take your ideas and go from concept to final product for a reasonable price. Utilize other peoples creative and technical talents while you work on what your good at.

Sketch. Play. Deliver.

2. Web Address

It’s like being Facebook Official with your girlfriend, nothing truly exists until its on the internet. Unless your domain is a hot item, no one is going to buy www.mynameismikeandilikeapples.com anytime soon (well, now you might), so don’t get stuck paying for hosting until your ready. A great rule for entrepreneurs is to be quick to receive your money, and wait as long as you can to spend it. But listen, we get it, and if having a URL gives you a warm tingly feeling, and if it will keep you moving on with your business, then go for it. Another good thing about getting a domain setup is that you can start using a personalized email account, just don’t use web-mail programs, use a third party client or ask your web host about Google Apps because otherwise you will go through hell when trying to transfer emails in the future.

3. Business Plan

You better have AT LEAST 100 pages of marketing and price projection hoopla before you really hit your pace. Make sure your spending the bulk of your time doing productive things for your business, things that affect your business today, and not a year from now. Now, this can’t be said for all start-ups, some start-ups have millions of dollars of VC money, and in this case we would definitely suggest planning, contracts, etc… but for a lot of us, our marketing angle will change in less than 6 months, so why try to plan out the next year?

4. Accounting Software

First things first, enroll in an accounting class at the local college, and spend $300 (minimum) on the best tax software out there. Or not, because:

1. You are not a tax expert, and the last thing you want to do as a startup is file this stuff incorrectly.

2. Web App’s are making this stuff simpler by the minute- we use Outright, which is free and integrates with our invoicing software Freshbooks. Its dead simple, and we simply gave a user login to our tax guy, paid him his dues, and we are all set.

We should all know some tax basics, and it is highly recommended that you either buy a “Made Easy Book“, or spend some time browsing the Internet for basic info, but don’t dive head first into some corporate accounting software without someone holding your hand.

5. Slogan

Slogans are like a small “About Us” in less than a sentence, and really don’t do much because they’re often super lofty, and talk is cheap. Apple, Google, Amazon.. well you might not be as big as them, or have the brand recognition, but you know what defines them? Their work. And it should be no different for you and your company. Small descriptors of what you do (if you are service/retail) are what we suggest, and even a short sentence about the company is great for materials, just keep it down to earth. Short, simple, and useful to your audience.