Startup Tips and Tricks:

Getting a Small IT Shop Off the Ground by Kevin Grossnicklaus

• • • Introductions Lot’s of content Final Thoughts

Agenda

Introductions

•

Kevin Grossnicklaus

–

ArchitectNow-

www.architectnow.net

• President – (2009-Present) Washington University - CAIT Program (2003-2010) • Instructor – SSE • www.SSEinc.com

Chief Architect • (1999-2009) Software Development Practice Leader • • • Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @kvgros Blog: www.architectnow.net/blog

EXPECTATIONS

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?

GETTING STARTED

First Steps

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

Identifying Partners

• • • • • • • Banking Legal Accounting Health Insurance Liability Insurance Mentors Partners

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 Apps/Technology

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

Accounting

• • • Identify local small business accounting firms and meet with a number of them Why is accounting necessary?

– Questions – Ongoing Accounting Help – QB Support – Corporate Taxes – Help in securing financing TAXES!

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

Liability Insurance

• • • Health insurance brokers and liability insurance brokers are two different people, companies, etc.

You WILL need liability insurance E&O insurance

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

Partners

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

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

Crowdsourcing

• • www.CrowdSpring.com

www.99Designs.com

• • • • Contracts Billing Receivables Reporting

Sales

• • • Home Office Physical Office Onsite at Clients

Location

TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Tools Overview

• • • • • • • • Email Phones Website Computers Collaboration Development Tools Accounting Misc: – ALM – Time Entry

Email

• • Hosted Exchange: SherWeb ($9/Month per user) – Secure access to full Exchange 2010 – OWA – Direct Outlook access – Mobile access via mobile devices Other Options: – Office365 – Google

Phones

• RingCentral phones) ($99/Month for 5 lines plus cost of IP – 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

• • • DNS management CMS Systems – WordPress – DotNetNuke – Orchard – SiteFinity – Others Templates – TemplateMonster – ThemeForest – Others

Website

Computers

• • • • Big box vs Custom vs. Mainstream (i.e. Dell) Dell Business Account Apple Considerations – Backups: JustCloud – Support: Dell, AppleCare – Security Patches: Microsoft – Antivirus: GFI Cloud Antivirus

Collaboration

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

Development Tools

• • • • Microsoft BizSpark Program ALM – Hosted TFS via DiscountASP.NET or Microsoft – SVN via Assembla – Git via GitHub or BitBucket Other Dev Tools: – Balsamiq ($80/User) Jira/Confluence

Accounting

• • Quickbooks ($400) – All invoicing – Financial reporting – Receivables Quickbooks Online

Misc Tools

• • • • • Harvest Time Entry ($60/Month for 5 users) ConstantContact or Vertical Response HootSuite EventBrite VistaPrint

GROWING A BUSINESS

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

Office Space

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

FINAL THOUGHTS

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

Kevin Grossnicklaus

President

636.236.3279

800.362.3919 x 101 [email protected]

http://architectnow.net

or @kvgros

Conclusion

Thank you for coming!