Startup Tips and Tricks:
Getting a Small IT Shop Off the
Ground
by Kevin Grossnicklaus
Agenda
• Introductions
• Lot’s of content
• Final Thoughts
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:
www.architectnow.net/blog
EXPECTATIONS
Expectations
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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
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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
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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
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Networking Events
SEO
Social media
Relationships
Crowdsourcing
• www.CrowdSpring.com
• www.99Designs.com
Sales
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Contracts
Billing
Receivables
Reporting
Location
• Home Office
• Physical Office
• Onsite at Clients
TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Tools Overview
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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 ($99/Month for 5 lines plus cost of IP
phones)
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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
Website
• DNS management
• CMS Systems
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WordPress
DotNetNuke
Orchard
SiteFinity
Others
• Templates
– TemplateMonster
– ThemeForest
– Others
Computers
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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
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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
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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
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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
kvgros@architectnow.net
http://architectnow.net or @kvgros
Conclusion
Thank you for coming!