I started a company, but it probably would have been better to co-found. Do people ever do this sort of thing? How?
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posted by piato
on Jun 8, 2012 -
9 answers
I've got the technical skills and the product idea, but I know nothing about the business side of doing a startup. How can I learn and do?
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posted by LastOfHisKind
on Mar 12, 2012 -
5 answers
I'm a woman in my 30's founding a startup that I'm very excited about. I'm also ready to seek out a serious relationship. Are the two mutually exclusive?
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posted by enzymatic
on Oct 28, 2011 -
18 answers
I'm starting a property management company. Everything is ready to go - except the name!
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posted by Melsky
on Oct 3, 2011 -
11 answers
I have the reverse problem of most startups... within two years I built a solid and unique brand, with a high media profile and street cred, proven content and products, and a passionate audience of over 240,000 people and growing. But although people congratulate me daily on my success I'm literally exhausted and starving. People circle me daily wanting to "sponsor" me, but I've found most of them want to make money *off* of me, not pay me and help me grow. Fact is, I'm accepting now that I just can't do it all by myself and I don't even WANT to... but I'm a victim of my own quick success. Without a staff and resources I can't expand, grow and monetize as I *need* to in order to meet the demand.
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posted by miss lynnster
on Jul 13, 2011 -
42 answers
I'm looking for guides, honest accounts and balanced sober economic plans, proposals, checklists etc on the realities of starting a small business in a South Pacific Island Country (think Fiji, Vanuatu, etc) as an American.
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posted by DetonatedManiac
on Jul 5, 2011 -
5 answers
How do I start a new private limited company in the UK and then start a new business banking account for it?
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posted by asymptotic
on Jun 21, 2011 -
7 answers
I'm founding a startup! Yaaay! I have some friends who like my idea and want to help me. However, I have no money to pay them, so I'm guessing that I'll need to give them a piece of the action. I don't want to get screwed, but at the same time, I don't want to be perceived as a jerk. What is the most fair way to divide up the pie? What's the best way to approach this discussion without coming off as a jerk?
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posted by Sloop John B
on May 26, 2011 -
23 answers
Need help finding manufacturer abroad to produce a product. I'm struggling finding companies that are still interested when I tell them I am a small business startup (with a great idea!). I understand that telling manufacturers that I'm not going to put in a huge order they are less interested but a girl needs to start somewhere!
There are so many people that read this site I thought someone might have an idea or experience doing this.
Thank you very much!
posted by femmme
on Apr 4, 2011 -
5 answers
For my wife: What are the best ways to find opportunities for freelance bookkeeping and accounting work?
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posted by ogunther
on Nov 11, 2010 -
8 answers
My friends and I have what we think is a pretty lucrative, clever, and unique idea for a web-service. However, none of us are especially web or business savy, but we are enthusiastic and confident and so would still like to move forward with the idea.
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posted by mateuslee
on Feb 23, 2010 -
14 answers
Do I need to register a company in all of the countries I want to do business?
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posted by nazca
on Jan 15, 2010 -
4 answers
I'm getting involved with a comic startup. How can I protect the stuff that I make?
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posted by hellojed
on Jan 13, 2010 -
11 answers
My buddy just landed $100k and we both want to start a business...Any recession-proof business startup suggestions?
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posted by schindyguy
on Oct 14, 2009 -
25 answers
I need an SBA loan yesterday. My business is in startup mode, I'm already fielding new orders, but I need startup capital to get this thing off the ground.
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posted by ohyouknow
on Oct 8, 2009 -
11 answers
What are the best books to read if I'm interested in incorporating a business? In this I'm interested in more legal-oriented books (taxes, finding a CPA), as well as general advice/best practices.
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posted by christopherbdnk
on Sep 20, 2009 -
9 answers
How do a few friends with a talent and a vague idea, but no plan and no money, start a business? Or is this a recipe to disaster and broken friendships?
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posted by [insert clever name here]
on Aug 14, 2009 -
11 answers
What kinds of advertising options should a new internet startup offer its customers and how should they be priced?
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posted by tnoetz01
on Jul 29, 2009 -
2 answers
I am thinking about incorporating my web-based software startup. First, I am not sure if it makes sense to incorporate. Second, if I do incorporate, I am not not sure where in the world ( not just the U.S. ) I should incorporate.
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posted by jasondigitized
on Jun 24, 2009 -
3 answers
I am looking to self fund starting a business, but I need to seek a small amount of additional capital. Ideally, I would like to do this through friends and family, through a more formalized agreement. So how can I "sell them" a piece of my business without selling them stock?
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posted by Jonsnews
on Feb 5, 2009 -
9 answers
LLC d/b/a BBQ. Let's say I incorporate as "cavalierisawesome lol LLC". I then make a business card that says "Bob's Consulting". When I do business, the bills are settled to "cavalierisawesome lol llc". Can I market or advertise my services in a name separate from my incorporated name?
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posted by cavalier
on Jan 5, 2009 -
5 answers
BusinessStartupFilter: I'm looking to get into the sports concession business but have idea where to start.
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posted by shew
on Dec 17, 2008 -
5 answers
I'm about to start some new business ventures and my current web host has not been doing a very good job so I want to switch while things are still small. Helllp!
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posted by miss lynnster
on Nov 2, 2008 -
7 answers
Two college friends and myself are looking to put together a mobile application start-up. We have the business end of the startup covered, but we need to find a developer to help us out. We need some financial guidance on what to do and what not to do. Should we pay a freelance developer, or bring someone on board with us as a partner?
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posted by drkrdglo
on Jul 16, 2008 -
15 answers
Help me think of a new business or career that can be started by one person with a small start-up budget?
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posted by pinkbungalow
on May 7, 2008 -
14 answers
Need help appraising the intellectual property values of acquaintances, if I do all the work bringing their ideas to market.
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posted by Redruin
on Oct 14, 2007 -
5 answers
I'm going to register my company as an LLC. My next question is where? Which US state is the best for this?
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posted by mateuslee
on Oct 9, 2007 -
4 answers
How to divide up a company amongst 3 people when 2 people will be doing most of the work for the first 6-12 months.
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posted by andifsohow
on Sep 27, 2007 -
10 answers
I have an idea for a web project. It may have some commercial potential eventually but will basically be a night project for me and the other folks involved. Think of how MetaFilter got its start... hand-rolled / bootstrapped, whatever. My question is: how do you agree on who gets what share of any proceeds down the road? In particular, the design work will be heavy up front but tapering off after launch. Is it insulting to offer a designer a 5% share for a few days work? Does everyone brought in need to be made an equal partner? I'm sure the answer to that is no, but I'm not sure what the alternatives are. Paying people cash for work is not an option. There is no cash, and everyone involved is willing to invest some time and wait for results. The only thing is that some of us will be investing more time than others... so what to do?
posted by scarabic
on Sep 5, 2007 -
7 answers
I'm in the very early phases of putting together a special-interest web site, which will begin as a blog but could eventually add other features. For at least the first year or two, I expect to lose money on this. Eventually, I hope to cover my costs or maybe even make a small (very small) profit with advertising. What business, tax and technology considerations should I keep in mind as I get going?
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posted by croutonsupafreak
on Jul 23, 2007 -
1 answer
My business idea...brilliant, or a waste of time? Have you, or your business, ever needed a service like this? Has any company you worked for ever employed anybody to do this?
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posted by jennyjenny
on Jul 11, 2007 -
18 answers
my friends and i have an idea for an awesome website - the next youtube or myspace. we know what we want it to look like, how we want it to work, the features we want it to have. but (and this is a big but) none of us have the skills to actually make it - or even know if it's possible with current technologies. is the idea worth anything without the technology or code that would bring the idea to fruition? how do we take our ideas to the next level? how to we protect our idea while trying to do this? hoping you can help a few english majors with a dream make it with an internet startup...thanks!
posted by sacho
on Mar 11, 2007 -
29 answers
How much should I expect out of partners from a startup, in regards to time and commitment? I am the type who will spend every waking hour researching, working, making contacts, etc. I do not believe my partners are making the same time commitment. Any advice, books or resources on dealing with interpersonal relationships when a startup is in the early phases?
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posted by anonymous
on Nov 11, 2006 -
16 answers
StartupFilter: A two-person software startup wants to bring on two developers, what can we offer them?
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posted by anonymous
on Oct 4, 2006 -
7 answers
What books and websites should a non-business-major read to learn about the legal and practical aspects of starting a small business partnership in the US (MD, to be exact)?
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posted by Alterscape
on Aug 27, 2006 -
7 answers
I am a college student looking to start up a furniture rental business for University students but don't exactly know where to start. ANY advice would be greatly appreciated.
posted by nyu2
on Aug 22, 2006 -
13 answers
Hello.
Here’s the lowdown: I’m the senior sound designer / managing director for a leading international sound library company who’s been successfully running a company that doesn’t belong to me for 6 years. I’ve exhausted this opportunity, as the company is limited in its ability to grow due to the owners methods. In short, although I still have my job (and could have it forever, so to speak), I need to get out. I’m striving to create an opportunity for myself (and potentially for some of the other amazing employees I’ve hired who are looking for better opportunities) by starting a new company, and I must act now as I am not getting any younger.. I’ve been thinking this through for almost 6 months now, and something seeming great has just happened. Can you help me make the most out of it?
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posted by AdInfinitum
on May 25, 2006 -
13 answers
