Startup

Understand 24 key Issues In Starting A Tech Company

Running a tech startup company is an exciting adventure. Getting your company started should be an equally fun endeavor. However, there may be several difficult obstacles that you face along the way. There are so many different factors to consider along with the many different skills required to run it successfully. Yet, so many seem compelled to do it that it can feel like too much of a challenge for just one person to take on.

In this article, we discuss the criteria, steps, and key issues in starting a tech company. You have just decided to go into business or have been tasked with deciding on where your business should go in the future. If you are in one of these situations, you can expect to have to make some challenging decisions. Technological advances are driving the market, and the future looks bright for new businesses. Here are the 24 key issues in starting a tech company.

1. Unique Name For Tech Company

A unique name for a tech company may bring potential investors and customers to your company. A memorable, original name is the foundational element in branding. Even if you are planning on using traditional marketing methods, you must take the time to create a unique brand identity for your company. This will ensure that potential customers can easily determine who you are without having to hunt you down through online directories or read endless internet posts about how awesome your company name is.

When you choose a name for your business, you should consider how it will help your company stand out in a crowded marketplace. If a customer thinks of you when they come to your company’s website, it improves brand recognition and trust.

2. Business Plan Is Essential

A business plan is essential for companies in any type of business. This is where your success in interviews makes the biggest difference. This is the main reason that business plans are developed as early in the process of starting a company as possible. As the startup grows, the importance of a solid business plan changes and so does the importance of having one. The goal of having a great business plan is to ensure you never run out of ideas, never get stuck, and always put your best foot forward.

A properly designed business plan can make or break your startup. Whether you think investing in startups is a good idea or not is entirely up to you, but if you want to keep out of costly mistakes and ensure success, it’s extremely vital to properly plan out your venture. Getting set up with a solid business plan is a crucial step.

Click here to read: How to Write a Business Plan — Comprehensive Guide

3. Funding Your Company

Tech funding is an ongoing process of raising money for early-stage startups, often in the form of a personal loan or business loan. A loan is usually to start up the business and pay off the debt over time. Although the money will not be used for product development or sales, the money will help you get your business off the ground and give you some breathing room so that you can improve or expand your product or service. The amount you need to get approved for a loan depends on how much money you have available to you at the time the loan application is made.
When you’re picking an investment, there are specific factors to look at.
⦁ How much time do you have?
⦁ Do you have the right connections?
⦁ Are there hidden risks you aren’t accounting for?
These are just a few of the things that can influence your investment decision-making process.

4. Choosing The Right Tech Partner

Tech partners are a vital part of creating a successful tech company. Both in the beginning and later stages of a venture, you will need help balancing the needs of your business with the needs of various systems and components that your company will rely upon. The process of finding the best tech partner for your business can be time-consuming and frustrating, so being able to have a process in place that works well for both you and your potential partner is crucial. Technology companies have very different approaches to hiring, and a good partnership will address these needs.

5. Working With Employees

Working with employees is one of the best things that you can do for your startup if you want to make it big in Silicon Valley. It will allow your startup to grow faster and hire the best people without having to pay them as much as possible. The reason why so many entrepreneurs avoid working with their employees is that they think it is beneath them. They think they are good enough and do not need to work with people. This is often not the case. Many successful entrepreneurs work with their employees and find that they have many useful suggestions and ideas for improving their companies.

Click here to read: Why is Development Team Augmentation The Best Option for Your Business?

6. Dealing With Investors

It is important to deal with investors to raise money. Investors put their money into companies to make a return, and there are different ways in which they can lend their money. They can give you money outright if you fulfill their requirements, or they can help you get a business off the ground if you already have one and are struggling just to get by. The reasons why investors are important to deal with are because they are a big part of the ecosystem that helps businesses get off the ground.

Instead, try dealing with investors as you would with any other customer: think through your problem, find out what you can offer them that will help and how, and then approach them with an offer. Of course, they will want something in return for their investment — be prepared for that. Make sure you tell people what they are getting out of it. Joining a startup competition will help you network with investors though and it is a great way to learn about the process and available opportunities.

7. Solving Customer Conflicts

The leading tech companies are hiring. They’re looking for highly motivated, passionate people. They want people who are also a little crazy. That’s what makes Customer Conflicts so important to the tech world. Most startups have some kind of issue that needs solving. An issue could be a customer that isn’t happy with the service they’re receiving, or a competitor trying to damage your company’s reputation through untrue facts. Finding a way to resolve these conflicts is the number one priority for companies that might be growing quickly but haven’t found their audience yet.

8. Selling Your Product

Selling your product is an issue for your tech company. The issue isn’t selling the product itself but instead making sure that potential customers get what they paid for and feel satisfied with the service or software. To convey your point across, you can make a pitch for a better deal or better support. Or you can use the testimonials of previous customers who were excited about your product to drive home your point. Heading into this without a good sales pitch could spell trouble for your startup—and your credit score—unless you figure out how to sell the product well early on in the development cycle.

Click here to read: 21 Ways to Promote a Startup with no Extra Money

9. Maintaining Security And Confidentiality

The most critical issue to maintain in a business is confidentiality. If business data are lost or exposed, customers may shun your company and your products. If employees are disciplined or fired for breaking confidentiality rules, they may sue you for damages and attorney fees. A company that manufactures or distributes goods or services to customers around the world. Of all business forms, technology is the most susceptible to corruption.

Cybercrime and international money laundering are common threats. The tech industry is therefore in a particularly vulnerable position when it comes to internal data security. This is why keeping your company’s data private from external tampering is essential. The theft of data or financial information has devastating effects on individuals and businesses. Stealing information can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, illegal drug trafficking, and other crime.

10. Managing Growth

Your company’s success depends in part on how well you manage growth. The pace at which new customers arrive and the pace at which old customers leave suggest how well the company is faring. The problem is that most startups don’t have dedicated resources for managing growth—either because they don’t know where to put the effort, or because they feel they can handle it better handled by others. Yet growth is fundamental to the health of any company—and unlike things like revenue or customer satisfaction, which can be managed very systematically, growth requires effort from everyone, especially new entrepreneurs.

11. Expanding Internationally

Expanding your international footprint will put you on the map and allow you to tap into a new market. It can also bring new customers, new opportunities, and new sources of revenue. Each business and each market has its peculiarities. But when looked at in the overall context of your company’s revenue, expanding internationally should be a significant consideration.

The key is having good connections in the targeted country or territory so you can build up your brand early on and expand your operations there. Start with local meetups and events; this is where people who are interested in your industry usually gather. Thereafter, aim for international speaking gigs – on or off-campus – which usually attract more fans and more sponsors who want to see your name associated with an impressive product.

12. Evaluating Your Strategy

If you want to scale your startup fast, you have to get skilled in identifying and evaluating strategies. There are lots of valuable lessons to learn from the best companies. Every experienced startup founder has learned something new during his or her time in charge. Your strategy should be built around what will achieve the most long-term success for your company — not necessarily what will get you a cheap deal or quick rewards.
Sometimes you need to bypass a conventional approach, and sometimes you need not be afraid to leap. Sometimes a brand new idea will pay off much bigger than anything you’ve ever done before.

13. Balancing Time And Resources

You have to balance your time to grow your company with balancing resources and expect the best outcome. A lot of entrepreneurs tend to approach growth like an end in itself. They cram a lot of features into their product to get some initial traction and decide whether it’s worth adding more features when they see some success. But without realizing it, they’re limiting their growth. There’s a difference between increasing your revenue and achieving growth. If you’re only willing to grow when it generates cash, then your business won’t achieve true growth and will ultimately fail.

14. Finding Success In Non-Traditional Markets

It is not enough to just build a good product or service. You need to build a successful business around that product or service. Building a tech company is more difficult than building a regular company because the nature of the business demands a different set of skills. Non-traditional markets are extremely competitive and extremely difficult to start and grow. It takes incredible tenacity, discipline, focus, innovation, and most importantly, ideas. To break into this highly competitive environment, you need to find ways to differentiate yourself from the competition both in your industry and in your area of interest.
Here are few tips on how to find strength in numbers and overcome the fear of failure in Non-Traditional markets.
⦁ Stick to your values
⦁ Be true to your brand
⦁ Follow best practices for social posts
⦁ Seek advice from others
⦁ Share your knowledge with others
⦁ Don’t be afraid to start over again

15. Avoiding Scams and Con Artists

Avoiding scams when starting a business is critical. A scamming business will promise a lot, but can’t back it up. They could be plunderers who will promise you success if you give them money upfront. Or the scammers might be stealing your money or identifying personal information about you to use against you, like your social security number.
It doesn’t matter whether you are buying software, hardware, or services; there are always scammers out there looking for victims. Scams can succeed because most people are naïve or lazy about financial transactions. They often don’t check to make sure that the person they are dealing with is who he or she claims to be. Avoiding these scams is important for your startup’s survival and might prevent potential losses to you.

16. Protecting Intellectual Property Rights

There are many nuances involved in the issue of protecting IP and trademarks. It is vital to understand what steps your tech company should take to protect its IP from third-party infringement as well as from competitors attempting to use mimicry or other tactics to hijack the reputation of your brand. Many entrepreneurs struggle with understanding why their products don’t sell as well as they would like. The battle for digital rights has never been more important as the internet is now the primary distribution channel for many products and services.

17. Use Email Marketing Effectively

Email marketing is a tactic that can be used for several purposes. To kick things off let’s define what email marketing is. The goal of email marketing is to use an email campaign to bring in qualified leads and then nurture them until they become potential leads or purchase something from your site.

Email Marketing has the best ROI (return on investment) and highest conversion rates – and, unlike social media, it’s still used daily by most customers. With the proper content (articles, blog posts, etc.) and a well-timed blast, you can create a powerful, first impression for your visitor. Your prospect might open up their email just to read about your company or product — or maybe they’ll click through to sign up for an Iftar dinner.

18. Create Valuable Content For

Digital technology is deeply influencing how humans live, work, interact, and shape the world. The convergence of technology, media, and entertainment is fundamentally altering consumerism and the way we think about things. This has opened up new opportunities for entrepreneurs in every industry. But what does a new entrepreneur stand to gain from all of this change? There are a handful of answers, all of which are interrelated.
The creation of valuable content for your tech company’s blog post, for example, creates buzz and builds brand awareness among your target audience. Providing value via social media and link building maintains traffic and builds credibility. Developing relationships with influential people in your industry facilitates access to resources and recognition.

19. Use Internal And Outsource

No matter if you are starting a tech company or working for one if you want success you need to get outside help. Technology and innovation are highly dependent on talent. We need talented people with vision, energy, and creativity. A lot of people think they are good enough to do it on their own but rarely if ever achieve success. Many entrepreneurs face the challenge of recruiting amazing talent when the resources they need are not readily available.
One effective way to overcome such challenges is to outsource some or all aspects of your business.

Internal outsourcing means contracting out work done by employees in your company. You can use internal outsourcing to help solve problems in your business that cannot be solved by hiring extra people. Outsourcing allows you to keep control over your day-to-day operations and allows you to gain the experience and expertise that you may not be able to get in-house.

20. Venture Capital Funding

Venture capital funding is vital for your growth. The right person shares and understands your vision and has the skills and experience to execute that vision. And, it’s not just about the funding itself; it’s also how you choose to structure the deal. You want a partner who will give you serious thought and, more importantly, be willing to put in the time and effort necessary to get you where you want to go. Before you meet with a VC, keep two things in mind: past financial performance and your desired outcome (product/market fit).

Their needs are the same as what any other business thinks its customers will want. Profits are a way of quantifying how much value is being generated. Investors are looking for profit, so it’s to your advantage to have a clear roadmap towards profit, even if it’s just an idea.  But, there’s more to venture capital than meets the eye. It’s important to plan out and execute a strategy that will make your company viable in the long term.

Click here to read: How to Raise Fund for your business

21. Financial Key Metrics

There are three types of financial indicators you need to look at if you want to know whether your business is growing or not.
⦁ The first is cash flow from operations
⦁ The second is debt service coverage (what percentage of your revenues are covered by debt service)
⦁ The third is net income (profit after paying off debt)
A company’s financial health is fundamental to its success. There are many metrics that firms calculate to measure the health of their financial systems, but none provide as comprehensive an answer as gross revenue. Gross Revenue is defined as revenue over expenditures fewer recoveries and commissions. This measures your company’s potential for growth and provides a meaningful sense of whether you are making money or losing money; after all, the number of customers paying for your products and services is ultimately what decides whether a company grows or shrinks.

22. Seeking For Angel Investors

What is Angel Investor? Angel investors are people who are willing to put their name on a startup or non-tech company in exchange for its money. They can be investors in companies, as well as individuals who have invested in other companies. Angel investors range from early-stage startups to larger corporations and government agencies; their net worth can depend on how much money they have put into different firms. Some give money to startups because they believe in the mission or product, while others prefer to track a company’s profitability so they can make sure it stays on track. Unlike venture capitalists, angel investors don’t need to be named as investment partners on a company to be an investor.

23. Need of License and Permits

The importance of obtaining all required licenses, permits, and registration documents can be overwhelming especially when companies are new to starting up. Or, they may not be aware of all relevant requirements and procedures that need to be followed. A proper understanding of your rights as an investor and your responsibilities as a business partner and employee are essential for getting the best out of your intellectual property.

The legal issues can be huge. You can minimize problems by preparing for them well in advance. You can take some small steps to make sure your company stays legal in your area. Tech companies who are known for keeping their workers happy usually have good relationships with lawyers in their local communities. However, you can go above and beyond the standard legal services that all startups should have.

One way to do this is to create legal alternatives to the standard employee benefits packages many large companies offer their workers. Legal alternatives mean giving your employees the option to buy their health insurance, with extra dollars going into their pockets instead of the pockets of insurance companies.

Time To Take Your Company To Its Highs

This low-hanging fruit can be one of the most rewarding parts of the puzzle for many entrepreneurs. Start working on your business idea and see where it takes you. Take baby steps at first to build credibility and credibility is incredibly important in bringing in new people as investors or business partners. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is inevitable in this business world and if you want to make it big as an entrepreneur then you better learn to take failure in stride and learn from it rather than succumb to self-pity or think that no one will ever want to work with you.