Start-up Hints & Tips
1. Insurance
Depending on your business the types will change but do look into Office, Professional Indemnity and Employment.
2. Employment Contracts
For part time and full-time employment it pays to get to a lawyer earlier than later and some will give you the first hour for free to go over your needs.
3. Brand
What do you need to protect now and what can be done another day, talk to someone early so you can lay a roadmap for the future.
4. Copyright
If you using website professionals, designers etc make sure you are assigned all rights to the work done.
5. Terms and Conditions
Make sure you have some to give your suppliers and your customers/clients where required.
6. Advisors
Find others you have been there and done that in your sector and who can be a source of advice in setting up and building your business, these are not the same as directors or non-execs.
7. Domain names
Make sure your domains and in your name and not the name of your web designer, this is more common than you would think!
8. Shareholder agreements
Get them in place early even if its family!
9. Overpromise?
Don't promise to do something that you can't deliver on it will only end up damaging the business and the client relationship. (Donated by Jennifer Macdonald-Nethercott)
10. Keep the main thing, the main thing.
Its easy for a cash-strapped owner to get lead down a garden path by an overzealous customer, don't keep the main thing your central focus and keep on budget.
Any more... let us know and we can pass on these great tips. Are you a member? Why not sponsor a tip?