Below is a list of tools and resources that I've curated based on 20+ years of working with early-staged entrepreneurs. I'll update as often as I can but please help by making suggestions at the bottom of this page, or letting me know if a link is broken.
Support my work
- Donate to this project and help keep me hydrated while I make updates here.
- Suggest a resource (see end of page).
- Contact me to buy a featured link here. (I still need to think it's of value.)
Specifically for Entrepreneurship Educators
- Price-Babson Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators - http://www.babson.edu/executive-education/education-educators/pages/price-babson-symposium.aspx
- Lean LaunchPad Educators Program - http://venturewell.org/lean-launchpad/
- Despande Symposium - http://www.deshpandesymposium.org/
- Teaching Entrepreneurship - https://www.teachingentrepreneurship.org/
Books
- The books I recommend most often can be found here.
Online Courses
- How to Build a Start-up - The Lean LaunchPad - https://www.udacity.com/course/ep245
- Sam Altman's How to Start a Start-up - http://startupclass.samaltman.com/
Entrepreneurship Basics
- Some entrepreneurial basics - anchor.fm/leave-a-legacy/episodes/Launching-a-business-as-a-student-and-the-entrepreneurial-mindset-with-Professor-Stephen-Daze-es3krq/a-a4sg6js
- What is an Entrepreneur? - http://youtu.be/i3DpLBYjLIQ
- Personality Indicator - http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
- Where do Good Ideas Come From - https://growthhackers.com/videos/video-where-good-ideas-come-from-by-steven-johnson/
- If Rejection Slows You Down - http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234709
- How to start a start up, Sam Altman - http://startupclass.samaltman.com/courses/lec01/
- On the common characteristics of innovators: Innovator's DNA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy4oQh_Qyto#t=142
- Some really great quotes about entrepreneurship: - http://www.slideshare.net/vitalyg/accelerated-startup-ideatoipo
Great Startup Presentation Decks/Pitching
- Founders Favorite Decks for Startups: https://blog.slideshare.net/2015/06/05/3-founders-favorite-decks-for-startup-success/?sf9776928=1
- Top things entrepreneurs wish they knew before starting - http://www.slideshare.net/rejoiner/25-entrepreneurs-tell-what-they-wished-theyd-known-before-founding-their-first-startup?utm_source=slideshow&utm_medium=ssemail&utm_campaign=weekly_digest
- 10 Slides to an Awesome Pitch: http://www.slideshare.net/tidaporn_J/10-slides-to-an-awesome-pitch-37278046
- The Only 10 Slides you Need: http://guykawasaki.com/the-only-10-slides-you-need-in-your-pitch/
- Pitch template I suggest regularly: Pitch Template
Idea Generation
- Idea generation tips - http://www.slideshare.net/bleongcw/7-tips-for-idea-generation-for-startups
- Finding Product Market fit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ruOFVG078&index=10&list=UUkWLGZL69LhjjgGRKhcAE_w
- Idea Generation: http://startupstash.com/ideageneration/
Business Models
- The Lean Start up and Design Thinking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvFnHzU4_W8&list=UUkWLGZL69LhjjgGRKhcAE_w
- Business Model Generation - http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas
- The Happy Business Model Canvas - https://medium.com/the-happy-startup-school/introducing-the-happy-startup-canvas-76a71edc4af8
- Validation Board - http://learni.st/users/trevor.owens/boards/6470-learn-how-to-use-the-validation-board-test-your-startup-idea-without-wasting-time-or-money?tb=026e8657ead82f28371a1cca25ae13b3
- Value Proposition Design - http://businessmodelalchemist.com/blog/2012/08/achieve-product-market-fit-with-our-brand-new-value-proposition-designer.html
- Value Proposition Canvas - http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas/vpc
- Business model Primer (Mike Lachappelle) - http://www.slideshare.net/mikelachapelle/primer-on-the-business-model-canvas-v5
- Business Models that Rock - http://www.slideshare.net/boardofinnovation/10-business-models-that-rocked-2010-6434921
- Business Model Canvas Download - http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas/bmc
- Collaboration tool (See the business model canvas one) - www.mural.co/
- Amazon Business Model Described using the BMC - http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uda1VOrBSI#action=share
Customer Validation and Discovery
- Why the Lean Start-up Changes Everything - https://hbr.org/2013/05/why-the-lean-start-up-changes-everything?utm_campaign=Socialflow&utm_source=Socialflow&utm_medium=Tweet
- How to Build a Start-up – https://www.udacity.com/course/ep245
- Customer Development – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t0t-CXPpyM
- The Lean Startup - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4rOdxoCnwY; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRR_jEDAfoo
- Finding Product Market fit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ruOFVG078&index=10&list=UUkWLGZL69LhjjgGRKhcAE_w
- Customer Discovery Tips and Templates - http://leanstartup.pbworks.com/w/page/54918676/Customer%20Interview%20Templates%20and%20Resources
- Customer Discovery Checklist : putting it into action - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOqvoMMcq7I&list=PLcdm0yqdmhJopRkThQ16Wc8LXqSoQg15m
- Steve Blank's (godfather of customer discovery) work - https://steveblank.com/slides/
Key Terms and Metrics
- Great overview: https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/04/12-kpis-you-must-know-before-pitching-your-startup/
- Actionable vs Vanity Metrics: tim.blog/2009/05/19/vanity-metrics-vs-actionable-metrics/
- TAM (Total Addressable Market); SAM & SOM: www.viola-group.com/violanotes/practical-guide-to-crunching-the-numbers-on-total-addressable-market-tam/
- CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): neilpatel.com/blog/customer-acquisition-cost/
- LTV (Lifetime Value of a Customer): www.entrepreneur.com/article/224153
- ROI (Return On Investment): www.investopedia.com/articles/basics/10/guide-to-calculating-roi.asp
- Do you have a viable business model?: www.lean-case.com/unit-economics-viable-business-model/
Business Plans
- http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227831
- Sample Business Plans: Bplans.com
- BDC Business Plan Template: http://www.bdc.ca/EN/articles-tools/entrepreneur-toolkit/templates-business-guides/Pages/business-plan-template.aspx
- How to Write a Business Plan: PlanWare
- A guide to writing your first business plan (thanks Liza!): https://www.zenbusiness.com/info/a-guide-to-writing-your-first-business-plan/
- Why not to Write a Business Plan (yet) - http://www.coachmystartup.com/3/post/2015/01/the-right-time-and-place-for-business-plans-not-what-we-previously-thought.html
Entrepreneurial Marketing
- Simple Marketing Plan for a start-up - http://www.marsdd.com/articles/simple-marketing-plan-for-start-ups/
- Strategy for Social Media campaigns: https://blog.bufferapp.com/first-1000-followers-twitter-facebook-social-media?utm_campaign=utm_campaign=weekly_digest_week_2014W48_dormant_test_control
- 10 Steps to a Solid Social Media Strategy: http://rebekahradice.com/solid-social-media-strategy/
- Social Media Calendar: http://rebekahradice.com/create-and-manage-an-editorial-calendar/
- Market research: http://startupstash.com/marketresearch/
- 35 Growth Hacking Tools for Marketers Who Don’t Code: https://blog.kissmetrics.com/35-growth-hacking-tools/
Sales
- HBR Getting started: https://hbr.org/2017/05/how-to-improve-your-sales-skills-even-if-youre-not-a-salesperson?utm_source=linkedin&utm_campaign=hbr&utm_medium=social
- Customer Relationship Management: https://www.zoho.com/crm/?src=zoho
- Entrepreneurial Selling (see the whole series): www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cAyzbWIU_g
- 11 Tips For Entrepreneurs Who Hate Sales: http://readwrite.com/2013/11/04/11-tips-for-entrepreneurs-who-hate-sales/
- Know Your Customers’ “Jobs to Be Done”: https://hbr.org/2016/09/know-your-customers-jobs-to-be-done
- Funnel Hacking Tools and Tactics: https://growthmarketingconf.com/funnel-hacking-more-crucial-than-growth-hacking/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=splashopm
- Customer Acquisition and Sales Training - great overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIjjN6qhoPg
Growth Hacking
- 5 Content Marketing Based Growth Hacks for Early Stage Startups: neilpatel.com/blog/5-content-marketing-based-growth-hacks-for-early-stage-startups
- 35 Growth Hacking Tools for Marketers Who Don’t Code: neilpatel.com/blog/35-growth-hacking-tools/
- HackToStart: hacktostart.com/
- The Growth Hacker's Guide to the Galaxy:
- GrowthHackers (@GrowthHackers): twitter.com/GrowthHackers
Partnerships and Founder Agreements (start here, but get professional advice)
- Issues to consider: http://thestartuptoolkit.com/blog/2013/02/equity-basics-vesting-cliffs-acceleration-and-exits/
- Sample Template: http://www.marsdd.com/mars-library/what-kinds-of-legal-agreements-do-startups-need-for-founders-shareholders-and-investors/
- Equity Calculator: http://foundrs.com/
- Do-it-Yourself: http://www.lawdepot.ca/contracts/partnership-agreement/index.aspx?loc=CAON&pid=googleppc-gprtnr_ca-partnership_cft-s-ggkey_sample+partnership+agreements&gclid=CL2horW__LMCFUZgMgodDEMAGw&s_kwcid=sample+partnership+agreements%7c22957319953§ionName=&
- Partnership Agreement: https://www.upcounsel.com/partnership-agreement
- Basics and issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgz4zkbihqA&feature=youtu.be&mc_cid=740edbe374&mc_eid=ee5c5e2a0e
- Other legal - http://startupstash.com/legal/ and formswift.com/free-legal-forms#business
NDA's (start here, but get professional advice)
- On not getting people to sign NDA's: spin.atomicobject.com/2014/09/08/nda-stifle-creativity/ and www.quora.com/Non-Disclosure-Agreements-Why-is-asking-a-potential-investor-to-sign-an-NDA-in-connection-with-a-pitch-meeting-commonly-viewed-as-a-faux-pas`
- NDA's: http://www.biztree.com/non-disclosure-agreement?&esvt=31-GOUSE226531&esvq=non%20disclosure%20agreements&esvadt=999999-0-1491-1&esvcrea=29265815032&esvplace=&esvaid=40145&useesvcid=1&esvcid_fwdsize=M and https://www.upcounsel.com/non-disclosure-agreement
Equity Funding Basics (know you are probably looking for funding too soon, or may not be on an equity path)
- Startup Funding 101: generalassemb.ly/business/startups-entrepreneurship/startup-funding-101
- 10 Questions Investors Ask Themselves When They Hear A Pitch: www.inc.com/larry-kim/10-questions-investors-ask-themselves-when-they-hear-a-pitch.html?cid=sf01001
- Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Convertible Note Seed Financings (But Were Afraid To Ask): techcrunch.com/2012/04/07/convertible-note-seed-financings/
- Angel Investing Revealed by Stanford eCorner: soundcloud.com/ecorner/ron-conway-mike-maples-jr
Hiring
- 11 Must Have Recruitment Practices for HR Managers & Startup Founders: recruiterbox.com/blog/11-must-have-recruitment-practices-for-hr-managers-startup-founders
- 5 Best Practices for Hiring and Recruiting: blog.rpoassociation.org/blog/bid/165486/5-Best-Practices-for-Hiring-and-Recruiting
- Employer Interviewing Best Practices: https://hiring.monster.com/employer-resources/recruiting-strategies/interviewing-candidates/interview-hiring-guide/
- Checking References Top 10 Questions To Ask: www.hcareers.ca/article/employer-articles/checking-references-top-10-questions-to-ask
Other
- Feminine Capital. Unlocking the Power of Women Entrepreneurs (Stanford University Press, 2015) - www.amazon.ca/Feminine-Capital-Unlocking-Power-Entrepreneurs/dp/0804783799
- Bootstrapping: http://adii.me/bootstrapping-characteristics/
- Various (useful) tools to sell and grow your business: www.shopify.com/tools
- Some inspiration from the Amazon story (thanks Pierce!): swagbucks.com/shop/history-of-amazon
- Ottawa Startup Ecosystem - comprehensive list with thanks to Founder Institute: http://fi.co/posts/26351
- Guide to being a freelancer: https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-being-a-freelancer/
- Understanding Credit Scores: https://www.finimpact.com/credit-scores/
- Useful resources for entrepreneurs with disabilities:
-- onlinemba.wsu.edu/business-programs-and-resources-for-entrepreneurs-with-a-disability-2/ and
-- www.ignitespot.com/small-business-resources-for-entrepreneurs-with-disabilities and
-- https://online.rider.edu/online-masters-degrees/masters-business-administration/business-resources-entrepreneurs-graduates-disability/
Tools
See article from Entrepreneur Magazine - 17 Apps Every Entrepreneur Needs in 2017 - www.entrepreneur.com/article/287623
Entrepreneur Tools - entrepreneur-tools.zeef.com/keyhanimo
Validation Tools
- FEATURED www.unbounce.com - build a great looking landing page to gauge clickthrough's and interest, collect email addresses and A/B test.
- www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas and related https://canvanizer.com/ to organize your validation.
- www.quickmvp.com and www.launchrock.com – build landing pages to gauge clicks and interest/ collect email addresses/ combine with Google Adwords and other advertising mediums/ test variants of your message.
- https://kickofflabs.com/ - validation landing page tool + viral campaign built in.
- http://buzzsumo.com/ - look for key influencers in your industry.
- www.indegogo.com, www.kickstarter.com (see also https://crowdfunding-tools.zeef.com/keyhanimo) – crowdfunding, build awareness, raise funds and pre-sell your product online.
- https://gomockingbird.com/, http://proto.io/ or others - create a mockup of your app or website in minutes.
- http://startupstash.com/mockups-wireframing/- Mockup and Wireframes.
- http://startupstash.com/mvp/ - A curated directory of resources & tools to help you build your Startup.
- https://www.zoho.com/crm/?src=zoho - Customer Relationship Management to track your validation contacts and early leads.
- Other validation tools and resources:
- Search for other Bloggers in your space: http://www.crowdfundingpr.org/6-tools-you-can-use-to-find-bloggers-in-your-niche/
- Customer Discovery Tips and Templates: http://leanstartup.pbworks.com/w/page/54918676/Customer%20Interview%20Templates%20and%20Resources
- Validation tools - http://leanstartup.pbworks.com/w/page/62585258/Validation%20Tools
- Another similar list - http://www.squirrly.co/startup-tools-list-the-amazing-free-services-that-will-improve-your-work#.VNETZp3F_5G
- Market Validation Tools - http://www.slideshare.net/gykantler/4-tools-for-quick-market-validation
Website and Design
- FEATURED www.shopify.com – build your online store complete with ecommerce, shipping and loads of other plug ins.
- www.weebly.com (this site is an example).
- www.godaddy.com or others – secure your domain, create email accounts and build websites quick and low cost.
- www.wordpress.com – build a blog-based website that is easy to create and modify.
- www.wix.com – create a quick and professional website.
- www.canva.com – easy design tools for websites, blogs, posters, etc.
- www.hostgator.com, http://www.rackspace.com/ – website hosting.
- www.elance.com – post a technical job, find freelancers to build your website, do your search engine optimization and more.
- https://www.fiverr.com/ - find freelancers to do everything from write copy, do video animation and design logos – seemingly for 5$!
- http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html - create video shots and short videos.
- https://ash.guru/blog/free-stock-photos/ - 25 Awesome Sites with Stunning Free Stock Photos.
- https://websitesetup.org/15-best-online-logo-generators/ - Logos: free or inexpensive.
Marketing and Analytics
- Google Adwords, Facebook, LinkedIn – targeted advertising using social media.
- Google Analytics and Trends – Understand your audience and searches associated with your product or service.
- MailChimp, Constant Contact – email services to stay connected to your clients and prospects.
- Buffer and HootSuite – Manage your social media posts.
- Talkwalker – Social media analytics for brands (your and your competitor’s)
- https://mixpanel.com/ - Analytics platform for mobile and web – free (to a point.)
- Blogdash – Target and reach relevant bloggers about your product or service.
- http://contax.io/ - Manage your follows and understand your Twitter trend lines.
- http://hacktostart.com/ - Great resource to learn from others: Podcast about interesting people and the innovative ways they achieve success.
Financial Tools
- Understanding financial statements: https://learn.marsdd.com/collection/financial-statements/
- Break even calculator: https://www.nase.org/business-help/calculators/business/breakeven-analysis-calculator
- Income Statement download: https://www.freshbooks.com/accounting-templates/income-statement
- P&L for various industries: https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/pp-pp.nsf/eng/home
- Balance Sheet template: https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/balance-sheet.html
- ROI: https://www.calculator.net/roi-calculator.html
- IRR calculator: https://www.calculatestuff.com/financial/irr-calculator
- Cash flow budget: https://templates.office.com/en-us/small-business-cash-flow-projection-tm16410107
Equity Funding Tools
- How to make a cap table: venturehacks.com/cap-table
- Startup founders, shareholders & investors - legal agreements: learn.marsdd.com/article/what-kinds-of-legal-agreements-do-startups-need-for-founders-shareholders-and-investors/
- Term Sheets: www.investopedia.com/terms/t/termsheet.asp
- What Is A Cap Table and Why Do You Need One?: www.cooleygo.com/what-is-a-cap-table/
Productivity
- Google for Entrepreneurs, Google Docs – Tools and resources for entrepreneurs.
- Asana – Team communication, tasks and all without email.
- Gotomeeting – Web conferencing and online meeting tools.
- Basecamp – Online project management tool.
- Symphonical - Google team collaboration and productivity.
- ZOHO - One suite that takes care of all your business needs from email to CRM.
- https://zapier.com/ - Connect the apps you use, automate tasks, get more out of your data.
- Trello - project management tool.
- exceltemplate.net - Excel templates for business.
- https://togroundcontrol.com/ - Software for startup to manage their innovation activities.
Podcasts
- Great curation from Inc. - https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/19-podcasts-worth-more-than-an-mba.html?cid=sf01001
- My appearance on the Leave A Legacy podcast:
Support my work
- Donate to this project and help keep me hydrated while I make updates here.
- Suggest a resource (see end of page).
- Contact me to buy a featured link here. (I still need to think it's of value.)
Specifically for Entrepreneurship Educators
- Price-Babson Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators - http://www.babson.edu/executive-education/education-educators/pages/price-babson-symposium.aspx
- Lean LaunchPad Educators Program - http://venturewell.org/lean-launchpad/
- Despande Symposium - http://www.deshpandesymposium.org/
- Teaching Entrepreneurship - https://www.teachingentrepreneurship.org/
Books
- The books I recommend most often can be found here.
Online Courses
- How to Build a Start-up - The Lean LaunchPad - https://www.udacity.com/course/ep245
- Sam Altman's How to Start a Start-up - http://startupclass.samaltman.com/
Entrepreneurship Basics
- Some entrepreneurial basics - anchor.fm/leave-a-legacy/episodes/Launching-a-business-as-a-student-and-the-entrepreneurial-mindset-with-Professor-Stephen-Daze-es3krq/a-a4sg6js
- What is an Entrepreneur? - http://youtu.be/i3DpLBYjLIQ
- Personality Indicator - http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
- Where do Good Ideas Come From - https://growthhackers.com/videos/video-where-good-ideas-come-from-by-steven-johnson/
- If Rejection Slows You Down - http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234709
- How to start a start up, Sam Altman - http://startupclass.samaltman.com/courses/lec01/
- On the common characteristics of innovators: Innovator's DNA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy4oQh_Qyto#t=142
- Some really great quotes about entrepreneurship: - http://www.slideshare.net/vitalyg/accelerated-startup-ideatoipo
Great Startup Presentation Decks/Pitching
- Founders Favorite Decks for Startups: https://blog.slideshare.net/2015/06/05/3-founders-favorite-decks-for-startup-success/?sf9776928=1
- Top things entrepreneurs wish they knew before starting - http://www.slideshare.net/rejoiner/25-entrepreneurs-tell-what-they-wished-theyd-known-before-founding-their-first-startup?utm_source=slideshow&utm_medium=ssemail&utm_campaign=weekly_digest
- 10 Slides to an Awesome Pitch: http://www.slideshare.net/tidaporn_J/10-slides-to-an-awesome-pitch-37278046
- The Only 10 Slides you Need: http://guykawasaki.com/the-only-10-slides-you-need-in-your-pitch/
- Pitch template I suggest regularly: Pitch Template
Idea Generation
- Idea generation tips - http://www.slideshare.net/bleongcw/7-tips-for-idea-generation-for-startups
- Finding Product Market fit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ruOFVG078&index=10&list=UUkWLGZL69LhjjgGRKhcAE_w
- Idea Generation: http://startupstash.com/ideageneration/
Business Models
- The Lean Start up and Design Thinking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvFnHzU4_W8&list=UUkWLGZL69LhjjgGRKhcAE_w
- Business Model Generation - http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas
- The Happy Business Model Canvas - https://medium.com/the-happy-startup-school/introducing-the-happy-startup-canvas-76a71edc4af8
- Validation Board - http://learni.st/users/trevor.owens/boards/6470-learn-how-to-use-the-validation-board-test-your-startup-idea-without-wasting-time-or-money?tb=026e8657ead82f28371a1cca25ae13b3
- Value Proposition Design - http://businessmodelalchemist.com/blog/2012/08/achieve-product-market-fit-with-our-brand-new-value-proposition-designer.html
- Value Proposition Canvas - http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas/vpc
- Business model Primer (Mike Lachappelle) - http://www.slideshare.net/mikelachapelle/primer-on-the-business-model-canvas-v5
- Business Models that Rock - http://www.slideshare.net/boardofinnovation/10-business-models-that-rocked-2010-6434921
- Business Model Canvas Download - http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas/bmc
- Collaboration tool (See the business model canvas one) - www.mural.co/
- Amazon Business Model Described using the BMC - http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uda1VOrBSI#action=share
Customer Validation and Discovery
- Why the Lean Start-up Changes Everything - https://hbr.org/2013/05/why-the-lean-start-up-changes-everything?utm_campaign=Socialflow&utm_source=Socialflow&utm_medium=Tweet
- How to Build a Start-up – https://www.udacity.com/course/ep245
- Customer Development – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t0t-CXPpyM
- The Lean Startup - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4rOdxoCnwY; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRR_jEDAfoo
- Finding Product Market fit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ruOFVG078&index=10&list=UUkWLGZL69LhjjgGRKhcAE_w
- Customer Discovery Tips and Templates - http://leanstartup.pbworks.com/w/page/54918676/Customer%20Interview%20Templates%20and%20Resources
- Customer Discovery Checklist : putting it into action - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOqvoMMcq7I&list=PLcdm0yqdmhJopRkThQ16Wc8LXqSoQg15m
- Steve Blank's (godfather of customer discovery) work - https://steveblank.com/slides/
Key Terms and Metrics
- Great overview: https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/04/12-kpis-you-must-know-before-pitching-your-startup/
- Actionable vs Vanity Metrics: tim.blog/2009/05/19/vanity-metrics-vs-actionable-metrics/
- TAM (Total Addressable Market); SAM & SOM: www.viola-group.com/violanotes/practical-guide-to-crunching-the-numbers-on-total-addressable-market-tam/
- CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): neilpatel.com/blog/customer-acquisition-cost/
- LTV (Lifetime Value of a Customer): www.entrepreneur.com/article/224153
- ROI (Return On Investment): www.investopedia.com/articles/basics/10/guide-to-calculating-roi.asp
- Do you have a viable business model?: www.lean-case.com/unit-economics-viable-business-model/
Business Plans
- http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227831
- Sample Business Plans: Bplans.com
- BDC Business Plan Template: http://www.bdc.ca/EN/articles-tools/entrepreneur-toolkit/templates-business-guides/Pages/business-plan-template.aspx
- How to Write a Business Plan: PlanWare
- A guide to writing your first business plan (thanks Liza!): https://www.zenbusiness.com/info/a-guide-to-writing-your-first-business-plan/
- Why not to Write a Business Plan (yet) - http://www.coachmystartup.com/3/post/2015/01/the-right-time-and-place-for-business-plans-not-what-we-previously-thought.html
Entrepreneurial Marketing
- Simple Marketing Plan for a start-up - http://www.marsdd.com/articles/simple-marketing-plan-for-start-ups/
- Strategy for Social Media campaigns: https://blog.bufferapp.com/first-1000-followers-twitter-facebook-social-media?utm_campaign=utm_campaign=weekly_digest_week_2014W48_dormant_test_control
- 10 Steps to a Solid Social Media Strategy: http://rebekahradice.com/solid-social-media-strategy/
- Social Media Calendar: http://rebekahradice.com/create-and-manage-an-editorial-calendar/
- Market research: http://startupstash.com/marketresearch/
- 35 Growth Hacking Tools for Marketers Who Don’t Code: https://blog.kissmetrics.com/35-growth-hacking-tools/
Sales
- HBR Getting started: https://hbr.org/2017/05/how-to-improve-your-sales-skills-even-if-youre-not-a-salesperson?utm_source=linkedin&utm_campaign=hbr&utm_medium=social
- Customer Relationship Management: https://www.zoho.com/crm/?src=zoho
- Entrepreneurial Selling (see the whole series): www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cAyzbWIU_g
- 11 Tips For Entrepreneurs Who Hate Sales: http://readwrite.com/2013/11/04/11-tips-for-entrepreneurs-who-hate-sales/
- Know Your Customers’ “Jobs to Be Done”: https://hbr.org/2016/09/know-your-customers-jobs-to-be-done
- Funnel Hacking Tools and Tactics: https://growthmarketingconf.com/funnel-hacking-more-crucial-than-growth-hacking/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=splashopm
- Customer Acquisition and Sales Training - great overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIjjN6qhoPg
Growth Hacking
- 5 Content Marketing Based Growth Hacks for Early Stage Startups: neilpatel.com/blog/5-content-marketing-based-growth-hacks-for-early-stage-startups
- 35 Growth Hacking Tools for Marketers Who Don’t Code: neilpatel.com/blog/35-growth-hacking-tools/
- HackToStart: hacktostart.com/
- The Growth Hacker's Guide to the Galaxy:
- GrowthHackers (@GrowthHackers): twitter.com/GrowthHackers
Partnerships and Founder Agreements (start here, but get professional advice)
- Issues to consider: http://thestartuptoolkit.com/blog/2013/02/equity-basics-vesting-cliffs-acceleration-and-exits/
- Sample Template: http://www.marsdd.com/mars-library/what-kinds-of-legal-agreements-do-startups-need-for-founders-shareholders-and-investors/
- Equity Calculator: http://foundrs.com/
- Do-it-Yourself: http://www.lawdepot.ca/contracts/partnership-agreement/index.aspx?loc=CAON&pid=googleppc-gprtnr_ca-partnership_cft-s-ggkey_sample+partnership+agreements&gclid=CL2horW__LMCFUZgMgodDEMAGw&s_kwcid=sample+partnership+agreements%7c22957319953§ionName=&
- Partnership Agreement: https://www.upcounsel.com/partnership-agreement
- Basics and issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgz4zkbihqA&feature=youtu.be&mc_cid=740edbe374&mc_eid=ee5c5e2a0e
- Other legal - http://startupstash.com/legal/ and formswift.com/free-legal-forms#business
NDA's (start here, but get professional advice)
- On not getting people to sign NDA's: spin.atomicobject.com/2014/09/08/nda-stifle-creativity/ and www.quora.com/Non-Disclosure-Agreements-Why-is-asking-a-potential-investor-to-sign-an-NDA-in-connection-with-a-pitch-meeting-commonly-viewed-as-a-faux-pas`
- NDA's: http://www.biztree.com/non-disclosure-agreement?&esvt=31-GOUSE226531&esvq=non%20disclosure%20agreements&esvadt=999999-0-1491-1&esvcrea=29265815032&esvplace=&esvaid=40145&useesvcid=1&esvcid_fwdsize=M and https://www.upcounsel.com/non-disclosure-agreement
Equity Funding Basics (know you are probably looking for funding too soon, or may not be on an equity path)
- Startup Funding 101: generalassemb.ly/business/startups-entrepreneurship/startup-funding-101
- 10 Questions Investors Ask Themselves When They Hear A Pitch: www.inc.com/larry-kim/10-questions-investors-ask-themselves-when-they-hear-a-pitch.html?cid=sf01001
- Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Convertible Note Seed Financings (But Were Afraid To Ask): techcrunch.com/2012/04/07/convertible-note-seed-financings/
- Angel Investing Revealed by Stanford eCorner: soundcloud.com/ecorner/ron-conway-mike-maples-jr
Hiring
- 11 Must Have Recruitment Practices for HR Managers & Startup Founders: recruiterbox.com/blog/11-must-have-recruitment-practices-for-hr-managers-startup-founders
- 5 Best Practices for Hiring and Recruiting: blog.rpoassociation.org/blog/bid/165486/5-Best-Practices-for-Hiring-and-Recruiting
- Employer Interviewing Best Practices: https://hiring.monster.com/employer-resources/recruiting-strategies/interviewing-candidates/interview-hiring-guide/
- Checking References Top 10 Questions To Ask: www.hcareers.ca/article/employer-articles/checking-references-top-10-questions-to-ask
Other
- Feminine Capital. Unlocking the Power of Women Entrepreneurs (Stanford University Press, 2015) - www.amazon.ca/Feminine-Capital-Unlocking-Power-Entrepreneurs/dp/0804783799
- Bootstrapping: http://adii.me/bootstrapping-characteristics/
- Various (useful) tools to sell and grow your business: www.shopify.com/tools
- Some inspiration from the Amazon story (thanks Pierce!): swagbucks.com/shop/history-of-amazon
- Ottawa Startup Ecosystem - comprehensive list with thanks to Founder Institute: http://fi.co/posts/26351
- Guide to being a freelancer: https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-being-a-freelancer/
- Understanding Credit Scores: https://www.finimpact.com/credit-scores/
- Useful resources for entrepreneurs with disabilities:
-- onlinemba.wsu.edu/business-programs-and-resources-for-entrepreneurs-with-a-disability-2/ and
-- www.ignitespot.com/small-business-resources-for-entrepreneurs-with-disabilities and
-- https://online.rider.edu/online-masters-degrees/masters-business-administration/business-resources-entrepreneurs-graduates-disability/
Tools
See article from Entrepreneur Magazine - 17 Apps Every Entrepreneur Needs in 2017 - www.entrepreneur.com/article/287623
Entrepreneur Tools - entrepreneur-tools.zeef.com/keyhanimo
Validation Tools
- FEATURED www.unbounce.com - build a great looking landing page to gauge clickthrough's and interest, collect email addresses and A/B test.
- www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas and related https://canvanizer.com/ to organize your validation.
- www.quickmvp.com and www.launchrock.com – build landing pages to gauge clicks and interest/ collect email addresses/ combine with Google Adwords and other advertising mediums/ test variants of your message.
- https://kickofflabs.com/ - validation landing page tool + viral campaign built in.
- http://buzzsumo.com/ - look for key influencers in your industry.
- www.indegogo.com, www.kickstarter.com (see also https://crowdfunding-tools.zeef.com/keyhanimo) – crowdfunding, build awareness, raise funds and pre-sell your product online.
- https://gomockingbird.com/, http://proto.io/ or others - create a mockup of your app or website in minutes.
- http://startupstash.com/mockups-wireframing/- Mockup and Wireframes.
- http://startupstash.com/mvp/ - A curated directory of resources & tools to help you build your Startup.
- https://www.zoho.com/crm/?src=zoho - Customer Relationship Management to track your validation contacts and early leads.
- Other validation tools and resources:
- Search for other Bloggers in your space: http://www.crowdfundingpr.org/6-tools-you-can-use-to-find-bloggers-in-your-niche/
- Customer Discovery Tips and Templates: http://leanstartup.pbworks.com/w/page/54918676/Customer%20Interview%20Templates%20and%20Resources
- Validation tools - http://leanstartup.pbworks.com/w/page/62585258/Validation%20Tools
- Another similar list - http://www.squirrly.co/startup-tools-list-the-amazing-free-services-that-will-improve-your-work#.VNETZp3F_5G
- Market Validation Tools - http://www.slideshare.net/gykantler/4-tools-for-quick-market-validation
Website and Design
- FEATURED www.shopify.com – build your online store complete with ecommerce, shipping and loads of other plug ins.
- www.weebly.com (this site is an example).
- www.godaddy.com or others – secure your domain, create email accounts and build websites quick and low cost.
- www.wordpress.com – build a blog-based website that is easy to create and modify.
- www.wix.com – create a quick and professional website.
- www.canva.com – easy design tools for websites, blogs, posters, etc.
- www.hostgator.com, http://www.rackspace.com/ – website hosting.
- www.elance.com – post a technical job, find freelancers to build your website, do your search engine optimization and more.
- https://www.fiverr.com/ - find freelancers to do everything from write copy, do video animation and design logos – seemingly for 5$!
- http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html - create video shots and short videos.
- https://ash.guru/blog/free-stock-photos/ - 25 Awesome Sites with Stunning Free Stock Photos.
- https://websitesetup.org/15-best-online-logo-generators/ - Logos: free or inexpensive.
Marketing and Analytics
- Google Adwords, Facebook, LinkedIn – targeted advertising using social media.
- Google Analytics and Trends – Understand your audience and searches associated with your product or service.
- MailChimp, Constant Contact – email services to stay connected to your clients and prospects.
- Buffer and HootSuite – Manage your social media posts.
- Talkwalker – Social media analytics for brands (your and your competitor’s)
- https://mixpanel.com/ - Analytics platform for mobile and web – free (to a point.)
- Blogdash – Target and reach relevant bloggers about your product or service.
- http://contax.io/ - Manage your follows and understand your Twitter trend lines.
- http://hacktostart.com/ - Great resource to learn from others: Podcast about interesting people and the innovative ways they achieve success.
Financial Tools
- Understanding financial statements: https://learn.marsdd.com/collection/financial-statements/
- Break even calculator: https://www.nase.org/business-help/calculators/business/breakeven-analysis-calculator
- Income Statement download: https://www.freshbooks.com/accounting-templates/income-statement
- P&L for various industries: https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/pp-pp.nsf/eng/home
- Balance Sheet template: https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/balance-sheet.html
- ROI: https://www.calculator.net/roi-calculator.html
- IRR calculator: https://www.calculatestuff.com/financial/irr-calculator
- Cash flow budget: https://templates.office.com/en-us/small-business-cash-flow-projection-tm16410107
Equity Funding Tools
- How to make a cap table: venturehacks.com/cap-table
- Startup founders, shareholders & investors - legal agreements: learn.marsdd.com/article/what-kinds-of-legal-agreements-do-startups-need-for-founders-shareholders-and-investors/
- Term Sheets: www.investopedia.com/terms/t/termsheet.asp
- What Is A Cap Table and Why Do You Need One?: www.cooleygo.com/what-is-a-cap-table/
Productivity
- Google for Entrepreneurs, Google Docs – Tools and resources for entrepreneurs.
- Asana – Team communication, tasks and all without email.
- Gotomeeting – Web conferencing and online meeting tools.
- Basecamp – Online project management tool.
- Symphonical - Google team collaboration and productivity.
- ZOHO - One suite that takes care of all your business needs from email to CRM.
- https://zapier.com/ - Connect the apps you use, automate tasks, get more out of your data.
- Trello - project management tool.
- exceltemplate.net - Excel templates for business.
- https://togroundcontrol.com/ - Software for startup to manage their innovation activities.
Podcasts
- Great curation from Inc. - https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/19-podcasts-worth-more-than-an-mba.html?cid=sf01001
- My appearance on the Leave A Legacy podcast: