The journey from coming up with a new business idea to launching a successful startup is filled with numerous steps and tough decisions. The biggest and the most difficult step is usually the first one. You may have to figure out a lot of details yourself, spending long hours searching out what you need in order to get started. To break ground on this business journey, you need a reliable roadmap.
At VC4A, we know too well, the challenges of starting a business and created this simple downloadable guide to walk you through those rough first steps. This article also summarizes the business launch checklist into 3 main areas.
Validating your business idea
Before investing significant time and resources, validate your business idea. This means you need to conduct sufficient market research to properly form your idea. You can take advantage of industry reports to analyze trends and study the market opportunity. Similarly, your product or service must have a target audience; by creating detailed buyer personas, including their demographics and behaviour patterns, you further validate whether you have a viable business idea.
Analyze your competitors to understand their strengths and weaknesses and test your concept with customer surveys or interviews. All of this information you have collected will be used to refine your unique value proposition, clearly articulating how your offering solves a problem better than other existing solutions.
Download: The ultimate business launch checklist by VC4A
Crafting your business plan
Now that you’ve set a strong foundation for your idea, it’s time to create a business plan. A comprehensive business plan is your blueprint for success. Through your plan, you can aim to captivate initial investors and other key stakeholders; include a summary of your idea, market, finances, and funding needs. Define your company’s core – the mission, vision, structure.
Prove the viability of your idea with data-driven market research you obtained during the validation stage. Include your vision for your organization’s structure, your offering and your product or service roadmap. Explain how you’ll promote your business to reach and convert early customers. Include realistic financial projections for at least 3 years and if you are seeking funding, state what you need and how it will be used.
Take: This course to learn how to create a solid business plan
Securing funding to run your business
Exploring various funding options is a critical step in launching your business. Whether you choose to be self-funded or seek external capital, you must carefully assess your financial situation, level of financial discipline and risk tolerance before you make a choice.
If you choose to be self-funded, you may rely on your personal savings which means you plan to bootstrap for as long as you can before seeking external funding. Friends and family can be another source of funding, but it’s important to treat these arrangements professionally. A word of advice here, create clear agreements to avoid potential conflicts down the line.
Bank loans are a traditional funding source which you may also consider. To increase your chances of loan approval, prepare a strong business case and ensure you have a high creditworthiness. Also be prepared to provide collateral or a personal guarantee for the loan. Other common options include investment from angel investors, Venture Capital firms, grants, and Private Equity.
Listen: A conversation with Kenza Lahlou, Managing Partner of Outlierz Ventures on understanding what investors are looking for and opportunities available to you. Press play to listen:
Regardless of your chosen funding route, you’re going to need a compelling pitch deck equipped with detailed financial projections. Practice makes perfect so continually practice your pitch and be prepared to answer tough questions about your business model and market potential.
Watch: This lesson on how to prepare an investor pitch deck
Notwithstanding the many steps that it might seem at the start, launching a business is an exciting, challenging and many times a rewarding journey. By following these steps and using VC4A’s free startup resources, you’ll be well-prepared to turn your entrepreneurial aspirations into a reality.
Each step in the checklist requires careful thought and planning. At such an early stage it is also important to be flexible and adaptable as you learn and grow.
Since 2007, VC4A has supported 20,000+ startups throughout the various stages of their entrepreneurial journey. Through the platform, you gain access to business and career mentorship, funding opportunities, and valuable resources to help you succeed. The VC4A network is a community of entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts who can provide you guidance, share experiences, and potentially open doors to new opportunities.