Up and Running Blog

Three Weeks to Startup: Week Two

by Tim Berry on June 26, 2008

This is the second installment of the three-week timetable to start a new business in three weeks. It’s from 3 Weeks to Startup, the book I’ve just finished as co-author with Sabrina Parsons.

3 Weeks to Startup
by Tim Berry, Sabrina Parsons

What you really have to do, no matter what, as in absolute essentials, the plan for week two . . . . . . along with notes, comments and why in this week
Plan Your Marketing
Spreading the word is essential, it will become the key to success, and you should get going on this now while making sure it’s properly aligned with your overall strategy. Think focus, and targeting, and what messages, to whom.
Develop branding Look and feel: logos, signs, letterhead, graphic standards. Start right with the elements of branding, and you’ll be glad you did. Keep it well coordinated and strategic. And you need to get moving now, because some of these things are projects that will take a few days.
Start your website If you’re building a web 2.0 application, or for that matter any website that is core to your business, then you might have to settle for simply having begun by the end of the three weeks. For most businesses, you can have a website together in three weeks. It takes thought, time and effort, and a blog platform.
Set up your merchant account to be able to accept credit cards. Vital for some businesses, irrelevant for others. If you need to accept credit cards, get going, the application can take a bit.
Get the insurance
This isn’t that hard. Annoying, yes, but not hard to do. Call business insurance brokers, make sure you get one you like and trust; if you have doubts, look for somebody else.
Start recruiting startup employees
This is one of the tougher ones, frankly, unless you have just one or maybe even two employees to find. This one is more likely to remain beyond your specific control. So get started quickly.

About Tim Berry

Tim Berry

Tim Berry is the founder of Palo Alto Software, a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. Tim is the originator of plan-as-you-go business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching, and evangelizing for business planning. His full biography is available on his blog.

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Pam July 25, 2008 at 10:46 am

Week two actually has the week three details.
The topic says – ‘Three Weeks to Startup: Week Two ‘ but immediately after that it says – ‘This is the third installment of the three-week timetable to start a new business in three weeks’. Can you please fix this?

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