I want to start my own web design business, what should I do?

Question

I already have four people who'd want to start with me as a joint partnership. I have two graphics guys, me (a coder), and my friend Chris (also a coder). What else do I need, and who else do I need to get this going, and what would be my first step?

Yes I have the macromedia studio 8 and adobe photoshop suite for all those wondering

Answer 1

Since I presume you've never been in business before, I would strongly recommend that you talk to a business counselor before you do anything especially spend money. You have to determine whether you'll start a totally web based business or one with a store front. I'd call the local office of SCORE (go to http://www.score.org and input your zip code to find the chapter nearest you), the advice is FREE.

The counselor at SCORE will most likely advise you to write a business plan which is very good advice because it will force you to dig out all of the start up details and the costs of starting a web design business and force you to also understand all of the aspects of this business including the customers you'll concentrate on (your market ) and how you'll go after them.

You'll need to register the business with your state controller's office and make sure that you have any city and county licenses if any are needed where you live. All of this will come out in a business plan. You also need to write a partnership agreement outlining how the company will be owned and how you'll break up the partnership if someone wants to get out.

Try this link :
http://www.ychange.com/small-business-consulting-articles.html and read some of the articles especially the ones about a business plan and starting a business.
Good Luck

Answer 2

First of all, don't worry about the responders who told you you'll have more competition than you can shake a stick at. Of course you will. Every type of business in the world does - so what? It didn't stop Google from starting the umpeenth search engine or Richard Branson from starting the umteenth airline. Competition is a beautiful thing and you're going to take them on, right? Right!

I have helped many people start businesses and I aways recommend drafting a ONE PAGE (no more) business plan to analyze your future business: its resources (people, technology, etc.), needs and feasibility, easily and objectively. Someone above me mentioned this and they're absolutely right. The business plan isn't going to investors or anyone else yet - it's just for you and your partners to better understand where you are and what you need.

You, my friend, are going to answer your own question (because only you can), by answer THESE questions in your business plan:

1. What NEED does your business fulfill? (i.e. Google helps people search the Internet more effectively than perhaps any other search engine. Apple Computers gives consumers personal computing technologies that are user friendly and beautifully designed.) Your answer ISN'T just "web design." What KIND of web design? Is it for corporations or small companies or personal sites? Is it cutting edge or classic design? KNOW YOUR NICHE. In a world of a million web designers, why will your customers come to YOU?

2. What's your REVENUE STREAM? In other words, how are you going to make money? Don't say "sell people websites." Are you selling them as a package deal? As a "Chinese Menu" (pick and choose features of the website)? What's the pricing plan? What are the exact services and features you offer, and if you don't have the skills to meet all your customers' needs, are you going to outsource the rest or are going to limit the features you offer? Get down the brass tacks. Look at how other successful webdesign firms price their sites. Many of the prestigious ones won't have their pricing online. So do your homework: call them up and ask for a quote as though you're buying their services. It's not cheating - it's DUE DILIGENCE. Believe me, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and the Google boys have done it.

3. What do you have that gives your business a COMPETITIVE EDGE? (Unique technology? Original application of a tested idea?) This is a continuation of question #1 but, again, down to the brass tacks. Look up the design firms that are closest to who you want to be and now DIFFERENTIATE your services from theirs. What are you going to have that they don't. Why are you BETTER than they are?

4. Who is the MANAGEMENT team? (CEO? Operations? Technology? Marketing?) You've got a team of four, you say. Are roles and responsibilities clear? Is there a leadership chain and a good decision-making process established? Otherwise, the team may fall apart at the first difference of opinion. Make sure you're on the same page on this. Also, you have the technology staff, but even a technology company has needs beyond technology. You need people responsible for marketing, finances and other aspects of the business. You don't necessarily need MORE people, but you do need to know who of you 4 will be responsible for those aspects of the business.

5. What STAGE are you at now in the business? (Just have the idea? Have you developed the website and whatever technology you need? Do you need some investment to get started?)

6. What do you need for the business to be SUCCESSFUL? (Research? Techology? More employees?) Don't say "money" - of course you need and want money - but what do you need the money FOR in order to make the business successful? Very often you can get the things you need without money upfront if you're creative. Don't say "Customers" - obviously you need customers. There's a reason you don't have them yet. WHY DON'T YOU have them yet? The answer to that question often is "marketing" for example. So now you know that you need a marketing plan.

Look into some books on entrepreneurship and small businesses. If you want a refreshing and unusual role model as an entrepreneur, pick up Richard Branson's autobiography, "Virgin" (he's the CEO of Virgin, the Megastore, Airline, Cellphone company and many more). Or look up how the top web design firms got started. Or more generically, look up how Yahoo! and Amazon and eBay and other successful online businesses got started. You might be surprised at how they started with just one person (or two or four people) with an idea.

This seems like a lot of information for one page. Go ahead and brainstorm on as many pages as you need, but at the end of the day, you should be able to crystalize these answers onto a SINGLE page. When you can do that, it means that the answers are CLEAR AND KNOWN to you. And THEN you are ready to start your business.

Good luck and have fun with it!
.

Answer 3

There are several ways to approach your desired results. However, the first thing is to reduce everything to a business plan. this will allow you to see your idea in writing and grow your concept into a money making venture. there are some excellent resources for business plans visit SBA.gov or www.aisb.biz. e-commerce is fairly simple and low cost if you have talent and imagination. I would post samples of my web pages for free and promote templates with the understanding that the use of the web page has to give credit yo your company. But by writing a plan you will discover these type of opportunities

Answer 4

Everybody and his brother is going to be your competitor. What will you guys have that is unique to give you a competitive advantage over the thousands of businessess out there? Remember, that cut rate shops using high school kids can produce great looking sites for small businesses nowadays for minimum wage. Find your special attraction......work out the realistic overhead expenses..... put together a business plan...... line up 2 or 3 initial customers...... if you can't get all that done, you're going to fail. If you can... you've got a chance.

Answer 5

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