Startup Basics5 min read
How Much Does It Cost to Start a Startup?
A realistic, itemized breakdown of what it actually costs to start a startup — incorporation, tools, the MVP, and the runway that matters most.
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Anna Martin · Sep 6, 2026
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Articles by Anna Martin
Startup Basics5 min read
Why Startups Fail: The Top Reasons to Avoid
Why do startups fail? CB Insights data names a few repeat killers — no market need, running out of cash, the wrong team — and how to avoid each.
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Anna Martin · Aug 31, 2026
Startup Basics4 min read
Startup Business Models Explained for Founders
The most common startup business models — SaaS, marketplace, transactional, freemium and more — how each makes money, what it takes to work, and how to choose yours.
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Anna Martin · Aug 25, 2026
Startup Basics4 min read
How to Write a Lean Startup Business Plan
Why startups don't need a 40-page business plan, the lean one-page alternative that works, what each section should contain, and how to keep it alive.
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Anna Martin · Aug 22, 2026
Product & Growth4 min read
How to Build a Pre-Launch Waitlist That Converts
How to build a startup waitlist before launch: why most waitlists fail, how to drive real signups, keep them warm, and convert them into paying customers at launch.
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Anna Martin · Aug 19, 2026
Product & Growth3 min read
Startup Metrics: The KPIs That Actually Matter
Which startup metrics actually matter by stage: the few KPIs that reveal whether your business works, vanity metrics to ignore, and how to build a simple dashboard.
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Anna Martin · Aug 16, 2026
Product & Growth4 min read
How to Price Your Product as a Startup
A founder's guide to startup pricing: why value beats cost-plus, how to choose a model, common pricing mistakes, and how to raise prices without losing customers.
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Anna Martin · Aug 13, 2026
Equity & Legal4 min read
The 83(b) Election, Explained for Founders
What an 83(b) election is, why founders and early employees with vesting equity file one, the 30-day deadline that can't be missed, and how to actually do it.
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Anna Martin · Aug 10, 2026
Product & Growth3 min read
How to Name Your Startup (A Practical Guide)
How to name your startup: what makes a name work, a step-by-step process, the .com and trademark checks that matter, and why the name matters less than founders think.
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Anna Martin · Jul 29, 2026
Product & Growth4 min read
How to Run Customer Discovery Interviews
How to run customer discovery interviews that reveal real problems: who to talk to, what to ask, the mistakes that fake validation, and how to act on it.
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Anna Martin · Jul 26, 2026
Fundraising4 min read
How to Bootstrap a Startup (Without Raising)
How to bootstrap a startup: fund growth from revenue, stay default alive, decide when bootstrapping beats raising, and the trade-offs of keeping full ownership.
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Anna Martin · Jul 17, 2026
Fundraising4 min read
How to Manage Startup Runway and Burn Rate
How to calculate runway and burn rate, what 'default alive' means, when to start raising, and the levers founders use to extend runway before the money runs out.
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Anna Martin · Jul 14, 2026
Fundraising5 min read
What Is a SAFE Note? A Founder's Guide
What a SAFE is, how valuation caps and discounts work, post-money vs pre-money, SAFEs vs convertible notes, and how dilution sneaks up on early founders.
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Anna Martin · Jul 11, 2026
Hiring & Team4 min read
How to Hire Your First Startup Employee
When to make your first startup hire, who to hire first, how to attract talent without a big salary, and the offer and onboarding that set an early team up to win.
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Anna Martin · Jul 8, 2026
Product & Growth4 min read
How to Get Your First 100 Customers
Where the first customers really come from, why unscalable tactics win early, and a channel-by-channel playbook for getting a startup's first 100 customers.
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Anna Martin · Jun 29, 2026
Equity & Legal4 min read
How to Incorporate a Startup (and Pick a Structure)
When to incorporate a startup, how to choose between an LLC and a C-corp, why investors expect Delaware C-corps, and the founder paperwork to get right early.
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Anna Martin · Jun 20, 2026
Product & Growth4 min read
How to Build an MVP Without Overbuilding
How to build an MVP that actually tests your idea: scoping the one thing to validate, choosing the lightest build, and the trap of shipping too much too soon.
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Anna Martin · Jun 17, 2026
Fundraising4 min read
Angel Investors vs VCs: Which Should You Raise From?
Angel investors vs venture capital: how they differ on check size, control, speed and expectations, and which is the right fit for your stage and ambition.
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Anna Martin · Jun 13, 2026
Fundraising4 min read
Startup Accelerators: How to Choose and Get In
How to choose the right startup accelerator and actually get in: what top programs offer, whether the equity is worth it, and how to build a standout application.
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Anna Martin · Jun 10, 2026
Startup Basics3 min read
Validate Your Startup Idea in 30 Days (Before You Build)
A 30-day validation sprint for startup ideas: problem interviews, a smoke test, and pre-sales — with clear kill criteria so you build the right thing.
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Anna Martin · Jun 3, 2026
Startup Basics5 min read
How to Find a Job at a Startup (and Get Hired)
How to find startup jobs, evaluate early-stage roles and equity, and stand out to founders — a practical guide to joining a startup at the right stage.
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Anna Martin · Mar 29, 2025
Hiring & Team6 min read
How to Build a Strong Founding Team for a Startup
The roles a founding team actually needs, how to find and align them, and the team-building habits that keep early startups from imploding under pressure.
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Anna Martin · Mar 10, 2025
Co-Founder Matching5 min read
Solo Founder vs Co-Founder: Do You Need One?
A clear-eyed look at founding solo versus with a co-founder: the real trade-offs, when each path works, and how to decide before you commit years to it.
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Anna Martin · Jan 29, 2025
Startup Basics4 min read
How to Find a Startup Idea Worth Building
A repeatable way to find startup ideas: where good ones come from, how to spot real problems worth solving, and how to pick a business model that can pay.
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Anna Martin · Oct 19, 2024
Fundraising5 min read
Startup Pitch Deck Guide: Slides That Raise
The pitch deck structure investors expect, what each slide must prove, and the storytelling mistakes that quietly kill early-stage fundraising rounds.
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Anna Martin · Oct 11, 2024