It is the age of technological breakthroughs, cutting-edge technology, high-tech devices, and even self-driving cars. The world has come a long way from the dial-up days and chunky cellphones. Yet, it still has considerable time ahead for more advancement.
This has made many entrepreneurial souls re-think their business ideas and tap into the IT sector instead. However, there is a stigma attached to software development startups – which entails that only the individuals having a sound IT background, including proven work-experience, can run such startups, successfully. Anyone outside the IT realm is bound to fail in a business he or she has little knowledge about software development.
Luckily, this notion has been deemed false. Running a successful software startup requires more than just a technical background. If there is still a confusion, take these custom software development companies in Houston, as an example. Otherwise search the founders of these renown tech-companies: NerdWallet, iCracked, Coffee Meets Bagel, and Spring.
So if you possess a non-technical background and want to start your own software startup but are not confident where to start and what is required – then keep on reading as we gather some of the key components.
Create your core team
Since your company is still in the works and not established, the experts you will be hiring matter the most. This team will make up your startup. So, it needs to have a diverse set of skills and experience in order to materialize and launch your ideas, including your visions for your startup.
Since a smooth road to expansion and success isn’t guaranteed for every startup, it is vital to have a team that is not only a follower, and in tune with your company goals, but also has a voice of its own. As a leader, you would need a supportive and visionary team that can guide you when necessary by speaking their concerns, ideas, and solutions.
These are the four vital positions that need to be filled in every startup, according to an entrepreneurship expert.
- Customer Champion
- Visionary and Self-Starter
- Innovation Architect
- Rainmaker
You can add more according to your own requirements. Nonetheless, these four are a given.
Research the market
Yes, we are discussing starting software development startups without any technical background. However, working knowledge is required to gauge your competitors and the market as a whole.
Once you are decided on the services provided to the clients – let’s say, web and mobile app development. Then you need to check for the competitors already playing the field and providing similar services. Start by doing competitive analysis, then product analysis, and customer acceptance analysis.
In case you are not familiar with these terms, here’s a small introduction to the three analyses we talked about above.
- Competitive Analysis: It’s a process of identifying your competitors, their strength, and weaknesses and then comparing them against yours. This is a pivotal point in your startup, as this analysis will highlight many aspects of your startup that you may require to change and re-strategize.
- Product Analysis: If you have a product (a mobile app or web app in the making or completed) – Then conduct a product analysis, which includes assessing its features, quality, availability, the technology used, cost, and other components. This process is extensive but ensures whether the product is market-ready and whether it is checked the right boxes that include QA, logistics, and sales.
- Customer Acceptance Analysis: The process through which it is assessed whether it is profitable to do business with a customer/vendor or not.
Is your product solving a problem?
What is a software product that doesn’t add value to the targeted audience’s lives? Make sure your idea is solving, if not all, then one of the major issue points of your potential consumers. Having a great idea of a product is great for the software startup success, but, it is even more ideal to have a product that solves one or more problems of the market.
Ask yourself, “Is this making customer’s life easier?”. If you are not satisfied with the answer, then go back and re-start until you have features/component(s) that add significant value.
Utilize the right tools
Since a startup usually consists of a small yet skilled team, you still may need additional resources to operate fully. Sticking with the subject of you not possessing the technical knowledge you cannot do everything on your own like marketing, testing, sales, etc. So, you would require the understanding of the right tools and outsource resources that either perform or help perform these duties without expanding the core team you can’t afford.
Here’s a list of helpful tools for the non-technical leaders of a technicnological world.
- Waydev: This is a cost-effective and simple to use tool, that allows you to keep track of your developers’ work without having to understand every line of code. The details are accessible through smartphones and tablets. The easy to understand details, enable you to see the roadblocks, progress, and other aspects of your on-going project.
- LinkedIn: A seasoned networking tool for professionals. You can use this to reach out to experts, advisors, and a potential member of your team. Since LinkedIn profiles are a window to an individual’s qualifications, skills, and experience –making this platform the best tool for seeking certain people for your software business.
- UpWork and Fiverr: The freelance galore. If you want resources for a limited period of time, these are the perfect marketplace for you. UpWork is best to find developers while Fiverr can provide some of the best talents for your website design, content marketing, social media marketing, and any other need.
Test, Iterate and Start Over If Needed
Not the final stage, but an important aspect when starting a software company. Testing your product is part of the development cycle, so we are sorted in that area. But, this is also the phase that will highlight weak areas that need to be worked on. There is a chance for the product to fail completely even. However, the trick is to never settle and keep working towards your vision.
Test, analyze, and iterate. This is the way to slowly yet steadily move closer to a complete product. Not everything needs to be incorporated in your product at once, but it should be workable solving one or more problems of the customers.
Remember, the road to success is never an easy path to tread on. Hence, as a leader, be ready to tackle problems and setbacks with your committed team behind you for support. Good Luck!
Author Bio:
Zubair Hassan is a digital enthusiast who loves to write on various trends, including Tech, Software Development, AI, and Personal Development. He is a passionate blogger and loves to read and write. He currently works at Custom Mobile app development companies that offers top-notch Mobile app development services to clients across the globe.
