Scaling a Start-Up Checklist

Identify goals and objectives

• Franchise?

• Sell? If so, for how much? Back everything you do into this number.

• National Expansion? Global expansion?

Create your business model

• What type of hierarchy and employee structure will you use?

• Choose a system to operate from – (ex: Monday.com, Wrike, Zoho Projects)

• Choose a customer relationship manager (CRM)

• Create a standard operating procedure (SOP)

• Meet with SBDC or an elite strategist/business consultant to help build this out with you

Look at your Margins

• What does it cost to produce what you’re selling?

• How many team members do you need to produce?

• What’s the total overhead?

• Hire an accountant to clarify your actual margins per project month over month project by project

• Look at pricing

How will you grow?

• Marketing

• Sales

• Digital advertising

• Public relations

• Influencer marketing

• Business development

• Acquisitions

• Meet with The Edge Agency to give direction on best ROI areas

Develop a marketing/expansion strategy

• Strong brand

• Strong messaging

• Strong website

• Brand awareness campaign (time it can take to see results)

• Digital ads (lead generation/brand awareness)

• Once you have a baseline in sales coming in, add layers

Money, Money, Money – Budget

• How much are you prepared to invest?

• Where will the money come from? Cash, selling assets, loans, etc.?

• Line of credit

• Build reserves

Replicate it.

• Once you become profitable, it’s time to scale

• Add more layers as you grow, and as budget allows

• Reinvest into your business

• Share the vision. PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH, we know…it’s hard.

Next right thing: Call The Edge Agency for a discovery call to see where you’re at in the process and how we can get you one step closer to reaching your goals.