Technological Startup of the Company - how to prepare the company to operate in the online world?

Introduction - or where to start?

Imagine walking into an empty office. Clean walls, bright space, zero furniture and equipment. It's your first day at a new company. Do you feel excitement, or perhaps slight anxiety? Probably both. And so can the launch of your business in the online world - either full readiness or chaos that will cost you a lot of energy and money.

In more than a decade of working with entrepreneurs, I've noticed that the most common mistake is precisely the haphazard purchase of technology and marketing solutions, without a clearly defined plan. First a website - often too large for the needs of a new company, then the purchase of an expensive CRM system that lies unused.

I've created this article just for you to avoid these costly mistakes. I'll guide you step by step, starting with strategy, basic technology, to marketing and data security issues. From my experience - both as a programmer and as a tech company owner - I know that a smart tech startup is not always about big costs, but always about strategic thinking.

So let's start with the most important - strategy.

Strategy before technology - think before you click

When I started my first company, I was in a big hurry. Within a week I had my logo, website and even my first advertising campaign ready. Everything was beautiful, professional and... completely missed the customers who were really interested in my services. Why? Because I didn't ask myself one key question: "Who is my ideal client?".

Your business - whether it's a restaurant, a psychotherapy office or a handmade jewelry store - must have a clear vision of who it's targeting. If you skip this step, every subsequent activity, including site design or tool selection, will be wandering in the dark.

Define who your customer is (Ideal Customer)

It's not enough to say "everyone who likes good coffee" or "everyone who wants to feel better." Precision here saves money and time. Answer:

• Where does your customer live (locally or more broadly)?
• What needs, problems and dreams does he have?
• What communication channels does it use?

Only when you answer these questions does your strategy make sense.

Identify your action goals (Strategy)

What do you want to achieve to begin with - get your first 10 customers, build local recognition, or perhaps test your product in the market? How you plan your online presence depends on this.

If your goal is to get local customers quickly, your technology and marketing efforts will be different than if you are targeting a broader market.

A real-life example: one of my clients, the owner of a local flower shop, started with a large, expensive website. Only later did she realize that 90% of her customers were coming to her from Google Maps and Instagram. The costs incurred at the beginning were unnecessary; she could have started with a simpler solution and only expanded later.

This is why I say -Strategy first, then click on tools and technologies.

Digital foundations - the bare minimum to get started

Once a client came to me - a friendly, energetic entrepreneur. He already had business cards, printed materials and even a sizable Facebook fanpage. I asked about the website, and he showed me the website address, which ended in "gmail.com." Puzzled, I asked why he didn't use his own domain name. He replied that "it costs money, after all, and mail works." Unfortunately, many potential customers saw it the same way - a business with email on Gmail seemed less professional. This client quickly realized that some digital foundation was not an expense, but an investment in his image.

Domain and corporate e-mail address - the basis of professionalism

The first step you should take as soon as you define your strategy is to purchase a domain name. This is more than just a web address - it's your digital business card on which customers judge your business.

Choose a domain that:

• is easy to remember,
• Associate with your company,
• do not include complex characters (e.g., avoid hyphens if you can).

Along with the domain, buy email access on your own domain, such as.[email protected]. This builds credibility from the first contact.

Online work environment - put in order from day one

When you're starting out, the temptation to get everything done "fast" is great. However, imagine that in a few months you start getting lost in files, emails, memos and client contacts. It's a good idea to take care of the basic work environment from day one:

• Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 - You have access to documents from anywhere, professional email and collaboration tools.
• Cloud drive - Whether you choose Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, it's important that your company files are available when you need them.
• Communicator - Slack, Microsoft Teams or any other application that will organize your team and customer communications.

My first client I mentioned said something to me after implementing Google Workspace that I remember well: "If I had known it was all so easy, I would have done it right away."

Website - simplicity for starters

Too often, I see entrepreneurs invest thousands of dollars in elaborate startup websites when what they really need is a simple business card that includes:

• information about services or products,
• contact information,
• A brief history to inspire confidence,
• possibly a contact form.

In the beginning, speed and efficiency are more important than advanced technology. You can expand a simple website over time, but it's important that you have one at all - otherwise you lose customers who are just there looking for confirmation of your credibility.

Building an online presence - from website to Google profile

When I opened my own business, the first mistake I made was believing that customers would "somehow find me." After all, my services are great and the website looks good, right? Unfortunately, after a few months I had to admit that a great offer without proper visibility is a bit like a billboard on a dark side street - it seemingly exists, but no one sees it. That's when I realized that the key to success is not just to be on the Internet, but to be where your customers are actually looking for you.

Website - when is a business card enough?

When you start a business, you're often tempted to create an advanced website right away, with numerous tabs, a blog and complex forms. Just do your customers really need that? Early in my business journey, I met the owner of a renovation company who spent a year creating a huge website full of testimonials, photos of projects and tutorials. When he was done, he realized that his customers only wanted one thing anyway: to quickly find his phone number and check out some photos of the completion.

My advice? Start with a simple online business card if your services are clear and easy to describe. What needs to be on it?

• A brief description of your services or products.
• Photo gallery (if you have something to show).
• Contact information - visible immediately, without having to scroll the screen.
• Customer feedback, if you already have it - is the real "social proof of rightness."

Google Business Profile - free advertising from Google

Did you know that the first place where many customers look for information about a company is actually the Google profile? When you type, for example, "hairdresser Krakow" or "café in the center of Poznan" into a search engine, the first results you see are business cards of companies on Google maps.

Setting up a Google Business profile is one of the easiest, fastest, and completely free forms of advertising that make a real difference in your online visibility. What do you gain from such a profile?

• Local visibility - especially important for service businesses, restaurants, stationary stores.
• Ability to solicit customer feedback - Which automatically strengthens the credibility of your brand.
• Free business card for your company on Google Maps - That's where customers go when looking for you on mobile devices.

I vividly remember one of my first success stories: a small bakery whose owner created a simple Google profile. After two months, it turned out that more than half of the new customers found out about him just from the Google business card, thanks to positive reviews from other people and photos of baked goods.

Corporate identity - you only make a first impression once

Every detail of your online presence - colors, logos, fonts - affects how your brand is perceived. You don't need a perfect sign book at the start, but you do need to ensure a minimum of consistency. Why?

Imagine the situation: Your business card looks different from your website, on Facebook you have a completely different logo, and in e-mail you use yet another font. The customer sees the chaos and thinks: "Is this company definitely trustworthy?".

Take care of some basic elements:

• A clearly defined set of colors.
• Clear, simple logo.
• One or two consistent fonts used everywhere.

Later in this series, I'll show you how easy it is to create a consistent, visually pleasing brand - without big costs or complicated designs.

Tools to support sales and workflow

In the first years of running their own business, almost every entrepreneur thinks they can do without sales and workflow support tools. I also belonged to this group. I remember one day, shortly after setting up my business, I lost the contact information for a potential customer written on a loose piece of paper. The cost of that mistake? A potentially lost major contract. That's when I realized that order in a company is not a "nice extra," but a necessity, which is exactly what digital tools provide.

CRM - or how not to lose a customer

A CRM is a system that allows you to keep all your contact information, call history, meeting notes and even contracts with your customers in one place. In my experience, companies that use a CRM from the beginning grow faster. Why?

• You don't lose any inquiry - you have every customer request in one place.
• Know when to speak up again - The system reminds you to call or send an offer.
• You build stronger relationships - Because the customer feels taken care of.

To get started, simple and inexpensive solutions like HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM or Bitrix24, which offer basic functions completely free, will suffice.

Invoicing and payment - order from the first invoice

Nothing stresses a young entrepreneur more than the chaos of billing and invoicing. While working with a client, the owner of a renovation company, I noticed how cumbersome it is to manually issue invoices in Excel. One mistake can cost not only money, but also the client's trust.

Simple invoicing tools such as Fakturownia, wfirma or iFirma make:

• You issue invoices in a minute,
• you've got your paperwork in order,
• You can automatically send payment reminders to customers,
• You can easily control revenue.

Work organization - manage your time before time manages you

As your business grows, you will quickly notice that the number of tasks and meetings grows faster than your memory or paper calendar. I've learned firsthand that the simplest project or task management applications save dozens of hours a month.

For the organization of work at the beginning is enough:

• Trello - An intuitive, simple task board,
• Asana or ClickUp - If you prefer a more detailed organization of projects,
• Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook - For meeting and time management.

An example? At one company I worked with, the owner saved about 10 hours a week just by starting to use Trello. Instead of constant phone calls and emails, the entire team could see immediately who was responsible for what.

Ready-made solutions or dedicated software?

I always advise at the beginning to use ready-made, commercially available tools. First - they are cheap (or free), and second - they allow you to quickly see what works and what doesn't. Only when the company grows is it worth considering dedicated tailor-made solutions.

Digital security - not just for big companies

Once upon a time, when I started out as a freelancer, I used to think that data security was a problem for large corporations with something to lose. One day, however, a friend of mine, the owner of a small online store, called me. Hackers had taken over his store and demanded a ransom to restore access. Why exactly his store? Because he was an easy target - without adequate security. This made me realize that digital security is like locking the door overnight - everyone should use it, no matter how big their business is.

Secure passwords - simple principle, big effect

Start with the simplest things. Many entrepreneurs still use one password for multiple services - mail, company website, Facebook. That's also what the owner of that store I told you about earlier did. One data leak made everything accessible to hackers.

What can you do today?

• Usepassword manager (e.g. LastPass or 1Password) - the tool will remember and secure your passwords.
• Use strong, unique passwords for different services.
• Turn ontwo-factor authentication (2FA), especially for e-mail or social media.

Backup - or the peaceful sleep of a business owner

I admit that I also neglected backups in the beginning. It seemed to me that "nothing bad will happen". It happened - the computer's disk stopped working, and I lost several days of work on a large project. Today I know that regular backups are a mandatory part of any business, even a one-person one.

How do you protect yourself?

• Set up automatic backup of documents in the cloud (e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox).
• Make regular copies of important data, such as customer databases, invoices, accounting documents.
• Check that the backup actually works (once in a while, test restore the data).

Antivirus software and updates - minimal effort, big effect

Immediately after my first computer "problem," I quickly implemented simple procedures - regular operating system updates, a phishing-safe browser and a robust antivirus.

Why is this important?

• Updates fix security vulnerabilities through which attacks often occur.
• Antivirus will protect you from the most common threats - viruses, ransomware, malware.
• You protect not only your data, but also the data of customers who trust you.

Security policy - even the simplest one makes a difference

In the very first days of your company, prepare a short security policy - even on a single sheet of A4. Write down the policy in it:

• How to store passwords.
• How often to perform backups.
• What to do when someone leaves the company (change access immediately).

Just a few points are enough to avoid chaos and unpleasant situations.

Visibility and marketing - when is it a good idea to start promoting?

I remember my first months as an entrepreneur. I had a great offer, an attractive website and a lot of enthusiasm. But I was missing one key thing: customers. I wondered why the phone was silent when everything seemed perfect? The problem was precisely visibility. I realized then that even the best offer is worthless if customers don't know about it. That was the moment when I decided to actively pursue promotion - even with a limited budget.

SEO basics - get found on Google

Did you know that more than 90% of users do not go beyond the first page of search results? If your business isn't visible on Google, you're missing out on the chance to reach the hundreds of customers who type in search phrases related to your services every day.

The first steps of SEO for startups are simpler than you think:

• Choose the right key phrases - Consider what words a customer uses when they search for your services. Do a simple analysis (for example, using tools like Semrush or Google Keyword Planner).
• Complete the basic details of the site - That is, page titles (meta title), descriptions (meta description) and headings (H1, H2), using selected key phrases.
• Create a simple blog or guide - Even a few short articles can significantly increase your site's visibility in search engines.

One of my clients, the owner of a catering company, saw a 300 percent increase in website traffic after implementing simple SEO principles. And all it took was three properly optimized blog articles to do it.

Social media - don't wait until it's "perfect"

Many entrepreneurs I know wait to post on social media until they "have something to show." Unfortunately, this is the wrong approach. Your customers are already using social media, looking for companies like yours.

Why start right away?

• You're building a community - You communicate with your future customers from day one.
• You create trust and credibility - sharing knowledge, stories or even behind the scenes of their activities.
• You get the first feedback and reviews - Which attract more customers.

My advice? Don't wait for the perfect moment, because it doesn't exist. Post simple content on a regular basis - behind-the-scenes photos, customer reviews, stories from your business. People love authenticity, not perfection.

Online advertising - when is it worth investing the first pennies?

At the beginning of my business, I was against paid advertising. I believed that a company must first grow on its own to make the investment worthwhile. I was wrong. Even a small budget for Facebook Ads or Google Ads can significantly accelerate your startup and attract your first customers.

• Start with small amounts (e.g., a few hundred zlotys per month) to test your assumptions.
• Focus on the local market - local ads are cheaper and more effective.
• Monitor the results - check what works and what doesn't, and adjust the strategy.

Budget - what is necessary and what can be put aside?

When I started my first company, I quickly discovered how easy it is to spend money on things that seem important, but don't really change anything at the start. I recall how for the first few months I paid for expensive tools that I hardly used, and lacked money for key things - such as good hosting or basic advertising. My own business taught me that a smart technology budget is one that focuses on what is really essential.

What is worth spending money on at the very beginning?

At the start of a business, money is often the most valuable resource. In my experience, certain investments pay for themselves very quickly. Here's what to budget for right away:

• Domain and hosting - An essential tool for your online visibility. Invest in reliable hosting to avoid site availability issues.
• Company e-mail address - It's cheap, and it instantly builds your professional image.
• A simple online business card - You don't need to invest thousands of zlotys in an advanced site right away. A business card with basic information will suffice for a start.
• Basic work organization tools - CRM, invoicing, communication and task management tool.

What can you save money on in the beginning?

There are a few things that you can safely put off at the very beginning of running a business:

• Advanced systems - Often, free tools (e.g., CRM or task management software) will suffice at the start.
• Professional corporate identity - You don't need a very expensive logo at the start. You can start with a simple one and later invest in a professional rebranding.
• Expensive advertising campaigns - Before investing large amounts of money in advertising, test with a smaller budget which marketing channels yield the best results.

How do you plan your technology and marketing budget?

A simple rule of thumb works best - divide the budget into three basic categories:

• Foundations (about 50%) - Hosting, domain, basic work tools.
• Marketing (about 30%) - Small advertising campaigns, SEO, social media activities.
• Development (about 20%) - That is, things you want to test, but which are not necessary from day one (e.g., more advanced analytics, new tools).

I remember how one of my clients, the owner of a small training studio, used this simple budget model. It allowed him to avoid costs on tools he would never use, and invested wisely in local advertising, which quickly gave him his first clients.

An example from life - this is how company X took off

Early in my consulting career, one of my first clients said something that has forever stuck with me: "You can have great ideas, but without good implementation and technology, they are worthless." This principle was perfectly demonstrated by the case of Ania and Robert's company - owners of a small, family-owned coffee shop, which, thanks to a well-thought-out technology and marketing strategy, achieved success in the local market in a short period of time.

How did Anna and Robert get started?

When Anna and Robert first came to me, all they had was an idea and great enthusiasm. They knew they wanted to open a café, but they didn't know how to establish an online presence. They didn't have a big budget - but they were aware that in today's world "being online" is indispensable.

The steps of the technological startup of Ania and Robert's company:

1. Strategy and identification of the ideal customer
   We started by profiling our ideal clientele - residents of the surrounding neighborhoods who needed a cozy place where they could hang out, work on their computers or meet with friends.
2. Digital foundations
   The first step was to reserve a domain name and create a professional email address that immediately built their credibility ([email protected]).
3. Simple website
   Ania and Robert did not need an elaborate website. We built a simple, clear site - a business card, which immediately showed the opening hours, location and menu, and beautiful photos of the cafe.
4. Google Business and social media profile
   We started by setting up a Google Business profile. After just a few days, the first feedback from customers appeared. In addition, they regularly posted photos of the cafe's daily life on Instagram and Facebook - from baking cakes to the first guests.
5. Basic tools for organization
   To avoid chaos, we implemented simple tools - Google Calendar to manage bookings and Invoice Factory to issue sales documents. This was enough to effectively control the company without additional stress.
6. Security
   Regular document backups and basic security measures helped them avoid stressful situations that often happen to new entrepreneurs.
7. Budget and visibility
   The limited budget did not allow for large advertising campaigns, so we focused on small, local Google Ads and Facebook ads, which proved to be extremely effective.

The effects? More than they expected

After just two months of operation, Ania and Robert's cafe was already packed with customers - thanks in large part to a smart and thoughtful online presence. Reviews on Google and photos on Instagram attracted new visitors, while a simple online business card and a clear Google profile helped customers reach them quickly and seamlessly.

Ania told me then:

"Without this arrangement at the beginning, we would probably have continued to sit at empty tables, waiting for someone to find us."

Remember - strategy and technology don't have to be expensive or complicated, but they should always be thought out and implemented head-on.

Bottom line - a technology startup doesn't have to be difficult!

Starting your own business is one of the most exciting decisions you will make in your life. I know very well that the beginnings can be difficult - I have experienced it myself. But today I am sure that the success of your business depends not on the amount of money you spend, but on how wisely you invest it at the start.

Remember to define your strategy first - know who you are targeting and what goals you want to achieve. Focus on a solid digital foundation: a domain, a company email and a simple website are the bare minimum. Ensure online visibility through the right marketing tools - a Google profile, basic SEO and social media activity. Don't forget basic task management, CRM and invoicing tools, and secure your data from day one.

If you start with these few simple steps, you stand a good chance of avoiding stress and unnecessary costs at the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey.