There is no doubt that when it comes to starting a business, the modern entrepreneur enters into a different environment than their counterparts of 30 years ago.

Technology has changed the way that people create new companies, and for the most part, it’s a positive change.

So I thought we would take a look at some of the things that come into play when starting a business today.

Easy access to technology and tools

We live in a modern world - so all of this connectivity and integrated technology that we have available is ideally placed to help entrepreneurs start a business online. There are many different tools for startups and most are super easy to use.

Look for free trial offers to help with costs and sign up to those first, then get to know the tool before committing to a monthly paid for account. 

I recommend a number of tools to help grow your business during our coaching sessions that we have found incredibly useful over the years and now can't live without. 

You can get tools for making websites, acquiring resources, collaborating with people, and even making games out of a boring task.

These tools can accelerate the pace of your business growth and will help you leap-frog over the competition.  Make the most of these whilst you can.

The rise of the App

Apps make it so easy for businesses to connect with more customers or find simple resources that help with your endeavors.

Whether you want to make a mobile shopping app to appeal to as many customers as possible, or you feel like using apps to keep track of accounting or your list of tasks to do, the capability to work on the fly and reach out to your customers every waking hour, is now accessible for everyone who wants it.

Professional App development costs are reducing fast and DIY App creation platforms are now available for tech savvy entrepreneurs who want to get ahead.

Have you considered how an App could help you serve your customers better?  Can you provide a valuable resource to them?  Perhaps something practical like a gift finder, a barcode checker, or a parcel location tracker?   

Always keep customer service and usefulness as the top priorities during App scoping and development.  Don't be tempted to develop an App for your business just for the sake of it.  

Team working platforms

Imagine a platform where you can easily connect with colleagues and share tasks, resources and information no matter where you are in the world.

It’s all now possible thanks to modern technology and the cloud based systems we have at our disposal.

You can create a space where your workers can collect their tasks for the day, upload their work for you to access, or connect with customers, and it’s all easy to use and share.

GSuite - Google Apps for business and Microsoft 365 are popular tools for basic office programmes and team email - especially for startups with Google Apps offering a very affordable option per user (Currently approx. $5 a month).

In addition to this, we can video call each other wherever we are in the world and run live video streams into multi-location offices to help teams feel connected. 

Are you making the most of these cloud based tools to help you and your teams be more productive?  Now's the time to check.

Data storage

Resources like cloud sharing make it simple for people who need to be able to pass resources between each other seamlessly.

Dropbox delivers on file sharing and is particularly useful for product image heavy businesses, acting as a simple to use central repository or Product Information Management system (PIM).

Whichever cloud based data storage you go for to capture your reports, documents, files, customer information, business training materials  - it can all be easily accessed and used to provide a smooth customer experience.

It means that you no longer have to be in the same office as someone to coordinate effectively. Now that's true freedom and permission if ever it was needed, to get on and work from anywhere.

Knowledge banks

Storing your company knowledge in one central repository is now more crucial than ever. Savvy online business startups recognise this quickly and build up their systems and processes with this in mind. 

Companies can use a Knowledge Bank for storing the "single source of truth" for business critical information such as Product data sheets, standard designs and methodologies, client contact information and standard processes.

The software which stores information online means that you’re never without access to key details on policies or services. You can seamlessly provide customers with what they need and not have to worry about the lag that can come from hunting for a single file in a room of records.

Businesses everywhere have a plethora of different tools to utilise, and it makes it easy to get things done, help customers with more efficiency and enjoy a smoother operation of the organisation.

You don’t even have to worry about bringing massive boxes of files when you go out into the field - it’s all available online now and even better in most instances, direct to your smart phone.

Make It Happen In Your Business

 Overall, technology has changed the way that we start businesses and how we interact with people. It’s not tricky in modern society to connect with people in a new and exciting way. 

Getting the right technology platforms to underpin your business can be a game-changer for many and will be one of the first stages to tackle before you are ready for growth.  Check out our online courses and business training workshops to make sure you have the business skills you need to lead and run your business today.

Next Steps:

• Take some time to reflect on what technology platforms your business will need as you grow.  You must future-proof your business to ensure success as you scale up.
• Find tech solutions that answer the following questions: How will your teams communicate? How will your company product knowledge get stored? Where and how will standard processes be documented?
• Consider using online collaboration tools in your business such as Slack and Monday.com to help your teams stay connected and all your delegation in one place.