Start-up compass
Guidance for founders and new business owners
Do you have a brilliant business idea but still need support in preparing your business model, setting up your company or commencing operations?
The path to self-employment is challenging – but you don't have to walk it alone. With our many years of experience, we'll accompany you every step of the way.
From the initial idea to the payment of salaries, our start-up compass will guide you through all the key stages of setting up your business.
1. Developing the business idea
Before you begin the process of founding a company, you need a good business idea. But that's not all. You need to be clear about who you want to target with your product or service, how you'll reach your target group, and how you can ultimately monetise your business idea.
Our Value Proposition Canvas will give you an initial overview of your business idea.
2. Preparing the business model
Starting a company requires more than just a compelling business idea. As a founder, you need to have a plan for how your business idea will work and how you'll use it to generate a profit. In other words, you need a business model.
Developing a business model – for example, as part of a business plan – is an important and useful way to examine the business venture in detail. The goal is to describe the details of the business concept, target group, market, strategy and financing.
Our Business Model Canvas shows you how to turn your business idea into a fully fledged business plan.
3. Founding the company
Before founding the company, you need to decide on a legal form. This is a complex matter because the choice you make affects not only liability, but also insurance cover and taxes.
4. Planning business operations
Administrative duties and tasks also begin once a company is launched. This includes staff and resource planning as well as taking out the necessary insurance policies. Accounting and robust liquidity planning are also key.
5. Commencing operations
As soon as the company starts operating, business owners need a realistic picture of the potential risks for their business. Carrying out a comprehensive risk analysis is worthwhile.
6. Starting salary payments
A company that wants to survive in the long term must continuously improve its processes. Where can you become more efficient, and what unnecessary costs can you eliminate?
Salary payments offer many opportunities for optimisation. However, there are a few things to bear in mind. The social security agencies and tax authorities check, for example, whether the declared salary is customary for the industry. So you have no room for manoeuvre here.