1. Watch the cash! Obviously, for a start-up, this goes well beyond spending money on technology, but it’s important to keep it in mind when choosing software. Where possible, invest in systems that allow you to pay monthly with no tie-in.  Even if you feel that your business requires something more bespoke and specific in the medium term, selecting Pay-As-You-Go systems initially can pay dividends.  Initial use of a Pay-As-You-Go system will allow you to test your requirements and then purchase a more bespoke solution from a more informed position. Consider things like dedicated or hosted servers, and shared environments, so that you are not spending money on in-house servers and so on.  Rarely are these necessary nowadays, and in fact they can limit your flexibility.  The online environments are usually available for a monthly fee as well, and this helps cash flow as well as limiting risk. If your requirements change, or if the business fails, you are faced with a relatively small … [Read more...]