Expert Advice

Serial entrepreneur and Startups.com Founder and CEO, Wil Schroter walks you through 10 steps for starting a startup, and explains why it isn't just about opening your doors or launching a website.

An introductory guide to explain what a business plan is, why you need it (and how it helps), key components, how long it should be, how to write it, who needs to see it, and much more.

How to say "No" to the wrong things so you can say "YES!" to the right thing.

Many marketing efforts focus too heavily on creating a “wow” factor. Even if your team can crank out dozens of flashy campaigns, they mean nothing if they don’t promote effective customer engagement.

Here's a list of some of the industry's most highly-rated crowdfunding experts and consultants. Their years of hard-won expertise can help you determine if crowdfunding is right for your business, as well as how to increase the odds of getting funded.

Buyer personas make your marketing more effective — and save you from making costly mistakes. Here's how you can build them the right way.

A term sheet is the first formal (but non-binding) document between a startup founder and an investor, and lays out the terms for investment. We take a look at the key characteristics of a good term sheet, as well as some elements every founder should be sure to avoid.

Customer stories are powerful. Startups are smart to take advantage of their ability to create the truly inspiring customer experiences that are the foundation of persuasive case studies.

The three primary types of crowdfunding are donation-based, rewards-based, and equity crowdfunding. We discuss the nuances of each crowdfunding method so you can choose which one is best for your fundraise.