Introduction
Part three of the Founder's Playbook covers four interconnected areas that determine whether your startup moves from idea to traction: content creation and positioning, validating and documenting your business model, structuring equity fairly among founders and early employees, and the foundational task of finding co-founders and mentors who align with your vision.
The content cluster addresses how to build narrative and assets that communicate your idea clearly. Your business name, problem statement, and content strategy are the scaffolding around which customers and investors understand what you do. This includes tactical questions about waitlists, landing pages, and citation-worthy content that actually converts.
The business model cluster focuses on translating your idea into a system that generates revenue sustainably. A business model is not a beautiful canvas on your wall; it is the mechanics of how you make money, retain customers, and scale without burning cash. These answers guide you through documenting, testing, and refining your model.
The equity cluster addresses one of the most fraught questions in startup formation: how to divide ownership fairly among founders, early team members, and advisors. Founder disputes over equity are a leading cause of startup failure. This section provides frameworks that align incentives and create clarity.
The final cluster covers discovery: finding co-founders with complementary skills, locating mentors who have navigated your specific challenge, and generating genuine business ideas rooted in real problems rather than what happened to trend on Product Hunt this week.
Check out the Complete "How to" Series:
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 1: Startup Strategy, Funding and Business Fundamentals
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 2: SEO, Naming, and Competitive Analysis
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 3: Content, Business Models, and Growth
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 4: Finding Customers, Funding, and Keywords
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 5: Backlinks, Funding, Growth, and AI Visibility
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 6: Launching, Naming, Tools, and Fundraising
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 7: Costs, Funding, Naming, and Starting Up
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 8: Tech Startups, Tools, AI, and Keyword Research
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 9: SEO Tools, Schema Markup, and AI Optimization
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 10: 2026 Trends, AI, and Future Opportunities
How to Create a Name for a Business
Brainstorm 100 candidates without filtering, then grade each against these criteria: memorable, relevant, domain available, trademark clear, unique relative to competitors. Test your top five choices with 20 target customers and pick the name that generates the strongest emotional response.
How to Create a Newsletter Template
Design a consistent structure: header with logo and send frequency, featured article or insight, three to five curated links with brief descriptions, call to action or resource, and footer with unsubscribe. Use a tool like Substack or Beehiiv that handles template formatting automatically.
How to Create a Pie Chart
In spreadsheet tools like Google Sheets or Excel, enter your data in two columns with labels and values, then highlight the data, click Insert Chart, select Pie Chart type, and customize colors and labels. For Coda, use the built-in chart component and connect it to your table data.
How to Create a Problem Statement
Describe the specific problem in concrete terms, quantify how many people have it and how often it occurs, explain the consequences of not solving it, and distinguish your perspective from how competitors frame the same problem. A strong problem statement makes the solution feel inevitable.
How to Create a Search Marketing Moat for Startups
Build proprietary keyword data and content that competitors cannot replicate by targeting niche keywords early, creating link-worthy original research specific to your industry, and earning mentions and citations that build topical authority. Focus on keywords and topics competitors ignore because they are chasing higher volume terms.
How to Create a Search Marketing Moat to Protect Your Startup
Develop unique content that becomes the definitive resource in your narrow niche, build backlinks from authority sites through guest posting and earned media, and establish yourself as a quoted expert in search results. Competitors cannot copy your network and authority quickly.
How to Create a Waitlist
Build a simple landing page with headline, value proposition, and email signup form, promote it through your founder network and relevant communities, and share updates with subscribers about launch timeline and early access opportunities. Use tools like Waitlist or Typeform to manage subscriber data.
How to Create a Waitlist Landing Page
Use a landing page builder like Webflow or Carrd, write a compelling headline and subheading, explain what people get for joining the waitlist, add a clear email signup form, and include social proof such as number of waitlist signups or testimonials. Test headlines and value props with small paid ads before launching.
How to Create a Web App With Hostinger Horizons
Log into Hostinger, select Horizons or their website builder, choose a template relevant to your app category, customize design and text, add signup forms or interactive elements, and publish your site. Horizons is suitable for landing pages and simple web presence, not complex app functionality.
How to Create a Web App With With Hostinger Horizons
Same process as above: Horizons is a website builder, not an app development platform, so it works well for marketing sites and landing pages. For actual web app functionality, use Bubble, Webflow, or deploy custom code to a server.
How to Create Account in Ahrefs
Visit Ahrefs.com, click Sign Up, enter email and password, verify your email address, then add your first domain or site. Ahrefs will begin crawling your domain and you can access keyword research and competitor analysis tools immediately after account creation.
How to Create an SEO Plan Moz
In Moz, navigate to Rank Tracker and create a new campaign with your domain and target keywords, set up competitor tracking to see how you compare, then use the recommended keywords from Keyword Explorer to identify quick win opportunities. Build an action plan around keywords in positions 5 to 20 where you can outrank competitors.
How to Create Backlinks for My Website Free
Write genuinely useful content such as guides or original research, then reach out to relevant websites and communities where that content adds value, participate in expert roundups and guest posting, and respond to mentions of your brand with links to related resources. Free backlinks come from generosity and relationships, not transactions.
How to Create Backlinks Manually
Identify websites or pages that already link to similar content, pitch why your improved or more specific content deserves a link, add your link to resource lists or directory sites where it fits naturally, and contribute guest posts on relevant blogs. Each backlink requires personalized outreach and genuine value alignment.
How to Create Backlinks to Your Site for Free
Target low competition opportunities: broken link building where you find dead links and pitch your content as a replacement, resource pages where your content is more up to date than existing links, and communities like Reddit or Hacker News where discussions naturally surface your content. Focus on relevance over volume.
How to Create Business Model
Document customer segments, value proposition, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, key partnerships, and cost structure on a single page or canvas. Test each element against customer feedback and update your model based on evidence rather than assumptions.
How to Create Business Model Canvas
Use the official Business Model Canvas template with nine boxes or download a template from businessmodelgeneration.com, fill in each section based on your current assumptions, then share with advisors and mentors for feedback. Treat it as a living document you update quarterly as you learn from customers.
How to Create Business Model Canvas in Canva
Open Canva, search for Business Model Canvas template, select a template you like, then customize each section with your information. Save and download the completed canvas as a PDF to share with your team and advisors.
How to Create Business Name
Brainstorm 50 to 100 candidate names, filter based on availability and relevance, test finalists with potential customers, and verify domain and trademark availability. Take at least one week to sit with your top choice before announcing it publicly.
How to Create Citation Worthy Content for ChatGPT US Market
Write content that answers specific questions with data, original research, or frameworks that ChatGPT users will see cited, focus on evergreen topics in your category that AI models will cite frequently, and structure content clearly with headers and takeaways so it is easy for language models to extract and reference. Include author information so you get credit.
How to Create Company Name
Follow a structured naming process: brainstorm in thematic clusters such as founder names, descriptive names, and aspirational names, narrow to finalists based on domain and trademark availability, test with customers, and verify brand recognition potential. Document why you chose your name so you can explain it authentically.
How to Create Document Links Between Coda and Google Docs
In Coda, use the Embed component to paste a Google Docs URL directly into your Coda doc, or create a Coda button that links to specific Google Docs. Go the other direction by adding a Coda link to your Google Doc via a standard hyperlink.
How to Create Free Ahrefs Account
Ahrefs does not offer a free account, but you can use their free SEO tools like Site Explorer free version or Keyword Explorer free trial. For full functionality, use a free tier from alternatives like Ubersuggest or Semrush free version while evaluating if paid Ahrefs subscription is worth it for your startup.
How to Create Gender Equality in the Workplace
Set transparent salary bands and conduct regular pay equity audits, establish blind resume review for hiring, create mentorship and sponsorship programs for underrepresented groups, and ensure diverse representation on hiring committees. Measure and report progress publicly to create accountability.
How to Create Name for Business
Brainstorm names that describe your business, test pronunciation with people from different language backgrounds, check domain availability and trademark status, and validate that customers understand what your business does from the name alone. Avoid inside jokes that will confuse prospects.
How to Create Pie Charts in Coda
In Coda, add a chart component to your doc, connect it to a table with labels and values, select Pie Chart from the chart type options, and customize colors and labels. Coda handles the visualization automatically.
How to Create Problem Statement
Write a one sentence description of the problem, quantify how many people experience it, explain the current workaround or consequences, and frame why your angle or solution is different. A strong problem statement makes investors nod immediately because they already know the problem is real and expensive.
How to Create SOPs for Sales Funnel Optimization
Document each step of your sales process from lead capture through conversion, identify metrics you track at each stage, define what success looks like at each step, and create checklists for your sales team. Update SOPs quarterly based on what is working and what is failing.
How to Create Statement of the Problem
Identify the core problem your business solves, explain who is affected and how often the problem occurs, quantify the impact if unsolved, and distinguish your problem statement from how competitors frame the same issue. Clarity on the problem is prerequisite for clarity on your solution.
How to Create Your Business Name
Think about the market you serve and the problem you solve, then brainstorm names that communicate at least one of those clearly, test candidates with target customers, and verify availability before committing. The best names feel inevitable in retrospect but usually require deliberate brainstorming.
How to Create Your First Coda Doc
Visit Coda.io, sign up with email or Google account, click Create New Doc, choose a template or start blank, then begin building. Coda guides you through basic structures like tables, timelines, and forms; explore templates first to see what is possible.
How to Decide on a Business Name
Set criteria for evaluation: memorability, relevance, domain availability, trademark clearance, emotional resonance, and longevity. Rate your top five candidates against these criteria and pick the name that scores highest across the board rather than your personal favorite.
How to Define Problem Solution Fit
Interview 20 target customers about their current solution or workaround, ask what is broken or frustrating about the status quo, present your solution and measure genuine interest measured by willingness to commit time or money, and iterate based on feedback. Problem-solution fit is proven by customer behavior, not enthusiasm.
How to Describe a Business Model
Explain how you acquire customers, what you charge them, what your unit economics are, and what margins you achieve. A good business model description is clear enough that someone unfamiliar with your business understands how you make money.
How to Describe Business Model
Start with customer segments and their jobs to be done, describe your value proposition for each segment, explain pricing and how often customers repurchase, and clarify what costs you incur to serve them. End with a simple statement of unit economics: customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, and payback period.
How to Design a Business Model
Start with a hypothesis based on customer research, document all nine elements of the business model canvas, then test each assumption through customer conversations and pilots. Refine the model based on evidence and iterate until you find combinations of elements that work together.
How to Determine Search Volume for Keywords
Use Google Keyword Planner for free search volume estimates, then cross reference with Ahrefs or Semrush for more granular data. Treat volumes as estimates for relative comparison between keywords rather than absolute numbers.
How to Determine Traffic Value on Semrush
In Semrush, enter a domain in Domain Overview, view organic traffic estimate, click into individual keywords to see estimated traffic value per keyword, and cross reference with your own Google Analytics to calibrate the estimates. Semrush estimates are typically within 20 to 30 percent of actual traffic for established sites.
How to Develop a Business Idea
Start with problems you personally experience or see in your network, interview 20 people who have that problem, validate that they would pay money to solve it, and only then invest in building a solution. The best business ideas come from lived experience of the problem.
How to Develop a Startup Idea
Identify an industry you understand, talk to practitioners about their biggest frustrations, look for solutions that do not exist or work poorly, and validate willingness to pay. Talk to customers before building to avoid wasting time on solutions people do not want.
How to Develop Business Ideas
Explore adjacent industries to your expertise, interview people in those industries about unsolved problems, research whether someone is already solving each problem, and assess market size for problems that seem underserved. The best business ideas come from curiosity about industries adjacent to your experience.
How to Distribute Equity in a Startup
Allocate based on contributions so far and expected contributions going forward, document vesting schedules so team members earn equity over four years, reserve 10 to 20 percent for an employee option pool, and keep founder equity high enough to stay motivated through valleys. Clear documentation prevents disputes later.
How to Divide Equity
Start with founder equity allocated based on time invested, role, and risk taken, then add 10 to 20 percent for employee option pool, give advisors 0.25 to 1 percent, and ensure all allocations are documented and vested. Most founder disputes come from undocumented equity assumptions.
How to Divide Equity Among Founders in a Startup Company
Allocate based on current contributions and expected future time commitment, document that one founder leaving does not trigger equity clawback unless they leave before vesting completes, and conduct equity reviews annually to adjust if roles change significantly. Equal splits are simple but rarely fair.
How to Divide Equity Among Partners in a Startup
Identify each co-founder's expertise, time invested before and after launch, and capital contributed, then allocate equity to reflect those inputs. Document clearly and use vesting so equity reflects actual commitment over time.
How to Divide Equity Among Startup Founders
Allocate roughly equal equity if founders are equally committed, with minor adjustments for one bringing IP or capital. Use four year vesting so equity tracks actual execution, not just initial enthusiasm.
How to Divide Equity in a Startup
Consider time invested to date, skills and expertise brought, capital or resources contributed, and expected future commitment. Use vesting so equity rewards founders who stay and execute, not those who leave.
How to Divide Equity Startup
Most bootstrapped startups use equal or near equal splits with four year vesting, giving advisors small percentages like 0.5 percent, and reserving employee equity pool. Document all allocations and vesting schedules in writing to prevent disputes.
How to Divide Equity to Startup Founders
Equal splits work if founders have equal commitment and expertise. If expertise or time varies significantly, adjust allocations by 5 to 10 percent but avoid creating resentment through micro-differentiation. Vesting is more important than the initial percentage.
How to Divide Equity to Startup Founders Advisors and Employees
Founders get majority equity (60 to 80 percent total), 10 to 20 percent goes to an employee pool for hiring, advisors get 0.25 to 1 percent if truly valuable, and early employees get 0.1 to 1 percent based on role. Ensure vesting aligns incentives over time.
How to Divide Shares in a Startup
Follow a transparent process: founders allocate based on contributions, get fairness feedback from advisors, set up vesting so shares reflect actual execution, and document everything in writing. Undocumented equity is a leading cause of founder disputes.
How to Divide Up Equity in Startup
Allocate 60 to 80 percent to founders, 10 to 20 percent to an employee pool, and small percentages to advisors and early employees. Vet your allocations against other startup equity data to ensure you are in reasonable ranges.
How to Do a Business Model
Document each element of how you create, deliver, and capture value: customer segments, value proposition, channels, customer relationships, revenue model, key resources, key activities, key partnerships, and cost structure. Validate each piece through customer conversations.
How to Do a Small Audit With Ahrefs
Enter your domain in Site Explorer, review the summary dashboard for backlinks and traffic estimate, click into the Organic Keywords report to see which keywords drive traffic, and identify top performing content. This gives a quick snapshot of your strongest areas and opportunities.
How to Do a Startup
Identify a problem, validate that customers will pay to solve it, build a minimum viable product, sell to early customers, and iterate based on feedback. Focus on traction and learning, not perfection.
How to Do Backlinks for Free
Create genuinely valuable content that people want to reference, identify websites where your content fits naturally and adds value, reach out with personalized pitches that explain the benefit to their audience, and build relationships with publishers so linking becomes second nature. Free backlinks require generous contribution without expectation of immediate return.
How to Do Batch Search of Keyword Volume in Ahrefs
In Ahrefs Keyword Explorer, click Upload Keywords and paste or upload a list of keywords, then run the batch check. Ahrefs will show search volume, difficulty, and other metrics for all keywords at once.
How to Do Competitive Analysis for a Small Business
Identify your three main competitors, visit their websites and social profiles weekly to track messaging and positioning changes, use Semrush or Ahrefs free trial to see which keywords drive their traffic, and identify which channels they are investing in. Do not copy them; instead identify gaps where you can differentiate.
How to Do Competitor Keyword Analysis
Enter a competitor domain into Ahrefs or Semrush, review the keywords they rank for, note which keywords they appear in positions one to three, identify keywords where they are weak or rank outside top ten, and build content strategy around keywords where you can beat them.
How to Do Competitor Keyword Research on Ahrefs
In Ahrefs, navigate to Site Explorer, enter competitor domain, go to Organic Keywords report, sort by traffic, and review their top performing keywords. Filter by keyword difficulty to find easier keywords where you might outrank them faster.
How to Do Keyword Analysis for SEO
Identify your target keywords, analyze their search volume and difficulty, review the top ten ranking results to understand what Google considers relevant, and identify content gaps where you can provide better answers. Organize keywords into clusters around topical themes.
How to Do Keyword Analysis in SEO
Group related keywords into clusters based on search intent and topic, analyze the top ranking pages for each cluster, and identify what makes those pages rank well. Build content strategy that targets entire clusters rather than individual keywords.
How to Do Keyword Competition Analysis
Enter a keyword into Semrush or Ahrefs, review keyword difficulty score, examine top ranking domains for authority, assess content depth and freshness, and count backlinks on ranking pages. Combine quantitative score with qualitative judgment of whether you can outrank them.
How to Do Keyword Research Ahrefs
Go to Keyword Explorer in Ahrefs, search your seed keyword, review metrics like volume and difficulty, explore Parent Topic to understand related keywords, and use the Keyword Ideas section to find variations. Click into top ranking pages to understand what content ranks.
How to Do Keyword Research for Blog Topic With Ahrefs
Enter your blog topic into Ahrefs Keyword Explorer, review keyword ideas ranked by traffic potential, filter by difficulty to find approachable targets, and click into top ranking pages to understand how to structure your content. Organize keywords by search intent: informational, commercial, transactional.
How to Do Keyword Research for Free on YouTube
Use YouTube autocomplete to find keyword variations people search, look at top ranking videos and note their keywords and tags, check YouTube analytics on your own channel to see which queries bring traffic, and use Google Trends to understand keyword seasonality. Free research limits your depth compared to paid tools but works for starting out.
How to Do Keyword Research in Ahrefs
Use Keyword Explorer to find keywords related to your core topic, analyze search volume and difficulty, review top ranking pages to understand content gaps, and identify low difficulty keywords where you can rank quickly. Export keyword lists to build your content strategy.
How to Do Keyword Research in Moz
In Moz Keyword Explorer, enter your seed keyword, review metrics like monthly volume and priority score, explore keyword ideas ranked by opportunity, and click into rankings to see top competitors. Use the Priority column to identify quick win keywords where you can rank with less effort.
How to Do Keyword Research on Ahrefs
Search your topic in Ahrefs Keyword Explorer, review the overview showing volume, difficulty, and estimated traffic, analyze the top ten results to understand content requirements, and use related keywords and parent topic sections to find additional targets. Build a keyword list organized by cluster and difficulty.
How to Do Keyword Research With Ahrefs
Combine multiple Ahrefs reports: start with Keyword Explorer for volume and difficulty, use Site Explorer to analyze top ranking sites, check Backlink data to understand link requirements, and reference Content Gap reports to find keywords you are missing that competitors rank for. Layer multiple data sources for comprehensive strategy.
How to Do LSI With Semrush
Enter your target keyword into Semrush, go to the Keyword Overview report, and review the Keyword Variations section which shows semantic variations and long tail keywords Google associates with your main term. Use these variations naturally throughout your content.
How to Do Market Validation
Identify your target customer, conduct 20 to 30 interviews asking about their problem and willingness to pay, build a simple landing page with basic pitch and email signup, and measure email signup rates and inbound inquiry volume. Validation is proven by customer behavior, not enthusiasm.
How to Dominate a Market
Pick a narrow beachhead market where you can achieve 20 to 30 percent market share within two to three years, build a product that solves the core problem better than alternatives, establish yourself as the category leader through thought leadership and community, and expand to adjacent markets only after dominating your initial niche.
How to Earn Money Online Without Investment
Sell your expertise as a freelancer or consultant using your existing skills, create digital products like templates or courses using tools you already have, earn affiliate commissions by recommending products, or build an audience and monetize through sponsorships. Start with services to fund product development.
How to Edit Competitors on Moz Pro
Open Rank Tracker in Moz Pro, go to campaign settings, navigate to competitor management, remove old competitor URLs by clicking delete, add new competitor domains you want to track, and save changes. Your rank reports will now compare against the new competitors.
How to Effectively Generate Good Business Ideas for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Start in industries you already understand, interview people in those industries about unsolved problems, research whether someone is already solving those problems at scale, and validate willingness to pay before investing in product development. The best ideas come from lived experience of problems.
How to Ensure Gender Equality
Track diversity metrics across hiring, promotion, and compensation, set targets for representation at each level, conduct regular pay audits and adjust salaries to eliminate gaps, and create accountability for leaders who are responsible for diversity outcomes. Measure and report progress publicly.
How to Erase Text in Canva
Select the text element you want to delete, press Delete or Backspace, or click the text element and clear the text from the input field. For grouped elements, ungroup first before deleting individual text layers.
How to Expand a Tech Startup From Europe to the US
Identify which US market verticals offer the highest demand for your solution, hire or partner with someone who understands US sales and compliance, research visa and work permit requirements for your team, and consider starting with East Coast presence before expanding nationwide. US market dynamics differ significantly from Europe, especially around sales cycles and customer expectations.
How to Expand Customer Base
Identify 20 percent of your existing customers who generate 80 percent of revenue, interview them about where they discovered you and why they chose you, replicate those channels for acquisition, and create referral incentives that encourage existing customers to introduce you to similar prospects. Growth compounds through understanding what already works.
How to Expand Your Customer Base
Analyze your best customers for common characteristics, then target similar companies in your outreach, optimize your sales process for speed by removing friction, ask customers for introductions to companies like them, and create valuable content that attracts your ideal customer profile. Expansion comes from serving existing customers better and targeting ideal versions of them.
How to Extract Long Tail Keyword From Ahrefs
In Ahrefs Keyword Explorer, filter by search volume to find keywords with 10 to 100 monthly searches, review these lower volume keywords as they often have high intent, and cluster them into topic groups around broader head keywords. Long tail keywords convert better and rank faster than broad terms.
How to Fill a Business Model Canvas
Start with customer segments, then document their jobs to be done and pain points, fill in your value proposition and how you address those pain points, describe how you reach customers and build relationships, document revenue model and cost structure, and identify key activities and resources you need. Do not fill all boxes simultaneously; build from customer understanding outward.
How to Fill Business Model Canvas
Work section by section, starting with customer and value proposition since everything else flows from understanding who you serve. Update the canvas as you learn from customers; view it as a working document, not a final deliverable.
How to Fill Out a Business Model Canvas
Start in the customer section with who you serve and their needs, move to value proposition with your solution, then add channels and revenue model, document key activities and resources, identify partnerships and costs, and finally articulate your key metrics. Iterate as you talk to customers.
How to Fill Out Business Model Canvas
Begin by identifying customer segments and their primary pain points, then describe how your value proposition addresses those pain points, add channels for reaching customers, pricing model, key resources and activities you need, critical partnerships, and cost structure. The canvas is a conversation starter, not a final strategy.
How to Finance a Business Start Up
Use your personal savings to maintain founder control, presell your product to generate early revenue, apply for grants in your sector or location, pitch to angel investors once you have traction, and consider debt financing only once you have predictable revenue. Avoid venture capital unless you are pursuing a market large enough to require significant capital.
How to Find a Business Idea
Spend a week documenting all frustrations you experience at work or in daily life, interview people in industries you find interesting about their biggest workflow challenges, research companies raising capital in those industries to validate market interest, and pitch your emerging idea to 10 people to get honest feedback. Ideas usually come from noticing patterns others missed.
How to Find a CEO for Your Startup
Define the specific experience and network required for your stage and market, interview candidates about their track record in that specific domain, reference check with people who worked for them, and prioritize founder fit and shared vision over impressive resume. Hiring a CEO is the most important hire you make.
How to Find a Cofounder
Network actively in startup communities related to your problem space, articulate clearly what skills you bring and what skills you need, take time to work on small projects together before committing to equity split, and ensure alignment on vision and work style before formalizing a partnership. Co-founder relationships are more important than romantic partnerships for startup success.
How to Find a Good Business Name
Brainstorm 100 names without filtering, test top candidates with target customers, verify domain and trademark availability, ensure the name communicates your business without explanation, and sleep on your choice for a week before committing. Avoid names that will feel dated or confusing in five years.
How to Find a Mentor for Your Startup
Identify successful founders or operators in your space or adjacent spaces, research their background and network, reach out with a specific request for 20 minutes of their time to discuss a specific challenge, and offer something of value in return such as customer feedback or help with their network. Mentorship is built through consistent small interactions over time.
How to Find a Problem to Solve
Document frustrations you experience weekly in work or daily life, interview people with similar frustrations about how they currently handle the problem, measure willingness to pay through pilot offers, and only pursue problems where multiple people admit they would pay money to solve them. Real problems come from lived experience.
How to Find a Problem to Solve Startup
Spend time in one industry observing how people work, interview practitioners about frustrations and workarounds, note problems you notice that practitioners have accepted, and validate whether they are willing to pay for solutions. The best startup problems are ones practitioners no longer realize are problems because they are so used to workarounds.
How to Find Affordable Virtual Assistant Services
Use platforms like Upwork or Freelancer and hire by project to test fit before committing, seek recommendations from other founders in your network, verify experience with tasks specific to your business, and start with five hours per week to validate quality before scaling. Cost varies from 5 dollars to 30 dollars per hour depending on location and skill.
How to Find an Angel Investor
Join founder networks and angel groups in your region, attend demo days and pitch competitions, ask successful founders for introductions to their angels, and research angels who invest in your sector on Crunchbase. Warm introductions convert at 10 times the rate of cold emails.
How to Find Backlink Gap
In Ahrefs, use the Content Gap report to compare your domain against top ranking competitors, identifying keywords they rank for that you do not. Analyze the backlinks on their ranking pages to understand which types of sites link to that content, then pursue similar links.
How to Find Business Ideas
Identify an industry you understand deeply, interview people in that industry about their biggest headaches, and look for solutions that do not exist or exist poorly. The best business ideas solve problems you have personally experienced.
How to Find Competitors Keywords Free Google
Use Google autocomplete to see keyword variations people search for in your space, analyze competitor meta descriptions and titles for keywords they target, check Google Ads keyword recommendations for your industry, and use Google Trends to identify rising or seasonal keywords. Free methods are limited compared to paid tools but work for starting out.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
Violetta likes to write about Startup News in Europe, Best startups of the year, Latest Startup News, Building your first startup, Startup News for Female Founders in Europe, News for Female Entrepreneurs and Engineering News
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
