I just launched my Marketing Consulting firm. Does that make me a Startup?
Recently, I officially launched my new marketing consulting business as a fractional CMO and turned the virtual lights on when my domain went live. Like most new business owners, I raced to launch a website because… well… if you don’t have one, you don’t exist… right? So, does launching a new business with a shiny new home page make me a startup?
I’ve definitely seen startups. And in my new business model, I expect to be working with more than a few. In my career, I’ve worked with a number of startups. I’ve helped corporations - large and small - launch products in “startup” mode. I’ve helped business owners build startup companies… and I’ve built my own. In the early 2000s, I started my own web design and development firm, created a SaaS product with monthly recurring revenue (MRR), bootstrapped it from the ground up, ran it 12 years, and ultimately sold it.
So, on week one of the life of my new company, here I am at the beginning again. Does that make me a startup?
Definitions of a Startup
Startup.com has a great article with 22 (!) definitions of a startup. I loved them all. If you’re a business owner with a new product or service to launch, you should definitely take a look. Here are my top 3 favorites from that article.
Favorite Definition #1: A startup is… starting from scratch.
From Geoff Roberts, Co-Founder of Outseta: “A startup is any business venture that’s starting from scratch and trying to build something of value — when I say ‘scratch’ in a for-profit setting, I mean that the business has no revenue.”
Favorite Definition #2: A startup is… not successful — yet.
“Startup implies a phase of the company where success is not yet determined.” That one’s from Sarnen Steinbarth, Founder and CEO TurboTenant.
Favorite Definition #3: A startup is… searching for a sustainable business model.
Steve Benson, Founder and CEO of Badger Maps says, “A startup to me is when a person or group of people are trying to figure out an idea and then executing that idea with the goal of becoming a sustainable business model.”
So, is Lift Marketing Consulting a Startup?
After reading that article, and selectively choosing definitions that would put my consultancy in the sexy, sizzling, business category of “startup”, the reality is: I think calling my new venture a “startup” is a stretch.
It’s true I’m 1) starting from scratch. And, 2) success is in my future. And 3) I’m searching for a sustainable business model. Digging through that article and others online, I could check the boxes on dozens more definitions. But, there are elements of tech, scalability, marketplace, disruption, user acquisition and funding that I haven’t added to my long-term vision. Which at the moment, is simply to help companies mature in marketing to create a lift in growth and revenue through every aspect of their buyer journey and customer experience.
For now, I’ll stick with defining my new company as a small business. I’m ok with that. But, I’m not closing the door on building a beefier STARTUP in the future.
Is Your Company in Startup Mode?
What do you think? Are you a startup or have a product or service in startup mode? Lift Marketing Consulting works with funded startups to create marketing plans and determine where to focus resources. Talk to Lift about how to create a marketing strategy and budget that will take you where you want to go.