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Last Updated on June 29, 2023 by Work In My Pajamas
As more people are getting used to the idea of working from home, it’s quite tempting to spend the entire day in your pyjamas. Nothing can compare to the comfort of getting out of bed, making a cup of Joe, and going to work without the stress of dressing up or commuting. The world is slowly but surely heading back to a full lockdown, so self-isolating and working from home are common occurrences.
If you have the guts, you should launch a start-up and dive into entrepreneurship. It’s not impossible to pursue entrepreneurship during these times. Actually, you have the chance to survive and thrive. The software development industry is big and strong, so you might want to try your luck. Great companies, such as Microsoft and Facebook, have started in bad times.
If you put in the work, and are willing to work hard, you’ll definitely succeed. Keep on reading to find out how to get started with your high-tech business. It’s not as complicated as you think. You’ll love working from home while staying in the comfort of your pyjamas.
In This Post:
Carry Out Market Research to Minimise Risks When Making Business Decisions 
Don’t dismiss the importance of market research. Pinpoint the most important competitors and identify target audiences (and their needs and preferences). To make sure that your home-based business survives in the long-run, do your homework. It’s not recommended to limit yourself to online surveys. Take advantage of resources such as professional reports and scientific publications.
There’s no software on the market, meaning that it’s either in huge demand or there’s no demand at all. Also, you’ll want to do qualitative reviews to collect impressions and discover causes for dissatisfaction. You can obtain large amounts of data through questionnaires, surveys, and polling methods. Your market research methodology should focus on quality and not quantity. You need to get a good understanding of the business environment.
Build a Successful Software Development Team 
In the beginning, you can outsource some of the tasks, so the work will get done by specialists. As your home-based business grows, you’ll need a team of people who can contribute to individual ideas. The most important members of the software development team are the product manager, designer, developer, and, last but certainly not least, the project manager. You’re only as good as the team behind you. Don’t contract suspicious freelancers. Hiring the wrong people will destroy even the most elaborate plan.
Get the Legal and Business Foundation Right
When your software development team is on board, it’s important to take care of some legal details. A sole proprietorship is one of the most affordable legal structures to incorporate, not to mention that you don’t have to deal with all the paperwork. Just like other small businesses, you can hire employees. If you’re a solopreneur who wants to be in charge of everything, this is the best option because you’re able to scale faster, and you don’t have to fear failure.
Draft a business plan that clearly describes the objective/objectives of your business and what industry you’ll be focusing on. Reach out to a lawyer who has experience in dealing with start-ups, especially when it comes down to software development. They’ll help you create and negotiate contracts. Not only will you need an experienced business lawyer but also an accountant. Doing your own accounting is possible owing to contemporary tools. If you’d like to save money, why not?
Create Sketches and Explore Many Ideas
Sketching enables you to discover the best ideas and solutions to a design problem. Unlike Pablo Picasso, you can’t sketch on paper napkins. There are better tools to be used. Get your drawing instruments ready and sketch whatever comes to mind. This will force you to think through many questions that you haven’t yet considered. Sketching is a way of thinking, so it offers you the much-needed liberty to wander and explore.
Attention needs to be paid to the fact that sketching isn’t meant to replace mock-ups, which come after the work has been done on paper. You can have a side view, top view, or a front view to show your design. If you don’t capture your ideas, you’ll forget about them almost right away. The sketches will help jog your memory. Recording your own ideas, and those of your team, can turn out to be a rewarding experience. You can record fantastic ideas and celebrate special relationships.
User Test and Iterate
Testing is one of the most important stages involved in the software development cycle, so make sure not to overlook it. User testing is basically a usability technique that helps you obtain valuable insights from real users. Imagine the following situation: you’ve come up with an app that tracks driving mileage. You must see how people interact with the product you’ve built. Does it ensure a positive user experience? With user testing software, you can discover usability problems and design better experiences.
You don’t need the help of external testing companies. You can do everything yourself. The most important quality characteristics of user testing software are powerful analytics, video annotation, written surveys, custom user groups, and demographic filtering. The best part is that everything can be conducted from the convenience of your home. So, you don’t have to lift a finger. However, you need to be objective and not get biased.
Decide How You’re Going to Sell the Software 
Finally, yet importantly, you have to decide how you will sell your tech product. In case your product provides the same benefits to customers as others, check out the competition, and copy their strategies. There are two main options when it comes to selling: you can either sell your tech product directly to the end-user or allow them to download it from your website. If you do business with small and medium-sized businesses, or corporations, customise the software so that it meets their unique needs.
Show prospective customers that you understand their pain. Craft a beautiful story about how your software will make their lives easier and why it’s a worthwhile investment. The aim is to create human connections and standing out from the crowd of competitors. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of social media channels. It’s the easiest way to reach people. Build your brands and make sales. Publishing to Facebook or Instagram is as simple as sharing a blog post or an image.
