1. 1
How to Look Professional
When You’re Just
Starting Up
#FakeItToMakeIt
Fake It … 'Til You Make It

2. About Your Hosts…
2

3. There’s no shame in being in
the early-stages of starting up…
But you need to look
professional in order to:
•Gain credibility
•Earn investor confidence
•Build your customer base
•Attract talent
3

4. Presentation Overview
• What is startup
infrastructure?
• How to build your
infrastructure
• Finding startup
partners
4

5. What Is Startup Infrastructure?
5
• Solid foundation for a
“real” company to
grow on
• Practical and flexible
• Systems to scale
• Risk minimizer
• Increase efficiency
• Avoid mistakes

6. Building Your Startup Ecosystem
• Finding the right professional
services firm
• Look for ancillary value:
connections, early-stage
experience, someone you like
and trust
• Increase your network =
increase your credibility
6

7. Essential Areas for Startup Infrastructure
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8. Accounting Infrastructure
• Accounting platform
• AP/AR system
• Professional invoices
• Expense reporting
• Banking solution – separate
accounts
• Integrated solution
8

9. Financial Infrastructure
• Financial projections
• Budgeting
• Cash management
• Financial controls
• Financial reporting
• GAAP compliance
9

10. Regulatory Infrastructure
• Establish legal entity
• Valuation
• Understand tax obligations
• Quarterly taxes
• Payroll taxes
10

11. HR Infrastructure – What is it?
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• Recruiting and
employee retention
• Payroll
• Employee benefits
• Insurance (health and
workers’ comp)
• HRIS
• HR consulting & best
practices

12. Workplace Infrastructure – Big picture
Provide your team with a
work environment
that ensures
innovation & productivity
while optimizing
capital efficiency and
flexibility
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13. Workplace – The Questions to Ask
• How predictable is our growth/headcount trajectory?
• Where do my employees & contractors live?
• How critical is innovation & creativity in our line of business?
• Do I want my team to be integrated into a community of
potential partners, customers, and hires?
• How hard will it be for me to attract the talent I need?
• What are our privacy / technology needs?
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14. Legal Infrastructure
• Contracts
• Documents and doc management
• Tech licensing
• Patents
• IP
• M&A
14

15. Sales and Marketing Infrastructure
• Everything is brand
• Design: website, logo
• Email
• Business cards
• Logo
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16. Q&A and Thank You!
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Sirk Roh
www.earlygrowthfinancialservices.com
sroh@earlygrowthfinancialservices.com
415.234.3437
@EarlyGrowthFS
Jesse Freese
www.trinet.com
Jesse.Freese@trinet.com
415.480.4450
Follow us @TriNet and @JesseFreese
Blair Golson
www.crosscamp.us
blair@crosscamp.us
310.866.9425
Follow us @CrossCampusLA