The document provides information about Maff Rigby and his IT startup called IT SmartDesk. It summarizes his background and experience, discusses the progress made in launching IT SmartDesk including developing the first version and setting up payment processing. It also lists the many roles Maff has taken on in starting the business and provides tips and resources for starting a new business including ways to reduce startup costs.

1. Making it Happen
Maff Rigby
ITSMARTDESK

2. Background
• 12 years in IT/tech
• 10 years @ OD2 (acquired by Nokia 2006)
• MBA from University of Bath 2009
• Attended TSS last year, looking to get back
into startup scene
• IT SmartDesk idea/research end of 2010
• Founded IT SmartDesk Jan 2011
• Dev started Feb 2011
ITSMARTDESK

3. Progress
• V1.0 was launched at beginning November
(tried to keep scope as tight as possible)
• 30 day free trial active
• Payment gateway about to go live
• Marketing plan under way
• Working out next development priorities
ITSMARTDESK

4. How much have we spent?
Grand total = £1,670
ITSMARTDESK

5. Hats I’ve worn so far…
Development Marketing Strategy
Code Testing Sales Channel Evaluation
Product Management Partnering Strategy
Branding Public Relations
Graphic Design Prioritisation
User Testing Troubleshooting
Financial Planning Networking
Capacity Planning Presenting
Social Media Exhibiting
SEO Demoing
Blogging Innovating
Project Management Thinking
Learning
ITSMARTDESK

6. Take the next steps…
• Stop thinking, start doing!
• Don’t jump just yet…
• Find a partner (who you get on with!)
• Network and socialise
• Find a business advisor
• Stop spending money!
ITSMARTDESK

7. Challenges of business formation
• How much runway do you have?
• How can you extend it?
• Funding – decide early if/how you’re going
to do this (hint: if you're looking for
external investment this will take all of
your time!)
• Don't spend time worrying about the
company setup (equity, payroll, tax etc.)
ITSMARTDESK

8. Get as much stuff as you can for free!
• Bizspark gives free Azure hosting and MSDN
software
• www.moo.com 50 free business cards
• free Google adwords
• bank accounts give free offers
• Freemium services
– www.mailchimp.com free up to 2k emails a month
– www.surveymonkey.com 10 question surveys free
– www.unfuddle.com free for 2 people, 1 project
• Free seminars & courses
• Speak at events (gets you free entry!)
ITSMARTDESK

9. Links
• BEN (www.bristolenterprise.com)
• South West Founders (www.meetup.com/sw-founders)
• 4Networking (www.4networking.biz)
• Startup Britain (www.startupbritain.org)
• On Startups (www.onstartups.com)
• Sprouter (www.sprouter.com)
• Bizspark (www.microsoft.com/bizspark)
• The Eleven Rules of Life
(http://web.mst.edu/~adekock/Sykes-11-rules.html)
ITSMARTDESK

10. “Words of wisdom”
You can only do what you can do!
Anything is possible!
Stick with what you know!
ITSMARTDESK

11. “Words of wisdom”
Things always take longer than you expect!
Anything that can go wrong usually does!
ITSMARTDESK

12. “Words of wisdom”
Force yourself to do things you’re not
comfortable doing!
ITSMARTDESK

13. The Eleven Rules of Life
1. Life is not fair, get used to it.
2. The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something before you feel good
about yourself.
3. You will not make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice president with a car phone
until you earn both.
4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure.
5. Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping; they called it
opportunity.
6. If you screw up, it's not your parents' fault so don't whine about your mistakes. Learn from them.
7. Before you were born your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way paying bills, cleaning your
room, and listening to you tell them how idealistic you are. So before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking
parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
8. Your school may have done away with winners and losers but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing
grades, they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This, of course, bears not the slightest
resemblance to anything in real life.
9. Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off, and very few employers are interested in helping you
find yourself. Do that on your own time.
10. Television is not real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
11. Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one...
ITSMARTDESK