How Resource Optimization Can Move Start-Ups Forward

It’s an understatement to say that many start-ups are pressed for capital. With limited funding, new ventures need to build products, acquire customers, and scale their business — flexible operating budgets are far from the norm.

“Businesses are like engines,” explains Max Yankelevich, CEO and co-founder at CrowdComputing Systems. “Being able to maximize the performance of each and every employee, marketing asset, customer testimonial, and tweet is how small business engines grow.”

In other words, for most start-ups, resource optimization is an absolute must. And that means investing in technology that can scale with your organization. So where do you start? Following these three important tips will set you on the right path:

Establish strong communication channels

Technology begins with people, and people don’t work together efficiently when they’re not communicating well. “One thing we do to increase productivity is establish clear channels of communication between our project leaders and our development team,” explains Amira Fickewirth, CEO at AroundWire.

To accomplish this goal, AroundWire utilizes subscription-based services like JIRA to log and resolve errors. Fickewirth’s team also uses a platform called Confluence to assign tasks and share information.

“The more efficiently you use resources during production or development, the bigger financial cushion you will have when you get to market,” says Fickewirth.

Leverage technology that scales with growth

Technology should be a minimal investment during a company’s start-up phase.

“Consider renting rather than purchasing,” recommends Kirsten Osolind, President at Reinvention Consulting. “Invest in homegrown technology only where it differentiates your product or services.”

Your technology will mature with your start-up. In the meantime, many start-ups can now rely on a scalable cloud infrastructure to meet core computing needs.

“Once you’ve established viability and a good supporting customer base that looks like you have long term value, then you need to shift your technology strategy to support sustainability,” says Osolind. “Your technology plan now has to consider minimizing negative impact to existing customers while introducing new enhancements and innovations to support growth.”

Be resilient to change

Shifting marketplaces can wreak havoc on new businesses. Your resource optimization strategy should empower your team to maneuver through unforeseen obstacles.

“Cloud solutions allow smaller businesses more flexibility and resilience to quickly change in response to shifts in consumer demand,” explains Osolind. “This quality is more critical to smaller businesses than well-diversified large businesses that can weather potentially catastrophic marketplace shifts.”

There is no room for waste and no room to backtrack. Resource optimization means moving your business forward.