Hello Robin! Everyone has a brilliant idea, but we really do! My two partners and I all have successful careers, and are planning our startup by burning the midnight oil and weekends. It's nearly impossible for us to quit our day jobs right now. Do you have advice for a team like ours just starting out?

Raising venture money will definitely require you to quit the ‘day jobs’ but progressing your business further may not. The tough question that only you can answer is when to take the plunge even the without the commitment of an investment.

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We have a great product but we're struggling with how to brand ourselves - including how to come up with a name! Any suggestions on how to approach this?

Answered by Jen Evans – Founder, Sequentia Environics

Oh, the great naming deb ate ... I'm of two minds about names. The first is that the name itself isn't the thing that matters, it's how you promote and build a brand around... (more)

What financial software do you recommend for software companies under 20 employees? We currently use Simply, but it's painful especially when translating to cash flow mana...

Answered by Mark MacLeod – Partner, Real Ventures

Simply and Quickbooks are the standard. There are simpler web-based packages, but if your business grows you will end up back on Simply or Quicbooks (I prefer Quick). And i... (more)

How has being in Boston helped your business, and do you think it's important to be in a major tech startup center?

Answered by Laura Fitton – Founder, oneforty.com

Boston's a great place to be... Great developers, startup community that is in the midst of a renaissance, increasingly open investor community, TechStars. It's often way l... (more)

I have a great idea but I don't know what do to do next?

Answered by Shahar Nechmad – Founder, NuConomy

Almost everyone have at least one great idea. But almost no one follows it. It's hard to give advice on what is the next step without knowing anything about your idea (is i... (more)

Hi Jen. Would you ever recommend reaching out to a journalist through their personal Twitter account, or is that a bad move? Mega-blogs like Techcrunch and Mashable probabl...

Answered by Jen Evans – Founder, Sequentia Environics Posted in Marketing

Reaching out is a good idea ... but think about how you can add value vs just introducing yourself. Is there a link you can share or an article that lends context to your p... (more)

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