(Powered by LaunchBit ). Tweet. --> It’s a big decision to make your first hire, because what you’re really deciding is whether you want to keep a lifestyle business or attempt to “cross the chasm” and maybe even get rich. There’s already a lot of great advice about hiring at little startups. Or therapy. Then go deep. MORE >>

This is Part 2 of the series: 5 lessons from 150 startup pitches.??? What if someone copies your awesome business idea? How can I answer this question? No, the question is: What are doing now knowing that a big company will copy your idea? The good news: There are good answers to these questions! The first step is admitting you have a problem. MORE >>

This is Part 3 of the series: 5 lessons from 150 startup pitches.? Of hundreds of startup pitches at Capital Factory , almost none had unearthed 10 people willing to say, "If you build this product, I'll give you $X.". all without identifying even ten measly people actually willing to pay for what they're peddling. Short-sighted, no? Fooey!  MORE >>

This is Part 5 of the 5-part series: 5 lessons from 150 startup pitches. Ask a technical founder about his startup, and he'll proudly describe his stunning software — simple, compelling, useful, fun. Maybe you'll even get a wobbly demo. Cue sound of cicadas buzzing. Or "crickets chirping" but in Texas the cicadas are louder.). Visibility-fail. MORE >>

Rob Walling generously allowed me to reprint this excerpt from his new book, "Start Small, Stay Small: A Developer's Guide to Launching a Startup" available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon and in PDF and ePub from StartupBook.net. He blogs to 10,000 web entrepreneurs at Software by Rob and co-hosts the podcast  Startups for the Rest of Us. MORE >>