42 posts tagged “The Startup School”
Sell It Before You Build It: How to Presell Your New Product Idea
Written by Laura MacPherson, Mar 3, 2026
Preselling your product will get the wheels turning before your product is fully built. Here's how to presell your new product idea successfully.
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10 Essential Slides for a Winning Pitch Deck
Written by Laura MacPherson, Sep 12, 2025
The pitch decks that are the most successful typically have ten slides in common. In this post, we’re sharing the essential slides for a winning pitch deck.
What is Bootstrapping? Pros and Cons for Startup Founders
Written by Keith Shields, Oct 5, 2024
Most startups are bootstrapped. Weigh the pros and cons to determine if this approach is right for your tech startup and when to seek outside investment.
How to Get Investors for Your Mobile App Startups
Written by Keith Shields, Oct 1, 2024
Here's everything you need to know to secure funding for an app, including an overview of investor types, funding stages, investment terms, and more.
The Copilot App is Designed to Help Users Keep Track of Their Money
Written by Katie Iannace, Jun 15, 2023
The Copilot app is a great example of how behavioral design can enable a digital product to attract and gain loyal users.
5 Elements of UX Design
Written by Katie Iannace, Sep 5, 2022
There are many things that go into a perfect user experience, but the top UX design companies stay focused on these five elements.
Guide to Monitoring and Interpreting Your Mobile App Analytics
Written by Laura MacPherson, May 14, 2020
Your mobile app analytics will help inform your app's development. This guide covers the basics you need to know to monitor and interpret your analytics.
How to Field User Feedback and Prioritize It
Written by Laura MacPherson, May 7, 2020
User feedback is at the core of any successful app. It helps inform iteration decisions to ensure your product meets the needs of your customers.
Components of an Effective Mobile App Marketing Plan
Written by Laura MacPherson, Apr 30, 2020
Well before you even have a product to market, you’ll want to create a mobile app marketing plan. Here we break down a marketing plan into must-have components.
Should I Do a Hard Launch or Soft Launch for My App?
Written by Laura MacPherson, Apr 23, 2020
One of the first choices you’ll need to make when marketing a product is whether to do a hard launch or a soft launch. Here are the advantages of each.
How to Run a Successful Social Media Campaign for a Product Launch
Written by Laura MacPherson, Apr 2, 2020
Running a successful social media campaign for a new product launch will spread the word and attract prospective customers.
How to Build the Perfect Pre-Launch Landing Page
Written by Laura MacPherson, Mar 26, 2020
A pre-launch landing page is specifically designed to provide a source of leads or sales for a soon to launch product. Use these techniques to build a winning landing page.
6 Ways to Build Pre-Launch Buzz for Your App
Written by Laura MacPherson, Mar 19, 2020
There are many ways to build pre-launch buzz for your app. In this post, we’re focusing on the six most effective. Get a brainstorming notebook and read on!
How to Measure App Performance to Iterate Effectively
Written by Laura MacPherson, Mar 5, 2020
The first version of an app is designed to be tested. Here’s how to know what to track and how to measure app performance.
How to Run a Beta Trial and Report Bugs to Your Developers
Written by Laura MacPherson, Feb 27, 2020
Beta testing is one of the most important parts of product development. Here's a step-by-step process that will show you how to run a beta trial.
5 Characteristics of Good App Beta Testers
Written by Laura MacPherson, Feb 20, 2020
Not everyone makes good beta testers. There are some common qualities to look for, and we're sharing what those qualities are in this post.
How to Find a Developer Who’s an Ideal Fit for Your Project
Written by Laura MacPherson, Feb 6, 2020
A strong development team is the foundation of any successful software project. This post will show you how to find a developer that's right for you.
MVP Development: Formula to Learn What Features to Build into Your MVP
Written by Laura MacPherson, Jan 23, 2020
MVP development gives your team a way to validate product assumptions by seeing how your users react to the product and learning what else they would value.
3-Step Process to Estimate Project Cost
Written by Laura MacPherson, Jan 16, 2020
If your startup doesn’t have the internal resources to build an app, you’ll want to outsource the work. Here's what to look for in a project cost estimate.
7 Considerations When Choosing In-House App Development or Contractors
Written by Laura MacPherson, Jan 9, 2020
Deciding between in-house app development or outsourcing? This guide will walk you through the factors to consider to make the right decision.
Should I Choose Cross-Platform or Native for My Mobile App?
Written by Laura MacPherson, Jan 2, 2020
How can you decide if cross-platform or native is right for your app? We walk you through a decision-making process in this post.
How to Decide What Platform to Launch Your App On
Written by Laura MacPherson, Dec 5, 2019
Android, iOs, or the web? Here's why this decision is so strategic and how to decide which platform to launch your app on.
Legal and Accounting for Startups: What Professionals Do I Need to Launch my Business?
Written by Laura MacPherson, Nov 28, 2019
In this post, we’re looking at what you need to know when it comes to working with professionals related to legal and accounting for startups.
How to Create Financial Projections as a Startup Without Sales History
Written by Laura MacPherson, Nov 21, 2019
It can be challenging to create financial projections when you have no history of sales. Here are 6 steps to create accurate financial projections as a startup.
How to Know How Much Capital to Raise for Your Startup
Written by Laura MacPherson, Nov 14, 2019
The success of your startup often hinges on investment. Here’s a 4-step method you can use to know how much capital to raise for your startup.
4 Steps to Create a User Flow Diagram
Written by Laura MacPherson, Oct 17, 2019
User flow diagrams are helpful tools you can use when building new sites and apps. Let's explore how to create a user flow diagram.
How to Build User Personas to Guide Product Development
Written by Laura MacPherson, Oct 10, 2019
This article will show you how to build user personas, the key components you should include, and why they are so critical for success.
Better Than a Business Plan for Startups: The Business Model Canvas
Written by Laura MacPherson, Sep 19, 2019
The Business Model Canvas is better than a business plan for startups. It’s a representation of how you understand the business at a specific point in time.
7 Monetization Options for Your App
Written by Laura MacPherson, Sep 12, 2019
It’s smart to consider all the monetization options for your app before choosing one as your final plan. In this post, we’re exploring seven.
Know When Paying for a Premium Domain is Worth It
Written by Laura MacPherson, Sep 5, 2019
Your domain name has a big impact. This guide will share what you need to know about premium domains and when paying for a premium domain is worth it.
How to Pick a Domain Name for Your App
Written by Laura MacPherson, Aug 29, 2019
Your domain name is important, and choosing one requires careful thought. This guide will help you pick a domain name for your app that’s a strategic one.
How to Name Your App
Written by Laura MacPherson, Aug 22, 2019
How do you find the perfect name for your app? Here are three steps and bonus tips that will help you craft a name that sets you up for success.
How to Search for App Competitors and Ensure Your Idea is Better
Written by Laura MacPherson, Aug 15, 2019
If your idea is a good one, you probably have competitors. And that's ok. Here’s how to search for app competitors make your product better.
Surprising Insights from Small Businesses Using DIY Website Builders
Written by Shawn Parrotte, Mar 9, 2017
Designli was featured in Clutch.co’s in-depth survey about DIY website builders. Let’s look at some statistics that stood out to us from Clutch’s research.
Should You Give Away Equity to Build Your App?
Written by Jennifer Marsh, Nov 1, 2016
Equity as a replacement for high-priced development is a tempting proposal for a new app owner. Should you give away equity to build your app?
Taking the Leap to Full-Time Entrepreneur: Matt Rose of ClubUp
Written by Elizabeth Barr, Oct 11, 2016
So, you've started your very own startup and are considering taking the leap to full-time entrepreneur. How do you make that decision? Read this interview.
I Have An App Idea. Where Do I Start? (Part 1)
Written by Keith Shields, Jun 14, 2016
So, you have an app idea. Where do you start? Designli is an app development company that is happy to lend a hand.
7 Tactics to Attract New Customers to Your Online Business
Written by Ian Smith, Aug 3, 2015
There are many ways to attract new customers using the internet. Learn seven tricks from the team at Designli, an app development agency for startups.
Why 'You Can Be Whatever You Want When You Grow Up' is a Lie
Written by Keith Shields, Jun 9, 2015
Is the saying 'you can be whatever you want when you grow up' a lie? The Designli team thinks so, and here's why.
Should I Make an MVP First?
Written by Joshua Tucker, May 20, 2015
Should you make your Minimum Viable Product first, before you create the full version of your app or website? Absolutely. Learn more in this blog post.
5 Reasons You Should Drop Out of School and Start a Business
Written by Joshua Tucker, Jan 27, 2015
Here are 5 reasons you should drop out of school. Designli cofounder Josh learned that school is not for everyone - and here's what he did about it.
Creativity At Its Finest
Written by Dave Gorley, Jan 20, 2015
In this guest post, Dave Gorley explores the essence of creativity.
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