Startup 101

Everything you need
to build smarter

Every article, template, book, and framework an early-stage founder needs — organized into a guided checklist from idea to funded. Work through each stage step by step and check off your progress as you go.

How to evaluate your idea
01
Idea & Validation
Problem · Market · Customer
Business Model
02
Get Traction
MVP · First Customers
Early Revenue
03
Scale & Grow
GTM · Team · Operations
Metrics
04
Raise Funding
Pitch · Investors
Valuation · Terms
01
Idea & Validation
Problem · Market · Customer · Business Model
0 of 10 steps done
Your checklist preview
Resources for this phase
"What You Have to Bel…
AOverview
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Template

"What You Have to Believe" Template / Example

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

“Must-have” vs. “Nice-to-have”

A.T. Gimbel shares insight when it comes to evaluating a new business idea as a “Must-have” vs. a “Nice-to-have”.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

3 Areas Investors Observe Grit in Entrepreneurs

All entrepreneurs will say they have grit and investors will say they are looking for it, but how do you…

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

3 Questions to Ask Yourself When your Customer Discovery has Stalled

Successful customer discovery depends on finding engaged potential customers who genuinely care about the problem or idea.

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Evie Lutz
Article

4 Considerations for Turning Your Passion into a Business

Four thoughts to consider if you’re an entrepreneur wanting to turn your passion into a career

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

4 Different Types of Revenue Models for your Startup

From recurring to contingent to one-time, the revenue model you decide for your startup can 10x your growth.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

4 Paths to Startup Growth

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Jon Birdsong
Article

5 "Must-Haves" When Building a SaaS Company Today

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Be careful having lots of “good meetings”

Push for clear next steps and tangible commitments to truly gauge interest and progress.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Be Wary of Building More Product Features

Three thoughts you should consider before you build too much, too soon.

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McKenzie Folan
Article

Better Business Models

Guest writer McKenzie Folan shares three examples of companies building competitive advantages based on their business model decisions.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Build your new product with development partners

Nothing beats authentic feedback from real customers. Find a development partner that can help you iterate quickly and get your…

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Building Too Much, Too Soon, Can Backfire: Here's How to Avoid It

Prioritize customer discovery and authentic demand before building an MVP to ensure a must-have product.

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Competitor Analysis T…
AOverview
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Template

Competitor Analysis Template / Example

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Customers are right about problems, not solutions

Unveiling the Crucial Distinction: Customer-Driven Problem Identification vs. Solution Generation in Entrepreneurship.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Different Business Models

What business model is right for your next venture?

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McKenzie Folan
Article

Example Customer Problem and Conversation

McKenzie Folan shares a tool to help you identify a true customer problem, the first step toward launching a successful…

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Example Workflow
AOverview
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Template

Example Workflow

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

External Market Tailwinds

A.T. Gimbel shares how founders can capitalize on external market tailwinds and be poised for tremendous growth.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Finding Authentic Demand

A.T. Gimbel shares about finding authentic demand and some indicators you’re on the right path.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Focus On What Customers Do, Not What They Say‍

Why you should place more value in what customers do verses what they say, a warning against biased feedback.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Good Questions Versus Bad Questions

A good question can show your depth of preparation and thinking; a bad question might be better off not asked.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

How to Do Quick Market Research on an Idea in Less Than a Day

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

How to handle conflicting feedback on your idea

A.T. Gimbel sheds light on an age old question: "What do I do when I have conflicting feedback about my…

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Market Sizing Example
AOverview
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Template

Market Sizing Example

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Simple Dilution Model
AOverview
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Template

Simple Dilution Model

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Simple ROI Calculator…
AOverview
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DActions
Template

Simple ROI Calculator Template

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Simple Startup Budget…
AOverview
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DActions
Template

Simple Startup Budgeting Template

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Simple Startup Strate…
AOverview
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DActions
Template

Simple Startup Strategic Plan

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Sustainable Customer Discovery

Entrepreneurs need time for effective customer discovery. Create a sustainable model to fund exploration while seeking authentic demand.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

TAM - What is it, How to Quantify, and Why it Matters

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James Gamble
Article

The 3 Rules to Customer Interviews from The Mom Test

Following these three rules from The Mom Test will help you get to the answers that really matter from your…

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The Business Model Ca…
AOverview
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Template

The Business Model Canvas

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The Mom Test
Book

The Mom Test

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Three Important Areas of the Customer Discovery Process

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Three Must-haves to Vet Your Startup Idea

Crucial Steps for Validating Your Startup Concept

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Emma Montag
Article

Understanding and Engaging Your Customer

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Using Financial Modeling to Vet Ideas

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

What is Product-Market fit and how do you know you have it?

So what exactly is product-market fit? How do we find product-market fit, and how do we measure it?

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Where to Start When Deciding What Area of the Market to Target First

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Why Athletes Make Good Entrepreneurs

A.T. Gimbel shares three characteristics of athletes and how they may help you become a successful entrepreneur.

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James Gamble
Article

Wisdom of the Crowd

Here’s how, with the right conditions, crowds of customers can provide amazing insight into customer discovery and R&D.

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02
Get Traction
MVP · First Customers · Early Revenue
0 of 8 steps done
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Resources for this phase
A.T. Gimbel
Article

10x Better Solution

In his latest blog, A.T. Gimbel shares why your solution must be 10x better and expands on ways to prove…

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Hubert Liu
Article

3 Big Ideas When Launching Your MVP

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

6 Ways to Think About Pricing for Your Startup

Here are a few things for entrepreneurs to consider regarding their pricing. Keep it simple and go!

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Hubert Liu
Article

Big Ideas When Choosing Technology

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David Cummings
Article

Defining the ideal customer profile

External resource: Defining the ideal customer profile

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David Cummings
Article

How an ideal first customer drives iteration and growth

External resource: How an ideal first customer drives iteration and growth

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Kathryn O'Day
Article

How to scale a sales team

External resource: How to scale a sales team

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Simple Social Media C…
AOverview
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Template

Simple Social Media Calendar + Metrics + Goals Template

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Tips on Getting your First 10 Paying Customers

Three tips for discovering and obtaining your first 10 paying customers.

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Jacey Cadet
Article

Top 5 Misconceptions about Building an MVP

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David Cummings
Article

Using consulting to fund your startup and iterate effectively

External resource: Using consulting to fund your startup and iterate effectively

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03
Scale & Grow
GTM · Team · Operations · Metrics
0 of 8 steps done
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Resources for this phase
A.T. Gimbel
Article

3 Challenges with Tracking Metrics and How to Get it Right

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Aligning your go-to-market strategy

A.T. Gimbel shares about one of the most important, yet difficult things to get right: your go-to-market strategy.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Basic Startup Sales Funnel Challenges

There are many versions of sales funnels, here are the key components at each stage.

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Jacey Cadet
Article

Burn the Ships

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Calculating ROI: Three Different Types of Value

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Considerations When Looking For Early Team Members To Join Your Startup

When building a startup team, it's crucial to prioritize individuals with diverse skill sets and that align with core values.

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Kathryn O'Day
Article

Customer Success Tips from Kathryn O'Day

Kathryn O'Day’s top five blogs for understanding and implementing customer success.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Different types of pivots

Understanding different types of pivots in the startup journey and how to navigate them for success.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Hiring For Diverse Personalities and Skill Sets

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

How to Optimize Business Equations in Your Startup

Cracking the Startup Equation: Is it time to rewrite your business formula? Discover how optimizing can drive growth.

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Jacey Cadet
Article

How to Use a Content Calendar Template, Complete With Metrics and Goals

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David Cummings
Article

Implementing OKRs: aligning goals and measuring success in startups

External resource: Implementing OKRs

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Planning your Future Org Chart

A.T. Gimbel shares a few tips on how you can plan ahead for your future org chart.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Raising Prices

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Startup Go-To-Market (GTM) Strategy

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Time to pivot your startup, or time to move on?

Navigating the Startup Crossroads of when to Persist and when to Pivot

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Unaffiliated, Passionate, Paying Customers

Early investments should seek unaffiliated, passionate, paying customers. They validate sales, ensure retention, and drive growth.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Using NPS for Actionable Insights

How likely are you to recommend our product to a friend or colleague?

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

What to Look for When Hiring: Values, Abilities, Skills

A.T. Gimbel shares thoughts on values, abilities, and skills in the hiring process and how to prioritize them.

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Kathryn O'Day
Article

Your First Customer Success Hire

If you’re looking to make your first customer success hire, here’s a few thoughts on where to begin.

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04
Raise Funding
Pitch · Investors · Valuation · Terms
0 of 8 steps done
Your checklist preview
Resources for this phase
A.T. Gimbel
Article

“Raising” Money Through Services

Thoughts on how to bring in revenue before you have a tech product

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Different Frames of Reference on Valuation

Valuation is both an art and a science. A.T. Gimbel shares some different approaches to valuation.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

How To Fund Your Business Without Raising Money

Here's three ways to make a little extra money to fund your business without raising money.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

How to Show Traction Pre-Revenue

Raising money from investors can be tough as it is, but when pre-revenue it can be difficult. Here's three simple…

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

How to write (and not write) a cold reach-out to an investor

A.T. Gimbel, Partner at Atlanta Ventures, shares some tips and tricks for how to write a good cold outreach to…

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Keys to Financial Modeling

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Practicing For An Investor Pitch

Three key ways to prepare for investor pitching.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Questions a VC Might Ask

Gear up for successful VC meetings by treating them like well-prepared interviews

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Responding to Emails with Investors

Enhancing Investor Engagement: Crafting Effective Email Correspondence

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Showing Traction in Your Startup Pitch Deck at Every Stage

A Guide to Demonstrating Traction and Success in Your Pitch Deck

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Solutions to Early Stage Funding Gap for Startups

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Courtney Bond
Article

Spend Time Learning from Your Customers Before Chasing Investor Money

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Spotting Pitch Deck Red Flags and Overcoming Them with Confidence

Winning Pitch Decks: Navigating Red Flags, Inspiring Investors, and Unleashing Early-Stage Potential

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Term Sheets - What to Think About

Decoding Term Sheets: Unveiling the Path to Successful Investments

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Aidan Pratt
Article

Three Areas to Focus on When Fundraising For Your Startup

A three step guide to the fundraising process for your startup, based on our experience helping thousands of startups raise…

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Valuations: What to Think About When Valuing Your Company

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

When To Raise a Lot, And When To Not

A.T. Gimbel shares his advice on how much money entrepreneurs should raise.

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

When to Talk to an Investor

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A.T. Gimbel
Article

Where To Start When Building a Financial Model?

No financial model is perfect, but these tips can give you a better direction.

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Stay in the loop with
the AV community

Monthly updates on company news, events, resources, and founder stories.

Everything connects

Resources is just the start.

The checklist above points you toward content, templates, and frameworks. These are the places where that learning comes to life.

Events & Programs
Pitch Practice, Founder Power Hour, and ecosystem meetups. Where the learning in this checklist gets tested in real conversations.
View upcoming events →
Blog
Writing from David, Kathryn, and AT on building companies, investing early, and growing the Atlanta ecosystem.
Read the latest →
Industry Focus
Healthcare, Robotics, Community, and AI. Deep dives into the sectors where AV has built real expertise and community.
Explore sectors →
Job Board
Open roles across portfolio companies. Join a team that already has traction and is building something worth joining.
Browse open roles →
News
Portfolio milestones, press releases, and ecosystem coverage. What's happening across the Atlanta startup world.
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Ready to Raise?
Once you've got paying customers and traction, see if Atlanta Ventures is the right capital partner for your next stage.
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