Startup Guide
A practical, no-fluff playbook for first-time technical founders who are founding something, or joining a company while it is still early (first handful of people, not “year-three employee”). Each page is something you can finish in about ten minutes and then go do.
This is not an interview guide. The sibling Founders Interview Guide is a separate project. Nothing here is badged by how often a question shows up in a loop.
How to use this guide
- Each topic in the left nav is a standalone page you can read in ~10 minutes.
- Every page follows the same shape: why it matters, core concepts, what to do next, a mental model, common failure modes, and a short watch list of verified YouTube videos.
- Topics run from “talk to a user” through “run the week.” Read in order the first time, then jump back to the decision in front of you.
- If you are joining rather than founding, still start at Problem & customer. The early-hire job is to learn the real user, the real numbers, and the real agreement — not to wait for a roadmap.
- Nothing here requires a backend, an API key, or a login. It is also not legal, tax, or investment advice. Incorporation and equity pages stay at the concept level on purpose.
Roadmap
Contributing
See CONTRIBUTING.md. Short version: keep topics tight, verify every link yourself, don’t invent scope, and don’t add interview prep.