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Clarity

Aji Abraham

Chicago, IL

Tech co-founder 2-3 startups like LocoLogic, Ravox.com, and SocialDefender.com, strong in marketplaces, mobile apps, scalable platforms. Founder of web and mobile development agency. If you have questions about dev stack selection, technical architecture, scalability, web app performance call me

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Entrepreneurship Start-ups Software Development Product Management Marketing Strategy Web Applications E-commerce Mobile applications Strategic Partnerships Mobile Devices

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Native or Hybrid Mobile App Development

If you are in the early stages of mobile app development and have questions on which to select, I can guide you. Been developing mobile apps for 7 years

Web Application Development

If you have any questions on web application stacks, performance or scalability contact me

Answers 15
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Answers

Aji Abraham answered

How much equity should you give a technical co-founder if you already have the idea, but you need them to help build the product?

Here is the bad news. If your contribution is the idea alone, you are unlikely to find a developer to do it for equity alone. If you have some kind of unfair advantage, it would be different. If you are going to do non tech roles like sales, fund raising etc.. It would be different. Also if you need them just to create the initial product or be a tech founder, it would be different.

If you pay a minimal amount for the development, the amount of equity needed would be reduced.

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Web Applications

Tech startups and entrepreneurship

Aji Abraham answered

How do I find a niche for my OTT streaming startup?

As others have pointed out, trying to find a problem for the solution you have is the wrong approach. It is time-consuming and expensive. Over the last few years, I have been involved in a couple of these experiments, with varying levels of success. But if you have a solution already done, then you have to go through this exercise.

The first approach would be to sit down and write down 10-15 different use cases that can use the technology. Once you narrow it down to 5 or so, start talking a few people in each niche to see what are the issues in them and current players.

Another option is to create dummy websites for different niche markets. You can quickly clone landing pages for each niche. Start sending visitors to it using Google ads, if you don’t have a list. Once you get some leads, talk to each to get an idea of which market is looking for the right solution.
Good luck.

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Market Research

Aji Abraham answered

Where can I find a web designer who is still willing to create a website with HTML, CSS, and Javascript rather than insisting on Wordpress?

There are web designers and web developers. Usually web designers focus on the front end of the website. For designers it is easier to create website in an existing content management site like Wordpress, Joomla rather than creating it from scratch. This saves a lot of time, and cost.

Typically web developers and programmers focus on the backend of the website.

If your website is primarily an informational website, it would be easier to go with a CMS. If you don't like Wordpress, there are many other great solutions out there.

If you really want a custom solution, you might want to search for a web development agency that has both front end designers and backend developers on staff.

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Web Design

HTML + CSS

WordPress

Aji Abraham answered

What is a normal churn rate for b2b saas company with an average monthly revenue of $850 per customer? Is 10% of the total monthly sales high or low?

How does the churn looks to total customers? 10% of monthly new sales does not sound that bad. Based on the current customers, the annual churn could be as low as 5% in your example, which would be amazingly good for most b2b SaaS companies.

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Revenue & Profit Growth

Start-ups

SASS

Aji Abraham answered

Would you pay a mobile app designer with a percentage of profits in the future if you don't have the cash to pay upfront?

If you can find a developer who would accept your proposal, it is a good deal for you. Most developers worth their salt will not agree to something like it unless you have some unfair advantage.

If a developer is free they can develop on their own ideas and keep 100% of the profits and equity. However, you might be able to find new developers or students who are looking for experience with a model like this.

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Mobile App Design

Mobile applications

Aji Abraham answered

Setting up an on-demand web services business and quotes very expensive to build the platform from scratch. There should be templates for sale by now?

There are indeed a number of off the shelf frameworks for the web platform and mobile apps. You should find a few by spending some time. First, identify a mainstream app that's close enough for your concepts like TaskRabbit or dolly or uber. When you are looking for it look for xxx clone script. Make sure the platform is available with source code. Many cases they can fit the platform to your requirement without starting from scratch. That would save around 80% of the development. It might be worth looking for a platform other than WordPress to create scalable platforms.

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Startup Consulting

Web development

Website Monetization

Aji Abraham answered

Is 5 to 7 percent of equity more than enough for an investor in a startup that has the potential to be the next Facebook, Amazon or Google?

I am assuming this is a genuine question.

I will be blunt. A ticket in the powerball lottery have a potential to return $500 Million. But the ticket price is at $1 due to the low probability irrespective of the potential. Similarly the probability of seed funding company provide decent return is 5% and the probability of it provides some return is another 5%. 90% of the seed investments lose. There was a paper from David Rose with the accurate numbers from gust platform.

Typically investors take 10-20% in each round of funding.

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Start-ups

Startups

Venture Capital

Aji Abraham answered

What is the minimum number of hours it would take to code an OpenTable app in appearance, features, and function?

I own a mobile app develop agency for the last 15 years. Few other requested apps like opentable before.

To create the main functionality of opentable - web app, mobile app, main management panel, restaurant app) from scratch it would take around 2500-3000 ours of coding. this is based on estimate one year back and assuming you are starting from scratch.

If you were to customize existing platforms like iScripts UberforX it would be closer to 500-750 hours.

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iOS Development

iPhone app design

Mobile applications

Aji Abraham answered

What is the best way to develop an Android / iOS app?

I run a mobile development agency for the last 15 years. So I am a little skewed.

Before you start looking for somebody to get the app developed, start with very detailed specs. The more detailed it is the better. After that start creating the user flow. There are tools like invisionapp.com to create good app screen mockups. another decision that would impact is going going to be which platforms you want to create the app, native is, native Android or both or or a hybrid app like react native. In your case, a hybrid solution might be better if you want the app to support iPhones and Android users.

You get some high level estimate using some tools like https://www.app-estimator.armia.com/ . this would help to get an idea what to expect when you talk to developers. Get few proposals from freelancers and agencies.

Good luck with your app

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Prototyping

Mobile applications

bootstrapping

Aji Abraham answered

Should I keep finding a co-founder or continue working on the startup?

You will find a lot of people in your circle who might like the idea of starting something. But only small fraction is willing to make the leap. A number of things need to go right to find a cofounder on an existing startup.

There is number of avenues outside of your immediate circle you can look for potential partners. I just wrote an article as I get this question from entrepreneurs a lot. Here is the link . https://www.ajiabraham.com/how-recruit-developers-equity-startup/

Having a partner is good thing. But not mandatory. As you are already building your startup, keep going. The more you progress the probability of finding cofounder also increases.

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Early-stage Startups

Founder

bootstrapping

Aji Abraham answered

Are there any taxes in the USA for outsourcing software projects?

There are no direct tax implications if you pay a US company or a foreign company. There are no tariffs yet for services. However you do not get a W9 from foreign companies. So if you ever get audited, you have to prove it was indeed legit transaction. Most quality Indian software companies have US subsidiary. So you can pay the US company instead of a foreign company.ad of a foreign company.

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IT Outsourcing

Software Development

Reviews

Member since October 2013