XO, MARLENARIELLEE THE BLOG

Welcome to part 6 of our 10-part series 'From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs'! As stated in the overview of the " From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs " post, I am a passionate advocate for diversity in tech and a UX/UI researcher with a background in entrepreneurship, I'm thrilled to guide you through the exhilarating journey of turning your innovative ideas into successful startups! In this post, we'll dive into Step 6, where we will talk about establishing a legal fund for your start-up. Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash Establish Your Legal Foundation 👩‍⚖️ Setting up a solid legal foundation is crucial for protecting your startup and ensuring compliance with regulations. Here's a comprehensive guide to establishing your legal framework: Choose Your Business Structure Decide on the most appropriate legal structure for your startup: Sole Proprietorship   Simple but offers no personal l...

Welcome to part 5 of my 10-part series: 'From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs'!  As stated in the overview of the "From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs" post, I am a passionate advocate for diversity in technology and entrepreneurship while obtaining my Master's degree currently in UX/UI research and design, I am thrilled to guide you through the exhilarating journey of turning your innovative ideas into successful startups! In this post, we'll dive into the fifth step: creating a minimum viable product.  Develop Your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) 🛠️ Creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a crucial step in your startup journey. It allows you to test your core idea with real users, gather valuable feedback, and iterate quickly. Here's how to approach MVP development: Define Your MVP For startups to test their ideas quickly and efficiently, the MVP must be defined in two key steps: 1. I dentify Core Featu...

Welcome to part 4 of my 10-part series: 'From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs'!  As stated in the overview of the "From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs" post, I am a passionate advocate for diversity in technology and entrepreneurship while obtaining my Master's degree currently in UX/UI research and design, I am thrilled to guide you through the exhilarating journey of turning your innovative ideas into successful startups! In this post, we'll dive into the fourth step: securing funding for your venture.  Secure Funding 💰 Securing funding is a crucial step in turning your startup dream into reality. As a minority entrepreneur, you have access to various funding options designed to support underrepresented founders in the tech industry. Let's explore your options: Grants for Minority Entrepreneurs Many organizations offer grants specifically for minority-owned businesses, here are a few: MBDA Grants The Mi...

Welcome to part 3 of my 10-part series: 'From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs'!  As stated in the overview of the "From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs" post, I am a passionate advocate for diversity in technology and entrepreneurship while obtaining my Master's degree currently in UX/UI research and design, I am thrilled to guide you through the exhilarating journey of turning your innovative ideas into successful startups! In this post, we'll dive into the third step: building your team.  Build a Diverse and Skilled Team 🤝 Your team can make or break your startup. Building a diverse and skilled team is crucial for innovation, problem-solving, and overall success. Here's how to approach it: Identify Key Roles Determine the essential positions you need to fill based on your business plan. This might include: Technical roles (e.g., developers, designers) Business roles (e.g., marketing, sales, finance) Oper...

Welcome to part 2 of my 10-part series: 'From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs'!  As stated in the overview of the "From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs" post, I am a passionate advocate for diversity in technology and entrepreneurship while obtaining my Master's degree currently in UX/UI research and design, I am thrilled to guide you through the exhilarating journey of turning your innovative ideas into successful startups! In this post, we'll dive into the second step: developing your business plan.  Develop a Business Plan 📊 A well-crafted business plan is your startup's blueprint for success. It's not just a document for potential investors; it's a roadmap that will guide your decisions and strategy as you build your company. Let's break down the key components: Executive Summary An executive summary should reflect the main sections of the business plan, offering a condensed version that gi...

Welcome to part 1 of my 10-part series: 'From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs'!  As stated in the overview of the "From Idea to Startup: A 10-Step Guide for BIPOC Entrepreneurs" post, I am a passionate advocate for diversity in technology and entrepreneurship while obtaining my Master's degree currently in UX/UI research and design, I am thrilled to guide you through the exhilarating journey of turning your innovative ideas into successful startups! In this post, we'll dive into the first step: refining your business idea.  Refine Your Idea 💡 The first step in your entrepreneurial journey is to refine your idea. This involves clearly defining your concept and understanding the problem it solves. Here’s how to do it:  Identify the Problem and Audience Start by asking yourself these critical questions: What specific problem does your idea address? Who experiences this problem the most? How does your solution improve their lives? For exa...

Welcome, aspiring innovators and future tech leaders! 🚀 As a passionate advocate for diversity in tech and a UX/UI researcher with a background in entrepreneurship, I'm thrilled to guide you through the exhilarating journey of turning your innovative ideas into successful startups. In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, your unique perspective as a minority entrepreneur isn't just valuable – it's essential. This comprehensive guide combines professional insights with practical advice, designed to help you navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities in the tech startup world. Whether you're developing a groundbreaking app or reimagining an industry, this is your moment to shine. Let's embark on this transformative journey together and showcase the power of diverse voices in shaping the future of technology! Below I go over a simple 10-step guide for getting your start-up underway as a member of the BIPOC community! I am also in the process of dev...

Once receiving an offer to participate in the Digital Summer Clinic internship program offered by the Center for Digital Engagement at Eastern Michigan University 5 weeks ago, I remember sitting at my living table wondering which start-up I thought would be a good fit for me. I received an email in the coming days that said I was paired up with a start-up called APT Solar Solutions, an alternative off-grid solar-charged solutions company creating products and services for “smart city” applications, and an intern partner named Anna Winthrow! At the time I couldn’t have realized the impact APTSS or the DSC would have on my life.          Anna and I during our week 2 in-person cohort meeting☺️ After Anna and I's first meeting, I think we both felt that this summer was going to be not just informative and practical in working with a start-up company, but a fun opportunity for us to grow a new friendship in the midst of it. We have been a great team from th...