THE BEST TOOLS for your Startup in 2021 | Ep. 23

Building Astropad Podcast Episode 23: Matt’s suggested tools for starting a company

When starting a new company, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by options. So what’s a new founder to do?

Thankfully there are more resources than ever for starting a company, but it’s also easier than ever to be stuck in analysis paralysis. Based on his experience building Astropad, Matt shares what he thinks are the best options for setting up a company today. 

Matt talks through some of the mistakes he’s made setting up Astropad and how he’d avoid them today (Stripe Atlas!). He suggests his favorite tools for the (boring) business essentials like bookkeeping, payroll, banking, and accounting. All of his picks are about minimizing work, so you can get back to the fun parts of building a company. 

And if you’re setting up a remote team, hear why Google Apps, Slack, Zoom, and Notion should be your go-to. 

Finally, he also shares his take on going solo vs. having a cofounder, whether remote-first and if he’d bootstrap again.

Listen to this episode

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,Overcast, YouTube, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

On this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How to incorporate your company (LLC or C Corp?)
  • What services to use for bookkeeping, payroll, banking and accounting.
  • Why Matt prefers SaaS tools whenever possible.
  • The essential tools for organizing a remote team
  • The basics needed for a good analytics stack
  • How to handle payments (Hint: Shopify and Stripe)

Company Setup 

Organizing a remote team

  • Google Workspace – Email, collaborative apps, single sign-on! 
  • Zoom – The (new) standard in video conferencing
  • Slack – The company watercooler and chat system
  • Notion – The place for long term knowledge

Analytics

Payments

  • Stripe – The defacto payment provider
  • Shopify – The best way to sell physical goods

Servers


Other resources