How to bootstrap your startup & build a towering global success

1. How to bootstrap
your startup
& build a towering
global success
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2. “Without freelancers
we couldn’t have
launched Vivino, nor
become the world’s
most-downloaded
wine app.”
Heini Zachariassen,
Founder/CEO Vivino
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ights
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3. Here’s how one
startup assembled
all the right pieces
for success …
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4. Vivino is a mobile app allowing
wine lovers to photograph and
share wine labels, as well as
rate and discuss wines.
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5. Most
downloaded
wine app in
the world
To create their app quickly Vivino
required a team with specialized
skills, including image recognition
technology.
Working with online freelancers,
Vivino grew from a Copenhagen
startup to an iTunes sensation.
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Highest
ranked wine
app in U.S.
Spotlighted on

6. Elance helped Vivino build
a game-changing business
WEEK 1 - 4
Video producers
Mobile app
developers
WEEK 8 - 10
WEEK 4 - 8
They built a
hybrid workplace
model, combining
full-time employees
and online
freelancers
Data entry
specialists
Database
professionals
Content
writers
Image recognition
experts
Translators
FREELANCERS
(SCALING
AS
NEEDED)
FULL-­‐TIME
EMPLOYEES
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7. Now here’s a
blueprint for
successfully
building your
startup
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8. Step One: Determine skills you need
to build a game changing business
Researcher?
Designer?
QA
Tester?
Translator?
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Developer?
Content
Writer?

9. Step Two: Decide on full-time
vs. freelance
YES
NO
YES
Will
the
job
distract
you
from
criDcal
projects?
NO
YES
Will
the
job
add
undue
stress
to
your
team?
NO
YES
Does
the
job
need
to
be
completed
ASAP?
NO
YES
Can
the
job
be
worked
on
remotely?
NO
YES
FREELANCER
Is
the
job
outside
your
core
competency?
Are
you
too
busy
to
teach
someone
a
specialized
skill?
NO
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FULL-TIMER

10. Step Three: Map out your game plan
WEEK 1 - 4
Prototype
and test
WEEK 4 - 8
WEEK 8 - 10
Launch
and refine
Scale
and
succeed
NOTE:
Vivino's
freelancers were
scaled up and down
based on the needs
of its game
plan
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11. Step Four: Prototype and test
PROTOYPE AND TEST
WEEK 1 - 4
LAUNCH AND REFINE
WEEK 4 - 8
What freelancers
do you need
at this stage?
NOTE:
Vivino hired 2
mobile app
developers on
Elance to build a
beta version
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SCALE AND SUCCEED
WEEK 8 - 10

12. Step Five: Launch and refine
PROTOYPE AND TEST
WEEK 1 - 4
LAUNCH AND REFINE
WEEK 4 - 8
SCALE AND SUCCEED
WEEK 8 - 10
What freelancers
do you need
at this stage?
NOTE:
Vivino hired
freelancers on
Elance to build
its database
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13. Step Six: Scale and succeed
PROTOYPE AND TEST
WEEK 1 - 4
LAUNCH AND REFINE
SCALE AND SUCCEED
WEEK 4 - 8
WEEK 8 - 10
What freelancers
do you need
at this stage?
NOTE:
Vivino expanded
the app to alternate
platforms &
translated it
for global
expansion
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14. Vivino’s blueprint for success
was staying flexible with
freelancers
Multiple
languages
added to
Vivino app
Vivino built
2 prototypes
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Vivino
became #1
wine pairing app
on iTunes
Store
Vivino app
launched on
alternate
platforms
Vivino
received
$10.3m in
funding
Vivino
moved
HQ to SF

15. Ready to go?
Use the following
checklists to hire a
perfect freelancer
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16. Create your job post
on Elance
Write a clear and detailed description of the job
NOTE: examples help
Specify required skills and experiences
Set a budget
Elance Talent trends gives hourly price updates
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17. Find top freelancers
on Elance
Browse job proposals submitted by freelancers
Invite freelancers recommended by Elance
View matches recommended by Elance and invite
more freelancers
Location may not matter (working across time
zones can even work to your advantage)
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18. Choose the perfect
freelancer on Elance
Look for:
A genuine interest in your job
A great portfolio
Positive feedback/ratings
Tested skills
Consider testing out 2 or 3 freelancers
with a small project first
Negotiate terms and agree on milestones in advance
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19. Manage your project
on Elance
Remember to manage at every step, checking
in daily with freelancers
If your requirements change, update terms and milestones
Stay protected – never take jobs off Elance
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20. Get started
now on Elance
Assemble all the
right pieces for your
startup’s success.
Go to www.elance.com
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21. For valuable tips check
out these resources:
Startup Toolkit
Guide to Hiring A Developer
Hiring resource Center
Client’s Guide to Elance
Elance webinar sign up
Grow your startup even faster,
by hiring freelancers on Elance.
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rights
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