We all love marketing. It's an essential function within any business. But it's just one piece of the puzzle. To succeed with any startup, more business disciplines need to be developed.
We're talking about skillsets including business modeling, strategic planning, cash flow management, team building, culture development, and fundraising—just to name a few. Such business development disciplines aren't nearly as glamorous as social media or influencer marketing, though they possess an inward beauty all their own. More importantly, they prove time and again to be the real make-or-break dynamics in any business that aspires to find stability, operate sustainably, and scale responsibly.
We're excited to explore these subjects as a major new branch in our educational content. There's a lot of ground to cover. We'll traverse these topics across our in-depth guides, online courses, podcast shows, and more.
This page exists to serve as basecamp for all things business development here at SPI. Below, you'll find:
- Our inaugural business development guide, The SPI Guide to Business Fundamentals
- Popular podcast episodes that touch on various inner workings of business dynamics
- A beginners course on rooting your business model in a clearly defined market with a validated idea
- The one business platform we absolutely, positively could not exist without
Our free guides are up first. Check those out and let us know what you think. We look forward to hearing your feedback! And we can't wait to publish more content on business development disciplines soon.
Free Guides
Guides to showcase what it's really like to run a business
Courses
Courses to develop your business sense and skills
Articles
Good reads about dynamics at the core of business
How to Start an Online Business
Discover how to start an online business, including figuring out your “why,” identifying your target market, and building a brand and website!
Here's a Sneak Peek Behind the Curtain of How SPI Operates
Take a sneak peek behind the curtains of how SPI operates, from our core values and mission to management to business systems and tools for performance.
20 Entrepreneurs Reveal their First Hire Story: How & When They Grew Their Team
Take your business to the next level by making your first hire! Learn from 20 entrepreneurs who reveal their first hire story today on the blog!
10 Timeless Business Lessons I Learned During My 7-Year Agency Career (And Why I Sold Mine)
Matthew Gartland, CFO and COO at SPI, shares 10 timeless business lessons, from the importance of your people and culture to why ideas alone don't make a business.
What to Do When “All of the Good Ideas Are Already Taken”—Tips to Help You Pick a Niche—UPDATED!
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the amount of niches out there, don't worry. This post takes you through the niche selection tips you need to get started in your business.
How To Make Passive Income Online (3 Business Models) – UPDATED!
I've been building businesses since 2008 and have generated over $5M in earnings. In this post, I’ll distill what I’ve learned into three passive income business models you can choose from.
Recommended Tool
Gusto
Gusto makes running our SPI business a breeze. It starts with payroll, which is critical to get right for a growing business. We also use Gusto for benefits administration, paid time off (PTO) tracking, feedback surveys, important document retention, and more. Oh, and their concierge support team is dynamite.
Try Gusto
Podcasts
