Founder Onboarding Checklist

97 concrete actions to take your startup from idea to traction. Each item represents one actionable step you can complete this week.

0 of 97 completed (0%)

MVP & Product

Validate Your Startup Idea

Talk to 10 potential customers this week and document their responses

Run "Mom Test" Customer Interviews

Conduct 10 interviews using non-leading questions and summarize the top 3 pain points

Choose Your Tech Stack

Select and document your stack with a one-paragraph justification for each choice

Build Your First Prototype

Ship a working prototype within 2 weeks, even if embarrassing

Create a Landing Page to Test Demand

Launch a landing page with email capture and drive 100 visitors to it

Set Up User Analytics

Install analytics (Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar) and define 5 key events to track

Define Your MVP Scope

Write a one-page spec with exactly what's in v1 and a "not now" list of everything else

Ship Your First Version

Deploy to production and get it in front of 5 real users

Run User Testing Sessions

Conduct 5 recorded user testing sessions and list the top 10 friction points

#10

Set Up Your Development Pipeline

Configure version control, CI/CD, and staging environment

#11

Build a Feedback Collection System

Implement in-app feedback (Canny, Typeform, or simple form) and collect 20 responses

#12

Ship Your First Iteration

Analyze user data, pick one improvement, and ship it within one week

Customers & Business Model

#13

Create Your Ideal Customer Profile

Write a one-page ICP document with demographics, psychographics, and buying behavior

#14

Conduct Customer Discovery Interviews

Complete 20 interviews and create a summary doc of patterns

#15

Map Your Customer's Workflow

Diagram your customer's current process and identify where your product fits

#16

Calculate Your Market Size

Document your TAM, SAM, and SOM with sources and assumptions

#17

Choose Your Beachhead Market

Select one specific segment to dominate first and write down why

#18

Select Your Business Model

Choose your model (SaaS, marketplace, transactional, etc.) and document the unit economics logic

#19

Test Willingness to Pay

Ask 10 prospects what they'd pay and document their responses

#20

Set Your Initial Pricing

Publish your pricing (even if it changes) and prepare your justification

#21

Define Your Unit Economics Targets

Calculate target CAC, LTV, and payback period; write them down

#22

Identify the Decision-Maker

For your ICP, document who holds the budget and who influences the decision

#23

Write Your Positioning Statement

Complete a one-sentence positioning statement using a standard framework

#24

Document Your Jobs-to-Be-Done

Write 3-5 job statements your product fulfills for customers

Early Users & Customers

#25

Find Your First 10 Customers

List 50 names, reach out to all, and close 10 users this month

#26

Write Cold Outreach Templates

Create 3 email/LinkedIn templates and A/B test them on 50 prospects

#27

Tap Your Personal Network

List everyone you know who fits your ICP and personally reach out to 30

#28

Build and Launch a Waitlist

Create a waitlist page and get 100 signups before launch

#29

Design Your Onboarding Flow

Map every step from signup to value, then cut it in half

#30

Define Your "Aha Moment"

Identify the single action that correlates with retention and measure it

#31

Onboard Customers Manually

Personally onboard your first 10 customers via call or screen share

#32

Ask for Referrals

Ask every happy customer for 2 introductions; track your referral rate

#33

Convert Free Users to Paid

Identify your first 5 free users ready to upgrade and close them

#34

Build Your First Case Study

Interview one successful customer and publish a written case study

#35

Negotiate a Pilot Program

Propose a 30-60 day paid pilot to one enterprise prospect

#36

Set Up Customer Feedback Channels

Create a system (Slack channel, email alias, or tool) for ongoing feedback

#37

Document Your Sales Process

Write down every step from lead to close so someone else could replicate it

#38

Fire a Bad-Fit Customer

Identify one customer who drains resources and gracefully exit the relationship

Marketing & Sales

#39

Define Your Brand Voice

Write a one-page brand guide with tone, vocabulary, and examples

#40

Write Your Origin Story

Draft a 500-word founder story for your website and pitches

#41

Set Up Content Marketing

Create a 12-week content calendar with topics and publish dates

#42

Implement Basic SEO

Optimize 5 key pages with target keywords, meta descriptions, and headers

#43

Build Your Email List

Set up email capture and reach 500 subscribers

#44

Create a LinkedIn Strategy

Commit to posting 3x/week for 30 days and track engagement

#45

Write Your First Press Release

Draft a release for your launch and send to 20 relevant journalists

#46

Launch on Product Hunt

Prepare assets, line up supporters, and execute a launch day

#47

Run a Paid Acquisition Test

Spend $500 on one channel and measure CAC

#48

Build a Referral Program

Design incentives, build the mechanism, and launch to existing users

#49

Pursue Partnership Marketing

Identify 5 complementary companies and propose co-marketing

#50

Apply to Speak at Events

Submit to 5 conferences or meetups relevant to your space

#51

Build Your Sales Call Framework

Script your discovery, demo, and close process

#52

Create Your Sales Deck

Build a 10-slide deck for sales conversations (different from investor deck)

#53

Set Up Your CRM

Choose a CRM, configure your pipeline stages, and log every prospect

#54

Build Your Marketing Dashboard

Track CAC, conversion rates, and channel performance weekly

Fundraising

#55

Decide: Raise or Bootstrap

Make the decision and write a one-page rationale

#56

Calculate Your Raise Amount

Determine 18-month runway needs plus buffer; set your target

#57

Build Your Target Investor List

Research and list 75 investors with stage, sector fit, and intro path

#58

Get Warm Introductions

Secure 15 warm intros from your network before going broad

#59

Write Your Elevator Pitch

Craft a 30-second pitch and practice until it's effortless

#60

Build Your Pitch Deck

Create a 10-12 slide deck following standard VC format

#61

Create Financial Projections

Build a 3-year model with revenue, expenses, and key assumptions

#62

Prepare Your Data Room

Organize all documents (cap table, financials, legal) in a shared folder

#63

Practice Your Pitch

Run through your pitch 20+ times with friendly audiences

#64

Launch Investor Outreach

Send your first 20 emails and start tracking in a spreadsheet

#65

Complete Partner Meetings

Present to decision-makers and debrief after each meeting

#66

Negotiate Your Term Sheet

Review terms, get legal advice, and negotiate key points

#67

Close Your Round

Sign documents, wire funds, and update your cap table

#68

Send Investor Updates

Establish a monthly update cadence and send your first one

AI & Efficiency

#69

Audit Workflows for AI Opportunities

List every repetitive task and flag which could be automated

#70

Set Up AI Coding Tools

Install Cursor or Copilot and use it for one full week of development

#71

Automate Customer Support

Implement an AI chatbot or response assistant for common queries

#72

Build an AI Content Workflow

Create a system for AI-assisted blog posts, social, or email drafts

#73

Analyze Feedback with AI

Feed customer feedback into AI and extract themes and priorities

#74

Set Up AI Sales Intelligence

Use AI tools to research prospects before outreach

#75

Create AI Agents for Repetitive Tasks

Build or configure one AI agent that saves you 5+ hours/week

#76

Decide: Build AI Into Your Product

Make a deliberate decision on AI features and document your roadmap

Community & Network

#77

Find Your Founder Peer Group

Identify 3-5 founders at similar stages and set up regular check-ins

#78

Join Founder Communities

Apply to and actively participate in 2-3 communities

#79

Apply to Accelerators

Research fit and apply to 3-5 programs (or decide not to and document why)

#80

Secure a Mentor

Identify one experienced person and formally ask for mentorship

#81

Start Building in Public

Share your first "building in public" post on Twitter or LinkedIn

#82

Attend Strategic Events

Go to 5 events in 60 days with a goal for each (not just "networking")

#83

Set Up Accountability Partnership

Find one founder and commit to weekly check-ins

#84

Practice Asking for Help

Make 5 specific asks of your network this month

#85

Host a Founder Gathering

Organize a dinner or informal meetup with 6-10 founders

#86

Build Your Personal Advisory Board

Recruit 3-5 advisors with specific expertise gaps you have

#87

Establish Co-Founder Check-Ins

Schedule weekly co-founder syncs with a standing agenda

#88

Create Your Support System

Identify your go-to people for stress and schedule regular contact

Legal, Finance & Operations

#89

Incorporate Your Startup

File Delaware C-Corp paperwork (or use Startup Intros, Clerky, etc.)

#90

Set Up Your Cap Table

Use Carta, Pulley, or a spreadsheet to document all equity

#91

Sign Your Co-Founder Agreement

Draft and sign an agreement covering equity, roles, IP, and departure

#92

Establish Vesting Schedules

Set up 4-year vesting with 1-year cliff for all founders

#93

Calculate Your Personal Runway

Know exactly how many months you can survive without salary

#94

Decide When to Go Full-Time

Set specific milestones that trigger quitting your job

#95

Hire Your First Employee

Make your first hire (or contractor) and set up payroll

#96

Open a Business Bank Account

Separate business and personal finances from day one

#97

Set Up Accounting

Choose a system (QuickBooks, Bench, etc.) and categorize expenses monthly