Starting a company takes more than a logo and a website. McBorrough helps entrepreneurs turn ideas into functioning businesses by connecting strategy, branding, technology, websites, applications, marketing and the systems needed to operate.
STRATEGY – BRAND – TECHNOLOGY – LAUNCH – GROWTH
Startup Services in Northern Virginia
Build the Business Around the Idea.
We have worked with startups for more than fifteen years across business services, nonprofits, clothing and ecommerce, apps, software, entertainment, modeling, government contracting and churches. You bring the idea. We help build what needs to exist around it.
THE IDEA IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
A Startup Needs a System Around It.
You may begin with a product, service, app, nonprofit mission, clothing concept, ministry or piece of software. That is the starting point – not the finished company.
The business still needs a name, identity, customer experience, technology, digital presence, marketing, lead or sales process and a way to operate after launch. McBorrough helps connect those pieces before they become a collection of unrelated tools.
IDEA – FOUNDATION – LAUNCH – GROWTH – OPERATIONS
WHAT WE HELP BUILD
From Business Concept to Operating Company
ONE TEAM ACROSS THE STARTUP FOUNDATION
Do Not Build the Company as Ten Unrelated Projects.
A startup can quickly end up with one company making the logo, another building the website, another handling marketing, a different person choosing software and nobody responsible for making sure the pieces work together.
McBorrough can look at the startup as one connected business system. The brand affects the website. The website affects marketing. Marketing creates leads. Leads need follow-up. The technology needs to support all of it.
PLAN – BUILD – GET FOUND – GROW – AUTOMATE – OPERATE
THE STARTUP TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION
Build the Systems Before the Business Depends on Them.
The startup may need more than a website. It may need business email, domains, shared files, customer records, forms, payments, scheduling, office technology, software access, analytics and a process employees can actually use.
THE FOUNDATION MAY INCLUDE
Domain and business email
Website or ecommerce platform
CRM and lead management
Forms and scheduling
Payment systems
Cloud tools and file systems
Analytics and tracking
Automation and integrations
Hosting, backups and security
Staff technology setup and training
STARTUPS WE CAN HELP BUILD
Different Ideas Need Different Foundations
NONPROFIT STARTUPS
Make the Mission Clear Enough for People to Support It.
McBorrough has always had a special interest in nonprofit work because a strong nonprofit presence can help an organization communicate its mission, attract supporters and create a more professional foundation for outreach.
WE CAN HELP BUILD
Mission and messaging
Brand and style guide
Nonprofit website
Online donation experience
Volunteer and contact forms
Campaign and outreach materials
Email and communication systems
APP AND SOFTWARE STARTUPS
The App Is Only One Part of the Company.
A new app or software platform needs more than development. It needs a clear user problem, product structure, brand, interface, workflow, website, launch story and a plan for reaching the people expected to use it.
FROM IDEA TO PRODUCT
Product and feature planning
Brand development
User experience and workflows
Interface and screen planning
Web, mobile and application development
Launch website and marketing
Ongoing product support
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING STARTUPS
Present the Company Like It Is Ready for the Opportunity.
Government contracting is a major part of the Northern Virginia and Washington DC business environment. A new contractor needs to communicate capabilities professionally even when the company itself is still young.
McBorrough can help build the brand, website, capability-focused messaging, presentations, marketing materials and digital presence around the firm so prospective partners and customers can quickly understand what the company does.
BRAND – CAPABILITIES – WEBSITE – CONTENT – PRESENTATION
CLOTHING, PRODUCT AND ECOMMERCE STARTUPS
Build the Brand and the Store Together.
A clothing line or product startup needs both the thing being sold and the world around it: name, visual identity, packaging, ecommerce, photography, video, product content, social presence and launch marketing.
McBorrough can help develop original graphics and creative assets as well as the digital storefront and marketing system that takes the product from concept to customer.
BRAND – PRODUCT – STORE – CONTENT – MARKETING – SALES
LAUNCH MARKETING
Building the Business Is Not Enough if Nobody Knows It Exists.
The website launch is not the end of the startup process. The new business still needs a plan for getting in front of the people most likely to need what it offers.
LAUNCH CAN CONNECT
Website and landing pages
SEO and local visibility
Social media
Content creation
Photography and video
Advertising campaigns
Email and follow-up
HOW IT WORKS
Start With What You Know. Build What Is Missing.
You do not need to have a complete business plan, finished brand or technology stack before talking to us. The point of the startup engagement is to determine what already exists, what is missing and what should happen first.
1. DISCOVER
Understand the idea, audience, business model, existing work, budget and intended launch.
2. PRIORITIZE
Determine what the business actually needs now and what can wait until a later stage.
3. BUILD
Create the brand, website, application, technology and operating systems included in the engagement.
4. LAUNCH
Put the business in front of the market with the right combination of search, content, social, advertising and outreach.
5. OPERATE AND IMPROVE
Use real customer and operating information to determine what the startup needs next.
YOU DO NOT NEED EVERYTHING ON DAY ONE
Build the Right Version for the Stage You Are In.
Startups can waste significant money trying to look like a mature company before they have validated the offer, customer or process. The opposite problem is launching so cheaply that customers do not trust the business.
Our job is to help determine what needs to be professional now, what needs to be tested first and which systems should be designed so they can grow later.
START LEAN. LOOK PROFESSIONAL. BUILD FOR THE NEXT STAGE.
STARTING IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA?
Build Locally. Grow Beyond the DMV.
McBorrough is based in Northern Virginia and works with entrepreneurs and organizations throughout the DMV. That local perspective can matter when the startup depends on Northern Virginia customers, government contracting, local search, regional partnerships or community visibility.
CENTREVILLE – MANASSAS – FAIRFAX – HERNDON – RESTON – VIENNA – MCLEAN – ARLINGTON – ASHBURN – LEESBURG – WASHINGTON DC
The company does not have to stay local. Websites, ecommerce, applications, digital marketing and automation can support customers and operations well beyond the DMV.
STARTUP SERVICES FAQ
Questions About Building a Startup With McBorrough
Do I need a complete business plan before contacting you?
No. You can start with an idea, existing notes, a product concept or a business that is partially built. We begin by understanding what you already know and identifying the pieces that still need to be developed.
Can you help us name and brand the startup?
Yes. Naming, brand strategy, logo development, messaging and visual identity can be included when the startup does not already have a usable brand foundation.
Do you build the website or app too?
Yes. Depending on the project, McBorrough can build websites, ecommerce stores, web applications, custom software and other digital systems required by the startup.
Can you help with business technology and office setup?
Yes, when included in the engagement. That can include planning business email, cloud systems, software, equipment requirements, networking, collaboration tools and staff training around the technology the company will use.
Do you handle legal formation, accounting or tax filings?
McBorrough focuses on business strategy, branding, technology, digital systems, marketing and launch execution. Legal formation, tax, accounting and regulated professional advice should be handled by the appropriate qualified professionals. We can build our work around those decisions once they are established.
Can you work with something we already started?
Absolutely. You may already have the company name, logo, registration, website, app prototype, social accounts or other pieces. We review what is already useful and build from there instead of automatically starting over.
How much does a startup engagement cost?
Startup scopes vary significantly. A service business needing a brand and website is very different from a startup requiring custom software, ecommerce, automation and a launch campaign. We first determine what the business actually needs and build the proposal around that scope.
How do we get started?
Fill out the qualification form and tell us what you are trying to build, what already exists and where you need help. We will review the information and reply with the appropriate next step.
MORE THAN STARTUP DESIGN
Build What the Business Needs Next.
A startup may begin with branding and a website and later need ecommerce, custom applications, SEO, content, advertising, automation, hosting or ongoing digital operations. McBorrough can continue building as the company grows.
RELATED MCBORROUGH SERVICES
Business Consulting
Branding and Logo Design
Website Design and Development
Ecommerce
Custom App Development
Marketing and Advertising
SEO and AI Search Visibility
AI Business Automation
Hosting and Digital Operations
LAUNCHING SOMETHING?
Let Us Build It Right.
Your first step is a short qualification form. Tell us what the idea is, what you have already built and what you need help turning into a real operating business.