Nowadays, almost everyone is learning software development. At some point, many dream of owning their own company.

Who wouldn’t love to spin around in a fancy 360° chair while making money?
Who wants to work under someone else forever?

Especially now that governments are offering a lot of incentives for IT startups — for example, new companies often get the first 10 years tax-free. Sounds amazing, right?

But here’s the catch: many people don’t really know how a software development company actually operates.

Does that mean the dream has to die?
Absolutely not!
But first, you need to learn, understand, and be ready to work hard.

If you want to be like Elon Musk, you must follow his motto: "Work like hell."

Since we all want to make bags of money (who doesn’t?), today let's dive into how to run a small IT or software company successfully.

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Step 1: How to Get Projects (Work)

At the beginning, small companies often struggle to find projects.
As a result, about 90% of startups shut down within the first two years.
In fact, only around 1% survive beyond five years.

So the biggest question is: How do you bring in projects?

Unfortunately, there’s no single logical answer, because there are many ways to find work — and you never know which method will work best at what time.

For example:

• You can’t start by getting government projects.
  To work with the government, you must become a BASIS (Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services) member, which requires:
  • A trade license
  • One year’s tax certificate

Typically, a company needs to be at least 2 years old and have prior work experience to qualify for government contracts.

So, what can you do?
Here are some strategies:

1. Freelance Marketplaces

Look for projects on popular online platforms such as:

• Freelancer.com
• Upwork.com
• Guru.com
• Fiverr.com

These sites are great for small companies to get their first few projects.

2. Build Your Own Website

Create a professional website for your company. Invest in SEO to rank well on Google so that clients can find you organically.

3. Analyze and Approach Other Companies

Study companies and offer them services that could boost their progress. Show them proof of what you can help them achieve and request meetings.

Offering services at a competitive (lower) price in the beginning can also help you get your first few clients.

4. Subcontract from Bigger Companies

Many large companies outsource small parts of their projects.
Contact them — it's a great way to gain experience and enter the market.

5. Build a Strong Network

Grow your network — friends, seniors, juniors, whether in IT or not — let everyone know you'll give them a percentage commission if they help you bring in a project.
(Trust me, no one works for free.)

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Step 2: Company Structure

Who do you need inside the company? Here’s a basic structure:

• CEO (optional for small teams)
• Project Manager
• Accounts Manager
• Business Analyst
• UI/UX Designer
• Front-end Developer
• Back-end Developer
• Full-stack Developer
• Database Engineer / Architect (optional)
• DevOps Engineer
• Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist

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Step 3: The Workflow Inside the Company

Here’s how the flow typically looks:

1. Marketing & Sales Team

They bring in leads (projects), qualify them (check if your company can deliver), build brand presence, and handle SEO.

2. Project Evaluation Meeting

Once a project lead comes in, a meeting is held with:

• CEO (optional)
• Project Manager
• Accounts Manager
• Business Analyst
• Team Lead

In this meeting, discussions happen about:

• Project cost
• Timeline
• Technology stack
• UI/UX basics
• SRS (Software Requirement Specification)
• After-sales support agreements

3. Legal Agreement

If the client agrees, a formal legal agreement is made.

4. UI/UX Design

Once confirmed, the UI/UX team starts designing the project.

5. Database Design

Simultaneously, database engineers or back-end developers work on database design.

In small companies, database design is often handled by back-end developers.

6. Development Phase

After designs are finalized:

• Front-end and back-end developers start working in parallel.

7. Testing (Quality Assurance)

• Developers complete tasks and deploy them.
• QA tests according to company methodology.
• If 100% satisfied, QA approves the task.
• If not, the task is sent back for fixes.

Only after approval, tasks move to the project manager.

8. DevOps Engineer

Quietly, behind the scenes, the DevOps engineer handles:

• Hosting
• Servers
• Cloud infrastructure
• Deployment processes

9. Final Testing

When everything is done:

• QA does a final test.
• Project is handed over to the project manager.

10. Project Manager Final Check

• Project Manager and Team Lead double-check.
• Once 100% satisfied, the project is approved.

11. Beta Version Release

• A beta version is released for initial testing.

12. Client Review

• Once the beta version is 100% okay, the client is invited to test.
• If satisfied, the project is officially handed over.

Training for the client is provided if necessary.

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Step 4: Payment

When is payment collected?
Two common methods:

• In milestones (after completing certain parts)
• After full project handover

Additionally, there’s a maintenance payment.
Typically, free support is offered for 6 months to 1 year. After that, maintenance charges apply.

Fun fact: Big companies often earn more from maintenance contracts than from new projects!

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Throughout the entire project cycle, the Project Manager plays a critical role — overseeing everything and maintaining communication with the client.

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🎉 Congratulations!

That’s how a software project is completed, and the cash starts flowing!

Pro Tip: It’s best to work in the industry for at least 2 years before starting your own company.
Real-world experience makes a huge difference.