23. Your Minimum Operating Stack

Most early companies need surprisingly little.

• Identity: business name, domain, professional email and clear company information.
• Money: business bank account, bookkeeping, invoicing, payment processing and tax tracking.
• Customers: a simple CRM or a disciplined contact list, and a follow-up process.
• Knowledge: one place for contracts, procedures, customer research, company facts and documentation.
• Distribution: website, relevant listings, an email list, the social channels your customers actually use, and analytics.
• AI: a controlled knowledge base and repeatable workflows tied to real business processes.

Add software when a real operating problem requires it. Do not manufacture software problems so you can solve them with more software.