Many aspiring entrepreneurs have dreamed of an idea that changes the world. But only a few take steps to form a startup company and make that idea real. Fewer still navigate the journey through the startup lifecycle and emerge triumphant on the other side. But to get to a destination, you need a map—and to be a successful startup, you need to pass through the six stages of startup growth.

If part one is designed to provide you with a methodology to perform the type of market research that actually means something, then part two is about providing you the tools you need to fill in the blanks with data on your industry and competitors.

You already know why you need to do market research so I’ll skip past answering “why”. The “How” is a lot murkier. That’s because market research is usually performed by large companies who hire market research companies. But, we can’t afford the time it takes to do that, and we definitely can’t afford the hefty price tag.

Software is everywhere. It isn’t only in everything it is everything. That’s great for the software industry as a whole but as the industry matures startups will have a harder time. Whether you’re throwing around startup ideas over a couple of beers or you’re a research associate doing a SWOT analysis for a VC, startup ideas can come from anywhere, at anytime, and to anyone. My point is, ideas are