Start-Ups Hot Tip
The Plug and Play Office

Linda Kellogg is the start-up's starter-upper. While head of human resources at fast-growing Venture Law Group, based in Menlo Park, Calif., she organized so many office moves and openings that she figured others could benefit from her expertise. So in 1996 she launched San Jose-based Start-up Resources, which helps companies get their offices up and running quickly.

Start-up Resources manages everything from finding and furnishing office space to setting up benefits and payroll systems. Kellogg and her three employees have so far handled start-up operations for 30 companies. Most have paid--at least in part--in almighty equity.

Kellogg's services are in demand because even the sharpest entrepreneurs "don't know how to go about actually starting a business," she says. And what are their most common mistakes? For one thing, they spend too much time checking out used-furniture prices and not enough on recruiting and product development. Or they might hire two or three employees before even thinking about setting up a workers' compensation system, something that Kellogg says can be done in an hour.

--Karen Dillon , Inc. Magazine