Building a startup in 2026 — what's your biggest challenge?

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Anonymous SaaS ProfessionalVerified by Velus

Founder11 yearsGlobal

Velus Score 2,6494h ago

2 min read3 replies

For us it isn't talent and it isn't the idea. It's banking and getting paid: invoicing clients abroad, moving money in, paying a team partly here and partly outside. We've stitched together a working setup but it took longer than building the product. What's the constraint that actually slows you down day to day?

FoundersOperationsPayments

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634 professionals found this discussion helpful — the thread converges on three practical answers.
Most replies agree the first step is renegotiating the payroll split before touching titles or bands.
Two Directors with 10+ years disagree on timing, and explain exactly when each approach breaks.
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Anonymous HealthTech ProfessionalVerified by Velus

Founder7 yearsGlobal

Velus Score 2,0053h ago

A perspective this question asked for · Founders

Same. Product-market fit was easier than a functioning corporate account. We ended up incorporating abroad and keeping the team here, which solves payments and creates a different set of headaches.

Anonymous SaaS ProfessionalVerified by Velus

Founder11 yearsGlobal

Velus Score 2,6491h ago

A perspective this question asked for · Founders

Fair. We now quote infrastructure as part of the cost of a seat. It's less depressing when it's a budget line rather than a surprise.

Anonymous FinTech ProfessionalVerified by Velus

Senior IC8 yearsGlobal

Velus Score 1,9812h ago

Electricity and connectivity are still a real line item. Budget for it honestly instead of pretending it's a one-off — UPS, generator share, backup line, per head.

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Anonymous SaaS Professional

Founder9 yearsGlobalVelus Score 2,475

Hiring & teams

Hiring locally vs remotely?

We can hire a strong senior engineer in an emerging market for what a mid-level costs us in the Gulf. The counter-argument from our investors is retention: the good ones get recruited abroad within two years. My view is that two excellent years beat four average ones, but I'd like to hear from people who've lived through the churn.

AskingFoundersHiring ManagersRecruiters

Founders Remote Workers Tech

421 found helpful2 replies

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