Cash is king in a startup. Every dollar saved on overhead is a dollar that goes toward growth. But cutting corners on IT usually backfires – the “free” solution costs more when it fails. Here are legitimate ways to get solid IT without overspending.
1. Use What’s Already Included
Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($6/user/month) includes email, Teams, SharePoint, and 1TB OneDrive. Google Workspace Starter ($7/user/month) includes Gmail, Drive, Meet, and Docs. Most startups already pay for one of these but only use 20% of what’s included.
2. MFA Is Free – Turn It On
Multi-factor authentication is included with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace at no extra cost. It prevents 99% of account compromise attacks. There’s no reason not to have this enabled everywhere.
3. Don’t Buy a Server
Unless you have a very specific reason (industrial equipment, specialized software), you don’t need on-premise hardware. Cloud storage is cheaper, more reliable, accessible from anywhere, and doesn’t require maintenance.
4. Standardize Hardware
Don’t let everyone buy whatever laptop they want. Pick one model (or one Mac option and one PC option). Bulk buying is cheaper, support is faster when everything’s the same, and replacement is easier.
5. Flat-Rate IT Over Break-Fix
Break-fix IT ($150-$250/hour) feels cheaper until you have a month with three incidents. Flat-rate managed IT is predictable, includes prevention, and typically costs less over a year than reactive emergency calls.
6. Automate Onboarding
If you’re hiring monthly, spending 4 hours per new hire on IT setup adds up fast. Proper identity management (JumpCloud) means creating one account gives a new hire access to everything. 15 minutes instead of 4 hours.
7. Don’t Pay for What You Don’t Use
Audit your subscriptions quarterly. SaaS sprawl is real – unused licenses, duplicate tools, abandoned trials still billing. Most startups can cut 10-20% of their software spend by simply canceling what nobody uses.
8. Get SOC 2 Ready Before You Need It
The controls required for SOC 2 (MFA, encryption, backups, access controls) are all things you should have anyway for basic security. Implementing them now means when an enterprise client asks for SOC 2, you’re months ahead instead of scrambling.
Need IT help? Seashore IT provides flat-rate managed IT for businesses with 5-250 computers across the Western US – from auto shops and contractors to law firms and healthcare practices. Call (833) 997-6886 or email info@seashoreit.com.
Seashore IT – Your transparent IT partner, aligned to your goals, embedded in your success.