None of those things are startups. You have a consultancy business and a couple small but useful web-based service products. I applaud you for the success you have had, which many of us would envy... but they're still not startups.
None of those things are startups. You have a consultancy business and a couple small but useful web-based service products.
I agree with you about the web-based tools - too many people classify these things as startups when they're really not, myself included.
Not sure about the consultancy though: it's small, designed to grow fast, adapting quickly and prepared to pivot as required, and on the verge of hiring. The consultancy owns the products mentioned, so it's not only doing consultancy, which is why I've classified it as a startup. I'm open to the idea that it's not though.
A startup is, by definition, a newly formed business venture that is in the process of "starting up" its permanent business operations. Thus, a food truck, a taco stand, a shop, a web app...those are all startups if they are new businesses.
This term existed before the tech industry existed and will continue to exist after the tech industry fades. The only reason it is associated with the tech industry today is because there are are currently far more startups in the various tech markets than there are in other industries. Consider: a great many of the "startup" successes of the past 3 years are not tech startups; they are normal businesses which incidentally used technology in their business, like Stripe, AirBnB, etc.
