Purpose This paper reports on the results of an investigation into how the software development process is initially established within software product start-ups. Methodology/Approach The study employs a grounded theory approach to characterize the experiences of small software organizations in developing processes to support their software development activity. Using the indigenous Irish software product industry as a test-bed, we examine how software development processes are established in software product start-ups and the major factors that influence the make up of these processes. Findings The results show that the previous experience of the person tasked with managing the development work is the prime influencer on the process a company initially uses. Other influencers include the market sector in which the company is operating, the style of management used and the size and scale of the company operations. Practical implications The model has particular implications for start-up software product organisations that wish to successfully manage their product development from an early stage.