diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 252c252e..e18768a7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-* To run the code, clone the git repo, cd into the folder, and run npm install. Then, run npm install -g browserify. Then, run npm start. *
+* Make sure you have a redis server running: download redis using homebrew: brew install redis
+* Start the redis server: redis-server /usr/local/etc/redis.conf
+* To run the code, clone the git repo, cd into the folder, and run npm install. Then, run npm install -g browserify. Then, run npm start.
 
 Steps to start exchanging messages: