diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 38ba862..7fdd57b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ Include the javascript file.
 Inject the `count-to` directive in your app.
 
 ```
-var myApp = angular.module('myApp', ['count-to']);
+var myApp = angular.module('myApp', ['countTo']);
 ```
 
 Apply the directive to a dom element.
 ```
- <span count-to="{{countTo}}" value="{{countFrom}}" duration="4"></span>
+ <span count-to="{{countTo}}" value="{{countFrom}}" duration="4" startup-delay="5"></span>
 ```
 
 
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ The following attributes can be set as numbers on the directive element.
 - ```count-to```  the number to count to.
 - ```value```  the number to start counting from.
 - ```duration```  how long the count should take in seconds.
-
+- ```startup-delay```  how long the counter will wait until it starts.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/build/angular-count-to.min.js b/build/angular-count-to.min.js
index 91e224e..74b993a 100644
--- a/build/angular-count-to.min.js
+++ b/build/angular-count-to.min.js
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-/*! angular-count-to 2013-07-16 */
-var countTo=angular.module("countTo",[]).directive("countTo",["$timeout",function(a){return{replace:!1,scope:!0,link:function(b,c,d){var e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l=c[0],m=function(){f=30,i=0,b.timoutId=null,j=parseInt(d.countTo)||0,b.value=parseInt(d.value,10)||0,g=1e3*parseFloat(d.duration)||0,h=Math.ceil(g/f),k=(j-b.value)/h,e=b.value},n=function(){b.timoutId=a(function(){e+=k,i++,i>=h?(a.cancel(b.timoutId),e=j,l.innerText=j):(l.innerText=Math.round(e),n())},f)},o=function(){b.timoutId&&a.cancel(b.timoutId),m(),n()};return d.$observe("countTo",function(a){a&&o()}),d.$observe("value",function(){o()}),!0}}}]);
\ No newline at end of file
+
+var countTo=angular.module("countTo",[]).directive("countTo",["$timeout",function(n){return{replace:!1,scope:!0,link:function(t,i,r){var e=i[0],u,o,c,s,h,f,l,a,p=function(){o=30;h=0;t.timoutId=null;t.delayTimeoutId=null;f=parseInt(r.countTo)||0;t.value=parseInt(r.value,10)||0;c=parseFloat(r.duration)*1e3||0;a=parseFloat(r.startupDelay)*1e3||0;s=Math.ceil(c/o);l=(f-t.value)/s;u=t.value},v=function(){t.timoutId=n(function(){u+=l;h++;h>=s?(n.cancel(t.timoutId),u=f,e.textContent=f):(e.textContent=Math.round(u),v())},o)},y=function(){t.delayTimeoutId&&n.cancel(t.delayTimeoutId);t.timoutId&&n.cancel(t.timoutId);p();e.textContent=t.value;t.delayTimeoutId=n(function(){v()},a)};return r.$observe("countTo",function(n){n&&y()}),r.$observe("value",function(){y()}),!0}}}]);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/count-to.js b/src/count-to.js
index d3aa7ad..9602731 100644
--- a/src/count-to.js
+++ b/src/count-to.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 var countTo = angular.module('countTo', [])
     .directive('countTo', ['$timeout', function ($timeout) {
         return {
@@ -6,15 +7,17 @@ var countTo = angular.module('countTo', [])
             link: function (scope, element, attrs) {
 
                 var e = element[0];
-                var num, refreshInterval, duration, steps, step, countTo, value, increment;
+                var num, refreshInterval, duration, steps, step, countTo, value, increment, startupDelay;
 
                 var calculate = function () {
                     refreshInterval = 30;
                     step = 0;
                     scope.timoutId = null;
+                    scope.delayTimeoutId = null;
                     countTo = parseInt(attrs.countTo) || 0;
                     scope.value = parseInt(attrs.value, 10) || 0;
                     duration = (parseFloat(attrs.duration) * 1000) || 0;
+                    startupDelay = (parseFloat(attrs.startupDelay) * 1000) || 0;
 
                     steps = Math.ceil(duration / refreshInterval);
                     increment = ((countTo - scope.value) / steps);
@@ -38,11 +41,17 @@ var countTo = angular.module('countTo', [])
                 }
 
                 var start = function () {
-                    if (scope.timoutId) {
-                        $timeout.cancel(scope.timoutId);
-                    }
+
+                    if (scope.delayTimeoutId) { $timeout.cancel(scope.delayTimeoutId); }
+                    if (scope.timoutId) { $timeout.cancel(scope.timoutId); }
+                    
                     calculate();
-                    tick();
+
+                    e.textContent = scope.value;
+
+                    scope.delayTimeoutId = $timeout(function () {
+                        tick();
+                    }, startupDelay);
                 }
 
                 attrs.$observe('countTo', function (val) {