Startup
Midweek Reading: Workaholics, Memoirists, and Monopolists
Reality defies the predictions of 20th century economists, who predicted that our century would be one of increasing leisure time, when instead it has become marked by workaholism among the already wealthy and successful. A fast-growing “personal memoirist” industry is developing in small business America, helping older generations preserve and share their stories. More and…
Read This Article
Midweek Reading: Advertising, Platforms, and Culture
Advertising campaigns that focus on real people rather than celebrity endorsers and actors are flourishing, trying to bring out a degree of authenticity rather than flash. Millennials are participating in large numbers in the “platform economy,” as their lack of assets and high levels of student loan debt give flexibility a much higher value. Dave…
Read This Article
Best of Mentoring: Jesse Maddox on Building a Team
Jesse Maddox’s mentoring series tells the story of how he took the long, winding road to becoming an entrepreneur, from the track to becoming a lawyer to travels abroad and on to startup events and venture capital. In this session, Jesse talks about how he found and put together the team of people who helped…
Read This Article
3 Ways to Make Your Business More Attractive to Investors
Typically, small businesses that want to start expanding will begin looking for investors at the end of the year. The timing just gives everything a feeling of a fresh start, and it’s always nice when an owner can head into the New Year with a bit more money in their pockets. However, a lot of…
Read This Article
Midweek Reading: Boomer Marketing, Negotiations, and Salary Histories
Companies might put a lot of effort into attracting younger customers, but “the biggest market opportunity for start-ups is older Americans rather than hip millennials.” Business owners want to hire employees with negotiation skills, but bristle when candidates use those negotiation skills on their own behalf. Liz Ryan shares why you shouldn’t let a top…
Read This Article
5 Key Hiring Tips to Build a Winning Team
The fantasy football draft is an entrepreneur’s dream. Who wouldn’t want to hand-select their all-star team to form an impressive roster? But no one has perfected every trait you need, so adopting the fantasy sports mindset isn’t a sustainable approach to building your business. For most of us, at least, your lineup can’t change every…
Read This Article
Best of Mentoring: Bill Aulet on the Biggest Misconceptions of Entrepreneurs
Bill Aulet’s mentoring series looks at entrepreneurship education in the United States, and the ways to increase and improve entrepreneurial training for young people. He and Fran discuss whether it’s even possible to teach entrepreneurship, the biggest challenges for new entrepreneurs, and how improving entrepreneurial education can increase entrepreneurship. In this session, Bill busts some…
Read This Article
Is Your Mindset Holding Your Startup Back?
Startups are risky ventures — so much so that three out of four fail. But really, failure is part of life. Everybody fails, and business is no exception. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough. But the failure itself isn’t the important thing. What really matters is how you handle those mistakes. Take…
Read This Article
Should You Form an LLC or a Corporation?
To form an LLC, or a corporation, that is the question. What is the answer, though? Here are some of the differences. Legal Entity vs. Tax Entity Before going any further, let’s make a distinction between a legal entity (LLC v. corporation) and a tax entity (sole proprietor/partnership vs. C-corporation v. S-corporation). Some new entrepreneurs…
Read This Article
Midweek Reading: Brexit, Human Labor, and New Ideas
Last week’s Brexit vote has been the top headline in every news source; here, economists and business leaders discuss how it will affect small businesses and entrepreneurs. While automation is becoming a bigger factor in the overall economy, human labor is becoming a mark of luxury, a sign of the personal touch in a world…
Read This Article