Sat.Jul 21, 2018 - Fri.Jul 27, 2018

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Why VC Feedback is Often Bad Data

This is going to be BIG.

I've seen this so many times over: A founder pitches a VC, or several of them, and then they come back from that process with all sorts of new strategy goals or worries that they need to be doing something differently. Nine times out of ten, if you're pitching more than one VC, the advice seems to conflict with itself, and the founder winds up playing Wack-a-Mole trying to figure out what to do next.

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Advice For Innovative Companies Entering Emerging Markets

YoungUpstarts

by Joanna Malaczynski, founder of DESi. If you are an innovative company entering an emerging market, you should be aware that you are sailing into a vast ocean and will need to engage in purposeful navigation. I decided to interview some of your predecessors and highlight the key lessons learned by those who have already been there before you: Watch for Critical Market Progression.

Marketing 147
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7 Keys To Making People First And Winning In Business

Startup Professionals Musings

Just as national cultures influence and shape a country, so does the startup culture set by founder strategy drive the future of a new venture. In top current companies, such as Google, Apple, and Netflix, cultural strategies that include greater employee freedom and fostering creativity are the norm. I believe this new focus on culture is a key to startup success today.

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The Impact Matrix | A Digital Analytics Strategic Framework

Occam's Razor

The universe of digital analytics is massive and can seem as complex as the cosmic universe. With such big, complicated subjects, we can get lost in the vast wilderness or become trapped in a silo. We can wander aimlessly, or feel a false sense of either accomplishment or frustration. Consequently, we lose sight of where we are, how we are doing and which direction is true north.

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Building Healthy Innovation Ecosystems for Your Projects

Speaker: Nick Noreña, Innovation Coach and Advisor, Kromatic

Every startup and innovation project exists within an ecosystem that either helps or hurts that project. As innovation managers, we need to keep a pulse of that ecosystem and make sure we're helping those innovation projects we're managing every step of the way. In this webinar, Nick Noreña will walk through an Innovation Ecosystem Model that he and his team at Kromatic have developed to help investors, heads of product, teachers, and executives understand how they can best support innovation in

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Honest Startup Advice From Somebody Who’s Been Through It

Duct Tape Marketing

Honest Startup Advice From Somebody Who’s Been Through It written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. Marketing Podcast with Rand Fishkin. Podcast Transcript. My guest for this week’s episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is Rand Fishkin. He is the founder and former CEO of Moz and currently has a new venture called SparkToro , a software and data company focused on helping people understand how and where to reach their target audiences.

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How Wise Is The Conventional Wisdom On Closing?

YoungUpstarts

by Brian Signorelli, author of “ Inbound Selling: How to Change the Way You Sell to Match How People Buy “ When you work in sales, there’s no end to the advice you field. Everyone — from bosses to consultants and trainers to the industry veterans you meet at the hotel bar — has tips and techniques that (supposedly) vastly improve your likelihood of making a sale.

Sales 150

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My Coworking Journey and the Opening of MELD

Austin Startup

My dream has always been to work from home as a graphic designer, but little did I know, it’s not as great as it sounds. It certainly has its perks but what many people don’t realize is the extent to which you are constantly alone. When I worked from home, it was hard to differentiate home from work. It all blended together. It killed my productivity, creativity and I was always distracted by dishes, laundry, naps, cats, etc.

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GFi Working With Universities, Manufacturers, and Big Pharma

Gregg Fraley, Author of Jack's Notebook

Recent Projects at GFi. GFi is the consultancy of Gregg Fraley and specialist associates he brings in to execute projects. This is a periodic update. Qualitative Research , Innovation Events, Training, Facilitation, and Writing: Facilitation : Marquette University is working with the Milwaukee community and Johnson Controls to innovate. Their vehicle is The President’s Challeng e.

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With Eyes Wide Open: 8 Risks Of Starting A Business

YoungUpstarts

There are many benefits and opportunities for starting a business. It can be an exciting move when the economy is booming, and you have the motivation sparked by a great idea. You’re certainly not unaware of the risks and sacrifice that accompany every startup, but neither are you unwilling to tackle that journey. You don’t want to walk into a major business opportunity without recognizing all the risks associated with it, however.

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Book excerpt: My Morning Ritual

Jeff Hilimire

The book I’m writing, The Five-Day Turnaround , is written as a narrative, first-person story, and throughout I share tips and tricks on how the main character, Will, manages his time as a leader and CEO. Yes, Will is basically me, so these strategies are tools that I’ve honed over the years to help me be more successful. Below is an unedited passage from the book, focusing on the process I…er, I mean Will, uses each morning to get going. ~~~.

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Transcript of Honest Startup Advice From Somebody Who’s Been Through It

Duct Tape Marketing

Transcript of Honest Startup Advice From Somebody Who’s Been Through It written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. Back to Podcast. Transcript. John Jantsch: If you’re a founder of a startup, maybe you need some brutally honest advice from somebody who’s been there. For this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing podcast, I visit with Rand Fishkin.

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Webinars: The Learning Revolution

Transformify

As we have gone hurtling headfirst into the digital age over the last few decades, we have developed a completely new style of learning. We no longer traipse into the library searching for hours for the exact information, but now at the click of a button can find exactly what we are looking for and even have our specific questions answered. Questions varying vastly in their complexity and answered by many different people with many different opinions, views and experiences.

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[ADV] The Search For A Future Battery – Charge In Seconds, Last Months

YoungUpstarts

Do you feel like your devices are spending a long time charging compared to operating time? We are told that battery breakthroughs are coming. They will be able to charge for less and last for a very long time. For now, we have laptops, smartphones, and drones that are manufactured from lithium-ion batteries. As well as, even electric cars from Tesla are using bigger batteries that are made from lithium ion.

Search 100
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The Holographic Display Of The Future Is Here

Feld Thoughts

The holographic display of the future is here and you can have one on your desk for under $600. Ever since I saw Princess Leia appealing to Obi Wan that he was her only hope when I was 11, I’ve wanted a holographic display. Movies like Minority Report and Back to the Future II (do you remember the shark hologram that ate Marty ?) have consumed thousands of people’s lives over the past few decades.

Video 193
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Why Pitching Your Product Is Not Enough For Investors

Startup Professionals Musings

As an occasional angel investor, I always ask for a business pitch to get me in the mood. I’m still amazed at how many technical entrepreneurs don’t have a business pitch, and offer me their product pitch or product spec instead. I’m a technologist, so I always love to learn about the product, but every investor needs to make sure you have a business, as well as a product.

Product 145
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Stand Out with Small Business PR

Rembrandt Communications

Media buzz can help you build credibility and get noticed by your entire buying audience Several years ago, you could make a phone call to one person at an organization, make your pitch and finalize a sale. Today, this happens less because buying committees consist of numerous people at various levels in an organization. For […]. The post Stand Out with Small Business PR appeared first on Small business PR and content strategy that boost sales, awareness and credibility fast!

PR 127
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4 Ways AI Is Solving Seasonal Hiring Challenges

YoungUpstarts

by Chris Collins, CEO at RoboRecruiter. During this time of the year, many organizations increase their workforce during the summer to take into account the demands on their business. In fact, the top four industries that hire more people in readiness for the seasonal period are retail, hospitality, tourism and media. However, volume recruitment and seasonal hiring create many challenges to the recruitment process that many organizations experience time and time again.

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On top of the CN Tower: Understanding how we process fear

Version One Ventures

Last week, Boris and I were in Toronto for our quarterly offsite. I suggested the CN Tower EdgeWalk as a good break from discussing all things Version One related. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the EdgeWalk, it is an attraction where participants in suits and harnesses circle the exposed top of the 356m-high CN Tower. As you can see from the picture, we were quite high off the ground and had to perform a bunch of tricks along and over the edge.

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4 Steps To The Support You Need To Save Your Business

Startup Professionals Musings

Many entrepreneurs and small businesses I know are struggling with business-threatening issues, but are reluctant to seek any assistance. Some assume that the help will be too expensive or doesn’t exist, but I find that others are just horribly uncomfortable asking for any kind of help. This results in personal and business failures that could have been easily prevented.

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CEO Roland Reznik Talks Doing Business In China

YFS Magazine

While many entrepreneurs are fearful of forging global partnerships, Reznik asserts that there are a few keys to success in China that often go overlooked.

China 93
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[INTERVIEW] Glen McKay, Newfoundland Business Leader, Co-Founder of Newfoundland Hard-Rok, Inc.

YoungUpstarts

Starting as a deckhand delivering cod and turbot from fishermen in Newfoundland and Labrador, over the past forty years, Glen McKay has molded his career into one that focuses on entrepreneurship and leading the growth of companies operating in a range of industries. Having founded or co-founded several private companies and a public company, Glen currently serves as chair of the Board of Directors of Newfoundland Hard-Rok Inc., a business that he founded in 1985, which operates in the explosive

Cofounder 100
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A Venture Capital Career Is Like Walking from Boston to San Francisco

Feld Thoughts

I’m a recent conversation with Eric Paley , he gave me an amazingly wonderful analogy for how the career of a VC unfolds. He said: “Being a VC is like taking a walk from Boston to San Francisco” I’d never heard that before so I said: “tell me more.” He went on an awesome ramble, which I’ll try to capture below.

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6 Learning Strategies Today For New Venture Founders

Startup Professionals Musings

One of the simplest questions I get from aspiring entrepreneurs, and ironically one of the hardest, is “How do I start?” I want to tell them to just start anywhere, but I realize that most have no idea where anywhere is. They just aren’t prepared for the life they want, and are really asking me how to learn to be an entrepreneur. It takes more than passion and a course on business basics.

Founder 129
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Why buy IT? Why buy MINE? Why buy NOW?

Berkonomics

What a powerful set of three questions. These are so succinct, so well defined, so precise that everyone in sales and everyone involved in marketing must be able to answer these three questions without pause, and convincingly. Turning these into statements instead of questions provides a framework for the sales presentation from the highest levels of collateral materials and marketing support, to the salesperson on the front line.

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[Sponsored] Guide To Public Liability Insurance

YoungUpstarts

Public liability insurance is one of the most important forms of business cover, but how does it apply to your business? We (Trade Direct Insurance – [link] ) are here to answer that question, and many more, with our comprehensive guide to public liability insurance. So sit back, grab a cup of tea and get ready to learn some helpful tips and tricks that should leave you with a clearer sense of what public liability is all about.

Cost 140
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Cool Dogs and Crazy Cats

Feld Thoughts

Our longtime friend Lura Vernon wrote a really fun book last year titled Cool Dogs and Crazy Cats. It’s a coffee table book that is a combination of hilarious dog and cat haikus along with epic dog and cat photos. I’m a dog person. During my first marriage in the 1980s, I had a gigantic cat named Tiny. It was evil. You’d be lovingly petting it and it would suddenly sink its teeth into your arm.

Naming 73
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“There’s A Disturbance In The Force”

Haystack

I say “no” every day, multiple times a day. Even though I know I’m upsetting folks, I try to be direct, open, quick, and honest. Not everyone will like it. So be it. I elect to be consistent and fair rather than liked. Yet, once in a while, when I say “no,” I carry it around with me. And sometimes, as you carry that “no” you delivered around, it starts to get heavier, and you recall it more frequently.

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Old Man Yells At Clouds (and Aspiring VCs As To What This Industry Really Is About)

Hunter Walker

I get a lot of inbound from friends, acquaintances and Twitter followers about making the transition from Operator to VC. Here are the top three reasons – lightly paraphrased – for why venture interests them: “I love working on products and it seems awesome to be able to work on 10 at one time instead of just one” “It seems intellectually stimulating, spending your days talking with the smartest people and investigating new technologies” “I enjoy helping

Cloud 83
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How To Optimize Your Business Expenses

YoungUpstarts

Seeing your company growing beyond its initial small size can be quite the rewarding and exciting experience, especially considering the huge range of opportunities that the modern IT sector gives you. However, one of the most annoying problems that most tech companies have to deal with sooner or later is the rapid explosion of their costs in certain critical areas.

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Book: North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail

Feld Thoughts

I’m a marathon runner, but not an ultrarunner. I’ve only done one ultra (the American River 50 miler) and the combination of the training, race, and recovery was too much for me. But I love the idea of ultras. I have several close friends who run ultras so I live vicariously through them. I love to watch documentaries about ultras, like the insane Barkley Marathons.

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What Makes (And Breaks) A Great Company Culture?

YFS Magazine

If you want to build a thriving and resilient business, you have to build a culture that connects your employees and encourages them to flourish.

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Stop Doing These 14 Things to Improve Your Business and Your Life

Up and Running

My philosophy used to be, say yes to everything, give 110 percent, and you can’t go wrong. As a young writer trying to make it in the marketplace, I found myself constantly looking for ways to increase my productivity and make a name for myself. I worked on projects at all hours of the night. “I’m done when it’s done,” I told myself. At the same time, I kept wondering how I could be so tired.

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4 Ways Online Communities Can Benefit Your Business

YoungUpstarts

Online communities have become a central part of everyday life and business operations. Since the early days of Internet message boards and email groups, participation in online communities has grown exponentially. Between 2012 and 2017, Facebook grew from one billion active users to over two billion. YouTube has over 1.5 billion users. Instagram also passed the billion-user mark this June.

Community 113
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My team used to suck at meetings, but now people are begging us to share our secret sauce

The Next Web

Think you hate meetings? My colleagues and I were so sick of them that we teamed up with Chelsea Handler to build an excuse generator. Can you guess what one of the main use cases was? Getting out of meetings. For years, our team’s meetings didn’t move us forward; they were “party meetings” that threw wrenches into projects. At best, we’d brainstorm, socialize, and draft a few action items.

Web 74
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Startup Expense Control: Travel Insurance

The Startup Magazine

Travel insurance coverage costs may vary with respect to the type of insurance plan included in your coverage and the particular amount of coverage you require. If you’re traveling in foreign countries, you may think about acquiring travel insurance policy and should bear in mind about exactly what you will have to insure, for example, healthcare, travel luggage or canceled plane tickets.

Startup 69
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How to Know When to Close Your Business and Start Over

Up and Running

A few years back, I was working as a business consultant for a venture located in a small city in India. The company used a mix of offline and online methods to connect job seekers and recruiters. After one year as a consultant to the business owners, I realized it was not in a position to succeed. The sales numbers did not look very encouraging, their growth was slow, and they were continuously missing all the targets we set.

Salary 72