VC Adventure

NOVEMBER 1, 2018

This is the 4th post in my Designing the Ideal Board Meetin g series. I hope this series so far has helped you think a bit differently about how you approach the lead-up to your board meetings. By the time you walk into the meeting you should have a clear agenda that everyone has agreed to, one or two areas of the business that you plan to dive more deeply into, prepared materials that are of a style, length, detail and consistency that efficiently and effectively brings your board up to speed o

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Design Option Pool Operations Conversion 257

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 1, 2018

So, you are close to selling your company, and counting the profits a bit early. Well, that’s human nature. Here’s a thought for you to recall later when and if the event happens. Remember those who got you there. And for tax reasons, remember them before the closing of the deal, so that you can do so by sharing a bit of your proceeds without paying personal income tax upon those amounts.

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Stock Options Stock Distribution Programming 192

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 12, 2018

by Georgianna W. Oliver, founder of tour24. Entrepreneurs are funny people. They are problem solvers, and are everywhere in every walk-of-life! They are engineers, computer scientists, doctors, detectives, teachers, parents, politicians, and even your barista or Uber driver. Virtually anyone you may meet on a given day wants to solve a problem, or make the world a better place.

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Networking Entrepreneur Demand Engineer 200

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

I know a change is going to come. If you’re an early employee at a startup, one day you will wake up to find that what you worked on 24/7 for the last year is no longer the most important thing – you’re no longer the most important employee, and process, meetings, paperwork and managers and bosses have shown up. Most painfully, you’ll learn that your role in the company has to change.

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Part-Time VPE Employee Cofounder Hiring 334

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

Startup

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2018

For decades, efforts to satisfy customers have been built around demographics – capitalizing on race, ethnicity, gender, income, and other attributes. Today, in this age of pervasive social media and two-way communication, the focus needs to get beyond demographics into personalities. Customer personalities define customer experience, and sets what they love, and what they hate.

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Customer Social Media Media Employee 252

ConversionXL

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

If you’ve ignored the design and content of your “thank you” page, you’re neglecting: Recent purchasers. New leads. These are some of the highest value segments of an online audience, yet what most sites decide to show them is an afterthought. Whether you’re confirming access to a PDF download or thanking someone for a four-figure purchase, there are ways to add value for users—and get more value for your business.

Technical Review 133

Technical Review eCommerce Email Software Review 133

Haystack

NOVEMBER 25, 2018

It’s that time of year, where I — as a committee of one judge, me — select one startup in the tech ecosystem that “broke out” and has the makings of an even larger outcome should things continue to go right. As a little tradition on this blog, I’ve singled out companies starting in 2013 with Stripe ; there was Snap back in 2014; Slack in 2015; took a break in 2016, as I wasn’t inspired to select one then; and last year, 2017, was Coinbase.

Technical Review 127

Technical Review Open Source Software Review Venture Capital 127

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 21, 2018

by Saeju Jeong, CEO and Co-founder of Noom Coach. Many friends who start a new business together often end up going their separate ways, leaving the company to collapse and the relationship to turn sour. However, this isn’t to say that a partnership – and new business – can’t last if handled correctly. I should know – I’ve done it.

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Cofounder Technical Cofounder Software Engineering Startup 217

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

Most healthy businesses need business financing at some point. Startups have to deal with starting costs and ongoing businesses have to finance growth and working capital. Deciding to take on some kind of debt is quite common. In this article, we’ll take a quick look at the big picture, and then talk through options for funding. Financing options depend on what kind of business you have.

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SBA Venture Capital Angel Investor Technical Review 161

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 16, 2018

As the rate of change continues to increase in business and technology, the more I’m convinced that marketing is the primary key to success for a new venture. Yet I find that many technical founders don’t feel they need it at all, or at best point to one person on the team who is marketing. I believe the real challenge is make your whole team a marketing machine.

Technical Review 178

Technical Review Marketing Due Diligence Social Media 178

ConversionXL

NOVEMBER 29, 2018

Freemium and free-trial signups have one thing in common: Neither generates revenue. You may agonize over the decision to choose one path over the other, but you can save that strategic energy for figuring out how to transition more free users into paying customers. This post details the freemium and free-trial models and considers the key questions—about your business, your market, and your product—that guide you toward the best option.

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Customer Conversion Acquisition B2B 119

The Startup Magazine

NOVEMBER 12, 2018

Developing successful agile innovation methods can drive companies to great new heights. Wanting to avoid digital disruptions and enable better decision-making in the workplace? Then implementing agile innovation methods should be top on your list of to-dos. Taking an agile approach to project management means taking large tasks and splitting them into smaller tasks, as well as finding ways to be more innovative.

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Agile SCRUM Cloud Software Developers 88

Hearpreneur

NOVEMBER 16, 2018

The idea of exactly what your business is going to usually come first. Secondly, most often, is giving a title to your idea. What exactly is going to be the name of your business? Some people turn to their childhood for inspiration or a beloved family pet. It could be a made up word you dream of one night and feel it has the right ring to it. Even still there are some people who study foreign words for the perfect meaning behind their chosen business.

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Naming Singapore Entrepreneur South Africa 114

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

by Arsalan Sajid, startup community manager at Cloudways. After spending a good amount of time researching about the benefits of having a startup, you are ready to open your own startup. WAIT! I have got a shocking statistic for you, startup enthusiasts. Almost 90 percent of startups fail within the first five years of their inception. There are a good number of published research studies that back this claim.

Startup 180

Startup Technical Review Finance Hiring 180

crowdSPRING Blog

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Silicon Valley has dominated the U.S. startup ecosystem for many decades. Despite repeated efforts, only a few cities outside the Valley (New York and Boston) have historically had the critical mix of VC funding, network, and talent to fuel vibrant startup centers. Best startup city rankings have reflected this truth for a long time. But this is becoming less true today, as more and more entrepreneurs find their way across the U.S.

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United States Las Vegas San Francisco Denver 113

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 19, 2018

I often wonder how many more startups would succeed if their founders could master the art and science of delegation. It seems inherent in the mind of most first-time entrepreneurs that it was their idea, and they must do all the work themselves to make it happen. In my role as mentor and advisor to many founders, I consistently fail in convincing them of the power in wise delegation.

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Leadership Technical Review Due Diligence Founder 241

ConversionXL

NOVEMBER 15, 2018

You regularly run A/B tests on the design of a pop-up. You have a process, implement it correctly, find statistically significant winners, and roll out winning versions sitewide. Your tests answer every question except one: Is the winning version still better than never having shown a pop-up? A hold-out group can deliver the answer, but, like everything, it comes at a cost.

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Artificial Inteligence Algorithm Audience Campaign 101

The Startup Magazine

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we going? These are the questions we ask ourselves when feeling philosophical. For startup owners, similar questions need to be asked about their company – particularly the product (or service) they’re providing their consumers. Only by developing a deep understanding of the product lifecycle can a startup have the endurance necessary for long-term success, and this can only be achieved via solid product management.

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Management Product Software Review Software 100

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 20, 2018

This article is part of our Business Startup Guide —a curated list of our articles that will get you up and running in no time! Starting up a business requires a lot of different steps. First-time entrepreneurs and small business founders often feel anxious when they think about all the factors that play into getting their idea off the ground. Plus, it can seem like success or failure hinges on finding deep-pockets funders, expert mentors, ample press coverage, and other “champions.”.

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Sweat Equity Startup Lean Italy 93

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 22, 2018

Starting a business is difficult enough, but starting out alongside full time employment is incredibly difficult. However, it can be equally rewarding and can lead to you being able to take more control of your life and focus entirely on what may become your sole income. Unlike working full time in a 9 – 5 job as most people do, running your own business provides challenges, uncertainty and difficult learning curves which need to be overcome in order to succeed.

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Web Development PPC Marketing Social Media 147

Hearpreneur

NOVEMBER 29, 2018

Business and IT leaders have been inundated for years with stories of digital disruption and urgency to act. And for the past decade, those who work in IT have been dealing with a frenzying pace of change. Technology platforms, development paradigms, and the vendor landscape have been shifting at a rate that very few organizations have been able to keep up with.

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Framework Agile Open Source Software 72

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 10, 2018

Every technical entrepreneur is an early adopter of technology, so naturally they build things with people like themselves in mind. Unfortunately, for most solution markets, early adopters represent only 10 to 15 percent of the total opportunity, so it’s easy to get mislead on the real requirements of mainstream customers. Psychologists call this the confirmation bias.

Technical Review 240

Technical Review Restful Engineer Technology 240

ConversionXL

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Earlier this year, at CXL Live , you asked us about voice search (a lot). More specifically, you asked the hard questions, like: How can ecommerce companies compete with Alexa? How will voice search work given the human urge to shop around? Are there use cases for voice search in B2B? This post has answers. They range from straightforward technical optimizations to complex, long-term efforts to differentiate through a superior consumer experience.

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B2B eCommerce Search Non-Compete 100

The Startup Magazine

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

Making the right career choice is a hard task, especially if you decide to cling to an already existent job market, instead of finding a way to make a fortune by being self-employed. In the present day and age, where you can work or make contacts online, there’s virtually no reason for you to leave your home. Sure, you still might have to outfit it for certain industry-specific tasks, yet, even this expense is minor when compared to the cost of renting out an office and outfitting an entire team

Technical Review 96

Technical Review Software Review Startup Reputation 96

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 19, 2018

Image via TechCrunch. What’s a non-emergency medical transportation business? NEMT services help people get to pre-scheduled healthcare appointments, including doctor visits, rehab, clinical testing, follow-up exams, and more. The demand for safe and reliable public transportation for people with medical issues and disabilities, particularly in rural communities, continues to grow at remarkable rates.

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Non-Compete Operations Programming Hiring 92

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 16, 2018

It seems like social media makes the world go ‘round these days, and if you are a retailer or restaurant owner you may understand this more than most! Getting great reviews online is so important in attracting new customers (and, sometimes even keeping your regulars as perceptions can change over time). So, how do you improve your reviews as a restaurant owner… and, what’s a sure fire way to ensure you patrons get clicking on those stars?

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Technical Review Social Media Campaign Channel 167

Hearpreneur

NOVEMBER 24, 2018

Trends in the breastfeeding world are changing for the better. Noreen Sablotsky is the founder and CEO of Imalac , a revolutionary company in the breastfeeding world. The company is getting ready to launch Nurture by Imalac a nursing/ pumping bra with an attachable, hands-free breast expression system that when used in conjunction with an electric breast pump, significantly improves the quality, efficiency and practicality of milk expression.

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Founder Israel Miami Cofounder 91

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

Based on my years of experience working with entrepreneurs, I strongly believe that most of you start your business with the highest of ideals, but have no idea how many situations you will face that don’t have clear-cut answers, or raise ethical dilemmas. For example, how should you handle a cash flow crisis, where you have to choose between paying a creditor and your employees?

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Due Diligence Leadership Stock Entrepreneur 219

ConversionXL

NOVEMBER 28, 2018

Will PPC look like this in 2020? Probably not. Nonetheless, there are some amazing automation opportunities that make the life of Marketing Managers, CMOs, and PPC experts quicker and more efficient—especially for fast-growing companies that need to scale their campaigns. PPC automation is a massive topic. In this post, I focus on automation within Google Ads.

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PPC Search CPA Campaign 117

The Startup Magazine

NOVEMBER 14, 2018

At this year’s FUND Conference in Chicago, Illinois, over 100 startups presented their early-stage companies in front of hundreds of investors and industry leaders. FUND is a national connector of entrepreneurs, VCs, angel investors, and industry experts with a focus on deal flow and making connections. The startups ranked most highly by investors and startup enthusiasts in terms of scalability and longevity received votes on how well they connected with investors.

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Chad Illinois Nepal Haiti 111

crowdSPRING Blog

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Logo design with bright colors, creative typography, and signage mock-up by zeste/crowdspring. Small businesses and startups have to compete in an increasingly noisy world, often against large, dominant businesses. Customers who are just discovering your brand need something to remember you by, and your logo serves as a symbol of your business. A great logo will help boost your marketing.

Design 91

Design Social Media Non-Compete Vertical 91

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

by Emmanuel de Watteville, co-founder of Blue Ocean Ventures. When anyone considers their own option to invest in a growing project or venture, they immediately think of the financial risks that come with such a business endeavor. Investing has always (and will always) come with a long laundry list of liabilities that can deter even the most experienced investors from making a generous contribution to a startup or early-stage company they believe in.

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Early Stage Cofounder Startup Security 160

Hearpreneur

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

The entertainment concept remains evergreen due to creativity and innovations that surrounds it. Akos Gabossy’s idea for his multi-million dollar company, PanIQ Escape Rooms, came to him while he was participating in his high school’s foreign exchange student program that landed him in LA. Completely amazed by the indoor family amusement concepts like Dave & Busters and Chuck E Cheese, Akos decided that he wanted to establish a similar family entertainment concept in his homeland of Hungary.

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Hungary San Jose Nashville Phoenix 72

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2018

Traditional marketing says you have to “push” your message out to customers, over and over again, to get you remembered. A more effective approach in today’s Internet and interactive culture is to use “pull” technology to bring customers and clients to your story. You pull people in by providing new content with real value on your website at least every few days.

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Customer Flash Technical Review RSS 198

ConversionXL

NOVEMBER 12, 2018

If you generate a $200 million quarterly profit with an online product, your website’s user experience must be world class, right? Wrong. Your homepage can still look like the one above, which is from one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. But terrible UX isn’t a shortcoming of the cryptocurrency industry—it’s common in every high-growth industry, including, perhaps, your own.

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Affiliate Email Technical Review Registration Rights 116

The Startup Magazine

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

In an effort to support startups looking for capital and mentorship, The Startup Magazine is supporting Volvo Financial Services in its launch of its iLabX global innovation program for technology entrepreneurs. We encourage all startups to consider applying to this rewarding startup accelerator. Corporate accelerators are one of the best ways for startups to access capital, advice, and markets. iLabX Technology Accelerator.

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North Carolina Startup Technical Review Programming 107