Startup Must-Haves: Perseverance and Optimism If you are thinking about starting your own business, you need to have the stamina of a marathon runner. And once you start your career as an entrepreneur, a glass-half-full attitude will serve you well as you face a continuous stream of problems to solve and questions to answer. Check out this infographic (below) from the startup organization Funders and Founders, which depicts some of the conflicting thoughts an entrepreneur can struggle with. From coming up with an idea to cashing out, you may face dilemmas where you will be pulled in at least two directions. While 40 percent of startup business owners expect the economy to weaken in the next year, a vast majority think their own business will succeed, according to a survey from entrepreneurship organization Kauffman Foundation and online document resource LegalZoom this week. Click to Enlarge+ What do you think is the most critical character trait of an entrepreneur? Catherine Clifford is a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com.
What Founders Wish They Knew Before Starting Companies The entrepreneurship journey isn't an easy one — developing a product, scaling a business and growing an audience are intimidating tasks that necessitate endless hustle, ambition and passion. And even if you have all of those qualities in spades, there's still a good chance your venture will fail. But 1 in 12 startups succeed, and these businesses are healthy, growing and maybe even profitable. "I wish that I knew how hard it is to find good, affordable tech — I would've majored in CS!" - Adam Rich, Thrillist "What I really wish I had known before I got started, is how important it is to get your legal sorted out at the very beginning. - Brooke Moreland, Fashism "I've been self-employed for almost 20 years. - Adrian Salamunovic, DNA11 and CanvasPop "Running a business is very challenging and also exciting. - Kellee Khalil, Lover.ly - Elisa Camahort Page, BlogHer "Pick the right co-founders. Hope for the best; prepare for the worst. Only have one CEO. - Kathryn Minshew, DailyMuse
Tools For Marketing Your Content (That Aren’t Twitter or Facebook) 122 Flares Twitter 91 Facebook 6 Google+ 7 Pin It Share 18 18 122 Flares × Facebook and Twitter are both valuable tools for marketing your content, yadda yadda yadda… we have all heard this song and dance before. It isn’t untrue, as they are the two biggest social networks that have become stalwarts in the promotion of both content and brands. But we already know what they are, and we know how to use them. Because they are so popular, these two networks have a tendency to overshadow other tools that can be just as important, if not more so, in content marketing. Quora This unique social network has become a powerhouse for influencers in various industries. Webtrends Optimize digital campaigns of all kinds with this marketing service that provides tools for measuring, analyzing, translation and finally converting information on your target demographic. Genius Get your entire staff in both sales and marketing on board with the same program. Percolate Constant Contact Pinterest Contently
46 Ways To Start A Business With No Money Most people who want to start their own business don’t have a ton of money laying around and it’s probably one the most common questions I get emailed about: How can I get started without a lot of cash? Well I’ve put together a list below of the best ideas I’ve heard and personally used. I hope you find it useful! The three basic strategies to starting a business without much money are: Delay the normal “business starting” activities like incorporating, hiring, renting office or retail space, etc until AFTER your business has started earning money. This is known as bootstrapping.Doing everything yourself and spending your personal time instead of hiring an expert. Start With The Easy Stuff: Eliminate Expenses Don’t rent an office! Legal Stuff and Incorporating Make a website for your business Getting a Logo Don’t hire a fancy graphic designer. Accepting Credit Cards Starting a service business where you consult, coach, teach, etc Creating Info Products Before investing in a retail location…