Alltopstartups » Entrepreneur

Startup Quotes In 140 Characters or Less

Thomas Oppong — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:52:16 +0000

A of startup founders have given back to the community. They share startup tips and pieces of advice you can actually use. Hundreds of them have been shared on Mixergy. Others are being shared on Techcrunch, Venturebeat, GigaOm, Mashable and personal blogs of the founders. I have been reading about them for some time now and I want to share the lessons these founders have shared with the community here with you. Some of these advice and startup quotes were gathered from last year’s startup school.

# The process in creating a business is in 3 steps: Discover –> Design –> Deliver-Andy Bechtolsheim

# Building a company is like baking a cake. There are a lot of ingredients and if you’re not careful you’ll end up with egg on the ceiling.-Marc Andreessen

# Scaling the team has been harder than scaling the platform.-James Lindenbaum

# You’re building a tool, not a piece of art. Don’t be blinded by the vision.-Andrew Mason

# Innovation is the never-ending search for better solutions -Andy Bechtolsheim

# You will probably fail – failure is real but you don’t have to fail.-Andrew Mason

# The “magic formula” is an engineer who can become an entrepreneur and CEO.-Marc Andreessen

# Spectacular companies start with ambitious but unknown founders, no pedigree required.-Jim Goetz

# Success is really imitation plus innovation-Ashton Kutcher

# There’s nothing quite as permanent as a temporary business model.-Matt Mullenweg

# It’s hard to raise money even when you’re profitable.-Mark Pincus

# It’s better to do something hard if you’re capable of solving hard problems.-Paul Graham

# The point of Facebook isn’t the features, it’s the people.-Mark Zuckerberg

# Ignore your mistakes. The number one thing to worry about is “Am I doing what I’m good at?”-Max Levchin

# A defining entrepreneur is a product visionary who owns the mind of their customer.-Ron Conway

# Take on more than you’re ready to, and get used to that feeling- Drew Houston

# There is around 7 +/- 2 of sites people have in their mind. Your goal is to be one of those 7. Search is in the 7.-Greg McAdoo

# If you have an idea put it up there online, no matter what it looks like. You need the feedback early on.=Brian Chesky

Which Of These 9 Startups Will Win The IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year

Thomas Oppong — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:24:30 +0000

The IBM SmartCamp Global Finals competition for entrepreneurs is here again. IBM is hosting the SmartCamp Global Finals this week in San Francisco, bringing the best and brightest startup companies from around the world together with venture capitalists and other leaders from the entrepreneur community.

IBM SmartCamps are designed to help entrepreneurs bring innovative new solutions to market quickly by providing mentoring and access to advanced technology and expertise. From Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, nine startups will vie for the IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year in in San Francisco. IBM Global Entrepreneur gives participants access to software, knowledgeable people, and promotion support.

The following 9 companies have created analytics-based software solutions to address some of the biggest challenges facing cities and citizens today, including traffic, healthcare and water safety. The winner will be named the IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year.

The finalists are:

BitCarrier: BitCarrier’s traffic management solutions analyze real-time traffic information, providing current travel times, estimations on congestion rates and accident alerts (winner, SmartCamp Barcelona).
C-B4 Context Based 4Casting: CB4 has created a context-based system for identifying and analyzing hidden data patterns in large-scale data warehouses. The system is particularly suited to the retail trade and customer relations management (winner, SmartCamp Tel Aviv).
ConnectM: ConnectM’s machine-to-machine technology uses advanced analytics to collect information from disparate systems to provide business intelligence. The solutions are developed specifically for the telecommunications, utilities and transportation industries (winner, SmartCamp Bangalore).
IDXP: IDXP’s consumer behavior solution installs sensors in stores and shopping carts to help retailers understand consumer behavior (winner, SmartCamp Rio de Janeiro).
Localytics: Localytics’ real-time analytics service provides makers of mobile phone and tablet applications with a better understanding of peoples mobile application preferences and tendencies (winner, SmartCamp New York City).
Palmap: Palmap’s mapping solution provides mobile users with instant information for indoor activities such as navigating airports and shopping malls (winner, SmartCamp Shanghai).
Profitero: Profitero helps online retailers maximize profits via competitor analytics (winner, SmartCamp London).
SecureWaters: SecureWaters’ patented technology continuously monitors, detects and identifies toxins in surface water. An early warning alarm system alerts clients to potential issues (winner, SmartCamp Austin).
SkinScan: SkinScan’s mobile application enables users to scan the moles on their bodies to measure skin cancer threat levels. They also offer a cloud infrastructure for medical histories of patients and doctors (winner, SmartCamp Istanbul).

The finalists, with solutions designed to solve problems facing cities, were selected from nearly a thousand startup companies that applied to IBM startup events in 2011. Streetline, which was named 2010 IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year as the winner of the 2010 SmartCamp World Finals, received a $15 million round of venture capital funding, and built several new products including a smart parking analytics offering based on IBM Cognos platform.

To watch the final presentations from the companies and hear from venture capitalists and entrepreneurs at the event visit: www.livestream.com/ibmsoftware on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012.

Richard Branson On Business Growth Strategies

Thomas Oppong — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:15:16 +0000

Sir Richard Branson is an English entrepreneur, best known for his Virgin Group of companies. With more than 400 companies in over 30 countries, the Virgin Group has now expanded into leisure, travel, tourism, mobile, broadband, TV, radio, music festivals, finance and health. Richard Branson bootstrapped his way from record-shop owner to head of the Virgin empire. These are some of the celebrated English entrepreneur’s thoughts, ideas, advice and strategies for starting and growing a successful business.

When my friends and I started the first Virgin business 40 years ago, we had no master plan– especially not one for a group of companies that by 2011. Our experience shows that company’s culture evolve organically.
Remember that how you treat the customer will form the basis of your corporate culture. Put your staff first, listen to them, and follow up on their ideas and suggestions.
We look for opportunities where we can offer something better, fresher and more valuable and we seize them. We often move areas where the customer received a poor deal and where the competition is complacent. And with our growing e-commerce activities, we also look to deliver old products in new ways. We are proactive and quick to act, often leaving bigger and more cumbersome organizations in our wake
To be successful, you have to be out there, you have to hit the ground running, and if you have a good team around you and more than a fair share of luck, you might make something happen. But you certainly can’t guarantee it just by following someone else’s formula.
We don’t actually plan to launch new businesses over the next few years, but we are planning to take the ones we have into new territories.
The advice that entrepreneurs seem to find most helpful: give the rest of your team space to work — in many cases, by moving your office out of the building.
Remove yourself from the business’s day-to-day functions and find someone to replace you as head of operations so you have enough uninterrupted time to look at the big picture and make decisions about the company’s future direction.
If you can, it would be best to work out the details of the expansion plan together, taking into account the challenges faced by your employees, and incorporating improvements they would like to make.
You can build good communications into your company’s DNA by ensuring that discussions are built on openness, clear language, and a willingness to listen to everyone who has something to say, from the person at reception to your top manager.
A business has to be involving, it has to be fun and it has to exercise your creative instincts.

The 8 Faces of A Leader In Business

Guest Author — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:28:04 +0000

The role of a Leader in the business world encompasses every kind of position or job description. Whether you’re the boss or a simple clerk in the company, you can apply the principles of leadership in your own department or even in disciplining yourself. Undoubtedly, being a leader is essential in running your own business. It is believed that great leaders breed success. Average leaders expect nothing but mediocrity.

To become a leader and entrepreneur at the same time requires a lot of things. You need to be the general of your own army not just someone passively standing and drinking coffee. A leader does not only commands but sets an example. Leadership is an active process of doing things thereby motivating others to work.

He/she is creative, perseverant, patient and goal-oriented. There are many attributes you can think of when talking about being a leader. But what really is essential in leadership that should be applied to make your business grow and succeed? Here are the five faces of a leader in a business venture.

1. The Planner

It is irrefutable that a good plan precedes a successful business output. The leader’s role in entrepreneurship is to be proactive. This means that ideas and business strategies are conceptualized by a good leader. Leadership involves the ability to identify present and possible problems, prospective schemes, risks and benefits of actions and tactics. He/she can analyze and solve small setbacks before reaching the crisis level.

Planning does not end in having a blueprint, leaders implement their plans well. They follow a certain process of holding a business. They assess, identify problems, plan interventions, implement them and most importantly evaluate the outcome of the projects. They are flexible and can adapt well to different situations.

2. The Counselor

Seek first to understand then to be understood. That is according to Stephen Covey, author of the renowned 7 Habits book. A leader does not make decisions alone; he does not jump into conclusions without exactly knowing what’s happening. As a counselor, he listens to his people intently. He seeks every chance to understand every situation. In case of a crisis, he/she can act as a coach which gives advices and helps co-workers to find solutions to problems.

3. The Prophet

Yes, leadership is prophetic. You are visionary. Leaders set a vision that gives the company a tangible direction. He/she uses the SMART criteria for setting goals. Goals and objectives should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bounded.

As a prophet, leaders believe in the goals they have set. They are always prepared to make these a reality. This is very important to gain the trust of your people. They should see you as someone who has a “clear direction” towards success.

4. The Jack of all Trades

A leader should know most if not everything about the business. He/she is well versed in all aspects of the market. Leaders master the necessary skills needed even of the lowest position up to his present spot. Leaders must at least be able to troubleshoot problems on his/her own.

This is also a positive way to lead by example. How can you impart knowledge, skills and attitudes if you yourself haven’t mastered it? For you to give advices and teach, you should first learn the basics of what you’ll be sharing.

5. The Teacher

In business, it is important to share your goals and aspirations. Vision will only grow once it is shared and worked for as one. Sharing your leadership will help your business grow and develop. As you do this, you will become more convinced that your visions can become real. This will strengthen your will and determination to strive harder.

Moreover, in the other side of the coin, teaching will help you build a strong workforce. If the people around share the same goals as you do, success would be just a finger away.

6. The Motivator

Well, businesses are not all about being on top and winning. That is why it is important for a leader to become the prime mover. You should motivate others to work despite the crises you are experiencing. No matter how difficult the situation is, leaders defray a sense of calmness. They encourage workers to go on and be the best in their positions.

Leaders can also use a rewards system. According to studies, if workers expect something in return (aside from wages) like jackets, gadgets and other freebies, their performance will become better.

7. The Commander

A leader takes charge and full responsibility in all actions. Not only that, he/she is accountable with the results. There would be no blaming or pointing in times of failures. This face of leadership means that you will be in command during project implementation and evaluation.

8. The Transformer

No, it’s not the robots! Leaders transform others to become leaders as well. They inspire their people to act and think like a leader. They start by setting an example to create a fully proactive and responsible workforce.

Authors Bio: Camille Remoroza is a content writer specializing in Health, Marketing and Social Media Topics. She read and write about them constantly. She is a health care professional that focuses on the Appliances that promote health and wellness.

Neil Patel On Startup And Blog Growth Strategies In 16 Sentences

Thomas Oppong — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:09:15 +0000

Building a profitable business takes time and effort especially an internet business. Most businesses do not get the needed attention and customers to scale from a small business to a high growth business. Neil Patel, a serial entrepreneur, blogger, and an investor is the co-founder of Crazy Egg and KISSmetrics. Neil has consistently shared resources, tips and howtos for growing a profitable business or blog on his site-Quick Sprout. The following are some of his thoughts and advice on ways and strategies you can grow your business or blog.

If you have a competitor ranking high for a term you’d like to rank high for then you need to figure out who is linking to their website.
You don’t have to get big fast, you just have to have enough money to keep on going.
Whether it is a business partner or the right employee, you can’t be afraid to give away equity.
Using your own money to start your business is always a good thing, but there isn’t anything wrong with using someone else’s money.
When you get a boost in traffic from an unexpected source, like a big blogger or media site, the best thing you can do is follow up with another post as soon as possible.
The reason I tweet quotes is because it’s not only causing my followers to get used to retweeting my stuff, but I am also growing my follower count through this tactic.
Networking doesn’t have to take place offline. Every week I try to get to know at least 5 Twitter users that have over 20,000 followers.
Getting retweets isn’t an art, it’s a science.
It’s always helpful if you have a board or advisory panel that can help you make the transition. Even if it’s a coach, mentor, or a CEO who’s gone through the same transition before, it’s helpful to have outside help.
If you want to be an entrepreneur, you don’t have to be that smart… you just have to be smart enough.
Go through this list and see which companies you can sell your product or service to.
Once you have determined who would be a good fit, look up who the CEO of that company is and Google their name with the word “email” in it so you can find their email address.
The goal of this email is to get in touch with the decision maker of the department you are trying to reach.
Message boards may sound boring and dull because they’ve been around for years, but they are still effective.
Marketing doesn’t have to cost money… it just requires creativity.
The best way to educate the market is through blogging.

Newly Launched StartupReadingList Offers You The Best Startup Articles

Thomas Oppong — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:06:14 +0000

I have just launched my new project-StartupReadingList that offers you the best startup article list every week. StartupReadingList is a subscribers-only list of the top startup articles that are published on popular and top startup blogs. StartupReadingList is a FREE bi-weekly newsletter that brings you startup articles on the most important things you need to know about launching a startup, raising capital, growing your business, marketing, leadership, management etc.

Editors select the best articles based on how many times the articles have been tweeted, liked, shared on Google+, stumbled and the type of comments the articles attract. This makes it easy to stay updated on only the startup articles you actually need to read.

Subscribers receive email of the best startup twice every week. The Startup Reading List saves you the time you spend researching for resources to start a business or to make you a better entrepreneur. Instead of taking time to find, aggregate and bookmark the articles you need to educate yourself about business, we do that for you so you can concentrate on building your company.

Startup Reading List makes it easy to read the and learn from the best minds, influencers, thought leaders on startups. We select articles from the best blogs, resources sites you will find useful. We help you read what matters now.

Who Needs To Subscribe?

StartupReadingList was created for aspiring entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs, startup founders, business managers, marketers, online entrepreneurs and generally business executives.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY and receive the best startup articles across the most popular blogs.

13 of The Best Online Marketing Resources for 2012

Thomas Oppong — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:03:51 +0000

Marketing is an important part of every business. Some businesses with resources spend lots of money to take their products to market. Others with little or no resources bootstrap their way to the same market. In the end it’s the business with the most effective marketing strategy that wins. Seth Godin, an entrepreneur, author,public speaker and an authority on marketing said “The product is the marketing. You can’t out spend.”I totally agree with Seth. Your product must speak for itself. You cannot expect to just throw money at marketing your product and expect a huge response if your product is not good enough. The following resources are geared towards marketers or making you a great marketer.

Seth Godin - Of course Seth had to be on this list. Check his blog out for marketing information, resources books and guides.
Viperchill- ViperChill is a blog authored by Glen Allsopp which covers Viral Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation, and Blogging advice. Glen Glen Allsopp, former Social Media Manager for the likes of Nissan and Hewlett Packard shares his insights and lessons.
SEO Moz: The SEOmoz Blog is one of the best resources sites for tactical, strategic advice and ‘how-to’ content. The site focuses on SEO, web marketing tactics and strategies. The SEOmoz Daily SEO Blog provides tips, tricks and advice for optimizing websites and getting better search engine rankings.
SmartInsights: Smart Insights wants to help marketers and business managers get more from digital marketing – to make the most of the great opportunities and avoid wasting time and money.
Guy Kawasaki – Guy Kawasaki shares his incredible insights from years of experience at Apple and other leading companies.
Web Ink Now: Online thought leadership and viral marketing strategies using news releases, blogs, podcasts, and online media. David Meerman Scott is the author of “The New Rules of Marketing & PR
Copyblogger: Tips and training for copywriters, bloggers, and content marketers. Online marketing strategies and solutions to make you a great marketer.
Social Media Explorer- Explores social media, social media marketing and public relations through commentary and analysis.
Toprankblog- Online Marketing tips, articles, interviews & how to’s on social media, search engine optimization & content marketing.
HubSpot Internet Marketing Blog : Great resource for on Internet marketing, search engine optimization, inbound marketing, analytics etc.
ChrisBrogan.com: Learn How Human Business Works. He consults and speaks professionally with companies about the intersection of business, technology and media.
Econsultancy is a community where the world’s digital marketing and ecommerce professionals meet to sharpen their strategy, source suppliers, get quick answers, compare notes, help each other out and discover how to do everything better online.
Duct Tape Marketing- provides strategies and recommendations for growing small businesses.

CHANGE, A Necessary Evil You Should Embrace In 2012

Thomas Oppong — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:25:53 +0000

“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”

When you’re moving forward and making progress, you will feel uncomfortable because of the constant change you have to go through in both your personal and business life. Its important to realize that some level of progress requires you to move from your comfort zone and make a new entry into another zone. You need to plan for change because it is inevitable. Humans require and seek new levels in development, but often times we do not want to embrace the change associated with it. If you are an entrepreneur, you will expect growth in your business. You may have to give up some freedom or sacrifice a little bit of the independence you enjoyed in 2011 to make that change happen.

You may need to bring in a new employee, and you may have to hire somebody smarter than you to accomplish the goal you have set a long time ago. You may have to give up a habit or even begin a new habit just in your bid to make progress in 2012. Those are all ok, and the uncomfortable feeling is understandable. Make decisions with that change in mind, and and commit to that change and you will make it through 2012.

We all love to postpone what needs to be done today for tomorrow, but the longer you postpone the longer it will take to get that task done. If change is inevitable, then there is absolutely nothing you can do about the current situation. If you feel the need to change, make that conscious effort today and embrace the new beginning.

Maria Robinson said ” Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”If you have to start that new business, make a decision today and begin it now. If your business is not growing and you believe that you need to move on, fail fast and try and a new market. If its a personal life choice to stop or start something new, do it now and stay committed and consistent.

A lot of businesses aim at establishing and retaining a competitive edge in the marketplace and that requires some level of change. You cannot expect a different results when you keep repeating the same tasks and duties with the same ideas. Invest in change strategies to move your business a step further at increasing profit. To stay in competition you need to lead your team to change to winning ways. You may be successful today, but your competitors are constantly evolving and innovating. Embrace change today and be a leader in your industry.

Change is the only constant. Hanging on is the only sin. Denise McCluggage

How Important Are Mentors To The Success Of Your Startup?

Thomas Oppong — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:18:53 +0000

Mentors are known to provide the wisdom of experience for new and emerging founders and companies. With a mentor you have the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge gleamed from the costly mistakes they have already made. But I am not a fun of mentors especially when they are directly involved in the decision making of your business. You have to be careful when choosing mentors to guide your steps. Some mentors can slow your business process and delay its success.

Sometimes some founders select mentors depending on how critical they need success. A mentor with the right knowledge, skills, and abilities will increase the probability of success. Even still you have to be careful about the personality type of the mentor and the role he or she would have to play in your business.

The mentor you select to guide your steps must be an active listener. The true and practical concerns you have running your business needs to be addressed and answered. A mentor should not just impose their success tips and strategies on you. What worked for them may not necessarily work for you. Watch out and work with mentors who will compliment your efforts in creating a successful company, not delay its process.

Think about the people in your network and identify 3-5 leaders from various segments who you trust and who you think will be effective and helpful in the long run- then approach them and ask for their support. You don’t need too many mentors for your business. The number of mentors depends on how important their skills are to your business. Be careful again, you could end up with conflicting advice if you have too many mentors.

For new entrepreneurs, it is crucial to have a mentor in order to avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that can beset a new enterprise. Choose a mentor who has experience in your niche for maximum results. Your business Life may be too short to work with amateurs. It is EXTREMELY important to work with professionals to increase your chances of crossing the first hurdle of survival.

Offer to pay for coaching/consulting if you can afford it, even for a few hours. Generally some mentors would want to coach you or guide you for free especially you are a new entrepreneur and are not making money yet.

How Important Are Mentors To The Success Of Your Startup? Have you used the services, advice and tips of mentors lately? How did it turn out?

Best 5 Business Opportunities For Online Entrepreneurs In 2012

Guest Author — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:19:31 +0000

Are you looking for extra income streams?

Look no further as I reveal the best 5 business opportunities available to you in 2012. It’s going to be a great year because events and new developments occurred. These are all for your business growth and expansion. Seeing the future as fertile for wealth creation is paramount to your success. If you’re an online entrepreneur, listed below are proven systems to earn passive income when you take responsibility for your life.

1. Online Business Consulting:

The first business opportunity that is hot right now is consulting. Corporate firms and multi-faceted conglomerates are looking for professionals to handle their online projects. As you already know, no corporate body trusts the work-efficiency of beginners or an individual.

There are several arms to business consulting. The beauty of this is that you can easily align your consulting expertise to your field. For instance, you can act as an SEO consultant if you know how to optimize web pages for Google. Or you can become the next social media consultant helping clients with their promotions on social media networks.

If you do your job well, you can earn $500 – $2000 per month depending on your expert and your kind of client. So, think creatively and market yourself.

2. Social Media Evaluation

What does this business opportunity entail?

As a social media evaluator, your job is to help clients determine and analyze how effective their social media marketing campaigns can be. It demands a great deal of research, testing and experimentation. Some online entrepreneurs do not have the time to engage in this rigorous activity. That’s where you come in.

You can easily use infographic illustrations to educate the client more and bring new lights to their social media career. It’s a new business model for those who can scale it through. Your earning potentials are huge, so stick around and find out how it works.

3. Custom Logo Designs

A single logo contract can yield $250 or more in profit. As a graphic designer, I know the profit potential in this model. There is absolutely no monetary investment from the designer. Everything you need is available for free.

Mostly, your computer loaded with the appropriate design package like Macromedia CorelDraw, Adobe Photoshop CS3, Macromedia or Adobe Fireworks.

If you don’t know how to design logos, you can learn it within 2 weeks at most. Just put your mind into it and explore the endless world of passive income. You’ll love this business once your completed work is used by a client. In 2012, logo design is going to be in high demand because several businesses are considering a corporate logo for their website, business and brand.

4. Product Reviews Analysis

It’s not about writing product reviews, but analyzing the truths and hype within it. During a course of study, I discovered that product reviews with 100% positive analysis often does not convert big sales.

On the other hand, when you honestly review a product, physical or digital, the chances of selling to the right customer is enhanced. Can you review Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 and other point and shoot digital cameras efficiently? Then be ready for work-load because clients are looking for you.

As a product review analyzer, you’re to help product creators determine the right angle where potential customers can feel comfortable. How do you please consumers so they can accept your reviews and click the purchase button? Only few people are actually doing this right now. But the demand will skyrocket in 2012. Get ready for a big business rush as you learn the tenets of product review analysis.

5. Membership Access Business Model

Online users are getting tired of free information. We all know there is a cost for free a thing. And when everyone has access to the same free information, the value starts to diminish. What you may not know right now is potential customers are willing and able to pay for rare, unique and valuable information.

By starting your own membership site, you would be able to attract a handful of serious web users in your niche. You can charge a monthly renewal fee of $19 – $37 depending on your market and the solution you provide. Whatever niche you’re, a membership site will always prevail to build your expert status rapidly.

For those in the language niche, you can create a membership site for French lessons and Learn French at home. You can also highlight the best learn French Software every week to help your subscribers improve their learning speed.

A membership access business model is a great source of passive income. It’s recurring and once the ball is rolled, your income will grow every passing day.

There you’ve it, the 5 business opportunities ready to make you good money in 2012. Take action today and choose the right one for you. See you at the top!

About Author: Michael Chibuzor is a graphic designer and Freelance Writer . He contributes on a learn French software blog as the editor, where he shares free French lessons. In his spare time, he reviews point and shoot digital cameras like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 camera. Get notified about canon powershot and underwater camera reviews today.