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Zack Oates of Ovation on Building Business Connections through Digital Storytelling
Soliciting feedback from customers often seems like a daunting task. However, Zack Oates and his team at Ovation have cracked the code with a proven strategy that not only encourages guest feedback, but also establishes a personal connection for exceptional results.Zack Oates and the guest feedback platform Ovation have taken a radically different approach to hearing from customers, which stems…
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Friends’ Garage Side Hustle Earned $220,000 in Just 3 Months
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Cristina Ashbaugh, 28, and Kelly McGee, 29, co-founders of the design-driven ski pole brand Yardsale. The San Francisco-based duo's business saw $100,000 in sales in its first month and $300,000 at the end of its first year (with a ski season of only four…
How Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs Are Changing the World
Philanthropy is more than just writing a check; it's about creating a lasting impact by serving others. For entrepreneurs, integrating social good into the fabric of a business isn't just noble — it's a powerful way to build a sustainable company that resonates with employees, customers and communities alike.During a…
Top VC Explains How This Historical Era Can Help You Understand AI
Who will be safe in the age of AI?Chris Lyons has an answer worth listening to. He is arguably the most culturally savvy guy at the most culturally influential VC firm, Andreessen Horowitz. He put together many of the splashiest tech deals today — because he's the one forming the…
5 Ways to Improve Your Chances of Getting Patents
Turning innovation into patents? It can be an uphill battle. I understand the stakes. The process isn't just about one idea — it's about managing a pipeline of ideas coming from your engineering team, R&D department or even external collaborators.The hurdles are real. Some ideas might not meet the threshold…
How Cross-Channel Marketing Can Transform Your Small Business
With most customers coming from online sources, entrepreneurs now need to focus a considerable amount of their time and marketing dollars on tools like social media, email marketing and online advertising. The challenge is that consumers have a wide range of preferences when it comes to online use. Some spend…
5 Ways to Automate Your Hiring Process With Minimal Errors
Automation is inevitable these days for a productive hiring process. However, having less human judgment and personalization can lead to missed opportunities and errors.When doing research for my restaurant and hospitality job platform, I saw for myself the many glitches and mistakes overreliance on automation can make on companies' job…
The Marketing Mistake I Turned Into $1 Million in New Business
Have you ever made a mistake in business that you wish didn't happen? The truth is that every business owner must face failure at some point, but problems don't have to be pointless.In fact, some mistakes lead to incredible success! Take the Post-it, for example. In the process of trying…
8 Winning Strategies for Succeeding in a Hyper-Competitive Market
It's certainly enviable to have minimal competition in a hot space, but in the real world, this scenario is seldom the case. Even for category creators, those who introduce a new product or service that creates a new market, it's only a matter of time before someone else comes along…
Want to Close More Sales? Learn the 3 Types of ‘No.’
I began my career as a door-to-door salesman. It was hard. I would barely get my first sentence out, and their response would be, "Not interested!" — followed by a slammed door.These days, I'm a little disappointed when I don't get any pushback. I'll think, Wait a minute, come on,…
Here Are the Top 50 Mistakes I’ve Seen Kill New Companies
I've seen many startups succeed, and many fail. I've consulted for and invested in lots of them. My previous startup, Anchor, navigated its own challenges and missteps; we were fortunate to survive them, and ultimately Spotify acquired the company in 2019.Over the years, I've come to think of startups as…
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Creative Ways Startups Can Earn Funding in Tough Economic Times
In a declining economy, startups face an uphill battle when it comes to securing funding.…
I Asked AI to Create a Plan for a Fake Company — The Results Blew Me Away, But Not in the Way You Might Think
With all of the recent news about artificial intelligence (AI), it got me thinking about…
Ideas To Transform You From Good To Better To Best
A while back, I took a couple of my grandchildren on a tour of the…
5 Crucial Challenges Startups Must Overcome
Startups face numerous challenges on their journey to success, and failing to overcome any one…