Posts

Showing posts with the label GrowYourBusiness

7 Best Christmas Tree Stands in 2022

Image
Believe it or not, a Christmas tree won't stay upright on its own. Instead, you need a stable Christmas tree stand that can accommodate the type and size of tree you have. We researched dozens of the best Christmas tree stands to help you find the right one for your needs, whether you have a real tree, an artificial tree, a small tree, or a behemoth. The stands in our guide have a track record of durability, performance, and easy setup. We also outline the size and type of tree each stand is meant for. Check out our guide to the best Christmas tree skirts once you've chosen the right stand for your tree. The best Christmas tree stands in 2022 Best Christmas tree stand overall: Krinner Tree Genie Christmas Tree Stand, available at Amazon, $82.79 The German-engineered Krinner Tree Genie Christmas Tree Stand is easy to set up in a couple of minutes and keeps trees up to 12 f...
Post a Comment
Read more

Should You Prioritize Growth or Profitability in a Recession? The Answer May Surprise You.

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. This year has seen economic slowdown, inflation and war combine into a cocktail that's now fueling fears of a recession across business sectors, driving uncertainty in everyone from business leaders to investors to employees. Such uncertainty is forcing business leaders to reprioritize and scale back their once-ambitious growth plans. And now, as interest rates go up and valuations go down, more and more businesses are returning to prioritize what was once the only way to ensure a business's success — positive free cash flow. All of this is a very strong reminder for all businesses, but particularly startups and small businesses, that it's vital to build a company to make money — in both good times and bad. Prioritizing free cash flow is the only way to manage against forces outside of your direct control. Related: Never Worry About Cash Flow Again by Using These 5 Strategies Positive fre...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why Having a Great Plan Isn't Enough to Grow Your Business

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. If you're familiar with the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry saying: "A goal without a plan is just a wish," you've probably only heard the TL;DR version. Here is the full version: A dream written down with a date becomes a goal . A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan . A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true. This is why your plan isn't going to be enough. A plan in itself is just a piece of paper or a bunch of 0s and 1s that make up words. Luckily, I have had experience with failing and succeeding in business (more of the latter), and these are the five things I focus on to turn my plans into realities. Related: Planning To Grow Your Business? Five Tips That Can Help You 1. Focus Focusing on one primary goal per quarter is crucial. As much as we like to brag that we can multitask, we can't. When was the last time you saw a population that throws 10 balls in the...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Create Healthy, Sustainable Growth for Your Early-Stage SaaS Businesses

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Good news seems to be a scarce commodity for most SaaS companies these days. Publicly traded stalwarts have seen their share prices plummet significantly from where they were a year ago. The tech-heavy Nasdaq is down more than 30% already this year. High-growth startups are seeing their funding and valuations dip as profitability replaces growth as a key value driver. Early-stage startups are being forced to drastically cut costs, rethink funding strategies and take-on high-risk debt as survival becomes goal #1. And I haven't even mentioned the layoffs yet. As a result, SaaS companies that, until recently, were following a growth-at-any-cost playbook are now scrambling to become profitable before their cash runs out or draconian covenants are triggered. But what if I told you there's a silver lining? Yes, really — an opportunity for everyone in tech to take a deep look into the businesses...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Build the Infrastructure Needed to Scale Your Company

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Scaling your business might sound like a dream come true. But without the proper infrastructure in place, it can quickly turn into an absolute nightmare. Trying to grow when you haven't put solid building blocks in place is like throwing up a tent on quicksand. It won't be long before you sink — and at that point, getting out might not be an option. Many companies, especially newer ones, overlook the importance of infrastructure in business. Unfortunately, their oversight can often lead them to fail when they try to gain steam. A 2022 CB Insights study of failed startups revealed the top dozen reasons that can lead to an organization's demise. Three of those reasons are related to a lack of proper infrastructure: a flawed business model (19%), a poorly hired team (14%) and stakeholder disharmony (7%). You might want to think of constructing your infrastructure like planning a vacation. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Simple Guide to Software Integration for Startups

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Your product is your company's primary selling point, but it doesn't have to be the only feature. In fact, when companies open up their products to integrations with third-party software, they unlock an entire world of possibilities. In the years since releasing our flagship product, the smart video intercom, the ButterflyMX team and I have made a pointed effort to expand our reach by integrating our software with third-party products. For example, just this year, we partnered with RemoteLock so that our unified access control solutions now connect to more than 80 smart locks to seamlessly provide building and apartment unit access from our mobile app. This has significantly expanded our products' capabilities without the time, energy and financial investment of launching an entirely new product, which has helped grow our business substantially. If you're at the helm of a startup loo...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Ultimate Guide to Succeeding With Marketing Analytics

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how to succeed in marketing analytics, as the field is constantly evolving, and the best practices for success are always changing. However, some essential tips can help you get started on the right foot and set you up for success in this exciting and ever-changing field. In this ultimate guide, we'll define marketing analytics, review the different types of marketing analytics, discuss how to use marketing analytics to improve your business, explain what data/tools you need to succeed, and ultimately, learn how to use marketing analytics effectively. So, what is marketing analytics? The process consists of measuring, managing and analyzing marketing performance to optimize marketing campaigns and improve ROI. Marketing analytics can track any marketing metric, including brand awareness, website traffic, conversion rates, lead generation and...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Create a Work Culture That Will Survive Anything

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In the age of the Great Resignation, executives are in a near-constant battle to attract and retain talent. Paramount to this issue is the importance of company culture. In fact, studies have found that a toxic corporate environment is over 10 times more impactful than compensation when it comes to an employee leaving their job. Forward-thinking companies must put the focus back on building and maintaining an engaging, rewarding company culture, to which employees feel empowered to contribute, strengthen, and support for the long haul — especially in times of challenge or change. Such is the definition of "regenerative" — to renew, restore and continuously come back stronger. But achieving this means maintaining a people-first mindset and nurturing your employees to be your number one advocates for each other and the company. Here are four fundamentals for building a regenerative workplace...
Post a Comment
Read more

5 Reasons to Add Texts to Your Customer Communications Mix

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Text messaging has become more and more pervasive in business, not just for marketing, but for all types of communications. Text Request , the business text messaging platform, recently released their 2023 State of Business Texting Report , which studies how consumers want to interact with businesses, how businesses are meeting those demands, and how to bridge gaps that may exist. Here are five key takeaways for business leaders to consider. Disclaimer: I work for Text Request and was part of this study, but that is as promotional as this article gets. 1. Eighty-eight of consumers want to receive texts about appointments Appointments are the lifeblood of many businesses, and it's clear that texting can help you set and keep more of them. Texting may also help you save time and overhead. Consumers are not answering phone calls, and they're not listening to voicemails. However, 70% say that tex...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Beat Your Number One Competitor (It's Not Who You Think)

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. While studies such as CB Insight's report on the top 13 reasons startups fail indicate that cash flow, no market need and internal dissent amongst founders are what leads to corporate closure, I argue that customer apathy is actually the root cause; those are simply the symptoms. Apathy is defined as a "lack of responsiveness to something that might normally excite interest or emotion." In a fickle world stymied by a melee of advertising from deep-pocketed corporations and a plethora of products auditioning for our limited and desensitized attention span, it's more than differentiation (that our business schools used to implore us to follow) that will unlock customers' wallets. We need to be firing on all cylinders in order to build what our customers are begging for quietly and focus our attention solely on them more than our competition does. Related: 5 Ways to Dominate You...
Post a Comment
Read more

3 Smart Ways to Differentiate Your Ecommerce Business

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. The ecommerce industry has been running on autopilot in recent years, regulated by a set of "best practices" that are supposed to help businesses increase their brand visibility and boost sales. However, these practices are what's stopping businesses from reaching these goals. While these practices might create a frictionless commerce experience through an ecommerce website, they also produce an unoriginal and boring path to purchase for shoppers. Shopper expectations have evolved; therefore, it's time for ecommerce businesses to do the same. What do shoppers want? Shoppers want something different and new. Sixty-four percent say it's rare to see a website that feels unique or has unexpected functionality. This means that businesses need to develop a different brand and purchasing experience that helps them stand out from millions of other ecommerce businesses. So, how can busi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why You Shouldn't Stress About Bad Online Reviews

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In the last few years, consumers have become increasingly aware of their purchasing power, and that shift has led to a rise in online reviews. Online reviews are now an important part of the buying process for many customers. But do they affect your business? Especially if some of those reviews aren't glowing? Here's what you should know. As a business owner, you know that reviews are critical to your success. They help potential customers make decisions about whether or not doing business with you is worth their time and money. They can also help you understand what products and services your current customers need from you. Reviews allow consumers to share information about their experiences with other people, creating a space where customers can build relationships and trust between each other. The more positive reviews your business has received from past clients, the more confident poten...
Post a Comment
Read more

4 Things All Small Business Owners Should Know in 2023

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. The beginning of a new year often comes with a laundry list of goals and to-dos, which can quickly become overwhelming if you try to tackle too much, too fast. I've always approached resolutions by setting short and long-term goals spanning the entirety of the year — after all, we have 12 months to accomplish our goals, and there's a reason they're not called January Resolutions. Now is an important time for business owners to reflect and set a course for the year ahead, but it's easier than ever to get bogged down worrying about the challenges facing the economy. I would encourage all small business owners to tackle 2023 with a splash of empathy and realism. Don't bury your head in the sand — be mindful of the economic headwinds we're facing, but don't let them monopolize your attention. Instead, devote your time and energy to the challenges and operations that do fall wi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Having Trouble Getting Verified on Social Media? Try These Steps

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Social media's highly coveted and symbolic blue checkmark has become increasingly important for entrepreneurs. That little blue checkmark gives you instant credibility and massive authority in your space. Becoming a verified public figure can dramatically change your business by opening doors and opportunities for you that were previously unattainable. A verified profile will help you to expand your network, ensure your DMs get opened by other public figures and celebrities, establish yourself as a trustworthy brand and increase your audience reach. However, despite the misconceptions, you cannot buy it — well, unless it's Twitter. I have been verified for over eight years and have helped many entrepreneurs get verified. Unfortunately, I have also seen many get denied because they pursue shortcuts and look for quick fixes. Verification is a privilege you must earn. Your brand identity is at t...
Post a Comment
Read more

5 Ways to Communicate More Effectively With Your Customers

Image
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Communicating effectively with customers is essential for the success of any organization. And in today's connected world, consumers expect seamless and consistent experiences across all channels, from email and SMS text to social media and live chat. Omnichannel communications enable businesses to meet these expectations by providing a unified and integrated experience for their customers. This not only enhances the customer journey but also helps to build brand loyalty and trust. Reaching the customer on the right channel with just the right message at just the right time is key to improving customer satisfaction. My company's recent survey found that more than two-thirds (68%) of leaders of small and medium-sized businesses surveyed said access to an omnichannel platform was vital to their business' success in the next 12 months. Using an omnichannel platform allows a brand to capture...
Post a Comment
Read more

Popular posts from this blog

An Existentialist Guide to Feeling Nothing

Image
I recently watched “ the greatest film of all time ,” and the most boring one. In retrospect, the title alone should have been a sufficient warning: Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles . Alas, I’m old enough to be a bit nostalgic about massive telephone address books. And massive it is. Clocking over 200 minutes, Chantal Akerman's 1975 dreary drama follows three days in the monotonous routine of Jeanne, a widow, a mother, and a prostitute. I watched Jeanne’s autopilot existence, until, staring at her back as she washes dishes, I decided to fast-forward a couple of minutes, only to discover she was still at it. And Jeanne is equally thorough when she’s busy baking, cleaning, folding laundry, or shining her son’s shoes. She speaks so scarcely and mechanically, that it’s impossible to detect any emotion or volition beyond her carefully controlled chores . Watching Jeanne Dielman is what the word “painstaking” was invented for. Chantal...
Read more

What Are SQL Stored Procedures and How Do You Create Them?

Image
Stored procedures: like functions for your SQL. A stored procedure is a batch of SQL statements created and stored on a database. You can reuse a stored procedure over and over again. A stored procedure can accept parameters, run a query, and return results. Many users can call a stored procedure and different applications can call it with different parameter values. What Are the Benefits of Using Stored Procedures? Apart from allowing multiple users and applications to reuse it, a stored procedure has other benefits. It is easy to modify. You can change a stored procedure when necessary and these updates will be reflected for all users. Furthermore, you don’t need to redeploy your application when you modify the stored procedure. It reduces network traffic because the server only passes the procedure’s name over the network and not the entire query. It improves database security since users don’t have direct access to tables. To make...
Read more

7 Best Christmas Tree Stands in 2022

Image
Believe it or not, a Christmas tree won't stay upright on its own. Instead, you need a stable Christmas tree stand that can accommodate the type and size of tree you have. We researched dozens of the best Christmas tree stands to help you find the right one for your needs, whether you have a real tree, an artificial tree, a small tree, or a behemoth. The stands in our guide have a track record of durability, performance, and easy setup. We also outline the size and type of tree each stand is meant for. Check out our guide to the best Christmas tree skirts once you've chosen the right stand for your tree. The best Christmas tree stands in 2022 Best Christmas tree stand overall: Krinner Tree Genie Christmas Tree Stand, available at Amazon, $82.79 The German-engineered Krinner Tree Genie Christmas Tree Stand is easy to set up in a couple of minutes and keeps trees up to 12 f...
Read more