Startup Sweat

10 Must-See Documentaries for Entrepreneurs

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:49:02 -0400

10 Must-See Documentaries for Entrepreneurs:

“As an entrepreneur, you’re no doubt in constant search of new ways to grow your business. But who wants to slog through another lengthy how-to book on the entrepreneurial process?

There’s another way. If you want some entertainment with your education, the documentary film may be your medium. Grab some popcorn and sit back to take in the business lessons in these 10 must-see documentaries.”

5 Digital Trends Shaping the Consumer Experience

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 07:53:30 -0400

5 Digital Trends Shaping the Consumer Experience:

“The impact of recent economic events has created a lasting shift in the average consumer. Consumers are no longer seeking to use social networks to just broadcast, connect, and share their lives. Now, they also want deeper online and offline experiences for fulfillment.

In fact, they prefer those experiences over products. So as marketers, what are the trends driving consumers from a socially-based consumption model to one of experience? Here are the top five.”

Leap Motion gesture control technology hands-on

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 15:56:09 -0400

Leap Motion gesture control technology hands-on:

“Leap Motion unveiled its new gesture control technology earlier this week, along with videos showing the system tracking ten fingers with ease and a single digit slicing and dicing a grocery store’s worth of produce in Fruit Ninja. Still, doubts persisted as to the veracity of the claim that the Leap is 200 times more accurate than existing tech. So, we decided to head up to San Francisco to talk with the men behind Leap, David Holz and Michael Buckwald, and see it for ourselves. Join us after the break to learn a bit more about Leap, our impressions of the technology, and a video of the thing in action.”

Next Big Small Thing: Minicomputers Under $200

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 08:02:04 -0400

Next Big Small Thing: Minicomputers Under $200:

“Who says computers can’t be cheap? For less than $200, a range of new devices allow users to surf the web, create spreadsheets or documents, play games, screen HD video and more.

Although these minicomputers are small enough to fit in one’s palm and lighter than a handful of nickels, they pack serious computing power. With a glut of high-cost computers on the market, these inexpensive gadgets are making it possible for anyone to own a computer.”

Startup weekend first day is over! I’ll be posting my analysis later tonight. Stay tuned for...

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 01:05:44 -0400

Startup weekend first day is over! I’ll be posting my analysis later tonight. Stay tuned for Sunday’s analysis of the final pitches!

Hmmmmmm possibilities….. Collegegogo about to blow up?...

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 00:46:08 -0400

Hmmmmmm possibilities….. Collegegogo about to blow up? Commentary a little later.

Listening to pitches. #intriguing

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 23:51:22 -0400

Listening to pitches. #intriguing

Startup weekend has started! Ate food and met A bunch of neat...

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:51:36 -0400

Startup weekend has started! Ate food and met A bunch of neat people from UCSD students to people working in startups now.

Play by play coverage of startup weekend: san diego today at...

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:48:49 -0400

Play by play coverage of startup weekend: san diego today at 5:30!

8 Ways to Keep Creativity Fresh While Scaling a Start-up

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:04:41 -0400

8 Ways to Keep Creativity Fresh While Scaling a Start-up:

The Young Entrepreneur Council asked eight successful young entrepreneurs to give their best tips for successfully scaling a start-up team, while still keeping the creative environment fresh. Here are their best answers.

5 Tips for Surviving Your Startup's First Year

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:02:54 -0400

5 Tips for Surviving Your Startup's First Year:

One of the riskiest times for any business is when it has just begun. In the first two years, three of every ten startups expire, the SBA reports. By five years, half those startups are history.

The SBA doesn’t say, but I would wager the majority of those early flameouts happen within the very first year, or just after. Often, I’ve noticed, newbie retailers sign a one-year lease. They hang on 12 months since they’re obligated to pay rent that long anyway. Then the minute that expires, they dry up and blow away.

7 Tips for Naming Your Business

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 08:02:41 -0400

7 Tips for Naming Your Business:

Names are quite powerful. I pretty much started as a copywriter. I know that words are incredibly important. Each one has a distinct difference. Get the name right, and you get branding as a by-product of your advertising.

Here are seven things I consider when determining a business-related name.

How to Create Buzz on No Budget [Video]

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:31:28 -0400

How to Create Buzz on No Budget [Video]:

Getting a startup off the ground is just the beginning. Growing a business is the next step. In thisProject Grow series, we talk to entrepreneurs at New York’s Varick Street incubator as they meet the challenges.

Local Bigwig’s Ray Madronio turned to big players in his industry to get free marketing help for his startup. In this video interview, hear how he did it…plus, advisor Frank Rimalovski provides tips on how to use social media and sweepstakes to build your brand.

4 Key Insights From The 57-Day, Blitzkrieg Redesign Of Google+

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:03:44 -0400

4 Key Insights From The 57-Day, Blitzkrieg Redesign Of Google+:

After a mere 6 months on the market, Google released their first major redesign of Google+. If you check your profile now, you should see the latest version. And if your taste is anything like ours, you’ll agree that it feels better in just about every way.

So what did the designers at Google actually do not just to make their product so much more beautiful, but so much more beautiful than Facebook? Co.Design talked to Google+ lead designer Fred Gilbert to unpack the subtle brilliance behind their awesome redesign—a redesign that was completed in less than two months—and his notes are full of lessons that could hone the experience of almost any product.

Stop Working More Than 40 Hours a Week

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:06:28 -0400

Stop Working More Than 40 Hours a Week:

In the early 1900s, Ford Motor ran dozens of tests to discover the optimum work hours for worker productivity. They discovered that the “sweet spot” is 40 hours a week–and that, while adding another 20 hours provides a minor increase in productivity, that increase only lasts for three to four weeks, and then turns negative.

Anyone who’s spent time in a corporate environment knows that what was true of factory workers a hundred years ago is true of office workers today. People who put in a solid 40 hours a week get more done than those who regularly work 60 or more hours.

How To Avoid Headaches When Choosing A Vendor

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:05:16 -0400

How To Avoid Headaches When Choosing A Vendor:

Finding the right vendor is an art form. It can be a long and stressful process, regardless of the industry or motivation. Vendor headaches come from the overwhelming number of choices out there.

Consumers need to be proactive in order to find the perfect vendor marriage. Always perform due diligence; it’s important to know which things to look for when entering the process.

4 Things Young Entrepreneurs Need (A Fancy College Degree Isn’t One of Them)

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:01:26 -0400

4 Things Young Entrepreneurs Need (A Fancy College Degree Isn’t One of Them):

1. Remember the “you.” Don’t lose yourself by trying to act how you think a CEO or business owner should act. Instead, be authentic to who you are and what you believe in, and enjoy being the leader. True leaders not only have a vision – they also possess the guts to pursue it. You must grow as your business and organizations grow, but never forget the core values you possess right now.

Size Does Matter (In Partnerships)

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 08:02:43 -0400

Size Does Matter (In Partnerships):

Entrepreneurs commonly partner with other companies in order to strategically build their businesses. Our company has done so with great results. And while they aren’t hard and fast rules, we’ve definitely found that there are some distinct differences when partnering with larger versus smaller companies. We quickly learned that factoring in the trade-offs upfront is a must if you don’t want to get caught feeling like you’ve ended up with the lesser of two evils.

On the one hand, fellow small companies tend to be more innovative, nimble and passionate. However, they are more likely to experience liquidity issues, lack the infrastructure to easily implement large-scale projects, and have less cushion if they realize mid-stroke that they need additional resources to complete a deliverable. Put simply, passion doesn’t get the bills paid on time.

On the flip-side, larger companies offer bigger budgets, established reputations, and solid operations. But, they often lack flexibility, can “bully” smaller partners, and sometimes slip into being nonresponsive after the initial excitement surrounding the project kick-off. And quite frankly, money can’t buy passion, soul, or responsiveness.

That’s why I encourage entrepreneurs to consider size when deciding who to work with and when. Thankfully, we’ve found that with a little planning, it’s possible to work with companies of an array of sizes. Here are some ways we’ve factored in size when selecting partners.

Using Social Media to Help Launch Your Company

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:05:05 -0400

Using Social Media to Help Launch Your Company:

So it’s almost time to launch your new business. You may think you’re ready but in a marketing sense, are you fully prepared? If you haven’t taken full advantage of the power of social media beforehand, the answer is probably not. In today’s marketing climate, an increasingly large number of marketers are realizing the importance of incorporating social media into their mix. Studies have shown that social sites such as Facebook and Twitter are very powerful tools for not only generating leads but also acquiring new customers. But, if you wait until your business is already launched, you’re wasting a lot of valuable time. The best time to lay the groundwork of your social marketing strategy is in the preparation stage—before your business is completely off the ground. How do you do this? Here are some tips to help get your business off to a great start.

Swimming With the Big Fish: Supplier Connection Warms Up the Water for Small Businesses

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:00:06 -0400

Swimming With the Big Fish: Supplier Connection Warms Up the Water for Small Businesses:

Most small businesses covet the opportunity to supply goods and services
to the lucrative large enterprise market. But as little fish in a very
big pond, many are overwhelmed by the commitment of time and resources
they need to devote to just getting on an approved vendor list with one
large company–let alone actually winning a contract.

The good news is Supplier Connection, which IBM launched in 2010 with 6
other large companies, is warming up these waters for small business.
Supplier Connection offers small businesses access to a free portal on
which they can register their companies to gain
increased visibility to the procurement communities of large corporation–
and into consideration for large enterprise contracts.