All Entries in the "StartupSmarts" Category
The 8 Best Online Businesses to Start Now
Looking to start a business? If you want something with big potential that doesn’t take much startup capital, consider an online service of some type. A major shift toward purchasing both consumer and business-to-business services online has created a slew of opportunities for would-be entrepreneurs. For one thing, Internet usage continues to soar. Going online [...]
6 Lessons on Becoming a High Impact Business
Uncle Sam wanted to know: What kinds of companies are America’s true growth generators? Is it corporate giants like Apple, Amazon or GE? Is it startups? Is it relative newbies such as Facebook. After some exhaustive research, the answer was clear: “None of the above.” As it turns out, the real economic spark plugs in [...]
A New National Network of Startup Communities
When I first wrote about the non-profit Startup America Partnership in early 2011 (Why You Should Join Startup America), it had just launched with much fanfare and a lofty mission of helping to inspire and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship in the U.S. It was announced at the White House, although it’s not a government program and [...]
The BizBest Silicon Beach shortLIST
BizBest‘s Silicon Beach shortLIST™ is a vetted, hand-picked selection of key players, places, tech, events, organizations and other resources fueling L.A.’s Silicon Beach startup rocket ship. Los Angeles is leading the nation in entrepreneurial activity, and the BizBest® Silicon Beach shortLIST offers an exclusive, independent playbook of Silicon Beach essentials. Keep in mind, this is [...]
Insider Guide to Silicon Beach
Silicon Beach — L.A.’s answer to Silicon Valley — is America’s new start-up rocket ship. New companies are launching daily, joining some 1,500 or more already underway and in various stages. Silicon Beach conferences, seminars, festivals, mixers and other events are springing up everywhere. But for many people, Silicon Beach is still somewhat mysterious. Yet it’s a [...]
7 Keys to Being a More Bankable Entrepreneur
Some business owners and startup entrepreneurs just seem irresistible. They’re the ones catching investors’ eyes, earning the highest fees and who rarely must search for clients and customers because clients come to them. How does this happen? It’s not an isolated phenomenon. These kinds of “bankable” businesses and entrepreneurs exist in almost every industry, says [...]
A Financial Statement Cheat Sheet for Business Owners
This is about financial statements. I’m sorry, but stay with me. Sure, social media would be a far sexier subject. But hey, if you ever file a tax return (and you’d better), need bank financing, angel investors, venture capital or a loan from friends and family, these are things you must know. The fact is, [...]
10 Timeless Traits of Top Entrepreneurs
Startup entrepreneurs need a wide range of skills and traits to succeed. Some are industry-specific or tech-related and thus subject to frequent changes and updates. Others are more timeless – the kinds of skills that foster success no matter what type of business or industry you are in, or your stage of development. Here are [...]
A Secret Cash Stash for Small Business Growth
What does your growth-minded small business have in common with Apple? Not much, perhaps, but here’s one thing: The multi-gazillion dollar tech company got early funding from a unique type of investment firm called a Small Business Investment Company – and so could you. SBICs are high-powered but low-profile backers of small businesses, pumping over [...]
A 10-Step Facebook Cheat Sheet for Biz Owners
Despite its massive reach and wide adoption, Facebook remains baffling to many business owners. Facebook itself has never really understood small business, and hasn’t done a great job explaining how biz owners can use it to grow sales. To Facebook’s credit, that’s starting to change as they provide more and better tools top help small [...]
