Dig deep and find a way out. My entire entrepreneurship story in 10 minutes. 2011 Blogging Roadmap: “Zero to product/market fit” I’m going to try to start blogging again!
It’s been a long time since I was in a good blogging rhythm, and I’m going to try to start doing it again :-) In preparation for this, I put together an outline of an output-driven set of milestones around product, that takes you from zero to a P/M fit product thats ready to scale on marketing/tech/etc. As far as I can tell, this is all standard fare for companies in Silicon Valley. 5 Hot Ecommerce Trends to Watch. The number of consumers making purchases online continues to increase.
This year, American online retail sales are projected to reach $224.2 billion. It is the new wave of commerce and, depending on the industry, ecommerce represents either an opportunity for big profit or a death knell for the brick-and-mortar business. The landscape is changing, and businesses must adapt to survive. What follows are five ecommerce trends that illustrate the direction that online shopping is headed, as well as some insight and strategies that will allow businesses and consumers to better navigate the uncertain seas of web-based retail. 1.
The success of Etsy and self-promoted artists who sell their work online can be attributed to the fact that it is difficult to find similar work anywhere else. At the other end of the spectrum, there are commoditized items, such as consumer electronics, mainstream tools and other equipment. Why Startups Fail [Infographic] Two Lists You Should Look at Every Morning - Peter Bregman. By Peter Bregman | 11:00 AM May 27, 2009 I was late for my meeting with the CEO of a technology company and I was emailing him from my iPhone as I walked onto the elevator in his company’s office building.
I stayed focused on the screen as I rode to the sixth floor. I was still typing with my thumbs when the elevator doors opened and I walked out without looking up. Then I heard a voice behind me, “Wrong floor.” I looked back at the man who was holding the door open for me to get back in; it was the CEO, a big smile on his face. The world is moving fast and it’s only getting faster. So we try to speed up to match the pace of the action around us. Build Self-Confidence: 4 Mental Tricks. Whether you are stepping up to the plate to face a 95 mph fastball or making a sales presentation, confidence can make or break your performance.
Your body language and your physical presentation have a lot to do with your overall success. In sales, top performers find their enthusiasm and belief to be among their most important assets. If you're not at the top of your game already, use these four tricks to keep your confidence strong. 1. Be Prepared The act of preparation itself can shift your attitude positively. Fear can be one of the most debilitating emotions--and simply focusing on meeting preparation can take your mind off worrying about what might going to happen. 2. Don't fear doors shut being in your face. How to Sell if You Hate Selling. "I hate selling.
" I've heard that statement a thousand times–often from entrepreneurs whose success depends upon their ability to sell their ideas, their firm and their products. And that's a shame, because if you hate selling, you'll never be good at it, and that means at least lost revenue–and in the worst case, company failure. In my experience, it's the entrepreneurs who really love selling who are the most successful. Steve Jobs, for instance, was incredibly good at pitching his products.
Watch any video of Jobs at an announcement, and you can absolutely feel his sense of joy–not just in the product, but in telling a story about the product. Time for an Attitude Adjustment When I interview the CEOs of start-ups, I can usually predict whether or not the company is going anywhere by the way the CEO talks about selling. So, if you hate selling, it's absolutely in your interest to get over it–and, even better, cultivate a love of the selling process. Selling is manipulative. Microsoft's View of the Future Workplace is Brilliant, Here's Why.
What Startups Can Learn From Instagram. You may have heard that Instagram recently sold for $1 billion.
How can a photo sharing iPhone app be worth 23x more than Kodak? Instagram is a simple and elegant app, but simple and elegant doesn’t lead to a $1 billion acquisition. Instagram is a nice reminder that almost anything can be improved. Four years ago most people would have thought that there isn’t that much room for improvement in the photo enhancement space. But founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger thought different. Let’s dive into what made this app so successful and pick out a few things that you can learn for your startup… 1. People like to have fun with photos.