Most Clicked SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs Stories
1. 5 booming nontech industries
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 08, 2012
The state of the industry in which you start your business can have a significant impact on the success of your company, Kevin Casey writes. But don't think every strong industry is focused on technology. Craft beer, ethnic supermarkets and street vendors are among the industries in which starting a business is an attractive proposition this year, he writes. Intuit Small Business Blog (02/07)
2. Would more booze and less sleep make you more innovative?
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 10, 2012
Research shows that being drunk or tired can help people to solve certain types of problems. The takeaway: "Sometimes, it helps to consider irrelevant information, to eavesdrop on all the stray associations unfolding in the far reaches of the brain," Jonah Lehrer writes. Wired.com (02/09)
3. 7 behaviors displayed by the best leaders
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 09, 2012
What leadership skills separate the leaders from the rest? Some of the most important characteristics include integrity, the ability to listen and a commitment to following through on promises, Dianna Booher writes. "People want to see the real you -- the integrity behind your face, the actions behind your promises. In today's economic landscape, trust trumps both price and track record." CNN (02/07)
4. 10 sales lessons from the Girl Scouts
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 14, 2012
Business owners would be wise to pay attention to the marketing techniques used by Girl Scouts to sell boxes of cookies, Wendy Kenney writes. One troop has developed a sales plan that includes calling customers from past years, holding a contest for a free box and visiting local businesses. "Business owners can benefit from this strategy by doing the same thing, going to networking events, attending chamber of commerce events, and putting themselves in the path of prospective customers at every opportunity," Kenney writes. StartupNation (02/11)
5. The value of a "failure resume"
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 13, 2012
Failure resumes, which document all of the projects that didn't go quite right, might help people to become better leaders. Doug Lynch of the University of Pennsylvania has his students create such resumes, which list the schools they didn't get into as well as their professional failures. The idea is to encourage students to have more tenacity, Lynch says. Chief Learning Officer online (02/10)
6. The one quality you need to be an entrepreneur
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 09, 2012
The one essential quality of a would-be entrepreneur is a willingness to do what it takes to succeed, Kevin Ready writes. "The successful entrepreneurs are the ones that have a feeling that drives them forward to the next task and the next task," he writes. They are also willing to be flexible to adapt their ideas as necessary, he writes. CNBC (02/08)
7. 7 startups helping people make better dining decisions
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 10, 2012
A number of young companies are using technology to help improve people's dining experiences. This article lists seven of them, including recipe-finder Gojee and Real Time Farms, a website that helps users find sustainable options in their areas. Inc.com (02/07)
8. How the rise of women is changing the world of leadership
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 08, 2012
The traditional societal model, in which men go to work and women stay home to raise the kids, is dead, John McKee writes. Women fill the majority of U.S. jobs and have made an impact at the top levels of some technology companies, he writes. "Women and men often manage differently. Neither style is more 'right' in every situation than the other -- they're simply different," he notes. TechRepublic (02/07)
9. Not all customers are good for business
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 08, 2012
One credit card processing company didn't realize some of its customers weren't adding value to the business -- and in fact were making it look bad, write Karl Stark and Bill Stewart of Avondale. The lesson: "As a business owner, it is vital for you to understand the value of your customers. You cannot make good business decisions without knowing customer value intimately," they write. Inc.com (02/06)
10. How entrepreneurs stop micromanaging and start leading their business
SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs | Feb 10, 2012
Susan Parker and her sister were micromanaging customer complaints at their dress company, Bari Jay, until they called in a business coach to show them where they were going wrong. The coach asked them to come up with a purpose for the company -- the sisters picked "making memories" -- and had them explain it to their employees. The sisters also implemented a quick morning meeting to make sure the company's leaders were all on the same page. New York Times (tiered subscription model), The (02/08)
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