Nobody’s lining up to rent a toothbrush or a jar of body butter — shocking, we know. It’s an easy idea to laugh at, but plenty of business owners chase concepts almost as far-fetched without realizing it until the money’s already spent. Even great ideas aren’t guaranteed to work. Here’s how to test yours before you bet the business on it.

No company hits 100 percent customer satisfaction, and that’s fine — it’s still worth chasing as hard as you can. The trick isn’t some grand overhaul; it’s often something as simple as ending the days when customers repeat their problem to three different employees. Here are the most effective, practical ways to boost how your customers feel about doing business with you.

Whatever you think of the outcome, the summit between President Trump and Kim Jong Un carries a lesson every entrepreneur needs — how to spot the snakes before they strike. Like the fable of the scorpion and the frog, some people simply can’t help their nature. Here’s how to recognize con artists before they cost your business dearly.

From AOC’s luxury apartment to Bernie Sanders’ three houses, political hypocrisy makes headlines constantly. But before you shake your head at Washington, take a look in the mirror — because hypocrisy in your own business can do just as much damage to your team’s trust and morale. Here’s how it undermines leadership, and three ways to keep yourself in check.

AT&T slapped a “5GE” label on select phones, and now Apple’s doing the same — except it isn’t actually 5G. It’s a clever bit of sleight of hand, and it’s already drawing mockery from rivals and customers alike. Deceptive marketing might buy you a short-term edge, but here’s what it really costs your business once people catch on.

Apple just admitted what it dreaded — iPhone sales fell 15 percent, dragging the whole company’s numbers down with them. If a brand this dominant isn’t immune to a major setback, no business is. Here’s what Apple’s stumble can teach you about facing your own setbacks, without losing your confidence or your footing along the way.

Microsoft tried to build its own browser engine to power Edge — and it didn’t work. So instead, the software giant is scrapping its own tech and building on the technology behind Google Chrome. It’s a quiet story, but it makes a loud point about the temptation to reinvent the wheel. Here’s how to avoid falling into that trap yourself.

You Only Live Once — and that’s exactly why you should stop sitting on that business idea. You don’t need a mountain of cash, an exhaustive business plan, or a storefront to get started. Most of what’s holding you back is imaginary. Here are four simple steps to turn YOLO into an actual, functioning business.

Blockbuster. Sears. MySpace. K-Mart. The list of once-dominant brands that collapsed because leadership missed what was right in front of them keeps growing. These blind spots aren’t new, and they’re not going away — even with more information available than ever before. Here are the three most common leadership blind spots quietly harming businesses today, and how to spot them in yours.

You’ve heard it before, probably from a parent, coach, or friend — stop comparing yourself to others. It’s good advice, and yet almost everyone falls into the trap anyway. Comparison doesn’t just sting; it can quietly stand between you and real success. Here’s why it happens, and some practical ways to break the habit for good.