What does success actually feel like? It’s not always obvious, especially on the days when you feel like you’re falling short. The bottom line only tells part of the story. Here are a couple of subtle but powerful signs that you’re doing better than you think — even when it doesn’t feel that way.
Alex Jones just got booted from nearly every major platform, and the backlash has reignited the free speech debate. But there’s a deeper lesson buried in the controversy—one that applies directly to your business. It turns out a single bad apple, left unchecked, can do more damage to your company’s reputation than you’d expect. Here’s what the social media purge can teach you about managing toxic behavior on your own team.
Apple and Amazon just crossed $1 trillion in market value, while brick-and-mortar retailers keep losing ground. The obvious explanation is failure to adapt—but there’s a more uncomfortable truth underneath it. Plenty of businesses that once enjoyed real success are now simply stuck, and they don’t always realize it. Read on to find out how to tell if you’re stuck, and what to do about it.
Every entrepreneur complains about not having enough hours in the day. But chances are, you’re losing more time than you realize to habits you don’t even notice. The real culprits aren’t always obvious ones like social media—some of your biggest time-wasters might be baked right into your daily routine. Here are the five worst offenders, and how to reclaim your schedule.
You’ve got a great idea for a business, but when it comes to naming it, the well suddenly runs dry. Should it resonate immediately, or is that not even the point? The difference between a company name and a brand name matters more than you’d think—just ask Facebook or Twitter, names that meant nothing until they meant everything. Here’s how to choose one that will actually work.
“If two people in a relationship are the same, one of them is unnecessary.” It sounds harsh, but it’s just as true in business partnerships as it is in romance. Think Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, or Churchill and Montgomery—wildly different people who built something neither could have built alone. If you and your business partner never disagree, that might not be the good sign you think it is.
MoviePass is failing in-part because it didn’t fully understand the business on which it tried
Mark Twain once said there are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics. Today, you could add hype to that list. From Theranos to Tesla, plenty of buzzworthy companies have dazzled the public before reality caught up with them—and that matters if you’re evaluating a business opportunity of your own. Here’s how to separate genuine promise from marketing sizzle before you get burned.
Be nice. You’ve heard it since kindergarten, and for the most part, it’s solid advice. But when niceness becomes your default setting in every business situation, it can quietly sabotage you. Being overly nice can project weakness, attract the wrong people, and even breed distrust among the people you’re trying to win over. Here’s why the nicest person in the room isn’t always the most effective leader.
Tesla reportedly asked its suppliers for cash back to help shore up its finances, and Elon Musk quickly disputed the story. Whatever really happened, one thing is clear: Tesla is burning through cash at an alarming rate, and that’s a warning sign every small business owner should recognize. Poor cash flow is one of the top reasons startups fail—here are the mistakes to avoid so you don’t end up in the same spot.