Yahoo Small Business Advisor: Start a Business

If You’re so Afraid of Spilling the Beans That No One Knows You Have Any …

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:51:13 -0400

During my years as a full-time journo, I crossed paths with many a startup technology venture that claimed to be operating in so-called stealth mode. It was the early 2000s, before the process of getting technology to market was as socially enabled as it is now, and startup CEOs seemed to consider it hip and...

11 Ideas for Financing Your New Company

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:30:37 -0400

Question: What are some ideas for financing your new startup — without bank loans? Question by: Ashley Blend Your Product With Consultancy “Many successful “startups” were actually consultancies that went into product building (37signals, MetaLab, etc.). Use consulting to pay for the development of your products. You’ll never have to go into debt, and if...

4 Ways to Sell More Than the Competition

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:00:58 -0400

Want to sell more than the competition? Be more transparent with prospects from the get-go.

Beware of Self-Employment Myths

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:00:06 -0400

Your biggest break can come from never quitting. Being at the right place at the right time can only happen when you keep moving toward the next opportunity. Arthur Pine Have you been dreaming about becoming self-employed, but feel that you do not have the money, the time, the knowledge, or the skills to get...

YEC Member Spotlight: Web Smith, Co-Founder of Mizzen+Main

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:21 -0400

Gary Vaynerchuk taught Web Smith two key lessons: one interaction can change your trajectory, so take it seriously -- and give before you ask.

Why Entrepreneurship and Dating are the Same

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:19:02 -0400

After starting a business twice, and having the dating life cycle of a domestic cockroach, I have come to realize the startling similarities of both endeavors. Entrepreneurship and dating really have the same process and goal, learning and continuously improving all in hopes of finding true love. Some of us were born God’s gift to women...

Creating Awesome: Three Startups Tell How it’s Done

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:44:26 -0400

It was a stage packed with million-dollar ideas – and a man who helped bring them to life. And the topic was awesome. The founders of three of the tech world’s hottest startups joined Marc Andreessen, inventor-turned-investor, to discuss what it takes to create “awesome” in a rapidly evolving world. Their wide-ranging discussion was part...

7 Easy Steps to Optimize Your Business Blog Posts

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:00:12 -0400

Got old business content just sitting around? Use these 7 simple steps to optimize your blog content for search.

Five Ways to Finance Your Startup

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:39:17 -0400

You’ve got an idea for something BIG. It’s original, exciting, and guaranteed to shake things up. So what’s holding you back? Funding. You don’t have it, and you know you can’t get your idea off the ground without it. Dipping into your own savings may be a possibility, as is asking friends and family for...

3 Key Startup Jobs to Outsource

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:00:03 -0400

If you’re running an early-stage startup, chances are there are some knowledge gaps in your core team. You may be strong on the technical side or a product whiz, but what about financial strategy, administration, HR? Are you prepared to manage the day-to-day of your startup, from recruiting new talent to bookkeeping to financial planning?...

Designing for Emotion

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:48:56 -0400

Janice Fraser is clear on what Lean Startup is. She’s equally clear on what it isn’t. Fittingly, Fraser’s session at Intuit’s Create the Offering Forum, an annual gathering of product development, product management, and experience design employees, began by trimming the fat from the preconceptions about Lean Startup. Eric Ries authored The Lean Startup which...

8 Tips to Franchise Your Small Business

Tue, 14 May 2013 20:00:06 -0400

Franchising a small business is a great way to boost profits and expand quickly.

Kendra Scott: How a Small Business Owner Turned $500 Into Millions

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:58:47 -0400

As the chief executive officer of a multi-million dollar jewelry design company and an active philanthropist, Kendra Scott's work never stops. But when you ask this busy woman how she describes herself, she doesn't hesitate in saying, "I'm a mom first."

Ecommerce Success is Natural for Bulk Apothecary

Tue, 14 May 2013 15:04:43 -0400

Looking for a 570-pound tub of glycerin? Bulk Apothecary will sell you one online for only $398. And it's kosher too. Also available: Citric Acid (50 lb. - $75), Beeswax (55 lb. - $233) and Cocoa Butter (1000 lb. - $2588).

YEC Member Spotlight: Brad von Bank, Co-Founder, Rêve Consulting + Rêve Academy

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:53 -0400

Entrepreneur Brad von Bank puts mission and values above all else in both his for-profit and nonprofit work.

10 Questions to Ask Before Naming Your Business

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:52:00 -0400

A strong business name helps define your company in the market. Here is a guide to making yours meaningful and memorable.

A Better Way to Ask for an Email Introduction

Mon, 13 May 2013 20:00:46 -0400

In the startup world, people have their own process for requesting email introductions, Alex Schiff learned -- and it really works.

Startup Diaries: Content Marketing Strategy

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:07:59 -0400

Carin Kilby Clark is the founder of Clue Consulting, LLC, a business management and administrative services consultancy established in December 2012.

3 Key Questions to Ask Before Hiring for Your Startup

Mon, 13 May 2013 07:59:02 -0400

From how much equity to offer to probationary periods, there are a lot of factors to consider when making an early-stage startup hire.

The Startup Money Hunt: When Entrepreneurs Bring In Investors (Infographic)

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:39:00 -0400

Entrepreneurs looking to grow quickly often exchange portions of their company for cash several times in their company's lifecycle. Here is a look at what that path can look like.

The Tradition and Behavioral Aspect of Agile Project Management

Fri, 10 May 2013 14:40:57 -0400

In today’s globally competitive era, thousands of projects are being conceptualized and signed by the hour. But not all are completed within the allocated time. Only a handful of these projects are 100% accomplished while the rest are buried, wasting millions of dollars. Factors such as miscommunication in the team and lack of collaboration with...

From Renting Bedrooms on Airbnb to $1.5 Million in Venture Capital: Lessons in Resourceful Startup Funding

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:08:00 -0400

Tracy DiNunzio, the founder of online fashion marketplace Tradesy, shares her best advice for accessing startup funding when you are a statistical outlier.

How Startup Founders Can Identify Their Core Values

Thu, 09 May 2013 20:00:41 -0400

One of your chief roles as a startup leader is to prioritize and communicate what is most important -- and that starts with your values.

Ivy’s Garden: Growing a gluten-free Asian food business online.

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:18:59 -0400

The niche market chosen by online marketing entrepreneurs Ivy Lau and Mark Ivey—gluten-free, home-style, fresh-frozen Asian food—seems to be, just like their shared first and last name, a matter of destiny.

YEC Member Spotlight: Ryan Buckley, Co-Founder & COO, Scripted.com

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:00:39 -0400

Scripted.com co-founder Ryan Buckley shares the key pivot he and his team made early on that now defines his startup's mission.

My Favorite Startup Wisdom Came From Critics

Wed, 08 May 2013 20:00:26 -0400

Criticism can be even more motivating to startup founders than unhelpful "advice" from well-meaning sources.

Startup Diaries: Collecting Sales Tax

Wed, 08 May 2013 19:09:23 -0400

On Jan. 1, 2013, Kimberly Moses and her husband, Justin, started Game Day Sportswear, LLC, which specializes in youth and adult sports uniforms and team apparel. The couple came up with the idea for their own team-sports apparel company after dealing with numerous large uniform companies' middlemen and lack of personalized customer service.

Resource Guide for the Yahoo Smart and Simple Guide to Starting Your Business Part 4: Naming Your Business

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:44:17 -0400

In part four of our Smart and Simple Guide to Starting a Business we have been looking at naming your business. You can read an introduction to the topic in ‘The Name Game’ and follow an in-depth worksheet, ‘Naming Your Business.’ In addition, the links and articles listed below will provide more background and techniques as well as locations for how to do DBA searches.

Yahoo Smart and Simple Guide to Starting Your Business: Naming Your Business

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:27:33 -0400

Big corporations and consumer product companies like Proctor and Gamble take naming very seriously – so much so that they have consultants and agencies JUST to help them with naming things. Fortunately you can replicate what most of those consultants and agencies do without the $500 per hour fees. And you can have fun doing it.

The Name Game: How To Pick a Business name that will be successful for years to come

Wed, 08 May 2013 15:19:22 -0400

Once you pick your company name, and throw yourself into branding it, it is hard to change the name. Not impossible, mind you, but changing midstream can be confusing for your clients, and potentially expensive for you. It is best to pick the right name right from the start.

How To Launch A Company

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:30:33 -0400

Three years and two weeks ago I called my wife to tell her I would become unemployed on May 1, 2010. I had accomplished my three year goal at the agency I was working at and it was time to move on to a new challenge — namely to return to a life of leisure...

YEC Member Spotlight: Jess Butcher, CMO & Co-Founder, Blippar

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:21 -0400

Blippar co-founder and CMO Jess Butcher shares her top startup lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The Pros and Cons of Franchising Your Business

Tue, 07 May 2013 10:30:00 -0400

Franchising could be your next big strategy for expansion or it could send your growing business down the wrong path. Here are some key considerations before deciding if franchising is for you.

A 5-Step Beginner’s Guide to Video Marketing

Mon, 06 May 2013 20:00:32 -0400

Video marketing: everybody's doing it. But how do you actually start crafting business videos your customers will care to watch?

7 Opportunities to Save on Startup Expenses

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:05:30 -0400

Older, more established companies have the flexibility of deciding how to allocate their budgets and spend their available funds on the resources that make their businesses more comfortable and easier to run. But as a young startup, you have no such luxury! Because it’s important to make every dollar count while your business is still...

16 Simple Tips for Networking Smarter

Thu, 02 May 2013 20:00:32 -0400

Networking: everybody's gotta do it, especially entrepreneurs, but we dread it anyway. Here are 16 quick, simple tips to help you become a master networker in no time.

YEC Member Spotlight: Justin Spring, Co-Founder, BringShare.com and Adept Marketing

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:00:12 -0400

Justin Spring, co-founder of Adept Digital Marketing and BringShare, shares some of the most critical lessons he's learned building two successful businesses.

8 Copywriting Tips for a Killer Business FAQ

Wed, 01 May 2013 20:00:07 -0400

Your business website FAQ section is an underrated but powerful way to sell more. Matthew Ackerson shares some copywriting tips for putting yours over the top.

Is Your Public Relations Strategy Outdated?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:00:30 -0400

Is your public relations strategy -- and the agency behind it -- completely outdated? John Hall explores 3 reasons why the answer's probably yes (and how to fix it).

Alter Ego Comics Sells High-End Collectibles with a Web Site That Rocks

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:24:01 -0400

If web sites could talk, this one would shout: "It's OK to buy this stuff!"