Yahoo Small Business Advisor: Start a Business

How Your Youth Can Be Your Biggest Business Asset of All

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:00:33 -0400

One of the hardest parts of being a young entrepreneur is getting people to take you seriously. Kiip founder Brian Wong shares 3 tips for turning your youth into a business advantage.

Deciding Between an LLC or S Corporation: 6 Key Differences

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:11 -0400

When starting a business (or growing a business from a sole proprietorship), the limited liability company (LLC) and the S corporation are the go-to entities for small business owners. Both entities provide liability protection (which prevents business creditors and those with a judgment against you from accessing your personal assets) and act as a pass...

YEC Member Spotlight: Josh Weiss, President, Bluegala

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:00:55 -0400

Josh Weiss, president of Bluegala, knows everything there is to know about online retail. Check out his best business and financial advice for other young entrepreneurs.

5 Tips for Growing Your Business at the Right Pace

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:00:50 -0400

Lots of startups fall into the bigger-is-better trap. But scaling your business too quickly can endanger your bottom line.

YEC Member Spotlight: Brittany Hodak, Co-Founder, ‘ZinePak

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:00:36 -0400

'ZinePak co-founder Brittany Hodak didn't get to the $3 million revenue mark without a little creativity (and a lot of 18-hour days). Now, she looks back and shares her wisdom with our staff.

5 Tips for Achieving Live Video Success

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:00:00 -0400

Jennifer Donogh shares her professional advice about how to use live video content to your advantage when running your business.

5 Tips for Succeeding in an Emerging Industry

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 07:59:06 -0400

Are you starting up in an industry that's not clearly defined yet? The CEO of The1stMovement, Ming Chen, shares 5 key steps to succeed.

8 Reasons Why 50+ Can Be the Best Age to Start as an Entrepreneur

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:42:45 -0400

Research carried out by the Kauffman Institute indicates that the older entrepreneur will be at the forefront of the post-recession upturn. According to professor E. Litan “Contrary to popularly held assumptions, it turns out that over the past decade or so, the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity belongs to the 55-64 age group.” Prime Initiative, a...

Branding: First Impressions Matter

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:22:02 -0400

When most people hear the word branding about a business they tend to think big business – Apple, Coke, 3M, BP – and not small business. But branding is at least as important for a small business as a giant corporation.

Resource Guide for the Yahoo Smart and Simple Guide to Starting Your Business Part 5: Branding Your Business

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:05:28 -0400

In part five of our Smart and Simple Guide to Starting a Business we have been looking at branding. Read the main articles, How to Brand your Business on a Budget and Branding: First Impressions Matter. The links and articles listed below will provide more background and techniques.

How To Brand Your Business On A Budget

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:15:09 -0400

If you’re a mom and pop organization and would like to learn how to brand your business on a low budget, read on…

Positioning Strategies for Startups: The Pink Principle

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:12:13 -0400

I may be biased because she’s a Philly girl like me, but Pink has always held a special place in my heart … and my brand positioning strategies. Say wha? Stick with me, I’ll explain. At the turn of the millennium, there was a trifecta of rivaling pop-princesses dominating the airwaves in the aftermath of...

7 Key Elements of a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 20:00:01 -0400

Fundable co-founder Eric Corl shares the 7 steps he believes are critical to launching a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Marketing Lessons Learned From the First Month at a Startup

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:35:14 -0400

Being responsible for marketing at a startup comes with a unique set of challenges, different from those ever faced at an agency or in-house gig. Here are three lessons I learned in the first month: 1. Clients Come First Your first few clients are the life-blood of your startup. Marketing’s focus should be on their...

Averill’s Sharper Uniforms: A revamped website and SEO efforts helped this business change direction

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:45:51 -0400

“I smelt an opportunity—there was a huge need there!” The Sharper Knife morphed into Averill’s Sharper Uniforms.

YEC Member Spotlight: Andrew Nguyen, President of Honor Courage Commitment, Inc

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:00:57 -0400

Honor Courage Commitment's Andrew Nguyen experienced combat firsthand, a life-changing experience that's informed the way he leads both his for-profit and nonprofit businesses.

Pop Culture Super Store Stylin Online Delivers the Gear

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:27:33 -0400

When you log onto Stylin Online's web site you may think you've accidentally surfed onto Fandango, MovieFone, or some other Hot Summer Movie/TV ticket site. All you see are high-powered, eye-catching, fast-cutting graphics for Iron Man 3 (Style Like Tony Stark With the Newest Tees), Star Trek Into Darkness (Boldly Go Out With Intergalactic Gear Worthy of Starfleet), Man of Steel and Game Of Thrones.

Career Advice for Millennials Who Want to Make a Difference

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 20:00:36 -0400

Millennials have high "connectional intelligence," a trait that should be an advantage in today's workplace. But how do they convince the higher-ups they're worth a gamble?

YEC Member Spotlight: Benj Miller, CEO and Creative Director, eyespeak

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 11:00:55 -0400

Benj Miller, owner and creative director at eyespeak, learned early on that the wrong team players can derail your company. Here are some highlights from his interview with YEC staff.

Can You Really Make Money Doing What You Love? 5 Lessons

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 20:00:58 -0400

Matt Wilson started Under30CEO while digging ditches for $15/hour. Was it easy? No. But it was worth it.

How the Lean Startup is Changing Business Big and Small

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 14:22:49 -0400

I’m becoming increasingly convinced that the mantra of “think like an entrepreneur” is becoming even more important in the business world today. And with that mantra comes the teachings and learning of the Lean Startup by Eric Ries. “Lean Startup” is an approach for launching businesses and products, that relies on validated learning, scientific experimentation,...

6 Ways to Cultivate Creativity in Your Company

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 07:59:36 -0400

Hiring is just one piece of the innovation puzzle. The real measure of creativity is how you lead employees after they join your startup.

Traverik Founder Ashutosh Pandey Wants To Bridge The Gap Between Travellers and Tour Operators

Fri, 31 May 2013 15:50:50 -0400

“Travelling was one of my interests. There was no scarcity of information on the internet but no one was processing at one end. There was no one who could help in making a travel plan and at the same time the ability of collaborating with a friend. These problems motivated me to build Traverik ,”...

The Skills Start-up Marketers Really Need

Fri, 31 May 2013 12:55:25 -0400

A lot of friends shared the Techvibes post titled The Rise Of The Technical Marketer. It’s a good post. It talks about how modern marketers need technical skills to be successful. Practicing measurable marketing and doing it with modern tools such as marketing automation, CRM and analytics is where marketing has been heading for years....

How to Mine Your Customer List for Sales Gold

Thu, 30 May 2013 20:00:02 -0400

One of the most overlooked profit centers in most businesses is right under your nose: your existing customers.

The Top 5 Small Business Mistakes

Thu, 30 May 2013 17:08:35 -0400

Nearly half of all new businesses don't make it past their fifth anniversary, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. That makes it crucial for mom and pops to get basic strategies right from the get-go.

YEC Member Spotlight: James Simpson, CEO, GoldFire Studios

Thu, 30 May 2013 11:00:04 -0400

GoldFire Studios CEO James Simpson doesn't believe that the customer is always right -- but their behavior usually is. Here's why.

6 Ways Your Startup's Location Can Boost Your Bottom Line

Thu, 30 May 2013 10:00:00 -0400

Choosing an office space in a strategic locale can help grow your business. Here are six factors to keep in mind when considering where to base your business.

6 Tips for Negotiating Effectively

Wed, 29 May 2013 20:00:57 -0400

For entrepreneurs, negotiating -- with VCs, vendors, even employees -- is a must-have skill. Here are six smart tips for getting what you want.

4 Startup Lessons You Won’t Learn in Business School

Wed, 29 May 2013 17:05:00 -0400

My co-founder and I both attended Wharton as undergrads, where we “concentrated” in entrepreneurship (in addition to finance, accounting, legal studies and philosophy). We wrote multiple business plans, negotiated the details of term sheets and collaborated on teams vying for theoretical capital within the confines of a semester. While the skills learned no doubt gave...

My ‘Hoop Dreams’ Metaphor for Innovators and Entrepreneurs

Tue, 28 May 2013 21:50:31 -0400

Among several upcoming forums on innovation and entrepreneurship, one in particular caught my eye since it’s expected to draw some 1,500 attendees to New York City next month. This got me to thinking about how anxious people are these days to learn the secrets of coming up with marketable and potentially lucrative new ideas –...

Four Dumb Branding Mistakes To Avoid

Tue, 28 May 2013 17:04:43 -0400

Whether you're a multinational conglomerate or a one-person shop in Kalamazoo, you are a brand. That means you're subject to the same brand demands as Apple, Coca Cola, and General Motors, only with an infinitesimal sliver of their marketing and advertising budgets.

YEC Member Spotlight: Alex Schiff, Founder and CEO, Fetchnotes

Tue, 28 May 2013 11:00:00 -0400

Alex Schiff, founder of productivity app Fetchnotes, shares his favorite startup advice and cash-flow tips with our editors.

Top Resources for Understanding Startup Funding

Mon, 27 May 2013 20:00:07 -0400

Tyler Arnold has curated a list of top articles on raising startup capital right from the source -- namely, some of the biggest VCs blogging today.

10 Great Productivity Apps for Entrepreneurs

Mon, 27 May 2013 07:59:33 -0400

If there's one thing most entrepreneurs wish they could create more of, it's time. These productivity apps for business owners are the next best thing.

How to Manage Your Business Partner

Mon, 27 May 2013 06:00:00 -0400

Disagreements and hurt feelings between co-founders can sink a company before it starts. Here are four strategies to set the relationship up for success.

How To Start A Business While You’re Fully Employed

Sun, 26 May 2013 13:51:34 -0400

There are few challenges in the business arena more difficult than managing your small business. However, completing that task alone is a relative breeze compared to doing so while simultaneously working a full-time job. It might seem crazy that someone would actually attempt to handle both responsibilities, but this situation is actually quite common. Carol Humphreys, director of Muskingum County Business, told the Zanesville Times Recorder...

5 Steps for Calculating Your Startup Costs

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:00:30 -0400

This five-step guide walks you through exactly what you need to think about when creating a startup budget.

Startup Weekend and Startup America Partner to Jumpstart Global Entrepreneurship

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:55:00 -0400

With the support of AOL Co-Founder Steve Case, new organization UP Global aims to accelerate startup communities around the world.

YEC Member Spotlight: Thomas Kjeldgaard, CEO and Founder, SplashPost

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:59 -0400

SplashPost's Thomas Kjeldgaard puts his users' happiness above all else.