People, product, and market: If any one leg of that triangle is weak or broken, investors aren’t interested in your startup. That might sound cold, but early-stage venture capitalists can’t base six- or seven-figure decisions on gut feelings. Especially before your startup has broken even, it’s tough to tell without data whether it has a […]
Last time I checked, there are more than 57 million freelancers/small business owners in the U.S. alone. It’s anticipated that by 2027 50.9 percent of the U.S. population will be freelancing. Suffice to say — it’s more important than ever to start separating yourself from the the rest of your fellow business owners. How do […]
It’s easy to see why entrepreneurs are bonding with alternative lenders. What’s not so easy to see is why they’re leaving bankers out of the loop. However, with renewed trust in each other, both institutions are finding mutual benefits. What’s more — the B and B called “Business and Bankers” is finding a renewed comeback. […]
If you’ve felt your workplace has become more cutthroat over the past decade, you’re not alone. The Muse found that a third of managers and employees were more competitive with their co-workers than they were 10 years ago. Perhaps it’s not surprising that a full two-thirds felt their workplaces were competitive. The flip side, however, […]
Promising businesses go under all the time. Unmotivated teams and stiff competition can drive startups to close shop, but research from CBInsights found that cash flow problems knock out 29 percent of failed small businesses. Without money to keep the lights on and employees paid, even a business with a great product and a bright future […]
We’ve all been trained to climb the ladder in our careers: Do well, hit your goals, get promoted, and repeat until you find yourself in a corner office. In reality, however, there are only so many management positions any company can sustain, and the idea that we all should be working our way toward those […]
With Facebook hearings, and privacy changes across the board, data privacy and security has been at the top of everybody’s mind in recent months. In exchange for the convenience of information being readily accessible people are more willing share sensitive data when they assume it is being kept safe. In order to participate in the […]
Utilities are a practical necessity, but they occupy a massive line on your monthly budget. The typical American family spends more than $2,000 a year on utility bills, including electricity, water and sewage, and natural gas—and depending on where you live, you might spend even more than that. If you can manage to cut those […]
Americans are more debt-ridden than ever, with around 80 percent of Americans currently carrying debt. While some of this is tied up in mortgages or medical debt, much of it also stems from student loans and credit cards. In fact, the average Gen Xer carries more than $8,000 in credit card debt, while the average Millennial is […]
After the tax bill was finalized and passed in December, many business owners began to contemplate what they should do with their new windfall. With the corporate tax rate falling from 35 percent to 21 percent — representing the biggest one-time drop in U.S. history — pass-through businesses catching a break, and overall tax reductions […]