Based on my years of experience in both startups and large companies, trusted relationships are more the key to success than a great business model, how smart you are, or how much money you have. Aspiring entrepreneurs who struggle in a corporate environment often can’t wait to start their own company, only to find that […]
Marty Zwilling
10 Strategies That Will Fail At Attracting Investors
Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Others will work hard on a business plan, and then mail it indiscriminately to every potential investor they can find on the Internet. Both […]
6 Keys To Managing Funding From People Close To You
In their passion to succeed, too many entrepreneurs treat friends and family investments as “low-hanging” fruit, only to find out later, after a stumble, that the pain of lost relationships is greater than the loss of their beloved startup. Other entrepreneurs never start their adventure, because they can’t face the prospect of even approaching friends […]
Do These 6 Practices to Raise Workforce Engagement
Whether you are an entrepreneur managing a startup, or a corporate executive with thousands of employees, it’s hard to ignore the evidence of big value from happy employees. According to a classic study from Deloitte, happy employees have been shown to be up to 20 percent more effective in the workplace than unhappy employees, as well […]
Avoid These 5 Common Startup Setbacks and Rebound Stronger
Most entrepreneurs are so convinced that they are the disruptive element, they fail to anticipate that unknown facts or events can and will occur to disrupt their own well-laid plans. While it’s true that there is no way of know specifically what might happen, you need to anticipate the worst, and actually build a Plan […]
7 Tips To Keep Your Team Ahead Of “Business As Usual”
Many small businesses are now realizing that “business as usual” might be gone forever. With social media and smart phone apps, real product information spreads at astounding speeds. Entrepreneurs who are not listening, not engaging, and not changing are destined to be left behind even in the best of times. Business agility is defined as […]
How To Change Your Perspective And Create Innovation
In today’s fast moving world of business startups, learning trumps knowing every time. What established businesses know through experience keeps them from looking for the new and innovative ways to do what they do better, cheaper, and faster. I’m convinced that’s why most mature companies are slowing down or buying their innovation through acquisition, rather than building […]
7 Leadership Strategies To Rev-Up Your Team Vitality
Most startup ideas begin in the mind of an individual, but an idea is not a business. It takes a team, with effective leadership, to build a business. Many aspiring entrepreneurs default to team leadership by domination and control. Yet in my experience, the best entrepreneurs quickly learn the art of people connection. They connect […]
10 Timeless First Principles Of A Prosperous Business
In this world of constant change, new technologies, and a thousand cultures, it’s evident and somehow comforting to me that the basic rules for business prosperity really haven’t changed in the last hundred years. Business success is still more about the people than the technology or idea involved. As an angel investor and a mentor […]
5 Questions to Qualify Advisors for Your New Venture
Every startup needs a couple of advisors with deep experience and connections in your business domain or financial skills to complement your technical focus. Advisors need to be mentors, looking ahead and directing you on key actions to take or avoid. Unfortunately, many prefer the role of critic, looking backward to highlight your mistakes. These […]
