Successful Startup 101, Volume 1 Issue 7

12 Tips For Achieving Massive Success
In Your Life & Business -by Tyler Basu
Pros and Cons of Joining a Business
Accelerator Program -by Jerry Jao
You Can’t Do It All, So Expand Your Leadership
Circle -by Peter Economy
Does Education Trump Experience When
Starting a Business? -By Rieva Lesonsky
Lessons for Entrepreneurs From A Navy
Seal -by Martin Zwilling
The Threat from Within- When mobile imperils
Your Business Security -by Philip Whitchelo
Building a Startup Empire -by Kriti Vichare
The Secret to Winning the Content Creation
War -by Jeff Bullas
An FBI Agent Reveals 5 Steps To Gaining
Anyone’s Trust -by Shane Parrish
Lead Generation: Website Best Practices
-by Andy Crestodina

Putting Customers at the Center of Your
Business Model -by Nichole Kelly
Manage Your Marketing: Remember You’re
in Sales -by Margie Clayman
Dear Brands, This Is The End of Our Friendship.
Sincerely, Your Customer -by Vincent Teo
How Do You Have an Effective Social Media
Presence and Not Get Sued? -by Mark Schaefer
7 Sure-Fire Success Principles
-by Daniel C. Steenerson
5 Free Online Tools Too Valuable to Ignore That
Will Help You Growyour Business -by Didi Zheleva
Fear - The enTrepreneur’s new Fuel
-by Tabitha Jean Naylor
Even Small Businesses Can Have Remote
Employees -by Richard Weinberger, PhD, CPA
Who Advises the Entrepreneur?
-by Kerrie MacPherson
What Small Business Owners Should Know
About Brain Health -by Andrew Greissman

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12 Tips For Achieving Massive
Success In Your Life &
Business
By Tyler Basu
One of the greatest drives of all human beings is the drive to succeed – the drive to improve, to make
progress. It is by making progress that we feel a sense accomplishment. After all, if we’re not getting
ahead, we’re actually falling behind, and nobody likes to feel left behind. But what if you could get
ahead faster? What if you could achieve all that you want and more? What if you could achieve massive
success, and do it in a short period of time?
Well the good news is that it can be done,
and many people have done it before. There
are numerous examples of individuals who
have completely transformed their lives, their
relationships, their health, their businesses, and
their income in surprisingly short periods of time.
If you want the same to happen for you, here are
12 tips to help you achieve MASSIVE SUCCESS in
your life and business:
1
Believe that it’s possible for YOU
The first step towards achieving massive success
is to believe that it’s possible for YOU. It’s easy to
believe that achieving massive results in a short
period of time is possible for others, because
you can simply look at real life examples for the
evidence you need to support that belief. But to
believe that it’s possible for you before you’ve
created the results to prove it can be a challenge.
The average person believes something only

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3
4
when they see it. But the person who succeeds
must believe in something before they see it.
Your belief in yourself must come first, and it is
precisely that belief that will fuel your motivation
to take action.
Act like the person you want to
become
The person that you are today is precisely the
person that has created the results you are
currently experiencing. Achieving new, massive
results will require a personal transformation. You
must begin to transform yourself into the person
you want to become. You must be willing to give
up the person that you are for the person that
you can be. Start by visualizing how that person
talks, what skills they have, what their habits are,
how they handle setbacks, etc. Then start acting
like that person. If you continuously act like the
person you want to be, soon enough you will
become them.
Put your stake in the ground
Putting you stake in the ground means deciding
precisely what you want to achieve, how you’re
going to do, and sticking to that. Don’t jump from
one industry to another, or from one opportunity
to another. Claim your territory – stand firmly,
stand proudly. Choose one course and stay on that
course until successful. Say no to all the things
that take you away or distract you from your
chosen course of action.
Vocalize your vision
Many people believe that you can “speak things into
existence”. What this means is that what you put
out into the world you attract back to you. Vocalizing
your goals is therefore one of the most effective
ways to achieve them. When you vocalize your goals,
you attract people and resources that can help you
with their accomplishment. A public declaration
of your intentions is so much more powerful than
a private commitment. When you make your
intentions public, it helps to hold you accountable
out of fear of not wanting others to see you fail.
5
6
7
8
Refuse to tolerate negativity
One of the greatest killers of success is the pull of
negative people who try to hold you back from
getting ahead. Whether they are your colleagues,
friends, business partners, or even family
members, you must severely limit the amount
of time you spend with people who are negative
and whose attitudes do not support your success.
You must also refuse to tolerate any negativity
from yourself. Monitor your thoughts and your
attitudes, and when you catch yourself thinking
or reacting negatively, stop yourself and re-frame
your perception immediately. Refuse to tolerate
complaining, blaming, and criticizing in both your
personal and professional life.
Have a “No Plan B” mentality
Will Smith, a highly successful actor/entertainer,
once said that “there is no need to have a plan
B, because it distracts from plan A”. In order to
achieve massive success, you must think and
act as if failure is not an option. If failure is an
option, or if you do have a “back up plan”, then
you are more likely to give up when things get too
tough. But when you have no other choice except
to succeed, you force yourself to keep going
even when its extremely uncomfortable. When
a person’s back is against the wall, they can do
amazing things.
Expect turbulence before take off
If you’ve ever been on a plane, you know that
the take off is often more uncomfortable than
the flight. The same is true of any new endeavor.
When you first begin taking new actions to
achieve a new goal, it is often uncomfortable
in the beginning. Expecting things to be easy or
comfortable right away is a recipe for failure.
Embrace the discomfort of new experiences and
of acquiring new skills and habits. Expect a few
setbacks before take off.
Go full throttle
To achieve massive success, you must take massive
action. A little action here and there won’t cut

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it. In order for a plane to take off it must go full
throttle. If it doesn’t go full throttle it will never
lift off the ground. The same is true in life and
in business. In order to “get off the ground” you
must go full throttle in the beginning. Going full
throttle creates momentum. You can’t afford to
ease off the gas until after that momentum is
created, not before.
Use the language of success
To become a success you must think and talk
like a success. You can easily tell the difference
between someone who consistently succeeds
and someone who consistently fails by the
language they use. The successful person says
“I’m committed” while the unsuccessful person
says “I’m going to give it a try and see what
happens”. The successful person says “I’m going
to make this better” while the unsuccessful
person says “I really hope things get better”. The
successful person says “I’ll figure it out” while
the unsuccessful person says “I wish I knew
how”. You must speak the language of success
before you can expect to become one.
Focus on getting better every day
Another major key to achieving massive success
is to focus on getting just a little better every
single day. Consistent minor improvements over
a long period of time have a major compounding
effect. If you improve by just 1% every single day
for an entire year, by the end of the year you
will have improved by 3,778%. Each day, strive
to become just a little bit better than you were
yesterday. This simple habit will have a profound
impact on your results in the long run.
11
12
Don’t take advice from people who
aren’t getting the results you want
A crucial principle for achieving massive to
success is to reject the advice of anyone
who is not achieving the results you want.
Common sense tells us that we cannot learn
to do something from someone who has never
done it. Make sure you get your advice from
the right people, and never take advice from
someone who is more messed up than you are. If
your goal is to lose 10 pounds, find someone
who has lost at least 10 pounds and ask them
how they did. If your goal is to make $1,000,000
this year, find someone who has made
$1,000,000 and learn from them.
Accept no excuses
The final tip for achieving massive success in your
life and business is to accept no excuses. Average
people have a habit of letting just about any
excuse stop them from achieving their goals. You
can have excuses or you can have results, but
you can’t have both. Successful people know
that it only takes one good reason to motivate
you to achieve what you want to achieve. It only
takes one good reason to overcome a thousand
excuses.
About the Author
Tyler Basu is an avid blogger, marketer, and online
entrepreneur. As the Founder of http://www.
chattingwithchampions.com and host of the Chatting
With Champions podcast, he is committed to helping
others achieve success in life and business. He is also
the author of several books available on Amazon.

Trust
Pros and Cons of Joining a
Business Accelerator Program
By Jerry Jao
Joining a business accelerator program isn’t the
right choice for every entrepreneur, and it doesn’t
guarantee success. For a selected few, however, it
provides a much-needed jumpstart towards a more
promising future. My third company, Retention
Science, is a graduate of MuckerLab, a mentorshipfocused
accelerator based in Santa Monica,
California. Here are my thoughts on the pros and
cons of accelerator programs.
Pros
1. Curriculum and Clear Structure
Business accelerator programs typically consist of three
to six months of crash courses, speaker series, and
professional workshops designed to help you learn a
lot in a very short period of time. Certain accelerators
conclude their programs with a Demo Day, where
entrepreneurs publicly debut their products to a group
of peers, tech reporters, and investors. By establishing
a clear schedule of classes and milestones, the program
helps entrepreneurs stay focused and reinforces the
need to be agile and move fast.
2. Marketing and PR
You can count on your accelerator to be one of
your biggest advocates to the outside world. The
accelerator helps develop your marketing strategy
and identify the right positioning for your products.
And, when it is time, it helps you identify the proper
outlets to publicly launch your company. If you’re
part of a well-respected accelerator, chances are tech
reporters, potential customers, and even investors
will be more interested in your company news. This
is why the reputation of your accelerator matters.
3. Funding
Accelerators typically provide $20,000-$50,000
in startup capital to each company. Different

accelerators have differing policies and funds. While
funding is important, I’ve heard many entrepreneurs
share this repeatedly: do not choose one accelerator
over the other because it offers you $35,000 versus
$25,000. Your decision should be solely based on
the quality of the partners, network of mentors, and
curriculum – in the grand scheme of things, a few
thousand dollars will not save your company, but
knowing the right contacts will.
4. The Perks: Discounts, Freebies, Social Events
Each accelerator offers different perks, but examples
may include free legal advice, financial planning
support, access to design agencies, discounted package
for web servers, social events, and many more.
cons
1. Company Equity
On average, accelerators require between 5–10%
of company equity in exchange for all of their great
benefits. This is a lot of company equity – do your
research so you know for a fact that you will gain a lot
of value by joining the accelerator.
On a side note, I’ve heard of unique cases where
accelerators take less equity than normal. For
example, if a company is already far along in
development (i.e., significant number of customers or
users), certain accelerators might negotiate with you.
It’s worth a shot.
2. Unsuitable Network for Your Business
Not all accelerators are created equal. Some might
not have the right network to add value to your
business. For example, an accelerator may have
considerable experience in building e-commerce
businesses, but know little about scaling mobile apps.
Quality accelerators should not offer you a spot if
they know they cannot make a meaningful impact on
growing your business. But, don’t just count on them
to make the call. Do your research.
3. Less Support Once You Graduate
While accelerators are great for launching your
company, you shouldn’t expect the same level of
support after you graduate from the program. It’s
imperative to maximize all of the resources during
the official program, because once you’re no longer
working out of the shared office space, fewer
opportunities will exist.
4. Commitment & Risks
Joining an accelerator is a serious commitment,
and it does not guarantee success. For some
entrepreneurs, it sometimes means leaving family
behind for a couple of months, relocating to a
different city, or taking out more loans to support
themselves. While the goal is to accelerate your
company growth, there are still many companies
that drop out of the program or fail to complete
building a product that meets market demand.
Keep in mind that accelerators can help you a great
deal, but they do not mitigate your risks of failing.
The right business accelerator program can open many
doors for you, but as I was once told, we still have to
“walk into those doors.” Whether or not you decide to
join an accelerator, keep in mind that, at the end of the
day, it’s still up to you to develop your idea, prioritize
your long list of must-dos, and execute.
About the Author
Jerry is the co-founder and CEO of Retention Science,
a leader and innovator in retention marketing.
Previously, Jerry was an analyst with Morgan Stanley, an
engagement manager with BearingPoint Management
Consulting (KPMG Advisory) and, most recently, an
advisor to the CFO of Clear Channel, working on digital
initiatives such as iHeartRadio. Jerry is a graduate of
UC Berkeley, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in
business administration and a full-tuition scholarship
as an Alumni Scholar; he also attended Yale School of

You Can’t Do It All,
So Expand Your
Leadership Circle
By Peter Economy

know that you support them. Give your people
the freedom to take chances and experiment
with new ideas, and to make decisions within
their areas of responsibility. Shine a spotlight
on your employees by letting them take the
credit for their own successes. Be sure that
all managers understand the importance of
sharing leadership--and reward those who
delegate well.
It’s far too easy to let your organization get stuck
in the leader/follower rut, where you end up
doing all the leading, and everyone else just
follows along. Remember these five words: You
can’t do it all.
You hired great employees for a reason, so put all
their skills to work by enlarging your leadership
circle. When you encourage your employees to
expand their roles in your company, you give each
one of them a chance to show their creativity
in different ways. The result? Better ideas and a
happier, more engaged workforce.
Here are some tried-and-true ways to expand
your leadership circle and get the best from your
people every day:
Create a Supportive Environment
1
If you want your employees to take initiative
at work (and believe me, you do), they have to
2
Provide All Your Employees With
Leadership Training
Most organizations only offer leadership training
to supervisors and managers, but in order for
all employees to successfully take on leadership
roles, they must first be properly trained. Since
not all hires have experience in leadership, it’s
important to offer training to all employees.
Pair experienced leaders with followers and
encourage them to learn from each other and to
switch roles when appropriate.
3
Encourage Employees to Act
Every employee has the ability to make a
positive impact on your organization and
on your customers and clients. Show your
employees that you value them and their
contributions while actively encouraging
them to take initiative to act and to try

new approaches to old problems. The most
successful companies have figured out the
importance of making their employees feel
important--and they actively take steps to do it.
4
Throw Out the Org Chart
Okay, while you might not be ready to toss your
organization chart into the trash, why not stick
it in a drawer and forget about it for a while?
Instead of deciding who the leaders in your
organization are or who they should be, let them
emerge on their own. Leaders tend to lead, and
you will soon know who wants to step up. You’ll
also soon know which employees would prefer
to let others lead. That’s okay--every organization
needs leaders and followers.
5
Reward Leadership Behavior
Taking on a leadership role can be very
intimidating for many employees--especially
those who have never been in a formal
position of leadership before. Encourage your
employees to lead by rewarding and reinforcing
leadership behavior. Give raises or promotions
when your people are willing to take on
higher-level roles and responsibilities--or to
set the bar even higher--and you will find more
employees from all levels of your organization
who are willing to lead.
By expanding your leadership circle, you will
tap into the full potential of your people and
your organization. With the economy still on the
mend, you need your employees’ contributions
now more than ever.
Like this post? If so, sign up here and
always stay up to date with Peter’s latest
thoughts and goings-on.
About the Author
While Peter Economy has spent the better part of two decades of his life slugging it
out mano a mano in the management trenches, he is also the best-selling author of
Managing for Dummies, The Management Bible, Leading Through Uncertainty, and
more than 65 other books, with total sales in excess of two million copies. He has
also served as associate editor for Leader to Leader for more than 10 years, where
he has worked on projects with the likes of Jim Collins, Frances Hesselbein, Marshall
Goldsmith, and many other top management and leadership thinkers. Visit him at
petereconomy.com and follow him on Twitter: @bizzwriter.

Does Education Trump Experience
When Starting a Business?
By Rieva Lesonsky
When you’re starting a business, does education
or experience matter more? That’s a
question that’s been debated, well, as long as I can
remember—and it seems even the business owners
themselves can’t agree on an answer.
Does education matter more than experience when
hiring employees for your small business? Apparently
not. In a Manta survey earlier this year that polled
nearly 1,000 small business owners, half say they hire
staff who don’t have a college degree. What’s more,
more than 60 percent say they see no difference
in performance among employees with varying
education levels. Desire, drive and the willingness to
work hard matter more to the business owners in the
study when it comes to choosing who to hire.
But it seems small business owners don’t
extend themselves the same leeway. Most
entrepreneurs in the study (more than 60
percent) predominantly credit their education
as an important factor to their own successes
as small business owners. Almost 70 percent of
those polled have at least a bachelor’s degree.

It’ obvious a degree is valuable (even essential) in some fields, such as consulting
or professional services. But if you want to start your own restaurant, open an
auto repair shop or start a hair salon, is a college degree more crucial than
real-world experience in your chosen field? Perhaps in some industries, street
smarts and hands-on learning outweigh anything that can be learned in a college
classroom setting.
Maybe when small business owners tout the value of education, what they really
mean is the ability to think things through and plan a path to growth. Entrepreneurs
in the Manta study cited a strong business plan as vital to getting their businesses
off to a good start. Over one-third say a business plan is the most important startup
success factor—more important than capital, networking or mentorship.
The role of business plans has changed in recent years. With our economy changing
rapidly and disruptive businesses sprouting up, many feel the traditional business plan
that looks out five or 10 years into the future is outdated. But while your business
plan may not be as “etched in stone” as it used to be, I agree with the entrepreneurs
Manta polled that it’s of great value.
About the Author
Rieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content
company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Email Rieva at
rieva@smallbizdaily.com, follow her on Google+ and Twitter @Rieva, and
visit her website SmallBizDaily.com to get the scoop on business trends
and sign up for Rieva’s free TrendCast reports.

Lessons for Entrepreneurs
From A Navy Seal
By Martin Zwilling
You have to be extra tough mentally to be an entrepreneur.
While thinking about it, I realized that it’s really not that
different from the toughness required and trained into
America’s elite military force of Navy SEALs, who are known
to be cool under fire, able to sense danger before it’s too
late, and never give up on achieving their objective.
I just finished a new book “The Way of the SEAL,” coauthored
by Mark Divine, who spent many years with the
SEALs, and has since started and built six multimilliondollar
business ventures. He now teaches the key
principles to business leaders through his Unbeatable
Mind Academy, focusing on the following lessons and
strategies, which I recommend for every entrepreneur:
1. Lead from the front, so that others will want
to work for you. To be an entrepreneur or a
Navy SEAL, you must first have vision, focus,
and the courage to step up to lead. That
means visibly walking the talk and willing
to clear a path for others. People want to
follow leaders they can learn from, who
demonstrate excellence and commitment in
all they do.
2. Focus on one thing until victory is achieved.
SEALs call this front-sight focus, or the ability
to envision your goal to the point that you
see it, believe it, and make it happen. Every
entrepreneur needs this kind of focus to
build a minimum viable product, target the
right customer segment, differentiate from
competitors, and drive business growth.
3. Think offense, all the time, to eradicate fear
and indecisiveness. Indecision leads to doubt,
then the two blend and become fear, which
signals defense, resulting in being overrun
in the business world, as well as the military
world. Offense, for entrepreneurs, means

leading with a new business model, new
marketing, and new technology.
4. Never be thrown off-guard by chaotic
conditions. Smash the box and think
outside the box. In the world of the
entrepreneur and the SEAL, chaos is
the norm, not the exception. Plan for it
mentally and physically, and you will see
opportunities rather than problems in the
chaos. Winning is finding opportunities,
rather than fighting problems.
5. Access your intuition so you can make
“hard right” decisions. Your intuition is really
your knowledge and awareness of your
business environment, which must be honed
with practice and focus. This knowledge
is required for you to turn quickly or pivot
based on new input from the market,
without loss of competitive position.
6. Achieve twenty times more than you
think you can. Set your targets high.
Nobody knows what they are truly capable
of, with the right discipline, drive, and
determination (three Ds). SEALs challenge
themselves to find their 20x factor, and
entrepreneurs should accept no less of
a challenge. Leverage the resources of
mentors, investors, and peers.
By teaching and practicing the principles
behind these six lessons, Mark Divine was
able to improve the pass rate of Navy SEAL
candidates from less than 30% to over 80%.
I see the same potential for improving the
success rate of new entrepreneurs from the
current 10-year survival rate below 30%, to a
new high target of 80% in this new era.
Expanding...
He suggests that you start with a self-assessment
against the “five mountains” to be climbed on the
path to self-mastery and success, with my adaptation
for entrepreneurs:
• Physical: business as well as technical skills
required for the domain you want to
enter.
• Mental: ability to persevere, make
decisions, focus, and visualize success.
• Emotional: resilience, open to relationships,
keep negative emotions under control.
• Intuitional: level of awareness, listen more
than speak, strong self-esteem, insightful.
• Spiritual: strong values, at peace, willing to
make sacrifices, see the big picture.
I agree with Divine that if you desire serious change
in your life, you can’t get there by focusing on what
you don’t want. Becoming an entrepreneur is a great
lifestyle, but it is a serious change from other career
alternatives. If you decide to be an entrepreneur
because you don’t want a boss, on don’t like regular
business hours, you may be setting yourself up for
failure.
Apply the lessons from the Navy SEALs and you too
can be an elite warrior who leads and succeeds in
the new global business paradigm. Are you up to the
challenge?
About the Author
I am the Founder and CEO of Startup Professionals, a company that provides services to startup
founders around the world. My background includes a 30-year track record as an executive in
general management, computer software development, product management, and marketing. I’m
now in “give-back mode” as a mentor to startup founders, and an Angel investor. My experience
with investors includes roles on the selection committee of two local Angel groups, and working
from the other side of the table with several VCs in Silicon Valley. In addition to blogging, I recently
released my first book titled “Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?” You can contact
me directly at marty@startupprofessionals.com. Feel free to Circle me on Google+.

The Threat from Within -When Mobile
Imperils Your
Business Security
By Philip Whitchelo
In today’s business world, data security is as important
to small startups as it is to enormous multinationals. In
the highly digitized 21s t century, a single digital
document, which in reality is made up of no more than
intangible zeros and ones, could represent millions of
dollars worth of company assets. Unlike traditional
assets, this digital data is infinitely reproducible, and at a
time when more business is being conducted on mobile
devices than ever before, infinitely portable.
The benefits of online technologies and big data are vast
and varied, and it’s nearly impossible to grasp the full
extent of the online threats we’re exposed to on a daily
basis. According to Fortinet in a security survey, the
levels of ignorance of complex hazards is dangerously
high.
Whether caused by inadequate safety measures or
human error, the high number of leaks and security
breaches reported in the news can make us wonder just
how vulnerable our data really is. The evolution of cloud
computing and the boom in tablet and smart phone
sales leaves little room for doubt: the remote access
phenomenon is moving ahead full steam.
The access of data
anywhere from any
device or platform
poses a very challenging
security environment for
organizations,” says Bala
Venkat, chief marketing
officer at Cenzik, a security
solutions provider.
“The access of data anywhere from any device or
platform poses a very challenging security environment
for organizations,” says Bala Venkat, chief marketing
officer at Cenzik, a security solutions provider. “BYOD
[Bring Your Own Device] further complicates the matter
[by] driving companies to develop air tight security
policies. Mobile security has thus become an urgent
mandate on every company’s technology roadmap.”
This now poses the question: What should businesses
take into account? Here are data security concerns to
consider as businesses shift away from in-house office
computing to “business on the go.”

1
Mobile Device Loss
One of the biggest concerns for businesses is data stored on devices
that could potentially get lost or stolen. Fingerprint scanners,
passwords, and swipe patterns may keep small time burglars away, but
more experienced hackers can bypass these measures.
Doug Herman, managing director of the eDiscovery and Digital
Forensics Practice of UHY Advisors FLVS Inc., acknowledges that
“settings certainly make a difference in how easy it is for a person
with malicious intent to access data. Enabling the requirement for a
password or fingerprint scan to access the phone goes a long way;
however, for someone that really, really wants access to the phone,
virtually no ‘set’ of settings will help.”
According to Herman, some companies have implemented measures
for that exact situation. He says, “An organization may require that a
management application be installed on the phone, which forces the
use of a strong password to access data. They may reserve the right to
remotely ‘wipe’ the phone of all data (company and personal), should it
be reported as lost or stolen”

Applications and Cloud Accounts
With dozens of applications with access to information, both personal and work
related, gathered on your mobile device, users quickly lose sight of how much
data is actually exposed.
“Storing unencrypted sensitive data on mobile devices is a significant cause for
concern, but the often unsecured Web services commonly associated with mobile
applications can pose an even bigger risk,” says Venkat.
2
A recently published survey on Web application security by Vanderbilt University
suggests that 49 percent of applications online are unsafe. As a backup
precaution, most remote device users automatically sync files to private cloud
accounts like Dropbox or Google Drive. And according to Fortinet, 70 percent of
employees worldwide use their personal cloud account for work purposes.
Peter Martini, cofounder and COO of network security solutions provider iboss
Network Security, explains that issues with private cloud service accounts can
easily arise through lack of sufficient knowledge. “A rising threat to businesses
is the ‘shadow IT,’” he says. “This is an industry term for when users use an
unapproved SaaS account to share files with customers. The employee does so
without malice and unintentionally violates company policy. The company data is
now stored in this rouge SaaS account, which can lead to a compliance violation
or potential data loss.”
It is called the public cloud for a reason. When storing files online, users believe
access to be restricted, which is not necessarily the case. If you want to share
confidential information you need to make sure to encrypt your data, which isn’t a
feature open services usually provide.

Network/Connectivity
When on business trips, free WiFi might seem like the perfect cost-saving
alternative to paying scandalous roaming fees. It does, however, pose a
threat.
3
“Public WiFi hotspots at places like coffee shops and airports are
notoriously dangerous for mobile users,” says Sunday Yokubaitis,
president of Golden Frog, an online services provider. “Any business that
has employees who work remotely at these types of locations should
install a personal VPN service on their employees’ mobile devices. A
VPN will encrypt the Internet connection so business tasks like email
communication, data transfers, and web browsing are kept private and
secure.”
Peter Martini shares Yokubaitis’ concerns. “If accessing data remotely,
businesses should ensure that employees are doing so through an
encrypted VPN or through a company portal that is secured through SSL
requiring a login where employees can access files,” he says. “Another
alternative is utilizing SaaS services where companies can upload
documents. This approach requires almost no investment into the business
nfrastructure.”

Data Management
According to a recent survey by security technology solutions provider
Lookout, 90 percent of businesses allow employees to bring their own
devices to work (BYOD), “yet only half of these companies require
employees to enroll in a security program as a prerequisite for BYOD
use,” reveals consumer safety advocate Jenny Roy.
4
Unless employees rigorously ensure that personal and businesses
devices are kept separate, personal and business information will
eventually blend. Doug Herman points out that on mobile devices,
managing data works differently than on computers. “The functionality
doesn’t exist to segment information as easily,” he says. “Take text
messaging as an example – the mobile device likely only has one
application that allows for the send/receipt of texts. If you’re texting
both friends/family as well as coworkers, those messages will be
commingled together.”
For Peter Martini, the most effective way to separate company from
personal data is to use a Mobile Device Management (MDM) or
Mobile Application Management solution. “These technologies allow
businesses to create a ‘lock box’ app where employees can access
business documents on a device. Essentially, it presents itself as an APP
on the device and, when accessed, company documents are available.
The same features are available for company email. The data is actually
stored in the cloud and not on the device,” he explains.
Sunday Yokubaitis suggests, “Use different applications for work and
personal stuff. For example, Dropbox might be just fine for storing
personal photos, but you might want to choose a completely different
and more secure service for storing work-related files.”

All facts considered, industry experts advise businesses to extend security measures beyond their
own database and in-house network and consider the hazards posed by mobile devices. It is also
important that businesses invest in training staff. A small investment in time and resources will
help safeguard against potential data leaks and crises. Safe browsing and data handling is a skill
that can be learned, and it will become increasingly vital that your employees have a hold on
these skills.
About the Author
Philip Whitchelo is vice president of strategy at Intralinks, dealing in areas such as product development
and business planning across Europe, the Middle East, and Pacific Asia. Connect with me on
Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Building a Startup
Empire
By Kriti Vichare

“Rome wasn’t built in a day
either...”
I first saw this unapologetic declaration
on a billboard sign on a highway that is
perennially under construction. And it always
reminds me that startups have to be treated
the same way.
Entrepreneurs and wantrepreneurs approach
creating a startup empire differently. Firstly,
what’s a wantrepreneur? They are the eager
beavers who may look, act, and seem like
entrepreneurs - but all without owning an
actual business!
Let’s examine the wantrepreneur scenario
when building a startup empire:
1. This is the one…the idea of the
century!” Wantrepreneurs rarely focus
on the problem to solve.
2. “Oooooh features! I love features!”
Wantrepreneurs don’t create a
foundation and work incrementally,
but instead fast forward and jump in
the deep end before learning to swim.
3. “I’ll just whip together the business
in no time!” Wantrepreneurs always
underestimate the time it takes to
grow a business.
4. “If you build it they will come.”
Wantrepreneurs believe the only thing
stopping them from customers, is the
lack of product.
5. “Money… I’ll figure it out later.”
Wantrepreneurs severely minimize the
needed funding for their projects.
To build an empire you need a foundation,
vision, support, and patience. Serial
entrepreneurs know this; it is second nature
to them. As they move with tremendous
speed, they know they have to learn to
walk before they run. A scalable, repeatable
business model is necessary before
expanding too big or out of reach.
About the Creator
This comic was created by Kriti Vichare and Shivraj Vichare. It was
inspired by the ironies they have seen and have experienced in their small
business ventures. You can find their comics on www.entrepreneurfail.
com. They are the creators of the book Cheating on your Corporate Job: A
Comic Look at the Startup Dream.

Special Spotlight Feature:
Success in Sales and Marketing

The Secret to Winning the Content
Creation War
By Jeff Bullas
We are in a content creation arms race.
Brands have realised that creating content is now your best weapon of choice to
rank high in Google, engage with your customers and be a thought leader in your
industry. So writers are the new digital age hired guns and given instructions to
crank it out. Blog posts are published, ebooks are written and whitepapers are
whipped together.
The problem is that we end up with written drivel that is so bland that I want to to
throw up! It has no character, is written for key search engine phrases that dominate
the headline and the text. We see posts with no personality or humanity.
Just algorithmic awfulness.

Has Google created a
monster?
This content creation strategy threatens to turn
our minds to mush, our thoughts to self harm
and make us fall asleep at the screen. Part of the
reason this is happening is that Google has rolled
out changes to its algorithm. It is rewarding
unique content above keyword stuffed SEO laden
text articles on corporate websites and blogs.
This is driving corporate marketing tactics that are
about SEO and not about contagious writing. SEO
should be in the mix but it should not dominate.
Will we end up with
articles written by robots?
Is this the future?
In a recent article on Wired they reported a
news story written by “Narrative Science”. This
isn’t a person but a computer that writes news
stories. Here is the piece.
“Friona fell 10-8 to Boys Ranch in five innings on
Monday at Friona despite racking up seven hits
and eight runs. Friona was led by a flawless day at
the dish by Hunter Sundre, who went 2-2 against
Boys Ranch pitching. Sundre singled in the third
inning and tripled in the fourth inning … Friona
piled up the steals, swiping eight bags in all … ”
It doesn’t read like a computer wrote it. Kristian
Hammond the co-founder of Narrative science
is predicting that within 15 years that more than
90% of news could be written by a robot!
Now the technology behind narrative is cool
but it isn’t the future for bloggers and content
marketers. The future is the art of creating
content that is memorable, creative and
contagious…Oh yes, begs to be shared!
How do you do that?
Tips for winning at content creation
Despite that glimpse into what is happening now and what could happen in 15 years, here are some tips
to make your articles zing and zang.
1. Create an opening line that pops
This is easy to say but sometimes hard to do. But have a go. You are not going to do this every
time but think hard about that opening line.
2. Use facts that surprise
I remember stumbling upon the fact that Snapchat was offered $3 billion in cash by Facebook.
Then and there I decided it had to be woven into a blog post.
Sometimes they even get corralled out of the post and tweeted!!

3. Insert insights that are not obvious
Have you ever read an article and everything seem regurgitated. You thought “nothing new here“..
moving on. Insights within and industry or niche come from persistent reading and the blood
sweat and tears of creation and expression.
One that dawned upon my consciousness, was that your owned online properties should be
treated as assets. Just like a car or a bricks and mortar building.
Here is another one.
4. Make up a creative subtitle
We often play safe so that often means boring. Make your sub-titles interesting. Put on your
inspiration pants.
If it gets tweeted you know you might be on to something!
5. Use rhythm in your writing
Write long sentences and short. Writing has rhythm and it adds to the interest. Sentences can be
two words.
Try it.
6. Break the rules
Your writing teacher may have told you to get to the point. One of my favourite magazine writers
is Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson. He breaks this rule in almost every article. I counted the words in
his intro before he got to the point. 1,000 words….but it works.
They also may have told you other rules that are often constraining. Formal and proper is what
the English teacher taught you. Now people expect a more casual style of writing.
Writing how you speak or “conversational writing” is needed on a social web.

8. Develop a voice that is original
Finding your writing voice is a journey. At first you will copy, then curate and finally you will create
and weave your own unique voice. Push your boundaries.
9. Include visuals in your articles
The age of text, text and more text is over. We live on a visual web that demands multi-media and
images.
10. Use statistics that are mind blowing
Whenever you come across some statistics that grab your attention, think how you could use that
in blog posts or articles. If it grabs your attention then it will most likely have a similar impact on
your readers.
Put it in the opening paragraph.
11. Write a title that is not ordinary
I remember driving along one day and had an inane idea about a blog post topic. It was “10
Reasons Why Ducks Just Don’t Get Social Media”. I stopped the car and wrote it down with a few
relevant points. It took me a few weeks to be brave enough to publish.
Guess what? It worked.
Don’t be afraid to push your comfort zone.
12. Ask an unlikely question
Pose a question that is unexpected. Here is one that resonated for me ”Are brands out publishing
traditional media companies?”
If the title gets repurposed you know you hit a home run.

13. Use stories
Don’t forget to include stories. That is what makes us human. Robot writers struggle with that.
14. Practice, practice, practice
Creating memorable, insightful and contagious content comes from the mundane. The art and
graft of just sitting down to do the work. So practice and practice some more.
The inspiration will show up!
So what is the secret?
Be human. We are innately creative. Humanity mixed with technology equals magic!
What other tips can you add to winning in the content creation arms race? Look forward to your
insights and stories in the comments below.
Listen to this post as a Podcast
Want to learn how to make
your blog and content a
success with social media
marketing?
My book – “Blogging the Smart Way – How
to Create and Market a Killer Blog with Social
Media” – will show you how.
It is now available to download. I show you how to
create and build a blog that rocks and grow tribes,
fans and followers on social networks such as
Twitter and Facebook. It also includes dozens of tips
to create contagious content that begs to be shared
and tempts people to link to your website and blog.
I also reveal the tactics I used to grow my Twitter
followers to over 185,000.
Download and read it now.
Want to start building your
own website or blog?
Want to start a WordPress blog in 5 minutes?
The jeffbullas.com blog is hosted by Bluehost
Web Hosting. For only $3.95 a month, Bluehost
can help you set up and host your website/blog
quickly and easily. Because JeffBullas.com is a
Bluehost affiliate partner, my readers can visit this
page to receive a 50% discount off the monthly
price and a free domain name.

Trust
An FBI Agent Reveals 5 Steps
To Gaining Anyone’s Trust
By Shane Parrish
I had an opportunity to ask Robin Dreeke a few
questions. Robin is in charge of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation’s elite Counterintelligence
Behavioral Analysis Program and the author of It’s
Not All About Me.
Robin combines science and years of work in the
field to offer practical tips to build rapport and
establish trust. In this brief interview he discusses
building relationships, how to approach someone
you don’t know and ask for a favor, and the keys to
establishing trust.
A lot of people are interested in
strengthening and furthering
relationships. How can people do this?
This is the most important aspect of
everything we do in life. I’m going to give
some light science behind each of my
answers but to me it just explains the
subjective simple explanations behind
naturally great trusting relationships.
Both anecdotal (evidence) as well
as science supports the fact that the

trust. For me and what I teach I start with
what I said in question one. Trust first
starts with a relationship where the other
person’s brain is rewarding them for the
engagement with you by doing what I
outlined above.
greatest happiness is found in positive
social interactions and relationships.
The simplest answer to this is to “make
it all about them.” Our brain rewards us
chemically when we are able to talk and
share our own views, priorities, and goals
with others… long term, short term, etc.
Our brain also rewards us when we are
unconditionally accepted for who we are
as a human being without judgement.
Both of these concepts are genetically
coded in each of us (to varying degrees)
because of our ancient survival instincts
(ego-centrism) as well as our need to
belong to groups or a tribe (tribal mentality
for survival and resources). When you put
these simple concepts together the answer
is simple to understand, but oftentimes
difficult to execute…. Speak in terms of the
other person’s interests and priorities and
then validate them, their choices, and who
they are non-judgmentally. Some people
do this naturally, for the rest of us you can
build this skill and it eventually becomes
second nature.
Trust is a foundation to most situations
in life. How can we develop trust? What
are the keys?
I can only answer from my own
background and experience because trust
is a very difficult thing to measure and
define and each individual’s definition can
vary and our brain takes in much more
than verbal information when determining
Part two of my trust process is to
understand the other person’s goals and
keeping their goals and priorities on the
top of my list of goals and priorities. By
making the other person’s goals and
priorities yours, trust will develop. Over
time (some people faster than others)
a need to reciprocate the kindness and
relationship will build. In other words, trust
is built faster and stronger when there is
no personal agenda.
What’s the best way to approach
someone you don’t know and ask them
for a favor?
Using sympathy and seeking help is always
the best. If you can wrap the help / favor
you are looking for around a priority and
interest of the individual you are engaging,
the odds of success increase. Add social
proof (i.e., others around you helping
already or signed a petition etc.) and you
increase it even more. Again, focus on
how you can ask a favor while getting their
brain to reward them for doing so.
What are some strategies to
build rapport while giving a talk,
presentation, or interview?
Ego Suspension / self-deprecating humor…
Make it all about them! How is the
information you are chatting about going
to benefit them? Talk about the great
strengths and skills they each have already
and that all you hope to do is to have them
understand their strengths even better and
be able to pass them on to others more
effectively if they want to. Validate every
question and opinion non-judgmentally.
If you don’t happen to agree, simply ask
“that’s a fascinating / insightful/ thoughtful

opinion… would you mind helping me
understand how you came up with it?”
Again, their brain will reward them on
multiple levels for this.
I suspect you spend a lot of time trying
to figure out if people are manipulating
you or the situation? Can you talk about
this? How can you tell when people are
attempting to manipulate you?
I’ll start by saying I don’t like the word
manipulate. The word tends to objectify
people and removes the human being
from the equation. When people feel they
are objects, trust will not be built. I tend to
not think of anyone trying to manipulate
me but at times a very self-serving
agenda becomes evident. This is what
manipulation generally is…. a self-serving
agenda where the other person feels
used with no reciprocity. When I notice
that there may be an overabundance
of a self-serving agenda (manipulation)
I don’t judge the person negatively.
I try to explore two areas in order to
understand them better. (go back to my
first answers here… this process begins
to build a relationship and trust :)) I try
to understand what their objective is and
why that is their objective. What are they
trying to achieve, etc. I will also attempt to
understand why they felt a certain way of
communicating with me would be effective
for them in the situation. I tend to ask
questions to help them think about how
they might be more successful in their
objectives using other methods… such
as I outlined above. In other words, help
them achieve whatever objective with
me they had…. because wasn’t that their
goal after all? :) See… keep it always
coming back to them.
If you had to give a crash course in
building a relationship with someone,
what are the top 5 things people need to
do? What carries the bulk of the freight
so-to-speak?
1) Learn… about their priorities, goals,
and objectives.
2) Place… theirs ahead of yours
3) Allow them to talk…. suspend your
own need to talk.
4) Seek their thoughts and opinions.
5) Ego suspension!!! Validate them
unconditionally and non-judgmentally
for who they are as a human being.
If you haven’t already, check out Robin’s
Ten Techniques for Building Quick Rapport With
Anyone.
About the Author
Farnam Street is written by Shane Parrish. You can find me on twitter and linkedin.
I don’t really have an editorial style but content tends to focus on the causes of human misjudgement, culture,
philosophy, and various other subjects to feed a curious mind.
When I’m not reading, I help organizations innovate and make better decisions. I can’t work with everyone, but
I’m always looking for clients with difficult problems. If that’s you, we should talk.

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Lead Generation:
Website Best
Practices
Andy Crestodina
It happens every day. It’s common, but it’s not simple. There are dozens of little factors
involved in lead generation. Some do it well, but most don’t. The difference is in the site.
A lead generation website has a specific set of pages, each with specific elements.

A visitor takes action, a contact form is submitted, a lead is born!
It happens every day. It’s common, but it’s not simple. There are dozens of little factors involved
in lead generation. Some do it well, but most don’t. The difference is in the site. A lead generation
website has a specific set of pages, each with specific elements.
Let’s break it down.
The typical flow looks something like this.
The website is gently leading the person through
a series of steps: awareness, interest, trust, then
action. That’s a classic “conversion funnel.” Notice
how the pages align with steps in the funnel:
A. Blog Post: attracts visitors with useful information
(awareness)
B. Web Page: explains what you do (interest)
D. Contact Page: simple way to get in touch (action)
E. Thank You Page: they’ve completed the funnel and
are now a lead (conversion)
This only works if each page in the process is built for
the purpose. Each page needs a set of elements that
keeps the process moving. Here is a breakdown of
the pages on lead generation websites.
C. About Page: explains why you do what you do (trust)

A. Blog Post: How Can I Help You?
It all starts before the visitor arrives at the website. They may come from email marketing or social media,
but often, it starts with a search.
Your audience is constantly looking for information relevant to your field, so the key is to write many helpful
blog posts and align the articles with keyphrases. The articles should be so useful that the readers will be glad
to have found you.
While they’re there, they will find easy ways to get more of your helpful advice through email marketing (a
prominent sign-up form), social media (icons let them follow you), or more content (internal links to related
content).
A great blog post is the first step in the lead generation process. It should include all of the following elements.

Don’t send people to a dead network. You don’t really
want people to leave your site, but if they do, send
them to go to a network where you are truly engaged
with your audience.
1. Keyword-focused header
Use the target keyphrase once in the header.
Along with the , this is one of the most
important places to use the phrase.
2. Prominent email signup box with descriptive
call to action
A great email sign-up form tells people what
they’re going to get and gives some evidence that
it’s good.
3. Social media networks, but only those where
you are truly active
Don’t send people to a dead network. You don’t
really want people to leave your site, but if they
do, send them to go to a network where you are
truly engaged with your audience.
4. Compelling image or chart
Every great post has a great image. This makes
the post more attractive, both on your site and
in the social streams when it gets shared. This
is your chance to explain concepts visually with
informative charts or diagrams. It’s also your
chance to use cat pictures.
5. Helpful, detailed article
It’s the deep, how-to content that positions you
as the expert. These posts are also more likely to
rank in search engines and get shared by readers.
So go big. The more useful, the better.
Tip: Don’t limit yourself to a certain length.
Use as many words as necessary to share the
advice and no more.
6. Links to services pages and your about page
It’s nice of you to give away your best advice, but
it’s hard work, and it doesn’t necessarily generate
leads. The pathway from posts to pages should be
clear in the navigation.
7. Internal links to other blog posts and service
pages
Beyond the navigation, use internal links within
your posts to guide visitors deeper into the site,
both to other blog posts and to service pages.
8. Call-to-action for comments, more
information
Many visitors may get what they wanted from your
super friendly post and then leave. To improve the
chances that they’ll stick around, end each post with
an invitation to get in touch for more information (link
to your contact form) or with a question that invites a
comment (see example below!).
What’s not here: Clutter.
Don’t show links to old archives, big buttons
for various downloads, or special offers. Don’t
put banner ads for your own business on your
website. They’re ugly and distracting.

B. Service Page: Simply What You Do
Here’s where you begin selling. Like the blog post, information here is helpful, but now it describes how you do the work
for the prospect. The goal is to state the value you provide in simple terms, and provide evidence that you are legitimate.
These pages must build confidence by giving proof. That may be through examples and data. Testimonials are an
excellent way to provide social proof by using the voice of current customers. Service pages need this kind of evidence.
9. Contact link or phone number
The top right corner is the standard place for contact
information. Visitors will look for it here. Use either a
button to your contact page, your phone number, or both.
10. Clear, simple description of services
It’s best to call your services what your visitors would
call them. Keep the language simple in your headers
and in the body. Make sure to answer the questions
that potential customers commonly ask. If you don’t,
they may look for answers on other websites.
11. Evidence, examples, data and social proof
Anyone can claim to do something, but not everyone
can prove it. Add evidence of the benefits and return on
investment for your services. This may include examples,
statistics and research. Better yet, add social proof in the form
of testimonials, using the voice of your happy customers.
12. Videos, demos and diagrams
If you offer a service that requires a high-degree of trust,
videos are an excellent way to improve lead generation.
They let the visitor see your face and hear your voice.
If you offer a service that is difficult to explain, use
diagrams and demos to explain those complex ideas.
13. Internal links to related services and case
studies
As with blog posts, add links within the body to other
services or case studies. Unless you have an extremely
relevant blog post, you probably shouldn’t send them
back into the blog.
14. Calls-to-action
Services pages can either be a dead end, or they can
have a quick, friendly call to action, such as “Contact us
for more information about (service).”
What’s not here: Secondary conversions
Email signup and social media networks have been
removed, or at least they aren’t as prominent, since
you don’t want these actions to compete with the
more valuable call to action.

C. About Page: Building Trust
Visitors want to know who they might be working with. That’s why the “About” page is one of the most popular
pages on every lead generation website. Here is where you put a face to the name, tell your story, and explain
your mission. In the words of Teddy Roosevelt,
“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
Connecting the service to the people is critical, even if the organization is large and only the executives are listed
here. Visitors who are interested in the service are always interested in the service provider.
15. Personality, values and your story
Here you’ll answer the big questions: why are you in
this business? How long have you been doing this.
What motivates your team? Why does this service
matter?
You are the only one with your story, so make this a
page that sets you apart. You are the only company
with your people, so feature them prominently.
16. Testimonials, quotes and awards
Just like the service pages, this is a good place to
add evidence of legitimacy. Anything that applies
to the entire business and not just one service will
work. That includes awards, certifications, ratings,
and association memberships, as well as quotes from
customers.
17. Social media networks or email signup form
This page builds trust, so it’s also a good place to
let people act. Give them a chance to follow and
subscribe.
18. Pictures of key team members with links to
detailed profile pages
Don’t be a faceless corporation. Be a person. Show
the faces of your entire team if you’re small and your
key leadership if you’re big.
What’s not here: Everyone’s full profile
Link to a separate page for each team member.
These pages will show more personality. They may
also rank for each person’s name.

D. Contact Page: Where the Magic Happens
The trick here is to get out of the way. It should be as effortless as possible with no distraction. Just a simple
form. The idea is to start a conversation, not interrogate your visitors.
19. Simple contact form
This is one of the best tips for optimizing a website to
convert visitors into leads: use a contact form with the
minimum number of fields. Of course, you’ll need a lot
of information to qualify them, but get it during the
sales process. Don’t use a greedy form.
20. Phone number, address, and directions
Not all visitors want to become a web lead. Some
want to call. Great. Put all of your contact information
on this page, including a link to a map with directions.
And If you have an attractive location, show a photo of
it here. It helps build legitimacy.
What’s not here: Content, navigation, distractions
They’re close to the goal, so to keep them moving,
remove everything but the form. This page doesn’t
need any more content! Even the navigation should
be kept to a minimum.

E. Thank You Page: Mission Accomplished
On many lead gen sites, this page is nothing more than two tiny words. That’s a missed opportunity. The thank
you page is your first interaction with your new lead. Make it a good one by setting expectations. You’ve also
got an opportunity here to create an even stronger connection.
21. A genuine thank you
Be sincere and use a personal tone. You should also
explain what happens next. How soon will you be in
touch? Who will make contact?
22. Email sign-up box
If they were ready to reach out, they may already really like
you and your brand. Give them the option to subscribe for
more of the content that impressed them the first time.
23. Social media networks
Even if they don’t follow you, there’s still a chance to show
them your latest thinking, to show them a bit of your
personality. Just make sure they’ll find helpful, relevant
posts and positive interactions in your social streams.
24. Links to recommended articles and additional
content
If you don’t offer other options on this page, you
might as well tell people to leave the site. Why not
invite them back into your site for a bit more helpful
advice?
What’s not here: Two lonely little words –
thank you.
It’s the little things…
Yes, lead generation is a bit more complicated than this. Visitors don’t necessarily follow that flow. It may take many
visits and pageviews over a long timeframe.
Leads happen. But put these tips in place on your site, and you may feel the difference. Get your website to do this
well, and the leads will flow in.
How’s your website? Are you using all 24 best practices? Did we miss anything? We’d be grateful for any feedback or comments!
About the Author
Andy Crestodina is the Strategic Director of Orbit Media. He’s also the author of Content Chemistry: An Illustrated Guide to Content
Marketing. You can find Andy on Google+ and Twitter.

Putting Customers at the Center
of Your Business Model
By Nichole Kelly
Companies are starting to recognize that customer
experience is an important element for having
a differentiated brand. Social media has forced
companies to take customer experience seriously as
customers have taken to their social networks to tell
their negative stories with passion and a virality that
has been unmatched in other channels. However, the
reality is that there is a lot of lip service about putting
the customer at the center and making customer
service improvements. At the end of the day, this
transformation requires a change in culture, which
leaves companies dealing with massive amounts of
politics and inherent human capital challenges.
This post was inspired by a truly incredible
experience I recently had at Royal Taj, an amazing
Indian restaurant in Columbia, Maryland. I went to
Royal Taj the week they opened when there were
few patrons and I’ve watched the restaurant grow
over the last few years. I’ve been so impressed to
watch it turn into a hot spot with lines out the door
during peak restaurant times. My recent experience
made me stop and question the differences between
my experience there and my experiences at other
restaurants, and honestly with other businesses. Here
are the key ingredients I believe led to their success.
Each of these ingredients are relevant to every
business that wants to drive their companies’ success
with a customer-centric approach.
THEY PROVIDE AN EXCEPTIONAL
PRODUCT
The best customer experience won’t matter if the
product isn’t good. Royal Taj, by far, has the best Indian

food in the area. The best way to describe their food
is that well…it’s perfect. The flavors are bold and you
can get your food spicy or mild to ensure it meets your
palettes desires. As a connoisseur of ethnic cuisine,
one of the best tests is whether or not they can attract
patrons from the culture. On numerous occasions,
I’ve watched as their Indian patrons talk about how
amazing and authentic their food is. I’ve watched as
friends recommend Royal Taj to other friends telling
them they have to go because it is the absolute best
Indian food.
The first step for companies to begin putting
their customers at the center of their business
model is to ensure their product is top notch. Your
products need to speak for themselves and leave an
impression that people want to share with friends.
THEY KNOW THEIR CUSTOMERS
BY NAME
Royal Raj is owned and managed by Bindha, Soni
and Jasvinder Singh. Every time I’ve been to Royal
Taj, I’m greeted by Bindha with a big hug welcoming
us back. I’ve watched Bindha work the room and he
has an innate ability to make every customer feel like
they are the most important customer in the room.
He asks questions about your family, who you are,
what you do and then he remembers it the next time
you come. As a person who is awful with names, I’m
amazed that he can keep all the customer’s personal
stories straight. Bindha goes above and beyond
at every turn. When I was there last weekend, it
was raining. I watched Bindha walking customers
to their cars with an oversized umbrella to make
sure they didn’t get wet. As I watched Bindha with
his customers, it’s clear he truly cares about their
experience and their lives. He makes you feel like
you have a close friend at Royal Taj, so why would
you choose anywhere else to enjoy an evening out?
Frankly, you wouldn’t. You want to go back to say
hello to Bindha.
This can be a challenge for large companies with
thousands or millions of customers, but it’s not
impossible. It just requires really good record
keeping inside the CRM. Every customer service or
sales representative has the ability to take notes
on more than just the issue the customer is trying
to solve. They can take notes on the conversation
and take the time to get to know more about the
customer.
This will require that your company doesn’t measure
your front line employees on how quickly they can
get a customer off the phone. Instead, we should be
measuring how much intelligence they can gather
about the customer in the short-time they have with
them. True customer intelligence goes beyond their
experience with your product experience. It should
also include who they are buying the product for
and what they can learn about their preferences and
their lives in the process.
The more we know about our customers, the better
we can be at predicting their needs and building
relationships. When at all possible, customers should
be able to talk to the same person they have formed
a relationship with for continuity in their experience.
Customer service and sales representatives should
have enough information to be able to ask, “How
did (your child’s name) enjoy the (product) you
purchased from us last time?”

THEY SURPRISE AND DELIGHT
Another thing I noticed about Bindha is that he
always surprises and delights his customers. When
he is about to leave a table he offers a free round of
wine, a free dessert or something else he thinks you
will enjoy. He knows I love Chateau St. Michelle’s
Reisling and he makes sure we get a glass on him
every time. He’s given us free dessert and free Naan.
We never expect to get anything free and we are
more than willing to pay for what we consume, but
he always surprises us with something meaningful
that we remember. This is one of the reasons you
feel like Bindha is a friend who treats you like a
special customer. When I started watching, I noticed
that Bindha does this with every table; it’s a secret
sauce he uses to make sure you remember your
experience. And I think it’s brilliant!
How can your company surprise and delight
customers? It could be something simple like a handwritten
thank you note, free shipping, free rush
delivery, or a special gift they weren’t expecting.
The key with surprise and delight is that is must be a
surprise. Customers can’t start to expect it; they need
to feel like it was something special just for them.
We need to figure out how to surprise and delight
customers EVERY time. This requires companies to
allow their front-line staff to have the power to decide
what the right surprise and delight gift is for each
customer. And it’s even better if they can personalize
a note with the gift so the customer knows the person
they dealt with was the reason they got the gift and
that they were thinking of them when they included it.
THEY ARE ALWAYS READY TO
SERVE
The great experience at Royal Taj, doesn’t start and
end with Bindha. It’s clear customer experience is
something they engrain in their employees. When
you dine at Royal Taj you will see the entire staff
standing in a line right in the dining room waiting for
an opportunity to serve. They scan the dining room
constantly and all you have to do is look at them
and they rush to your table to serve you. We’ve all
been at restaurants where the staff casually stands
chatting each other up, getting distracted and even
doing unprofessional things. As a customer you feel
like your needs are less important because they
don’t convey an interest in being ready to serve you.
How can your company always be at the ready looking
for an opportunity to serve? Are you monitoring social
channels for mentions of your company? Do you have
live chat on your website? If so, do you proactively
reach out to website visitors and let them know you
are there to help? How are you making it ridiculously
easy for customers to get your attention?
The challenges with putting customer experience
at the core of your business comes in a variety of
shapes and sizes. But seriously, it comes down to
one thing; how committed are you to ensuring
customers have a great experience? If you are
truly committed then you won’t let any obstacle
get in your way. You will find creative solutions to
challenges instead of using them as excuses for
under-serving your customers. Isn’t it time for every
company to put their customers at the center of
their business model?
How important is customer experience in your
company? Are you making great strides or
using a lot of lip service? What are your biggest
frustrations that company’s need to address?
Leave a comment and join the discussion for
helping company’s put customer experience at
the core of their business model.
About the Author
Nichole Kelly is the CEO of Social Media Explorer|SME Digital. She is also the author of How to Measure Social Media.
Her team helps companies figure out where social media fits and then helps execute the recommended strategy
across the “right” mix of social media channels. Do you want to rock the awesome with your digital marketing
strategy? Contact Nichole

Manage Your Marketing: Remember
You’re in Sales
By Margie Clayman
A few weeks ago I was in Barnes & Noble and I
happened to glance at the business best sellers shelf
(as I am wont to do). A book sitting there caught
my eye. It was Daniel Pink’s To Sell is Human. The
title got my attention for a couple of reasons. First,
as we have discussed many times, there are silos
between marketing and sales departments in most
companies. The title made me wonder if Pink would
offer an argument that would help to destroy that
(needless) division between sales and marketing. The
title also got my attention because as a marketer,
I have always known in my gut that I also need to
understand what’s happening in sales. As Pink notes
at the start of his book, very few people like to think
of themselves as sales people. Why is that?
Pink suggests that most people equate “sales” to
being shady, like the old stereotypes of the used car
salesman. In fact, in a questionnaire that Pink cites
in the book, many people, when asked, answered
that sales made them think of primarily negative
personality traits. However, Pink argues that “sales”
is more than just trying to sell a product. “Sales”
can mean trying to get a person to buy into your
ideas or, as he says, “moving people.” If this is not
marketing, what is?
But I must reiterate – being in sales
is gross!
I think a lot of people have this gut reaction to the
idea that they are in sales, especially people who
are using social media as part of their marketing
campaigns. The emphasis in the online world has long
rested on relationships versus “selly” engagement.
There is a sentiment that if you try to “sell” online
it will be a real turn-off. For marketers, this creates
a conundrum and this conundrum lies behind the
entire controversy regarding whether it is possible
to calculate social media ROI. If you are hesitant to
sell anything online, it will of course, be extremely
difficult to realize any return on your investment.
Beyond the online world, it is also important to
visualize your marketing content as if it is an army
of non-human sales representatives for your
company. Instead of knocking on doors, your ads
appear before eyes of potential customers. Instead
of traveling city-to-city, your email marketing calls
for attention in someone’s inbox. Your content
is intended to help increase sales. It may not be
a direct line like it would be for door-to-door
salespeople, but the intent is the same. You are
striving to convince someone to buy your company’s
product or service. If you are using social media
marketing, you are like the old-fashioned store
owner who knows everyone’s name, who cares, but
who also is still trying to sell something. One does
not need to be a snake oil salesman to be in sales.
There’s no reason for silos
Marketing and Sales departments are often pitted
against each other in companies. When things go
wrong these departments point the fingers at each
other. “Sales are down because the marketing is
bad.” “Sales are down because the sales team isn’t
converting leads into sales.” When things go well,
the departments compete for credit. The faulty
logic is that sales and marketing are diametrically
opposed. This is simply not the case. If you are truly
enmeshed in marketing for your company, you are
in sales. If you are trying to promote ideas that will
help your company grow, you are in sales. Indeed, in
an ideal situation, marketing will work with the sales
team to make sure all messaging emanating from
the company is consistent and effective.
The next time someone says that marketers don’t
really understand the world of sales, or the next
time you hear a marketer talking disparagingly
about the sales process, remember that marketers
are also in sales. Marketers are humans. And, if you
agree with Daniel Pink, to sell is human.
Do you agree?
About the Author
Margie Clayman is the Director of Marketing, B2B Services at Clayman and Associates, a full service marketing
firm headquartered in Marietta, Ohio. You can follow the agency at www.facebook.com/claymanandassociates
In addition to blogging for her agency, Margie Blogs for Razoo Giving.

DEAR BRANdS, THIS IS tHE ENd OF OUR FRIENdSHIP.
SINCERELY, YOUR CUStOMER
By Vincent Teo
Social technology is heralding a new wave of consumerism and this has
startling implication to brands. Your consumer is not just ditching you,
they’re becoming your competitors.
There’s been a slow shift in the balance of power
that has been happening for a long time.
Once upon a time, brands held all the power in
their relationship with consumers. They withheld
information and could afford to charge higher prices,
additional fees or get away with bad service because
there was a lack of transparency and connection
between consumers. Customers put up with it
because they didn’t know any better or thought
this was the norm. And even if they minded, they
had little choice but to comply because there were
simply no viable alternatives.
Things started to change with Web 1.0 - where
the Internet gave consumer the transparency of
information online, which disrupted closed group
industries (travel, insurance, cars, and electronics

We’re now
living in the
age of Web 3.0,
where social
technology
is heralding a
new wave of
consumerism;
one that allows
consumers to
share resources
that puts them
into a position
where they
can directly
compete with
entrenched
brands and
provide the
same services.
etc) and made prices and
standards more open. This gave
consumers the information they
needed to compare between
brands, take options, and make
informed choices. It also gave
rise to direct purchases with
e-commerce, cutting out the need
for unnecessary intermediaries
(e.g. booking a holiday).
Then came along Web 2.0 - this
was about the openness of sharing
information amongst consumers,
i.e. social media. Where people
could share content and their
experiences with brands (both
good and bad) to a larger group
of people, forming communities
that were passionately for or
against brands. We all remember
this moment, herald as the great
equalizer where brands now
had to respond to criticism and
complains from consumers or
risk the quick outrage of an angry
online mob that can quickly grow
as information spreads virally
through social sharing platforms like
Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
We’re now living in the age of
Web 3.0, where social technology
is heralding a new wave of
consumerism; one that allows
consumers to share resources that
puts them into a position where
they can directly compete with
entrenched brands and provide
the same services.
This has startling implication to
brands – your consumer is not just
ditching you, they are becoming
your competitors.
The rise of sharing economy has
been widely covered. Technology
is one of the key facilitators but
credit goes to the multitude of tech
startups that recognize the gaping
hole and opportunities left by
slow moving, entrenched brands,
creating digital marketplaces that
connect consumers with excess
resources and those with a demand
for it together in a mutually
beneficial way.
Think about it. Airbnb fills more
rooms than all of the Hilton
branded hotels in the world and
they don’t own a single bed.
It’s simply a marketplace that
connects resources to those who
need it bypassing the traditional
hotel business that has been
around for decades.
There are many such examples all
born from opportunistic startups
JOIN ONLINE
AND RECEIVE ONE YEAR OF
WEBINARS FREE

and entrepreneurs who themselves were probably
disillusioned with what was provided by brands and
thought “what if there was a better way”. Things
that were once the expected norm are now a thing
of the past.
Want to avoid paying expensive charges when you
park your car at the airport for a short trip? Flight
Car lets you rent your vehicle out to other travelers
coming in (and avoid expensive rentals from the likes
of Hertz and Avis). Parkers save and make money
while renters get a cheaper price.
of post paid data plans. Now, with the already ¼
reduced data in your monthly service bundled,
you’re expected to pay double the cost of what it
was when you exceeded usage.
If Singtel is going to make me pay a penalty for going
past my data bundle, why aren’t they paying me if I
have excess unused data at the end of each month?
This is a simple idea: Instead of paying SingTel’s
outrageous costs, I should just be able to use
another mobile subscriber’s excess data from their
bundles.
Turns out, this already exist in the form of Air Mobs –
An app that allows you to sell wireless bandwidth to
a stranger near you, in exchange for credits allowing
you to buy bandwidth from another stranger in the
future.
Taking this one level up, instead of paying
expensive roaming charges for using data abroad,
CrowdRoaming allows you to share your excess local
mobile data with travelers. In return, when you
travel abroad, you can also tap on the mobile data
from locals at your destination.
Want to avoid expensive public cloud computing
costs? Gridmarkets allows companies to sell their
excess CPU capacity to others that need large
amounts of computational power.
Want to avoid expensive office rentals?
DesksNearMe allows anyone who needs a flexible
workspace to book from others that have desks and
office space that’s not being used.
My favorite example is one that’s close to my heart.
Recently, my mobile provider SingTel announced to
much of my dismay and further disdain that they
were going to double the price of excess mobile data.
To provide some context: Singtel has recently cut
down its data plans from 12GB to 2, 3, and 4GB
plans – essentially already increasing the price
Now is the time that brands need to learn to play
nice, be transparent, and act in the interest of its
customers and not itself or its shareholders.
T-mobile in the U.K. is a great example of behaving
consumer first. It disrupted the entire telco industry
by dropping the mandatory 2 year mobile phone
contract. In addition, it will now eliminate all the
ridiculous sky high international roaming charges
that consumers have accepted as norm and an
acceptable cost for traveling.
Mike Sievert, T-Mobile’s chief marketing officer
articulated this form of behavior nicely when he
said “Other telcos sit around trying to figure out
what customer charges they can get away with. We
sit around and think what can we get away with not
charging the customer.”
About the Author
Vincent is a partner at Cllique (www.cllique.com), a innovation design studio that helps brands evolve in an
ever changing world through design thinking, marketing strategy and agile innovation, He also co-founded
Lensy (www.lensy.com), a community marketplace that connects everyday photographers with brands
and businesses. Vincent has over 12 years experience both on the client and agency side, most recently as
digital planning director at BBDO/Proximity and lead digital strategist at Publicis. Prior to that, he startedup
and managed a boutique digital agency in Hong Kong and built the online business at Citibank at HSBC.
Connect with him on Twitter @intersphere

How Do You Have an Effective Social Media
Presence and Not Get Sued?
By Mark Schaefer
If you can’t see the video, click here to see my interview with Anne McGraw of Nissan-North America.
I recently had the chance to catch up with
Anne McGraw, senior manager – customer
experience for Nissan North America and discuss
some very relevant and timely marketing issues.
Anne works in an extremely high-pressure
environment where any social media response
could potentially result in a lawsuit or a spot on the
national news. Yet, she has been able to navigate
this internal and external minefield to create a stateof-the-art
social media presence for her company.
Today you get to see an interview with Anne
where she shares how she developed her
strategy in this difficult environment as well as:
• The event that led to Nissan’s “ah-ha”
moment — when her management team
finally “got it”
• Her approach to getting the legal team
onboard.
• How she is using social data as a leading
indicator to discover customer issues 4-6
weeks faster than normal.
I think you’ll enjoy this interview and you
can connect with Anne on LinkedIn and
on Twitter.
About the Author
I’m Mark Schaefer. If you want to learn about my awards, books, degrees, patents, professional
accomplishments and all that LinkedIn stuff, you can click here: Professional Credentials. There is also a
good bio here if you’re looking for the short story!

By Vincent Teo
7
Sure-Fire Success
Principles

Success is something everyone wants but only a few achieve.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way. No matter where you
are in your business – from startup to seasoned veteran – there
are principles you can apply to ensure your success. Below are
seven sure-fire success principles you can start using right now:
1. Work with relentless urgency. Getting up
and showing up are a great start but if you want success
in your business – or in any part of your life – you have
to be willing to work, and work hard. The Army’s slogan
from the early 1980s was, “We get more done before 9
a.m. than most people get done in a day.” It’s that harddriving
work ethic that will set you apart from the pack
and create opportunities that will open the doors to
success.
2. Apply a disciplined approach. Discipline
is defined as a system of rules governing conduct or
activity. When you wake up in the morning, do you have
a systematic plan of what you are going to accomplish
and how you are going to accomplish it? If not, you can’t
expect to move forward in your career in any meaningful
way. Begin using a disciplined approach by first setting
goals and then planning activities that will achieve those
goals. Finally, measure the success of your activities and
then adjust your plans accordingly.
3. Focus on implementation. Closely related
to discipline is implementation. This is simply the
principle of carrying out and accomplishing the goals
and plans you created, ensuring actual fulfillment by
concrete measures. You can dream and plan and set
goals for yourself all day but if you do nothing tangible
to see those goals through, you are simply spinning your
wheels and wasting time. Implementation is the step
that transitions plans into results.
4. Simplify whenever possible. Why take
two dozen steps to accomplish something if you can
get it done just as effectively in only three or four?
Simplification is a critical part of achieving maximum
results with the least amount of effort. Working hard is
important but using your time in the most effective way
possible is even more important. Simplifying processes

whenever possible makes it much
easier to accomplish more in less time.
It also makes it quicker and easier to
share your knowledge and bring team
members up to speed when necessary.
5. Embrace discomfort.
Nobody likes to be uncomfortable
and it’s a natural inclination to avoid
discomfort. However, in order to be
successful, you must be willing not
only to be uncomfortable but also to
embrace discomfort. This means the
willingness to give something up in
order to gain something, such as giving
up comfort in order to gain forward
momentum. This can mean working
late to ensure goals are met or making
lifestyle changes in order to be able
to invest in a new venture. Either way,
sacrificing comfort now can enable
you to take the steps you need to
achieve future success.
6. Continually develop your
skills and knowledge. This
is another way in which embracing
discomfort has a large payoff. Taking
courses to gain certifications along
with expanding your knowledge
base of your industry is a fantastic
way to move forward and be more
successful in your career. Wake up
early to study if you need to but make
sure you take advantage of all the
classes and instruction available to
you to become an expert in your field.
Another great way to increase your
skills and understanding is to read –
read anything you can get your hands
on that can help you become more
knowledgeable and effective. Fiftyeight
percent of people never read
non-fiction books after they graduate
from high school, so simply picking
up a book and reading it will help
establish your expertise and set you
apart from your competition.
7. Develop the right
relationships. It’s not only
the relationships you develop with
your company’s clients that are
important. Developing good, healthy
relationships with colleagues and
employees is an important step in
business success. These are the people
who can influence your business’s
growth – for better or worse. Ensure
that influence is working in your favor
by identifying ways to help employees
and colleagues achieve their goals and
objectives. Your assistance will help
establish you as a go-to person within
your industry and position you for
small business success.
Success might not be easy but it is
achievable. There will always be setbacks but
perseverance, dedication and drive eventually
yield success. Follow these seven sure-fire
success principles and you will find yourself
enjoying the success you’ve always wanted.
About the Author
Daniel C. Steenerson imparts his success wisdom, principles and philosophies through his proprietary
“Science of Visioneering” approach to help companies, entrepreneurs, executives and other
professionals realize business greatness. He may be reached online at www.DanSteenerson.com–
an online community where business owners, executives and other career achievement-minded
professionals go for no-nonsense, “tell-it-like-it-is” success advice.

5 Free Online Tools Too Valuable to Ignore that
Will Help You Grow Your Business
By Didi Zheleva
Setting up a business is a big enough investment but did you know
that when it comes to managing your business and marketing it,
you don’t need to spend a fortune. Here are 5 free tools that would
transform your business at no cost!

1. WordPress
Having an online presence for your business is increasingly important.
Whether you are planning to use your website as a branding tool, to
sell or to generate enquiries about your product, it is imperative that
you have one.
It is often misunderstood that creating a website is a complicated
tasks, that you need a specialist or a graphic designer to do it, it takes
a ton of time and it’s expensive. Once upon item, that was the case
but not anymore. Now there is WordPress.
WordPress is a free content management system. It comes with
thousands of templates you can chose from and you can easily
and effortlessly setup a website for your business. Simply follow
the instructions and you will have a website within minutes! Try
WordPress.

2. InTouch CRM
Customer Relationship Management is a must for any business
wishing to stay ahead in the game. The focus of each and every
business is to thrive through building long-lasting relationships with
customers and a well implemented CRM system will help you do
exactly that. Being so popular however, CRM is quite often a luxury.
With some providers charging as much as $2000 just to set up your
account, InTouch comes as a breath of well-needed fresh air.
InTouch gives you much functionality at a comparatively lower
price than other providers and it even has a free package! Some of
the features include a contact history database, email marketing,
web forms, custom fields, leads and sales management and much
more. InTouch truly is an integral part of the smart business person’s
strategy. Try InTouch.

3. Skype
Keeping in touch with people, be it customers, suppliers, investors
and employees will in time prove to be rather costly.
Skype allows you to stay connected, grow your business and work
smarter. You will benefit from the opportunity to make conference
calls and generally keeping in touch with people and clients. You can
even interview people using Skype!
Skype allows for instant messaging and calls on pretty much any
mobile device, wherever you are. In addition, you will be able to work
from anywhere, save on travel and share your screen. Try Skype.

4. HootSuite
Social media is a huge part of the business marketing strategy
but sometimes juggling between the different platforms could be
overwhelming.
To make their business and social media life a lot easier, here is
HootSuite. It is a free social media management tool that allows you
to manage all your social networking accounts (Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn) at once. HootSuite helps you drive more leads, measure
the impact of your campaigns and schedule messages to be post
automatically. Try HootSuite.

5. DROPBOX
Smart businessmen know that it’s paramount to store important files
and data in different places to ensure that they’ll always have a copy, no
matter what disaster they encounter. Right now, it is not enough to have
files stored on your website and USB. You need other backup storage,
and that is where Dropbox comes in.
Dropbox offers a secure way to store your. If any other members of your
team have a Dropbox account, you can actually share access to the files.
With a basic Dropbox account you get up to 2GB of free cloud storage. It
offers native support for Linux and Blackberry, as well as Windows, Mac
OS, iOS, and Android. Try Dropbox.
Whether you are just starting your business, or you would like to budget,
these 5 online tools will help you stay more organized, productive and
professional at no cost. So go ahead and give them a try!
About the Author
Didi Zheleva is a Content and Digital Marketing Executive at InTouch CRM - a web based sales and
marketing software provider. She’s committed to helping small businesses grow and passionate about
all things digital. Good marketing doesn’t need to be too costly or too complicated!
Facebook: facebook.com/intouchcrm
Twitter: twitter.com/intouchcrm
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/intouchcrm
Google+: plus.google.com/+Intouchcrmplus/posts

Fear - The Entrepreneur’s New Fuel
By Tabitha Jean Naylor
Fear...it’s something that young entrepreneurs
hear plenty about.
They tell you fear isn’t real, that it’s something
that people create in their minds. That it
shouldn’t effect you because you, yourself, made
it up. But how often has this mindset actually
helped you start a small business or jumpstart
your entrepreneurship development?
I’m going to take a wild guess and assume that it
hasn’t. You’ve looked up and down the internet,
read books, listened to speakers, heard all about
other peoples’ entrepreneur success stories. The
fear, however, still persists. It’s still there, slowly
eating away at your morale.
The bottom line is that fear is real. It’s very real.
If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t feel it.
Dealing with fear, realizing that it’s going to be
a part of the journey, is the only way that you’re
going to become a successful entrepreneur.
You can scour the web and read every book
imaginable on how to deal with your fears but
until you realize that fear is going to be a part of
the process you are going to struggle.
It’s all about making a decision that your
comfort zone is not a place that you want to
be. Understanding that fear is going to be there
every step of the way and falling in love with the
feeling of your stomach tightening every time
you make the decision to face those fears. That’s
what is going to help you develop into the type
of business entrepreneur you want to become.
People that work for other people are helping
THOSE people achieve THEIR dreams. Whether

they are a sales executive making six
figures or working in a cubicle for 50k
a year, they are spending their time
helping other people achieve their
dreams.
There is an old quote that says that 99%
of people in the world can work for a
company once it’s been created, but only
1% of the population can actually create
those things or places that the 99% work
at.
Understand that you, already, are a part
of that 1%. When you’ve made that
decision to make the jump to starting a
business, you’ve done something that
only 1% of the population has the ability
to do.
So whatever you’re getting into right
now - whether that be developing new
business ideas, signing on with a new
marketing partner or maybe still thinking
about making the jump to opening a
small business - realize that fear is going
to be a part of the process.
Realize that uncertainty, butterflies, and
a tightened stomach are going to be
with you every step of the way. But also
realize that beautiful things will begin to
happen when you start to accept that
uncertainty and move forward anyhow.
Realize that your potential lies right
beyond that comfort zone.
Entrepreneurship is a beautiful thing. It’s
also an incredibly difficult thing. You’ve
already made a decision that only 1% of
the population has the ability to make.
Now make the decision to put yourself at
the top of that 1%.
A wise person once said, ‘By leaving
behind your old self & taking a leap of
faith into the unknown, you find out
what you are truly capable of becoming.’
Face your fears, step out of that comfort
zone, use that fear to fuel you and don’t
ever look back again.

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Even Small Businesses Can Have
Remote Employees
By Richard Weinberger, PhD, CPA
Key enablers for managing remote employees are:
“
The biggest challenge that any business faces
with remote employees is accountability and
commitment.
“
We are living in an age where state of the art technology and the Internet
have made the world increasingly smaller, so it is easier and cost effective
to have remote employees. With the high cost of owning or leasing “real
estate” to provide employees a place to work, companies of all sizes are realizing the
cost benefit of having remote employees in addition to increased productivity that
results from positive employee attitudes. Employees, likewise, find numerous benefits
– no commute, flexible hours, and the feeling of job independence.
The biggest challenge that any business faces with remote employees
is accountability and commitment. When systems and processes
are in place, however, remote employees can be managed with
efficiency, which produces quality results for the company and
highly satisfied employees.

Key enablers for managing remote employees are:
Roles of company and
employee –
Managing remote employees requires
detailing what each is expected to
contribute, and what the employee
is expected to accomplish. Specific
objectives must be clearly defined and
communicated to achieve satisfaction
for both parties. What will the
company furnish in the way of support
and equipment? What will the remote
employee be expected to produce and
when? Ambiguous goals result in hitor-miss
performance.
Tools and support –
A remote employee must have the
right tools (equipment) to perform
Schedules – Schedules for project
milestones, completions, reports, and
available hours (telephone, instant
messaging, or email) are required
of the remote employee. Though
work flexibility is an advantage for a
remote employee, specific work and
schedule objectives must be adhered
to. Depending on the location of the
employee, headquarters, and customers,
a remote employee may be required to
keep a non-traditional work schedule at
times. Working across various time zones
might be inconvenient for a remote
employee but necessary to accomplish
desired results.
Flexibility –
Offering remote employees a flexible
workplace and schedule are beneficial
for recruiting, employee satisfaction,
and motivation. Although the concept
for employees is the convenience of
working from home or another remote
location, results must still equal or
exceed what would be expected of
the same employee working from
a company location. As companies
understand that final results are more
important than the physical presence
or hourly work schedules of employees,
then the option of having remote
employees becomes a possibility.
In a study conducted by the Society for Human
Resource Management (2012 National Study of
Employers) the following facts emerged:
the job function and the necessary
support to complete assigned
projects. The right “tools” might be
computers, printers, phones, Internet,
technical manuals, company catalogs,
office supplies, and other essentials
needed to properly perform various
assignments. This will also include
support from the company in the way
of contact personnel, IT assistance,
marketing, databases, or travel
arrangements, as examples.
• The percentage of companies allowing
(at least some) employees to work
some of their regular paid hours at
home on an occasional basis increased
from 34 percent in 2005 to 63 percent
in 2012.
• For 2012, 10 percent of small
organizations (50-99 employees)
allowed all or most employees to work
some regular paid hours at home
occasionally compared to 3 percent of

large organizations (1,000 or more
employees) allowing the same.
Objectives and goals –
One of the most important
elements that must be shared
with remote employees are
organizational objectives and
goals. Every business has different
goals, visions, and missions that
must be communicated to and
understood by all employees
regardless of location. Everyone
must be “on board.” Since remote
employees do not see daily
reminders, the company must
clearly articulate these through
clear, concise, and frequent
communications. Delivering
results is the end product for any
remote employee, but can only
be accomplished with a thorough
understanding of both company
and personal objectives.
Depending on the type of business, a small
company might have remote employees
performing:
• Sales
• Administrative functions
• Payroll
• Customer service
• Technical assistance
• IT programming
• Marketing
• Recruiting
• Accounting
• Travel arrangements
Having remote employees is certainly not
for every business. Nevertheless, there are
many businesses that can realize substantial
benefits from having some functions
performed remotely either some of the time
or most of the time. If a small business has
never tried using remote employees for some
business tasks, it can test the possibility by
first determining what functions would be
the easiest and least costly to implement. A
review can be made of:
• Each employee and majors functions
performed
• Additional costs required for remote
equipment and communication
• Any cost savings attributable to not
having an employee on company
location
• Need for remote employee supervision
• How remote employee results will be
calculated
• Overall benefits for the company, as
well as the remote employee
Once a determination is made that it
is in the best interests of the company
and employee, a test can be conducted
for a pre-determined period. Of
course, the employee must understand
that the test period may or may not
become permanent based on a review
after the test period is completed.
Considering all the different ways of
effective communication today, remote
employees for at least some functions
are a possibility for all businesses – even
small ones.
About the Author
Richard L. Weinberger, PhD, CPA, has over 30 years experience as a financial and management consultant for small
businesses. An esteemed thought leader, speaker, and former college professor, he is the CEO of the Association of
Accredited Small Business Consultants. His new book, Propel Your Small Business to Success: Accelerated Actions to
Maximize Profit, (www.aampapproach.com) gives small business owners a step-by-step method for reviewing and
analyzing all aspects of their company in order to ensure survival and success.

Who
Advises the
Entrepreneur?
By Kerrie MacPherson
if you’re thinking of
setting up an advisory
board, be very clear on
what it is, and what it’s
not. It’s not a formal
board of directors,
which has well-defined
duties including a
fiduciary one.
If you’re leading a startup business with potential for high growth, one of the most valuable things
you should do early on is to set up an advisory board. Scaling an enterprise is hard work, and you
only stand to benefit from drawing on perspectives, experience, and networks that augment your
own. A group of advisors committed to your success not only provides a sounding board to test and
strengthen your ideas, it gives you access to important competencies and resources.
But many entrepreneurs, especially those in the early stages, find the task of building an advisory
board daunting. Whose strengths would complement their own and counter their weaknesses? Who
might bring an insight to the table that would otherwise be missed? It can feel like an exercise in
knowing what you don’t know. Moreover, most people who have not formalized such a board before
haven’t given much thought to what it takes to keep one running effectively.

This is why, in the Entrepreneurial Winning Women program I oversee at EY, we make this
an early part of our teaching. The program is our effort to help women entrepreneurs in
particular take their small businesses to the next level. We identify promising startups and
provide the women behind them with customized executive leadership training and the
opportunity to join an elite network.

The advice we offer and the discussions that
take place among our entrepreneurs center on
five key tips:
Look outside your existing
network of contacts. As you sit
down to think about whom to invite onto your
advisory board, remember first that this should
not be a group of your friends and fans. You’re
looking to drive new business opportunities and
new ways of thinking with diverse experience,
expertise, viewpoints, and skill sets. Work to
find people outside your inner circle who have
built successful businesses and can pass that
knowledge on to you. Think about who would
be a constructively critical audience, and who
can provide access to other valuable contacts,
from potential customers, suppliers, and
strategic partners to financiers, publicists, and
other professional service vendors.
commitment as reassurance the project will
take off. In the same way, entrepreneurs should
work first to recruit the people who will attract
others, and give an advisory board strong
credibility from the start.
Invest the time in developing
relationships with your
board members. Since most are not
compensated, their reward is the satisfaction
of sharing their knowledge and experience
and helping you succeed. So make them feel
appreciated! (Meanwhile, if a prospective board
member does insist on being compensated,
determine how uniquely valuable he or she is.
If there’s a possibility of a long-term business
relationship, you might want to offer that
person some kind of remuneration.)
Recruit a well-known
community member or industry
influencer as your first board
member. There is a reason that film
producers begin their projects by lining up
the most bankable talent they can. Their
involvement helps to attract others who want
to work with them, or who simply see a star’s
Establish goals and expectations
for the board up front, including
how often it meets and where.
Usually, in-person meetings once every three
to six months will suffice, but you may want
to reserve the right to consult with individual
members on an ad hoc basis if a particular issue
comes up. When the board does meet, make
sure there is an agenda with specific goals. Your
board members are busy professionals, so don’t
waste their time. Perform a yearly assessment
of how the board is working. If you can afford
it, invite them to an offsite at a comfortable
locale at your expense to have them discuss the
board’s progress.
Have a framework for
transitioning out board
members. As a high-growth entrepreneur,
your business will evolve, and you will likely
need advisors that bring different skills to the
table at different phases of growth. Most will
not have the time to serve on your board for
more than two or three years, anyway. And

others may not be as helpful as you had hoped. So,
make it clear up front that they serve as needed and
spell out term limits.
Finally, if you’re thinking of setting up an advisory
board, be very clear on what it is, and what it’s not.
It’s not a formal board of directors, which has welldefined
duties including a fiduciary one. An advisory
board holds no legal or financial responsibility for
the decisions you make.
Instead, it is a group of volunteers with knowledge
and skills that you, the business owner, lack, and
whose purpose is to help you make your company a
success. It is there to assist you, challenge you, guide
you, and open your eyes to new opportunities.
For a high-growth business, it is difficult to overstate
the importance of that kind of support. Advisory
boards allow entrepreneurs to leverage others’
specialized knowledge while honing skills and talents
of their own. Reaching new markets, accessing
new forms of funding, adopting new technology,
and garnering information to manage risk are all
necessary to scaling a sustainable entrepreneurial
venture. A strong advisory board is one of the
fundamental building blocks that will allow you to
take your business to scale.
About the Author
Kerrie MacPherson is a principal at Ernst & Young LLP and executive sponsor of its Entrepreneurial
Winning Women program. She has served on EY’s Gender Equity Task Force, is an active leader in
its Professional Women’s Network, and is the Diversity and Inclusiveness Champion in the Financial
Services Office Advisory Practice.
* This article originally appeared here.

Brain exercise is more than a new age concept, there is
proven science behind the idea that, just like the muscles in
your body, you can train your mind to perform at a higher
level by engaging in the right exercises.
What Small Business Owners Should
Know About Brain Health
By Andrew Greissman
You’ve heard the advice about how to create a viral video, and you’ve read all the tips on how to
create SEO keywords, but what have you done for your brain lately? That’s right, in order to stay
on top of your small business, you need to be thinking sharp and clear and the best way to make
sure that all pistons are firing is to exercise your brain. Brain exercise is more than a new age
concept, there is proven science behind the idea that, just like the muscles in your body, you can
train your mind to perform at a higher level by engaging in the right exercises. According to the
AARP brain health center, the five pillars of brain health are as follows:
Physical exercise: Breaking a
physical sweat, besides being good for your
body at large, is also good for your brain
health and can keep you thinking sharper.
The reason? When you engage in physical
exercise, you are strengthening the flow of
blood through your body. Since the blood is
the carrier of oxygen through your body, the
more you get your blood flowing, the more
you deliver this critical resource to the true
powerhouse of your body; your brain. Alz.
org, the Alzheimer’s prevention website, also cites
physical activity as a way to encourage the growth of
new brain cells.
Mental exercise: Training your brain
through exercises such as puzzles and games, reading,
and even gardening, can have many long term
beneficial effects. Just like any other muscle, your
mind has connections that, when strengthened, allow
more performance. This is particularly important for

Staying social: Having friends and engaging
with others keeps your brain young as well. Social
involvement challenges you to keep thinking, and
interpreting the signals that others are sending you. this
small business owners, as a mind functioning on a higher
level means that you are more likely to stay on top of the
myriad tasks during your day, from making sure orders
go through, to obtaining financing for your expansion
projects.
Diet: Diet has been found to make a difference in the
health of a person’s brain. In particular, certain foods
have developed a reputation as being “brain foods”,
packed with essential vitamins and compounds that
enhance the creation of brain cell development and
is a way to keep your brain stimulated and active without
having to over think the exercise. People are naturally
social; keeping this part of your life active and engaging will
help you retain the highest function that you can.
Stress management: Keeping a firm
handle on the stress levels you are experiencing will also
help protect the clarity of your thought. While it can
enhance memory. Fish is a widely touted protector
of mental faculties, containing Omega-3 fatty acids,
while fruits and vegetables containing antioxidants are
also good for preventing your cells from aging. Foods
that promote heart health are, as a rule, also good for
increasing oxygen flow to your brain.
be difficult to avoid stress, in particular as a busy small
business owner, there are things that you can do to help
you manage the inevitable problems that will arise during
the day to day. One of the best ways to manage your stress
is to take a break from time to time. By allowing yourself
even half an hour away from the chaos of your business
week, you can retain a fresh perspective on all that needs to
be done and keep yourself in top mental form.
Running a small business is difficult to be sure. In the end, your
greatest ally will always be your own brain, so treat it well. Plan
your business’s growth and expansion, and remember, when it
comes time to access capital, you have options.
About the Author
Andrew Greissman works at Horizon Business Funding, LLC, which specializes in providing a wide range of small
businesses with expedited working capital solutions. Unlike banks, we are able to work with damaged credit and high
risk industries, filling in the gaps in the lending market with easy to access bad credit business loan alternatives.

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