#ShapingtheBlogs

Are trade shows worth it for your startup? The answer is yes. While many businesses forgo trade shows for other forms of advertising, if you do this, you're leaving money on the table. Trade shows create an incredible opportunity for your startup to be seen. It's a great place for people to try your product and see it in person. What's more, Meeting Professionals International found there's a 40% close rate for meetings you have in person. Let's say you're selling hot tubs at a trade show – that...

Everyone has at least one hobby, whatever it might be – it could be playing video games, watching TV shows, practicing sports, going to the beach, hiking, or anything else that can help you unwind at the end of the day. Hobbies can be done alone or as a part of a group and they are extremely important for our mental health, as they make us feel happier and more relaxed. Not everybody wants to turn their hobby into a career but, for some, their passion can be a lot more than just a fun way to pas...

As a standard business practice, most companies survey their customers. You may have even sent surveys of your own. Businesses survey their customers to gauge customer loyalty, see how likely customers are to refer a business to family and friends, and to measure their overall satisfaction with the products and services they are using. Customer surveys provide powerful data that can help your startup improve. So, it stands to reason that asking your employees for their opinions can even further ...

The job market is tight, and the number of voluntary separations by employees is rising year over year. It's an employees' market, and it's more important than ever to take care of your staff. What does this mean for your startup? To be successful and retain the best employees, you want to put the professional development of your team at the forefront. The most talented workers want to enhance their skills. This is good not only for your team but for your startup. Here's how startups can offer c...

You may not think your employees are feeling overworked, but the reality is that many staff members are at risk of burnout. That's the word from a Gallup poll conducted last year, which found that 23 percent of employees felt burned out at work either "always" or "very often," while another 44 percent described themselves as being burned out "sometimes." This leaves only about a quarter of full-time employees not at risk of burnout. If you're of the mindset that staff members are replaceable if ...