Helen Lindsey

You know you have product/market fit when customers don't just want a solution to their problem—they want your solution. And they consider your product or service a "must have." Startups need to achieve a high degree of product/market fit or die trying. And most of them will die trying as they run out of cash before they're able to gain enough traction. Here, Hayley Leibson shares a six-step process to product development that "will lead to more efficient use of resources and a high degree of co...

Building a new business from scratch often means having to work long hours juggling numerous roles and responsibilities, which could be anything from strategic planning and finance manager to sales and marketing or project management. And when you're immersed in the day-to-day running of the business "it can be challenging to know which skills to focus on first." With that in mind, early stage entrepreneurs from YEC Next share their top tips on the skills and abilities you need to master for suc...

Many startup founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders experience failure, often multiple times, before they become successful. While it's natural to fear failure, the road to success rarely offers a smooth ride and being able to handle setbacks is crucial. However, it's not failure in itself that's important; it's how you respond to it that matters. And failure is only as useful as the lessons you learn from it. Here, LaRae Quy shares four reasons why failure can lead to success and how you ...

Most people experience a certain level of anxiety and stress at work. It's what keeps you alert and focused when a deadline is looming, for example. When you constantly experience symptoms of work-related anxiety and stress that reach an uncomfortable level however, you may want to address the root cause rather than reaching for a quick fix. In this article, performance psychologist Helen D'Silva shares the strategies and techniques that will provide long-term benefits and help you thrive i...

While purpose, passion and profit are key ingredients, you need to follow the right steps when creating a recipe for business success. Your purpose is what motivates you to get out of bed every day, your passion brings your purpose to life, and profit is essential for a sustainable business. "To succeed in business you have to know where you're headed, so you can make a plan with the proper strategies and tactics to reach your goals," writes Kendra Sette. Here, she shares how to bring the e...

Starting your own business can be a daunting prospect and you need to carefully weigh up the pros and cons, especially if it means having to give up the security of regular employment and a steady income. People start businesses for a variety of reasons. You may have an idea for a product or service that will help solve a problem or a passion you want to turn into a thriving business. Or maybe you just want to be your own boss. Starting a business isn't the right move for everyone however. To he...

Despite their growing numbers, female entrepreneurs are still struggling to attract the same level of funding as their male counterparts. Networks play a crucial role in raising capital, yet women often find it difficult to access the right kind of networks to establish their credibility and get in front of the right investors. Here, Cari Sommer shares how the founders of a new venture capital fund are helping female entrepreneurs overcome the additional hurdles they face by building "a new inve...

Twitter can be a valuable marketing and customer service tool and an important part of your overall social media marketing strategy. Used effectively, it offers you a platform to share content, monitor and engage in conversations, interact with influencers and customers, and build a community of followers. Things move very quickly however and the key to a successful Twitter strategy is quick conversations and engagement. In this article, small business owners and social ...

Communication is a core leadership function and to be highly effective in a leadership role you need exceptional communication skills. Yet in seeking to improve their speaking and writing skills, leaders often overlook another essential communication skill—listening. Leading with influence means being able to have a positive and lasting impact on others. And when it comes to creating an impact that inspires, motivates and persuades others, your listening skills outrank your verbal...

Committing to ambitious goals helps you reach peak performance. If you consistently reach 100 per cent of your goals, they're too easy. Instead, you need to set challenging goals and stretch yourself to reach them. The OKR framework helps you establish your top priorities, create focus and make sure your efforts are consistently aligned with your most important goals. "Good OKRs can turn a sleepy company into a growth machine and can turn an entrepreneur into a person that crushes goal afte...

Startup fundraising is notoriously difficult and despite the months of time and effort they put into preparing for each gruelling round of investor pitches, very few startups secure venture capital investment. In recent years however, equity crowdfunding has emerged as a viable alternative. Unlike rewards-based crowdfunding, which offers people an incentive in exchange for their pledge, equity crowdfunding allows startups to raise funds by asking for relatively small amounts of money from a larg...

Entrepreneurs may excel at launching new ventures, yet they often struggle when it comes to taking their business to the next level. To grow your business you first need to collect and analyse the relevant data—the business metrics. And once you've identified the metrics that matter the most to your business, you need to monitor them consistently and take action to improve the results. To help you get started, Marina Pilipenko shares here the most common business metrics that are cruci...

  Clarity is the key to effective communication and keeping it simple and to the point is crucial when you're communicating by email. Being direct and specific doesn't mean you have to sacrifice courtesy or come across as pushy however. Stating your request clearly and concisely makes it easier for people to respond and using polite language helps you get your point across without sounding rude. Emails are often "so politely vague, they end up being completely unclear," writes Kat Boog...

Building your own business without having to give up the financial security of a regular salary can be a great way to test the water and validate your business idea before taking the plunge into full-time entrepreneurship. Many successful entrepreneurs start working on their business as a side hustle. And while it may be hard work, research shows they're less likely to fail than those "who jump in without having the safety net of employment," writes Pratik Dholakiya. Here, he shares his top...

While your own company may have the right processes in place for GDPR compliant collection, storage and processing of personal data, working with third parties that aren't equally compliant puts your reputation at risk. Exploring the issue from a marketing perspective, Maciej Zawadziński shares here the most likely GDPR-related scenarios to affect your business, the implications of not checking whether the businesses you partner with are GDPR-compliant, and how you can verify your partners to av...

Social media can be a great way for small business owners to build brand awareness, reach potential new customers and interact with existing customers, all of which can directly impact sales. While it's important to choose the right platform and have an effective strategy in place, it's also crucial to avoid making the kind of mistakes that can damage your reputation. To help you build and maintain your credibility on social media, Jared Hecht shares here the six most common errors that "can lea...

Almost half of all business leaders experience a major setback at least once in their career, yet research shows most of them go on to become CEOs. And even being fired or laid off, which is often seen as the worst-case scenario, "doesn't necessarily have catastrophic effects" on their future prospects. Here, leadership experts Elena Lytkina Botelho, BJ Wright, and Kim Rosenkoetter Powell share key findings from their research and some specific things leaders can do to "make sure that a maj...

Rather than necessarily being bad for business, negative online reviews offer you an opportunity to improve your customer service and brand perception while positive reviews provide opportunities for engaging with customers and showing your appreciation. It's important to remember that failing to live up to a customer's expectations may reveal aspects of your products or services that need improving. Whether it's a case of protecting your reputation or enhancing it, what matters most is how you ...

It's often the small details that can make the difference between success and failure and that applies as much to your website as any other aspect of your business. To increase your reach and engage potential and current customers alike, you need to develop an effective strategy and this is where web analytics comes in. Tracking the performance of your website helps you identify what works and what doesn't—and where there's room for improvement. And even the most basic website metrics can h...

Although public speaking is one of the most important skills to develop, many people are so afraid of giving a speech or presentation they'll avoid it altogether rather than learning to master it. Fear is a natural response to danger that prepares us to either confront or avoid a threat to our safety. Yet the fear of rejection, ridicule or humiliation can trigger the same response with symptoms that range from mild discomfort to intense anxiety. To help you overcome your fears and...

Consumers only think they want all the bells and whistles until they try using an overly complicated product. And technology products can quickly become overloaded with features when you start adding extra capabilities rather than focusing on real user need. "When it comes to product development, I've made more mistakes than I care to admit. I've over-complicated, over-built and over-promised — sometimes with disastrous results. But every failure pushed me one step closer to figuring out what wo...

Innovation can help your business to grow. And when it comes to introducing new products or services, experimentation can help you refine your ideas and decide which one to go ahead with before you commit significant resources to the project. Yet many companies miss valuable opportunities because they don't know how to experiment effectively. If you're looking to test new products experimentally—and understand how introducing them may impact your business—Jeff Fossett, Duncan Gilchrist and ...

Even though we like to believe we make rational decisions, we tend to rely more on emotions than information. And while we may weigh up the pros and cons, emotions greatly influence—and sometimes even determine—our willingness to make a purchase. As a marketer, understanding what makes people tick allows you create an emotional connection with your audience and drive sales. With that in mind, Syed Balkhi shares here some top tips for "steering consumers in the direc...

Consumers trust people more than they trust brands so, as brand advocates, social media influencers lend credibility to your business. And with an audience that trusts their recommendations, influencers can sway the purchasing decisions of their followers. Not all social media influencers are genuine, however. There are some who artificially increase their followers and engagement rate, tricking brands into believing they're more influential than they really are. Here social media strategist Sai...

Productivity isn't about getting more things done each day; it's about working consistently to get all the important things done each day. There are many tips and tools for organizing and prioritizing daily tasks that can boost your productivity in the short-term. To maximise your productivity for the long-term however, you need to create sustainable habits that improve your energy and keep you focused on your goals. Here, Julian Hayes II shares five changes you can make to your daily routine to...

The chances of your startup getting funding from venture capitalists are already very low—and they're even lower if you're a woman. In the male-dominated world of venture capital, gender stereotyping and bias create additional obstacles for women. Not only do female founders land fewer deals, they also get smaller amounts compared with their male counterparts. As a female CEO and investor who helps businesses scale and raise funds, Alexandra Stanton shares here some of the advice she gives femal...

While it may be tempting to post your content anywhere and everywhere to maximize its potential reach, this 'spray and pray' approach, with little regard for audience targeting, is ineffective and can even be counterproductive. Each social media channel has its own "rules, opportunities, audiences, and value propositions" and you need to know what, when and where to post so you can distribute your content more effectively, says content strategy consultant Jodi Harris. Here, she shares ...

Pitching your business to potential investors can be a gruelling process. You need to create a well-crafted pitch deck that captures your audience's attention with a compelling narrative that demonstrates your strengths as a business. And you need to be prepared to answer some tough questions. Business growth expert Scott Duffy has years of experience, both as an investor and as an entrepreneur raising funding. In this excerpt from his book Breakthrough , he shares some top tips on how to a...

With the increasing use of programmatic marketing and automated advertising, brand safety is a growing concern for marketers. A badly placed ad can ruin a brand's reputation and businesses need to take steps to ensure their ads don't appear alongside the kind of content that conflicts with their brand image. Yet there are many other potential threats you need to be aware of. And that means taking a much broader approach to protecting your brand, says Andrew Schydlowsky. Here, he shares his top t...

Understanding human behavior and what motivates people to make a purchase is key to the success of any marketing campaign. There are several personal, psychological and social factors that influence the way consumers think and act when it comes to buying goods and services. And successful salespeople and marketers use their understanding of these factors to appeal to consumers and persuade them to take action. Here, digital marketing strategist Ted Chong explores "five common human tendencies an...