The most successful businesses are those that solve a problem and bring value to their customers. And one of the most common causes of business failure is running out of cash while building the wrong solution, because you're looking at the problem the wrong way. To save time and money in the long run, it's important to invest in fully understanding the problem before trying to solve it. With that in mind, this article shares some top tips for "properly defining a problem before attempting to com...

While it's not the only metric a growing business needs to measure, customer lifetime value is definitely one of the most important. It costs more to acquire new customers than it does to keep the ones you already have. And knowing how much money a customer is likely to spend during their entire relationship with your business helps you make informed decisions about how best to allocate your resources. In this blog post, Clint Fontanella shares a step-by-step guide to calculating customer l...

​ Any business that handles the personal data of EU citizens must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force in May 2018. It was designed to update the laws governing the use of personal data, improve how businesses process and handle data, and give individuals more control over their personal data. Giving people clear information so they can make informed decisions about allowing you to collect and use their data is a crucial aspect of being GDPR compliant....

Networking provides valuable opportunities for sharing ideas and knowledge, enhancing your reputation, and forging long-term business relationships. Yet for many of us, attending networking events means having to step firmly outside of our comfort zone. And for the most introverted among us, the hustle and bustle of a conference can feel overwhelming. Whether you're looking to advance your career or grow your business, adopting the right strategies for your personality type will help y...

One of the reasons SaaS businesses fail is because founders try to run them like any other online venture instead of addressing the unique challenges a subscription-based business model presents. While there's a wealth of books and online resources to guide you, communities to support you, and networking events to help you grow your business, identifying the most useful can be time-consuming. With that in mind, Briana Morgaine shares here a list of top resources compiled by SaaS-i...

Setting one major goal for each area of your life and learning to focus on one thing at a time is the key to achieving your goals. "Instead of focusing on one thing at a time, we set multiple goals and think we can multitask ourselves to achieving them," writes entrepreneur, blogger and podcaster Darius Foroux. And our lack of focus leads us to start pursuing something new before we've completed our original goal. In this article, Foroux shares his top tips for achieving your goals by setti...

As an entrepreneur or freelancer, your brand isn't separate from you and personal branding plays an important part in everything you do. Your brand has less to do with what you say about yourself and more to do with what other people say about you. And building a strong personal brand is vital for boosting your visibility, establishing your credibility and making your business or service stand out from the competition. Here, Juliette Stapleton shares how to leverage your personal Facebook profil...

The myth of overnight success continues to persist despite all the evidence that building a business takes time, hard work and persistence. Even a business that's destined for greatness will face numerous setbacks and, as much as you'd like to skip all the hard bits, there are no shortcuts to success. Andrew Holliday has 15 years of experience helping companies grow, starting with his own. Here, he shares why the "if you build it, they will come" philosophy isn't a good approach to building a su...

Building a strong brand isn't just about solving customer problems; it's about outshining the competition. You need to know how much customers care about the problem before you put too much time and effort into solving it, says 3-times founder and early-stage accelerator leader Brian Scordato. And understanding what customers care about most in the product you're developing is key to creating something they love and establishing a differentiated position in the market. Here, Scordato shares the ...

As a sales manager, you play a key role in the success of the business. It's your job to ensure the business hits its revenue targets by devising and implementing effective strategies and techniques for achieving, or exceeding, those targets. It's also your job to motivate your team and provide guidance, training and support to deliver the desired results. In this blog post, Kristen Baker shares a detailed guide to sales management—from recruiting and onboarding new hires to setting goals, analy...