This is a real good read from theHarvard Business Review discussing the new age entrepreneur, check it out:
The story of entrepreneurship in the twentieth century was about individuals who got access to sophisticated capital in a few advanced markets and created massive economies of scale. That’s how AT&T, Home Depot, and Microsoft swiftly made their way onto the Fortune 500. But in the twenty-first century, a very different story is unfolding.
Today entrepreneurs anywhere can create value with relatively little capital. Barriers to entry in almost every industry have come crashing down, opening vast opportunities for small companies. These developments are especially apparent in emerging markets, where we’re seeing signs that an entrepreneurial economy is ready to bloom. We’ve spent the past two years studying entrepreneurship in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, and we’ve found hundreds of world-class ventures poised for significant growth there. Most people’s assumptions about entrepreneurship in the developing world—that entrepreneurs either don’t exist there or are microentrepreneurs—are wrong. High potential ventures are surfacing where no one is looking for them—in Beirut instead of Boston, in Cape Town instead of Silicon Valley—among people who have historically been outside the economic power structure.
What’s surprising is that so many of these companies aren’t in the fast-growing markets the world is already watching, such as India or Brazil. They’re cropping up in places like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Africa—whose economies have been driven by top-down government policy, large business groups, multinational corporations, and even social elites, such as local royalty. Until relatively recently, such places were thought to have a critical shortage of businesspeople who could build companies. Click Here To Read More
An entrepreneur since childhood, Cameron Herold wants parents and teachers to recognize and foster entrepreneurial talent in kids.
Bored in school, failing classes, at odds with peers: This child might be an entrepreneur, says Cameron Herold. At TEDxEdmonton, he makes the case for parenting and education that helps would-be entrepreneurs flourish as kids and as adults.
T.I. is adding movie producer to his resume with his new film “Takers.” Not only did he play the main villain, he also was behind the scenes as one of the action thriller’s producers.
In an interview with MTV he stated, “I did assist with the producing. “I lost sleep to say the least,” he added about juggling all of his professional and personal obligations while “Takers” was in production. “I increased my responsibilities and just basically sacrificed my time. Just sacrificed in every way possible whenever necessary.”
With so many artist getting exploited by the entertainment industry, its good to see when an artist is able to leverage the success for their personal benefit and transcend their way of entry into the business. T.I. is definitely in the fore front of young talent to become the next hip hop mogul. Check out the trailer of “Takers” below:
I find it very interesting to see how major brands compete for brand loyalty when there is only a few dominate players in their perspective markets. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s Nintendo suffered a bit in sales due to two major gaming systems (Sony Play Station & X-Box 360) entering the market and turning the gaming world upside down. But while the Play Station and X-box was focusing in on premium graphics and high priced gaming systems Nintendo refocused their strategy and released the low priced and family friendly Wii, which recaptured many consumers attention back to the Nintendo brand; and it totally caught Sony and Microsoft by surprise. Below I found this article from the Harvard Business Review which discuss how Nintendo executed their come back, check it out:
Back in 2006 and 2007, my colleague Scott Anthony argued that Nintendo’s Wii would be a disruptive innovation that could catch Sony and Microsoft off-guard. The core of the argument was that Nintendo’s strategy of “competing against non-consumption” would allow it to fly under the radar of Microsoft and Sony, which were engaging in an arms race to provide ever better-looking games to their most-demanding consumers at premium prices.
And that is exactly what happened. Wii sales soared. In 2008 and 2009, Nintendo sold more consoles in North America than Microsoft and Sony combined.
Finding financing in any economic climate can be challenging, whether you’re looking for start-up funds, capital to expand or money to hold on through the tough times. But given our current state of affairs, securing funds is as tough as ever. To help you find the money you need, we’ve compiled a guide on 10 financing techniques and what you should know when pursuing them.
1. Get a Bank Loan
Lending standards have gotten much stricter, but banks such as J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America have earmarked additional funds for small business lending. So why not apply?
2. Use a Credit Card
Using a credit card to fund your business is some serious risky business. Fall behind on your payment and your credit score gets whacked. Pay just the minimum each month and you could create a hole you’ll never get out of. However, used responsibly, a credit card can get you out of the occasional jam and even extend your accounts payable period to shore up your cash flow.
3. Tap into Your 401(k)
If you’re unemployed and thinking about starting your own business, those funds you’ve accumulated in your 401(k) over the years can look pretty tempting. And thanks to provisions in the tax code, you actually can tap into them without penalty if you follow the right steps. The steps are simple enough, but legally complex, so you’ll need someone with experience setting up a C corporation and the appropriate retirement plan to roll your retirement assets into. Remember that you’re investing your retirement funds, which means if things don’t pan out, not only do you lose your business, but your nest egg, too.
With Apple being the most popular brand in the world these days, I though it would be a good idea to take a look at the mind behind the brand Steve Jobs. Here, John Gruber gives great insight on the impact Jobs has had on Apple since 1985, check it out.
Legendary producer Jerry Weintraub has a rags to richest story like none other. He recently released a book about his life (When I Stop Talking You Will Know I’m Dead), here he stopped by the Jimmy Kimmel Live show and share bits and pieces about his journey in the entertainment business.
There are hundreds of thousands of small business owners within the U.S. and millions around the world; they form a vibrant core to many national economies. However, a large portion of small businesses do not survive. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, only about 31% of small businesses survive for at least seven years – never mind making it big.
Almost every small business would like to grow its revenues, but most are only working with teams of a few employees. While some marketing and growth tactics that work well for large corporations can be applied to small businesses, many cannot, and growing a new business from scratch is even more unique.
Read on to find out how to grow a small business and bring it to the big leagues.
1. Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry
Start a blog, give speeches, write articles or publish a book on your niche area of business. Become the expert that people seek out when they need a solution. If you market yourself enough you will be receiving warm phone calls from individuals wanting to buy from you instead of potentially cold calling on individuals who have no interest in your business.
This is the least expensive suggestion on how to grow your business – there are many places where you can start a blog for free. Invest one hour a day in learning about your market and writing about what you learn and within one year, you will have potential customers and joint venture partnerships approaching you. This strategy works for all types of niches, including dog training, hedge fund investing, copywriting, fundraising and physical therapy. Every niche has an online audience looking to learn more about the subject. Start feeding them with valuable content and they will start feeding your business with leads and marketing opportunities. This tip is provided first because this alone has helped hundreds of businesses grow to more than $1 million a year in revenue.
2. Create Passive Income Streams
Subscription-based models and membership programs sell a customer once and earn a profit every month as long as you keep those customers happy. An example of this is a website information portal selling a service provider directory listing. The website charges $99 a month and receives that payment every single month of the year as long as the website remains popular and relevant. Passive income models could incorporate a low monthly fee for on-demand customer service or maintenance, subscription access to exclusive coaching or a newsletter with interviews, book reviews and market analysis on your industry.
Good Stuff Here!Sheena Iyengar studies how we make choices — and how we feel about the choices we make. At TEDGlobal, she talks about both trivial choices (Coke v. Pepsi) and profound ones, and shares her groundbreaking research that has uncovered some surprising attitudes about our decisions.
Alexis Diaz has always been a natural born Actress. From the start of a young age she had participated in plays and competed in talent shows. Always driven she had attended Temple university in Philadelphia, where she received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in theater.MORE
