4 Questions That Successful Startups Asked

A startup is an incredibly exciting and rewarding endeavor. It can also be an incredibly daunting and frustrating one when the proper steps are not taken. This post will discuss four important questions you should ask yourself before you begin working toward your business goals.

What Makes My Business and Me Different?

Before you begin, study who your competitors are and then determine what makes you different from them. Know what makes you unique and know how to stand out. Also, know why the public should choose you over any other entity, and be able to say it in one sentence.

What Am I Answering?

What problem am I solving? What question am I answering? What need or want am I supplying? People are in business to supply something to a specific target audience. You need to know what it is your business idea is solving and/or supplying.

Do I Know What the Next Step is?

Don't even think about executing your meticulously drawn up solid business plan, unless you know what the very first step is. Use your business plan to determine what all your questions are and that 90% of them are answered before you begin. Structure the business plan around your vision, and use a solid to-do software to execute the very next step today. (Hint: we recommend Trello)

Do I Know Who My Target Audience Is?

You won't have a business if you don't have a customer base. And to have a customer base, you must know your target audience. Do a great deal of research on the public to narrow down your target customer before you begin marketing.  Be able to state who your target customer is in one sentence.

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3 Essential Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs

There's a few traits that you can find in almost all entrepreneurs who have taken the leap and made it. Being able to share success, own failures, and executing today are common traits. Many successful entrepreneurs also take a passion for others who seek the same huge goals. Therefore, they always pay it forward. Let's start with that one...

Successful entrepreneurs...

Pay it forward: All successful entrepreneurs were once aspiring entrepreneurs. And successful ones know they did not find success without the help of others. Therefore, they take a genuine passion in helping those that are getting started the same way that they once were. And they don't even plan to put it on the 'volunteer experience' of their resume.

Share successes: They generously distribute credit to others for company successes. They assign ownership of tasks to their team, and promote the team for successes seen from the completion of tasks. On the flip side of the coin, they also take full ownership of failures and company mistakes, regardless of who was or was not involved.

Are executing today: Successful entrepreneurs understand that executing today is far more valuable in a startup rather than trying to 'make it perfect' before executing. In fact, they may have even stopped reading this article to go execute on an idea they just thought of last night. Go identify an action item, and execute on it right now.

If you'd like more tips on how to not be part of the 95% of startups that fail, check out our video series. Or get involved if you're in Colorado.

www.handshakin.com

The Handshake: 3 Things to Remember

Business is a game. In this game, there’s something called “making a first impression.” To make a good first impression, there are many things you can do, like wearing a nice suit or shaving. But the most important part of making a good first impression is handshakin. Unlike a suit or a clean haircut and shave, a good handshake can make a relationship, that later leads to a sale. But what makes a good handshake? Here are three things you need to remember.

Firm Grip

The first thing to remember when giving a good handshake is a firm grip. A firm grip shows that you’re confident in yourself and in your abilities. A handshake that’s too soft shows that you’re not confident and weak in your abilities. A handshake that’s too hard shows that you’re not considerate of other people and probably means you also haven't washed your hands since last using the bathroom.

Eye Contact

The second thing to remember when giving a good handshake is to make eye contact. Eye contact shows to someone that you are attentive to his or her presence and that the meeting is important to you. This will go far in cementing your business relationship. If you don’t make eye contact, it shows that you don’t care about the relationship or that you’re real shy. No one wants to hang out with you people.

Lean In

The final thing you need to remember when giving a good handshake is to slightly lean in with open body posture. You want to lean in just enough that it’s noticeable. This is a subtle gesture that shows you’re willing to go the extra mile for the other person. Wear your biggest smile and give a good genuine nod while they're speaking.

So there it is, you can unsubscribe, you now know how to Handshake and don't need to know Handshakin Holmes any longer.  Go and shake hands, shakers. For more networking tips, see our blog.

4 Must-Have Characteristics of Entrepreneurs

Today, I had lunch with Bryan Flanagan.  Bryan worked with Zig Ziglar for decades and has a passion for the sales profession, for salespeople, and for those who desire to increase their presentation skills effectively and in a professional manner.

Our conversation reminded me of 4 powerful traits successful entrepreneurs have.  Many people dream of owning their own business. They dream of quitting their boring job and walking away from their boss. However, not everyone has the qualities that it takes to be a good entrepreneur. To run a successful business is not easy and not for everyone. Do you think that you have what it takes?

You should make sure that you have the following characteristics to have a better chance of running a successful business.

• Determination. It takes a lot of determination to get a business up and running. You will need to make sure that you are going to succeed, no matter what. Brand yourself as an expert in your field through public speaking, thought leadership, and compassion.  
• Good with money. People who run businesses need to be very careful with money. You will have to watch every penny that comes in and goes out to make sure that your business makes money every month.
• Hard-working. You will have to be prepared to work hard, and your expectations are likely set too low on how much work it will require. You may have to miss out on some opportunities to work on your business.
• Passion. Entrepreneurs who succeed are passionate about their cause, before the monetization of their business.  They love what they do and, even when they are not working, they might still be thinking about 'working'. Often, they love their work so much that they do not really feel like they are working at all. It just feels fun... and it is!

Successful entrepreneurs need to be determined, hard-working, and passionate about their work. They should also be good with money. If you feel like you have these qualities, you have a good chance of running a successful business. Execute on your idea now and you will have a good chance of becoming quite successful, with a lot of hard work!

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3 Attributes of Successful v. Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Once you become an entrepreneur, how long are you classified as an aspiring entrepreneur? How freaking long does it take for people to finally take you seriously? There is a lot that being a successful and credible entrepreneur requires. Here's three attributes that successful entrepreneurs have that aspiring entrepreneurs may not have.

They are Personable and Approachable

Everyone who delves into the world of entrepreneurship must make sure they are both personable and approachable. They must have a genuine, vested interest in the public and community not only because they could become customers, but because they want to be aware of their needs, likes, and dislikes. If you're just trying to sell something, you'll be called out on a regular basis. If you're chasing your passion, people will tell their friends about you.  Plus, an entrepreneur who can't take feedback will not get very far.

They're An Expert in their field

An entrepreneur will need to establish themselves as an expert in the field they are working in. To do this, you can build clout through consistent blog writing, getting articles published in journals, setting up a Youtube.com channel, and public speaking at various conferences. You need to be the person that people know in the industry. Make it known that you take what you do seriously and that you really know and believe in your cause.  Chase your passion, not the dollars, and this will come naturally.

They're viewed by others as Credible

People want to know that they are doing business with someone they can trust and someone who has a pristine reputation. You truly have to become an expert. You will have to know just how qualified you are and also bare in mind how the public views you. You can build credibility through incredible customer service, personalizing every customer experience, and showing you can assist them better than anyone else they could do business with. Sincerely ensure they reach their goals because you're passionate about that, and not concerned about the paycheck.

Need help being seen as a successful entrepreneur instead of an aspiring entrepreneur?  Check out our video series, or blog.