Entrepreneurs: 4 Things You Should Invest in Today

As an entrepreneur, there is undoubtedly a laundry list of things you feel you need in order to “make it” in your business world. Perhaps a flashy car, or $5,000 suit is on that list. Maybe you’ve even been convinced that plastic surgery should be on that list in order for you to make it big. Or, good old liposuction for all the weight you gained as a stressed out startup entrepreneur eating like SHIT.

In reality, there are only a few things young entrepreneurs need to worry about investing in. In fact, none of these things will break the bank — and why should they, when the entire purpose is to help you make bank? Check out these entrepreneur tips and see what you can do to change today.

1. Sleep. You’ll be useless to your clients, your partners, your investors, and most of all yourself if you’re walking around dead tired because you stay up late every night agonizing over spreadsheets and social media analytics. Aim for a solid 8 hours every night, and don’t be tempered by a weekend sleep in — research shows that sleeping in on the weekend actually makes it harder to get up on time during the work week, no matter how refreshed it might make you feel in the short term. I am 100% guilty of this. Hopefully this post still provides you with some value.
2. Stress relief. This can come in nearly any form you like it to be. Hiking trips every month? Yoga retreats? A kickboxing class? Meditating in the mornings? Whatever form works for you, find something and use it. Having an outlet for depressurizing your stress value means you’re less likely to let loose on your loved ones or those you work with.
3. Calendars. Whether you keep it all mobile or rock an old-school Day At A Glance, a calendar is going to keep you on track the key is to not only put in engagements with others but also yourself. Those weekly and daily de-stress sessions? Pencil them in. A 20-minute walk around the city every afternoon? Put it on the books. Hold yourself accountable, andkeep things in your calendar. My particular favorite is a huge dry erase board.
4. Conferences. The only thing that will rack up some costs. Start by looking in your city and state (which hopefully is Denver, CO). Conferences will not only give you an incredible networking opportunity, but they’ll be the place where you can open your brain up to all kinds of new ideas that you can introduce into your business. Conferences are breeding grounds for ideas, and believe us — you want to be there. Oh, and ask them about volunteering if the tickets are above your budget.

Looking for more ways to be the smartest entrepreneur on the block?Contact us today for information on how to make it happen.

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Originally published at www.handshakin.com.

The Dos & Don'ts of How to Negotiate Your Salary at a Startup

You are well on your way to fulfilling your dreams as you consider an offer from a startup. The homework has been done. The company’s model is sound. You see great potential in its future. It is an offer, so the door is open to #negotiate. As a startup, though, you have to consider the possibilities from a realistic perspective.

The critical question is how to negotiate your salary at a startup that is in its fledgling stage but could soon experience wildfire growth making it capable of better compensation.These are the do’s and don’ts of how to negotiate your salary at a startup:

DO

1. Research The Numbers–Research salaries for similar positions at companies that are not only in the same industry, but of comparable size. Next, consider the company’s potential for financial growth within the next few years. You may want to conduct a pre-IPO research. Here, let me google that for you. Once you determine the viability of the company, examine your own situation. What is the absolute bottom line you could accept and still live the life you want? Establish your baseline, determine a potential earnings ceiling, then you have the numbers range to work with.
2. Consider Equity– Some offers will include equity. If an offer does not include equity, this could become a negotiating point to sweeten up the offer. Ask exactly what future potential there is for equity. Whether equity is part of an initial offer, or a future prospect, determine its value and the percentage of the company it represents. Post-IPO determination of equity value is easy. However, if a company is in pre-IPO stages many different factors come into play. Although there are many formulas that can be used, it may be simpler to ask the founders of the company which formula they used, what the total number of shares are, and if there are any future plans to increase the number of shares.
3. Prioritize– The art of negotiating is for everyone to walk away feeling like a winner. Meet face to face and have a conversation about what really matters to you the most. Present your case honestly and back up your arguments with data. Although perks like paid vacation time are great, overall, the most valuable priority of any job is salary. However, if it’s just not possible for a company to meet your salary desires, you can then turn to the potential of equity for increasing the value of their offer. Or, go start your own without paying yourself a salary...

Don’t

1. Make It Personal– Prospective employers do not need to know how much your child’s private school tuition is or what your mortgage commitments are. A meeting to negotiate a job offer is about what the company can do for you and what you can bring to the table in return.
2. Argue Incentives– Incentive based compensation (MBOs) is often a feature of larger companies. It is not practical to expect it with a startup. For a startup, the focus is growth, rapid growth preferably. Incentivized bonus based compensation generally does not come into play at the startup stage of the game for companies. So, stick to salary and equity.
3. Wait Too Long– Time is a critical factor where employment is concerned. A startup has to become productive quickly. When negotiating, stick to the most important factors, salary and equity. Keep negotiations simple and seal the deal quickly. Negotiations should be a basic 3-step dance: 

• Offer from a company
• Counter offer from you
• Acceptance, rejection or counter offer from company
  

Did you know 56% of hiring managers think a personal website is the most impressive branding tool and only 7% of job seekers have them?  We can build you one, with no long-term commitment: contact us today. 

Why Founders on Snapchat will Succeed Faster

Businesses have to have social media strategies, they say. But it keeps getting harder! With Instagram, your pictures have to be gorgeous, and now we have Snapchat, where nothing is perfect. Nothing is hidden. And it is transparent. Here’s why Founders who are on Snapchat stand a better chance at success than their more quiet counterparts…

Welcome to 2016: the age when everyone is seeking transparency more than ever. And for that, we can thank the rapid advancement of technology that is so readily available to us. When a business is being marketed, people want to see the face behind it, not some glossy corporate logo. That is whypersonal branding on Snapchat is so necessary today and for businesses who are still trying to understand it, here are three reasons why Founder on Snapchat will thrive:

• The Connection With Your Audience: Your customers want a human connection. When they buy your service or product, they want to be sure you are someone they can trust. To gain their trust, you have to put yourself out there.
• Part of the way you accomplish this is by setting up personal social media accounts in addition to Snapchat to maximize communicate with your audience. Show them you are a Founder that really wants to help all people similar your customers.
• Establishing Your Expertise: Personal branding is critical no matter the size of the business. But for businesses that are smaller or just starting out, it is especially advantageous. When you take the time to craft your personal image, you can steadily establish yourself as an expert in your industry. When you’re posting to Snapchat, you’re sharpening your message and communication skills.
• You Will Stand Out: Personal branding offers you a certain edge since there are still many people who haven’t taken advantage of the power it offers. Developing a personal brand on Snapchat is a way to differentiate yourself and stand out from the rest of the crowd. Implement a personal branding strategy in everything from your social media presence to your portfolio.

For more information on personal branding, ask me a question on Snapchat. My username is ‘handshakin’ and I post personal branding tips daily.

MUST READ Pro Tip: Snapchat doesn’t have a discovery feature, so it’s very difficult to build an audience aside from driving it from your other social media accounts (see my twitter profile picture is my Snapchat code)…

There’s a brand new app called ghostcodes.com where people can find Snapchat accounts to follow. Make sure to download it and add your account before they have their public launch next week. If you need an invite code, use ‘spooks’. Snapchat me at ‘handshakin’ and we can swap hearts to increase both of our exposure.

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Originally published at www.handshakin.com.