Many writers have outlined the critical success factors for product companies, like sell every unit at a profit, patent the design, and continuous product improvement. But recently I was asked about success factors for services startups, and I quickly realized that there is very little published to help the thousands...

Every startup with any traction quickly reaches a point where they need to hire employees to grow the business. Unfortunately, this always happens when pressures are the highest, and business processes are ill-defined. At this point you need superstars and versatile future executives, yet your in-house hiring processes and focus...

Whether it's a business or personal interaction, multiple studies show that as much as 50-65 percent of the communication is nonverbal. That means that people who are addicted to text messaging and email may be sending only half the message, and receivers often misinterpret even that half.

Yet...

Most people think that the Peter Principle (employee rises to his level of incompetence) only applies to large organizations. Let me assure you that it is also alive and well within start-ups. There I see founders and managers who are stalled transplants from large organizations, and technologists trying to run...

Great entrepreneurs have long been the epitome of people with a great work ethic. But many complain to me that it is becoming harder and harder to find team members and employees who demonstrate and live the same culture. Somewhere along the way, work ethic seems to have been replaced...

A common misconception I often hear in the start-up world is that nonprofits are easy and safe, since they don't have to pay taxes, and they don't have to make a profit for their shareholders. In reality, from the feedback I get from nonprofit executives, exactly the opposite is true.

First things first -- your startup needs a name! This may seem a silly and frivolous task, but it may be the most important decision you make. The name of your business has a tremendous impact on how customers and investors view you, and in today's small world, it's a...

Many believe that entrepreneurs are born, not made. While I agree that successful company builders usually have a natural inclination to be entrepreneurs, a good education helps polish that apple. There are people who are natural musicians, but that doesn't mean we don't try to teach them music.

Of course,...

Many of the businesses and entrepreneurs I know still don't realize that they need to use and understand the Internet, even if their interest is not e-commerce. Maybe you have also heard a lot of Internet terms, but are not sure you can explain how, when, and why they are...

If you have a unique creation or invention, and you are not selling it around the world on the Internet, now is the time to start. The cost of entry has never been lower. Anyone can be an entrepreneur today, without a huge investment, bank loans, venture capitalists, or Angels.

Most of the entrepreneurs I know realize they have some bad habits, like maybe procrastination or not listening well, so they focus on dropping these. New studies indicate that a more productive approach would be adopting new good habits and behaviors that clearly move your business forward, like good time...

To be successful as an entrepreneur, you don't have to be a fabulous person, but it helps. Some people, and some entrepreneurs, have that something extra, like Simon Cowell is searching for on the X-Factor, that you can't quite put your finger on. But the entrepreneurs that have...

Most startups dream of attracting a celebrity endorsement, and assume that it will take their startup to the stars. There have been some "famous" recent successes in this regard, such as Charlie Sheen using Twitter to promote Internships.com, as well as some failures, including MyFavorites.com using...

Every entrepreneur needs to be honest about their strengths and weaknesses, and realistic about their reasons for choosing the startup route. For any entrepreneur, even the best business opportunities, if entered for the wrong reasons, will likely fail. Some of these reasons seem obvious, so forgive me for restating, but...

Women entrepreneurs are starting small businesses at approximately twice the national average for all startups. Despite some inaccurate stereotypes, the evidence is that they are in every industry, from small consulting firms to medical high technology. As a result, there have also been many new resources and mentors...

Many entrepreneurs forget that their success is more about helping other people than about personally becoming famous, or overcoming the odds and getting rich. A successful business has to satisfy customers with a strong team, by helping them solve problems, save money, or experience more pleasure. That means more focus...

Business incubators for sharing services were all the rage back in the days of the dot-com bubble (700 for profit, many more non-profit). About that time the bubble burst, causing more than 80 percent of them to disappear. Now they are coming back, and the best even provide...

New entrepreneurs who want to survive, and optimize the growth of their startups, need to think globally, and act locally, from day one. This approach, popularly known as "glocalization," means you have to design and deliver global solutions that have total relevance to every local market in which you operate.

If you expect to succeed in the thrill-a-minute, roller coaster ride of a startup, let me assure you it takes more than a good idea, a rich uncle, and luck. In fact, the idea is often the least important part of the equation. Investors tell me that they look at...

I'm not much of a television person, but my family loves one of the popular "reality" shows, called So You Think You Can Dance, so I'm sort of forced to watch it every week on Fox. Over time, I've concluded that even startup entrepreneurs can learn a few...