Don't Make These 5 Common Mistakes During the Early Phases of Your Startup

Here’s an alarming fact for new entrepreneurs: Over 66 percent of all new businesses fail within their first eight years of operation. Thankfully, you as a new business owner can reduce your risk of failure by avoiding the following five common mistakes that many new entrepreneurs make.

What the Smartest Startups Are Getting Right in Marketing

I travel to the West Coast every year to learn about the latest on technology and new business models from different companies, especially around the Silicon Valley. In exchange, as a decade-long consumer goods professional and educator, I share my insights on brand building and marketing.

My most recent trip was a bit different however. I encountered many new organizations across multiple industries such as technology, media, sports and music, soaring by embracing marketing since their inception and creating new effective norms to connect with their customers. This time around, they were the ones teaching me about marketing.

Here are five things the smartest new companies are doing exceptionally well and what we can learn from them.

4 Tactics for Making Your New Business Seem More Established

First impressions are crucial. And in an age that’s more technically savvy and visually-minded than ever before, first impressions can make or break a budding new business.

People begin to form opinions about your business within the first few seconds of interaction, whether they’re looking at your business card, visiting your website or passing by your storefront. It’s the reason we can differentiate between a mom-and-pop shop and a restaurant chain -- one has a pieced-together visual identity and the other has a professional, streamlined brand.

The good news? Those first impressions, whether they’re accurate or off-base, are entirely up to you. The even better news? These four tactics will make your new business appear much more legitimate and won’t crush your startup budget in the process.