Innholdsfortegnelse for Aug-15 i Entrepreneur Magazine

What’s on Entrepreneur.com ? Read this now Procrastination is no one’s friend. With that in mind, we examine the top 10 workplace productivity killers and how to fight them. Overwhelmed by email? Reserve a specific window of time each day to deal with your inbox. Addicted to checking social media? Consider a site blocker. Check out eight additional office time-wasters and learn how to quash them. Got your back To be an effective leader, you must truly care about your employees, according to Bar Rescue’s John Taffer. “If I’m your boss, and I truly want you to be successful … I’m inherently going to teach you, I’m inherently going to correct your mistakes … I’m inherently going to lead you. If I don’t care about you, the…

@templecrash: Don’t mimic a natural system if it’s broken—expose and explain the problem by designing a better alternative. @EmmaGroff: Disruption represents opportunity for change, improvement and innovation. @dtelepathy: Disruption is breaking the norm and offering a smarter, better way to do business. It’s more than differentiation; it’s evolution. @HeyDaveA: Disruptive innovation is essential for rapid growth. Innovative companies expand; disruptive companies explode. @seanmmitchell: Questioning the status quo. Thinking different for the betterment of society.…

DESPITE ADVANCEMENTS in conferencing technology, 51 percent of small-business travelers say the frequency of their travel has increased over the past five years, according to a poll by Expedia. The online travel agency noted that the average small-business traveler takes eight business trips per year and stays 17 nights annually in hotels, spending an average of $987 on a round-trip flight and $288 nightly for a hotel. Acting on that data, Expedia has jumped on what it sees as an opportunity: to provide the same travel-volume clout to small operators that large corporations enjoy. Thus the launch of Expedia+, a loyalty program for small-business owners. When employees enroll (for free), they are upgraded to Expedia’s silver membership tier, which offers upgrades and freebie amenities at more than 1,400 participating hotels.…

Step 1: Realize that you will not win the argument. Step 2: Call your mom. Eat a sandwich. Go outside. Those are the steps. You’re not going to win an argument on Twitter because you are arguing with someone who is the kind of person who would argue on Twitter, which is to say: a strident person. These are people for whom an argument is just a forum for aggressive expression and defense of ideas they already have. “When you start to have a conversation in a medium that’s already designed to truncate what it is that you’re trying to talk about, it’s already designed to be sensationalist,” says Capitol Debate’s Travis Cochran. “You’re not given the time to ramble. You’re not given the time to have dramatic pauses.” If…

IN 2012, ORACLE bought Bozeman, Mont.-based software company RightNow Technologies for $1.8 billion and single-handedly reset both locals’ and outsiders’ perceptions of the university town (population 40,000) and its opportunities. When programmer Greg Gianforte moved to Bozeman 20 years ago to launch RightNow, he had a theory that he could build a successful company anywhere, thanks to the advent of the internet. He was right. That event proved to be a watershed moment for this 151-year-old city. A handful of newly minted RightNow millionaires have spun off dozens of startups in the past couple of years and attracted talent from both coasts. Bill Clem, an industrial products and medical devices designer who graduated from Montana State University and stuck around, in 2013 formed KERBspace, a sidewalk-based smart parking meter and…

Whether you’re a sole proprietor or setting up an entire staff with Samsungs, you’ll keep business and personal computing safe with the Knox suite of security features, which comes preinstalled on the Galaxy S6 Edge. With free options for small businesses and $1 monthly charges per device for enterprise organizations, the service can do everything from locating your device or wiping it clean if it goes missing to providing a whitelist of apps that are deemed safe. The cloud-based device manager can also carve out secure spaces on your phones for employees to store photos, emails and other personal files; likewise, it can create a partition where sensitive business files and apps can be locked down. By putting everything from your company’s project-management apps to remote-access programs in this vault,…

“Pho Colonial is a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant. We reopened three years ago after rebuilding and rebranding, but we still had two traditional ‘Open’ signs on our windows. By chance, several months ago I served the creator of a new digital signage system called Glass-Media. He showed it to me, and I had to have it. The system combines our menus, marketing materials and reviews on Yelp, Google or Facebook into a single web feed, then posts them in real time through a projector that throws a 24-inch circle on our front window that is easy to read in bright daylight and at night. We paid a little more than $4,000 for the system setup, which included the projector and web connection through our store’s Wi-Fi, plus the customized design of…

Eric Ries, author of the 2011 bestseller The Lean Startup, is at it again. In March he launched a monthlong Kickstarter campaign to self-publish The Leader’s Guide, a hardcover and digital book to which only donors will have access. Within 24 hours, he raised $123,000, and by the end of the cam- paign, $588,983—making Ries the most successful author on Kickstarter. The nearly 10,000 backers who signed on to receive The Leader’s Guide will also get exclusive access to webinars, classes and workshops, as well as copies of Ries’ The Startup Way, which will be published in late 2016. Ries took a break from filling orders to answer some questions on the next generation of lean startup advice. WHY DID YOU TAKE YOUR SECOND BOOK TO KICKSTARTER? I was looking…

Pessimists might say MaxOut Strength Systems is cursed. Optimists— including Royersford, Penn.-based Jason Griggs and Matt Cubbler, who are launching a franchise based on the unique weight machines—would argue that the third time’s the charm. Despite two false starts, they believe they’ve got what it takes to get the fitness world pumped, and they’re ready to put their money where their muscle is with MaxOut Strength Studio. The MaxOut system was developed over a 13-year period by orthopedic surgeon Michael MacMillan at the University of Florida in Gainesville. The machines allow users to lift weights at one resistance and lower them at a higher resistance, a technique that builds muscle 20 to 40 percent faster than working with conventional strength equipment. In 2007 MacMillan opened a gym based on the…

87 (100%) can be started for less than $50,000 FOR LESS THAN $50K, YOU CAN LAUNCH ACFN-The ATM Franchise Business Cellairis Franchise Sit Means Sit Dog Training 58 (66.6%) can be started for less than $40,000 FOR LESS THAN $40K, YOU CAN LAUNCH Doc Popcorn Complete Weddings and Events Bricks 4 Kidz 34 (39.5%) can be started for less than $30,000 FOR LESS THAN $30K, YOU CAN LAUNCH Critter Control Flower Tent Drama Kids International 23 (26.4%) can be started for less than $20,000 FOR LESS THAN $20K, YOU CAN LAUNCH American Poolplayers Association Computer Troubleshooters Decor Group 14 (16.3%) can be started for less than $10,000 FOR LESS THAN $10K, YOU CAN LAUNCH MindsAhead Academy Mr. Sandless/ Dr. DecknFence Coffee News 8 (9.3%) can be started for less than…

A world-champion skier , Jeremy Bloom missed his shot at Olympic gold. As an All-American football player , he saw his collegiate career put to a halt by the NCAA; then sidelined by injuries, he spent a frustrating period in the NFL . Bloom, now an entrepreneur, CEO, and philanthropist , shares the 5 personal mantras that have helped him transition from the top of the mountains, onto the gridiron, and into the boardroom. SET A DEADLINE. The most important step to overcoming adversity and negative feelings: Don’t wallow. Instead, set a deadline for accepting what has happened, at least emotionally. This emotional acceptance is crucial—and so is the deadline. My deadline is 48 hours. FOCUS ON YOUR…

I just returned from the Shift Conference in Split, Croatia. Witnessing a hackathon teaches you something about soul, about youth and the bridge between the two. I don’t know if it was the ridiculous energy of 1,200 twentysomethings hopped up on caffeine and adrenaline, or the sultry, slow-moving intensity of a country trying to forge its way economically, but attending this event got me thinking about what it means to be a startup vs. what it means to be a startup with soul. Let us take a moment to honor soul—the vital force that gives you and your business a vibe. Soul is the handshake that acknowledges that you believe and that you are present. It is the central tenet of your company culture. It’s hard to explain entrepreneurial soul,…

There are treasures everywhere you look. Rare things. Exquisite things. Gloriously, decadently opulent things. Over here is a George III fireplace mantel complete with Siena marble frieze, produced circa 1670. Over there is a one-of-a-kind Italian crystal chandelier designed by the celebrated glassmaker Giulio Salviati and manufactured in Murano during the latter half of the 19th century. And be sure to take a look at Berthe Morisot’s 1894 oil painting Jeune Fille au Manteau Vert, created by the pioneering French impressionist at the peak of her fame. These lust-worthy objects are not in a museum, mega-mansion or royal palace. They’re not in an auction house catalog, either—and they’re definitely not on eBay. They’re all available for purchase on 1stdibs, the digital marketplace that is revolutionizing how antiques and luxury goods…

IN TODAY’S COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE, entrepreneurs—tasked with raising capital, attracting talent and getting their businesses off the ground—are up against a staggering statistical fail rate. But by following some basic principles related to design, marketing and user experience—tenets of some of the most powerful businesses out there—you can increase your odds of starting and maintaining a successful brand. 1 SIMPLICITY While it’s tempting to try to be everything to everyone, one of the most impactful ways to stand out in a crowded marketplace is to do one thing well. Vrai & Oro is a jewelry line that shucked the categorical norm of creating marked-up, seasonal items, focusing instead on a limited line of classic, timeless pieces—no gimmicks. The brand name translates to “truth and gold,” and that’s exactly what consumers get—streamlined…

WHAT DO AUSTIN, ATLANTA AND SAN DIEGO HAVE IN COMMON? They’re among the youngest large metro areas in the U.S., and they have some of the highest startup densities in the nation. Coincidence? Not at all. “We seem more likely to develop a startup when there are more young people around,” says Paige Ouimet, an assistant professor of finance at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Ouimet, who cowrote a paper on the relationship between the ages of businesses, their employees and growth published in 2011 with the help of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Center for Economic Studies, adds, “The startups that start with more young people employed have higher growth rates and are more likely to get VC support.” While the effect of a youthful…

For independent musicians, cash flow depends largely on gigs. Book ’em regularly, and you’re living large. Now there’s GigTown, a mobile app that enables anyone—from casual fans to event planners and managers at music venues—to discover and book local acts in four cities: San Diego, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Austin. It also affords musicians an alternative path to market themselves on a broader stage—for free. Since the app launched earlier this year, more than 500 musicians have signed up, ranging from solo performers to the San Diego State University marching band. Investors have also rallied behind the San Diego-based company, including Ralph Whitworth, former chairman of Hewlett-Packard, and NFL quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints. GigTown is the brainchild of Steve Altman, former president and vice chairman…

Bragi’s Dash earbuds ($299) might be the best new business tools you never knew you needed. The wireless earphones have 4 GB of onboard storage for MP3s, though they can also stream Spotify from your phone and handle your calls via Bluetooth. Want some peace and quiet? Dash earphones feature active noise-cancellation tech. But these buds aren’t all business; they also work for fitness training. Internal biosensors capture movement data with accelerometers, measure body temperature, and grab your pulse from the capillaries inside your ears using an infrared LED and optical sensors.…

Entrepreneur: Jason Burke worked as an anesthesiologist in Las Vegas for seven years before he decided to launch a company that would help people with hangovers get back on their feet. “Aha” moment: While on duty in the recovery room, Burke—who still practices medicine a couple of days per week— realized that the same meds used to help post-op patients suffering from nausea, headache or dizziness could be a boon to the city’s party people. Tying one on: In 2011 Burke attempted to launch a business administering IV meds for hangovers from a location across from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The financial realities of real estate on the Strip put an end to that. However, while driving around the city, he hit upon the idea of offering his…

Before introducing PopSlate, a case that turns the back of a smartphone into a second screen, Yashar Behzadi needed to test the market for the high-tech product and get feedback from first-generation users. Crowdfunding, he suspected, would achieve both goals. Behzadi launched a 30-day campaign on Indiegogo in December 2012 seeking $150,000 and ended up raising more than $219,000 in funding from 1,532 backers. “A consumer-based crowdfunding campaign helped us engage early adopters and hone the product before it went to market,” explains the Palo Alto, Calif.-based entrepreneur. “For us, it was less about the funding and more about the crowd.” Crowdfunding, once a niche model for those who couldn’t get traditional financing, has gone mainstream. Active global crowdfunding platforms generated $16.2 billion in 2014—a figure that is expected to…

1 START IT. Business startup isn’t rocket science; it’s not as complicated or scary as people think. Once you have a great idea, product, or service in mind, it’s a step-by-step, common-sense process. Here’s step one: Figure out what you want to do and do it . 2 PLAN IT. Determining whether there really is a market for your product or service is fundamental. Consider market research an investment in your future product or service. Make the necessary adjustments now that will save you money in the long run. 3 FUND IT. Figure out where the money will come from. Self-financing is the number-one source of income for startups—and it creates faith in your company when you need more cash. Get the expert advice on how to approach bankers, venture…

Regular aroma pots heat oil from a candle, burning out quickly. Muji’s worldwide bestseller, the Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser ($69.50), is designed with simple lines and uses an ultrasonic plate to diffuse oil without changing its scent. A separate dimmer-equipped LED can help set a restful mood. A timer shuts the diffuser off after three hours. More than a traditional beanbag, the Body Fit Cushion ($150; cover sold separately, $40) is filled with microbeads that conform to a user’s specific body type and resist crushing over time. The window in the Clear Tip Double Ended Highlighter Pen ($1.95) allows users to see text on the page while gliding their highlighter, no lifting necessary. Muji constructs its Bath Towel with Further Options ($17.50) so it doesn’t unravel when cut. This allows customers…

When defending your idea, you want to be indignant and deferential at the same time. In a word: “indignerential.” Fairness is overrated. Think of the argument as something between a skirmish and a donnybrook. A scrap, perhaps. Make your point. Then allow your adversary to make a point. Say, “That’s a good point. However …” Then make your point again. Use stats to bolster your point. Think of them as tools of shock and awe. It helps if they’re used in a meaningless way: “4 million experts can’t be wrong.” Hyperbole is good. Superlatives are good. Superlative hyperbole is the best ever!…

Q: What steps can I take to make more sales? A: Martin Limbeck, a sales trainer and author of NO Is Short for Next Opportunity: How Top Sales Professionals Think, offers these tips for sealing the deal. • Stand by what you sell. “It won’t help your skills or your sales techniques if you don’t believe in the product or the company,” Limbeck says. • Set daily prospecting goals. “To be successful in sales, you need to be sure your sales funnel is never empty,” Limbeck explains. “Some of those will come out the bottom as new customers. If you do it every day, it’s like brushing your teeth. Make it your habit.” • Get ready to respond. Write up answers to every possible question (or objection) a potential customer could ask—and commit…

You don’t have to be an established luxury brand like Cartier or Gucci to flourish in a difficult economic climate. 1stdibs’ success proves you can build a luxury brand from scratch, even in a recession. Founded in 2001, the online antiques and fine art marketplace has grown dramatically since the turn of the decade, nurturing an increasingly global dealer network that sells more than $100 million of products online each year and welcomes more than 3 million website visitors each month. “The answer to how you build a luxury brand through an economic downturn is no different than how other fantastic brands have held their value, like an Hermès or something like that,” says 1stdibs CEO David Rosenblatt. “It all boils down to having a great product supported by great…

The first thing that catches the eye with the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge ($815, or $299 with a carrier contract) is its impossibly rich 5.1-inch display. Yes, the Android phone’s curved glass edges get all the attention, but the real marvel is the 557-pixel-per-inch resolution that makes images—from icons to photos—seem to pop off the screen. And that’s just the flash. The substance behind this revolutionary curved display is its ability to relay important info without the need to power up the phone. Slide a finger along the side of the screen, and up pops the Information Stream, showing notifications in a small strip without lighting up the entire display—great for keeping a low profile in a meeting. Place the phone face down, and the curved edge lights up whenever…

That’s how many shoppers in the U.S., U.K., France and Germany say that accurate information about in-store inventory is critical to their decision to buy, according to a survey conducted by Forrester Research on behalf of Hybris Software and Accenture. However, only one-third of retailers and manufacturers offer real-time inventory-availability data on their websites. Source: Forrester Research, “Customer Desires vs. Retailer Capabilities”…

This past year, we doubled our full-time staff, and most of those positions were for programmers, which is a very competitive hire. Yet only six of the 40 new employees came through an outside recruiter. Even though we face fierce competition from multinational video game companies who have dedicated recruitment teams, we succeeded in organically attracting top talent to our studio, thanks to our in-house employee-referral program and word-of-mouth about our strong company culture, positive work environment and commitment to a work-life balance in an industry where it has historically been an issue. As a result, we minimized our need to pay recruiter fees, saving the equivalent of up to $200,000 on those 34 hires. —As told to Grant Davis…

In late 2013, Matthew Sprague was feeling aimless. After a tour in Iraq, where he injured his back, he left the Army and was living in Pasadena, Calif., with his wife and new baby. Then he saw an advertisement for a franchise expo, and an unexpected path emerged. “I’d never really thought about franchising,” he says. “I met a franchise broker at the expo. We started going through concepts, and I found Bar-B-Clean. I decided that’s the one I’m going with.” Sprague says he had no expectations when he took on the grill-cleaning franchise, which set him back roughly $20,000. But anything, he believed, would be better than the $10 per hour he’d been making at a rental-car company. Little did he know the business would heat up so fast.…

Think you can’t afford to be your own boss? Think again. On the following pages, you’ll find our list of top franchises that can be started for less than $50,000. Some can even be started for less than $5,000. And with 87 companies listed, from pet-sitting and property management services to popcorn carts, you’re sure to find an affordable franchise opportunity that sparks your passion. These businesses are listed based on their ranking in Entrepreneur’s 2015 Franchise 500®, which is determined using objective, quantifiable criteria such as system size, growth and financial strength and stability. The listing is not intended as a recommendation of any particular business. Always conduct your own research, including reading a company’s legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant and talking to experienced franchisees…

1. Which best describes the current state of your business? A. Flailing (5) B. Thriving (-5) 2. Which best describes the current state of yourself? A. Lost (3) B. Found (-3) 3. Which best describes the current state of the weather outside? A. Gross (2) B. Another glorious day! (-2) 4. Which of the following words have been used to describe you? (Circle all that apply.) A. Flighty (3) B. Restless (3) C. Twitchy (3) D. Fidgety (3) E. Inert (-8) 5. When I say, “relocate,” you think … A. Flint to Guangzhou (7) B. Camden to Atlanta (5) C. This neighborhood to that neighborhood (3) D. Office to conference room (0) E. Chair to sofa (-2) 6. How long have you been in your current location? A. Fewer than…