3 Changes That Could Save Your Company Money

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As a business owner, the chances are that you focus your time on boosting your profits and growth. However, if you want to increase how profitable your company is, a crucial area you need to focus on is cutting costs. If your spending is out of control, your profits and growth will suffer because of it.

That’s why, if there are any ways that you can save money, you need to be doing them. You may not think that there are any viable solutions for cutting costs, but you would be surprised. Far too many entrepreneurs make the mistake of thinking that their options for reducing spending are limited.

These three money-saving changes, highlight the fact that if you are careful about how you spend, your company can save.

Buy resources in bulk online

If you want to save money on your resources, like pens, printer cartridges, and stamps, buy in bulk online. Many business owners opt to buy their supplies from high street business stores, but the truth is, these can often be over-priced. Plus, by ordering online, you’ll save on fuel costs.

While you will have to pay for delivery costs, by ordering online in bulk, you’ll save money. You don’t necessarily have to buy everything from one site, as by shopping around, you may be able to save. For example, a fantastic site for picking up affordable stamps from is http://onlinestamp.net/buy-stamps/. If you look around, you’ll also be able to find some other sites that are amazing for saving money on resources.

Go paperless

According to research, 40% of paper used for business use is thrown away within 48 hours of being used. Instead of wasting money on the cost of paper and printing ink, consider becoming a paperless company. Not only will going paperless save you a lot of money, but it will also help to save the environment. For more reasons, take a look at http://www.business2community.com/sustainability/.

Instead of printing documents, encourage your employees to email items and share via Google documents. You’ll not only be saving money but in terms of security, confidential information will also be safer as it will only be stored online. You’ll also cut down on the costs of paper shredding, as your company won’t be using paper.

Shop around for cheaper services

You may think that you’re getting a good price for your commercial services – web hosting, internet access, and so on. However, it’s worth looking around. Sometimes, by switching to another company, you can reduce the amount that you are paying for certain services.

You may also find that by bundling some of your business’s services together, that you can save money. The key to cutting the costs of your services is shopping around. Sometimes, simple changes like switching your payment method can make a difference. That’s why, it’s so important to look at all your options when it comes to saving money on your services.

By implementing these three changes, you could reduce your company’s spending. Helping to increase your profits and making company growth a little easier.

EP 29: Angel Investor Tatyana Gray Explains What Investors Are Looking For

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Angel investor Tatyana Gray explains shifts in the investment world, and shares different things that turn off investors to founders and ways to impress them.

Lightning Round Answers:

EP11: Viktor Jondal & Peter Ragonetti Explain 3D Printing & Pitch Fleks3D

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Industrial designers Viktor Jondal & Peter Ragonetti pitch their new product Fleks3D that improves 3D printing! They also explain how 3D printing works, and how it is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry.

Listen to the podcast then go to Kickstarter and back their campaign if you like what their doing!

5 Things Every Great Online Startup Needs

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Starting a new business is truly exciting. But if you want it to become a successful venture, it’s imperative that you follow the right procedures. This is especially true when dealing with the vicious online arena.

Of course, there is a degree of trial and error involved. Nevertheless, there are some lessons that you should know before jumping it at the deep end. Here are five essential items that will lead you down the pathway to success.

A Great Team

Every business owner should appreciate the fact that their venture can only be as successful as the team behind it. Your innovation and ideas are what will direct the company, but it’s the input of your staff that will drive it forward.

The key is to help them help you. This is the hallmark of a great boss and entrepreneur. The staff is your most important asset, build a better team and you’ll never look back.

A Great Website

No online business can achieve its goals without putting the right structures in place. The company website is clearly the most important, and should be the focus of your attentions until it is perfect.

Whether it’s a store or an online news site doesn’t matter. If you’re going to make money online, you’ll need visitors to stay. It’s important to remember that habits are changing too. Make the site optimized for small devices too, and you’ll be opening your doors to a much larger audience.

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A Great Payment Structure

The website offers a great foundation for the online venture. But you cannot convert sales unless your facilities are ready to accommodate. It’s imperative that you accept as many payment options as possible, which is why Payline Data should be considered a must.

Online shopping is supposed to be a leisurely activity. Make it easier for your customers to complete a purchase, and you should reap the rewards of increased sales.

A Great Online Presence

Competition on the internet is fierce. In fact, there are over one billion websites in existence. If you are going to achieve your place in the market, it’s vital that you take the necessary steps to stand out from the crowd.

The best way to achieve this is through a combination of great SEO and social media marketing. Make your website visible and engaging, and there will be no limit to what you can achieve. Failure to do this will simply leave you lost among the crowded online environment.

A Great Relationship With Customers

Visibility is crucial, but it’s only effective if you are sparking interest from the intended audience. As a startup, building a community spirit is key. Make customers feel like participants rather than spectators. You’ll be amazed at the impact great customer care can bring.

This is the one area of business where you can have a huge advantage over bigger companies. Take advantage. After all, repeat business is the key to long-term profits. Apart from anything, those existing customers are likely to tell friends about the great service. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools available.

And there you have it. Follow those five items, and your online ventures should thrive.

Crowdfunding Pitch Show EP8: David Wilson Pitches Jamblaster

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In this pitch episode David Wilson pitches their amazing new product the Jamblaster, that allows play music with others live in sync remotely, record pro quality audio, broadcast video performances, teach/take online lessons & more! You can even do live Youtube broadcasts with multiple camera angles, all through Jamblaster.

Check out their campaign here after listening to the pitch!

EP 28: Angel Investor Ivan Raiklin Talks Sharing Economy

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In this episode I have a great conversation with former green beret now angel investor Ivan Raiklin about why he started investing in sharing economy startups. We talk about their potential impact on the economy, different ways to gain traction, and he shares insights into how to rapidly expand your knowledge as a startup founder.

The Essentials Of A Graphic Design Startup

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Starting a new graphic business is never easy. No one wants to be the bearer of bad news, but most fail before they even begin. To make sure that a new startup doesn’t fail, there are a few generic business rules that you need to be aware of first. Once you have those under control, it is time to move onto the next step – the essentials of graphic design.

There are certain things that every graphic design company needs to succeed, and here are a few just to get you started. As long as you have the following, you should be able to go from strength to strength.

The Relevant Skills

Graphic design is a not an industry that you can walk into and pick up right off the bat. Yes, it is possible to learn the skills through practice. However, most graphic designers have a natural sense and a gift as designing is like art. If you are not a creative person, the odds are that graphic design is not the industry for you. No one is saying that you should give up your dream, but you need to be realistic about what you can offer.

Training

There are elements of graphic design that you may never have encountered in your life. Obviously, that is a problem. Thankfully, this problem is easily rectified with some simple training. By attending training courses, you can learn the secrets of graphic design and the elements that are foreign. Plus, you also get the opportunity to invest more time in your abilities. The result is that the majority of people tend to become better at their jobs. Adobe Illustrator training by Training Connection is one course that graphic designers should obtain. But, there are plenty more.

Money

Unfortunately, you are going to need a lot of cash to get your business off the ground. There is just now getting around the fact as startups need to speculate to accumulate. So, do you have the money? If the answer is no, you may want to reconsider. Even though the idea is exciting, it will soon crumble if you cannot finance the company. Of course, there are alternative sources of finance, so you don’t always need the money in the bank. But, you need to be careful because the repayments can cripple you, and the bank may take collateral. Some people have lost their jobs, the businesses and their homes.

Commercial Awareness

Any business that cannot market itself is not going to survive. The way to make money and to grow is to get people to buy or invest. Investors or customers will only do that when they like what they see, and if they don’t see it, they won’t buy. Think carefully about how you are going to market the business and make people aware of your brand.

Legal Help

A lawyer is essential. They will take you through every part of the process and make sure that you don’t go wrong in a legal sense. The last thing you want is a lawsuit because you neglected the legal side of starting a new business.

Special Episode: Smart Crowdfunding & Clickable Prototypes

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In this special Thanksgiving episode Shane Liddell CEO of Smart Crowdfunding tell his story helping 100’s of startups have successful campaigns, and Kenn Palm, CEO of Pilgrim Consulting talks about entrepreneurship, investing, and how clickable prototypes are essential for tech startups.

The Most Common Reasons For Startups Falling at the First Hurdle

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The romantic in all of us would love to quit our day jobs and make a go of it on our own. The idea of being your own boss and finding success is what many of us dream of. Hell, it’s the very reason this blog was founded. And this is becoming a reality for more and more young entrepreneurs, but reality has a way of never quite panning out how you’d expect, doesn’t it?

As you can probably tell, I am a willing advocate for startups and small businesses. The pursuit of your dreams is perhaps the most beautiful thing in the world, and I like to do what I can to encourage and educate that. The unfortunate truth, however, is that many startups fall at the first hurdle, and they are usually their own undoing.

Here are some of the more common reasons that small businesses fail to get off the ground, and what you can do to avoid compounding the same mistakes.

Being Narrow Minded

Nobody has ever gotten anywhere in business without some degree of ego. It takes an immense overconfidence in your abilities just to take the plunge, let alone make it work. That same arrogance, however, can lead to poor business decisions. When you’re in the boss’ shoes, you might think that you know best, but that’s not always the case.

Stick to what you know. If you’ve gotten far in your venture, that’s probably an understanding of business models. Everything else? Don’t be afraid to seek advice elsewhere. The best owners accept their own limitations and supplement them with expert knowledge from other fields.

Lack of Foresight

Many business owners suffer from this same problem, and it’s especially common amongst startups. Why? Because you’re so fixated on the here and now, you can lose sight of the bigger picture. If you find that all your decisions are being made for the short-term, you’re doing it wrong. You should always have an eye on your future. Otherwise, you won’t have a future.

Fail to prepare and prepare to fail, as the old saying goes. Budget constraints often suffer most as a result of shortsightedness. Consider enlisting the help of a financial advisor to guide you through the short-term. They’re well adept at also considering the long-term. Or, if you have an interest in online cloud accountants, Accountancy Anywhere are a service that can offer you expert advice.

Startup Stock Photos

Startup Stock Photos

 

Bad Intentions

Trust me, I’ve come across many business owners in my time, and a few of them have had their hearts in the wrong place. Those types have been fixated on money, with no regard for the customer or product. They don’t care how, they just want to make money, and to hell with everyone else. I’ve also found that those same people are the ones that ultimately crash and burn. I guess you really do reap what you sow.

Above all, have a belief in your product. If it isn’t the very best it can be, why are you even bothering to sell it? If it’s not something you love and take pride in, shelve it. You’ll only get yourself a bad reputation.

Crowdfunding Pitch Show EP 7: Kanga Hoodie & The Grove

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This week we had Vincent Bradley from Flashfunders come on the show to talk about equity crowdfunding and it’s impact on traditional investment. Then were joined by Gabe Blanchet founder of GroveLabs.IO to talk about their invention, the Grove Ecosystem. An amazing way to turn your house into a self-contained ecosystem to grow your own food!

Next we had founder of Kickshark, Jack Campbell on to talk about their latest campaign the Kanga Hoodie, a great new spin on the hoodie concept! You can even put your laptop into your hoodie pockets. Fantastic new invention!

Check out their campaigns below!

Crowdfunding Pitch Show EP 6: Torch & Hypercharge Hub

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This week we had two awesome pitches. First for the Hypercharge Hub an amazing new invention that accelerates charging of mobile devices by 50%.

Next we learned about an innovative new router than enables parents to control what their children can access online, and even set up time limits per child.

Crowdfunding Pitch Show EP 3: Tablet Table & Will Stroet

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We had a great show with two awesome interviews. First with Tablet Table and amazing new invention to help the disabled have access to modern technology.

Next we had Will Stroet, an incredible musician from Canada pitch his great new album for kids.