Entrepreneurship Blog | Rafferty Pendery

Five Reasons to Hire a Lawyer When Starting a Business

Jun 14, 2019

Small business owners often save money by trying to wear as many hats as possible. However, when it comes to legal issues, sometimes this strategy is penny smart, but pound foolish. In other words, it is often cheaper to prevent a problem from arising than to fix the problem after it has already arisen. Here are five areas where a lawyer can help a business as it launches:

Entity Formation

Intricately intertwined with the question of how to start a business is the issue of the legal business structure to be used. Often, an entrepreneur will start a business as a sole proprietorship or partnership without fully appreciating the risks involved. Lawyers can explain the differences between sole proprietorship or partnership, on the one hand, and a limited liability entity such as a corporation or limited liability company, on the other hand. More importantly, a lawyer can help form the entity in the relevant state to ensure that all the benefits are there when they are needed.

Contracts

Almost any agreement, whether written or oral, can form the basis of a valid contract. One of the most important tips for entrepreneurs is to have a lawyer on board to help navigate the startup business through the field of contract law. For example, finding a business partner can supercharge a business’s growth and give the business the safety net to avoid failure. In fact, over 80% of businesses fail due to cash flow issues, according to a study by U.S. Bank. However, defining the relationship between the business and the business partner is often done through a contract that specifies the rights and obligations of each party. A “silent” or “passive” business partner is different from an “active” business partner. An equity business partner or venture capitalist is different from a business consultant. Having a lawyer who can define the role of each party in a contract may avoid future problems.

Trademarks

“How to start a business” is different from “how to build a business.” Critical to building a business is that business’s reputation and goodwill. Trademarks are the link between the consumer and a business. If every auto repair business was called “Joe’s Garage,” consumers would have no way of distinguishing the Joe’s Garage that the next door neighbor loves and the Joe’s Garage that ripped off a relative. A lawyer can not only help an entrepreneur to secure trademark protection so that no other business uses the same name or logo, a lawyer can give an entrepreneur tips on avoiding problems with other business’s trademarks.

Zoning and Licensing

“How to start a business” leads naturally to “where to start a business.” Common entrepreneur mistakes include assuming that everything is legal as long as the landlord does not object. However, there is an entire legal structure that defines what businesses can do, where businesses can do it, and what licenses are required. For example, in certain states, hunting guides and outfitters, audiologists, and unarmed security guards need licenses. Similarly, some state and local governments restrict where a business can feed the homeless, raise chickens, or build a church. A lawyer can assist entrepreneurs with zoning and licensing for their new business.

Taxes and Compliance

A common entrepreneur mistake is to forget that the only things that cannot be avoided are death and taxes. While no business owner should pay more than their fair share of taxes, it is equally true that no business owner should evade taxes. A lawyer can help entrepreneurs to make sure that they only pay the right amount of tax. Moreover, an ongoing relationship with a lawyer can ensure compliance with other local, state, and federal agency regulations, such as fire and building inspections, family leave, workers compensation, unemployment insurance, and many other business regulations.

In researching how to start a business, an entrepreneur should consider the role professionals, like lawyers, can play. Often, hiring a lawyer when starting a business can avoid problems and their associated costs down the road.

Everything You Need to Know About Digital Entrepreneurs

Jun 12, 2019

The digital entrepreneurship industry has significantly grown in the last few years. While Silicon Valley has always been home to ambitious tech entrepreneurs, the Internet has made it possible for anyone to become a business owner. This has been facilitated by the fact that global trade is expanding as new technologies provide a framework for global commerce.

If you are interested in becoming an entrepreneur, then you may be wondering how to get started. So, what are some of the properties of the digital entrepreneur?

1. Ability to Mobilize Resources

Unlike a traditional business owner, a tech entrepreneur can quickly mobilize resources to start and operate a business. Most startups fail to succeed because they do not have sufficient funds to cater to their immediate needs. Tech entrepreneurs know that this is one of the common entrepreneur mistakes they want to avoid if their startups are going to be successful.

2. Find A Mentor For Business Success Tips

While you may fantasize about becoming a self-made entrepreneur, most great business leaders have a trusted mentor. As you seek to launch your business, look for experienced industry leaders who can provide ongoing coaching and entrepreneurship tips. Many business owners find it hard to succeed because they do not have the tips and strategies that are necessary for succeeding in their industry. If you want to be the digital entrepreneur who will have a significant impact on the digital landscape, you need to have some vital entrepreneurship tips. Fortunately, the Internet provides many opportunities for networking and relationship development.

3. The Grit to Start a Business

Remember: not everyone has what it takes to run a successful company. Starting any new business will involve setbacks and drama. If you are the type of person who cannot cope with high levels of stress and disappointment, then you may not have the grit to succeed. Ironically, in order to succeed, you must know how to cope with failure.

4. Public Speaking Ability

Any digital entrepreneur who has the potential to succeed possesses a natural public speaking ability. You may need to regularly present your business plan to investors or potential clients, which you cannot do if you are nervous speaking in front of crowds. Many entrepreneurs also translate their success into a side career as paid international speakers. Fear of public speaking has significant impacts on your income as you will earn 10% less on average than those who do not fear public speaking.

Becoming a digital entrepreneur is a complex process. To learn more, keep reading our tech entrepreneurship blog and other resources. You too can become a digital entrepreneur if you are highly focused and committed.

New Entrepreneurs: 4 Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Jun 10, 2019

Everybody makes mistakes. However, most people don’t hold the fate of a product, brand, or entire company in their hands. Welcome to the world of startups.

Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. Three out of four individuals experience speech anxiety, which can severely diminish your effectiveness as a business owner. After all, it’s up to you to communicate your vision to your team, and often to your customers.

Besides lacking any skill as a public speaker, the following are four common entrepreneur mistakes to avoid as you learn how to start a business.

1. Being a Solution in Search of a Problem

This is one of the most common entrepreneur mistakes. When you’re creating your product and developing your business, it’s imperative to have a customer-first mentality. And when you’re just starting out, that means finding a real problem to solve, and then creating a product to solve that problem.

Most people go about this backwards — they have a product idea, or they discover something they’re uniquely gifted in. Then they go about developing a product based on that idea, all along assuming that people will actually want it.

Sadly, it’s not always the case.

Unless you start with the problem you want to solve, you can’t be sure that the solution you develop is going to really benefit people (and thus be profitable).

So instead of asking yourself, “What am I good at?” or even, “What can I do to help people?” Ask yourself, “What problems are people in my niche experiencing, and how can I solve them at scale?”

2. Going at it Alone

It’s almost a cliche, but it’s true: people thrive and work better with friends. That may be truer in the startup world than anywhere else. This leads us to another of the most common entrepreneur mistakes: trying to go solo.

Of all companies worth over a billion dollars, roughly 85% of them were launched by at least two founders. It’s fairly uncommon for a business to see massive success when it’s driven forward by just one person.v

It’s not fun to think about, but launching and scaling your business to profitability is going to be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. There are going to be days—weeks, even—when all you want to do is quit. Without a cofounder, coach, or at least an accountability partner, you‘ll most likely give up.

3. Never (Really) Getting Started

This is a more elementary mistake, but it’s a very common one among budding entrepreneurs.

Many would-be entrepreneurs fall into the trap of being busy doing nothing—attending seminars, watching lectures, reading books, and taking copious notes, without ever really putting themselves and their ideas out there for the world to see.

Business development is a public process—if you don’t launch a campaign, talk about what you’re working on, and get other eyes on it, you will not have a business.

This is usually a side-effect of fear. Sometimes the antidote is education—you need to learn about your field, and how to manage your own success when it comes. Just as likely, you’ve done enough learning and it’s time for action.

4. Assuming You Have No Real Competitors

Let’s be honest: when you’re a product developer or startup founder, you’re as proud as a new parent. And like a new parent, you’re pretty much convinced that your baby can do no wrong and that no one in the world could possibly replace it.

This assumption is another of the most common entrepreneur mistakes. It’s natural for new founders to feel this way, given the excitement of the startup process. However, it can lead them into believing that their product is so superior to everything else that’s out there, that they have no direct competitors.

In actuality, it’s incredibly unusual for a product or business to have no direct competitors. Unless you’ve invented something absolutely original (hard to do, and even harder to sell), there’s absolutely someone out there with an alternative product that people are already using.

It isn’t always necessary for a product to be ten times better than the competition to be profitable, but it’s still a good goal to shoot for. In any case, you must do your due diligence in finding the companies already serving your target audience, and discovering how you can differentiate yourself and your business.

Common Mistakes Public Speakers Make and How to Avoid Them

Jun 7, 2019

Do you have what it takes to be a great international speaker? Public speaking is a soft skill that entails speaking to an audience to pass along important information. More often than not, it is geared towards pushing the audience to take a specific action following the event. While a lot of people can be good speakers, public speaking entails more than just talking into a microphone.

Public Speaking is More than Delivering Information

Every international public speaker understands that there is more to speaking in public than reading from a piece of paper. For starters, what you say to an audience is essential, but it is not as important as how you say it. For an effective presentation, studies have suggested that 38% of it is your voice, 55% relies on non-verbal communication, and the remaining 7% goes to your content.

Technology has leaped forward, but the components of public speaking that make it effective have hardly changed. For instance, every paid international speaker should capitalize on the first seven seconds of a speech because it is during this short time that listeners decide if they will trust the speaker or not. Here are some of the most common mistakes public speakers make and how to avoid them.

Not creating an initial rapport with the listener: A lot of presenters spend most of their time putting together the content of their speech which sometimes keeps them in the information bubble. Instead of establishing opening lines that will help them create rapport with the audience, these speakers simply deliver information in a boring way. Rapport with your listeners is a make-or-break quality to your presentation.The best way to avoid this mistake is to research your audience beforehand. This will enable you to familiarize yourself their goals and their causes, allowing you to find the best way to approach them. Preparing for a speech is like starting a business. A business person avoids entrepreneur mistakes by knowing their customer’s demographics, culture, and expectations. You need to know this information when preparing for your speech if you are to connect with the audience.
Not having clear points: Listeners need clear and simple takeaways from your speech, otherwise they won’t perform the necessary action following the event. Modern society has come with a lot of distraction that has shortened our attention span. An effective way to deter a loss of interest is to have short, clear points that your audience can apply straight away in their lives. Also, don’t bombard them with tons of information that can make them feel overwhelmed. Keep your main points between three and five punchy points and pad these bits of information with more detail. Make it easy for your audience to follow you from one point to another, which creates flow and keeps them engaged.
Don’t be dependent on visual aids: Every public speaker needs to use visual aids at some point in their presentation, but you should not overload the audience with power points. Avoid reading from your presentation and filling it with tons of text, otherwise, you will distract your audience. It’s vital that you keep their attention on you as much as possible. To be an effective speaker, you need to keep eye contact and draw energy from them through crowd interactions. Look for signs of interest, so you know when audience attention is waning. You will elicit a hunger in the people watching you, and hit emotional triggers better when you pay attention to your audience.
Not getting the right timing: An international speaker is like a comedian. Both must get the timing right to present information that people will assimilate. As an international speaker, you should not go beyond the allotted time, and you should form the habit of timing your statements to keep them exciting and long enough. Break up your presentation with stories, jokes, and crowd interaction to make your presentation dynamic.

Entrepreneur tips for public speakers say that you should have a plan B for every presentation you make. If things start going south, you will be prepared. When you want to become a better international speaker, rely on the help of Rafferty Pendery to become a professional.

7 Important Entrepreneur Tips That Small Business Owners Need to Know

May 22, 2019

Avoiding entrepreneur mistakes is the only way startup companies can reach their fifth year of operations. Recent studies indicated that 80% of the small businesses that were started in 2014 made it to the second year of operations, 2015. However, several research studies have proven that less than 70% of the small startups don’t get to see their third year of operations, let alone the fifth. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the entrepreneur tips that small business owners can use to succeed in business.

1. Adequate Capitalization

One of the most important entrepreneur tips that startup entrepreneurs can use to succeed in their investments is having adequate capitalization, otherwise known as money. There is no way business can succeed without sufficient capital. Entrepreneurs make the mistake of having little capitalization at the onset of the business. Little do they know that the company will not be able to withstand market forces and turbulence in the first few years.

2. Excellent Planning

One of the most common entrepreneur tips that all potential investors know is that they need to plan for their businesses. Most failed businesses have attributed failure to poor planning and lack of contingency plans. Reading a reputable entrepreneurship blog could provide an entrepreneur with some important details on how to formulate simple plans and contingency strategies that the business will follow, especially when the original strategy fails to deliver results.

3. Understanding the Market

For a business to succeed, understanding the market is an essential factor. Many entrepreneurs know everything concerning their product and they are convinced that it is a great product. However, they fail to understand whether the product they are offering fits the market. Entrepreneur mistakes don’t just happen, but they result from a series of minor mistakes, such as not analyzing the market and not understanding buyer behavior. Professional understanding of the market generates the expected results and helps the business to succeed.

4. Hiring Professionals

History has proven that it is very difficult for a business to succeed without the support of professionals. Small business owners tend to cut costs by doing everything themselves. That is one of the methods of bringing the business down. Startup companies are very delicate, which means that they require the services of experts to stabilize. Hiring an attorney, an accountant, and an experienced marketing expert is a great recipe for growth. As a business owner, you cannot handle everything by yourself, unless you’re planning to fail.

5. Working with Partners

Hiring professionals has been highlighted as one of the tips that entrepreneurs can use to succeed. However, finding a business partner is also a strategic method of moving the business to the next level. Although a partner will reduce the share of profits, they will be offering professional services that you’re not likely to get when working alone. Moreover, a partner can inject funds into the business while helping in critical decision-making processes.

6. Incorporating Technology

Technology is one of the strategies that small business can use to succeed in a competitive market. A business that uses advanced techniques to handle most of its services cannot be compared to the brick and motor companies that still use manual operations. Besides cutting down operational costs, technology increases productivity and efficiency while improving service delivery to customers. Businesses that want to succeed in the digital era must use technology as one of their operational pillars.

7. Get a Motivational Speaker

You can occasionally hire a motivational speaker to speak to your employees and keep motivated. A paid international speaker could prove to be relevant to your employees because they will instill a sense of belonging to your employees and keep focused on the goals of the company. Corporate speakers have for a longer period been known to provide entrepreneur tips that could also be important to the owner of the business.

Not one of these entrepreneur tips will deliver results alone. All these factors and business tips must be incorporated in tandem by the entrepreneur and employees working in the company. This is the only way the company will be able to break the curse of collapsing with the first three years of its inception.

Start an Entrepreneur Blog Now to Gain More Traffic For Your Business

May 20, 2019

Apple, notably one of the biggest names in the tech game changed how we communicate and share information. It shrunk the entire world down to pocket-sized proportions, making everything more accessible. To make matters more impressive, Jobs did all this working out of a garage in Palo Alto, California.

Now, thanks to our modern technology and the ideas and principles he left behind, it’s easier than ever to follow in his footsteps. Around 69% of entrepreneurs have founded companies right out of their own home. It’s an impressive feat, and if you ask any young business owner, it sure beats working a typical nine to five.

Utilizing the web efficiently by mastering your social media skills is the key to success. But no social media channel can hope to survive without starting a blog. This simple tool can help a business grow in ways you never dreamed of.

How an entrepreneurship blog can help your business grow

A blog adds more personality to your business’ site. Not only can it help establish the tone of your business, but it also helps your website rank better on Google when it utilizes SEO marketing. You’ll also be creating easily sharable content that can be sent to every corner of the web. A blog even can help you market your products or services, providing a useful way for you to share engaging content and reviews with your audience.

What to Write About

A business owner can write about their particular set of skills as well as their achievements. This is vital for an up-and-coming entrepreneur. Here are some possible topics for your entrepreneurship blog:

Common entrepreneur mistakes
Entrepreneur tips
How to start a business
How to finance your startup

Use your experience to sell your skills to your readers. By sharing your knowledge on a particular topic, you’ll find your business growing in no time. Use your entrepreneurship blog to make connections with individuals who value your advice. Try gaining ideas for your entrepreneurship blog by following industry leaders in your field.

Setting up your blog

If you’re convinced that starting an entrepreneurship blog is the right decision for you, here are some easy steps to help get you started.

Select a domain name. Preferably something short and simple.
Search for web hosting. You’ll need a hosting provider if you want your blog to look professional. Through a web hosting service, you will have complete creative control over the look of your blog.
Come up with a publishing schedule. You want to remain consistent. Even if you only have time to post once a week, try to commit to a set time.
Find an appropriate theme to suit your style.
Brainstorm your first post.
Write, proofread, and finally publish your first post.
Don’t forget to share it on social media!

Thanks to modern technology, you can start a business from the comfort of your own home. You’ll also market your business and entrepreneurship skills without ever leaving the house. For more information on starting an entrepreneurship blog, rely on the talent of Rafferty Pendery to begin.

3 Skills to Master in Silicon Valley

May 13, 2019

If you’re trying to become an up and coming tech entrepreneur, getting into Silicon Valley isn’t as easy as it looks. Nowadays, it seems that every tech guru and digital marketing expert is trying to get a piece of that valuable pie. So, how do you stand out among the crowd?

If you’re wondering how to succeed as a tech entrepreneur, here are some of the top skills you should master to take Silicon Valley by storm.

Copywriting skills

In the world of tech, nothing is more valuable than someone who knows how to write. Amidst the jumble of code and numbers, few techies have learned how to express themselves articulately, let alone transfer their knowledge onto paper.

This is why copywriting has become so essential in tech startups. No successful business can succeed without a copywriter with experience in effective messaging, creative writing, and marketing copy. When you want to stand out among the other tech geniuses in the room, a little creativity goes a long way.

Financing skills

Unless you majored in business, it’s likely that you only have a basic understanding of finances and accounting. If you’re a marketer or computer engineer, get ready to roll up your sleeves. Diving into an introductory finance course can work wonders.

While you don’t need to become an expert in financial modeling, being able to interpret graphs and understand how they work in real-life applications is essential.

Public speaking

If you’re afraid to speak in front of a crowd, you will always remain a member of the audience. Public speaking is a valuable tip that any industry can benefit from, whether you’re a tech entrepreneur, a teacher, or a lawyer. Public speaking incorporates a variety of skills, including persuasion tactics, preparation tricks, and vocal projection. If you suffer from speaking anxiety, a crash course in public speaking is the best way to conquer your fears.

Did you know that women-owned businesses are growing at double the rate of businesses owned by men? If you want a slice of this valuable pie, learn these skills to stand out. When you want to become the next big tech entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, rely on the skill and experience of international speaking guru, Rafferty Pendery.

What Challenges Do Lawyers Often Face?

May 10, 2019

Whether you’re a small firm lawyer or an attorney for the supreme court, there are a few common issues that any legal professional can experience.

If you’re thinking about joining the legal field, here are some of the most common challenges that you could face as a lawyer.

Grappling with new technology

Now that everything is available online, lawyers have experienced challenges trying to outline the law for their client. While it’s recommended that a person seeking legal counsel get as much information regarding their case as they can, some are being influenced by unreliable online sources. This can create numerous hoops that a lawyer has to jump through as they correct untrue pieces of information.

New technology has also impacted trial proceedings. Dashboard cameras on cars and other monitoring devices have transformed how we view criminal cases. When piecing together who’s at fault, these new pieces of technology can make or break a case.

Changing regulations

Between marijuana legalization and increasing environmental regulations, lawyers have to become experts regarding law changes and what is considered a criminal act.

This can take more time than you expect. While many of these laws are expanding rights and preventing environmental harm, a lawyer must set aside ample study time off the clock.

Public speaking issues

Not all lawyers are naturally outgoing. In fact, between 58% and 64% of lawyers have speaking anxiety. The courtroom heralds confident public speakers, making this source of anxiety detrimental to a criminal case.

This is also a common issue among tech entrepreneurs and those wondering how to start a business. While many think that public speaking is an innate talent, it’s actually a learnable skill that takes practice and dedication to master. If you’re one of the many lawyers or new entrepreneurs who struggle to speak publicly, rely on the experience of Rafferty Pendery.

Rafferty Pendery is an international public speaker who wants to help you succeed. Whether you need help avoiding entrepreneur mistakes or you need tips to quell speech anxiety in the courtroom, Rafferty Pendery can teach you to wow any crowd. Contact Rafferty Pendery today when you want to become a public speaker with confidence.

How To Start A Business: The First 3 Steps You Need To Know

Apr 25, 2019

Starting a successful business takes dedication, concentration, and a fair amount of courage. It also requires a commitment to completing the necessary steps that build a great business. If you’re wondering how to start a business, follow these initial steps to give yourself a stable foundation for the future.

Research and refine

Before you make any moves to start your business, hop online and do some research about the industry. Learn what companies already exist in your field and if anyone is already offering a version of your business idea. By knowing what current brand leaders are doing, you can find ways to make it better or deliver the same services for a lower price. This small amount of research can help you refine your business plan and give your blossoming business a strong “why” from which you can build.

Outline a business plan

That business plan is the blueprint that will guide your company through its start-up phase and into an established business. Without a business plan, it is all too easy for a new company to run into costly mistakes that they could have easily avoided. The exact type of business plan you need depends on your type of business and its needs. If you will be looking for financial support from a financial institution or investors, you will need a traditionally long and thorough business plan to show them. If you aren’t seeking additional support, you can work with a simpler business plan that is made just for your use.

Plan your finances

You don’t need to be a billionaire to start a business, but you do need to make an initial investment. As about 82% of businesses fail because of cash flow problems, you will also need to be sure that you have enough funds to cover the ongoing expenses that come up before you’re able to turn a profit. Prepare for all of these fees by putting together a spreadsheet that estimates the startup costs of your business and what you’ll need to keep it running. From those numbers, you can start constructing plans for obtaining loans and grants to get your business off the ground.

Learning how to start a business certainly isn’t an easy task, but it is possible. With well thought out plans, good tech entrepreneur advice, and trusted partnerships, you can soon realize your dreams of starting a new business.

Essential Tech Entrepreneur Advice: Know These Top Mistakes You Can Make

Apr 22, 2019

No one ever said that being a tech entrepreneur was easy. As you look through endless listicles of tips and tech entrepreneur advice, the plethora of information can quickly overwhelm you. Oftentimes, knowing what not to do is more helpful than a list of hundreds of tips for entrepreneurs. Take a look through these most common mistakes tech entrepreneurs can make and you’ll know the missteps you need to avoid in order to find success.

Mistake 1: Fearing the leap of faith

There are smart business moves and then there are business moves made out of fear. Making certain commitments, such as signing the dotted line of a partnership contract or giving the green light on product development, is often the most daunting part of being an entrepreneur. However, you need to embrace these leaps of faith in order to keep moving forward. Tackling these milestones can help you overcome other fears that can be hindering your success, such as having a fear of public speaking. Research has shown that those who fear public speaking make on average 10% less than those who don’t, which makes conquering this fear something you can’t afford to brush off.

Mistake 2: Taking on an unmanageable workload

While you may feel that you need to wear many hats in order to drive a young business to success, taking on too much at once oftentimes leads to failure. For this reason, choosing a manageable workload is one of the most useful pieces of tech entrepreneur advice. Set boundaries early on and identify which tasks and responsibilities you can give to other team members. As long as you’ve built a trustworthy team around you, you shouldn’t have any hesitations in delegating the workload. If you are wary, you should probably start with actually finding a team you trust.

Mistake 3: Ignoring important feedback

Feedback is what allows all industries to continue growing and developing. This is especially true in the tech industry. From the very beginning, tech entrepreneurs should proactively seek professional feedback. They should also reach out to customers as soon as their services or products hit the market. While you will likely hear a fair bit of criticism, those words also contain the most helpful directions on how you can improve.

The mistake that seems the smallest is too often the downfall of an entrepreneur. By avoiding these common entrepreneur mistakes and following the top tech entrepreneur advice, you and your business will soon be on the road to success.

Public Speaking Mistakes Even Extroverts Can Make

Apr 17, 2019

The fear of public speaking is deeply ingrained in the psyches of many budding entrepreneurs. But even if you’re confident in front of a crowd, you may still fall victim to some of the most common public speaking mistakes that plague young professionals.

Whether you’re a lawyer or an entrepreneur, practice avoiding these public speaking pitfalls before you stand up in front of a crowd.

Speaking too softly

It’s common for public speakers to rely on only the boom of the mic to express their message. Unfortunately, speakers might not realize they’re speaking too softly until it’s too late. Emblazon your presentation with passion and drive in order to make your message hit home. This includes projecting your voice, with or without a microphone. Practice by standing up straight, pushing out your chest, and speaking from your diaphragm, not your throat. This will ensure that you are heard whether you’re using a microphone or not.

Finishing on a dull note

This is a trap even the most experienced public speakers can fall into. Without a proper takeaway action, your audience members want to know what to do following your presentation. If your audience leaves wondering “now what?” then you need to go back to the drawing board.

Correct these common entrepreneur mistakes by asking your audience to take action after your presentation. Do you want your audience to change their lives? Improve their surroundings? Like your page on Facebook? Giving them an action item will give them direction following a powerful presentation.

Failing to rehearse beforehand

The key to public speaking is sounding confident and assured. If you’re stumbling over your words or stuttering on stage, your audience’s attention will assuredly falter. According to market research, what you say is not nearly as important as how you say it. It’s estimated that a presentation’s effectiveness is 38% voice, 55% non-verbal cues, and 7% content. This makes practicing your speech beforehand vital.

Practicing can help you ensure that your body is doing what you want it to do when you want to do it. Rehearsing will help you get your timing just right, stop nervous tics from happening, and identify points of emphasis throughout your presentation. These entrepreneur mistakes can be hard to correct, but they can be mitigated with practice.

Whether you’re a tech entrepreneur or an international public speaker, avoiding issues with public speaking are among the most common entrepreneur mistakes. The next time you want to wow a crowd, rely on Rafferty Pendery’s entrepreneurship blog for more information.

The Top Qualities Excellent International Speakers Need To Embody

Apr 15, 2019

The best tech entrepreneurs know more than just how to run their business and sell their products. They also know how to speak. With three out of four people suffering from speech anxiety, combining acute business acumen with effective public speaking is easier said than done. While you won’t be able to become a renowned international speaker overnight, you can start by knowing what qualities it takes. Discover the top qualities of international public speakers and you will soon be on the way to embodying these characteristics yourself.

Focusing on the message, not the money

While becoming a paid international speaker wouldn’t be a bad thing for most people, it shouldn’t be the driving force behind you getting on stage. If you’re mostly concentrated on what you can get out of the endeavor, you won’t be putting your efforts behind your message and that will show. Without a good message, you’ll never make that coveted cash or grow your business in any way.

Effectively marketing yourself

Once you feel like you’ve nailed the right message, you need to have the initiative to start promoting yourself. Add “speaker” on all of your social media profiles and build a website specifically for this role. To position yourself as a trustworthy source, you’ll want to constantly release content by blogging, making videos, and writing guest posts for other sites. Remember to also talk to others in person about your speaking engagements. Even in this tech-driven world, word of mouth can still be a very effective marketing tool.

Constantly Improve Your Speaking Skills

All of your other efforts will be useless if you can’t capture audiences with your speaking skills. Even if you think that your skills are pretty good, it can be worthwhile to hire a speaking coach and read professional resources on effective public speaking. You can also record yourself giving a speech and watch it to observe your body language, hand gestures, and speaking habits. This may feel strange, but this strategy makes it easy for you to spot places where you can improve.

Being an international speaker can present you with many opportunities, both for yourself and for your business. Contact Rafferty Pendery to find out more about how you can start your journey today.