tips for entrepreneurs

Never Run Out of Online Content Again: Creating Valuable Content for Social Media

May 7, 2020

They say content is king when it comes to marketing yourself or your business online. But what exactly does this mean?

While marketing your services is a large factor in garnering a loyal following, you also want to create valuable (and entertaining) information online. Not only does this make your website, blog, or social media account more memorable, but it also allows your audience to connect with your message.

Wonder how you can create this valuable content, even when it feels like you’re always fresh out of ideas? Read on. Here are online content tips for entrepreneurs.

Tips for Entrepreneurs Online

tips for entrepreneurs

1. Find Your Specific Niche

If you’re still in the process of developing your web presence, you’ll need to establish your online niche first. This allows you to create specific content catered to your target audience. You don’t want it to be too broad. Let’s say you love cooking — but with so many online businesses dedicated to the craft, how are you supposed to stand out? Niche even further down. Focus on cooking desserts, plant-based meals, or recipes suitable for college kids.

2. Batch Your Tasks Throughout the Week

Batch your tasks, as this keeps your creativity and work-flow momentum going. For example, every Monday, focus on writing an engaging blog post. Tuesday can be your chance to interact with your Instagram followers, upload an Instagram post, and story.

3. Show Off Your Personality

Your can still come off personable and relatable without losing an ounce of your professionalism online. If you’re trying to bring in more customers into your auto repair shop, film a quick day in the life, and upload it to YouTube or Instagram. However, showing off your skillset and knowledge should always come first.

4. Improve Your Skills Constantly

Let’s say you’ve mastered the art of creating stunning product photography, however, when it comes to creating an infographic for Pinterest, you’re stuck. You can always take a course online, watch a video tutorial, or hire someone to help you in the area you lack in.

As an entrepreneur, accept that the learning never stops if you want to continue to experience growth.

5. Avoid Entrepreneur Mistakes Online

Common entrepreneur mistakes to avoid when conducting business online include:

  • Not having the same name across all social media platforms
  • Neglecting your uploading or posting schedule too often
  • Failing to understand that running an online business still requires a lot of work

Becoming the Digital Entrepreneur You’ve Always Wanted to Be

There are various tips for entrepreneurs online. However, if you have to pick one to implement, it should be to focus on the quality of your content. Make it exciting and consistent if you wish to gain a loyal following. After all, there are 582 million entrepreneurs worldwide, so always try to stand out from the crowd.

Why Finding A Business Partner Is Easier Said Than Done

May 5, 2020

Finding a business partner can be incredibly challenging, especially when you’re first starting out as an entrepreneur. In fact, many people starting their own businesses skip looking for a business partner altogether. However, this is perhaps one of the most significant common entrepreneur mistakes you can make.

While some businesses can be handled by a single person, most benefit from having at least two people involved. Even if this isn’t the first business you’ve ever owned, you should still consider finding a business partner. However, even if you have an attractive opportunity available that catches the attention of multiple potential business partners, just as important as finding a partner in the first place is selecting the right one for you and your business.

The consequences of partnering up with the wrong person can be steep. After all, finding a business partner essentially means sharing your business with someone. The success or failure of your business could very well be dependent on the person you end up working with. It’s no wonder why so many of the top entrepreneur tips surround finding a business partner that will really work with you, rather than making you work for them. A business partner isn’t an employee, but someone who has reason to invest personally and financially in the business, and really believes in it. With that being said, let’s look into what you should consider when searching for your business partner.

 

What Kind Of Business Partner Are You Looking For?

 

A business partner can fulfill many different roles. One of the main reasons why people get a business partner is funding. After all, 82% of small businesses fail due to a lack of cash. With that being said, taking too much money from one partner often requires giving up a good amount of equity in the business, which can be difficult to do in the beginning. Sometimes, a business partner is taken on more for their knowledge and creative input, or even their specific skills, such as marketing. It’s a good idea, if you’re a brand new entrepreneur, to look for a business partner with connections. These kinds of connections, as well as the experience your business partner offers, will make growing your business much more accessible, even if it remains a challenge.

 

How Should You Seek Out A Business Partner?

 

When it comes to avoiding entrepreneur mistakes, many business experts will advise against choosing a friend or family member as your business partner. There are a number of reasons for this; many people will overlook mistakes or flaws from people they care about, while they can be more clear-eyed with people they share more professional relationships with. You may want to, with this in mind, look into your former or current pool of coworkers, especially if your new business falls into the same industry as your current career. Furthermore, it’s easy to understand the habits of your coworkers, and you can expect them to act similarly when working with you as a business partner. You should also look into networking beyond your job, online, or through people you know professionally. If your current circle isn’t really up to this task, consider taking a class that relates to its industry, or attending a workshop. That’s a great way to make connections, and perhaps find your future business partner.

 

What Should You Look For In A Business Partner?

 

While it’s important that you and your business partner work well together professionally and match one another in terms of skill, you’ll also need to make sure that your personalities mesh well. You don’t want someone who is afraid to offer differing opinions or is a complete echo chamber. However, it’s important that they’re largely consistent with you, and can offer dissent in a mature, measured manner. Ideally, your business partner may have experience similar to yours, but not exactly the same. You’ll want somebody who can offer something different than what you bring to the table on your own, as this will offer the business a more diverse set of skills behind the scenes.

 

There are many benefits to having a business partner; sometimes you’ll need one. Just be careful about who you choose.

entrepreneurship blog

Don’t Underestimate the Benefits of Blogging

Apr 11, 2020

Did you know that over 15 million Americans are self-employed full-time? It is an exciting time to be a digital entrepreneur. Content marketing is a great way to promote your online business although how this is done has changed over the years. Look back in history, ads were mass generated by printing presses and made a massive impact on businesses. Fast forward to present day content marketing and the massive impact comes from digital technology. The common thread is the need for companies to find improved ways to keep their products and services relevant to consumers. An entrepreneurship blog is a perfect way to do this on a digital medium that can reach the masses.

entrepreneurship blog

What Are the Benefits of an Entrepreneurship Blog?

There are many entrepreneur tips that can assist you with an entrepreneurship blog. Have you already started a blog and just feel like your blogging efforts are not what they should be? No matter what size your online business may be, blogging can create a positive impact across the board. Your blog should effectively promote your business while being aimed at your specific target audience and clients. Is your blog adaptive? Can it be read across multiple smart devices? Is your content attractive and engaging? These are all things that need to be considered so your blog can be a success.

Blog Like You Own Your Business

Do you really know what blogging is? Avoid entrepreneur mistakes by becoming more comfortable with blogging. That means you need to start actively blogging for your business. This is the age of marketing online using entrepreneur tips that are guaranteed to make your entrepreneurship blog noticeable to all of the right consumers. You can make blogging your #1 inbound marketing tactic by compiling facts, thoughts, and expert opinions that all relate to your business, audience, and industry. Consider the information on your entrepreneurship blog to live online with the ability to be accessed by anyone visiting your website.

How to Succeed as a Tech Entrepreneur

The best way to succeed as a blogging entrepreneur is to invest in building awareness about your products and services. An entrepreneur blog is an ideal place to get much-needed exposure while increasing your brand visibility. The best part of having a blog for your business is that you don’t have to spend as much on resources like you would with traditional ads and commercials. Create value for users on your blog with strategies provided by entrepreneurs offering inspiration and guidance that is second to none.

Follow Your Brand Voice

Common entrepreneur mistakes include trying to sound like other businesses similar to yours. Your brand is unique and your company has its own voice. Show that you’re an expert in your specific industry by being transparent about your brand. This will build trust within your blog. How your blog is written and looks should fully reflect your brand voice and personality. Those aspects are precisely what will make your blog stand out in all of the right ways. Besides, being fully transparent with your readers encourages more consumers to believe in your brand and want to deal with you.

Your Customers Want Value, So Create It

It never hurts to add value to customer experiences. What does this mean in consideration of your blog? Provide better customer experiences and services than competitors. Blogging provides an inside track to your company. People want to know more about you, they want to get something for free before making a purchase too. The more free information you provide, the more likely it is that potential customers will purchase from your business. Share ideas, recipes, checklists and more and educate before selling. It’s a perfect tactic!

Blogging Benefits Never End

Once you learn top blogging benefits from digital blogging gurus, you are sure to gain more traffic and sales. Don’t miss the key information that could positively change your business for the better. Subscribe to get great content and newsletters sent directly to your inbox.

3 Common Entrepreneur Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make

Mar 4, 2020

It’s no secret that it’s challenging to start your own business. After all, if it were easy, everyone would become an entrepreneur in the blink of an eye. That doesn’t mean entrepreneurs aren’t ready to put up a fight.

Despite the fact that 22.5% of small businesses fail in their first year, there are still some 15 million Americans who are self-employed and working full-time. So what can you do to become one of the successful full-timers?

Here are three of the most common mistakes new tech entrepreneurs make when they’re just starting out and how you can avoid making these mistakes yourself:

  1. Not having the necessary skills. It’s one thing to be anxious about what could go wrong and another to be anxious because you don’t know what you’re doing. You never want to start your own business without having the necessary skills to successfully run it. Remember, to be a tech entrepreneur, you not only need to have tech skills but you also need to have the business skills to maintain your plan.
  2. Misinterpreting your market. According to a U.S. Bank study, up to 82% of businesses that fail do so because of problems with cash flow. Whether it’s poorly gauging the demand, overestimating costs, or appealing to the wrong target market, you can break your business by misinterpreting your market. Make sure to do the necessary research before you poor your finances into your business model.
  3. Confusing goals for strategy. Goals are great, but if you don’t have a strategy for how to reach those goals, then you’re setting yourself up for failure. Strategies tell you how you’re going to get from Point A to Point B. Once you’ve established a realistic goal for your new business, make sure to sit down and create a clear and direct roadmap for reaching that goal.

Wondering how to become a tech entrepreneur? You’re not alone. In fact, there are approximately 582 million people currently working as entrepreneurs around the world.

The good news is, if you’re looking for tech entrepreneur tips and advice, you’ve come to the right place. For more information on how to start a business and how to become a tech entrepreneur, contact Rafferty Pendery today.

tech entrepreneur blog

How To Use A Tech Entrepreneur Blog to Succeed as an Entrepreneur

Mar 4, 2020

A tech entrepreneur blog can help you to elevate your online presence. One of the most common entrepreneur mistakes is not building a positive reputation online and establishing yourself as an expert in the field.

A lot of entrepreneurs stay focused on the bigger things like finding a business partner, financing, and other pressing matters and let the tech entrepreneur blog kind fall to the wayside. Staying on top of your blog can help in avoiding entrepreneur mistakes.

What’s The Deal With Blogs?

The internet plays a tremendous role in every industry but a critically important role in the success of tech startups. Blogs are used as a way to share information, solidify your expertise, establish authority in the field, and earn follower’s trust.

A tech entrepreneur blog helps you to connect with other businesses, a client base, and keep your skillset relevant. They can be used for a wide range of communications.

What Should Your Blog Do For Your Business?

The amount of information that is shared on a blog is limitless from sharing videos of a highly respected international speaker in your field to teaching people how to become a tech entrepreneur and everything in between.

Your blog has a few key roles including:

  • Establishing your expertise in the area and networking with other businesses.
  • Providing a communicative forum for clients where they can learn and get information.
  • Selling your business through informative content that is engaging.

If you are in the tech industry it is expected that you will have things to say about the industry and that the level of your expertise is such that you can help other people with their tech questions. A blog is an excellent way to do both.

Another benefit of having a blog is being able to free up time. Answering questions, addressing comments and “meeting people” through a blog is a lot less time consuming than fielding phone calls and rifling through emails. Blogs work both ways, you can spread information and you can also gain information. Commenters can deliver information you can use. You can build a network of support for your business.

Don’t Miss This Important Step In Establishing Your Business

There is no denying the power of the internet when it comes to marketing, having a tech entrepreneur blog can help you to take advantage of all those benefits. Reaching a wide audience without having to actually speak to anyone is easy with a blog. Start your blog today.

4 Tips for Hesitant Tech Entrepreneurs

Feb 26, 2020

With limitless possibilities and new businesses popping up every day, the world of tech can be overwhelming. Getting your feet wet as a tech entrepreneur is a hugely intimidating task. Still, as scary as it might be, it is important to remember that it’s not impossible. Keeping in mind the following entrepreneur tips can give anyone who is learning how to become a tech entrepreneur the leg up that they need to succeed in the business of their dreams.

 

Take A Leap of Faith

This is the scary part. Taking the first step in any process is the hardest part. Still, when it comes to starting your own business, it can seem like you’re putting everything on the line with no guarantee, make no mistake, you are! There are no guarantees, but without taking a leap of faith, there can’t be any success either. Realize you are not alone, with about 69% of entrepreneurs in the United States start their business from home you are in good company. Taking a risk is how things happen, and realizing early on that as a tech entrepreneur you’re going to have to take risks every day is an important step when trying to enter the startup phase.

Use Your Strengths, and Know Your Weaknesses

Understanding what it is that makes your idea and your company so special is a valuable skill when becoming a successful tech entrepreneur. However, just as important as understanding your strengths is understanding where you and your business may fall short.

For example, let’s say that you know your platform is exceptional. But, you’re not a confident public speaker, lean into digital marketing as much as possible, and work on your public speaking in the meantime. Or better yet, if your company has the resources to outsource the “face” of the company to a more confident public figure, do exactly that, and do so with pride in using your strengths while knowing your weaknesses.

Learn from Your Mistakes, and Welcome Feedback

Completely avoiding entrepreneur mistakes is a task that will quickly reveal itself as impossible. With that in mind, it is important to realize that learning from the inevitable mistakes all entrepreneurs make is an invaluable talent when learning how to start a business.

Along with mistakes comes to feedback, and with feedback comes the inevitable pushback of constructive criticism. It is crucial if you are going to be successful as a tech entrepreneur to welcome feedback of all forms. Whether the feedback you receive is good, bad, or in between, it must be accepted if you’re going to be successful as a tech entrepreneur. It is critical that you accept entrepreneur tips and feedback if your business is going to succeed.

Stay Informed

Like all things in the modern era, tech is an everchanging field, and it is easy to fall behind on the latest trends. Unfortunately, in today’s business climate having a good platform and the smarts to back it up isn’t enough.

For a business to be successful, the people behind the scenes must stay up to date on current trends, successes, failures, and the newest technology. Staying informed can come via an entrepreneur tips blog or even understanding the mistakes of other entrepreneurs in your field. No matter how you keep your business up to date, it is crucial to stay informed!

In Summary

Starting any business is an incredibly challenging task, and a tech business is no different. Still, as long as you keep in mind the fundamental entrepreneur tips outlined above, you are off to a running start. There’s no easy way around hard work and perseverance, but with a strong head and a persistent mind, success is right around the corner for you. Take the risk, realize your dreams.

the digital entrepreneur

How to Succeed as a Tech Entrepreneur

Feb 7, 2020

Startups, especially in the tech industry, begin and die every day. In fact, approximately 20% of small businesses never make past their first year, while another 50% never make it past the five years mark. The good news is that you don’t have to be part of these statistics. You can be part of the 80% of businesses which make it to the second year. How do you succeed as a tech entrepreneur? The tips below will help you learn what you need to do to succeed in the dynamic world of the digital entrepreneur.

Work on Your Public Speaking Skills

As the digital entrepreneur on the quest to find success, you will at some point need to pitch your ideas to a potential tech entrepreneur partner or an investor. You will also need to introduce your product to potential clients. The only way to get them to buy into your ideas or have confidence in your product is by explaining what you bring to the table.

You need to convince them that your ideas, products, and services will be worthwhile. You cannot do so if you are a poor public speaker. You cannot achieve that if the thought of presenting your ideas to a group of strangers makes you cringe.

Start working on your speaking skills today. People who fear to speak in public often make 10% less than those who exude confidence during public speeches.

Focus on Your Strengths

The thin line between the digital entrepreneur and one who fails lies in how the two individuals handle their strengths and weaknesses. A successful techpreneur often capitalizes on their strong areas and outsources the weakness to experts.

As a result, their product or service ends up being reliable as the weaknesses it could have had were it handled by experts. Those who fail, on the other hand, try to juggle it all.

While it’s okay to believe you can get things done and overcome your weaknesses, trying to do everything singlehandedly is one of the most common entrepreneur mistakes, and also one you should avoid if you’re to become a success.

Surround Yourself with the Right People

As cliché as this may sound, it’s a proven fact that those who you surround yourself with can make or break you. If you are constantly surrounded by a bunch of pessimists, regardless of how optimistic you are, it will be difficult for you to achieve your goals as they’ll always discourage you.

You’ll probably not want to keep going after the first few tries as they’ll not give you the encouragement you need during the early, difficult stages of tech entrepreneurship.

On that note, surround yourself with people who motivate you, and those who support you and keep you on your toes constantly. This is the only way you’re going to propel yourself from ideation to fruition as a digital entrepreneur.

Read a lot

The tech industry is highly dynamic and with each dawn comes a horde of new ideas which disrupt not only tech, but also the entire business realm in general. While your skills and talents are great, the only way to learn what is coming up and create disruptive tech ideas is to read wide.

Read on current and upcoming trends, tech challenges, success stories of tech moguls, and the revolution of technology. This will give you exposure and help you become more innovative. Read books both hard and soft copies, tech entrepreneurship blogs, and always be on the lookout for insightful tech entrepreneur resources.

Remember there’s Nothing Like Overnight Success

Creating a legacy for yourself, especially in the ever-changing tech industry as an entrepreneur is a feat not meant for the faint-hearted. It calls for creativity and comes with a lot of discomforts, uneasiness, and ups and downs.

Successful techpreneurs like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg had to start from scratch. While they are at the pinnacle of success today, they’ve had countless setbacks. In that light, as an individual looking for tips on how to succeed as a tech entrepreneur, you need to keep in mind it won’t be easy. Therefore, be flexible to changes, be ready to make mistakes and learn from them, and remain consistent.

2 Top Marketing Tips To Help Launch Your Digital Presence

Jan 29, 2020

Every tech entrepreneur knows that running a business is hard work. In fact, of all small businesses started in 2014, only 80% made it to the next year (2015). With everything you have to do, avoiding entrepreneur mistakes can be difficult. So if you’re new to the tech entrepreneurship game, or simply just looking for advice on how to elevate your marketing strategy, check out these two top tips.

Utilize Social Media Marketing

Over 244 million users were logging in to their social media accounts by the end of 2018, and that number is only projected to rise. It is for this reason that incorporating social media platforms into your digital marketing strategy is strongly recommended. There are three main routes you can choose from when developing your strategy, or that you can combine into your strategy. These three options are:

Content Marketing:
Content marketing involves making a social media account for your business or brand, and regularly posting content. Posts can include tutorials, how to videos, customer ratings, advice on how to use your product, informational graphics, etc.

PPC Social Media Ads:
Depending on the brand you’re creating, you may decide that having a social media account just doesn’t make sense. If you don’t want to commit to content creation, consider using social media for targeted ads. Similar to creating ads for websites, you can customize who your ads appear for, and the specific call to action you want them to make. You can even have multiple images in an ad, and add price tags and brand info directly to the post.

Influencer Marketing:
If you decide to go for a middle strategy, you could create adds and pay micro influencers to help market your brand. This would involve paying social media influencers to talk about and review your product or brand and giving their audience a call to action.

tech entrepreneur

Implement SEO Best Practices

SEO, or search engine optimization, is all about increasing the likelihood of searchers finding your website. There are three basic SEO strategies you should be implementing into your marketing strategy. These include:

PPC Ads:
Pay per click ads are ads that you pay for only when a consumer clicks on them. These can be used for social media, google ads, and in your retargeting strategy if your website has a selling platform. PPC ads are broader than social media ads, as they can be placed anywhere on the internet.

Strategic Use Of Keywords:
Keywords help search engines understand what your website is about, so that it can better match your site to search results. Having a tech entrepreneur blog is a great way to incorporate more keywords that are relating to a variety of topics on your page.

Inbound Links:
Inbound links are links to your website that other sites are using. Google for examples assumes that you are a more credible source of information if you have a lot of inbound links to your website, and thus will rank your site higher in search results. Getting other sites to link to your website can happen organically, especially if you have an informational blog thread. You can also email webmasters and ask sites to link to your page if you think their platform could benefit from your information.

Final Thoughts

Taking your brand online is a necessary step if you want to be successful in today’s economy, but it can be stressful trying to figure where to start. However, if you follow these top two tech entrepreneur marketing tips, you’ll have a high traffic website in no time.

Answers to Two Common Entrepreneurship Questions

Jan 20, 2020

Being an entrepreneur is hard. This is why one of the best things entrepreneurs can do is get out there and ask questions. Whether you’re specifically looking for tech entrepreneur advice, or you just need general tips for entrepreneurs looking to avoid common entrepreneur mistakes, these questions are bound to be relevant to your endeavor.

entrepreneur mistakes

How Do you Come Up With Ideas?

The workings of inspiration largely remain an enigma to us all. Often, ideas can seem simply to materialize from thin air. But those who have extensive experience in the business of coming up with ideas inevitably have some tricks up their sleeve. A common approach is combing through one’s own life for areas in which one needs assistance.

If you find a daily problem in your life — or even something rather rare or niche — and there doesn’t seem to be any solutions available, there’s a good chance you have a business idea with real potential on your hands. Don’t stress if the issue you’re addressing feels too specific; there are so many people out there, some are bound to have had a similar experience.

How Do you Choose the Right Business Idea?

Anyone who has come up with a business idea knows, the first thought that appears in their head will inevitably be, “Is this idea actually good?” Sadly, if this question had a simple answer there would be far more business owners out there. However, there are a number of key questions you can ask yourself to maximize your chances of success:

  • Does this idea sufficiently match my interests?
    One of the classic entrepreneur mistakes is choosing to work on an issue that does not personally move them. You can have a great idea, but if pursuing it would make you miserable, there is no point. You must find a degree of joy in your work, or else it will not be sustainable.
  • Do I possess the skills necessary to pursue this?
    One of the best things an entrepreneur can do to increase their chances of success is leverage skills they already have. If you feel like you are out of your element when working on a project, you’d better do your research!
  • Can I feasibly start this project given my situation?
    Numerous personal factors can impact the success of a new business venture. If you have an amazing idea, but you live nowhere near the region where the market for your idea exists and you cannot relocate, it may not be the right time. Entrepreneurship is not just a financial investment — it’s a personal one. Finances do play a highly significant role in a venture’s success, though. In fact, a study by U.S. Bank found that 82% of all business failures were the result of problems with cash flow.

For more tips on avoiding entrepreneur mistakes and starting a successful venture, visit raffertypendery.com

How to Impress Event Managers by Being the Next Best Paid International Speaker

Jan 15, 2020

Would you like to be a paid international speaker to share your insights with audiences all across the world?

Rafferty Pendery is a public speaker who started as an entrepreneur. He founded his first company when he was only 11 years old. He has partnered with NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, as well as many other companies, from small to top Fortune 500 businesses.

Today, Rafferty is a paid international speaker who is sought after by businesses for their marketing events. Event managers are always looking out for people who can inform and entertain their audience. If you want to be a keynote speaker, you need to understand it from the event manager’s perspective.

All About the Image

In the United States, you can be paid anywhere from $2,000 to $30,000 for your speech, depending on your clout. A paid international speaker may be a celebrity, top entrepreneur, or athlete who can demand a fee well over $50,000.

Event managers view the money they pay these personalities as an investment. When they consider different speakers for their next event, they tend to pick those who can bring a good return on their investment.

Also, event managers look for people with an image and message that will resonate with their audience. Even though you may have clout, if your message does not align with the event, you will not have as much of an impact. Therefore, an aspiring paid international speaker should do a lot of research on the platform they want to share their stories.

paid international speaker

Telling a Compelling Story

In public engagements, stories should be simple yet compelling. Some of the information you share will be complex and boring in its natural form. Many people tend to be anxious when speaking in public. That includes more than 58% of lawyers who are often introverts.

But anxiety is not always the issue; rather, it is one’s ability to weave a narrative and captivate the event’s attendees. International public speakers with experience can tell a nondescript story by adding plot twists and mysteries. They can take on any topic like finding a business partner, or how to become a tech entrepreneur. They then break it down into a narrative that is easy to understand and remember.

Show How Your System is Effective

Another critical aspect of public speaking is how you demonstrate the efficacy of your system. Even though your online marketing or entrepreneurship model may be useful, you may present it in a way that does not resonate with your audience.

A paid international speaker should show how the system will work in a different economy with varying demographics. It is one of the areas that you need to research. Otherwise, the audience will ignore the message.

You can improve your speech by finding the right type of presentation. There are four different types.

  • Informative: The goal of the presentation is to reinforce or expand on existing information. It is used by experts and industry players.
  • Instructive: The presentation aims to provide the audience with practical information they can use in their day-to-day life. It often involves hands-on workshops to teach attendees how to use a new application or tool.
  • Inspirational: Inspiration is used by motivational orators who want to influence people with their ideas. The most powerful tool for paid international speakers is great storytelling.
  • Entertainment: The presentation not only employs information through public speaking, but it often includes performances such as comedy or musical arts.

You may check your presentation with your colleagues, friends, or peers in the industry before showing it to the public. If you run a tech or entrepreneurship blog, consider giving out some information to test your audience’s reaction and to bring in more fans.

Bottom-Line

Becoming a paid international speaker involves a lot of work in terms of research and writing compelling stories. However, the work also has many perks, which can include visiting new places around the world, influencing people, and of course, making money doing something you love.

how to become a tech entrepreneur

3 Myths About Starting Your Own Tech Business

Jan 10, 2020

Several tech entrepreneurs have become celebrities in the recent past. Thanks to the media covering them extensively and sometimes sensationally, they continue to inspire awe and admiration. Since the advent of the internet, this breed of businessmen and women has been on the rise. They have become larger than life, taking the same rank on the food chain as rock stars and Hollywood actors.

Unfortunately, these fancy news stories tend to contribute to myths on how to become a tech entrepreneur. The characterization of their personalities sometimes distorts how people perceive the tech sector and its function. This article looks at some of those misleading ideas that can derail your journey as you plan your tech venture while offering some tips on how to succeed as a tech entrepreneur.

how to become a tech entrepreneur

Myth 1: As boss, you can do what you want

Part of the misconception on how to become a tech entrepreneur is the idea that being your own boss makes life easier. That is probably because most high-profile people in the technology business seem to have an easy time. It may seem like all the heads of tech companies do is to give orders.

However, it is one of the critical entrepreneur’s mistakes to jump into this career simply because it seems greener on the other side. You need to remember that business requires a lot of work and planning. During the initial stages of the startup, the head of the organization must be careful not to neglect the core responsibilities. That means you may have to work for longer hours than you did at your previous job.

You should commit fully to making your idea a reality. It will involve a lot of research, understanding the market, setting up the business, and finding a business partner. That is why it is always advisable to start an initiative that revolves around something you truly love. Passion will keep you going when the journey gets tough.

Myth 2: You need a completely unique idea

Another myth on how to become a tech entrepreneur is that you need a completely new idea for the market. As they say, there is nothing new under the sun. Many of the earth-shaking ideas that have taken over the technology industry today were innovative tweaks to existing products.

Some of the most successful startups were set in motion by observing an existing gap in the market. For example, Lynda Weinman was teaching web design when she realized her students could only access bland and plain textbooks. She began working on Lynda.com to provide online tutorials that were more engaging. She would later sell the company for $1.5 billion to LinkedIn.

You can also combine a set of skills to address a pressing need. For example, Shutterstock founder Jon Oringer was a software developer who enjoyed photography as a hobby. He used his collection of photos to start a stock image website that is now worth more than $2 billion.

Myth 3: You have to be a reckless risk-taker

Another myth on how to become a tech entrepreneur that tends to discourage aspiring businessmen is that you need to be continuously taking risks. Statistics show many small businesses fail within the first five years. One major cause of failure is lack of planning and cash flow problems.

You need to have a clear outline of your plan that is within safe limits of risk. Do not be tempted to use your mortgage or all your life savings to start a business. It may sometimes be wise to delay quitting your full-time job before you can properly establish your startup venture. Indeed, risk-taking is an important part of running an enterprise. But manage these risks wisely so that you can effectively steer your business through the hard times.

Entrepreneurs can get caught up in the fantasy of being the CEO. To avoid this pitfall, focus more on the nuts-and-bolts of your business, rather than fancy ideas about your business. That way, you will have the right mindset, which will help you avoid myths, misleading notions, and common entrepreneur mistakes.

entrepreneur tips

How To Secure Funding As An Entrepreneur

Dec 18, 2019

Once you have thought of that once-in-a-lifetime idea and have researched how to become a tech entrepreneur and how to start a business, the first step you will need to take is securing startup funding. Richard Harroch, a venture capitalist, has said, “It’s almost always harder to raise capital than you thought it would be, and it always takes longer. So plan for that.”

For instance, many new businesses require funding for legal work, logo design, and other expenses. Figuring out the best way to fund your business can be difficult and there are many entrepreneur mistakes you will want to avoid.

Entrepreneur Tips

It often requires a great deal of capital to turn your dream idea into a real business, but you likely do not have thousands of dollars lying around in savings or know others who are willing to gamble away their hard-earned cash. These are a few entrepreneur tips for those looking to raise money for their small business.

Bootstrapping

Most entrepreneurs start by self-funding, a method also known as bootstrapping. Regardless of the amount, there are numerous benefits to investing in yourself. In the future, potential investors will like to see that you incurred monetary risk. Many entrepreneurs bootstrap further by forgoing a salary, tapping into their retirement savings, and taking a side job to earn a living while their business is in its early stages.

Friends and Family

If your friends and family are willing to help fund and grow your small business, this path can provide several advantages. Family and close friends are often willing to invest in their familiarity with you as a person, while larger investors often require evidence of an established and profitable company. Over 30% of startups receive funding from family and friends, totaling over $60 billion every year, more than angel investors and venture capitalists combined, according to Upcounsel.com. To avoid common entrepreneur mistakes, make sure you have a written agreement that outlines the terms and conditions of these investments.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding has recently and rapidly become one of the most popular ways to fund a small business. To be eligible for crowdfunding, you must be able to offer a product, service, or incentive in exchange for a small amount of funding. Since this is viewed as a pre-sale instead of an investment, contributors do not receive equity and the process is not regulated by the SEC. However, equity crowdfunding is an option as well, which allows you to receive small investments. This means your contributors will become shareholders with dividend and voting rights as outlined in your agreement.

Practice Public Speaking

Many entrepreneurs overlook the importance of public speaking and presenting when funding their small business. Along the way, you will likely have to develop and utilize your skills as a public speaker to give presentations and pitch to potential funders. But don’t sweat it, research has found that content is not nearly as important as delivery during a speech or presentation. Surveys have found that content only accounts for 7% of a good presentation. Therefore, it is important to practice the fundamentals of effective public speaking, such as talking points, knowing your audience, eye contact, appropriate pace, and rehearsing. Non-verbal communication accounts for 55% of an effective presentation, while voice accounts for 38%.

Most people are eager to be involved in something special. If not, they can be easily convinced. By utilizing your skills as a public speaker and avoiding entrepreneur mistakes, these entrepreneur tips will help you fund your business and achieve your dreams.