How ‘Venture Builders’ are Changing the Startup Model | VentureBeat

January 19, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you haven’t yet heard of venture-builders — also called tech studios, startup factories, or venture production studios — let me introduce them to you: They’re organizations that build companies using their own ideas and resources.

Unlike incubators and accelerators, venture builders don’t take any applications, nor do they run any sort of competitive program that culminates in a Demo Day. Instead, they pull business ideas from within their own network of resources and assign internal teams to develop them (engineers, advisors, business developers, sales managers, etc.).

You’ll want to get used to the idea because we’re going to see a lot more venture-building organizations emerging.

If You Search Google, It’s Painfully Easy to See Why Google Glass Needs a Reinvention | Adweek

January 16, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A simple Google search for “glass wearer” makes it abundantly clear why Google Glass as we know it is no longer available in the marketplace and is being moved under Nest founder Tony Fadell for an overhaul. Here are some of the top results:

“Another Google Glass Wearer Attacked in San Francisco.”

“Google Glass wearers can steal your password.”

“Google Glass wearer removed from AMC theater.”

“Google Glass wearer interrogated.”

“Google Glass wearer robbed at Taser point.”

“The revolt against Goggle Glassholes.”

And that’s just the first page of the results. Also, type “Google Glass wearer” into the search bar, and it will auto-fill these words: attacked, kicked out, assaulted.

This was the kind of attention that tarnished Google’s high-tech moonshot, an initially pure concept to bring the utility of mobile devices to glasses. But the world had other ideas, and despite a core enthusiastic group of Glass Explorers anointed by Google to test-drive the gadget over the past two years, the search giant said today it was rethinking the whole project. It would no longer selectively sell Google Glass, the company announced today. The Mountain View, Calif.-based giant had been asking $1,500 for the device.

Communications Trends for 2015 | Allbusiness

January 16, 2015January 16, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It’s the time of year that all of the experts predict what will happen in the new year.

Of course, no one really has a crystal ball, but there are certain things you can tell are going to happen, just based on experience and perspective.

The communications industry is no different and it’s important for business owners to stay abreast of how an industry is changing, if only so you know the right questions to ask when you’re hiring for that particular skill set.

Will Bitcoin ever rebound? | Money Cnn

January 15, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If they handed out awards to financial assets like they did to movies, then Bitcoin would definitely be the winner of the Razzie for worst currency.

Bitcoin lost more than 60% of its value last year. The digital currency has already plunged another 30% in the first few days of 2015 — and that includes a 30% rebound on Thursday!

The price of Bitcoin (XBT) briefly fell below $200 on Wednesday, an important psychological barrier, before bouncing back.

Hiring the right people for the right position | Business tips

January 15, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In my last article I mentioned my business mantra, “get the right people, in the right seats, doing the right things, at the right time, for the right reasons and you win! Don’t, and its struggle and strife.” I wanted to expand on each of those points, to further explain why each one is important and relies on the other to create the best outcome for your business.

The Right People

The first thing to consider when hiring someone is their attitude. Do they believe in your company, do they seem excited by it? Or are they just looking for a job, without any real connection to the industry or your company? If they fall into the second category then it’s best to keep looking. Equally important to attitude is trust and good character, integrity, and intention. This person takes ownership, accountability, and responsibility for themselves, their work, and their lives.

Six Mobile Marketing Tips for Small Businesses | Businessweek

January 14, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Mobile phones are essential to shopping these days, and a majority of cell phone owners say they’re willing to share personal data with merchants in exchange for such things as coupons and discounts.

But navigating mobile marketing can be confusing for small business owners, who must avoid bombarding people with unwanted texts while they’re slogging through crowds of holiday shoppers. So how can local merchants use mobile marketing effectively? Here are six tips.

Lower Employee Turnover and Improve the Bottom Line | Entrepreneur

January 14, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Employee turnover costs money.

A 2012 study by the Center for American Progress shows that it costs a business roughly one-fifth of an employee’s salary to replace that employee once they’re gone.

These costs show up in obvious and subtle ways.

They show up in the hard costs of hiring a new person (what’s involved with advertising, interviewing and screening). They surface in the training and management time spent onboarding a new employee. More subtly, but no less significantly, these costs also show up in the time it takes a new hire to reach a predecessor’s productivity.

The more turnover a company has, the more these costs eat away at the bottom line. While there’s no way to eliminate employee turnover completely, here are five strategies that companies can implement to make it the exception and not the rule:

6 Things That Separate the Great Entrepreneurs From the Rest | Inc.com

January 14, 2015January 14, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

We asked members of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) to share their thoughts on what it takes to be a great entrepreneur. Here’s what they had to say.

Grit

“One characteristic which separates good entrepreneurs from great ones is grit. Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy and you won’t always make perfect decisions. However, the leaders who can persevere through both the good and bad times have what it takes to be a great entrepreneur.”

Jeff Martin, EO Minnesota

CEO and Founder, Collective Genius

Torchia | DESIGNNOBIS

January 13, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Torchia Solar LED Lamp/Charger offers portable emergency flashlight that uses solar energy as its main power source. Just like handy flashlight, this concept device fits several needs in both multiple usages. Charged by photovoltaic panels in four wings, Torchia produces energy without any dependency on other energy systems. Suitable for outdoor activities, it charges devices via USB. Created as a multipurpose tool that is light yet robust, it is a lifesaver in size of an A3 paper. Torchia is also efficient in emergency situations, it can be used as a flash light for warning such as in the event of a car accident or natural disasters. It can be stuck onto soft ground with its foldable stakes at bottom. The main system continuously charges itself and produces energy with photovoltaic panels on four wings, the panels are two sided and other side of a panel is a reflective surface. It consists of 7 LED lights of 3.5 watts, 2 batteries with 24 watts DC, and 2 USB outputs.

See Video.