Heat and Solar Energy

Solar heating systems incorporate several principles on the conversion of solar energy into solar thermal energy, as well as the physical behavior of heat. The primary principle that people need to know more about include solar home heating, which involves getting solar energy and transforming it into heat. You will better appreciate solar heating systems ...

Made In Africa: Three Cars Designed And Manufactured In Africa

According to the World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to remain one of the fastest growing regions in the world. While Africa's economy is soaring past most regions with an annual growth of about 5% due mainly to increased agriculture production, infrastructure investment including transportation, ports and energy as well as buoyant services led by tourism, telecommunications and financial services, the continent’s middle class is expected to swell to approximately 300 million people. Additionally, the World Bank projects private consumption in the region to remain strong in 2015-17; particularly with the continent’s burgeoning middle class looking to splurge on new passenger vehicles and for most, their first such purchase.

2014 Was Best-Ever Year For Israeli Startups

In 2014, Israeli startups enjoyed exits worth about $15 billion, an all-time record.

The Perfect Execution of Conversion Rate Optimization

Only one in seven A/B tests actually improves a website’s conversion rate. Why? Because conversion rate optimization is more than just testing colors or call-to-action buttons. If you want to see significant gains in your conversion rate, you have to learn how to come up with the right tests, and you need a better understanding  [click to continue...]

Today's Briefs: It Took Danny Meyer Almost Five Years To Open His Second Shake Shack

Today's news and insights for business owners, including a new startup from the billionaire founders of Lululemon.

Thursday's Entrepreneurial Briefs: What It's Like Staying in Silicon Valley's 'Hotel 22'

Today's quick scan of essential reading for business owners, including why GoDaddy pulled its Super Bowl ad and how London is becoming Europe's Silicon Valley.

Do Lower Prices Lead to More Sales?

Let’s say you’re choosing between three photography courses covering similar topics. The prices are stacked like this: $200 $250 $2,000 What’s going through your mind right now? Curiosity floods your brain. Even if you’re not sure you can afford the $2,000 course, you want to know why it’s so expensive, compared to the other photography

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5 Traffic Strategies That Build Your Curation Audience

Note: This is the third of three core lessons related to content curation based on a case study of my new email newsletter Further. You can listen to the initial two episodes here: Position Your Content Curation for Success 3 Ways to Grow Your Curated Email Newsletter Faster Now we tackle the eternal question: how

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Wednesday's Entrepreneurial Briefs: A 'Fiscally Responsible' Super Bowl Commercial

Today's quick scan of essential reading for business owners, including how to reduce your self-employment tax bill and the surprising number of hours worked by Greek employees.

7 Proactive Ways to Get Backlinks That’ll Actually Boost Your Traffic

Are you tired of people telling you that if you write great content, people will naturally link back to you? It’s actually true to some extent, but if you wait for people to “naturally” link to you, it will take you months, if not years, to hit thousands of visitors a month. So, how do  [click to continue...]

Data Is Clear: To Be Effective at Content Marketing, Have a Documented Strategy

Talk is cheap. So it should come as no surprise that when it comes to content marketing strategy, simply talking about it is not enough. That is the big takeaway from the 2015 benchmarks, budgets, and trends study by Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs, sponsored by our own Rainmaker Platform. According to the study, only

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Shake Shack IPO Is Getting As Expensive As Its Burgers

A burger, fries, and milkshake at Shake Shack can easily run you up to $20. Its IPO is now nearly as expensive.

I Like Facebook More Than Twitter These Days and Why That Doesn’t Matter

Lately, I’m finding lots of interaction and fun on Facebook. I once wrote a post about how I was leaving Facebook for Google+ because whoa, that’s the future. Until Google decided it wasn’t. And I’m reasonably well known for loving Twitter and being an early adopter of it. Which social network is right for you? […]

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What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is the art of using content of any kind (blogs, podcasts, newsletters, and much more) to reach prospects and customers and influencers, and warm them up for the potential of a purchase. You can have an offline business and use content marketing. You can promote yourself, a book, a store, a church, or […]

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How to Learn From Your Mistakes

Everybody makes mistakes. And everybody should make mistakes. They are unavoidable when we step outside of our comfort zones. Avoiding mistakes means avoiding growth. But we can’t repeat our mistakes. We need to learn from them. When we do, we turn negatives into positives and move forward. When we don’t, we simply run in place.

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Tuesday's Entrepreneurial News Briefs: Bacon Lovers Can Breathe Easy

Today's quick scan of essential reading for business owners, including what happened to the great blizzard of 2015 and why we should stop laughing at Groupon.

What a Long Time Friendship and Partnership Looks Like

I started stalking Brian Clark of Copyblogger back in 2006. Hard to imagine that I’d already been blogging for eight years when he showed up, but I knew from the start that Brian was smarter at a lot of things than I was, and that he’d go far. He, on the other hand, thought I […]

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How To Install Marine Solar Panels

Solar panels can be a great help to sailors, keeping vital lights and appliances functioning, even when batteries run low or a generator malfunctions. They are also a much quieter way of recharging batteries! Learning how to install marine solar panels will be vital for the sailor who wants their advantages, but first he or ...

Trolls, Unkind Words, and How to Know You’re on the Right Track

At the end of the day, I just find your persona incredibly grating. Funny that I can still remember that comment word-for-word. It’s from an unsubscribe note to my email list dating back at least seven years now. I heard lots of good things back then, too. I was helping people, sharing what I knew

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7 Lessons and 3 New Strategies I Learned From Launching My 5th Blog

I’ve been blogging for around 10 years, so you would think that it’s easy for me to start a blog and gain traction. Although it’s true to some extent, it’s still difficult for me to start a blog from scratch. A few months ago, I started my 5th blog on NeilPatel.com as an experiment to  [click to continue...]

Monday's Entrepreneurial News Briefs: There's Now An Airbnb For Toilets

Today's quick scan of essential reading for business owners, including a CEO who saved a life and lost his job as a result.

Why Stories Stick

Presentation one: “It was one of the most exciting days in my life when I dressed up as a stuffed olive. I love olives, so why not dress like one. Green tights, green leotard and a red patch on my backside, I figured that would work. It was better than wearing one of those ill fitting fancy dress costumes that everyone else would be wearing.

Don't Print The Obituary For The Printing Industry Just Yet

Printing companies are growing revenue and profits, despite the popular opinion the industry is dying, according to new data from Sageworks.

Is It Time For McDonald's To Drop The Golden Arch And Ronald McDonald?

  When I suggested that McDonald’s should change its name in a previous piece here, I was half-joking. But with sales and earnings continuing to slide, and with a product that is less appetizing to younger consumers than competing brands like Chipotle, Panera Bread, and Five Guys, it may not be a bad idea. In fact, McDonald’s is already dropping both brand symbols in its new sandwich and salad stores in Australia, according to New York Times Stephanie Strom. McDonald’ Financials as of 1/23/2015

Heating Your Home With Solar, But Without Panels

With rising energy costs and massive stress on our electrical grids, solar is gaining in popularity. Not everyone realizes you can heat your home without buying big panel systems. Heating Your Home With Solar, But Without Panels – Gain You can use solar energy to heat your home through a concept known as gain. While ...

IRS Futher Limits Deductions For State-Legal Marijuana Facilities

The family and I went to the X Games here in Aspen this afternoon, which is all the reminder one needs that recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado. We made it through about an hour of the men's slopestyle final before the kids had inhaled enough second-hand smoke to sedate a thoroughbred, and it was time to call it a day.

For Cloud Computing Guidance, Look To Washington (Seriously)

Let's face it, cloud computing is uncharted territory for many organizations. To sort-of paraphrase Winston Churchill, never in the field of computing have so many depended on so few. Enterprises are gradually, and inexorably, turning over significant portions of their infrastructures to outside cloud providers. Lately, there's been talk of consolidation of big cloud providers to a few major providers.

The Beatles To Tarzan: 4 All-Time Epic Negotiations

Some of the all-time most epic negotiations involve entrepreneurs who viewed the scope of their deals in terms of decades, rather than years. Too often, entrepreneurs negotiate deals which consider a relatively short-term time horizon. This tendency is understandable, as most business negotiations address near-term objectives, such as driving incremental revenue or acquiring customers. However, shrewd entrepreneurs look beyond a deal’s near-term impact.

Get Great Tips About Solar Energy From Experts Who Know!

Solar panel installation is a green solution. This is an investment that is important. You have to understand if it will fit into your budget. Continue reading to educate yourself about solar energy so that you can decide whether or not it’s the right choice for you. If you’re prepared to stick with the investment ...

Could Cultural Diversity Be The Key To Miami's Life Science Boom?

As Life Science and health technology parks pop up all over the US, it is rare to see them filled with minorities. However, when based in Miami, there is no choice. The city itself boasts several large hospital systems and universities, a growing startup scene, the most genetic diversity in the US, a booming urban setting, a hospitality rich workforce, and close proximity to Latin America.

Friday's Entrepreneurial Briefing: The Section 179 Dilemma

Today's quick scan of essential reading for business owners, including a "curated" version of Tinder and what trends Andreessen Horowitz is watching.

The Scientifically Proven Best Time to Think and Write Creatively

Do you know when the best time to write is? Is it morning, afternoon, or evening? Just like you, I was curious, so I decided to do a bit of research. The answer I found shocked me. Here’s what I learned… Click on the image below to see a larger view: Click here to view an  [click to continue...]

Nine Approaches To The Art Of Angel Investing -- What Works For You?

Although we often talk about angel investors as a monolithic group of people, in reality angels fall into many categories and practice the art of angel investing in many ways. An angel can choose how he or she collaborates with entrepreneurs and other investors in a variety of ways that fit their experience, wealth, interests and time availability.

The Importance Of Corporate Culture

Corporate culture encompasses quite a few variables ranging from the physical office environment to the fun perks that you might get to the way that you communicate with your peers and managers. In this latest episode of the #futurein5 I had the opportunity to visit Mulesoft's offices in San Francisco. Mulesoft has around 500 employees around the world and was recently ranked my GlassDoor as one of the top 50 companies to work for in America. I thought it would be fun to check out their offices and show the world how they work.

Intuit Offers $25 Refund To TurboTax Deluxe Users Hurt By Software Changes

But TurboTax will no longer offer free upgrades to angry callers to its 800 customer support line. It says the rebates will be available for more people to claim.

The Top Skill Most Employees Lack

From the perspective of a CEO, what are the most underrated skills most employees lack? This question was originally answered on Quora by Peter Baskerville.

Three Ways to Grow Your Curated Email Newsletter Faster

Note: This is the second of three core lessons related to content curation based on a case study of my new email newsletter Further. You can listen to the first episode here: Position Your Content Curation for Success With These 5 Essential Elements. A key aspect of last week’s episode was identifying the purpose of

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Which Conference Should You Attend? Your Own

I’m working through a few ideas, but I’m a little bit stuck. And as I haven’t been invited to speak at a conference this week or next (where I get a lot of thoughts and ideas), I decided to put on a conference in my living room. The content doesn’t quite matter, because it’s my […]

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Which Entrepreneurial Leadership Strategy Is Right For You?

Kings rule kingdoms. Emperors rule kings. If you want to grow beyond your capacity to oversee and rule on a daily or frequent basis, you need to know how to build leaders under you.

MBA Students: Choose Your First Job Wisely

Students often agonize over the ?right? school to attend for their MBA. How will it impact my ability to get a great job ... or to have a great career ... or to do what I want to do in the long-run? The decision regarding your internship and full-time job offers can have a similar, if not greater impact on the answers to these questions. This article provides five arguments in defense for picking a "Blue Chip" company to intern with and work for in the formative stages of your career.

Best And Worst Places For Business 2014

New Survey: 20% Of Spouses Keep Financial Secrets

Is your partner cheating on you—financially? A new poll reveals there’s a 20% chance your spouse isn’t being entirely honest with you when it comes to money. A CreditCards.com survey found that: One in five Americans admit they’ve spent $500 or more without their partner’s knowledge 6% keep a hidden checking or savings account, or use secret credit cards 8% of men and 5% of women are likely to have financial secrets 26% of men and 14% of women were likely to spend $500 or more without consulting their partner Younger people are more apt to spend in secret: 25% of respondents aged 18-29 have spent $500 or more without consulting their partner, compared with just 15 percent of those aged 65 and up. 7% of those aged 18-49 said they had secret accounts, compared with 4% aged 65 and over

10 Key Factors That Will Determine the Future of Google+

Google+ seems to be the social network that people love to hate. The industry almost has an internal clock about when to print the next article about Google+ dying. So what’s the real story here? Is Google+ going to die soon? Should you invest time in it? I will outline the way I look at

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How to Increase Your Website’s Traffic Without Any Marketing

What if I told you that you can increase your traffic without any marketing? That’s right… even if you don’t have a marketing bone in your body, you can generate more traffic and sales. “How?” you may ask. All you have to do is follow this long tail strategy: Leveraging long tail SEO Who doesn’t want  [click to continue...]

Financial Inclusion: Empowering Your Future Consumers

The pressures of the post-financial crisis world have forced banks to take a hard look at their legacy business models, minimize costs, innovate, and rethink how to develop organic growth. The world’s under- and unbanked—one-third of the global population, or 2.5 billion people—represent the untapped consumers that banks should target to generate organic growth.

How Social Networks Can Keep The Poor Down And The Rich Up

When exposed to the threat of job loss, individuals face appropriate uncertainty and fear. It’s what happens next that is most interesting, however. Ideally, one would reach out to as many friends and acquaintances as possible to source possible job opportunities. However, many people do the exact opposite. Instead of widening their networks when their jobs are at risk, they shrink them. What leads people to activate their networks in such different ways? Their own self-perception. In a study we ran using Qualtrics, we found that individuals who view themselves as having high socio-economic status widened their networks in times of threat, reporting them to be larger and more diverse than when not exposed to a job-related threat. Those who viewed themselves as low-status, on the other hand, had the opposite reaction. When they faced the threat of job loss, they remembered their networks as smaller and less diverse, compared to when exposed to no threat. Such contrasting reactions to the threat of job loss have the potential to produce a self-perpetuating cycle, contributing to long-term job displacement among low-status individuals and to wealth disparity in general. Strong vs. Weak Ties Research has long suggested that when people are searching for jobs, the most useful social connections are "weak ties"—in other words, people they know but with whom they don’t regularly associate on either a personal or professional level. These connections are impactful because they tend to expand one’s network by exposing them to people and opportunities that would not otherwise present themselves. Our research found that individuals who view themselves as high status are much more likely to turn to weak ties to help them find new job opportunities.

Never Say Anything About Yourself That You Don't Want To Come True

I still remember as a child seeing my mother standing in the kitchen talking to herself. No joke. She would literally have entire conversations with herself. At the time I just assumed my Mom must be a little bit crazy, after all the woman had ten children so by rights she was entitled to be at least somewhat nuts. Then I grew up and became an adult myself and realized that those conversations she had with herself didn't mean she was crazy at all, in fact they were a stroke of genius, and probably the only way she kept her sanity while raising those ten kids (or I would argue nine since I was of course, an angel child).

How She Did It: Lynda Weinman, From Renowned Web Graphics and Design Expert to Co-Founder of Lynda.com

Lynda Weinman is the co-founder and Executive Chair of Lynda.com, the leading online learning company that teaches people about business, software, technology and creative skills in order to help them achieve their personal and professional goals.

Why Creating Your First Blockbuster Online Product Is Easier Than You Think

Imagine you’ve just launched your first product. It’s a short little course, just a few weeks long, that teaches the “DIY” version of the topics you help people with every day. You built it once, delivered it online, and now it works for you while you’re off doing other activities you love. This online course

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The Circular Economy. Great Idea, But Can It Work?

Is there a more sustainable way to drill a hole?  Consider that power drill stored at the back of a cupboard at home. On average it’s used for six minutes a year.  Surely it would be better to rent one when you need to fix that wonky door?  But this would require us to reconsider such tools as services not products. And it would need an entirely different approach to design, manufacturing and disposal. If we pulled it off, the Circular Economy would be much closer.

Conviction Is Convincing

Consider the extremely successful businesspeople you’ve met. How many of them: Radiated a strong sense of purpose; Could take command of a situation when they wanted to; Conveyed the impression they knew just what was going on and what needed to be done; Seemed to always be calm and collected, even in very tense situations; and Projected fearlessness?

Eight Ways Goofing Off Can Boost Productivity

Ecommerce Sites Like Amazon Threaten Your Customers' Loyalty. (Here's How To Fight Back.)

It’s no surprise that retail aggregators are increasingly shaping how people buy. Think of Amazon, pretty much unmatched in customer retention thanks to its ease of use, dizzying selection, recommendation engine and friction-free return policies. Or look to Chinese e-commerce titan Alibaba and its historic $21.8 billion IPO this September. Markets are bullish on the future of retail aggregation, particularly as it happens online, and so are customers.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Guide to Inspirational Writing

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We

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The Ultimate SEO Checklist: 25 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Your Next Post

Do you know what the largest traffic source for your blog is? It’s not social media or direct visitors… It’s actually Google. And if it isn’t, that means you haven’t thought about your SEO the right way. Just look at the image above. It shows that Google drives 40.51% of the traffic to Quick Sprout. So,  [click to continue...]

Measure Your Wealth in Options

I was lamenting the fact that business has been slow over the last handful of weeks (end of the year and first of the year aren’t exactly the roaring seasons for keynote speakers and professional development experts), but a little change of perspective really turned me around. Because there’s a lesson in it that would […]

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'Tinder For Fashion' App Grabble Targets 1m Users As Ecommerce Moves To Mobile

Last year London attracted £1.4 billion of investment into new tech start-ups, ten times more than just a decade ago. Conditions look set fair for the sector to continue growing into the New Year, and there are a number of companies positioning themselves as the ones to watch in 2015. This week I’ll be profiling 5 of London’s most promising start-ups, looking at what has made them successful, what they have achieved to date and what they hope to achieve over the year ahead.

Can The Swiss Central Bank Still Control The Franc In The Future?

The decision last week by the Swiss central bank to remove a three-year cap on the Franc reeks of a surrender to market forces and it remains to be seen whether SNB can claw back its control over the currency. Perhaps it should start looking at joining the Euro instead of the broken peg.

Boring Meetings? Try These Simple Steps to Go From Dull to Dazzling

When everything’s said and done, there’s usually more said than done.

10 Women That Changed How I Thought About Building Things That Matter

This tweet from Marc Andreesen and RT'd by Dave McClure caught my eye:

How Do You Measure Your Self-Worth?

What you use to measure your self-worth greatly influences the way you think, feel, and behave.

Obama Pitches Capital Gain Hike To 28% In 'Simpler Fairer' Tax Code

President Obama proposes massive tax hikes on the wealthy and says the loopholes they exploit need closing. 28% capital gain taxes are only the beginning.

President's New Tax Proposal Would Hit Wealthy, Benefit Middle Class

President Obama will deliver his 2015 State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday. Included in the address will be proposals to increase taxes at the top and expand tax credits in the middle.

Why Success Is a Conscious Decision. Made by You.

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, persistence, and learning from failure." - Colin Powell

Transforming Lives In Kenya With Solar-Powered Backpacks

The Soular Backpack, created by a McGill University undergraduate, can provide up to eight hours of light for poor communities without electricity.

Zomato-Urbanspoon Deal Marks A Bigger Future For Female Restaurateurs In India

The opportunities for the ladies in a restaurant industry valued at $48 million.

Just the Facts: Why You Should Attend Authority Rainmaker

In 2014, we produced a different kind of online marketing conference. This year, we’re doing it again … except bigger, better, and smarter. Here’s the bare minimum you need to know to dig deeper. No hype, just the facts. What: Authority Rainmaker: Copyblogger’s live training event that provides an integrated online marketing strategy combined with

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Luxury Brands Should Ride High In 2015

Last night I attended a meeting of the Luxury Marketing Council, hosted at the Strand Hotel here in New York. Our firm has represented major players in the luxury goods segment for over two decades, so the Council is a good place for us to keep in touch with what is going on that market. An experienced panel of experts provided a wide range of views on what luxury marketers should do in 2015 to promote continued growth of their brands, and identify threats.  (One of the threats that no one saw coming was the impact of the skyrocketing Swiss Franc, which has created bedlam among many luxury brands headquartered Switzerland. The impact on Swiss luxury goods is anticipated to be great, and the share prices of some Swiss luxury manufacturers are down an astonishing 20% in the last two days.)

LAST DAY: Authority Rainmaker Pricing Increases Today

In 2014, we produced a different kind of online marketing conference. This year, we’re doing it again … except bigger, better, and smarter. Today our best pricing ends. Click here to reserve your spot and save, or read on for the essential details first. What: Authority Rainmaker: Copyblogger’s live training event that provides an integrated

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How Blogging Affects Your Bottom Line

What’s the biggest factor that’s stopping you from blogging? Chances are it’s your lack of faith that blogging will produce revenue. The last thing you want to do is spend weeks, if not months, blogging and generate no income from it, right? To prove to you that blogging is an endeavor worth undertaking, I’ve created an infographic  [click to continue...]

NFL drafts its future big-league stars

The US National Football League held its annual recruiting extravaganza in New York on Thursday, selecting eligible college football players. Here are many who made the cut.

Concentrating Solar Power Systems

If you have ever seen a field with several mirrors pointing toward the sun you may be looking at a solar power system. These systems work to concentrate the sunlight to one area and use the heat to heat up the liquid that flows along the pipes. This system is called Parabolic-trough system. This type ...

Swiss Franc U-Turn Is A Realistic Move As SNB Cannot Stop The Tide

The Swiss central bank spooked the currency market and stock markets by its sudden decision to remove a cap on the Swiss franc, but in the end the bank did nothing more than the acknowledging obvious. The SNB can be relied on to look at its own interests first and not to fight any war it cannot win.

Duchamp London and The Sophisticated Return of Soft Tailoring

Duchamp London hosted their Autumn Winter 2015 presentation in the refined Scarfes bar lounge in the spectacular Rosewood London Hotel offering fine whiskies and cocktails with sensational sexiness. The smashing venue has become the place to be seen and to dine with London's fashionable elite.

3 Problems With UK PM Cameron's Crypto Proposal

It seems that David Cameron has a desire to return the UK to an agrarian society. This by virtue of his promise to ensure that their are backdoors in  encryption implementations so that law enforcement could monitor all encrypted traffic in the UK. This week the UK prime minister dropped a gem of a missive. He let it known that should his party regain power for another term that he would see to it that encryption would only be allowed that could surveilled by the government.

Position Your Content Curation for Success With These Five Essential Elements

Last fall, Robert and I did an episode of the podcast where we laid out how content curation could be used to build an audience and even a business. It was one of the most popular episodes of 2014. We did that episode based on a personal project I was already planning to do. I

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The Science Of Ideation: What CMOs Can Learn From GE's Beth Comstock

This article is by Drew Neisser, founder and CEO of Renegade.

India's Cab-hiring App Market Growing At Breakneck Speed Despite Uber Setback

Uber’s growth in India, a key market, stalled after one of its drivers was charged some weeks ago with raping a passenger in New Delhi. But its Indian competitors Ola and TaxiForSure are zooming ahead. Main rival Ola is offering 60,000 cabs in 52 Indian cities and has aggressively announced that it plans to touch 200 cities by end-2015.

3 Reasons Filing Taxes Sucks? Obamacare, Obamacare & Obamacare

Filing tax returns isn't simple, and here are 3 reasons they are harder--and more--expensive--under Obamacare.

Sim Shagaya: On Building The Next Big Thing, Konga, Africa's Version Of Alibaba - Part Two

Following part one's coverage of Nigeria and West Africa's # 1 online retailer Konga.com; founder and CEO, Simdul Shagaya, describing the growth trajectory of his fast-rising company said, “our progress so far simply speaks to what happens when you have this incredible focus on the needs of the customer. Retailers manifest the dreams and aspirations of customers.” Konga's laser-like focus on the customer (Amazon has similar strategy) is remarkable given that the odds against Shagaya and indeed most entrepreneurs in Africa are manifold and daunting; in Nigeria and indeed much of Africa, logistics is a huge challenge due to lack of relatively well-developed infrastructure (African countries typically conduct only about 10 per cent of their trade with each other), the continent is not a manufacturing hub and relies heavily on finished products typically from the East and the West (natural resource extraction contributes more that 30 percent of Africa's GDP with very few industries on the continent adding value to their natural resources), low trust which diminishes transactions between buyer and seller (given the lack of digital-payment penetration across the continent, most consumers still pay with cash while a small percentage of people in Africa enjoy the convenience of card-based, online and mobile payments and banking); barriers to e-commerce in Africa seem insurmountable. “The primary challenge in Africa is the absence of coordinated and structured logistics networks. Logistics does exist in a chaotic, unstructured type of manner. And one of the greatest challenges Konga must tackle will be to bring order to this frenzied, unstructured energy of logistics that currently exists in the market,” said Shagaya.

Announcing The 2015 Cost of Online Business Report [Infographic]

Here’s a neat fact to start your day: Copyblogger has a goat keeper among its readers. We know because he took our 2015 Cost of Online Business survey. Now, more than likely it’s a prank. A prank by some misfit in Boca Raton. But I have to confess: part of me wants there to be a goat keeper (somewhere exotic)

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7 Tips for Increasing Your Click-Through Rates on Facebook

If you want more traffic from Facebook, you have to focus on getting more shares and likes, right? Although that’s true, it’s not the only way to generate more traffic. What if I told you that you could get more people to click on your Facebook postings? On average, 6.5 people out of 100 click  [click to continue...]

The 14 Principles Of The Future Organization

Over the past few months I've been sharing a series of posts on the 7 Principles of the Future Employee and the Evolution of the Employee. This was followed by the 10 Principles of the Future Manager followed by the Evolution of the Manager. Today I want to introduce the 14 Principles of the Future Organization (which will eventually be followed up by the Evolution of the Organization). This is a concept that is taken from my latest book on The Future of Work and one that I feel is quite important. We are seeing an amazing evolution around how we work, how we lead, and how we structure our companies. These are the 14 Principles of the Future Organization.

Citizenship Renunciation Fee Up 422%--With No Return--Just Ask Bitcoin Jesus

Renouncing U.S. citizenship in favor of a Caribbean isle sounds exciting, but exit taxes and being blocked from return can temper one's enthusiasm. Ask Bitcoin Jesus.

3 Digital Marketing Mistakes To Avoid In 2015

This article was co-authored by Brent Gleeson and Jeffrey Baskin.

Lessons Learned from Conducting Two Monster Audience Surveys

You may be creating content in a niche with 1,000 other sites, but only you have your audience. And surveying your audience can be fertile ground for the kind of information and insight that builds your next transformative content series. Just ask Demian Farnworth. He did it twice for Copyblogger in 2014 — and the

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The Tragedy of Francesca Hilton, Daughter of Zsa Zsa Gabor and Hilton Founder

Everyone loves a good rags-to-riches tale.  But Francesca Gabor Hilton's life followed a dramatically different path.  Born to Hollywood star (and Kim Kardashian predecessor), Zsa Zsa Gabor, and founder of the famed Hilton hotel dynasty, Conrad Hilton, Francesca was raised attending celebrity parties, living in mansions, earning blue ribbons in horse-riding competitions, and jet-setting to Paris, Rome, and other fashionable cities.  But her life was not as idyllic as it seemed.

IRS Unleashes Global FATCA Data Exchange, Offshore Transparency Everywhere

FATCA is America's global tax reporting law that calls for nations everywhere to report U.S. account holders. Better get compliant, and soon.

How Rethinking Dress Codes, Tattoos, Piercings Will Improve Your Customer Service

If you want to create a customer experience and style of customer service that puts both customers and employees at ease, revisit how you require your employees to dress.

What USA Today Knew Back in the 80s but You’re Finally Coming to Understand

I recently picked up the Amazon Fire TV Stick so I could stream movies from Amazon Prime on my TV for the kids and stuff. I figured it’d be a little more “family” feeling than watching off my 11 inch laptop screen. I suddenly learned so much more about visual media and how much it’s […]

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Michelle Halkerston Bought The Company She Worked For--Should You?

It was not Michelle Halkerston's ambition to buy a company. But she did. Here's why she took the leap and her candid advice for other entrepreneurs.

Last Week: Authority Rainmaker Pricing Goes Up This Friday

What: Authority Rainmaker: Copyblogger’s live training event that provides an integrated online marketing strategy combined with the best ways to implement it. Plus great parties and networking. When: May 13-15, 2015. Who: Daniel Pink, Sally Hogshead, Henry Rollins, Danny Sullivan, Ann Handley, Chris Brogan, Bernadette Jiwa, Michael King, Joanna Lord, Joe Pulizzi, Sonia Simone, Jerod

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Why Transparency Is The New Marketing

Do you know one simple way you can generate more traffic and sales? It’s actually by being transparent. Being open about your business is a great way to gain people’s trust and loyalty. By sharing problems you maybe facing, or by sharing your financial numbers (whether they are good or bad) will help you build  [click to continue...]

Cars Steal The Show At CES, Become Newest Front In Smartphone Wars

As automotive and consumer electronics technologies continue to converge, it is becoming clear that many of the same brands that were fighting for your desktop and your smartphone will soon be competing for your dashboard. Along the way, consumer decision-making will evolve away from horsepower and mileage and toward technology.

Stop Paying For Great Customer Service

Would you apply for this job? CUSTOMER SERVICE POSITION: Must wear red uniform and work outside in sub-zero temperatures. Your clients will be children aged six to nine. You must be able to lift 40 to 60 pounds while loading on transportation devices. Specialized skills required. Job is 100 to 200 miles from your home; you must pay for your own transportation. $11/hour

8 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction And Patient Experience (And, By The Way, Improve HCAHPS Scores)

A roundup of what actually increases patient satisfaction and improves the patient experience in healthcare institutions (from primary care providers to hospitals) and, by the way, improves your HCAHPS scores.

5 Tools That Foster Technology Innovation

Technology innovation thrives most when human ingenuity is uninhibited to deliver intrinsic value for unmet needs.

Marijuana Tax Millions? Hallucinations Up In Smoke, Yet Feds Propose 50% Federal Tax Too

Medical marijuana is legal in 23 states and DC, with recreational use legal in 4. Yet tax revenues are shy of projections. Is a 50% federal tax on marijuana sustainable?

Why Technology May Not Fix The Medication Adherence Problem

I'd wager that improved adherence -- and a range of other health benefits -- are ultimately more likely to be achieved not by clever apps and wireless gadgets, but rather by an empathetic physician who understands, listens, and is trusted by her patients -- assuming, of course, she can develop these relationships within the constraints of episodic fifteen minute encounters.

Five New Year's Resolutions That Will Change Your Life

We all likely have many more than five goals we’d like to accomplish this year, but in keeping with the lean mentality, I’ll keep things simple and give you just five, which, if done mindfully can have dramatic ripple effects on your health, happiness and professional success—and perhaps all the other goals you’ve set for yourself.

5 Ways To Stop Giving Negative People Too Much Power In Your Life

Negative Nancys and Debbie Downers can easily dominate your time, energy, and attention unless you take steps to back your power.

Harold Hamm's $975 Million Divorce Check: First Rejected, Then Cashed, Now Taxed

Is a check taxable when you receive it or when you cash it? That can matter, especially if the check is for $975 million.

Meghan Millennial Takes An Omnichannel Stroll: The Trend In Retail Customer Experience You Must Become An Expert In

Today's younger retail customers, including the all-important millennial generation of customers, have come of age lacking the sense of limitations in commerce that their elders have long been forced to accept. They don’t believe that commerce needs to take place on one channel or operating system (on a desktop browser running Chrome, for example) to the exclusion of another (a tablet running Safari). They will be sure to Yelp your business a new one if you don’t honor your online pricing in your store (or vice versa), or if you refuse to honor a gift card in your store that someone sent the customer by email. Your Customer Is The Star: An eBook From Forbes How to make millennials, Boomers and everyone in between fall in love your business. By Micah Solomon. What they want is what’s called—jargon alert—omnichannel. To put it simply, omnichannel is the future of just about everything that involves extracting money from a customer in a way that they actually enjoy having it extracted.

Beware Of The Maxim That Can Become A Lie

Small Business Advocate Jim Blasingame warns business leaders of five lies they tell themselves.

How to Create The Perfect Social Media Post

As a marketer, you may find yourself struggling when it comes to formulating the perfect social media post. To make things easier for you, I’ve decided to create a cheat sheet you can use when trying to create the perfect social media post. Just follow the advice in the infographic below. Click on the image  [click to continue...]

Eight Myths Your Trademark Lawyer Should Dispel

Economists tell us we need more skilled engineers, researchers, and nurse practitioners. But one thing we have in abundance is capable trademark lawyers, meaning there’s a pretty good chance the trademark lawyer you’ve hired has a depth of knowledge that will help you protect yourself and your brand.

Why Mercedes Leaves Jersey For Georgia, Toyota Left California For Texas

Mercedes is moving it U.S. headquarters to Atlanta, just as Toyota moved from California to Texas. Lower taxes and lower operating costs are attractive, and might they be for you too?

Rainmaker.FM Behind the Scenes: 2014 in Review and the Road Ahead

2014 was a pivotal year for Copyblogger Media. We: Launched a Pilot program for our Rainmaker Platform using a podcast Evolved the platform to version 2.0 during the Pilot phase Arrived at the 8-figure level for annual revenue, up 34% For an added twist, we tried things, observed, learned, and made changes on the fly

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Why Spartan Race Teaches Us That Success In Business Is All About Perseverance

This can't be happening... again.

25 Professional Networking Experts to Watch in 2015

When you write about relationship-building and networking, as I do, you tend come across a lot of authors and experts who write about these topics.

Don't Let Your Business Be A Dead Startup Walking

As an entrepreneur mentor and startup investor, I see with sadness the 50 to 90 percent that fail. If you ask them for a reason, most will insist that they couldn’t get funding, or they ran out of money too early. But I’m not convinced that it’s as simple as that. Many are just not facing the reality that their passion had a critical business flaw.

Illinois Enacts Automatic IRAs; Is Federal Mandate Coming?

Automatic enrollment for traditional IRAs might soon be a reality in Illinois as Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation enacting the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program (SCSP) into law on January 4, 2015.  However, the program will not become effective until at least July 2017.  With the success of automatic enrollment in 401(k)s and mentions of a federal auto-IRA program by President Obama, it is not a total surprise that a State was willing to implement such legislation in an attempt to improve the retirement security of Americans.  The baby boomers do not have enough money saved for retirement, Social Security’s future is murky and will not look the same in twenty years as it does today, and employers aren’t offering traditional retirement pensions anymore.  As the responsibility of saving for retirement is shifting onto the individual, new savings vehicles and strategies will be needed in order to assist people with developing their own retirement plan.

How to Build a Million Dollar Business From Your Personal Brand

One of the main ways I drive revenue to my businesses is through my personal brand. People are learning about my companies through me. It’s been so effective that I’m able to generate at least 7 figures in income within 12 months of starting a new business… all through my personal brand. Just look at  [click to continue...]

How to Conduct a Content Audit for Quality and Audience Experience

However you may feel about New Year’s resolutions, January just seems to bring on the desire for fresh starts. This month, the Copyblogger editorial team is tackling something we’ve had our eye on for awhile — a content audit. Now I don’t know about you, but that word audit doesn’t really inspire me. In fact,

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This New Company Hopes To Keep The Reputation Economy 'Real'

A new company is emerging with a technology platform and mission to solve the reputation economy's woes.

Taxman Is Funny In UK, Why Not IRS?

Tax humor isn't an oxymoron, as UK's Revenue proves with clever quips and helpful advice, even answering tax questions on Twitter! The IRS could take a page from their book.

Why Your Boss Lacks Emotional Intelligence

Over the past century, the heartless, no-nonsense CEO has become something of an icon?and a cliché?in American society. Hollywood would have us believe that the Machiavellian chief exec is still alive and well. Whether it?s the Donald from The Apprentice or Jack Donaghy from 30 Rock, these eat-the-weak-for-breakfast-types seem to

Sponsor Authority Rainmaker and Let Us Help You Build Your Business in 2015

You’ve seen a few messages here over the past few weeks describing Authority Rainmaker, specifically the myriad benefits it will deliver to attendees. Today we have one more quick note for you about Authority Rainmaker … but this note isn’t aimed at potential attendees (more for them here). Instead, today’s note is aimed at potential

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3D Printer Stocks: Is It Time For Bottom Fishing?

Disclosure: I own 3D Systems and Voxeljet stocks. After enjoying a strong 2013, 3D printer stocks dropped out of favor with Wall Street in 2014. For a good reason: Sales momentum has tapered, even among industry leaders like Stratasys and 3D Systems --  Stratasys’ (NASDAQ:SSYS) revenue growth has halved. Apparently, investor expectations have raced ahead of company fundamentals. But with prices of these stocks correcting sharply, valuations are now more reasonable than in 2013. Stratasys, for instance, is trading at a forward PE of 27.57, down from 50.23 fourteen months ago. 3D Systems trades at a forward PE of 31.17, down from 54.57. Does this mean it is time for investors to go bottom fishing in these stocks? Industry analysts seem to think so, as they have maintained their recommendations, and in some cases (e.g., Stratasys), price targets. Forecasters are still optimistic about the industry’s prospects over the next decade – the industry expected to grow from $1billion to $7 billion by 2025, according to IDTechEX. And a pick up in M&A activity may give 3D stocks an additional boost. Financials of the Four Major Players as of 11/13/2013

In Sri Lanka, Opposition On Track To Win Elections In The Midst Of Violence

As Sri Lanka gears for presidential elections later this week on Thursday, there has been an increase in incidents of violence, amidst predictions of a win for the opposition.

Are Airlines Getting Greedy?

Disclosure: I own AAL, JBLU, and UAL Stocks

The Capitalist Touch: Rande Gerber on Casamigos, Cindy Crawford and the Good Life

Photo by David Needleman 

10 Marketing Predictions You Should Prepare for in 2015

2015 is going to be an interesting year for marketers. Based on what I’ve seen over the years and my decade-long experience, I think there are going to be a lot of changes. Before you start planning how you are going to market your business, read the 10 predictions below. If you follow them, you’ll  [click to continue...]

Solar Energy – The Future of Generating Energy for the Home

Solar energy for residential houses is nothing new. It has just been relegated to the background in lieu of rising cost of real estate; newer more advanced building materials, design and the limitation of resources. Since man started building homes, sunlight played a major influence in the design. In fact, even in the more advanced ...

16 Stats That Explain Why Adaptive Content Matters Right Now

Big data. Content. Growth hacking. Pivot. Engagement. A few words and phrases that make us want to stick a fork in our eye each time we hear them. Or stick a fork in the eye of the person using the words. We all hate buzzwords, but it’s hard to get away from them. A phrase

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2015 Ram ProMaster City: Little Van, Big Potential

When you're an automaker approaching 5 consecutive years of month-over-month and year-over-year growth you're well past the realm of "timing the market right" or "executing on some critical launches." That kind of sustained momentum requires consistent design, engineering, product planning and marketing excellence. And if the automaker in question oversees multiple brands those traits have to manifest across a wide spectrum of individuals, further adding to the challenge. Of course, in the case of FCA (formerly Chrysler Group LLC), some brands have played a larger role than others in helping the automaker maintain 56 straight months of sales growth. The Ram brand has been a key driver of FCA's success, and the numbers don't lie. Last year Ram sales were up almost 25 percent while the market as a whole was up six percent. Ram also gained 15 percent market share on the commercial side, and it's doubled overall share from 12 to 24 percent since becoming a stand-alone brand 5 years ago. However, as any wise corporate executive can attest, every positive sales, market share and revenue metric comes with the added pressure to beat those same numbers in the following months, quarters and years. How long can FCA and Ram keep its growth rate growing? "For as long as possible" company representatives told us when asked, just before letting us drive the all-new 2015 Ram ProMaster City van.

Hong Kong: The Perfect Launchpad for Overseas Green Tech Startups

The limelight has long been shed on Hong Kong as a startup-friendly destination. Besides efficient business setup, a robust legal system, easygoing regulatory environment and a simple tax system - one of Hong Kong’s greatest advantages is its proximity to the largest economy in the world.

Facts about Solar Energy and Solar Power Plants

The earth receives more than enough energy from the sun in an hour to supply the world’s energy requirement for the whole year. Unfortunately, only a tiny portion of it is harnessed and the world still relies on power plants that burn fossil fuels. The good thing, though, is that there is a constant increase ...

Community Foundations Embrace Impact Investing

A growing number of community foundations are focusing on impact investing.

Without Tailoring Content to the Buyer's Journey, You're Missing the Mark

Creating content that doesn’t directly speak to your audience is like accidentally gifting your mother-in-law a men’s razor and some aftershave. It’s a waste of resources, and you’re bound to lose a lot more than trust. When your content lacks a clear tone, goal, and audience, it will fail to resonate with the people who matter most to your business: existing and potential customers.

Customer Service Recovery: Apologizing To Customers Without Alienating Employees

Customer service recovery is the ability to recover from a mishap with a client, to recover so successfully that you actually may improve relations with that client.  This involves several steps which I'll recap here briefly. 1. Apologize and ask for forgiveness: A real apology, not a fakey fake “I’m sorry if you feel that way.” 2. Review the complaint with your customer: turn your customers, in other words, into your customer service consultants, letting them explain what’s gone wrong in the customer experience in the customer’s view and what you should do to fix it. 3. Fix the problem and then follow up: Either fix the issue in the next twenty minutes or follow up within twenty minutes to check on the customer and explain the progress you have made. Follow up after fixing things as well, to show continuing concern and appreciation. 4. Document the problem in detail to allow you to permanently fix the defect by identifying trends.

Business Podcast for You?

Want a business podcast to listen to this year? Get mine! The Owner’s Mind. You can listen to it on iTunes or Stitcher or via this website or you can dump the RSS feed in whatever player you want. Continue Reading

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Former Wall Street Broker Turned Sneaker God: Jon Buscemi and the $865 Price Tag

As a native New Yorker and a true product of his environment, Jon Buscemi was inspired by the everyday surroundings of music, skateboarding and fashion of the 70’s, 80’s and the 90’s. At 8 years old with some neighborhood friends, Jon started a line of shirts and hats that were distributed through his ever-growing inclusive Long Island skate community. The hustler was born. He had a feeling and knew he wasn’t like the rest of them.

Concentrating Solar Power

Solar power is described as the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Sunlight could be changed straight into electricity with the use of PV or photovoltaics. It can also be indirectly converted using CSPs. There are now several devices and structures created which focus and concentrate solar power in various ways depending on the needed use. ...

The 7 "C's" to Guide You in 2015

Another year is over and there is a lot to be done in the year to come. Use the 7 C's to engage your best self for success in the coming year.

Six China Business Law Trends for 2015

China in 2015 will look much like China in 2014, only "more" so. If you are doing business in China, you should be on your guard for the following six things in 2015.

Abolish Corporate Income Tax?

Business history author John Steele Gordon wrote an Op-Ed piece in The Wall Street Journal on December 30, 2014 entitled, “Top 10 Reasons To Abolish The Corporate Income Tax”. I believe that his reasons are valid and he makes a strong case for abolishing the corporate income tax in the U.S. and the world. However, his Op-Ed lacks a balanced view since it does not point out any of the problems with eliminating the corporate income tax.

5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Stay Motivated Every Day

Entrepreneurs need motivation by the bucketful, but some days it’s easier to stir up than others. It’s fantastic to have big, long-term goals, but don’t underestimate the power of little, daily ones. These easier to attain goals keep you going even with a nightmare client, a nearing deadline, or when lose all your data in a computer crashes.

What Are The Best Times to Post on Social Media

Have you ever wondered when you should be sharing your content on the social web? Your visitors and followers prefer using social media sites during specific hours. So if you start sharing your content when your users are on these social sites, you’ll not only gain more shares, but you’ll also notice an increase in  [click to continue...]

Why CMOs Need To Adopt A New Marketing Ecosystem

Clever marketing is no longer the key to your customers' affection -- in fact, it may alienate them.

If 2014 Was The Year Of The Data Breach, Brace For More

If 2014 was the year of the data breach, malicious bugs and clever hackers may make 2015 even worse -- and the government will penalize companies that don't protect customer information.

Business Management With 'Environmental Beta': The Measure Of Change

Now more than ever, business is an exercise in the management of constant change. And the fields that our business operate in are dynamic, ever-changing, and hard to predict. 'Environmental Beta' is a calculated assesment of how that change affects business options and resource planning on a day-to-day basis.

New Years Resolutions That Actually Keep The IRS Away

A few simple New Years resolutions can help keep you safe from the IRS and a world of hurt.

My 3 Words for 2015

Since 2006, I’ve been inviting people to shift how they approach their year and how they frame their goals and intentions. I created the “My 3 Words” exercise because most resolutions aren’t especially helpful. We decide something vague like “I’ve gotta get in shape” or “I’ve gotta quit smoking” or “I need to make more […]

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Macau Recovery, Japan Progress In Casino Cards For 2015

Common sense forecasts and bold predictions for Asian gaming in 2015.