You’ve chosen a booming industry, maybe even the mobile sector, and assembled a competent team.

You’re all set to start!

But before you hit the ground running, let me share one crucial insight with you. It’s the final piece of the puzzle, the billion-dollar paradox that no one seems to talk about. Without understanding this paradox, your chances of becoming a billionaire are slim. Grasp it, use it, and you’ll be one step closer to massive wealth!

First, let’s set the stage. We need to dive into the intricacies of the business world – understand its hidden dynamics and how its players interact. We’ll start by exploring a few smaller paradoxes that lead to the big one. Ready? Let’s dive in.

Paradox #1: Entrepreneurs Dislike Traditional Jobs

It’s true – most entrepreneurs aren’t natural businessmen or managers. Consider a typical businessman for a moment. He thrives in a structured 9-to-5 job, enjoys the corporate environment, and loves departmentalization with tidy labels like H.R. or R&D. Businessmen also relish working with accountants – it’s just how they’re wired.

Now, don’t get me wrong – businesspeople are essential. However, you probably don’t aspire to be one of them. You want to be an entrepreneur, right?

The Entrepreneurial Mindset

Entrepreneurs typically couldn’t care less about the structured corporate world. They despise the illusion of security that a 9-to-5 job brings.

Entrepreneurs are often outspoken leaders. They’re dynamic, chaotic, and diverse. Because of this, they usually hate accounting and other routine tasks. Entrepreneurs are far more excited about starting new ventures and taking risks compared to businessmen.

They value the real-world impact of their businesses more than quarterly profits or shareholder returns. As a result, investors have a complicated relationship with entrepreneurs, often preferring to trust their money to corporate businessmen.

Paradox #2: Entrepreneurs Struggle with Long-Term Growth

While being an entrepreneur is thrilling, it comes with a paradox. Entrepreneurs often find it challenging to manage long-term business growth because of their inherently volatile nature. If you’re an entrepreneur, you’re constantly itching to start something new, grow a fresh business, or invest in a groundbreaking idea that could change the world. This approach is exciting, but it can – and often does – backfire.

The “screw it, let’s do it” mentality, popularized by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, sounds fantastic for startups. However, it’s less effective when managing a medium-sized or large business, which requires focus and a cautious approach.

Running a large company involves overseeing dozens or even hundreds of employees and managing millions in venture capital. You can’t afford to gamble with that. And yet, another paradox emerges: despite these challenges, entrepreneurs are more likely to become incredibly wealthy than most would assume.

Paradox #3: Most Billionaires Are Entrepreneurs

Indeed, most of the world’s billionaires are entrepreneurs, not traditional businesspeople. They’ve learned how to transform their ventures from hands-on jobs into automated systems. They achieve this by hiring a skilled businessman as CEO and letting him run the company while they move on to their next venture. This cycle is what keeps the momentum going.

Make no mistake, billionaires dislike the idea of a ‘job’ as much as anyone else. So, why not hire a businessman who thrives in that environment?

Successful entrepreneur-billionaires have mastered the art of working with businessmen. They know how to recruit them, place them at the helm of their growing startups, and leverage their skills to automate the business. This is how they turn their ‘startup job’ into a self-sustaining enterprise.

This is precisely how they become billionaires!

Finding the Right Person

The final challenge you’ll face, should you choose this path to billions, is supervising the businessman you’ve hired. Ensure he’s doing a great job. It’s a win-win situation: you’ll have more free time to pursue new ventures, and the businessman gets what he wants – a secure 9-to-5 job.

Keep Innovating!

While overseeing your chosen CEO, restart the cycle. Grow as many businesses as you can. Experiment and see what works. If one venture grows to the point where your “screw it, let’s do it” management style no longer applies, start searching for CEO-like businessmen to bring on board.

Unfortunately, those CEOs will likely never become billionaires. But you will. I genuinely hope you do. Soon, you’ll have multiple automated businesses, generating substantial wealth. But remember, it’s not all about the money, right? Or… is it?

The post Avoid This Costly Mistake in Entrepreneurship appeared first on Hongkiat.

You can grow your business from the ground up by harnessing change to work for you, rather than against you. In navigating the dynamic business landscape, understanding the concept of Minimum Expected Value (MEV) is vital. Everyone you meet has an MEV – the minimum value they expect to derive from their interactions with you.

Even if individuals are not consciously aware of this expectation, the MEV factor is always at play. Recognizing and responding to each person’s MEV can significantly influence your success. Here’s why it’s essential.

Job Security Is a Myth

Having a job does not guarantee security – you’re at risk of losing it every day. Regardless of how well you get along with your boss, or how valued you are by your team, or even how long you’ve been at the company. Your past contributions, how much value, money, or clients you’ve brought in – it doesn’t secure your position. Don’t buy into the myth of job security.

In the past, job security might have been a reality. Today? It’s a different story. You are only as valuable as what your current contributions are to the company.

If you deliver more than what’s expected by your role’s Minimum Expected Value (MEV), you’re in a safer position. If you’re exceeding these expectations, your boss will likely advocate for you during tough times – as long as the company itself remains afloat. Thus, securing your job involves enhancing the quality and effort beyond your job description’s MEV.

Always aim to exceed expectations. This proactive approach is how you leverage change in your favor, instead of letting it work against you.

Otherwise, it might be time to look for new opportunities elsewhere.

Client Loyalty Is Not Guaranteed

Your client will look elsewhere if you fail to meet their expectations. Yes, you heard right. In today’s competitive world, there’s no such thing as a guaranteed loyal client – and there shouldn’t be.

Whether you’re a freelancer or running your own business, remember: the moment your work just meets the client’s Minimum Expected Value (MEV), you risk losing them.

Imagine you’re a mobile developer, freelancing with a client for whom you’ve successfully developed several apps. While they’ve been satisfied so far, complacency can be costly.

Tables Can Turn Quickly

If your next app is poorly coded and starts crashing on certain devices, that could cost you your client. It might not happen after the first issue, but a second one can prompt them to seek alternatives.

Consistency is key: once you set a high standard, there’s no going back. Ever. In business, your future hinges on your current performance. Your client base can dwindle quickly if you fail to continually exceed their expectations.

The key to success is consistently adding value to your clients’ experiences by delivering beyond expectations. Push yourself harder than expected by your clients, your boss, or your colleagues. That’s how you become unstoppable.

The Shark Story:

In the fierce realm of business, it’s a shark-eat-shark world. Take the Great White Shark, a well-known obligate ram breather, which must continually move through the water to breathe and survive. Similarly, as a freelancer or entrepreneur, stagnation spells the end – constant movement and growth are essential for survival.

Your business requires continuous growth; merely maintaining your current metrics demands effort. Growth must become your instinct; adding value to your clients is the result. Interestingly, you’re statistically more likely to be bitten by another person than a shark, illustrating the competitive nature of the business world where only the proactive survive.

Note that not all sharks thrive by constant movement. Some species live inactive lifestyles at the ocean’s bottom, surviving through buccal pumping. They can afford to stay still because they’re already at the lowest point. Don’t let your business mirror this ‘sad shark’s life’ – always aim for upward mobility.

Becoming a Great White

Convinced about the need to add more value? Let’s continue with our mobile developer example to illustrate essential growth principles.

Constant Improvement

Immerse yourself in learning. From mobile design tutorials to mastering mobile JQuery, acquiring new knowledge daily secures your position with clients.

Constant Research

Your work is never perfect. Always seek to optimize, much like refining an algorithm. Don’t shy away from critique; consult with peers and experts, asking as many questions as needed to enhance your skills. Even a single improvement from these interactions signifies growth.

Constant Feedback

Client interaction is crucial. Understand their evolving needs by encouraging them to complete surveys. Strive to improve consistently, allowing your services to enhance like fine wine over time.

Wrap Up

The above steps are vital for any professional, whether you’re an entrepreneur, a freelancer, or simply a determined individual in any field. Do you believe these principles and the concept of Minimum Expected Value (MEV) are applicable only to the business world, or could they also enhance other areas of your life?

The post How Entrepreneurs and Freelancers Can Add Value to Grow Their Business appeared first on Hongkiat.

But as the legendary Biggie Smalls once said, “more money, more problems.” This is a universal challenge for entrepreneurs. Yet, despite the well-known difficulties, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creatives constantly chase more (because they’re inherently ambitious). This explains the abundance of online resources dedicated to enhancing work productivity. Everyone is eager to discover how to accomplish more without the added stress.

Stress is the antithesis of productivity. Hence, to achieve more, we must understand what stress is, identify when it happens, and learn strategies to eliminate it.

Stress Has No Place Here

Stress begins as a thought in our minds before manifesting as a sensation in our bodies, suggesting that experiencing stress is, to some extent, a choice, even though it often doesn’t feel that way.

Contrary to common belief, there actually is enough time in a day to accomplish all that we set out to do. The real issue arises in that window from 12 PM to 4 PM when emails flood in, phones ring off the hook, and visitors constantly interrupt. It’s during these hours that time seems to evaporate.

Remember the tranquility of the morning when interruptions were scarce? That’s when handling an additional two tasks seemed effortless. Your mind was serene, and your productivity peaked. Mastering your thought process is key to achieving this level of calmness throughout the day.

What we’re aiming for is a state of relaxed alertness, a serene focus where you’re fully engaged and “in the zone,” free from any feeling of being overwhelmed. Here’s how to achieve it.

Say “No”

Sounds easy but in reality, not many people have learned to refuse others. When you’re doing something, focus on it 100%, don’t multitask and don’t think about other stuff. By all means, don’t allow other people to interrupt you.

The cost of an interruption comes from the fact that our brain takes time to readapt to the context of a problem, so while you might be thinking you’re solving multiple problems simultaneously, you almost always end up chasing two rabbits and coming up empty-handed. That’s not to say that multitasking is wrong.

We’ve said it before, multitasking is usually wrong (here’s Science backing us up). Even doctors advise against it. David Mayer, a cognitive scientist had this to say to Entrepreneur Magazine about multitasking:

"Einstein was not multitasking when he was dreaming up the special and general theories of relativity."

Selective Multitasking

But the fact is, as an entrepreneur or freelancer you aren’t rewriting the laws of physics.

Multitasking is a skill which has its benefits but as a rule of thumb, you can’t apply multitasking to creative work, or to writing and email while talking to someone in accounting at the same time. Each task takes turns grabbing your attention and decision-making so what you’re actually doing is losing time since you are neither writing nor communicating at your best.

Multitasking works for simple, repetitive tasks; tasks that are straight-forward, mechanical, and don’t require creative thinking e.g. data entry, copy pasting data, skimming through notifications or newsletters etc. When faced with the possibility of multitasking, do what requires your attention first, then multitask the rest of the simpler tasks.

Pre-think

Barbara Corcoran, founder of the Corcoran Group, said it best:

"The productiveness of any meeting depends on the advance thought given the agenda, and you should never leave a meeting without writing a follow-up list with each item assigned to one person."

She’s right! We lose tons of time by going to meetings and brainstorming sessions unprepared. Whether it’s a client, associate or employee appointment, take the time to review beforehand what you’ll discuss and what you’re inclined to decide. Visualize a potential solution on your own. You’ll be suprised to find how little help you actually need from the other person.

Imagine what they’ll say in response to your opinions. Run an inner role-playing dialogue. You could do this in your car, on way to work, at the gym or when relaxing. You’ll end up looking like you always know your stuff and your meetings will be shorter.

Another important point is choosing your meetings carefully. Use phone calls, WhatsApp, Skype, smoke signals or radiowaves. Anything to maximize your time by traveling less. Here’s what Business Magnate Mark Cuban had to say about that last one:

"Meetings are a waste of time unless you are closing a deal. There are so many ways to communicate in real time or asynchronously that any meeting you actually sit for should have a duration and set outcome before you agree to go."

I use Skype to talk to my girlfriend in the kitchen. Try it, it’s fun. Make sure you have an understanding girlfriend first.

Carry a Tech Sidekick

The hardest working man in Social Media, Gary Vaynerchuk says:

"I carry my laptop with me everywhere. If I have any downtime during the day, I’ll jump on my computer and answer e-mails."

I encourge you to carry a device with you at all times. It could be a smartphone, laptop or tablet… it doesn’t matter.

What matters is what you can do with it, things like:

Write down Everything

Jot those ingenius ideas down as they come in. Summarise meetings on your sidekick. Conclusions, follow-ups, contact persons… we all forget the useful stuff, so this is a briliant trick to save time in the future. Plan your next day on it. Write down what you want to accomplish. Adjust accordingly the next day.

Observe yourself with it.

Study your circle. There is no magic formula here. Alternate the hours and see if you feel more productive. Find your rhythm. Here’s one extreme formula from Business Guru Jordan Zimmerman:

"Cut down on sleep. Why would you sleep when it’s time to live? Sleeping isn’t living. You sleep when you die. I get up at 3:30 every morning and I’m at the gym by 4. Then I ride 25 miles on my bike before breakfast. Being in shape is what gives me energy."

Be Organized

Save and categorise your work for reuse later, especially if you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur. Your teachers and parents were right. You need to keep things clean and organised. It helps a lot.

Change the working environment

This very article is written from a coffeeshop. I write, plan, consult and even do accounting this way. I usually do this when I feel I can’t work anymore. Switching your enviroment can do wonders for your productivity. Entrepreneur Barbara Corcoran agrees to:

"Go outside. All the big ideas are on the outside. You’ll never have a creative idea at your desk."

Feel Guilty

I know I’ll upset a lot of "positive thinkers" with this one. And it is indeed pretty hard to admit, but feeling guilty about wasting my time is one of the top reason I was able to overcome my circumstances and create a better life for myself. It’s such a rooted habit now that I have trouble taking time off and relaxing.

That’s the bad part but I can live with that. The good news is feeling guilty about the time spent not working makes you richer. The trick here is that the feeling should be genuine. Here are a few exercises to help you create this state:

Count your blessings

Realize most of them were given to you for free (your body, mind, people you love, soul, youth etc). Then realize that all your blessings, whatever they may be for you, will go to waste if you don’t maximize their potential through hard work.

Think about the food you’re eating

Think about how much effort and work was put into your daily nutrition. People had to plant, wait, hope, work, harvest, hunt and kill for you to get your daily chicken rice. The dollars spent on that food surely don’t cover the effort. What are you really giving back to society in exchange for your food?

People Work While You Sleep

Think about the people you’re competiting against, half way across the world. They work while you sleep. Then, realize that no matter how young you are, you are not immune to the very same end which awaits everyone (death). The only thing that really matters is how well you’ve lived your life, what you’ve accomplished and created for you and others. Do you feel you’ll be remembered correctly yet?

An Exercise In Guilt

Close your eyes. Remember a time when you felt really guilty and ashamed about something. Relive that: see, hear and feel what you felt. Imagine that feeling as a current rotating inside your body. Then, while keeping the current rotating, remember a time when you pointlessly wasted your time. Feel the guilt and the shame coming from the current. Practice this exercise 2-3 times a week.

In order for any of these exercises to really work, you need to put some effort in them. Really think and visualize with each, and you’ll find yourself more productive than you ever thought.

Ready To Go

That’s it. Those are the less-known secrets to productivity. Now, if you’ll be able to be smart about the meetings you take, refuse some, refuse interruptions while working, multitask only repetitive tasks while carrying a laptop and feeling guilty, there’s no conceivable reason you won’t be a multi-millionaire entrepreneur or freelancer.

If the entire process seems too hard, that’s because it sometimes is. In order to be extraordinairy, do extraordinary stuff.

The post How to Counter Stress and Create Productivity for Entrepreneurs appeared first on Hongkiat.

The term “entrepreneur” has its roots in the French verb entreprendre, which means “to undertake.” Delving even further back into the Sanskrit language, the word anthaprerna translates to “self-motivation.” These etymological origins perfectly encapsulate what an entrepreneur is: a self-motivated individual who willingly takes on responsibilities that extend beyond themselves.

Understanding the Essence of Entrepreneurship

Being an entrepreneur isn’t about amassing wealth or wielding power. Many entrepreneurs feel uncomfortable when they find themselves in a position where they have to manage others or relocate their office to a high-rise building. This discomfort stems from the entrepreneurial spirit, which thrives on resource constraints and the innovation that such limitations inspire.

Harvard Business School Professor Howard Stevenson offers an insightful definition of entrepreneurship:

“Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.”

This means that entrepreneurship involves embracing your current circumstances while visualizing a brighter future, irrespective of your present conditions. Adding a keyword here, it’s about assuming moderate risks to achieve that vision.

Entrepreneurship isn’t a selfish endeavor. As business magnate Richard Branson eloquently stated in his LinkedIn article:

“…to me, being an entrepreneur simply means being someone who wants to make a difference to other people’s lives.”

Therefore, an entrepreneur also aims to improve the overall quality and standard of life in society. What mission could be more noble than that?

The Noble Path of Entrepreneurship

An entrepreneur contributes to society by creating jobs, advancing scientific knowledge, and solving pressing global issues. True entrepreneurs are not merely focused on their personal gains. While everyone aspires to improve their lives, entrepreneurs intentionally or unintentionally enrich not only their own lives but also the lives of countless others.

The Concept of Meta-Entrepreneurs

Although spiritual leaders, inventors, and philosophers do add value to people’s lives, they are not entrepreneurs in the strictest sense. Their contributions are often theoretical rather than practical, and thus, their work doesn’t directly improve the quality of life for others.

These individuals are better described as meta-entrepreneurs. They provide invaluable guidance and knowledge for future generations of entrepreneurs. For example, the philosopher Socrates, as a meta-entrepreneur, may have indirectly influenced greater societal changes than any single entrepreneur could have.

Meta-entrepreneurs lay the informational groundwork that entrepreneurs can utilize to add tangible, practical value to society. However, it’s crucial to distinguish between the two: an entrepreneur is the practical embodiment of the theoretical principles put forth by the meta-entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurship: Beyond a Mere Job

One could argue that any individual who performs their job with dedication and skill is adding value to society. Professions like doctors, educators, and even politicians do contribute to enhancing the quality of life for the community.

However, these professionals cannot be labeled as entrepreneurs. They don’t assume the responsibilities of others and operate within the boundaries of their respective professions. They have jobs and follow rules – rules often established by entrepreneurs or meta-entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurship is not a job. An entrepreneur sets up the framework for improving both their life and the lives of others. Media mogul Ted Turner encapsulated this idea well:

“My son is now an ‘entrepreneur.’ That’s what you’re called when you don’t have a job.”

Do You Qualify as an Entrepreneur?

The answer depends on the context. If you’ve built a family and ensure its members are responsible, contributing citizens, you could be considered a “social entrepreneur.” However, in the economic sense, you’re an entrepreneur only if your business meets at least one of the following criteria:

• It creates jobs.
• It delivers valuable products or services.
• It generates wealth for more than just yourself.

Interestingly, you can’t claim the title of entrepreneur if you once owned a business that either went bankrupt or was sold. Being an entrepreneur is more than a job title; it’s a continuous state of being. You either embody entrepreneurship in the present moment, or you don’t.

Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur

If you’re not currently an entrepreneur, you might be wondering what it takes to become one. According to billionaire Richard Branson, all you really need is a compelling idea and a zest for life:

“When I started with Student Magazine, I didn’t even know what an entrepreneur was. I was simply passionate about protesting against the Vietnam War and having some fun in the process. If that meant becoming an entrepreneur, then so be it.”

Is it truly that simple? Yes, absolutely.

The Importance of Dreaming Big

Entrepreneurship is essentially a journey to realize your dreams. While I often get labeled as a serial entrepreneur, I don’t necessarily identify with that term. I believe that the moment you label yourself as an entrepreneur, you risk losing your drive and ambition.

As previously mentioned, entrepreneurship isn’t a job or a title; it’s a continuous state of chasing your dreams. It’s about wanting to turn those dreams into reality, which is why you need to be an entrepreneur.

To conclude, I’ll share this inspiring quote from the legendary Walt Disney:

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

The post What It Takes to Call Yourself a Real Entrepreneur appeared first on Hongkiat.

These individuals transcended their initial roles to become iconic figures who have influenced millions of lives through their innovative inventions, groundbreaking business models, and visionary approaches, all while freelancing.

This isn’t merely a tale of accumulating wealth or gaining prestige; it’s a narrative of adding substantial value to humanity. For instance, Andrew Carnegie leveraged his innate ability to connect with people to establish a timeless legacy through various enterprises, libraries, and charitable foundations.

Similarly, people like Bill Gates, Aaron Montgomery Ward, and Sam Walton have shown that freelancing can transcend the notion of self-employment. It involves developing self-discipline, responsibility, and a strong work ethic.

Once you have mastered these attributes, you can then use them to positively affect an ever-increasing number of lives.

And that’s how legacies are made. It’s the greatest gift you can offer both yourself and humanity.

Andrew Carnegie

Freelancer in Business Consulting and Networking

The story of Andrew Carnegie is a textbook example of a “rags-to-riches” tale. Born in a single-room weaver’s cottage in Scotland, Carnegie went on to become one of the wealthiest individuals in history. His humble beginnings make his extraordinary achievements even more remarkable.

In 1848, Carnegie’s family migrated to America in search of better opportunities. At just 13 years old, Andrew found himself working as a bobbin boy in a cotton mill, working grueling 12-hour shifts six days a week.

Though a freelancer, it was not by choice but out of necessity. He had only his time to sell. By age 15, he was working as a telegraph messenger.

Master of Networking

During his free hours, Andrew would frequent prominent businesses in Pittsburgh and make an effort to get to know the owners. He’d share information about other important business figures he knew, aiming to build valuable relationships.

His commitment and skills as a telegraph boy – being able to translate telegraph signals without writing them down – did not go unnoticed. He earned a promotion and eventually landed a job with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at 18 years old.

Carnegie quickly climbed the corporate ladder and formed a close relationship with Thomas Alexander Scott, the company president. This connection allowed him access to insider knowledge and investment opportunities, although some were ethically questionable.

The Gift of Influence

Andrew’s knack for influencing people helped him accumulate working capital by making smart investments and forming alliances with influential individuals. This ability also enabled him to orchestrate a significant business merger between Woodruff’s and Pullman’s companies when he was just 25.

Despite amassing unparalleled wealth and establishing the world’s largest company, the US Steel Corporation, Carnegie had a complex view on the subject of wealth. He was involved in the largest personal commercial transaction ever, worth $480 million, but his thoughts on wealth were far from celebratory:

“Man must have no idol, and the accumulation of wealth is one of the worst forms of idolatry! No idol is more degrading than the worship of money. Whatever I engage in, I must push extraordinarily; therefore, I should be careful to choose a life that will be the most uplifting in its nature.”

Bill Gates

Freelance Programmer and Innovator

Bill Gates is synonymous with Microsoft, a name that has become a cornerstone in the world of computing. Although he has often been dubbed the richest man on Earth, Gates actually hails from a middle-class background in Seattle.

At the young age of 13, Gates showed early signs of entrepreneurial spirit. He sold items at a school rummage sale to fund computer time on a General Electric system. There were no personal computers back then, but Gates was determined. He self-taught BASIC programming and began to master the machine.

Early Ethical Hacker

Gates was so proficient that he, along with three friends, managed to hack a PDP-10 system owned by the Computer Center Corporation (CCC). Upon discovery, they were banned from the system. However, Gates turned the situation around by offering his programming skills to identify other vulnerabilities in CCC’s system, in exchange for more computer time.

That’s when Bill Gates officially stepped into the world of freelance coding.

He continued his freelance programming work for Information Sciences, Inc., developing a payroll program in Cobol at the age of 16. The next year, he worked on software for class distribution among students.

Early Entrepreneurial Ventures

In the same year, Gates and his friend Paul Allen started Traf-O-Data, a tool for traffic analytics. The project didn’t succeed, but that didn’t discourage them. They approached MITS, a company that was developing a computer using the Intel 8080 CPU. Despite having no finished software, Gates and Allen convinced MITS President Ed Roberts to meet them by saying they were close to completing compatible software.

The duo then hastily wrote the code they had initially lied about, leading to a successful meeting and the birth of their company, which they named “Micro-Soft.”

Read Also:  The Beginning of Famous Tech Companies in 40 Classic Photos

Aaron Montgomery Ward

Freelancer in Copywriting and Direct Mail

Aaron Montgomery Ward would likely be hailed as the master of sales letters if he were around today. As the pioneer of the mail-order business, he revolutionized the way people bought products. His beginnings in the business world, however, were quite humble.

Ward entered the workforce at just 14, performing the unglamorous job of stacking bricks in a kiln. He eventually transitioned into sales, peddling various goods. By 1865, he had taken on a freelance role, working on commission to sell products for Case and Sobin, a lamp company.

Innovator of Direct Mail Sales

While working in dry goods sales for Field Palmer & Leiter, Ward conceived the groundbreaking idea of direct mail sales. He saw it as a way to reduce costs and simplify the role of salespeople.

Ward had a grand vision: to make manufactured goods accessible to everyone, even those living in rural areas. Despite skepticism from his peers, he took the plunge. In 1872, Ward launched the world’s first general merchandise mail-order catalog, featuring 163 items. He wrote all the product descriptions himself, effectively making him the world’s first freelance copywriter in this niche.

Sam Walton

Freelance Salesman Turned Entrepreneur

Walmart stands as the largest public corporation on a global scale. As of 2013, it surpassed giants like Shell and Exxon, employing a staggering 2.2 million people and generating nearly $500 billion in revenue. The man behind this retail behemoth is Sam Walton, who began his journey as a freelance salesman.

Sam Walton grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and started working at a young age to support his family. One of his earliest gigs was milking the family cow and delivering the milk to various customers, effectively becoming a freelance milkman in his youth.

The Hustle of a True Freelancer

During the tough times of the Great Depression, Walton took up various roles to make ends meet. He delivered newspapers, sold magazine subscriptions, and even worked various sales jobs, including waiting tables to pay for his meals. Walton epitomizes the hustle and determination characteristic of a true freelancer.

By the age of 26, Walton was ready to make his big move. With a loan of $20,000, he purchased his first retail store. This was the humble beginning that would later blossom into a retail empire. After expanding to multiple locations, he inaugurated the first Wal-Mart store in 1962 (now known as Walmart) and the rest is history.

The post People Who Started as Freelancers and Changed the World appeared first on Hongkiat.

Contrary to common perception, external elements are seldom the primary reason for business failure. The key lies in your choices and your actions. The prosperity of your startup depends on your ability to find the ideal equilibrium between involvement and autonomy in your business activities. It’s akin to maintaining a healthy romantic relationship: being either too possessive or too indifferent can both lead to disappointment.

Striking the right balance is vital for your business. To guide you through this journey, here are seven pitfalls that every entrepreneur should avoid.

1. The Pitfall of Over-Specialization

Many people mistakenly think that entrepreneurs should specialize in a single area, much like certain insects. Robert A. Heinlein, in his book Time Enough for Love, expressed a contrasting view:

For example, ants make poor mentors for entrepreneurs. An ant unquestioningly obeys its leader (the queen) and lacks the ability to think outside the box or innovate. While ants are efficient at carrying heavy objects, they are not entrepreneurial by nature. They are engineered to excel in a designated role for the collective good of their community.

Avoid mimicking ants.

Champion Adaptability

Heinlein’s viewpoint implies that humans, particularly entrepreneurs, should be adaptable. An entrepreneur should not only be capable of executing various tasks but should also excel in areas such as market research, administrative tasks, process optimization, and even graphic design. Adaptability is crucial.

An entrepreneur is a true master of many skills.

Successful entrepreneurs understand that excessive specialization can be an obstacle. They adopt a balanced strategy by not overly concentrating on a single domain, but rather taking a comprehensive view of all crucial aspects of their business.

2. The Hazard of Excessive Enthusiasm in Business Ventures

It’s natural for entrepreneurs to be swept up in the thrill of a new endeavor. Much like the honeymoon phase in relationships, everything seems perfect at the outset. You may believe you can juggle your current job and a new startup, but this is often a symptom of excessive enthusiasm.

Attempting to launch multiple businesses at once is a surefire way to fail. The cornerstone of business success is total dedication. As previously discussed, being a master of many skills within your own enterprise is essential.

Do you truly think you can effectively manage multiple startups? The wise course of action is to dive into a new venture only after your current one has stabilized, has been operational for at least three years, and has matured beyond the startup phase. Therefore, start modestly and concentrate on nurturing one business at a time.

3. The Fallacy of Passion as the Ultimate Objective

The notion of passion is frequently romanticized in literature, quotes, and articles. However, the practical reality is different. Astute entrepreneurs don’t blindly chase the abstract concept of passion. The fact is, industries are either profitable or not, irrespective of our personal preferences. Opportunities for business extend beyond our passions.

The real question to ponder is: Is it worthwhile to follow your passion at the expense of potentially more lucrative and faster-growing industries?

Don’t Be Misled by Passion

You might counter, “If Steve Jobs succeeded, why can’t I?” The point is not that he was superior; it’s that genius doesn’t guarantee wealth.

Remember, the world doesn’t solely require impassioned visionaries; it also thrives on logical choices made by shrewd entrepreneurs. As Benjamin Franklin aptly stated:

I agree with Joshua that you should develop passion for the startup you’ve logically selected. Make this decision after investigating the most promising sectors. A well-considered industry choice significantly enhances your likelihood of success.

4. The Dangers of Emotional Involvement in Business

Your enterprise is fundamentally made up of people: team members, collaborators, and customers. Success hinges on your ability to be pragmatic in your interactions with them.

Entrepreneurship entails leadership. Leaders leverage human resources to meet organizational objectives. If someone is underperforming, it’s your duty to implement changes. This may involve letting go of employees, terminating longstanding client contracts, or even pursuing legal action against partners. Business is not a realm for the emotionally fragile.

Finding the Equilibrium

Beginner entrepreneurs often form personal connections with staff and clients, which can adversely affect the business.

People are attracted to strength and seek a leader to look up to. You must fulfill that role. While it’s acceptable to occasionally reward your team, don’t allow personal bonds to impair your professional discernment.

As always, balance is key.

5. The Perils of Excessive Control in Leadership

You can’t be omnipresent, nor can you be omniscient. Your triumph depends on your team’s capabilities. Opt for team members who can function autonomously, eliminating the need for incessant supervision.

Over-controlling tendencies often arise from neglecting the principle of emotional detachment. If you find it difficult to part ways with underperforming team members, you risk squandering valuable time and resources, thereby jeopardizing your enterprise.

Strategies to Counter Over-Control

To sidestep the pitfalls of excessive control, consider implementing the following strategies:

• Invest in staff development programs
• Instill confidence in your team
• Delegate tasks effectively
• Engage your team members in a meaningful manner

If these approaches don’t yield the desired results, you might consider hiring a specialized manager to supervise your team. This would allow you to concentrate on overseeing that particular individual. Are you up for the challenge?

6. The Hazards of Overexpansion: A Lesson from the Gaming World

If you’re unfamiliar with the meme “All Your Base Are Belong To Us” from the game Zero Wing, it serves as a warning for both gamers and business owners. Let’s delve into why.

Building multiple bases in a game without adequate planning can result in losing them all. The same logic applies to business. The journey from $0 to $100,000 is fundamentally different from scaling from $100,000 to $1,000,000.

Moreover, the leap from 1 million to 10 million dollars introduces its own set of unique challenges.

Regrettably, numerous entrepreneurs overlook this. They quickly secure loans to establish new branches upon tasting initial success, often leading to setbacks.

Rapid expansion can be harmful. A single error in managing a branch can have lasting adverse effects on your entire enterprise.

Control Your Expansion Speed

Scaling your enterprise is an art. Approach it cautiously, similar to how you would in a relationship. Conduct thorough research before making significant decisions. Here are three essential steps to ponder:

1. Begin Modestly

Avoid investing in an extravagant office and a large team immediately. Different cities exhibit varied consumer behaviors. Start small, as you did in your hometown, and allow the business to grow naturally.

2. Seek a Younger Version of Yourself

Until cloning becomes a reality, find a younger, driven version of yourself to manage the new location. Allow them to work remotely initially and scale up only when sales are evident.

3. Embrace Digital Management

Employ tools like Skype, Dropbox, and TeamViewer to oversee your business from afar. These tools are often more budget-friendly than regular travel. Even traditional enterprises can gain from contemporary management methods.

7. The Dangers of Unquestioningly Heeding Advice

Aspiring to be an entrepreneur? Exercise caution when accepting advice, even mine. It’s crucial to adapt and rely on your intuition.

No one can offer a guaranteed blueprint for success due to the myriad variables in the world. You need to formulate your own tactics and establish your unique voice.

In Short, Be Your Own Guide

Experience remains the most effective instructor. While advice is plentiful, it can’t substitute for hands-on experience. Listen to others, but make your own judgments. Even if you encounter setbacks, the lessons learned from your actions will be invaluable.

Lead with your vision, and others will follow.

The post The 7 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Must Avoid and Strategies to Dodge Them appeared first on Hongkiat.

In the modern era, technological advancements like airplanes have given us the ability to travel faster than the fastest bird. Similarly, strategic planning allows us to explore even the most inaccessible parts of the ocean. The aim is not perfection, but rather, continuous improvement. In the business world, this principle is key to effective marketing.

Why Marketing Is Crucial

Marketing plays a pivotal role in business success. Traditional marketing strategies focused on showcasing a product’s strengths and benefits to attract potential clients. However, in today’s saturated market, this approach is no longer sufficient.

Nowadays, everyone is both a consumer and a provider. What distinguishes you is your ability to subtly showcase your expertise without overtly stating it. This nuanced method not only captures attention but also elicits emotional engagement, thereby drawing clients to you.

Weakness 1: Time Constraints

Expertise is highly valued by clients. I’ve started to delegate some coding tasks to platforms like oDesk and Fiverr, where there is fierce competition in various freelance fields such as coding, design, and video editing.

Despite this, clients are often willing to pay more for genuine expertise. Being an expert implies that your time is limited, which can actually work in your favor. Use your part-time freelancing and limited availability as a unique selling proposition.

When you apply for a job, highlight that your time is a valuable asset. Stress that you are committed to efficiency and will not squander either your time or the client’s. By working diligently and swiftly within the scope of the job, you can turn what may seem like a limitation into a compelling advantage.

Weakness 2: Deficiency in Specific Skills

Confidence is often mistaken for arrogance, especially among experts. However, a balanced mix of confidence, honesty, and self-assurance can be advantageous. For instance, if you lack expertise in a particular skill, you can turn this into a strength by being forthright yet confident.

Consider the following example:

“While my Java skills are limited, I believe I can develop a streamlined, robust app. My experience with VB Studio equips me to create innovative solutions, such as unique coding patterns, that a specialized Java programmer might overlook. Are you open to a non-traditional approach for your app?”

Would you consider hiring someone who presents themselves in this manner? I certainly would.

Belief in your own capabilities is crucial for convincing others. In today’s digital age, acquiring specific skills is easier than ever. Platforms like Udemy offer a plethora of courses to help you become an expert in almost any field.

Weakness 3: Inexperience

Recognizing your lack of experience in a specific area is the first step towards improvement. If you’re new to a freelance platform and have no ratings or job history, it’s crucial not to underestimate your capabilities.

If you’re applying for a job where you lack direct experience but understand the objectives, try to relate your other work experiences to the task at hand.

For instance, if you’re a freelance writer venturing into Photoshop design, you can discuss how your writing skills are transferable to design. Be candid about your lack of ratings, but emphasize your strengths.

Here’s a sample letter of intent:

“I’m eager to design your website using Photoshop. Although I don’t have job experience or ratings on this platform, I possess the necessary skills for this project. My fresh perspective will enable me to create a custom site that meets your business needs.”

“Being new to this platform, I bring a fresh approach without the constraints of rigid thinking. I’m adaptable and willing to meet your specific needs.”

“Here’s why I’m qualified: I have previously worked as a writer for… and completed…”

Proceed to list your writing achievements to further bolster your case.

Weakness 4: Operating as a Small Entity

Being a small company or even a solo entrepreneur is not a drawback; it’s an opportunity. As a smaller operation, you have unique advantages, such as:

• Providing individualized attention to each client
• Delivering faster and more personalized customer service
• Offering competitive pricing due to lower overhead costs
• Being agile and innovative

Make sure to highlight these benefits when communicating with potential clients. Many people today prefer smaller companies because they often feel overlooked by larger organizations that can’t offer personalized service.

When you’re a small operation personally managing client relationships, these issues are mitigated. Make your clients feel valued and special. However, be cautious as your company grows; rapid expansion could lead to a decline in the personalized service your clients have come to expect.

Conclusion

In summary, your online presence – be it your profile on freelancing platforms, your personal website, or your mobile app – should be meticulously crafted. Any perceived weaknesses can be repositioned as unique benefits. Adopting this strategy is crucial for effective marketing and personal growth.

The post Transforming Weaknesses into Strengths: A Guide to Personal and Professional Growth appeared first on Hongkiat.

While you can hire freelancers from various networks like Upwork, the quality is often a gamble. If you’d rather not take that chance, read on for 20 design tools perfect for entrepreneurs and marketers on a budget.

Ready to take the plunge? Let’s get started with these cost-effective design solutions!

Wix

Your One-Stop Web Development Platform

Wix is a cloud-based platform for website development. It allows complete customization, making it easy to build anything from a business site to an e-commerce portal or a personal blog. And the best part? You can start for free.

What sets Wix apart is its user-friendliness. You don’t need any prior web development experience to create a professional-looking website. The sites you build are SEO-friendly, optimized for mobile devices, and can be integrated with features like online booking or e-commerce.

Getting started with Wix is a breeze. Simply pick a domain name, choose from hundreds of templates, customize your chosen template with a drag-and-drop editor, and publish. You can also use Wix’s SEO tools to increase site traffic and boost your online presence.

Cost Breakdown:

Wix provides free hosting and a variety of templates. If you require additional features, premium plans range from £4 to £21 per month for websites, and £15 to £27 per month for business and e-commerce sites.

Visit Wix

Creative Market

A Treasure Trove for Designers

Creative Market is a hotspot for designers looking for inspiration. The platform offers a wide array of design resources, from templates and icons to Photoshop add-ons and 3D elements.

The “Simple License” offered here covers both personal and creative uses of most items. What’s more, every week they offer six free resources. Sign up for their newsletter to stay updated on these freebies.

Cost Details:

Browsing through Creative Market is free and the items for sale are reasonably priced. Additionally, loading your account with $100 or $200 will earn you 10 or 22 free credits, respectively.

Visit Creative Market

Adobe Color CC

The Ultimate Color Tool

Formerly known as Kuler, Adobe Color CC is the go-to tool for color schemes. Whether you’re struggling with color choices or simply don’t have the time to start from scratch, this tool has got you covered.

The idea is simple. Use the color wheel to pick the perfect color palette for your project. You can choose up to five harmonious colors based on predefined rules.

For those short on time, the tool also includes an “Explore” tab that features ready-made schemes from other users. You can copy, edit, and save these into your own library.

One of the best features of Adobe Color CC is its integration with other Adobe products. You can import your new color theme directly into Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign. An Adobe account is required to maximize the utility of these themes.

Cost Breakdown:

Adobe Color CC is completely free to use, as is the Adobe account needed to make the most of its features.

Visit Adobe Color CC

Freepik

The All-in-One Design Resource

Freepik serves as a comprehensive platform for those dabbling in design. Based in Spain, the site offers a wealth of icons, vectors, and even photos, making it a one-stop-shop for all your design needs.

You can combine it with Pexels, Pixabay, or any of the numerous free stock photo providers to elevate your projects.

Cost Information:

Freepik offers up to 60 free downloads a day. However, proper attribution to Freepik is required for the files you use.

Visit Freepik

Pablo

Buffer’s Social Media Design Tool

Pablo, a free tool by Buffer, allows you to create and share visual quotes across your social media channels. With seamless Buffer integration, your social media management becomes a breeze.

This tool automates the design process, offering pre-selected quotes and images. You can also upload your own backgrounds and customize them with effects like contrast and blur.

Cost Breakdown:

Pablo is a free tool with no hidden charges.

Visit Pablo

Pexels

High-Quality Images for Free

Pexels is a treasure trove of high-resolution images that are perfect for any project. All photos are covered by the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license, allowing you to use them for both personal and commercial projects without attribution.

Cost Summary:

Pexels is free, but you’re encouraged to make a small donation via PayPal to support the platform’s hosting capabilities.

Visit Pexels

Visme

Your Go-To for Visual Content

Visme’s presentation maker is a game-changer for businesses looking to enhance their communications and presentations. With a plethora of professionally designed templates and a myriad of design elements, Visme makes slide creation a breeze.

You can enrich your visual content by using stock photos, stock videos, vector icons, and more. Insert your brand’s colors and fonts for a cohesive look.

The versatility of Visme extends beyond presentations. You can also create infographics, social media designs, marketing materials, and other types of visual content. The business plan is priced at $29/mo (billed annually).

Visit Visme

Instapage

The Landing Page Maestro

Instapage is a go-to choice for landing page creation, boasting over 250,000 users worldwide. This platform offers an array of templates that you can customize to fit your brand’s unique identity.

Customize your page with your logo, message, and other brand elements to make it truly yours. You can even A/B test different page versions to find the most effective layout for your audience.

Pricing Options:

While Instapage offers a free plan, it comes with limitations, such as the absence of a mobile-responsive feature. The paid plans—Basic ($29/month), Professional ($79/month), and Unlimited ($179/month)—offer a more comprehensive set of features, making it a valuable investment for your online presence.

Visit Instapage

Canva and Canva Pro

Design Simplified

Canva is an excellent tool for startups or individuals looking for an easy way to create visually stunning content. Whether you’re crafting social media posts or event invitations, Canva’s drag-and-drop interface simplifies the design process.

Canva Pro takes it to the next level, allowing for brand kits, template customization, and sharing capabilities. Easily maintain brand consistency with preset colors and fonts.

Price:

The Canva Pro subscription is priced at USD 12.95/month or USD 9.95/month if billed annually. Additionally, individual paid images can be purchased, often at discounted rates when bought in bulk.

Visit Canva

WhatTheFont

Font Recognition Made Easy

WhatTheFont is an ideal tool for those who lack design skills but wish to emulate a designer’s touch. Simply upload an image containing text, and the tool will identify the font used.

Once you have the font name, you can find it on various font repositories like FontSquirrel, Google Fonts, or 1001 fonts.

Price:

WhatTheFont and most font repositories are free to use. However, make sure the font you select is also free for commercial applications.

Visit WhatTheFont!

Coolors.co

Effortless Color Generation

Coolors.co is a top-notch color generator designed for ease and accessibility. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or a newcomer, Coolors offers a range of features to help you find the perfect color scheme.

The platform includes HEX codes, adjustable color components, and toggles for brightness, temperature, hue, and saturation, making it incredibly flexible and intuitive to use.

Price:

Coolors is a free-to-use tool, accessible to all.

Visit Coolors.co

Design Seeds

The Artistic Approach to Color

Design Seeds offers an alternative perspective on color generation. Founded by an artist who appreciates the nuanced art of color selection, the platform provides hand-crafted color palettes for those seeking something more emotionally resonant.

Each palette is created with meticulous care in Illustrator, often paired with an inspiring photo. The HEX codes are provided, making it easy to integrate these carefully curated palettes into your own designs.

Price:

Design Seeds is free to browse, though the founder offers freelance services for those seeking customized solutions.

Visit Design Seeds

Pixlr

The Free Photoshop Alternative

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to create logos and graphics without committing to Adobe’s subscription model, Pixlr is worth checking out. This free online photo editor offers a user-friendly interface that closely resembles Photoshop, making the transition to this tool relatively seamless.

It’s not just the UI that’s impressive; Pixlr also offers a variety of file-saving options, including the ability to save files as TIFF, which will come in handy for future design work.

Price:

Pixlr is free to use, both on desktop and mobile, although the mobile version is still under development.

Visit Pixlr

BeFunky

Your One-Stop-Shop for Photo Editing and Design

BeFunky goes a step beyond conventional photo editors by offering a comprehensive suite of creative tools. Whether you’re creating a collage, editing a photo, or designing graphics, BeFunky has an interface tailored to each activity.

The platform provides a rich array of resources including icons, templates, and fonts. It’s an ideal solution for a wide range of projects, from event invitations to infographics.

Price:

BeFunky’s basic tools are free, but to unlock its full potential, including an ad-free experience and premium templates, a Pro account is available for $4.95/month or $24.95/year.

Visit BeFunky

Freebbble

Your Source for Free Dribbble Content

Freebbble serves as a curated hub for free design resources available on Dribbble, the popular showcase site for professional graphic designers. Whether you’re after fonts, icons, or templates, Freebbble has neatly categorized them according to license and resource type. However, it’s advisable to double-check the license terms with the original creator before using any free resource.

Price:

Freebbble is a completely free platform that aims to make high-quality design resources more accessible.

Visit Freebbble

Easel.ly

Visual Content Marketing Made Easy

In the age of decreasing attention spans, Easel.ly provides an intuitive platform for creating infographics and other visual content to engage your audience. The platform offers a range of templates, objects, and images, making it a one-stop solution for your visual content needs.

Price:

Although Easel.ly is free to use, it comes with limitations on the number of images and fonts you can use in each infographic. However, its Pro plan, priced at $3 per month, offers extended features and customization options.

Visit Easel.ly

UXPin

Your Gateway to UX Design and Prototyping

If you’re contemplating diving into the world of UX design, UXPin is a comprehensive platform for prototyping apps and websites. It features a user-friendly dashboard, collaboration tools, and resources for easy prototyping, making it ideal for beginners and professionals alike.

Price:

UXPin offers multiple pricing tiers, starting from $19 per month. While it provides a wealth of free learning resources, a subscription is necessary for full access to its design capabilities.

Visit UXPin

The post 20 Design Tools for Startups on Budget appeared first on Hongkiat.

Whether you’re anxious or not, you’ll agree that, whenever you’re tied up in a traffic jam or commuting to work by mass transit, boredom can get the better of you. So why not pull up this helpful list of game apps and download a few, for the fun of it?

VVVVVV

Created by Terry Cavanagh, an Irish indie developer, VVVVVV is a platformer with spot-on bare-bones pixel graphics, that defies gravity and thankfully has an auto-save function in place to avoid any unnecessary frustration pile-ups.

The game capitalizes on a low-fi retro-nostalgic trend, while the minimalist graphics go hand in hand with its original, ever surprising game mechanics and a real earworm of a chiptune track by Souleye.

• VVVVVV For iOS
• VVVVVV For Android

Alto’s Adventure

The Toronto-based developers (Ryan Cash and Jordan Rosenberg) going by the name of Snowman started out with productivity app Checkmark, then went on to games via Circles and Super Squares.

For Alto, they got help on the design side by Harry Nesbitt – and the ensuing game soon gained traction: the trailer itself passed the 100,000 views mark 3 days after the big release!

• Alto’s Adventure For iOS
• Alto’s Adventure For Android

Ridiculous Fishing

Indie Dutch developer Vlambeer’s crazy fish angler ride, Ridiculous Fishing, lets you virtually blow your catch to smithereens, no release, just instant gratification. Now there’s no need for you to get up at the crack of dawn to catch the tasty finned morsels.

The quirky visuals and suitably eerie music will get your head in a game at all hours: just power up, keep calm and cast a wide net! It made 2013’s “Game of the Year” and dubbed “a heroic quest for glory and gills”.

• Ridiculous Fishing For iOS

Mr. Jump

From the already roster-heavy game developing trio 1Button, came Mr. Jump, a game banking on the ever popular one-tap mechanic and never amiss streamlined graphics that are so easy on the eyes.

The game’s an uncluttered no brainer, featuring a blank, square-headed avatar that predictably hops forward as best it can to avoid the precipices and hurdles that are deviously peppered along the way.

• Mr. Jump For iOS

Two Dots

Released in May 2014, Two Dots is a basic connect-the-dots game. The title pair of dots get dragged across all sorts of uniquely minimalist gameverses, tundras and jungles among them, where a new bit of trouble can always crop up out of left field.

With more than 185 levels to get through, each with varying, unpredictable mechanics, Two Dots was “created with the notion that beauty and fun are not mutually exclusive.”

The team has kept busy, coming up with new levels on a regular basis and updating the dedicated Tumblr blog with inventive new posts (even a webcomic!).

• Two Dots For iOS
• Two Dots For Android

Lastronaut

Lastronaut tells the apocalyptic journey of a pixelated last-man-standing protagonist got a lot of traction on the back of its nice-looking 8-bit graphics and relentlessly catchy gameplay.

Developed as something of an experiment, with the first-time devs trying to answer the question whether a free-to-play game with no pay involved at any level, ever, would take off, Lastronaut was launched to great, immediate acclaim and one million downloads, one week after launch!

• Lastronaut For iOS

Beyond Ynth

Beyond Ynth features a half-airworthy, frustratingly slow bug that you’ll need to guide through to the end of each level by having it move boxes around while avoiding getting squashed under them – basic, but focus-grabbing stuff.

Beyond Ynth was published by FDG Entertainment 5 years ago, and had picked up both the Excellence in Gameplay and the Grand-Prix awards at the 7th International Mobile Gaming Awards.

Coming on the heels of the critical darling Ynth, the beautifully-illustrated (at times hand-drawn) 80-level epic hasn’t needed much in the way of promotion.

• Beyond Ynth For iOS
• Beyond Ynth For Android

Powder

Powder makes you a skier who races downhill, gathering points the longer you stay upright. It’s set against a snow-capped mountainous background that really excels in terms of glacial stylishness.

Conceived by the creative pair of indie devs Dave Chenell and Eric Cleckner, working out of New York, the game’s, as they put it, “simultaneously soothing and stressful”.

The game had more than 200,000 downloads in the first week and was featured by Apple in more than 15 countries.

• Powder For iOS

Timberman

Digital Melody’s Timberman, an arcade game with old-school graphics and a pixel-artsy feel that I know many will enjoy, has been unsurprisingly gobbled up like hot cakes on the app stores.

You get to play as a burly lumberjack, chopping at a tree that keeps going on forever. It sounds like simple gameplay, which is probably why it is super addictive.

“Created by Pawel Kitajewski, creative director for the Polish digital interactive agency Digital Melody, it has had an impressive uptake, boasting over 15 million players, and got named one of the best games to have landed on the Apple store in 2014. There’s now a host of Timberman items you can buy, T-shirts and iPhone cases that bear its pixelated insignia.”

• Timberman For iOS
• Timberman For Android

Turbo Bugs 2

Turbo Bugs 2 can at times be just as frustrating as any adult-targeted endless runner out there.

That, added to the cute factor that the bug’s slice of life has well cornered, results in a ride that, while not terribly original in terms of gameplay, keeps your heartbeat elevated and your eyes at ground level, hot on the heels of the lead bug.

From the Bulgarian devs at Zariba, Turbo Bugs 2, through its bug’s eye view and well-drawn, cartoonish characters, stands out from the pack. If you can’t put it down even when the clock’s run out on your coffee break, don’t feel guilty, it’s not just you!

• Turbo Bugs 2 For iOS

Boson X

In Boson X, you play as a scientist, suit, tie and in active pursuit of the elusive Higgs boson.

Not at all as boring as this description might lead you to imagine, the app will have you quantum-leaping forward into a ceiling- and floor-less race, at an ever-increasing pace.

Launched by Mu and Heyo (namely, Ian MacLarty and Jon Kerney) 2 years ago, the game itself took 3 years to make, since the developers had day jobs. Just as well, since soon after its launch, enough accolades came in to make them feel the moonlighting was worth it.

• Boson X For iOS
• Boson X For Android

Angry Birds 2

Angry Birds 2 is the best bird flinging game you’ll ever find. Your aim is to hit and destroy piggies tower by throwing different birds at them through a slingshot. Each bird has its own features that you can use as a strategy and save the bird eggs.

The game offers daily challenges, multiple levels, and leaderboards. It can also be played with others if you want to compete in an arena with other players or join a clan of your friends to take down the piggies.

• Angry Birds 2 For iOS
• Angry Birds 2 For Android

Ballz

Either you want to relax your brain or just kill time while waiting, Ballz is an easy and pretty addictive game. You are required to swim your finger to throw the balls and break the bricks.

As you clear a level, another more difficult one comes up. Your success lies in the angle of the ball being thrown which makes it hard to reach the high score. Ballz has an endless gameplay and you can challenge your friends to beat your highest score .

• Ballz For iOS
• Ballz For Android

Mini Metro

Mini Metro is an interesting game about designing a subway map for a growing city. To start with, you can draw lines to connect the stations but as the lines grow, you need to redraw the subway lines to keep a smooth flow of the metro.

The best thing about this game is that yo get to build a subway network of real-word cities, like Budapest, Berlin, Hong Kong, and a dozen others. There are daily challenges, regular upgrades, and colorblind and night mode display available.

• Mini Metro For iOS
• Mini Metro For Android

Crossy Road

Why did the chicken cross the road? We don’t know but we do know how addictive can it be to make the chicken or pigeon cross the road, river, or rail track with Crossy Road.

The game has many retro pop-art inspired characters that you can collect and make them endlessly hop. Also, you can compete with your friends on the same device and can even play it on the big screen with Android TV.

• Crossy Road For iOS
• Crossy Road For Android

Levelhead

For the fans of Sci-Fi and robotics, Levelhead would offer an interesting pastime. The backstory tells you that you’re a newly-hired employee at the Bureau of Shipping which is the galaxy’s premiere package delivery service.

You get to create your own levels, build incredible machines, create amazing expeditions, and even train your very own GR-18 delivery robot for different delivery scenarios. How cool is that!

• Levelhead For iOS
• Levelhead For Android

Dan The Man

Dan The Man is an action-packed game that works in a story mode with interesting secrets to uncover. It is a very well-designed game and though offers only 12 levels (in the story mode), but these levels are so engaging that you’ll get addicted.

The best thing about the game are the different modes that it offers. Campaign mode, story mode, adventure mode, and a multiplayer mode – and these modes are free. Also, you can upgrade your characters and create your own hero.

• Dan The Man For iOS
• Dan The Man For Android

Subway Surfers

Subway Surfer is one of those games that keep you hooked for a long time. It is a classic endless runner game full of adventures. You play this game as Jack who surfs subways trying to run from an inspector and his dog.

The game features vivid HD graphics, hoverboard surfing, really fast swipe aerobatics and interesting challenges. Our hero Jack also paints trains and plats trees with his partner Mala.

• Subway Surfers For iOS
• Subway Surfers For Android

Snake VS Block

A simple snake game, however with an added challenge of hitting and breaking the bricks. You have to swipe your fingers to move the snake of balls and try to break as many bricks as possible.

You also get additional balls to make the snake bigger. The game has an infinite game play, an easy finger swipe control. You can practice and get an impressive score and then challenge your friends to surpass you.

• Snake VS Block For iOS
• Snake VS Block For Android

Flow Free

Free Flow is a simple games in which you have to connect the pipes of same color to create a flow. However, the trick is to avoid the pipes of other colors because if pipes of two different colors cross or overlap, they’ll break.

Free Flow feature more than 2500 free puzzles, free play mode, vivid graphics, and cool sound effects. The game is really fun and relaxing pastime for anyone.

• Flow Free For iOS
• Flow Free For Android

Color Road

A simple ball rolling game, Color Road is free 3D game that might remind you a bit of the Twisty Road. All you need to do is to roll to the ball which has the same color and avoid the one that has a different color.

You aim is to try to reach the finish line to clear a level. It’s a super fun color matching game with endless game play and much potential to keep you hooked.

• Color Road For iOS
• Color Road For Android

The post 20+ Highly Addictive Mobile Games to Try appeared first on Hongkiat.

Welcome to that “12:00 o’clock going-to-the-office-never-have-to-answer-to-nobody” dream life! You’ll finally have the time and resources to do all the stuff you wish you’d done. Trips, vacations, freedom, and prestige!

Well, you’ll first need to start your business. And guess what? You’ll be very likely to end up closing it or selling its assets! And that’s a good thing. Let me explain.

Entrepreneurs Fail Constantly

That’s right. You could say it’s a never-ending, always-fashionable trend. Entrepreneurs, whether they’re dirt poor, millionaires, or even billionaires, just keep on losing. Don’t believe the hype. That’s the real state of entrepreneurship.

If you want to go into business for yourself, get ready for feeling failure and pressure about 90% of the time. But don’t worry. You’ll at least be in good company.

Did you know about Steve Jobs’s or Bill Gates’s failures? or that some of the most successful entrepreneurs initially faced much failure? Did you know the average millionaire goes bankrupt at least 3.5 times or that 3 out of 4 start-ups funded by Venture Capital fail?

So, if you were to generalize, by the 5th year, regardless of the industry, over half of all startups shut their doors.

That’s just facts.

But Why?

And the reasons why this is happening are even more ludicrous. According to StatisticBrain, the #1 reason all businesses fail is emotional pricing.

That’s to say, entrepreneurs usually overprice their products or services and are too stubborn to adjust to the market. They fail and give up. It’s not the economic climate, the industry, or management.

The list of bankruptcy reasons goes on, with increasing audacity and disregard for common sense:

• Living too high for the business
• Nonpayment of taxes
• No knowledge of pricing
• Lack of planning
• No knowledge of financing
• No experience in record-keeping

Why These Numbers Are Good News!

These high failure rates and stupendous reasons for failure are actually really encouraging for any budding entrepreneur. What they mean is:

• Competition is really low.
• You’re bound to succeed if you keep at it.

These reasons paint the picture of failure as being the most common element in business today. That’s normal. Because of this, the only winners in business are the ones who:

• Apply common sense (no emotional pricing, paying your taxes, planning and adapting, etc.)
• Continue practicing business after failure.

That’s the big secret you don’t hear in the interviews: being an entrepreneur isn’t so hard. Just keep at it and apply common sense. You only need one win, and bam: you’re a hero. Even billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban admitted this in his book:

“It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. You only have to be right once, and then everyone can tell you that you are an overnight success.”

Your Business Will Fail

I can predict with great certainty that your first business will be a disaster. I’m happy to be the first to let you in on this secret. Wisdom comes from practice, so it really doesn’t matter how much you’ve read or been taught, how many PhDs you have, or how much encouragement you get from family and friends.

You won’t have that common sense. You’ll reach too far. You’ll overexpand, overprice, and treat clients and employees wrong. I know I’ve said it’s easy, but most of us aren’t born with that much needed common sense.

You’ll fail miserably. Almost nobody makes a million dollars with their first business. Almost nobody makes that first jump. Not even superheroes. Neo from The Matrix Series can fly and dodge bullets, but even he didn’t make that first jump in the movie.

Here’s Neo looking smug and confident.

Here’s Neo doing/failing his first jump

The sooner you are OK with failing, the sooner you’ll be successful.

And don’t think for a second that just because you’ve failed, you won’t be able to get investors or hire people again. That’s because real investors and smart people aren’t surprised by failure. They already know these hard facts of the business world.

Charles Holloway, director of Stanford University’s Center for Entrepreneurial Studies summed it up beautifully:

“How well a failed entrepreneur has managed his company, and how well he worked with his previous investors, makes a difference in his ability to persuade U.S. venture capitalists to back his future start-ups.”

What All This Means For You

So the conclusion is you should start your first business as soon as possible so that you’ll be able to fail as soon as possible. The sooner you fail, the better. You want to have a startup mentality.

One awesome idea to apply comes from Start-Up Nation, a book covering the impressive financial success of Israel:

If an entrepreneur has a business idea, he should start it that week.

Stop preparing. Stop building features for your clients who aren’t even there yet. Just stick a Beta Version next to the brand’s name and go to market. Good enough is good enough.

If given a choice, take speed over quality. Nothing worse than an uncertain, perfectionist Captain fighting the storm.

What to Do When Failure Comes Knocking

After your business fails, here’s what you need to do:

Find comfort in the facts and figures given in this article

Re-read them. Internalize them. You are not special. You didn’t make the first jump. You’re normal, and that’s OK.

Evaluate assets

Every business, no matter how bad, has some sort of assets. I.e., cars, equipment, office space, or maybe intellectual property, employees, or client base.

Even if the business is making no money, you still had to have some clients, or maybe you’ve worked and had ongoing relationships with different companies. Those are still valuable assets. Maybe you have a nice commercial lease worked out. That’s a plus in any buyer’s eyes.

If you have a brand name, that’s awesome

Brands carry a lot of value for investors. I’ve seen business saved just because they had mass appeal thanks to their brands. Open up a spreadsheet and list all your assets.

If you aren’t happy with what you have, add another column. Call it “Experience”, and in the corresponding cell, write “Invaluable”. You’ll feel better, and it’s absolutely true.

Sell the assets individually or collectively as a business

Another scenario would be to give it away and keep a certain percentage if you think the business still has potential. If you have trouble finding a willing buyer or person to take over, consider these routes:

• Contacting the competition
• Contacting business partners
• Asking your accountant or lawyer. They’re usually well connected.
• Being honest and asking your employees.
• Being honest and asking your employees if they know somebody.
• Ads, forums, blogs, newspapers
• Universities. Find a young, hungry wannabe entrepreneur. Give it away for free and keep a percentage.
• Try gatherings or conferences from your industry. Don’t be shy.

The Last Step

Now you’ve sold it or gave it away and kept interested, sit down. Relax. Detach. Open the spreadsheet. Write the top 3 mistakes you’ve done while owning the business. Write the corresponding three lessons you’ve learned. Once you’ve done this, it’s time to restart.

Restart as soon as possible. You’re now closer than ever to being a successful entrepreneur.

The post How to Deal With Failing In Your First Startup Business appeared first on Hongkiat.

Well, not really. Meet Chris Messina, which boasts the abovementioned resume and is a global celebrity not thanks to his inventions, but because of a pretty stupid idea (his words, not ours):

“I spent a lot of time working on technologies that I’d hoped would unify the social web and give people more choice – and instead of any of those efforts taking off, this stupid, stupid idea I had ending up being the thing that caught fire. Go figure.”

The #Hashtag

That stupid idea began in 2007, when Chris tweeted this:

Today, that pound sign / hash symbol used before a word, better known as the hashtag, is everywhere. You can see it in TV ads, hip-hop videos, bars and billboards. Politicians use it to try and get people to #vote and Lil Wayne uses it to get more followers on his weird Gucci-inspired Twitter alias #liltunechi.

Everyday, more and more apps introduce support for the hashtag, trying to emulate the giants who are already on board: Google+, Pinterest, Tumblr,Instagram, Path, Twitter.

Seeing the obvious trend (with a delay I might add) and not wanting to be seen as the odd one out, Facebook took to its Newsroom and announced hashtag support for its users.

What’s Facebook’s @point, #Skipper?

The idea, as they present it, is simple:"help people more easily discover what others are saying about a specific topic and participate in public conversations.”

So FB’s hashtags are basically tags used to categorize conversations between users. Facebook also graciously offered these 3 usage tips for the hashtag:

• Search for a specific hashtag from your search bar.
• Click on hashtags that originate on other services, such as Instagram.
• Compose posts directly from the hashtag feed and search results.

It would seem then that this update comes from the Menlo Park-based firm’s plan to engage users in more conversations. Now, as ever, that’s not the full story. Facebook has two potentially giant benefits from introducing the # API. They are SEO and monetization.

They care about #traffic

From an SEO standpoint, there’s a lot to gain. Imagine how much traffic Facebook could be getting from Google, via all those nifty #-tagged words.

Take the word “#facebook”, which according to Google’s Keyword Tool receives 3,760,000,000 hits which are [Exact] matches. Imagine how frustrating it is for Zuckerberg to see this link as the top result for that keyword.

Now, multiply that with all the giant brand names out there who are promoting themselves offline (TV, radio, banners) via hashtags, and you’ll get the picture. There’s a world’s worth of an army out there Googling various hashtags.

They alos care about #cash

After traffic, there’s big monetization potential, which Facebook is keenly aware of:

“The recent "Red Wedding" episode of Game of Thrones, received over 1.5 million mentions on Facebook, representing a significant portion of the 5.2 million people who watched the show. And this year’s Oscars buzz reached an all-time high on Facebook with over 66.5 million interactions, including likes, comments, and posts. To date, there has not been a simple way to see the larger view of what’s happening or what people are talking about.” – [Source]

Knowing that Facebook is deviating from its original goal of connecting people and joining the ranks of the increasingly money-hungry Internet giants, it’s easy to imagine how they’d sell trending hashtags or create some sort of a paid advertising. In fact, they’re already pushing advertisers to use them.

Why should you #care?

Say you have a Facebook Page promoting your local business. Theoretically, the more pound signs you use when #talkingaboutwhoeverknowswhat, the more eyeballs you’d potentially get, thanks to people clicking and searching that hashtag.

Obviously, you’d want to use only relevant, trending ones. This process would eventually lead to more ‘real pounds’ in your company’s bank account, due to increased visibility; theoretically, at least.

In practice, the actual hashtag search results order will probably be decided by a number of factors, including ‘virality’, fan base, brand, posts reach, etc.

Open for misuse

It’s hard to imagine the little guy leveraging the new hashtag for more business on the long term. But I would imagine, at least now, when the idea is pretty new, that some lucky unethical bastards might use hashtags to piggyback important events and drive traffic to their pages.

This begs the question: Will Facebook manage to keep their hashtag search results relevant and spam-free? The answer will decide whether its users will use it on a big scale or just as a waltz step between various social media platforms.

You should #care about using it right!

In the end, you shouldn’t really mind Facebook’s #hiddenagenda. If you’re a decent user, you only need to #care about a few rules when using Chris Messina’s invention:

1. Keep it relevant

Like stated before, piggybacking on trending hashtags just for traffic’s sake is a no-no. You’ll eventually ruin your reputation, receive bad comments and might even be sent to Internet jail in a “do not pass GO, do not collect $100 dollars” manner. So use hashtags only when relevant to your post.

2. Keep it simple

Less is more. If you want to start a cool hashtag for people to use, go for one or two words or an abbreviation. Say you want to promote your favorite cartoon character, Ren and Stimpy’s Powdered Toast Man.

You might not want to go for #PowderedToastManRenStimpy. A way better option would be something like #PTMChar.

3. Keep it obvious

A lot of folks simply skip searching existing tags before coming up with their own hashtags. As such, they just write the hashtag they expect others to be using. You want those people to also be part of your conversation.

Keeping your hashtags based on your brand, product or show’s name is usually your best bet. Also, check to see that the hashtags won’t end up hurting your PR efforts #susanalbumparty-style than helping.

4. Don’t spam

Using too many hashtags in a single update or comment might leave you wondering why nobody loves you. That’s because you’ll be seen as a spammer.

Studies show that, at least on Twitter, tweets with one or two hashtags receive double attention, while tweets with more than 2 hashtags receive 17% less engagement.

There’s no reason to think that Facebook works differently.

5. Define your hastag

When first posting a tag for a conversation, it’s good practice to define it. Let people know what the hashtag is about. Describe it in simple words. You can also define it here if you want to be thorough.

Conclusion

Hashtags are a great invention. We should be happy that Chris Messina came up with this insanely awesome and “stupid” idea. Facebook might be late in jumping in on the train, and they might be doing it for the wrong reasons, but that shouldn’t keep you from caring about your image and using hashtags correctly.

The post Facebook Hashtags – How It Works, How to Use It Right appeared first on Hongkiat.

They’re scary, those damn monsters. They’ll get your agent angry, your readers unhappy, and your clients running. The reason they attack is because your day-to-day state really affects your work. The way you feel on a consistent basis determines the quality and refinement of your efforts.

But there’s a way to survive. First, you can avoid everything by just making sure you keep the monster inside you happy. Here’s how.

Create your micro-cosmos

Your workspace is like the painter’s canvas. Don’t keep it clean; keep it inspiring. If you’re a neat, tidy person and order inspires you, then yes, clean it up. If not, and you’re like the majority of creators out there, make sure your workspace is:

• Comfortable for your body
• Isolated/Undisturbed by an outside presence
• Easy to get to, preferably in your house
• Has writing equipment for jotting down ideas
• Full of the things you like (no matter how ridiculous others may think it is)

Set a quota

Set a goal for yourself. If you’re a writer, set a daily amount of pages you’ll write. Anthony Trollope, a well-known, successful novelist of the 19th century was known to force himself to write 3000 words (250 words per 15 mins, for 3 hours) before going off to his job at the postal service. This he kept up for 33 years, in the span of which he wrote more than two dozen books.

If you’re interested in other funky targets and rituals that creative people have used over the centuries, check out Daily Rituals: How Artists Work.

Create a work ritual

Unlike some people think, a routine work schedule helps your creativity in that it helps you achieve the before-mentioned quota. A routine is just another sort of ritual, which takes place in your micro-cosmos.

Here are some examples:

Nude Ritual: Victor Hugo wrote The Hunchback Of Notre-Dame while in his house, totally naked.

"Done by noon, drunk by three" routine: The phrase comes directly from Ernest Hemingway, who used to apply it thoroughly while writing The Old Man And The Sea. He stops working at noon and gets drunk, daily. Fun times.

Writing horizontally or vertically: Albert Camus wrote while standing. Prust, Twain and Orwell did so while lying in bed horizontally. Heck, Kafka is rumoured to have stood on his head for creativity. Whatever floats your boat, really.

Not sleeping: Painter Salvador Dali is famous for his sleep tricks. He’d use all sorts of waking up mechanisms as soon as sleep would take him – slipping keys from his hand which banged against carefully placed metal plates for example. He said it made him more productive.

Killing the "Monster"

If all else fails, and you find that you’ve awakened the monster, and the giant comes running at you, grabbing you by the neck, you should, with the last life you’ve got left in you, do the following.

Start working anyway, despite the fact you don’t feel too creative. Don’t analyze your work, just compose. No judgement, just creation. Go ahead and create, not thinking about the way in which you do it. Often times, that’s enough to loosen the monster’s furry grip.

If you’re still barely clinging on to life, do the exercises below. Their goal is to jumpstart your brain’s software, literally "warming up" your creativity by putting your synapses and neural pathways to work!

Exercise 1. Inner World Reflection

This comes straight from philosopher Robert Anton Wilson’s bestseller, Prometheus Rising. In the book, Robert talks about conquering our potential through understanding the way our brain is wired. One of the exercises goes as follows:

Think about the electrons in your body. Then go bigger. Think about the atom containing them and their movement. Then ponder about your molecules. Scale up and think about the nucleus of the cell which contains all that matter. Then the cell itself.

Work your way up through the body, thinking about each tiny bit, constantly increasing the size of the lens through which you look. After that, your body, your room, house, neighborhood, area code, district, city, country, continent, planet. Try to have a satellite view of each, thinking about as many details as possible.

In the end, you should be at the edge of the observable universe. Here’s a tool to help you with this exercise.

Exercise 2. The Daydream Rapid Synapse Connection

This exercise is my favorite. It’s tons of fun.

Just pick something to think about. Let’s say a rabbit. Then, as fast as you can, find the next logical connection in your mind. Let’s say rabbit makes you think about running. Then what does running make you think about? Maybe Usain Bolt, maybe the speed of sound or maybe standing still.

This exercise works on your own personal universe of mind connections. It should be done for at least a few minutes.

In that time, you should have covered dozens of even hundreds of elements, and you’ll find yourself in a very, very different space then when you’ve started.

Exercise 3. Inspiration by Visualization

Go online and watch videos like this:

Check out sites like 500px, deviantART, or Tumblr or photography. Search for tags such as "weird". You’ll be amazed at what you find.

Exercise 4. Shifting Your Reality Tunnel

Find something you’re really against and write 5 arguments if favor of it. Make it a really taboo topic. Trying to understand somebody else’s totally different belief system and values (even when they are totally wrong) will develop new neural pathways.

Make sure it’s something you have a strong opinion about, like teenage pregnancy, abortion, death penalty or your mom’s cooking.

Whatever the topic, shifting your reality tunnel and your beliefs, even for just a moment, by looking through the eyes of "your enemy" is hard – but it’s sure to get your creative juices flowing.

The post Practical Tips to Cure a Creative Block appeared first on Hongkiat.

Apple and Microsoft have full-time employees like engineers, marketers, and other skillful people in different fields.

Still, when we are talking about the Internet and tech industry, on the whole, most of its innovation, content, and coding is done by passionate freelancers.

We see the same thing with mobile. Most app companies are started by entrepreneurs who worked as freelancers to get their start. Freelancing jobs could be called “personal incubators” for young entrepreneurs, who are lacking in minimal capital to start a small business.

And when those businesses are finally financed, they look towards outsourcing as much as possible to skip on health care obligations, benefits, and office space.

The backbone of The Internet

So make no mistake, small and medium-sized business are the ones creating the majority of, well, everything on the Internet. Freelancing is the backbone of those businesses.

The most sought after jobs are technical, coding, creative, writing, and design jobs. He said mobile app development jobs are also on the rise.

Now, let me ask you this: What if all the freelancers stopped working?

When freelancers stop working

Let’s assume for a moment every single freelancer out there would seek secure, stable jobs, leaving behind the freelancing work they do online. What’s the worse that could happen?

The Huffington Post would almost die

… and so will Business Insider, NYTimes.com, Mashable and every other major blog, online magazine, or publication on the Internet.

That’s because their content output is so huge, interesting, and diverse thanks to experts in all sorts of the field who are writing for them freelance. They are what the Harvard Business Review calls Supertemps — experts pursuing project-based careers.

Only a fraction of all the news you see on the Internet is written by full-time employees of that particular publication. Almost no blog has the power to hire full-time writers for its entire content.

Design: We’d be back in ‘95

Design agencies have loads of talented people working in them, and will probably never die (unlike many advertising agencies).

Nope. They’ll endure, thanks to branching out, offering development services, and the corporate need to pay more for something, to justify spending your entire quarterly budget and get a bonus.

But the fact is the majority of designers nowadays are freelancers. And they offer the same services or often better, at a fraction of the cost. 99Designs has thousands of talented designers with over 90 design skill sets.

Similarly, Crowdspring boasts of 210,000+ creatives from 195 countries. If you have an old school design studio, you’re probably mad as hell.

But the fact remains, small to medium-sized business are now empowered to look like Top 500 Giants! And the Internet is not comprised of only Coca-Cola’s site (which frankly could use a contest on 99Designs) or Apple’s “simple, clean, smooth” online presence you’ll hear so many people trying to emulate.

It’s the small guy with a local e-store who “owns” the Internet. He is the future. It’s he who relies on freelancers to get his site looking like it’s 2013 and not ’95. And it’s the foreign freelancer who is making it all possible.

Google Play and the App Store?

Most of the apps in both giant marketplaces are coming from freelancers or small businesses that rely on freelancers for outsourcing. Yes, there are some terrible apps because of this. Yes, I also hate the use of too many ads and ad networks.

But the truth is, it’s from this chaotic breeding ground that you get the beautiful diversity of the virtual app world, in all its 257 chromatic variants.

I like that. And so do you. You wouldn’t want just a few giant apps, no diversity, and a massive monopolized.

The planet would be in danger.

Yes, it would. There’s this small thing called Globalization. It’s the reason some national economies are now dying. Only those fast enough adapt to globalization and outsourcing stand a chance to thrive. That’s neither a good or a bad thing; it’s just a shift.

Part of the planet’s total GWP (Gross World Product) of around 70 trillion dollars is made up of goods and currency which move through or thanks to outsourced jobs.

A scenario in which freelancers would all seek secure jobs would start a financial crisis like no other. That’s just all sorts of wrong.

And consider this:

A lousy Internet hurts the planet.

A poorly designed interface for the Internet with few giant apps on the apps market and almost no alternative media, blogs, and content from

Supertemps would probably hinder connectivity to the point where people wouldn’t want to get online. That means less knowledge for the masses, less unique, distinct thought processes, and less communication. We’d go back in time.

Back to ’95 again. And I don’t want that.

So if you’re a freelancer, be proud of your contribution.

You are the revolution.

The post Why Freelancers Are Saving The Internet appeared first on Hongkiat.

There are usually rewards for the backers: they get promotional materials, or to try out beta-versions of the product, and if it is an event, they get exclusive backstage access.

In this way, the creator of the project raises capital to do it, and the contributor gains the rewards for supporting a project he or she believes in. Sounds too good to be true? Well, there’s a catch. For the project to raise money, it needs to follow specific guidelines. Here are the seven best practices for running a successful crowdfunding gig.

Build It Before Launching

Many crowdfunding campaigns go under because they fail to lay the groundwork before introducing their project to the masses. You want to have a social presence. Either a Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube account already in place.

Have your website describing the project you’re doing. This will help you harness the power of your audience for getting the campaign off the ground, and it also allows people who don’t know you to trust you more.

Nobody likes giving money away for no reason, so having your name and your campaign’s site pop up on Google when a potential pledger is searching for you outside the crowdfunding site will help build trust in your project.

Know Your Target Audience

There are tons of crowdfunding sites out there. It’s your job to know which website your potential pledgers (the people are contributing to your project) are browsing. That means understanding each site’s audience. Look at what sort of projects are featured on the homepage, and what campaigns are most successful on the site.

If a particular site raises the most money for music projects, and you are doing a piano recital, that’s the place for you. If you have a cause awareness campaign, you should check out MightyCause or RocketHub. Go for the ol’ behemoth KICKSTARTER for projects involving tech.

On the other hand, appsplit, the first app crowdfunding site launched in 2010, is great for mobile development.

Reminder: Make sure you read the terms and conditions for the site you choose. Some take a significant portion of the money gathered and/or require you to be a US citizen. Others have more relaxed terms.

Storytelling and Psychology

Believe it or not, the crowdfunding model is older than the Internet. During the 19th century, newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer (yes, the inventor of Pulitzer Prizes) raised more than $100,000 in six months.

The goal? The pedestal restoration of the Statue of Liberty, which resulted in 125,000 people pledging towards it. Why? Because they cared and could identify with the story.

Most people browsing KICKSTARTER are looking to support things they believe in or care about. There are also certain psychological trends all humans fall into. Tony Robbins talks about this in an excellent TED talk.

How To Tell A Story

Think about this when you’re presenting your project’s story. Remember to make it emotional. The six keys elements you’ll need to address in your overall project presentation are Certainty, Variety, Significance, Love & Connection, Growth, and Contribution.

Most of the people want all of those things, so talk about them. The trick is to convey the ideas to the eventual pledger by hinting at them. Make sure they get it within the first minute. Let’s say, I’m trying to raise money for a social job platform for Android. Here’s an intro that works well:

“My project is certainly significant because we are trying to connect young people with their potential future jobs, contributing and improving to the overall employment rate here in Romania. We will impact more than 10,000 people in the first four weeks, and with a minimum conversion of 2%, our app is bound to drastically change the lives of 200 people.”

The combination of real numbers, overall tone, and the six elements make for a compelling story. What takes it to the next level, though, is the human element involved.

Video? 100% Yes!

What better way to tell a story than through video? Having a video for your project is an absolute must. “More than 50 percent of crowdfunding projects with a video is successful. Conversely, only 30 percent of those without a video succeed,” says Kendall Americo, CEO of ClickStartMe.

First, let the viewer know who you are, then jump right into the story. Your video should have a catchy title such as: “Would you save the app world with me?” as opposed to “New app to be launched soon”. The story being told should be short and precise.

You need to convey the following:

• Who you are
• How your story is connected with the six key elements
• What the rewards for the contributor are
• Asking exactly for what you want and explaining where the money will go
• Thanking everybody in advance, already assuming they’ve pledged

Consider making a professional video as an investment, and if you’re not comfortable with your accent, maybe hire a voice talent.

The Inner Circle

Competition for funds is fierce nowadays. That’s why you’ll want to make sure you have a few friends or family members as first investors. People often imitate others in order to belong to a tribe.

Take advantage of this “group mind” by planting the first seed yourself. Once you have your 1st round backers, others will come.

Lots of Rewards

Rewards are awesome, and offering them is a no-brainer. Try giving rewards for even the smallest of donations. Here are a few ideas:

• Behind-the-scenes photos or videos
• Autographed materials, photos, t-shirts, mugs, and other souvenirs
• Including the pledger in the product’s credits
• The actual product (free or largely discounted)
• Invitation to launch parties, events, social gatherings
• Unreleased beta-versions of the product
• Including the pledger’s name within the game/product
• Access to the team or one-on-one talks with you
• Direct involvement in the script/features of the campaign

Get the word out.

The Internet is full of blogs and publications about every topic under the sun. Immediately after your campaign starts to grow, contact as many as possible. Once you reach your first milestone, your project can become a story, especially if you are raising money for a cause.

Media attention spreads like wildfire if it’s an exciting project. Best to not contact anybody on launch day and wait until you hit your first milestone. That will prove some interest in your idea, and you’ll be more likely to score an article.

The post 7 Tips For A Successful Crowdfunding Project appeared first on Hongkiat.

Business plans are in place to give investors a sense of security. Hence, they try to test the person they are funding. Creating a business plan is just a test — a flight simulation if you will. It would help if you spent some time flying inside the simulator, but don’t get caught up.

Every entrepreneur knows that things will go wrong in real life, and no business plan can save you then. What will save you is your ability to bounce back, adapt, and fight. What will save you is being a real-life Iron Man.

But why exactly do these business plans fail? And if you are to make one, what’s the best business plan possible? Let’s have a look.

The map is not the territory

Reading a map and following a business plan is quite similar. Looking at any map, you see the overall direction in which you need to go. The map, however, won’t show you the people on the street, the traffic lights you need to stop at, or the distractions you need to avoid along the way

It can only show you the different corners you need to take en route to your destination. Sure, you need the map — for about 10 seconds. After that, it’s game on, and the actual environment will guide you.

Simulation Versus Real Life

What if there’s a crowd somewhere in between you and your destination? You’ll need to jump, dodge, run or slow down, depending on what’s actually in front of you. At some point, you’ll even need to forget the map. Will you stick with the plan and slowly work your way through the mob, or divert and look for a faster alternate route?

This is where you can see the difference between real entrepreneurs and wannabes. And there’s no right or wrong choice either. You’ll have to make that choice on the fly, considering the specific variables presented to you.

Fighting the tide

Going against the tide is how businesses make money. However, making their mark is where the real reward for entrepreneurs is.

Most of the time that doesn’t go down well with the big VC firms as their priorities are protecting their assets and making a decent yearly profit. Still, if you are an entrepreneur, your concern is offering the coolest product possible to as many people as possible. So how do you cope? You ride your wave.

How to ride your wave

Sure, you need to catch a good disruptive wave (a growing industry). But that’s as far as your business plan takes you. A glance at the map, a sight of a future, increasing wave, and in you go like a brilliant surfer. Don’t second guess yourself either as you lose time.

I’m not saying you should invest heavily in this fashion. Start small, and see if it works. If you invest little and start on multiple waves, you won’t drown when things go wrong. And eventually, you’re bound to hit the Jackpot and make up for all the losses. So when you see a wave that keeps on rising, you focus on that entirely and disregard everything else.

That’s your only business plan. The overall goal of finding the right wave, creating the best possible product and bringing it to as many people as possible. All the rests are distractions and unnecessary complications.

Just do it

No real superhero entrepreneur wants to hear about complex forecasts of customer volume according to age groups, and how an increase of 2.5 percent for the marketing budget three years from now will convert more young people into buyers. That’s for people concerned about profit.

So if you can, start by not putting yourself through the ordeal of having to construct such estimations. In the words of Sir Richard Branson: “Screw It, Let’s Do It!”

If it’s that simple, why doesn’t everybody do it? Well, it could be a multitude of insecurities and negative beliefs, which I’ll sum up as “fear of starting.” That is another reason that not everybody can create a successful business.

You need to adapt to win

Each superhero has their flaws and weaknesses. Sometimes, the superhero even runs away. He also asks for help. He doesn’t just blindly rely on his superpowers. The lesson here is he doesn’t always stick with the original “business plan” of going in and using his powers to win the fight.

Adaptability is what makes business work. Pivoting in crucial moments. Anticipating the future and adjusting your course accordingly make for a successful business.

So don’t believe the hype. Trust in Sir Branson. Forget your business plan. A business should be a fun sport. Yes, it can be a contact sport, but will a few bruises even matter when you know you’ll be smiling in the end?

The post Why Business Plans Don’t Work For Entrepreneurs appeared first on Hongkiat.