Aaron Patzer, Mint CEO, Talks Startups

If you are a startup founder, you’ll want to bookmark this and refer back to it. It’s absolute gold.
-Michael Arrington

Spotify Is Music’s “Natural Selection”

From vinyl to cassette to compact disc to mp3; the music industry is home to one of the most shape-shifting of delivery models in recent business history.  Music is a constantly evolving medium and has seen tremendous breakthroughs in the past two decades alone.  This transmutation of music embodiments has created a completely new landscape [...]

Go Big Or Go Home!

About a year ago, I wrote a post entitled “Changing the World vs. Making a Profit.” Below is an excerpt from the post:
There is one particular “fork in the road” that distinguishes one entrepreneur from another. It is the decision or strategy each entrepreneur consciously or sub-consciously makes when beginning their business venture. I like [...]

What It Means to Be an Early Adopter

Early adopters are a critical component to any startup environment.  This particular demographic is unlike any that a company will face in the future.  It’s the early adopters who are first to interact with a company’s initial product or service.    It’s the early adopters who represent a company’s first fan or first critic.  It’s the [...]

Inside the Mind of a Serial Entrepreneur

Morten Lund offers up a super-refreshing outlook from a serial entrepreneur’s point of view.  A man who expresses so many awesome character traits, most notably:

humility
honesty
transparency
perseverance

If You Can’t D-I-Y, You’re S-O-L

The number of resources available today is simply unbelievable.  A constantly-shifting and evolving technological landscape has produced an environment that is tailor-made for any ambitious entrepreneur.  Tasks that once required the assistance of several individuals and cost hundreds of dollars, are now performed individually, and in most cases, free of charge.
We stand at the forefront [...]

Google’s Three Options — Build, Acquire, or Steal

Google is the undisputed king of the internet.  The word “Google” has now become synonymous with constant innovation and brilliant expansion.  Once a young upstart, the company has quickly evolved into a publicly traded powerhouse in less than a decade.  Google and their business mindset represent one that is truly ahead of its time.
Their “envelope-pushing” [...]

A Startup’s Most Valuable Asset: The Team

Startup ventures are exciting, dynamic, and risky.  They require a balance between luck, skill, and timing.  Of all the essential elements regarding startup businesses, there is one particular element that remains paramount: the team members.
For many “financially-deficient” (aka bootstrapped) startups, choosing the correct team members/founders may be the most important decision the young company faces.  [...]

Out With the Old, In With the New: Get Ready for the New Business Era

Along with the rest of the world, the current economic downturn has gripped my full attention.  Despite many grim outlooks and predictions, I remain completely optimistic.  In many ways, I view the severe dip as the beginning of a completely new era.  Quite frankly, I find comfort in this notion…and so should you!
It is all [...]

The Value of a User and the Ongoing Battle for Eyeballs

Web startups are anything but rare nowadays.  Technological advances continue to drive down startup costs to the point where nearly anyone can participate in the internet ecosystem.  As a result, online businesses are in a constant battle with one another, competing not necessarily for customers, but simply for eyeballs.  We are witnessing the battle for [...]