Yikes. The collapse of SVB is one of the biggest stories in business, as depositors, investors, and investees react to what can only be described as a full-blown disaster. But what can you learn from it? You don’t have to be in Silicon Valley to take a lesson from all this. We won’t be analyzing the specific causes of SVB’s faceplant. But we will explore how SVB broke some of the most basic rules of business, with predictable results. The same thing can happen to any business that doesn’t actively safeguard their assets — and their market’s trust.  Silver lining: SVB gave us a dramatic le ..read more

Love the Hustle’s email? Now they have a podcast. Break down biz headlines in 10 min – and how it affects you. Plus random fun bits like Bob Ross thing. Fun, informative. Ep about free stuff, and why people go so crazy for it and why it’s a great biz strategy. Here’s a crazy idea: a short daily podcast with valuable lessons and insights about business! And no, we’re not talking about The $100 MBA Show. Today, we’re sharing an episode of The Hustle Daily Show. This podcast from the creators of The Hustle newsletter breaks down the latest big stories in business, and how they might affect you. I ..read more

We’ve learned a ton about business in Japan, and how the country offers incredible opportunities for small business (including Western ones). Now, it’s time to take the first concrete steps. So what do we do? Today, we put our Ja-plan into action.  We’re making a few small — but important — moves to introduce ourselves and our company to the country. You won’t see a new $100 MBA Show or WebinarNinja headquarters in Tokyo, but we’re making connections and developing ways to offer our content and services to this under-tapped market. We don’t know exactly where this will lead. But in busine ..read more

“What got you here won’t get you there,” as the saying goes. And while a good blog is still a powerful marketing tool, one thing we can finally put to bed forever is the Comments section.  Today, we explain why — and what you can do instead. We all remember the early days of blogging, when a lively Comments section could breed an active, engaged community of potential followers or customers. Comments sections were like a million little niche town squares, and helped launch more than a few businesses.  Those days are over. Now, the comments section isn’t just useless. It’s downright p ..read more

When you buy someone a gift, what does that buy you? Do customers, partners, and others see it as an investment in your relationship, or an unasked-for transaction? Or worse, an attempted bribe? It all depends on how you give. Today, we discuss the art of the business gift. If it’s overly transactional, or impersonal, or simply has the wrong objective behind it, a gift can backfire. But if you do it the right way — which is also the way with the least predictable results — it can lead to incredible things. So how should you give? Based on conversations with an expert in business gift-giving, w ..read more

The customer is always right — except when they’re not. It’s time to stop clinging to customers who aren’t serving your business, just like they’d quit your business if it wasn’t working for them. Seriously. As providers of products and services, we’re often primed to bend over backwards for our customers. But when a customer starts costing you more than they’re making you, a line’s been crossed. Today, we explore what that looks like, and how to know when it’s time to say goodbye. At some point in your business, you will have a customer like this. It’s a simple matter of defining the limits o ..read more

We’ve been hanging out in Japan, learning a whole new perspective on business. Now, it’s time to explore how you can get in on the action — by actually doing business with or inside Japan. Yes, this is possible. And it’s a very good idea. Today, we explore various ways non-Japanese businesses have forged ties with Japanese entities and professionals. We’ll also get into digital nomad options in Japan, which has become much more outsider-friendly in the last few years. From infrastructure to supplies to labor to the place itself, Japan is rich with assets you can take advantage of! When the dee ..read more

The wrong approach: “I should do my best to make sure there’s always enough of my product/service for everyone who wants to buy it.” The right approach: “I should run out of stuff. Often.” Yes, this is tough to wrap your head around, especially if you’re new to business. But remember that value is defined by one thing: scarcity. That’s why people line up for new Jordans — because there will never be that many of them. Creating scarcity is a tried-and-true way to increase the value of whatever you sell, and the urgency to make a purchase. That said, you should never create scarcity at the expen ..read more

Let’s cut to the chase: what’s the best way to get people to buy your thing? Today, we offer 3 answers, based on our experience. These funnels work best for us — and they might for you, too. We’ll lay out exactly how to build and manage each of these funnels, with our own products as an example.  There’s no single “best” funnel for every business. But by studying the way various funnels work — and trying them out for yourself — you can find the one that moves the most of your product or service. It takes a little time, but it’s an investment worth making. Plus, you may not have considered ..read more

You can’t sell your product or service if you can’t sell yourself. Confidence in branding is everything. But does that mean you have to be…full of yourself? Can you persuade without playing the peacock? After all, in a noisy market, the loudest voice often wins. It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’re helping one listener learn how to market without being a total tool. There is a way to showcase everything that makes you awesome in a way that doesn’t seem egocentric or irritating. In fact, the best marketers do it every day. It’s all about focusing on the audience and what they need, rather than you ..read more