With every startup or business idea, there comes a dream to scale it to the moon. I am a journalist with two small startups under my belt. Being in the startup world for years, I have been on both sides of the spectrum. On one hand, I have mentored many startups due to my association with incubators and accelerators, and on the other hand, I have done extensive research into possible resources, mentors, guides, investors, and backers that I, personally can utilize for my own startups. When you are a programmer, the reality of your idea is just behind some lines of code; but, if you are a non-t ..read more

Deciding whether or not to have a social media presence isn’t really an option for brands today. While it might have been just a nice touch in the past, social media has now become its own full-blown customer service channel. And like any customer service channel, consumers have high expectations for companies on social. In order to improve your “social CX” and make sure you’re living up to customer expectations, take a look at the guide below from Chattermill. It outlines the strategies brands need to be improving on in order to stay at the top of the competition.   The post 8 Ways to T ..read more

Each week we introduce you to one of the many talented curators from around the world who help support Techstars Startup Digest. Name: Clare Bennett Digest: Women Entrepreneurship Curator Since: September 2017 Title: Director of Marketing at Morning Consult Twitter: @YMCMBennett Director with eight years experience spanning marketing, communications, & editorial. Hyper-organized, collaborative, always learning, & a deep value for working with different people of all backgrounds.  To start receiving the Techstars Startup Digest Women Entrepreneurship reading lis ..read more

Every day someone comes up with a great idea that they think could make them some money. Some of the time, these ideas are good enough to get off the ground and become actualized as real businesses. However, every business needs capital, and it is for this reason that many entrepreneurs seek out investors. Where many venture capitalists like Mark Stevens dedicate their effort and time to seeing that deserving businesses thrive, bagging an investor does not come that easy. Below are a few things you can do to help your startup gets that investment. Have Fresh Ideas It’s easy to imagine th ..read more

There is a reason contracts are notoriously tricky to understand. Many small business owners choose to skim a contract rather than reading the fine print, but this can ultimately lead to signing off on clauses you were unaware of. If you are an entrepreneur or startup founder, it’s likely you’ve encountered a fair share of contracts thus far. Seeing as contracts are legally binding, it’s essential to understand what you’re agreeing to and some of the major contract red flags. 1. Noncompete Clause A noncompete clause is used to protect the intellectual property of a company. When signing a nonc ..read more

 When you are struggling to launch a business, marketing seems like just another expensive obstacle toward achieving your goal. Yet, more accurately, marketing could mean the difference between a successful startup and a total flop. Instead of mindlessly throwing money at online ad space, you should think more critically about your marketing campaign, especially at this early and crucial period of your business’s life. Inspiration rarely comes from nothing. If you need some help developing a marketing concept that packs a punch, consider any of the following campaigns that put other startup ..read more

There are more than 30 million small businesses across the United States. That means any startups entering the market faces some serious competition, especially in crowded sectors.  An effective marketing strategy is key to establish a brand, reach target customers, and ultimately demonstrate your value. And email marketing remains a vital element of any good marketing strategy. Social media might have proven itself a terrific channel for growing audiences, email is actually 40x better for acquiring customers.  But it’s not a simple process, and no small business can just guess its way t ..read more

Each week we introduce you to one of the many talented curators from around the world who help support Techstars Startup Digest. Name: Andrea Perdomo Digest: Diversity & Inclusion Reading List Curator Since: September 2019 Title: Sr. Project Manager for D&I at Techstars Twitter: @Dreaperdomo Andrea is the Sr. Project Manager for D&I at Techstars. Before joining Techstars, she was the co-founder and CMO at Revolar, a 2015 & 2016 Techstars company. While at Revolar Andrea built a full stack team of hardware, software, sales and operations members that succes ..read more

Managing the business side of a medical facility can be a challenging undertaking. Since the healthcare industry in the U.S. is estimated to be a $3 trillion industry, even running a small company in this field is a lucrative business venture. However, becoming an entrepreneur in the healthcare space and building a steady career in the industry is not an impossibility. Here are helpful tips for budding entrepreneurs interested in building businesses in the healthcare sector. Avoiding Costly Risks The healthcare industry is often deemed to be more conservative than the inherent risks of r ..read more

Now more than ever, how a business conducts itself, ethically speaking, can change the trajectory of success. But “ethical” has a tendency to be a slippery slope. Who isn’t familiar with the scandals of Enron, Bernie Madoff, or the Lehman Brothers? Each of their stories is a testament as to why it’s important to implement ethical values in a company at the earliest stages – even when you’re a startup.  These building blocks can be critical in determining how a company deals with these “slippery slope” situations and how to handle internal and external issues when they arise. Values help ..read more