Ala Al Lozi, Tamas Javor Daniel Lauer

Share“Fail fast; learn fast.” It’s a mantra that we’ve heard repeatedly over the past decade, especially as startup culture has entered mainstream consciousness, but a part of me has always wondered how many of us actually take it to heart. In my own entrepreneurial career, which has included both spectacular successes and failures, I’ve been forced to face my mistakes and grow from them as quickly as possible. However, I’ve also seen how easy it is to fall into a rhythm and get stuck in a professional rut. So a few years ago, when my company was approaching its 25th […]

3 Ways to Use the Entrepreneurial Mindset to Accelerate Your ...

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ShareWith the explosion of startups and the success of game changers like Google and Facebook, it’s no wonder entrepreneurship is more relevant than ever. The related concept of intrapreneurship is gaining prominence for the way it’s revolutionizing the business world as well as the academic sector. Intrapreneurship is simply the companywide adoption of an entrepreneurial mindset, and it’s driven by disruption. Startups unleash a level of innovation that threatens to make the most established companies irrelevant. Just look at how Airbnb and Uber disrupted legacy companies in their respective industries. To stay competitive, companies have been forced to consider an […]

Build A University Grounded In Intrapreneurship To Spur The Change ...

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ShareStartup accelerators have been around since about 2005, when Y Combinator was founded in Cambridge, Mass. Since then, they’ve exploded in popularity — expanding from startup hotbeds like Boston and Silicon Valley to assorted locations around the globe. Milwaukee, though not traditionally known as a tech hub, is home to Gener8tor, an accelerator that recently launched an artist fellowship program. Sydney is an international city in its own right, but it’s also attracting tech entrepreneurs with its Future Transport Digital Accelerator. And, while Cairo certainly has a rich history, it’s also preparing for the future of innovation with the Flat6labs accelerator, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary in […]

The 3 Most Essential Points to Keep in Mind for ...

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ShareIn today’s startup world, it’s easy to feel left out if you’re not in Boston or New York or Silicon Valley or Seattle. That’s where the talent often migrates, where the media spotlight is centered and, most importantly, where the money is: According to a data analysis by Richard Florida and the Martin Prosperity Institute, the vast majority of venture capital money still flows primarily to the startup hubs on the coasts, and very little trickles to the cities in between. Related: Capital-Hungry Startups Should Consider This Alternative to VCs But great amounts of money don’t automatically produce great businesses. One of the […]

These 3 Simple Steps Will Help You Expand Your Network ...

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ShareEvery organizational leader lauds innovation, so why do so many businesses struggle with the process? Companies’ internal R&D teams can only take their innovation efforts so far. Case in point: Though 93 percent of executives surveyed by Accenture said innovation was critical to long-term success, less than 20 percent of the same pool of respondents said their current efforts were moving the needle. Just as people are motivated by the company they keep, companies are influenced by the partnerships they embrace. Those hoping to innovate would be wise to look beyond their own walls, forming partnerships with universities, startups, and other industry players. Making the […]

3 Steps to Creating a Strategic Partnership to Spur Innovation ...

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ShareIf you’re like me, you probably never heard of inclusion riders until Frances McDormand mentioned them in her Best Actress acceptance speech at the Oscars. But these contract clauses, mandating certain demographic hiring goals for casts and crews at movie shoots, will likely become more ubiquitous as conversations around diversity continue to increase — in both Hollywood and the wider world. Still, while the value of diversity has become a staple in everyday dialogue, there has yet to be much real progress to show for it, particularly in the startup space. Case in point: A Silicon Valley Bank study found that among the startups […]

Achieving Diversity Demands Less Talk and More Action. And Good ...

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ShareThe rest of the country might think the Midwest is behind the times, but in many ways, cities between the coasts offer tech job seekers the best chances of success. In St. Louis, where I operate, I see a “pay it forward” mentality that’s unmatched in bigger cities’ startup communities. Even those new to the area are only a couple connections away from some of the city’s biggest players. Our startup scene is eager to help newcomers along, and that kind of mentorship has become harder to find in the competitive world of Silicon Valley. Thanks to the Midwest’s lower costs, founders […]

Why Tech Job Seekers Might Look Outside Silicon Valley for ...

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ShareThis aphorism has always rung true, but when it comes to educating the next generation, it’s an essential mantra. The oldest members of Generation Z — defined by Pew Research as those born after 1997 — are on the cusp of adulthood, and while they’re ready for college, are universities really ready for them? After all, in the same way Millennials presented unique challenges and opportunities, so will Generation Z. For one thing, as the first generation to not know a world without the internet, Gen Zers view digital media as an indispensable resource. They’re not satisfied with sittingand waiting; instead they choose to investigate and experiment for themselves. […]

Generation Z’s Are Starting College, But Are Universities Ready For ...

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ShareThe media would have you believe that securing venture capital support and funding is the epitome of “making it” in the startup world. But capital aside, what many fail to realize is that VC partners aren’t always a good strategic fit. Take Fitbit, a company that VCs poured millions into just a few years ago. Unfortunately, the funding couldn’t stop Apple from overtaking Fitbit in the wearable market last year. So when Fitbit was looking to light a spark under its fledgling line of smartwatches earlier this year, it didn’t tap another VC. Instead, it turned to Adidas, the shoe and apparel giant known for reinventing itself. […]

What the Adidas-Fitbit Collaboration Can Teach Your Startup That VCs ...

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Share“As a young man, my grandfather gave me some advice: ‘Get with a good company, and stay for 40 years,’” said Charlie Hoffman, dean of the UMSL College of Business. “Those who did that are now finding themselves in their late 50s — at the edge of retirement and bored. These are successful people who’ve realized they’re not done growing and learning. They’re looking for more.” They’re not alone in that thinking. Seventy percent of Americans dislike their jobs, and 73 percent of 30-somethings would prefer to change careers. Professionals who’ve worked in their industries for decades have plenty of […]

Why Going Back to School Mid-Career May Be the Best ...

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ShareMentorship is one of the best gifts. Having someone you admire invest time and energy in your goals builds successful companies and careers. Likewise, transmitting your experiences to others is energizing; it’s what being an entrepreneur is about. Many of us are fond of our mentors, particularly if they took an interest in us while we were pushing our boulders uphill. But no one person has all the answers, and gathering multiple viewpoints is particularly important in our rapidly shifting world. As a 25-year member of Entrepreneurs’ Organization Forum, I know this firsthand. I’ve made monthly peer-mentoring sessions of 10 […]

Why Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Is Essential for Entrepreneurs

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ShareWhich came first: The chicken or the egg? For many recent college graduates, this question seems less like a fun riddle and more like a harsh reality in employment: They need experience to get a job, but they need a job to get experience. Related: How Student Loan Debts Are Crushing Millennial Entrepreneurialism A degree, unfortunately, is often not enough to gain a job in their preferred field. And with mounting student loan debt looming, many are forced to take jobs unrelated to their degrees. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor, as of […]

3 Steps to Attracting the Brightest Recent Grads to Your ...

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ShareGeneration Z: lazy, self-absorbed, tech-obsessed, and unequipped for the workplace… OK Generation Z, cue the well-deserved eyeroll. You can probably recite these negative associations to your age group in your sleep. While these are unfair generalizations, they’re still real barriers you’ll need to overcome as you enter the workforce. The good news? Despite all the harsh judgements, you do have a number of soft skills that make you uniquely positioned to prove the critics wrong. So now is the time to learn to use them. Remember, you grew up during the Great Recession, and while you may not have realized […]

Generation Z, These Skills Will Earn You Jobs After College

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ShareA college education is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately for entrepreneurs, attending a four-year university also carries some significant drawbacks. The latest data on student loan debt from Debt.org tells a grim story for new graduates: The average debt at graduation is now more than $37,172 per student. Related: Does a College Degree Still Matter? For anyone entering the job market, a college degree is simply the price of admission. Entrepreneurs, however, need more than a piece of paper; they need relevant, hands-on skills they can use to succeed in the real world. For new and established founders, getting the most […]

3 Real-World Tactics Entrepreneurs Should Take Advantage of During (and ...

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ShareMost of us can conjure up an image of “the boring professor” droning on and on in front of dozing students. While the centuries-old lecture format can be an efficient way to transfer knowledge, it doesn’t necessarily further learning. In fact, studies have shown that students’ attention tends to drift after the first 10 minutes of a lecture. On the other hand, students gain a lasting understanding when they’re asked to actively teach or use concepts, explains Harvard University’s Eric Mazur. Furthermore, when given the chance to practice what they’ve learned, students’ retention rate averages 75 percent, up from the […]

3 Ways to Use Experiential Learning to Boost Your Career

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ShareA future filled with automated robots inspires both optimism and anxiety. According to a 2017 study by the Pew Research Center, the vast majority of Americans surveyed said they were worried about the consequences of widespread artificial intelligence. Up to 85 percent of survey respondents said they even favored limiting the use of workplace robots to only hazardous duties. Another 62 percent said they’d be willing to pay extra to interact with a human customer service representative rather than a chatbot. Related: Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Good Entrepreneur? Hint: It’s Not Something You’re Born With. […]

Worried About Surviving in an Automated World? These Are the ...

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ShareA future filled with automated robots inspires both optimism and anxiety. According to a 2017 study by the Pew Research Center, the vast majority of Americans are worried about the consequences of widespread artificial intelligence. Up to 85 percent of survey respondents are in favor of limiting the use of workplace robots to only hazardous duties. Another 62 percent would be willing to pay extra to interact with a human customer service representative rather than a chatbot. This research is important for entrepreneurs striving to thrive in the fourth industrial revolution. So much of the focus surrounding the future of […]

These Skills Will Save You When Your Job Is Automated

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ShareConceptually, what it means to work has completely changed, thanks to increased mobility, ever-increasing digitization, and the gig economy. Within this exciting emerging world, entrepreneurship has taken a front-row seat in the lexicon of even the very young. The concept of the gold watch at the end of a 35-year employment stint has been shelved in favor of exciting possibilities that require calculated risk-taking and a passion to learn. At the same time, higher education is experiencing a similar disruption. Studies indicate that while around half of college campus students fit within the traditional age framework of 17 to 21, […]

What My Entrepreneurial Career of 20-Plus Years Taught Me ...

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