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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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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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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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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 ...

 in UMSL Accelerate Staff / UMSL Alumni Entrepreneurs / Useful Tips by
Share There are so many steps involved in starting a business and it’s easy to get a little lost along the way. Everyone makes mistakes, but when it comes to your startup, even seemingly harmless oversights could cost you a lot in the long run. So what are the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs should avoid? 1. Don’t be Afraid to Fail The biggest mistake you can make is to be afraid of failure! Failure is key to your success and jumping into your fear is very positive for your future business. How you pick up after failure and learn from your […]

11 Common Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make

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ShareEven if you’re on the wonderful journey to becoming a business owner, chances are you might have to return to the daily grind from time to time. That doesn’t mean you still can’t include your entrepreneurial skills and experiences on your resume. So it’s best to know these best kept resume secrets specifically made for entrepreneurs. 1. A Few Seconds, and it’s Over According to Monster, recruiters spend about six seconds scanning your resume before making a decision. This means if you don’t grab their attention within the first few seconds of them looking at your resume, it will likely […]

13 Best Kept Resume Skills

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Share Being a young entrepreneur in college has its own perils and advantages. On the one hand, you’ll get to follow your innermost desires. Entrepreneurs are the type to create something wonderful out of uncertainty, where others tend to shy away from. On the other hand, it’s not an easy road and usually a quite confusing one. Especially without the proper guidance. However, there are some DOs and DON’Ts to success that’ll keep you on the right track. Just check it out for yourself! 1. DO Take Giant Humongous Creative Risks The word entrepreneur is almost synonymous with risk taker […]

6 Entrepreneur Do’s and Dont’s

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Share As a college student, it goes without saying you’re busy, don’t have a lot of free time, and if you’re anything like myself, rips my hair out and curls into a ball every mention of a research paper. As a college entrepreneur, it’s like 60 times worse. How is one supposed to find time to do homework, research papers, and run a profitable business? Don’t worry, UMSL Accelerate understands the struggle. That’s why we put together these 7 time management apps that will surely make your life as a college entrepreneur easier. Trello Trello is an organization sidekick used […]

7 Time Management Apps Every Entrepreneur Needs

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Share   If you’ve ever pitched your startup to investors, you know how hard it is (and if not, you soon will). Investors are looking for unicorns – companies they believe will become profitable and sustainable in the long-term. Most pitches to Venture Capitalists fail. This happens because investors aren’t just investing in ideas. They’re investing in the person (or people) behind that great idea. To increase your funding chances, it helps to get inside the minds of your potential investors. This post will help you do just that. 1. Market Size This is where most investors will start. How […]

5 Things Investors Look For in Startups

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ShareDo you have all the college essentials? Binders, schedules, a snack from The Nosh to eat in between classes? Well what about your business essentials? See, when it comes to starting your own business, there are some crucial steps you need to take before you can scale your brand to the top. The more you know about starting a business, the more power you have to form an organization that develops into a lasting source of income and satisfaction. For help with the beginning stages of operating a business, the following checklist is a great place to start. Choosing and […]

How to Run a Business as a College Student

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ShareAt this point, I think we can all name at least one business that skyrocketed to success and was launched out of a dormitory or while the founder was still in college. There’s the infamous tale of FedEx’s beginnings when founder Frederick W. Smith wrote a term paper at Yale University detailing  how the shipping industry would change due to changing informational needs and advances in technology – Inogen, a mobile medical device company founded by former University of CA, Santa Barbara student Allison Perry who recruited two of her classmates, Brenton Taylor and Byron Myers, to join her team. […]

What the Heck is an EIN Number?

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