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Risk-Takers who can Persist " The biggest risk is not taking any risk... In a world that's changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks ." Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder / CEO Entrepreneurship without risk-taking is like Investing without money. An entrepreneur must have a fearless, never-say-die attitude in the face of all adversities. If you don't have the balls to take everything that is thrown at you and persist, you can't be an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs don't take blind risks though; they're calculative, and stack up the odds in their favor. Visionaries who can Sell " Entrepreneurs are like visionaries. One of the ways they run forward is by viewing the thing they're doing as something that's going to be the whole world ." Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn founder Entrepreneurship begins with a vision to change the status quo, change what's not working, even change the world.  " If you...

We always hear what entrepreneurs ought to be doing. Here are six things they should not be doing: 1.  Procrastinating or waiting for things to happen . Things that you don't complete will remain in that state. Believe me, things won't happen with wishful thinking. Don't procrastinate any longer. Just do it... 2.  Trying the same thing over and over again . This is the big trap that many great entrepreneurs fall into. Rule of thumb: After trying it the third time, it's time for a change.  3.  Going alone . Entrepreneurship is a long, exhausting and exciting journey. It's more fun and more rewarding with a partner or two. It can also get you funded. If you are looking to start a new company, do it with two or three co-founders. 4.  Not asking for help . Being brave is a great entrepreneurship trait; however, when you are not knowing something, you need an expert to help you. If you don't ask for help, your growth will stall. 5.  Giving up quickly . Risk-taki...

Startup Entrepreneurs work extremely hard to make amazing products and services. Many times, they are so deadly focused on creating that great product that they forget about the power of collaboration that can expand their market, grow their brand, open new doors, attract new customers, recruit new employees, find investors and much more. Collaboration isn't just essential to Startup Success, it's mandatory. Without the right partners, many startups stall and their growth flounders. How do you find the right strategic partners who can help accelerate your startup growth? 1. Change your Thinking. You cannot do it alone. It's OK to ask for help. Asking for help or support is not a sign of weakness. It shows you are passionate about your business. It shows you care. It shows you want to get to the next level. 2. Create a List. Your collaborators are everywhere. You just need to fnd them. Create a list of  potential partners and collaborators who belong to local SBDC, Score, SB...

"I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." – Michael Jordan Entrepreneurship  is very hard! It takes a lot of things to succeed.  Tarang Shah wrote an amazing first-hand resource  book  for technology entrepreneurs that addresses three critical questions: 1. Why do most startups and entrepreneurs fail, and what you can learn from these failures? 2. Why do few entrepreneurs succeed, and what is their secret sauce? 3. What do startups need to get funded, and what are VCs looking from startups? Rather than present anecdotal study or sharing grapevine stories, Tarang went straight to the source: interviewing best venture capitalists that evaluate, fund and mentor these start-ups (many of whom have been entrepreneurs themselves), and founders of today's hot technology start-ups who are leadi...

Why is entrepreneurship so hard?  1. It starts with the word itself: It's a really long word to speak and spell. Try it without a spell checker. 2. There are no rules to becoming a successful entrepreneur - who do you really learn from? 3. We hear stories from the really successful entrepreneurs - we begin to think it's easy. 4. Most entrepreneurs fail - since our society doesn't celebrate failures, often we don't learn from these. 5. It requires a lot of things to hit that home run: plan, idea, money, 24/7 work, frugality, time, execution, people, passion, perseverance, timing, marketing, technology, mentor, health, balance, fun and focus. I wish all startup founders and entrepreneurs lots of success in 2014! Rock the boat entrepreneurs!! Connect with me on oGoing

Meet Karen Betts, an unlikely and unassuming California entrepreneur, who is combining healthy living with good nutrition and fitness. I have had the opportunity to talk with Karen a few times, and her enthusiasm, passion and work ethic always amazes me. She truly believes in the products she is promoting, and is one of their biggest users as well. Join Karen on her entrepreneurship journey: 1. What led you to become an entrepreneur? How's the journey? In 2010, I received a call from a friend who asked me to check out a website, and give him a call back with my feedback. It was an opportunity to earn residual income, simply by sharing a company's health products and the opportunity with others, like he had just with me. The journey since then has been fun, exciting, rewarding, and has increased by creative writing skills. :-) 2. What is your product or service? What are the key benefits? Day 1 currently offers five (5) products. (Each quarter, a new product will be introduced)....

Are you thinking of leaving your corporate life and becoming an entrepreneur? Before you quit your day job that actually pays and start day dreaming, think of whether you fit the entrepreneurship mold... “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas Edison Here is what could be in store for you: 1. Long, thankless days of hard work  (sure you are building something of great value, but don't expect to hear "Thank You" from anyone until they use your products and services and even then...) 2. Upfront and ongoing investment of money and resources  (what, you thought you don't need to invest your hard-earned money to start something. Welcome to the real world!) 3. Bank loans and growing debt that could ruin you financially  (enough said, watch out! you may have to tell your creditors to wait and wait and wait... until they get antsy) 4. Hard Truth that No one wants to invest in your company  (angel investors think you don't have the best ...

Happy Memorial Day 2013! "It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray-haired. But most of them were boys when they died, they gave up two lives -- the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for their county, for us. All we can do is remember." -- President Ronald Wilson Reagan Remarks at Veteran's Day ceremony, Arlington National Cemetery November 11, 1985 "I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 27, 2013, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to u...