Tech Trailblazers’ Ten Terrific Tips:

This week we have gathered ten tips from successful tech-prenuers around the world:

“Timing, perseverance, and ten years of trying will eventually make you look like an overnight success.” —Biz

Stone, Twitter co-founder

“The secret to successful hiring is this: look for the people who want to change the world." —Marc Benioff,

Salesforce CEO

“If you’re going to put your product in beta – put your business model in beta with it.” —Joe Kraus, Google

Ventures partner

“If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” —Reid Hoffman,

LinkedIn

“If you’re interested in the living heart of what you do, focus on building things rather than talking about them.”

—Ryan Freitas, About.me co-founder

“Nothing works better than just improving your product.” —Joel Spolsky, Stack Overflow co-founder

“Get five or six of your smartest friends in a room and ask them to rate your idea.” —Mark Pincus, Zynga CEO

“Wonder what your customer really wants? Ask. Don’t tell.” —Lisa Stone, BlogHer co-founder and CEO

“Make every detail perfect and limit the number of details to perfect.” —Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder

“So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than

working hard.” —Caterina Fake, Flickr co-founder

Alternatives to Trial: Save Time and Money

     It is a well-known saying in business that no matter the results of a trial, the only winners are the lawyers. Lawsuits require lots of time, cause bad publicity, and waste tons of money. It is no surprise that potential litigation is a business owner’s worst nightmare. No matter how careful you are, you are always just one step away from a lawsuit. Luckily, there are some established, useful, and valuable alternatives to a traditional civil court proceeding.

     Mediation is one possible way to avoid the negatives of a court case. In this process, both sides meet with a neutral, third party “mediator.” This person will help facilitate a discussion between the disputing parties. The goal is to arrive at an effective and mutually agreeable solution. The mediator has no authority to impose any judgements. This process can be great because it is much lower cost and much faster than the normal litigation process. It is also less formal than a normal court proceeding and allows for more creative solutions to disputes. Best of all, simply talking out your problems and avoiding a court battle will help you possibly preserve a future relationship.

     Another alternative is arbitration. Like mediation, both parties meet with a neutral third party, an “arbitrator,” and present their side. But in this case, the arbitrator, most often a retired judge, makes a decision based on the facts of the case. He decides who is right and what the remedy should be. Both parties are legally bound to this judgement. It is more formal, with both sides able to present evidence and witnesses. This can be a useful process, especially in more serious cases. Although more expensive than mediation, it still costs less than a conventional trial.

     Hopefully you will never be involved in a case, but if you ever are, these alternatives will help. Keep doing everything you can to avoid a lawsuit, but know there are alternatives. Often mediation or arbitration clauses are written into contracts, specifying that the disputing parties must go to the alternatives before trial (it’s a good idea to check your current contracts so you are prepared before any issues arise.) In addition, after realizing the enormous time, money, and energy commitment of a trial, most people will be receptive to at least trying an alternative. All in all, these could be potential solutions that save you some of the pain of a lawsuit.

Ch. 10 of the Comprehensive Checklist for Growing Your Business: Community Outreach

In the midst of your crazy day of managing a business, the thought of community outreach and social responsibility probably isn’t floating around at the front of your head. They all say, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and that applies to raising a business as well. Without the support of your neighbors and community, your business probably wouldn’t exist. Let’s take a minute to surface the real ROIs on doing a little something for your community.

There are different levels of involvement that you can choose from that best fits your availability. You can sponsor local events, organize meetings/networking gatherings, or participate in a meetup. The opportunities of helping your community can get really fun and creative while also being a cost-effective method of marketing. It’s also a great opportunity to rally up your employees for good old team building and morale boosting. Now, on top of all those positive things, let’s get to how it can help build your business.

1. Get yourself publicly known by your locals.

   The more you put your name out there, the more your community will gain awareness of your business. Community outreach is heavily effective because it puts a real person in front of prospective customers. In contrast, with an ad, or website, it garners a one-way communication to your audience. Making real connections to people involves engagement, and a moment that you and your customer share - it’s hard to forget that.
    

2. Build long-lasting relationships with them.

   By putting a face on your business and engaging in conversations with people in your community, it’s only natural that you start to build long-lasting relationships with them. You get to know first names of pivotal people in the neighborhood, their family, and story. Slowly, business owners can build their network and make important connections that are beneficial for the long run. However, these connection are symbiotic. The more resources and value you can provide for your customer, they more they depend and come to you.
    

3. Increase company reputation and image.

   By staying active and involved in community events, it builds fantastic repertoire amongst your neighbors and customers. The driving force of purchasing decisions are made by emotion. If you can connect with your community on an emotional level, it’s a win-win for them and your business.

Community outreach can build your clientele and strengthen your presence in your community. By participating in these events, businesses can develop customer loyalty and top of the mind recall. It is also fantastic for building a positive reputation which can then lead to long-lasting, returning customers. Investing time into this method of marketing doesn’t have to be a complex process. Doing something as little as printing branded bookmarks for the library, or providing water for your local marathon can leave an unforgettable, lasting impression on your business.