Author: Aimee Tariq

President George W. Bush’s one-time Chief Information Security Officer shares his tips for small-business growth. November 8, 2019 6 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. For the first time in history, the greatest threats to institutions and businesses alike are no longer physical. Instead, stealing client information or impairing an organization’s ability to operate is something that’s done predominantly online. With 43 percent of cyber attacks targeting small businesses — and an average of six months before they realize they’ve been compromised — cyber security is becoming more important than ever. But most small businesses don’t have the resources to implement robust protocols. Whether it involves how expensive it is to hire an in-house expert or the price of most outsourced services, access is typically the deal-breaker. Few people understand this conundrum better than Vince Crisler, who served as the White House Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) under […]

Passing along your knowledge can also be highly profitable. October 11, 2019 5 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Online courses have become an increasingly popular way to share expertise with an audience, and to get paid for what you have to say and teach. But the amount you can make selling online courses differs widely, depending on your price point and your audience.  The exciting part is the sheer potential of how much you can make — and we’re talking in terms of both impact and profit. Tony Delgado, founder of Disrupt and Disrupt Week Puerto Rico, shares that making your first million dollars gets a whole lot easier once you bring your product or service online. “Just do the math,” he says. “If 1,000 people buy your $1,000 course, you just made a million dollars overnight. All you really need to succeed is Wi-Fi and a dream.” Here are seven […]

You’ve got to cast the net wide if you want to narrow the field. October 7, 2019 4 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Everything in life stems from relationships, and humans thrive on community. In an interview with the Scientific American, UCLA Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab Director Matthew Lieberman shared that significant data has proven that humans suffer in the absence of social bonds. In recent years, the buzzword “tribe” has come to mean much more than its dictionary definition of a “human social group.” Rather, a “tribe” now encompasses one’s friends, family and peers. It’s a core tenet of who we are. Given that, here are four foundational networking tips for finding and building your tribe. Related: Building the Right Network for Your Business 1. Talk to everyone, everywhere. A foundational principle of many successful people is their desire to talk to everyone, no matter where they are. In […]

Success truly is a state of mind. October 6, 2019 6 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Running a business is hard enough as it is. The statistics are well-known: According to a survey by the Small Business Administration, half of all businesses fail in the first five years. New businesses are fraught with the perils of cash flow and market forces. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been at it for a while, you have plenty of challenges on your hands. But what if you’re adding extra challenges when you don’t have to? You could be sabotaging your business without even realizing you’re doing it. And it starts in the same place you had the idea in the first place: your mind. Be mindful of these three pitfalls. 1. You fear change. The world is changing faster than it ever has. That seems like […]

Here’s why it can pay not to overthink every challenge. October 5, 2019 4 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Entrepreneurs are different than other problem-solvers. They have a knack for coming up with unique solutions that transform lives and industries. Brands like Uber and Airbnb are just two examples of how entrepreneurial thinking can transform daily activities. What many people overlook when they evaluate these and other entrepreneurial successes is that while the problems they solve may appear quite complex at first glance, the actual solutions are relatively simple. By training themselves to provide an easy-to-understand solution to the problems others face, successful entrepreneurs are set up to make a lasting impact on the world. The Desire for Simplicity Our natural desire is to find simple solutions for our problems, yet our own personal biases and outside influences can make even simple problems seem difficult to solve […]

The right applications can benefit both you and your customers. September 27, 2019 5 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Today’s businesses have more information available than ever before, but are you using your data to its full potential? Customer data is the key to unlocking new insights that will help you scale more rapidly and efficiently. Digital tools allow you to track the behaviors of customers engaging with your website, and that data can have a big impact on your bottom line. In fact, research from McKinsey reveals that companies that utilize behavioral insights enjoy 85 percent greater sales growth and a 25 percent higher profit margin than their competitors. Of course, simply posessing that data isn’t enough. You must find the right insights and act on them so you can improve performance like never before. Here’s how to make it happen: 1. Reduce acquisition […]

It’s an ongoing process, but there are ways to guarantee an immediate boost in incoming orders. September 10, 2019 5 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Is your e-commerce shop optimized? It’s almost certainly not. When you’re running a business, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day rat race and not keep up with the most current trends. If you’ve let your store go to seed a little bit, it’s time to step up and make a change. The good news is it doesn’t take long to get your operation into top shape. In less than five business days, you can build up your sales, lower your bounce rate and build up your audience. All it takes is a little elbow grease and a few small adjustments. 1. Harness the power of product images. According to a study from product-video services company Invodo, 92.6 percent of all consumers feel […]