A chapter of OEN.org Oregon Entrepreneurs Network

Small Businesses and LinkedIn

Did you know how absolutely wonderful of a resource LinkedIn is for entrepreneurs? Well if you did, good for you and pat yourself on the back. If you didn’t, now you do, so get to gettin’! Mashable recently posted an article from the American Express OPEN Forum on how small businesses can reap the benefits of the social networking site. Here’s 5 ways Mashable believes that LinkedIn can help you and your small business grow (they’re pretty smart, so listen to them):

  1. Stay Top-of-Mind
  2. Find New Talent
  3. Crowdsource Solutions and Get Feedback
  4. Promote Special Event You Host or Attend
  5. Lead Local and Industry Thought

Be sure to read the rest of the article for the nitty-gritty know how.

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Why You Should Start a Company in… Portland, Oregon

I came across this article on Fast Company’s website and decided, given our location (yes this is a reference to my last post), I had to post it. According to Fast Company these days, location DOES matter. For Part Ten of Fast Company’s series about where to start a business (Why You Should Start a Company in… Portland, Oregon), Laura Rich interviews Jive’s Chairman of the Boards, David Hersh, in a very honest article about why one would want to start a company in the Pacific Northwest’s “Silicon Forest.” So for all you Portland based entrepreneurs, why did you choose the Rose City?

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The Start-up Survival Kit

I’m all about those cool, new, flashy tech innovations that businesses “need” (or at least I pretend to be and just admire them from afar). However, this article gives a refreshing perspective on businesses that thrive by using simple productivity enhancers. Some of these suggestions might seem overly simple, random, or blatantly obvious, but every little bit of advice counts.

You may think I’m wasting you’re time by posting some silly little tips about organization and efficiency, but think again. In the words of the author, Joe Ippolito, “The people who are succeeding are those who’ve found ways, methods, and routines to help them get things done.”

Check out the interview with some of the author’s favorite entrepreneurs from GOOD’s Diary of Social Venture Start-up. So all you entrepreneurs out there, get ‘er done (sorry, I couldn’t help myself)!

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The Biggest Small Business Competitions

Forbes recently came out with an article about “The Biggest Small Business Competitions” across the country. The article gives insight to the 15 biggest university-sponsored events. Granted, some competitions are only open to students and/or alumni of the hosting university, but it’s not the situation for all. Some competitions are even right here in Eugene, like the New Venture Championship at the University of Oregon. Hey, the article even has some tips from our very own Tim Berry, president of Palo Alto Software…which I advise you to pay attention to since he’s a judge at three of the competitions listed. 

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Tech Events for Women

My aunt sent my a post from ReadWriteStart, a resource for entrepreneurs and start-ups from Microsoft BizSpark. “Why We Need Tech Events for Women” addresses the very essence of the title. The technology industry is a male dominated one, so why not create conferences and workshops to educate and encourage female participation? Some conferences tackle blogging, others address the general topic of technology and its opportunities for women, some are for kids and young adults, and some are for professionals. Check ‘em out; who knows, you could become the next Bill Gates…

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Entrepreneurial Literature

After taking Accounting 340 (Entrepreneurial Accounting) this term of the U of O, I have a new found respect for those that work out the financials for start-ups. It’s grueling work. I learned this during my group project for the class; we had to create a company and its financials for the first five years, then do growth and sustainability analyses. This would have been 10 times harder without the two books that guided us through the project : “The Business Owner’s Guide to Achieving Financial Success” by David A. Duryee and “Entrepreneurial Finance” by Steven Rogers. 

If you’re in a pickle trying to make your projected financial statements work or just need an a little extra help, I strongly recommend these books!

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How to Market Your Business With Facebook

Can you tell I love the Small Business section of the New York Times? You should too; it offers great insight for entrepreneurs. If you’re looking to start using Facebook to promote your company, check out the newest Small-Business Guide from the NY Times: How to Market Your Business With Facebook. The article offers good advice and additional online resources for dealing with Facebook!

Here are some quick tips from the article:

  • Identify a short list of goals before you begin.

  • Show some personality in your page.

  • Don’t shill. Use your page to engage-and trust that sales will follow.

  • Use Facebook data to analyze your customer demographics.

Check out the rest of the Small Business Guides!

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Spark of Genius Series

Hello Smart-ups community! I came across this on Mashable and thought this would be a great resource for all those with software start-ups. Microsoft BizSpark is a program that gives software entrepreneurs the support and tools they need, with no upfront costs for three years. So BizSpark has paired up with Mashable to create the Spark of Genius Series. Mashable will feature a new and innovative software company on Mashable.com every week. Of course there are some stipulations, so see if your company qualifies and enter!

 

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Social Media for Entrepreneurs

Today as I was checking my Twitter account I came upon an interesting tweet from Mashable: “10 of the Best Social Media Tools for Entrepreneurs.” Their top ten included the obvious Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube , but also mention a slew of tools that I had never heard about (Monitter and Get Satisfaction to name a few). Check it out; social media is made for you entrepreneurs!

 

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