Five must-read pieces for business founders and builders.
April 29, 2022 -- Happy Friday and welcome back to Friday Finds! From the continued rise of crypto startups to perfecting the elevator pitch, here are The Hustle’s picks for inspiring and insightful entrepreneurial reads.
- Despite a slowing tech market, blockchain startups have continued their rise. In 2022, valuations of late-stage VC-backed crypto and blockchain firms have increased 91%, compared to a 14% fall in the valuations of average late-stage startups.
- You don't always have to start your own company to exercise your entrepreneurial spirit. For problem solvers, natural born leaders and more, being a corporate entrepreneur might be the path to success.
- Reham Fagiri started AptDeco, a used furniture marketplace, after a bad run-in with a Craigslist buyer. Her tips for growing your business includes keeping your hands dirty, following the customer data, and keeping your eyes on elements you can control.
- An elevator pitch is an essential tool for entrepreneurs looking to win business or funding. Tips to fine tune your pitch include evaluating and researching your audience, being clear and concise with your messaging, and highlighting your value propositions.
- Getting a prospect to open your sales email can be half the battle. To make sure you're getting your business's pitch across, check out 20 sales email templates with 60% or higher open rates.
April 22, 2022 -- Happy Friday and welcome back to Friday Finds! From Amazon's latest VC fund to S&P 500's most innovative boards, here are The Hustle’s picks for inspiring and insightful entrepreneurial reads.
- Amazon is launching a $1B fund to invest in startups in the customer fulfillment, logistics and supply chain space. Initial investments include warehouse robotics companies and an AI firm focused on improving inventory management.
- While the pandemic wrecked havoc on small businesses, 2022 may be a great year to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. Promising trends include a resurgence in physical retail, and consumer preference for specialized services and products.
- In a world where startup success is often measured in venture dollars, Trinity Mouzon Wofford has opted for slow and organic growth, eschewing early offers from investors and retailers for her superfood products company.
- Corporate boards are beginning to take a more active role in their company's affairs, from ESG goals to recruiting and diversity. Fortune's Modern Board 25 list ranks the most innovative boards among the S&P 500, based on factors like board expertise and national dispersion.
- A website redesign can help transform your user experience and give a boost to your business. To execute the perfect online makeover, read the 15 stats to keep in mind when planning a website redesign in 2022.
April 15, 2022 -- Happy Friday and welcome back to Friday Finds! From the rise of E-bikes to finding collaborative employees, here are The Hustle’s picks for inspiring and insightful entrepreneurial reads.
- As China continues to tighten its regulations against the tech industry, its young entrepreneurs are pivoting their businesses away from the mainland and onto international users.
- With remote working on the rise, it's more important to hire good team players than ever. Spot which potential employee is a star at collaborating by noticing their use of pronouns, how they share their accomplishments, and more.
- Skyrocketing fuel prices have spiked the interest for E-bikes and E-scooters. Yet it's also been a challenging time for the industry, as it tries to balance new demand with supply chain issues and rise in prices.
- Selling your startup can be a rollercoaster ride. To make sure you close the deal in a timely fashion, look into tips like potentially outsourcing negotiations and hiring a strong legal team.
- Market research is essential to your business's understanding of your customer base and their needs. To make sure you're always adapting to the latest trends, check out this guide and template to conduct your own market research.
April 8, 2022 -- Happy Friday and welcome back to Friday Finds! From the TikTok video that saved a small business to the changing landscape for startup funding, here are The Hustle’s picks for inspiring and insightful entrepreneurial reads.
- In recent years, a red hot tech market has made raising venture capital a breeze, as high valuations and favorable terms became commonplace. But the potential of a recession has dampened enthusiasm for startups, in a shift that could put more leverage back into investors's hands.
- Sarah Hardy almost singlehandedly developed Airbnb's paid parental leave program in 2014. Now the COO of her own infant formula startup, Hardy is working to dispel the notion that smaller startups can't provide comprehensive support for new parents.
- Fear based management styles can create wedges between executives and employees. Learn tactics such as appreciating your employee as a whole human being -- not just as a worker -- to become a more authentic leader.
- Clawful, a family run Colorado restaurant, was on the verge of closing when a Gen-Z consultant volunteered to make a TikTok video to help. The video garnered 580k+ views, and the restaurant went from making $700 to $1000 a week to $24k in just one weekend.
- Innovation is the backbone of any successful business, but coming up with fresh ideas on a regular basis can be a tall task. To improve your team's creative output, try the 8 brainstorming ideas to inspire brilliant pitches.
April 1, 2022 -- Happy Friday and welcome to Friday Finds! From a network for women executives to building modern digital brands, here are The Hustle’s picks for inspiring and insightful entrepreneurial reads.
- Chief, a membership-based network for female executives, hit unicorn status after raising a $100m series B. Founders Carolyn Childers and Lindsay Kaplan, who started the company to help support women managers, plan to use the funding to build out the platform and add more personalized experiences.
- New technologies like artificial intelligence and augmented reality can be great tools for digital advertising -- if the companies can adapt. Learn how to build a powerful modern brand using tricks from Warby Parker, Yeti and Patagonia.
- Keeping your schedules straight can be a pain. In 2013, Tope Awotona launched Calendly, now worth $3 billion, to make that process easier. Here, he shares how entrepreneurs can benefit from the changing work landscape and new productivity tools.
- Moderna's head count has grown nearly 330% since the pandemic. Its chief human resources officer shares how the firm integrated its new talent and kept employees from burning out, including sticking to a set of company values and listening to the needs of its younger workers.
- Onboarding new customers is one of the most important tasks in an organizations -- and how a company does that needs to evolve as practices change in the business world. To learn the secrets of modern onboarding, read the 10 new customer onboarding best practices.
What did you think of this article?
