Lessons in Traditional PR. . . From a 14-Year-Old Philanthropist

In 2011, at age 13, Julien Leitner launched the Archimedes Alliance with a 100-second video appeal that opened with a simple question and answer: “What’s it cost to change the world? Two bucks.”

Waving a photo in front of his webcam, he made his case. “This guy,” he explained, “is Archimedes. He said, ‘Give me a lever long enough, and a place to stand, and I can move the earth.’ You are the lever. If I get 10 people to give two bucks and each of them gets 10 people to give two bucks and that happens just four more times, then you and I have a $2 million lever.”

So far, with a big assist from traditional media publicity, he’s collected nearly $17,000 toward his goal of raising $2 million for a worthy organization, chosen by the donors. “Social media allows us to maintain activity,” he says, “but publicity in traditional media gives the biggest jumps that we see.”

How he gets that publicity is a success story with lessons small businesses can put to good use.

Numbers prove the point

According to Leitner, the Archimedes Alliance launched with an email campaign to “everyone we knew,” but it took traditional publicity “to really get the ball rolling.”

“Around the holidays in 2011, we got a bunch of attention from KGW, KXL and KATU,” he says, reeling off the call letters of the biggest television stations in his home state of Oregon. “We went from $5,000 to $13,000 in one week.”

Features in statewide newspapers and magazines followed, as did posts in dozens of blogs and a feature in Wired magazine that included the line “I love this kid’s moxie.”

Moxie he’s got in spades. He’s also got spot-on instincts for reaching and leveraging media outlets to spread the word about how much good two bucks can do.

“Social media allows us to maintain steady low activity,” he says. “It’s immediate and keeps people aware. But if people aren’t in the space of mind to donate or share, they see it and it’s gone. Plus, it’s generated by us. Traditional media shows we’re getting attention and are relevant. It adds a different level of hype.”

I’m quoting a 14-year-old word for word. Here’s what else he knows.

Networking is the new publicity trigger
“A social media expert who I contacted for advice had a friend who was compelled and said, ‘Hey, I can get you into this conference.’ So in November, I gave a five-minute talk at Portland State University’s digital media conference about how philanthropy can be done through this formula of getting a lot of people to give a little money. Afterwards, a guy from KGW came up and asked if in a few weeks they could send over a reporter. After that, I sometimes had two interviews a day and we raised like $11,000.”

Set your story apart

“If you’re unique, even if you’re kind of out there, you have a better chance of being noticed and becoming known. If you follow the standard formula, if you’re basically saying, ‘Donate — we’re good,’ you’re part of a standard and nothing sets you apart. The two-bucks idea is nontraditional. It empowers anyone to make a difference and draws people in.”

Know your talking points

“Most interviewers ask, ‘Why?’ ‘What effect?’ ‘How long?’ ‘What was your inspiration?’ I don’t wing it, but I answer naturally, and I know I need to say, ‘Go to the website.’ It’s the final-stage contact. It’s where people go to donate and get the info they might need. It helps them make the decision, and I need people to pass it along.”

Reach high

“The ultimate mission is to go viral. That’s a pretty lofty goal, but we need it to go national or global. A perfect world would be coverage on something like ‘The Ellen [DeGeneres] Show,’ or a major blog picking it up, or a major name tweeting it. What would come out of coverage like that is the Archimedes Alliance would become more self-sustaining. It would still take a lot of effort, but it would spread on its own.”

Leitner closes with his aim in mind: “For every person who sees [our message], a few donate and send it along. We need to get to a lot of people.” For that, the reach and credibility of traditional media is his lever.


Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225725#ixzz2k01GzdEk

Are You Ready to Start Up? 3 Tips Before You Launch

A founder can never be too prepared for launching their startup.

As a serial entrepreneur and the recent co-founder of Work Market, a New York City-based enterprise platform for hiring, I have been advising and founding startups for the past ten years. And let me tell you, being an entrepreneur isn't a cake walk.

Before you decide to take the plunge, make sure you are completely prepared for the peaks and valleys that come with being a founder. Here are a few things to keep in mind while you're weighing your options:

Get mentally prepared.
During your journey, you will experience the ups and downs of launching a startup -- one day you will think you can conquer the world, the next day you will question your mission. You will push through the highs and lows because you have to keep persevering on. And no one said it was easy.

Aside from a possible co-founder, you will be alone in doing it, as no one else in your life will understand. Your friends and family will question why you left the corporate world, and your former colleagues will tell you they don’t get your new idea. This emotional roller coaster isn't for everyone, and I have seen entrepreneurs crushed by it. Before you plunge into entrepreneurship, make sure you are mentally ready for the challenges. And remember it’s a long ride.

Prioritize your health.
Don't expect a cushy lifestyle as a founder. Think 18-hour days, seven days a week. This means not getting the sleep you need and pulling all-nighter after all-nighter, a regime that can be hard on your body.

Before you embark on this adventure, you really need to suss out if you can handle it. Take into consideration factors like will physical ailments prevent you from being 100 percent committed, will your startup be your only priority and do you have enough energy.

Be able to bankroll your startup.
If you think your startup will only succeed if you raise money, you may want to rethink your venture. You have to start out with the mindset of never raising money. Assume you won't make a salary for two years, that you are going to pay salaries for other people and don't forget to throw costs like rent and utilities into the equation.

Startups often fail because they run out of money and no one will give them more. My co-founder Jeff Leventhal and I have always been prepared to fund Work Market if we needed, but we have been fortunate to have investment partners like Mo Koyman of Spark Capital, Fred Wilson of Union Square Ventures and Jorday Levy of Softbank.

Yet, you can't assume someone will buy your vision from the start. If you are not prepared to fund yourself, your team and your company, you may not be ready to launch a startup.

And while being prepared is essential, keep in mind people want to help you succeed. There are plenty of social networks, meet-ups and founders group that offer support to a fellow traveler.

This journey is too hard to be truly done alone, and those of us who have been fortunate enough to have some success at it, will always help out. But be ready.


Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229024#ixzz2k00kv7N0

6 Signs You're Ready to Declare Your Entrepreneurial Independence

As someone thinking of venturing out on your own, here are six sure-fire signs you are ready to declare your independence.

1. You’ve realized your dream is worth more than your 401k.
There are numerous reasons people choose to go down the corporate road: They enjoy working toward a common goal, love their position, have an amazing salary, perks galore and benefits. People like knowing where their next paycheck is coming from, making security a huge attraction to this lifestyle.

But, if you’re like me, security makes you complacent. For those of us who are less risk averse and willing to take a chance on your dream, it may be time to think about the world of entrepreneurship.

2. You can't stop thinking about your potential startup. 
If you can't stop thinking about your dream entrepreneurial endeavor enough to focus on the daily demands, you may be ready to jump your corporate ship. You aren't doing anyone a favor staying put, as an employer doesn't usually want less than 100 percent of your energy.

3. Your support system is in place.
You're ready for entrepreneurship if you have a strong support system. Let's not romanticize starting a business. It is one of the most stressful things that a person can do during his or her lifetime. Make sure your friends and family know you’re jumping into something that will take up the vast majority of your time. Also, have a set of mentors and advisors on your side, so you can reach out to them when times get rough.

4. You see the problems that no one else can spot.
You pay attention to details and are able to see opportunities when others don't. If you’re constantly coming up with innovative ways to change your employer's business but no one is listening, it may be time to take what you learned and see if you can do it better.

Keep in mind your idea may already be out there, so do adequate research. Also, talk to others to see if they are feeling your same pain points, and make sure there is a need for your startup concept. If so, take steps to turn your idea into a reality.

5. You’re willing to live below your means for a while.
One bonus about working at an established business is you have a paycheck. That may not be the case when you venture out on your own. Entrepreneurship is about playing the long game. This means if your business hits a wall, then you’re going to have to be willing to take the biggest financial hit.

6. You are reading this story.
If you are constantly perusing Young Entrepreneur to get tips, advice and hear others' success stories, you are probably considering starting your own venture. As a young, aspiring entrepreneur, there is no better time to start than now. Most likely, your list of responsibilities are minimal, and you still have time to make mistakes, learn from them and grow.


Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229029#ixzz2k00OfGlM

5 Industries Ripe for Young Entrepreneurs to Disrupt

The rapid pace with which we produce new technology means that new industries are created every day, providing ample opportunity for young entrepreneurs to get in on the ground floor. But the paradox of choice can be problem, as the question becomes where to turn and how you should begin.

To simplify your research, here are five areas gathering steam:

1. 3D printing
With the 3D market projected to hit $4.5 billion by 2018, the industry is just ramping up. London-based Makielab developed an innovative system that combines 3D modeling, smartphones and 3D printers to enable kids to build their own toys. MakerBot Industries recently opened up a 50,000 square-foot factory in Brooklyn and just got acquired by competitor Stratasys for $403 million. NASA is sending a 3D printer to space. And then there is Modern Meadow, the company behind 3D-meat printing. With a machine that builds any shape imaginable, 3D printing is screaming endless possibilities.

2. Alternate reality games 
Alternate reality games are real-life games built around a digital framework where players use their physical space as a digital playground. Apps like Facebook’s Check In and Foursquare encourage users to announce their arrival at various hotspots by gamifying their daily routine. A narrative-driven exploration app, Ingress, turns urban exploration into a spy-fiction cold war between its players. The current market of gamification is at $421 million and is expected to jump to $5.5 billion by 2018, according to a report by Markets and Markets. And with smartphones connected to everybody's hip, it is the perfect tool to gamify everyday tasks.

3. Storytelling
Narratives are different now. With social media becoming a more viable way of gathering information, sites like Branch and Storify are turning posts, tweets and pics into their own story, creating richer and shareable content.

Video is also evolving. Netflix decided that their original programming no longer needs the serial format and have implemented a supposed nonlinear layout for the latest season of Arrested Development. And sites like YouTube and Vimeo are making it easy for anyone to upload their video narratives.

Then, there's Literature. Recently, Amazon announced it will be launching Kindle Worlds, a service that allows writers to publish fiction inspired by well-known books and television series, like Gossip Girl. If storytelling is your strong suit, now is the time to act on it.

4. Niche social media
Facebook remains the powerhouse but other more-niche social media sites like Pack and Foodie are quickly catching up. With people sharing everything online, connecting to others across social networks and privacy becoming a gray area, data is becoming a huge market -- especially for advertisers. Innovation needs to tap into social media's multi-billion dollar empire and provide tools to connect user information with marketers.

5. Wearable Technology
Google Glass and smartwatches are on the forefront of wearable technology, spurring products to supplement these devices and next generation innovation. Products like Basis track your heart rate and provide real-time suggestions on making your lifestyle just a little healthier. Human Media Lab recently developed a prototype for a shape-changing smartphone by using a thin, flexible material that houses the phone’s guts.

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229031#ixzz2jzzmByG1

Why Starting Small Can Mean Big Business for Your Career

Big businesses, like investment banks and consulting firms used to be the most coveted employers among the ranks of business-school students. But these days, startups and smaller ventures are becoming major career launch pads as grads seek places that will let them don multiple hats and be entrepreneurs on the frontlines.

Around 90 percent of business schools saw either an uptick or no change in recruitment activity among startups last fall. That's up from 76 percent last spring, an MBA Career Services Council survey found.

More schools are also linking young treps to founders of smaller firms. At Northwestern University, the Kellogg School of Management has launched more targeted networking events for students interested in working at a small venture. Meanwhile, Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business hosted its first "Fewer Than 300" event last year, where around 130 students mingled with execs from businesses with fewer than 300 workers. None of the 32 companies initially had job openings, though they subsequently created eight positions to nab top talent.

"There’s no question smaller companies have become a major source of opportunity," says Pulin Sanghvi, the assistant dean and director at Stanford’s career-management center.

Still, getting a foot in the door and maximizing your work experience, takes plenty of skill. Here’s how some young treps are boosting their career’s trajectory by starting small:

Build multitasking muscles
Before Eric Thomasian left UCLA with his MBA last year, he had already interned at NBC Universal, YouTube and Cisco, where he was offered a fulltime position once he graduated. But the 27-year-old turned down Cisco for an offer at Blayze, a tech firm with fewer than 10 employees. He started out building financial models and running simulations on how many customers were needed to turn a profit, moved into a marketing role then ultimately became head of product.

"I would not get that kind of experience at any other big company," says Thomasian, who gets to show up to work in flipflops. "I like the fact that you do more things rather than being pigeonholed in one single position."

While some small firms offer specialized positions, the majority of them often seek -- and even encourage -- new hires to tackle various responsibilities and roles. “One thing that has always been the case with small companies and startups is that employees tend to wear a lot more hats,” says Mark Peterson, president of the MBA Career Services Council. “Employee job descriptions tend to be more broad, and they’re able to get involved and take leadership roles.”


Test unchartered waters
Not everyone knows whether a startup will suit their personality in the long-term, however. That’s partly why more students opt for summer internships or part-time placement during school. These kinds of opportunities are especially helpful for young “career switchers,” such as engineers who aspire to become product managers one day, or bankers who may want to get into a marketing role, says Emily Taylor, a UCLA employee who helps students that are interested in working with small businesses.

Another option to consider: venture visits. Some b-schools -- including Stanford and UCLA -- have been introducing students to founders of startups, incubators and smaller companies by arranging for a “day on the job” tour to see if there might be a mutual match between both parties. Others land startup gigs only after graduation. Nicolai Shuman, a 32-year-old from New York, finished his MBA from IE Business School in 2011 then began working as a consultant at Aviary, a tech startup behind a photo-editing app. He’s since stuck to smaller firms, having more recently joined Hickies, a venture with only a handful of employees that makes elastic laces to replace old-school shoelaces.

Collect non-traditional perks
In the past, many students were quick to dismiss startups because they felt their earnings would suffer over the long run. “That was definitely a concern I had,” says Patrick Wetherille, who graduated from Harvard with an MBA in 2010. Some new hires have been awarded an equity stake in a company, which “may be worth more than earning a salary and bonus,” says Stanford’s Sanghvi. The windfall could be even greater if a small firm gets acquired. At Tumblr, for instance, a team of 178 employees earned an average payout of $370,787 each after Yahoo purchased the venture, according to financial research from PrivCo.

In Wetherille’s case, the 30-year-old from Boston graduated then quickly moved up the ranks at Gazelle, a venture that buys used gadgets. He then worked at Lose It, a fitness app maker which had just five employees when he joined. As he garnered more responsibility, he watched his pay check grow. “I started off at a much lower starting point but was able to rise much, much faster, and now I’m at -- or even ahead of -- where a lot of my peers are,” says Wetherille. “They get locked in this compensation regime, where you can only get so much of a bump each year. At smaller companies there’s a lot more flexibility.”


Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229038#ixzz2jzzJZQoR

Passionate, Independent, Insensitive? You May Be an Entrepreneur

If you could learn whether you were cut out for entrepreneurship before you started up, would you?

For some, ignorance is surely blissful. After all, many entrepreneurs say they're glad they didn't know how hard starting up was before they did. Others, however, may want to know sooner than later if they aren't built for entrepreneurship or if they have weaknesses that they can work on.

A team of three academics at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., dreamed up a test that measures the degree to which students of entrepreneurship are utilizing an "entrepreneurial mindset." The test, dubbed the Entrepreneurial Dimension Profile, or EDP, uses a 72-question survey to measure 14 variables including independence and passion. Based on this information, the EDP also offers guidance on how to improve upon those skills.

After polling 330 entrepreneurs and corporate managers, the team found significant differences in each of the 14 variables, with entrepreneurs scoring higher on each one, except for interpersonal sensitivity, where they scored significantly lower than non-entrepreneurs.

Think you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Check out these 14 variables and see how you stack up with famous entrepreneurs who exemplify them:

Independent
Co-founder of both micro-blogging platform Twitter and mobile-payment system Square, Jack Dorsey's reserved personality has been well-documented in the media. Yet, his unwavering vision for Twitter, along with Square in the face of naysayers demonstrates his independence.
Independent entrepreneurs as you might have guessed like rolling solo, preferring to work by themselves and set their own direction. They tend to like the freedom to choose their priorities and are confident in deciding what to focus on.


Preference for little structure
Being a fan of little structure, Google's co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin allow for employees to allocate 20 percent of their work time, or one full work day, to pursue special projects not related to their usual workload.
Entrepreneurs favoring little structure in their work environment, tend to prefer flexibility when addressing issues and don't do well when problem-solving requires a step-by-step procedure, says the EDP.

Nonconformist
Co-founder and former CEO of Apple Steve Jobs never took the well-traversed road, instead he paved his own path with an unflappable vision, making Apple one of the most successful tech companies.
Nonconformist entrepreneurs like Jobs tend to stand out in a crowd, march to their own drum and act in unique ways. They have no problem challenging popular viewpoints and going against the grain.


Risk-taker
Facebook Mark Zuckerberg has seemingly played fast and loose with the social-networking giant on a number of occasions. Two notable examples: Taking his company public with little in the way of sales and acquiring the revenue-deficient photo app Instagram for $1 billion.
Risk-taking entrepreneurs tend to, well, take more risks to get a startup off the ground, especially if there is potential for a significant payoff. They accept the fact that the success rate may be low but prefer not to play it safe.

Action-orientedSerial entrepreneur Richard Branson is known for disrupting industries that need innovation. For example, with no experience in the airline industry, Branson decided to launch Virgin airlines after observing poor customer service in the market. And then there was that one time he crossed the Atlantic in a hot-air balloon.
Action-oriented entrepreneurs tend to be doers, not thinkers. They are likely to be quick decision-makers, impatient and will show initiative.

Passionate
Businesswomen Martha Stewart's passion for home and lifestyle has helped her amass an empire in publishing, ecommerce, broadcasting and other ventures under Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
Passionate entrepreneurs are completely obsessed with the mission of their startup, along with standing behind its values. Even though passion tends to be an overused word in startup land, it is needed to launch a startup and keep it going in good times and bad. As the old adage goes, if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.

High-achiever
Businesswomen Oprah Winfrey's over-achiever mentality helped her go from hosting talk show AM Chicago to becoming one of the richest women in the world.
Over-achieving entrepreneurs like Oprah tend to have a strong desire to attain very high milestones and want to be the best at what they do. In order to get to their desired goal, these entrepreneurs are willing to make some sort of sacrifice to get ahead.

Focused on the futureAs fo-founder of electric-car company Tesla and founder of space-transport business SpaceX, Elon Musk not only has the future on his mind but his constant innovations have helped keep his companies on the forefront of technology advancements.
Future-focused entrepreneurs are less likely to concentrate on the immediate details and more likely to plan for the long-term.

Idea generator
Co-founder of software company Microsoft, Bill Gates' continued desire to disrupt the computer industry has provided fuel for innovative products, like Windows and Xbox.
Idea-generator entrepreneurs tend to be brainstorming fanatics and can approach problems in various and new ways. Not only do they excel at coming up with the most ideas, but also the best ones.


Ability to execute
Founder and CEO of mega-online retailer Amazon Jeff Bezos' ability to execute turned an online marketplace for books into a company that generated $4.2 billion in cash flow last year. Bezos has been behind such initiatives as Prime shipping, subscriptions, rentals and its cloud computing services.
Executing entrepreneurs are masters at turning ideas into reality. They are known for getting tasks done and are able to take a mission or goal and create an actionable plan to achieve it.

Self-Confident
Co-founder and CEO of enterprise-software company Oracle, Larry Ellison does not lack in the self-confidence department. In a 2008 Charlie Rose interview, Ellison said, "Who am I winning for? Am I winning for Oracle shareholders or is it simply a matter of personal vanity? I'll admit to it. Mea culpa. An awful lot of it is personal vanity."
Self-confident entrepreneurs are satisfied with who they are and are optimistic they are able to achieve goals based on their talents and ability to execute.

Optimistic
When purchasing the social-media-marketing manager Buddy Media, founder and CEO of cloud-computing company Salesforce Marc Benioff was optimistic about its technology adding value to the company's success.
Optimistic entrepreneurs tend to see the glass half full, not half empty. They generally believe everything will turn out okay and obstacles can be overcome.

Persistent
Founder of hosiery company Spanx, Sara Blakely's persistence helped turn the company into a multi-million dollar business. Her first big break came after she lured Neiman Marcus buyers into a dressing room, put on her product and convinced them they needed to buy Spanx. And it worked.
Persistent entrepreneurs keep on trucking along, even when faced with challenges. When doors get slammed in their face, their startup faces setbacks and failures occur, they remain motivated.

Low interpersonal sensitivity
The co-founder of social-gaming site Zynga Mark Pincus has a reputation for being difficult to work with, as he can be more focused on product than feelings.
In terms of the EDP, this is the single variable that entrepreneurs did not score high on. Apparently, entrepreneurs aren't so sensitive, as they tend to concentrate so much on getting their startup off the ground and making it a success, they pay less attention to other people's emotions.





Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229042#ixzz2jzxXQhy9

4 Tips for Taking the Awkwardness Out of Networking

There is nothing more awkward than networking. It is one of those tasks that's constantly pushed to the bottom of my to-do list. However, it remains one of those necessary evils -- along with keeping records for my taxes, organizing files and staying up-to-date on social media. After all, as the old adage goes, it's not what you know, but who you know.

So how can you make networking less taxing? While there is no cure all for networking awkwardness, here are four tips to make it a bit less painful:

1. Don’t talk about work.
I know this probably sounds counterproductive. The whole point of networking is to discuss work, right? While that's true to some extent, networking will be even more productive if you can build long lasting relationships. I find that when I am just shooting the breeze with people, the pressure is taken off on how we can mutually benefit each other. Not thinking about what the other person can provide me has helped form stronger connections. If you get to know someone, without asking anything of them, chances are they will be more likely to help you out when you ask for things later on.

2. Bring a friend.
It is a lot easier to be social when you have a support system. If you are fortunate enough to have started your company with someone else, you already have a built-in networking buddy. However, for us solo entrepreneurs, we have to bribe and beg our friends to join us. Just be careful that you are not only socializing with the people you brought with you -- the whole key to successful networking is meeting new connections.

3. Ask questions.
To me, awkward silence is one of the most dreadful aspects of networking. As a result, I have become an expert at coming up with questions at the drop of a dime. There is no greater buzz kill than running out of things to say. My solution is to have an arsenal of canned questions to break the ice. This will hopefully spark a conversation.

4. Have your elevator pitch ready.
There is nothing more uncomfortable than meeting someone new and then they go off on a tangent about something you don’t care about. You are stuck looking for the most polite escape route. When it comes to your business, [[something missing here?]] I know you probably love to talk about it (I am totally guilty too). However, as the founder, no one will ever care as much as you do. If work gets brought up, you should have your 30-second elevator pitch ready to go. If the person you are talking to wants additional information, they will ask for it. Bottom line: They don’t need to know every detail about your life and business right away.

No matter how active you are on social media, nothing beats getting to know someone in person. And typically we meet new people by networking. It can be uncomfortable, but as you go to more events and meet more people, it should become less awkward.


Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229045#ixzz2jzxGFYRp