StartupNation

01/22/2025

If you've yet to join the Digital Ready program (it’s free and easy), do that first. Then take advantage of the tools and resources the program provides.

It's a smart investment in your future.

Here 's a glimpse of what's on tap this month:

📗From Creating Personas to Using Them
💸Understanding Financial Reports and How to Read Them
💰What MWBE Certification Can Do for You
💸Forecast Your Financial Future
💻What Goes into a Marketing Plan?
🏃‍♀️Create a Thriving Team Culture
🦺Save Capital to Keep Your Business Secure
💸Why Your Digital Ads are Not Working
🖥️Fireside Chat: Industry Soundz Recording Studio

Join Verizon Small Business Digital Ready for free and enroll in events and courses that help entrepreneurs level up their digital skills.

01/13/2025

The KISS — Keep It Simple, Stupid — method is well known in the business world because it provides all types of businesses with a winning mantra. It is especially valuable for startups because it leverages simplicity to address the key challenge most startups face.

Scaling a startup means contending with a sea of complexities, from unpredictable markets to irregular funding and strained finances.

01/12/2025

When your business is first starting out, cash flow and financial stability can be difficult things to achieve. Staying functional and having the ability to scale before while you’re well under full capacity can get expensive. However, with strategic financial planning and prudent decision-making, startups can weather the storm and pave the way for sustainable success. Here are a few tips to help you stay financially stable while your business is in the startup stage.

Cash flow and financial stability are critical elements when getting started. Stay functional by controlling costs and being smart with payroll and funding.

01/11/2025

The landscape for fundraising and investment has shifted significantly in recent years, moving from a period of overfunding frenzy to a more cautious and calculated environment.

Learn how to stand out in a cool investment climate.

Raising funds in a cooling investment climate: Whether running a startup or a family business, you can raise your odds of success with these practical tips.

01/11/2025

Understanding the nuances between paid search and paid social can significantly impact your marketing strategy and ROI. Both channels offer unique advantages, but selecting the right one or combination of the two depends on business goal(s) and your target audience.

Before getting into the specifics, you need to ask yourself:

What are my business goals? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, drive sales, or foster customer loyalty?
Who is my target audience? Understanding their preferences, behaviors, and where they spend their time online is essential for effective targeting.

The nuances between paid search and paid social can significantly affect your marketing strategy and ROI. Know your business goals and target audience.

01/10/2025

For business leaders and startups across all industries, wise money management isn’t just optional; it’s absolutely necessary for their success and long-term growth. Despite this, many new businesses fail for this very reason.

We will show you what an expense analysis is and how it can help startup founders just like you take your business to the next level. We also share some actionable advice that you can implement today if you want to take back control of costs.

An expense analysis is necessary for the success of your startup. Learn how wise money management can take your business to the next level of growth.

01/10/2025

Digital consumers expect enterprises to invest in the protection of their personal information. Not only this, but efficient management of the numerous online identities that organizations contend with can result in several benefits for businesses.

Learn how digital identity management can keep your user data secure and help you leverage it to grow your brand and your business.

01/09/2025

A common mistake aspiring entrepreneurs make is thinking they just need a brilliant idea to build a successful business. You need to take calculated steps, ensure that you’re moving in the right direction and document your action plan. Enter the business plan.

Creating a business plan is a must before you start your entrepreneurial journey. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write a business plan.

01/09/2025

None of us can see ourselves as others do.

We see out into the world, but we can’t observe our own energy and behaviors as easily as others can see us, and this affects the success of our businesses.

A coaching relationship helps us open ourselves to outside observations. Others can shine a light on how our behaviors and communication affect them.

01/09/2025

Your brand strategy shapes how people see and interact with your business. It’s a powerful way to reach your goals while building trust and recognition with your audience. We provide actionable tips and techniques to take your business to the next level.

What is your brand strategy? Learn how your brand strategy can affect your marketing plan, revenue, customer trust and much more.

01/08/2025

As a new entrepreneur, it’s worth considering the potential benefits of registering as a limited liability company (LLC). Let’s take a closer look at some benefits you could look forward to if you register your new business as an LLC. One of an LLC’s biggest advantages is its limited liability protection.

Discover the top benefits of incorporation and forming an LLC as a new entrepreneur, from tax advantages to liability protections and more.

01/08/2025

Compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is not only a regulatory requirement but also a critical aspect of legal and financial accountability. If your business has failed to comply with the CTA, there are specific steps you can take.

https://ow.ly/exbL50UnPBn

01/07/2025

Cloud transformation is already moving beyond technology to change the way businesses operate and innovate. But as the cloud becomes an operating model for a company, effective cloud cost management is critical to an organization’s health.

Cloud technology can help your business operate better, but effective cloud cost management is critical to your organization’s health.

01/07/2025

New players must overcome two major challenges when launching a new app: developing a standout product while managing tight budgets. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) can help accelerate the development process of an app while keeping the costs under control.

Launching an app is more challenging today, especially with the continuous growth of mobile device use worldwide. In…

01/06/2025

An LLC operating agreement is a legally binding document that acts as a blueprint for how you’ll run your business, detailing everything from member roles to profit distribution. We look at what an LLC operating agreement is, why you need one and how to create one for your LLC.

Considering forming an LLC? Find out how to create an LLC operating agreement to protect your small business interests when incorporating.

01/06/2025

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready provides exclusive networking and digital skills training, from courses to live coaching to personalized learning plans.

Here's a look at some of what's on tap:

📗Create a Content Plan
💸The Art of Upselling
💰Charge What You Are Worth
💸Forecast Your Financial Future
💻What Goes into a Marketing Plan?
🏃‍♀️Starving Your Impostor Syndrome
🦺Save Capital to Keep Your Business Secure
💸Perfecting Your Sales Conversions
🖥️Digital Marketing 101: How to Reach Customers Online

Join Verizon Small Business Digital Ready for free and enroll in events and courses that help entrepreneurs level up their digital skills.

01/06/2025

To counter escalating cybersecurity risks, companies must adopt a proactive approach. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a formidable ally, offering advanced capabilities to protect sensitive information and strengthen overall security.

In today’s hyper-connected digital landscape, safeguarding financial data has become a paramount concern for businesses of all sizes.…

01/05/2025

Managing your information technology (IT) is a struggle for many small business owners unfamiliar with the technical jargon and constant barrage of cybersecurity threats, updates and best practices. We break down the foundations of IT and provide practical solutions to help.

Managing information technology is a struggle for many small businesses. We break down the foundations of IT and provide practical solutions.