Here at Grasshopper, we have a very loyal and amazing customer base. They are continuously telling their friends about our service via Twitter, Facebook and of course through our referral tool, Spreadable.
What is Spreadable?
If you haven’t heard about Spreadable, it’s a new tell a friend tool from our parent company, Grasshopper Group. But it actually came to be right here on Grasshopper.com.
For those of you who have ever seen or used the Refer an Entrepreneur button on our site, that’s Spreadable!
A few years ago, we wanted a better way for our customers to refer our product. We tried a couple of different tools but nothing really fit our needs, so we built our own. The result?
* A tool that in one year gave us a 20% conversion rate and generated over $100,000 in additional word of mouth revenue! *
Posted in Marketing & Brands, Small Business | Tagged GH Group, Small Business, social media, Startup | 3 Comments
Traditionally, business owners have had the same few choices when it comes to incorporating. Either go unincorporated (as a sole proprietor or partnership), or form an LLC, S or C corporation. The differences between these various entities typically come down to taxation, the ability to have foreign shareholders and which corporate formalities must be followed. None of them specify what a given company’s values and commitments are – until now.
Enter the B corporation (or “Benefit Corporation.”) It’s a new legal structure that designates a business as “socially responsible.” Unlike a standard S or C corporation, B corporations exist to codify explicit commitments to societal stakeholders.
Origins
The B corporation is a relatively new development. Created in 2006, the entity was first conceptualized by Pennsylvania firm B Lab. Essentially, the B corporation was envisioned as a way for any company to codify and advertise its commitment to “socially responsible” business practices. Becoming a B corporation occurs only after a lengthy certification process during which companies are evaluated on social and environmental matters.
Posted in Small Business, Tips & Tricks | Tagged Small Business | Leave a comment
There are so many great places for entrepreneurs to get information; blogs, forums, Twitter, conferences, meet-ups, co-working spaces, etc, etc. Sometimes it’s hard to sort through them all!
To at least make one part simpler for you, and give you something to read this holiday weekend, I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite blog posts about entrepreneurship and business from the past month. I’m sure there are a hundred more out there but here are my favorites. Enjoy!
1. Which Excuses are Keeping You from Starting or Growing Your Business?
Overview: Matthew from Blogtrepreneur.com offers tips for those “wanna-be” entrepreneurs that are hesitant about starting a business. If you are on the fence about starting a business, this should inspire you to take a leap of faith and just do it! (or at least stop making excuses about why)
2. Entrepreneurs Test Before Starting Your Business
Overview: Kevin from dorm-room-biz.com gears this post towards internet entrepreneurs. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to set up an online marketing campaign for your business.
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Small Business | Tagged blogs, improvement, Small Business, tips | 1 Comment
In 1997, the Boy Scouts of America quietly launched their Entrepreneurship merit badge. Sadly, despite the Boy Scouts’ best intentions, the badge did not receive much in the way of consistent support. But on April 29, the Entrepreneurship badge was reintroduced with a much stronger commitment. As Maria Popova of the Huffington Post writes, the badge’s return symbolizes “the increasing value of entrepreneurial thinking as a social problem-solver and a necessary lifeskill in the pursuit of success today.” The badge aims to promote execution, critical evaluation of business ideas and the fundamentals of capitalizing on market opportunities.
Below, we’ll take a look at the Boy Scouts Entrepreneurship badge requirements, and what they can teach you about being an entrepreneur.
Define Entrepreneurship Realistically
One striking feature of the Boy Scouts Entrepreneurship badge is how it begins by asking you to define entrepreneurship, as well as the entrepreneur’s role in the U.S. economy. Yet, a glance at the requirements page shows that it is not sufficient to merely theorize on what entrepreneurship is. To earn the badge, you must find and interview a real-life business owner and ask them:
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Small Business | Tagged Entrepreneurship, Small Business | Leave a comment
Opening and maintaining an office is one of the costliest moves a new business can make. The obvious expense is the monthly rent, but the financial investment in running an office far exceeds the rent. At minimum, you will need desks and chairs. Most companies eventually want filing cabinets and a water cooler (plus scheduled delivery.) Of course, an office also needs its own Internet connection.
All these costs (and others) are why veteran entrepreneurs advise going without an office early on. That said, some businesses objectively need things like a professional mailing address, a business phone system and meeting areas.
Virtual Receptionists & Assistants
Entrepreneurs frequently take on loaded schedules and find themselves shoving repetitive tasks to the back burner. Traditionally, the solution has been hiring assistants whose sole jobs are to complete those tasks. However, it is actually not necessary for an assistant to physically work beside you in an office. A growing number of entrepreneurs are hiring virtual assistants instead.
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Small Business, Startup | Tagged Small Business, technology, tips, virtual office, virtual phone number | 1 Comment ← Older posts
