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Don Lichterman

Making the choice between equity financing versus the use of convertible debt when raising capital can be a tough one. Below are six of the most common differences between the two. Read on for help deciding which is the best method for you.

There are many advantages to using either structure. For an in-depth article check out this post. We hope this gives you the information you need to make an informed decision on what is right for your company. Have any more questions? Let us know @startupsco.

Before GirlBoss was a book or a Netflix show or a hashtag, Sophia Amoruso was running NastyGal and reticent to even sit on stage and be interviewed. She finally relented, and this was one of the first she’d ever done.

This interview was situated almost exactly between a five-year, almost effortless success story of growth, and a five-year slog that ultimately ended in bankruptcy.

But while NastyGal ultimately didn’t work, Amoruso continues to find ways to productize her unique attitude, style and eye. In addition to executive producing the Netflix show based on her life, she’s recently launched a media company for women called GirlBoss Media.

I have mixed feelings on the show and the direction of her media company, as a woman who doesn’t pa...

There are three DIFFERENT types of entrepreneurs:

1. A person who offers freelancer services

2. A person who opens a for profit company

3. A person who opens a not for profit company

You should aim to be all three types.

There’s a clear difference between an entrepreneur and a freelancer. If a freelancer takes a day off, they don’t get paid. If the freelancer is not actively putting themselves out there and being the brand and face of their services, no one will give them work. The freelancer is the company. On the other hand, the person who has started a company has some ability to leave for a few days, weeks, or months, get paid for that time, and come back to a still functioning company.

Each side has clear pros and cons. Hiring staff i...

##What is sales prospecting? First things first: what exactly is sales prospecting?

Simply put, sales prospecting is the process of going out and finding customers for your business. You might be saying to yourself, “Now wait a minute – isn’t that what marketing is for?” Well, yes and no.

Most marketing methods, like email blasts or social media advertising, are like fishing: you put your bait out on the line, and you wait for interested folks to come to you.

Sales prospecting, on the other hand? “Prospectors are hunters,” says Ryan O’Donnell. “They don’t wait for the magic to happen; they charge right into it to get a quick yes or no.”

Sales prospecting is particularly important during the early days. You’re the new kid on the block. No on...

There’s one major question that nearly everyone faces when starting a small business or startup: Where are we going to get the money? One option is a small business loan.

In general, a small business loan is any loan that exists to help a small business or startup with little to no business history. While there are a range of financing options for small businesses and startups, let’s take a look specifically at SBA small business loans.

What is a
SBA small business Startup loan?

A SBA small business loan is a loan that is backed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Founded in 1953, the SBA is a federal government program that provides support to small business owners in the form of mentorship, workshops, counseling, and small busine...

Filing for a federal tax extension is relatively straightforward, and it can benefit you as a taxpayer.

While an extension won’t get you out of paying your taxes by the regular tax deadline, it will give you more time to ensure you’ve taken advantage of the right tax deductions before you file your tax return (the paperwork) with the IRS.

Here are the steps you need to take to file for an extension of time to file your federal tax return.

1. Tax Extension Deadlines and Forms

Tax extension applications must be submitted on or before the regular due date of your business’s tax return.

To file for the extension, download the form that corresponds to your business type.

If your business is a partnership, multi-member LLC, or S corporation, You...

Even dietitians know it’s healthy to have a beer or a donut once in a while. Without wiggle room, a strict diet can harm health in other ways, like creating stress or limiting social interaction.

Until a client prescribed otherwise, our company struggled to take a break from something that was supposed to keep us strong: our process. This client loved our work, but he felt that we’d become too married to our own way of doing things.

A look back at our client data showed that we had, indeed, taken our healthy habits too far. We did our best work when we eliminated VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity), empathized with our clients as well as their users, and pushed toward consistent shipping.

So we broke our mold.

We starte...

Starting your own business is not a simple task. As a busy entrepreneur, it’s essential to be able to focus on your business anywhere. Today, mobile technology greatly helps you connect with clients, increase productivity, and sell on the go.

Here are seven of the best apps for business growth!

App #1. Slack

Slack is a neat app to increase work productivity that allows you to communicate quickly with your colleagues.

You can share links, pictures, and files either one-on-one or with multiple people at the same time through different channels.

The app is available as a web app as well as in the iOS and Google Play App store.

App #2: LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great social media site for professional networking. It’s a convenient way to keep i...

CHAPTER FIVE: Prep Beautifully

In This Chapter:

-How and why you should auto-confirm every meeting
-Adding smart metadata to each calendar invite
-Our example of a contact dossier

There are only two things cooler than walking into a meeting being perfectly prepared.

1. Moonwalking into a meeting to the song Billie Jean—perfectly prepared
2. The first edition of “Godzilla – King of Monsters”, in mint condition

Short of those two things—seriously—nothing is cooler.

So now that you’re ready to be cool, let’s show you how to prep beautifully for meetings.

Auto Confirm Every Meeting

They say the worst meeting is the one where you’re the only attendee. We’ve all had this happen, it’s not just you. The first step of prepping for meetings is to make s...